In a bid to ease concerns around the impact of AI on industry practices and creative roles, Heimtextil’s roster was filled with AI-centric elements, including talks, workshops, and a showcase of innovative brands shaping the future of the sector.
The positive potential of AI was at the centre of discussions, such as key benefits like time- and cost-efficiency, more effective production processes and improved accessibility.
Referring to his AI app FabricGenie, which allows anyone to create their own fabric designs, British AI consultant and developer Danny Richman claimed: “AI has given me superpowers. I can do things I’ve never been able to do before.”
Helping to demonstrate the possibilities of AI was Danish extended reality studio MANND, which presented two AI prototype tools created especially for the event. The AI Assistant, powered by ChatGBT-4 answered industry questions on topics like sustainability, while the Interactive Design Station visualised the fair’s 24/25 colour and material trends as products using Midjourney and ChatGBT-4.
Other such exhibitors included US company Variant 3D, which has pioneered a 3D knitting and scanning technology to create customisable knit products with zero waste; and Denmark’s NewRetex, which uses AI to optimise textile sorting for recycling.
Elsewhere, addressing concerns about quality and ingenuity, discussions reiterated that we shouldn’t forget to be creative with AI, as it is artists and designers who are getting the best results. “It’s about confidently embracing it as a tool and moving forwards,” stated Alexandra Bohn, style content director at German publication F.A.Z. Quarterly.
See Generative AI & the Creative Industries: The Road Ahead and AI Industry Updates: 2023 for more insights and innovations.
