Unitex/TexZeppelin

From hungry birds to innovation thinking: How digital develops creative and functional interior textiles

Interior and decotextile (carpets, textile floor coverings, wall covering, curtains) do not only have decorative functions but they become increasingly advanced technical products based on research work and on developments from the lab.  On the one hand, globalisation, customer demands and environmental legislations set pressure on the actual business. On the other hand, emerging technologies will create new opportunities in the near future. These technologies will have a huge impact and will revolutionise the business models by means of smart marketing. Today, quality, colour, creativity and design are the main issues. However, functionality comes in the picture. New technologies on the level of products (chromic sensors, piezo-electric products) will allow introducing new functionalities making interior textile more ‘active’. Moreover, in combination with new technologies, especially digital printing, it becomes possible to make the bridge between creativity and functionality. This lecture focus on new “low hanging fruit” ideas and gives an overview of the many possibilities on the level of products and digital processes to develop new creative and functional interior textile.