DOMOTEX 2018 (12–15 January) is opening in just a few days' time with lots of tailwind and a fresher and more innovative look & feel than ever. Thanks to the show's revamped site and hall layout for optimal orientation and navigation, "UNIQUE YOUNIVERSE" as a keynote theme putting the focus squarely on today's hot individualization trend, and an immersive and interactive array of displays for maximum inspiration, the 30th staging of DOMOTEX is set to be its most vibrant and engaging to date.

"DOMOTEX is putting a new spin on how we look at floor coverings. Attendees can discover the very latest trends and innovations in a more direct and experiential way than ever, thanks to a host of appealing showcases put together by exhibiting firms, artists and up-and-coming young designers. They can also pick up lots of valuable insight and know-how thanks to an attractive series of guided tours, lectures and workshops," remarked Dr. Andreas Gruchow as the member of Deutsche Messe's Managing Board responsible for DOMOTEX. "Visitors can look forward to an absolute feast of new ideas in interior design and lifestyle," he added. Another important change is that the run of the show has been moved forward by a day and is now Friday–Monday instead of Saturday–Tuesday.

The changes to the DOMOTEX format have been well received by the market. 1,615 companies from more than 60 nations are coming to Hannover to showcase the future of retail, industrial production and craftsmanship in carpets and flooring. "That's the biggest exhibitor turnout in the history of DOMOTEX," explained Gruchow. "What's more, over 85% of the exhibitors are from abroad. The show is has also topped all expectations with regard to booked space. In fact, this is the first time DOMOTEX has ever filled as much as 106,000 square meters." Apart from Germany, the biggest exhibiting nations at this year's DOMOTEX are Turkey, India, Belgium and China, followed by the Netherlands, Iran, Italy, Egypt and the USA.

At DOMOTEX, visitors from the flooring wholesale and retail trades will find the world's biggest range of floor coverings all at one convenient location. Everything they see on the showgrounds will relate in some way to the keynote theme of UNIQUE YOUNIVERSE. With its focus on the trend towards individualized products and services, the keynote theme is the common denominator throughout the show's display categories spanning everything from hand-made and machine-made carpets and textile and resilient floor coverings, to parquet, laminate and wood flooring, luxury vinyl tiles, application and installation systems and outdoor flooring. DOMOTEX will reveal how products and services can best be tailored to customer needs and lifestyles, and what this sweeping trend means for the industry. A prime example of this is the new carpet tile collection by DOMOTEX newcomer yogo design of Nicosia, Cyprus. With its myriad designs, the collection opens up virtually endless creative possibilities for customers. The tiles can be used to transform not just floors, but walls as well. Visitors will also discover new carpet tile systems that are ultra-easy to install and result in more homogeneous, broadloom-like floor surfaces. One such innovation is the "LockTiles" system by Fletco, in which the tiles interlock like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. The rugs by nomad, on the other hand, are an alluring fusion of different worlds. Made from recycled plastic from India and traditional wool from New Zealand, each rug is a custom creation and represents the ultimate in hand craftsmanship. There is also a lot happening in the LVT space, with geometric patterns and textural and mosaic interpretations adding further layers of creative choice alongside more conventional wood and stone looks. The reprised "Expona Domestic" collection by Objectflor is a perfect example of this.