Hand-knotted carpet makers
Lahore exporters of traditional and modern rugs.
Trade fair guide · Hannover
DOMOTEX 2027: a guide for Pakistani carpet and rug exporters
DOMOTEX is the world’s leading fair for carpets and floor coverings. Pakistan’s hand-knotted carpet industry, centred on Lahore, has long used it to meet European and American importers and interior designers.
Key facts
DOMOTEX at a glance
| Item | What to know |
|---|---|
| Dates | 17–20 January 2027 |
| Venue | Hannover Exhibition Grounds |
| Organiser | Deutsche Messe |
| Visa | A Schengen short-stay visa. If Germany is your main destination, apply to the German Embassy Islamabad or, for Sindh and Balochistan, the Consulate General in Karachi. Name the fair when you register for an appointment where asked. |
| Insurance | Travel medical insurance valid across Schengen with at least €30,000 cover. |
| Weather | Cold, often below freezing in January |
| Getting there | Fly into Frankfurt or Hamburg and take a high-speed train |
Check before travel: visa rules, fees, processing times and event dates change without notice. This page was checked on 11 November 2026 against Deutsche Messe and the German Embassy Islamabad. Confirm on the official source, or ask us to check for your trip, before you book anything non-refundable.
Who goes
Who from Pakistan attends DOMOTEX
Machine-made rug exporters
Volume producers seeking retail buyers.
Designers and importers
Pakistani firms meeting interior buyers.
Showing carpets
Logistics for large samples
Carpets are heavy and valuable samples. Ship stand pieces with your forwarder under the right customs procedure for temporary exhibits, and keep a list of sizes, knots per square inch and prices ready. Buyers ask about natural dyes, child-labour-free certification and delivery times.
January travel
Visas and winter
For a mid-January fair, start the German appointment by the summer, and avoid planning around the Christmas holidays when missions slow down. Pack for winter; queues and walks between halls are cold.
Combining
Heimtextil the week before
Heimtextil in Frankfurt runs 12–15 January 2027. Exporters of home textiles and rugs can cover both in one trip on one German visa.
Design
What carpet buyers look for now
Interior designers at DOMOTEX look for new colours, modern patterns and sustainable materials as well as traditional designs. Lahore workshops that can make custom sizes and colours to order have an advantage. Bring a design catalogue and offer small sampling runs.
Hannover in January is quieter than during the spring and autumn fairs, but rooms near the fairground still fill. Staying in the city centre and taking the tram or the S-Bahn to the fairground station is the usual choice.
- Custom sizes and colours
- Modern and traditional ranges
- Small sampling runs
With Go Global
How we plan DOMOTEX trips
Go Global has handled 100,000+ trips, including exhibition teams and buyer delegations. For DOMOTEX we confirm the dates with the organiser, plan the visa route first, then book flights, rooms and transfers in Hannover, and our team works 24/7 for travellers on the road.
Timeline
A planning timeline for DOMOTEX
6 months before
Register and start the German appointment.
4 months
Hotels in Hannover or nearby.
8 weeks
Ship carpets as temporary exhibits.
2 weeks
Buyer meetings and price lists.
Fair week
Stand and designer meetings.
FAQ
DOMOTEX questions
When is DOMOTEX 2027?
17–20 January 2027 in Hannover.
Can we combine DOMOTEX with Heimtextil?
Yes. Heimtextil runs 12–15 January 2027 in Frankfurt, the week before.
How do we ship carpets for the stand?
With your forwarder, under the customs procedure for temporary exhibits.
What do buyers ask about?
Knot count, dyes, certification and delivery times.
Plan with Go Global
Planning a DOMOTEX delegation?
Tell us who is travelling, when and why. We reply with a plan, the visa route and a quote. Go Global has handled 100,000+ trips, and our team works 24/7 for travellers on the road. Email insights@goglobal.pk or WhatsApp 0320-4111222.