Schöner Wohnen: New website

The Schöner Wohnen collection has a new website with a modern design. In addition to the extensive product range, consumers can find instructions, catalogues and lots of additional information there. There is no webshop; instead, the site offers a dealer search and ordering options for partner shops.

Digital trade fair Home & Flooring Expo starts 2 November: Register now for free

The first digital trade fair of SN-Verlag and Carpet Home will start on 2 November: Home & Flooring Expo 2021. Interested trade visitors can already register for a free visit to the fair: click here

ABC Carpet & Home sold to investors

The New York City retailer ABC Carpet & Home is being sold to an investment consortium, according to an article the New York Post published on 22 October. The investment fund called 888 Capital Partners LLP is said to be "a consortium of investors with multi-generational experience in home goods and consumer products", a spokeswoman for ABC said according to the New York Post.

Opti-Wohnwelt receives award for medium-sized businesses

Every year, the Oskar Patzelt Foundation awards the Grand Prix of Medium-Sized Businesses to companies from different sectors in different regions of Germany. This year's motto: "Now more than ever". Opti-Wohnwelt (head office: Niederlauer, Northern Bavaria) was the only furniture retailer in Southern Germany to receive the coveted prize. Another award-winning furniture retailer is based in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Möbel Preuß from Neustrelitz.

XXXLutz reopens with big "digital shopping experience"

In only five months, XXXLutz has completely rebuilt its furniture store in Aschheim near Munich; from 21 to 23 October, the store is celebrating its reopening. Around EUR 10 million were invested in the renovations, the location has almost 40,000 m2 of floor space.

Jan Kath's "Family Affair" with workshop in January

When Jan Kath invites visitors to his "Family Affair" at the beginning of the year people look forward to seeing his latest carpet designs as well as all his important collections. Plus there will be plenty of time for conversations with the designer, his team and other guests. As always, the event will take place in Kath's atmospheric showroom in Bochum, from 10 to 15 January 2022. Invitations go out to dealers, journalists, designers and architects from all over the world.

Domotex 2022 in three halls

In January 2022 there will finally be a Domotex again. In a preview live conference, Sonia Wedell-Castellano (Global Director Domotex) confirmed that the fair would take place as planned from 13 to 16 January in Hanover – in a compact form. More than 500 exhibitors have confirmed their participation and will show their products in three halls: 11, 12 and 13.

Interview with Carsten Gähle (Otto Golze) on shipping rate explosions

This is a short interview Carpet Home conducted with Carsten Gähle (Otto Golze's Managing Director) in September, when the transport situation was getting more and more difficult. By now, costs have increased even further.

Carpet Home: We keep hearing it from all suppliers who import goods from India and China: Transport costs have increased enormously due to the pandemic.

Carsten Gähle: That's true; the per-container prices have skyrocketed in parts from EUR 2000 to up to EUR 18,000. That's an increase in costs like we've never had before. Then there is the time lag. In southern India, nothing is happening at the moment. Especially in China, ships cannot dock in the ports for days. We have seen from the blocked Suez Canal that even relatively short delays can lead to chaos lasting several weeks. Goods and raw material deliveries are therefore getting delayed and becoming more expensive. Furthermore, packaging material is becoming much more expensive and at times scarce. Cardboard packaging, for example.

Ikea tests pop-up concept in Wolfsburg and Ravensburg

This winter, Ikea is testing a new shop concept in two German cities: Wolfsburg and Ravensburg. Ikea pop-ups are to open in busy shopping centres in city-centre locations. The first store will be ready on 1 November in the City-Galerie Wolfsburg; a second pop-up store will open in the Gänsbühl Center Ravensburg in early 2022.

Special edition on Mohamed Khamis in Carpet Home IV/2021

"A true Egyptian visionary" and "the most loving and giving person I have ever met": When Mohamed Farid Khamis, founder of Oriental Weavers, died a year ago, he left a legacy that will strongly resonate for years to come. Carpet Home's special edition on this influential entrepreneur outlines his life and work and the impact he had and still has on the carpet industry.