DOMOTEX – the world's leading trade fair for floor coverings in Hanover

Innovative materials, design trends, and global networks covering the entire world of flooring

DOMOTEX in Hanover is the world's leading trade fair for carpets and floor coverings – a must for architects, designers, interior decorators, wholesalers, retailers, and the manufacturing trade. With its thematic focus on innovation, sustainability, and design, it has been setting standards in the industry for years and is also a trend barometer for the interior design of tomorrow.

In the exhibition halls of Deutsche Messe Hannover, international manufacturers, brands, and producers showcase the entire range of products – from hand-knotted carpets and machine-made designer floors to elastic coverings, parquet, and laminate, as well as outdoor and commercial solutions. At the same time, numerous special shows, lecture formats, and interactive areas offer visitors the opportunity to engage intensively with material innovations, room concepts, sustainable production processes, and digital distribution models.

Floor coverings as a design element – DOMOTEX as a source of inspiration

Today, floor coverings are much more than just functional elements of a room. They define the atmosphere, influence the acoustics, regulate the indoor climate, and set design accents. DOMOTEX responds to this development by not only presenting new products, but also picking up on current aesthetic and architectural trends. One highlight of the trade fair is the curated “Framing Trends” format, which offers designers, artists, and manufacturers a stage to showcase flooring as a medium of cultural and social expression. Installations, workshops, and dialogue formats enable a change of perspective—from product to concept. If you are interested in other international design and interior design trade fairs in Lower Saxony, you will find an up-to-date overview of related events at Hannover Messe—from building materials and lighting design to smart living.

Global exhibitors—regional diversity

DOMOTEX is a mirror of global markets. Whether hand-knotted carpets from Iran, sustainable wood flooring from Scandinavia, high-tech vinyl from East Asia, or modular carpet tiles from North America – the international range of exhibitors is impressive. Every year, companies from over 60 countries present their innovations in an environment that appeals equally to trade visitors, decision-makers, and creative minds. At the same time, the trade fair also showcases the diversity of regional styles and materials. Local wood species, traditional patterns, climate-adapted products, and sustainable processing techniques are deliberately highlighted as part of an industry that is focusing more than ever on origin, transparency, and authenticity.

Sustainability, recycling, and life cycle design

A central theme at DOMOTEX is ecological responsibility in the flooring industry. Many exhibitors are showcasing products made from recycled or bio-based materials, CO₂-neutral manufacturing processes, modular replacement systems, and take-back programs. Sustainability is no longer a niche topic, but an integral part of corporate strategies. Concepts such as cradle-to-cradle, circular design, low VOC emissions, and energy-efficient installation will be discussed on podiums and in special shows. Certifications such as FSC, GUT, and Blue Angel are also playing an increasingly important role—both as a guide for end customers and as a purchasing criterion in the contract sector.

Digitalization and new sales channels

Digitalization has also fundamentally changed the world of floor coverings. At DOMOTEX, modern visualization tools, augmented reality solutions, online consulting platforms, and automated measurement systems will be presented that enable a new level of service and efficiency for both retailers and planners. At the same time, the industry will also be discussing new forms of distribution at the trade fair, such as direct-to-consumer models, online configurators, and hybrid showroom concepts. DOMOTEX is thus also becoming a platform for digital transformation and marketing innovation in a traditionally craft-based industry.

Space for crafts and the construction industry

The trade fair is not only aimed at designers and retailers, but also explicitly at the manufacturing trade. Special areas of DOMOTEX are dedicated to installation tools, adhesive technology, substrate preparation, and processing machines. Practical training courses, demonstrations, and specialist presentations offer direct benefits for everyday work—from floor layers to construction managers. This combination of design standards and technical precision is what makes DOMOTEX so special: it is both a creative stage and a practical working forum.

Education, young talent, and prospects

Another focus is on promoting young talent and knowledge transfer. Universities, chambers of crafts, and training companies use the trade fair to give young talents an insight into professions related to design, processing, and trade. Competitions, talent scouting, and discussion formats with young professionals are just as much a part of the program as collaborations with design academies and architecture departments. In addition, DOMOTEX regularly awards prizes for innovation, design quality, and sustainability—such as the Carpet Design Award, which honors particularly creative and technically outstanding carpet designs.

Conclusion: DOMOTEX as a guide for the spaces of tomorrow

DOMOTEX in Hanover is more than just a trade fair—it is a showcase for developments that extend far beyond the floor space. Anyone who wants to understand how living, working, and building are changing, which materials are being used, and which design ideas are gaining ground will find the right answers at DOMOTEX—direct, tangible, and internationally networked.

Further information can be found on the organizer's website: www.domotex.de