welcome : letter from the editor
H
eimtextil in Germany is one of the main places where designers spot new trends and innovations in the textile industry. When I read its forecast for 2021, one word jumped out at me over and over again.
Sustainability was something the organizers discussed in every major point. 2020’s twin disasters of COVID-19 and climaterelated emergencies, which included wildfires in the West and numerous hurricanes in the Southeast and Central America, drove home the point that crisis is a driver of innovation. “In the textile industry, digitalisation and sustainability are currently omnipresent innovation topics. The coronavirus pandemic ensures that both topics are becoming even more important in the home textile industry,” the report shared.
EDITOR ’ S LETTER
Heimtextil’s other top points reflected consumers’ desire to source eco-friendly materials, design spaces with recycled and upcycled products, and create homes that are safer and better for them. People everywhere want to go green, and we need to help them. All of these topics were very much on my mind as we crafted the January + February issue of Window Fashion VISION. We asked designers who shared thoughts about children’s bedrooms (page 44) to comment on how they use eco-friendly or chemical-free products to keep the littlest members of families healthy. We were thrilled that manufacturers who make or sell UV and sunshading products (page 32) focused on how their goods can keep energy costs down and furniture from fading (which helps it last longer), as well as why they look great in indoor and outdoor spaces. We pumped our featured designer, Sheree Vincent of Fusion Designed in Minnesota, for ideas on keeping the planet in mind during a home makeover—and she delivered the goods (page 40).
A building’s interior furnishings can have an equal or greater impact on carbon emissions than its construction if you look at the whole life of the structure. That’s the conclusion from a new study by the Carbon Leadership Forum and Seattle-based LMN Architects. If you haven’t already, read this report or check out the article on it on businessofhome.com. We all need to do our part to keep our planet, not just our clients, healthy and thriving.
This is our third sustainability issue, and I’m always excited to take this topic and make it seem new again. But we also have some features for you that are truly fresh. I hope you’ll check out O’D McKewan’s new column on motorization (page 28). This article is the first in a series of six throughout the year. We’ve added a legal and financial column for 2021. Our first entry, from Jamie Lieberman of Hashtag Legal, discusses why now is the perfect time to review contracts and other important documents (page 26). In each issue this year, we’ll also be tackling a non-window covering product that we know many of you specify. We start off with a look at trends and ideas for wallcoverings (page 52). Finally, our New or Noteworthy section (page 16) will premiere window covering products you need to know about and discuss existing products that are worth investigating. Some of these recommendations will come from the Window Fashion VISION team, but we’d like to take your suggestions as well. Let me know what products you’re loving right now. The other thing we’re actively seeking is high-resolution, high-quality photos of window treatments to include on the magazine’s cover. If you’d like to see your work featured, please reach out. I’d love to see your best pictures—and hear your top ideas for how we can improve the magazine.
Sophia Bennett Editor-in-Chief sophia@wf-vision.com
14 | JANUARY + FEBRUARY 2021
| wf-vision.com
