As DOMOTEX prepares to enter its 33rd season from 13 to 16 January 2022 in Hannover, "COVER NEW GROUND" has been announced as the show's keynote theme. The theme has been chosen as a way of giving center stage to topics of major current and future societal relevance, namely natural and sustainable environments for work and living. As such, COVER NEW GROUND also stands for a fresh take on floors and floor coverings as the veritable foundation of interior design. New applications, trends and innovations are all waiting to be discovered at DOMOTEX 2022 . Even with as much as six months still to go until the gates open to visitors, 95 percent of the available floor space has already been booked. The show's organizers and exhibitors are correspondingly optimistic, and looking forward to a lively event in January – not least due to this being the first Hannover-based trade show in quite some time to be staged as a physical, on-site event, with digital participation options also available.

Referring to the show's lead theme, Sonia Wedell-Castellano, Global Director of DOMOTEX at Deutsche Messe, explains: "The mindful use of resources, the pursuit of a circular-flow economy, new approaches to sourcing, health and wellbeing at home and at work, the wave of online trade permeating every segment of modern life – all this is of key relevance to society, and is thus also shaping the flooring industry and DOMOTEX as its flagship fair. ‘COVER NEW GROUND' explores how sustainable and healthy materials are making huge inroads into living and working environments, as well as how floor coverings are rising above the floor-bound realm to star as innovative decorative elements in totally new roles. COVER NEW GROUND is about being innovative, exploring new horizons and breaking new ground. The name of the game is creating healthy, sustainable and at the same time inspiring spaces. But DOMOTEX also covers other hot topics affecting the sector, among which are the challenges, risks and opportunities created by supply bottlenecks, as well as promising ways of responding to them," sums up Wedell-Castellano.

"New Coverings", "New Grounds" and "New Ways to Market": three focus topics to underpin the DOMOTEX lead theme

"New Coverings" addresses today's growing interest in healthy living and working environments, a commitment to environmentally friendly materials and manufacturing processes, and the circular economy with the aim of creating balanced and at the same time trend-conscious spaces for living and well-being. "New Coverings" focusses on innovative solutions and products that play into circular-flow objectives.

The second focus topic – "New Grounds" – features sophisticated flooring applications in the contract business, e.g. the outdoor use of carpets, wood and composite flooring or the merging of indoor and outdoor areas. In other inspired applications, flooring and floor coverings are used for wall decoration purposes, or even as an integral part of furniture and fabrics, demonstrating just how versatile and impactful they can be in defining the look and feel of interior environments.

"New Ways to Market" – the third and last focus topic – highlights the importance of adeptly responding to changing conditions. Markets are subject to constant change, e.g. in terms of import and export conditions, supplier relations, digital services and the appearance and rise of new online trading platforms, all of which are changing the face of the economy. Digital technologies are making it possible to launch new collections on the market beyond traditional sales floors and across national borders, as well as to market them skillfully and network with customers and promising new leads. For the flooring industry, too, social media have also become an important sales channel.

As a global marketplace and source of inspiration, DOMOTEX 2022 will address the key issues facing the flooring industry and provide answers to all the questions on participants' minds.