Why is this Heimtextil different from all other previous Heimtextils? Better question: are you going to make this Heimtextil different than all other previous Heimtextils?
Let’s face it, folks, it’s been one hell of a year when it comes to the business of sourcing home textiles products. With the Trump Tariff War going on and on and on (with absolutely no logical and workable solution in sight), a rapidly developing movement for sustainability and traceability changing all the buying rules and a world economy that always seems to be on the brink of falling off a cliff, it’s become a nightmare to conduct business.
Heimtextil, the yearly global fair in Frankfurt, is absolutely the center of the home textiles universe, and while it may not have all the answers, it does provide many of them to smart show-goers.
Those of us who have been doing this for a while remember when Heimtex was the place to see the latest European designs and perhaps meet in the back of some tiny stand on the fringes of the show with a factory in China or India that claimed they could make what you needed.
That was a long time ago, and now those roles have reversed. There are still design directions to be seen, but they are largely in the guise of the trend pavilion that remains unique in all the world. But the vast majority of the show, at least for American attendees, is all about working with overseas factories – current and future versions – to figure out next year’s supply chain.
This month, that process should be played out differently. China, India and Pakistan have always been the go-to countries for American production needs and they remain the Holy Trinity of sheets and towels and such. But with the Chinese tariff situation so in disarray, India going through growing pains that are upsetting the status quo and Pakistan often in the throes of political chaos, US importers and wholesalers must do more.
Yes, go see your existing sources, but you can’t just go to the same places and call it a show. I don’t know if it was Winston Churchill or Confucius – or George Harrison – who said, “If you stay on the road you’re on you’ll end up where you’re headed.” (Excuse my translation from the original British, Chinese – or rock-and-roll – but I think you get the gist.)
If you’re having troubles or concerns about managing your sourcing you need to look at new options. Maybe that’s elsewhere in Asia, particularly in Southeast Asia where countries like Vietnam and Thailand are starting to offer realistic alternatives to the Big Three. Maybe it’s South America or the Caribbean for select products that are suited to their capabilities.
Or it could be back to Europe where places like Portugal and Turkey are now viable sources for wide varieties of products at competitive prices. Perhaps other suppliers elsewhere in Europe may enter the picture.
Finally, maybe it’s Africa. It may still be too early in the learning curve for textiles suppliers in countries like Ghana, Ethiopia or Nigeria to be reliable sourcing partners, but they are getting closer and closer. While it’s never good to be too early, it can be even worse to be too late.
This year your Heimtex Maneuvers can’t be the same old thing…unless you want the same old results. Explore the world – it’s right down the moving sidewalk.
