Posted by Rachel Westall on 25 February 2025
The local retail trade has come to a turning point: Whereas online giants dominate the market, small and medium-sized businesses are battling for visibility, viability and relevance. However the challenges also present an opportunity – and that is precisely what h+h cologne 2025 is picking up on. From 7th to 9th March 2025, Cologne will become the hub of the textile handicraft industry, where everything revolves around innovation, inspiration and new perspectives.
Under the key theme "Local Retail: Creating the Future", the spotlight is being placed on the retail trade in 2025. How can the stationary trade assert itself successfully in today's era of digital competition? Which strategies lead to long-term success? Practice-related Deep Dive workshops, inspiring keynotes and valuable networking opportunities provide answers. h+h cologne not only offers a platform for an exchange, but also presents the retailers with concrete tools to gear their business up for the future.
The trusted zone concepts introduced in the year 2024 will also be continued and expanded this year. They are being enhanced by the Green Zone and the Trend Zone, which focus on innovative and green product concepts. During the three days of the trade fair all of the programme items and concepts will be conducted in the theme-related event zones. These zones present the trade audience and exhibitors with a diversified offer of industry-specific contents.
h+h cologne is not only the largest inspiration and order platform of the textile handicraft industry worldwide - it is also the meeting point for everyone, who wants to actively co-shape the retail trade:
1) Experience innovation live - hundreds of exhibitors, including TOP industry brands will present their latest products, trends and technologies that can enrich the line-up of every business.
2) Meet industry insiders – retailers, creative minds, content creators and press representatives are hardly found in such a density anywhere else.
3) Knowledge for the future – top-class lectures, panel discussions and masterclasses convey valuable insights and concrete recommendations for action for a successful future in the retail trade.
Inspiring speakers & an event programme with true added value
The first-class event programme of h+h cologne 2025 offers practice-oriented impulses of industry experts and innovative minds. In the popular Talk Zone the major issues of the future will be discussed, whilst specialised masterclasses offer in-depth insights into strategic themes.
Learn from experts: The most important lectures of the trade fair
Panel talk: The future of the retail trade (07.03.2025, 12 noon – 1:00 p.m.) - with Frank Rehme and André Schröder
Masterclass: Social Media & Influencer Cooperations (07.03.2025, 3:20 – 4:20 p.m.) – with Laura Grashoff and DIY Eule – Nastasia Mohren.
Masterclass: Sustainable yarns in the line-up (08.03.2025, 3:20 – 4:20 p.m.) – with Dagmar Fresenius and Ute Hänke.
Masterclass: Brand development in the luxury segment (09.03.2025 – 3:20 – 4:20 p.m.) – with Fatima Halwani.
Further highlights of the event programme:
Academy Zone
Deep Dive Workshop: AI for beginners: Basics, usage and potentials for your business (07.03.2025, 2:50 – 4:20 p.m.) – with Frank Rehme
This beginner workshop offers an introduction to the world of Artificial Intelligence. What is AI and how does it work? What are the most important areas of application, such as for example AI in customer service, data analysis and marketing.
Deep Dive Workshop: Sharing Secrets: How you can not only bind customers with behind-the-scene stories, but actually captivate them (09.03.2025, 11:50 a.m. – 1:20 p.m.) – with Stefan Keller.
Behind-the-scenes stories are among the most successful formats, particularly in social media marketing. The retail and design sectors and manufacturers have countless opportunities of addressing and binding social media customers using storytelling.
Workshop: Do it yourself! Discover expert tips to create a stunning window display that will captivate customers (08.03.2025, 1:30 – 3pm) – with Karin Wahl.
Most retailers in the crafts industry decorate their own window displays. This is often time-consuming and tedious. How can one quickly develop a concept here and apply the basic principles correctly? Armed with helpful tips, one subsequently has the opportunity to put together one's own inspiring window display.
The current event programme of h+h cologne 2025 and all important information can be found on the website.
Tickets for the event are available from the official ticket shop.
Koelnmesse - trade fairs for the handicraft industry As an organiser of innovative and important trade fairs worldwide Koelnmesse is the global market leader in the handicraft & hobby sector. h+h cologne is the leading trade fair for textile handicrafts and the industry's largest international inspiration and order platform. Koelnmesse also supports companies in reaching international markets, which is why it has expanded its fibre arts portfolio in the USA: h+h americas, a platform for the North American knitting, sewing, textile and craft industries, uses pioneering formats and online solutions to put the industry's products and services centre stage. The hybrid trade show in Rosemont, Illinois, offers both digital and on-site experiences to maximise reach and impact. The Fiber+Fabric Craft Festival in Rosemont, Illinois, is a new consumer trade show that brings together crafters, creatives, and innovators for education and to showcase the latest trends, products, and techniques in knitting, crochet, needlepoint, cross stitch, felting, sewing, quilting, and cosplay.
Next events:
h+h cologne – March 7 - 9, 2025 – Cologne, Germany
h+h americas – May 7 - 9, 2025 – Chicago, USA
Fiber+Fabric Craft Festival – May 1 - 3, 2026 – Chicago, USA
