Event Marketing Blog

Exhibition carpet as an eye-catcher

Written by Alexander Plum | Wednesday, 8. February 2023

A blooming landscape in the middle of your neighbor's stand. How can that be? Either the exhibition stand floor has been elaborately laminated or the exhibitor has had a customized exhibition carpet made for his trade fair presentation. An absolute eye-catcher for trade fair visitors. 

Red, yellow, blue, green and these are not the only colors available for trade fair carpets. The choice is enormous. And we're only talking about colors. Exhibition carpets are also available in countless designs, surface textures and types. To help you choose the right carpet for your exhibition stand, this blog article provides you with all the relevant information you need to make your next exhibition stand carpet an absolute eye-catcher. Because your exhibition stand is only complete when the perfect exhibition carpet has been selected.

 

What is an exhibition carpet?

This question is easy to answer. You would think! Basically, such a carpet is only used for a limited time and then disposed of. But during this time, an exhibition carpet has to withstand many external factors. Absolute top performance is expected from such a floor. And then it still has to look good! It is therefore extremely important that the floor covering has the right properties.

Exhibition carpets are available in various units. From rolls to individual customization, almost anything is possible. And it doesn't always have to be disposable.


 

What properties must an exhibition carpet have?

As already briefly mentioned, an exhibition floor must be extremely hard-wearing. The trade fair carpet will be ‘trodden on’ by many feet during the trade fair. This will most likely have an impact on its appearance. It is therefore important that the carpet on your exhibition stand is hard-wearing and can withstand 4-5 days at the trade fair without any problems.

Fire protection

Fire protection is an important requirement for an exhibition carpet. Floor coverings are classified according to the European class for floor coverings EN 13501-1 for floor coverings.

  • B and C are building product classes ("flame retardant, comparable to B1).
  • fl is an abbreviation for flooring
  • s is the abbreviation for smoke.
  • 1 means = no or hardly any smoke development

As a rule, an exhibition carpet must comply with fire protection class B1. However, at every trade fair you should observe the fire protection regulations of the trade fair organiser as to which requirements your exhibition floor must fulfil.

Important properties for the atmosphere

Exhibition carpets have a number of advantages over laminate flooring: The soft running properties, as well as thermal insulation and footfall sound insulation, should be emphasised. These properties ensure a pleasant atmosphere on the exhibition stand. It is particularly pleasant during customer meetings when you don't necessarily want to hear your colleagues' footsteps every time. Regardless of the material, the exhibition floor must absorb walking noises.

Water-repellent and easy to clean

In addition to footfall sound insulation, an exhibition carpet must also be water-repellent and, above all, easy to clean. Easy-care in the sense that the carpet can be cleaned at any time without great effort. It goes without saying that soiling will occur on a trade fair day. But the exhibition stand cannot be presented like this on the next day. So it should definitely be cleaned, and relatively easily. Use a hoover and a damp cloth to remove any stubborn dirt.

Especially when there is catering on the stand, it is not uncommon for something to fall on the floor. So here's a tip for your trade fair appearance: always have an industrial hoover with you to clean the trade fair carpet in the evening!

Better still, order a daily stand cleaning service. This service is offered at every trade fair and is not expensive. The stand is vacuumed in the morning before the trade fair begins, furniture and counter surfaces are cleaned, and exhibits and glass surfaces are also cleaned on special request.

  

Multiple use

In today's world, the issue of sustainability must not be ignored. Keyword multiple use of exhibition carpets. The floor covering is often disposed of after the trade fair. Which in turn causes unnecessary waste. Why not use the exhibition flooring more often? Here there is the option of using carpet tiles, which are also available in countless colours and designs and can become an eye-catcher.

 

What types of exhibition carpets are there?

Regardless of the colour and shape, there are different types of exhibition carpets. I will introduce you to a few types below:

Rep carpets: Rep carpets are a classic. These have a low pile and are firmly knitted. The surface of ribbed carpets can be coarse or fine and runs in one direction. They are an inexpensive variant of exhibition carpets and are not particularly hard-wearing. However, they are only intended for one-off use.

Velour: The velour carpet is much better processed than a ribbed carpet. It is made from synthetic fibres and is popular as a trade fair carpet. Not only because of its durability, but also because it is easy to clean, so that a velour carpet can be used several times as an exhibition carpet.

High pile: A high pile carpet creates a very cosy atmosphere. It is also a good sound absorber, which is particularly welcome in sales meetings. The walking properties are particularly comfortable and despite its soft surface, a deep-pile carpet is very hard-wearing. Of course, a deep-pile carpet can also be used for other purposes, e.g. to set the scene for exhibits.

Carpet tiles: The all-rounder among exhibition carpets. Carpet tiles can be used in a variety of ways. Especially if you have several exhibition stands per year, you can use them again and again, regardless of the size of your exhibition stand. Other types of carpet have to be cut to size again and again. Carpet tiles are available in various sizes, shapes, materials and types.

Photo carpet: A photo carpet can be a special eye-catcher. And I'm not talking about your company logo printed on the carpet. No, actually have a photo or a realistic landscape etc. printed on carpets. This creates an absolutely individualised image of your trade fair stand. Whether you choose a motif that matches your product or present a suitable scenery is up to you or ask your stand builder for advice.

Artificial turf and other exotics: In addition to all the standard carpets, there are also some exotics, such as artificial turf. Unless you are a company presenting artificial turf at a trade fair, artificial turf as an exhibition carpet is something unique. But that's not all. If you want to deviate from the standard, you can now have your exhibition carpet customised. Whether your company logo adorns your exhibition carpet or a complete meadow landscape is entirely up to you. Almost anything is possible.

It is important to discuss everything with your stand builder: your ideas and wishes. Of course, everyone wants to stand out as much as possible at a trade fair, but an exhibition carpet must also fit in with the overall concept of the exhibition stand. 

Sustainable trade fair carpets: You have to be a little careful with sustainable trade fair carpets. In this context, sustainability should not mean that a carpet contains a ‘proportion’ of recycled material. In principle, the carpet should always be planned for several trade fair appearances in order to avoid unnecessary waste production. Please don't misunderstand, this is better than nothing, but it is still not sustainable. Everything simply has to be right: From production to production to disposal. A company that offers sustainable exhibition carpets should be able to present the ISO 20121 certificate. This means that these companies take into account all three pillars of sustainability: environmental protection, social impact and economic components.

 

What should the perfect trade fair carpet look like?

The most important thing is that your exhibition carpet matches your exhibition stand and your company. Your stand builder should advise you accordingly. If the exhibition carpet is intended to be an eye-catcher, then the exhibition walls should be somewhat more discreet. If the entire exhibition stand is too cluttered afterwards, it will be more of a deterrent than a sales booster.

The two main aspects of an exhibition carpet are the colour and the texture. It is therefore important to decide beforehand whether the exhibition floor should be an eye-catcher, i.e. attract attention at the exhibition stand. Or should it rather be a discreet carpet, as there are other eye-catchers on the exhibition stand.

Another option is to work with different colours so that carpet tiles can be used to create one or more paths on your exhibition stand to guide visitors to specific exhibits. You can also create or highlight certain areas, such as exhibits or lounge areas, with trade fair carpets using such colour games or design and material changes.

There are no limits to creativity. The important thing is that you know from the outset what the purpose of the exhibition carpet is.

 

Conclusion on the selection of your exhibition flooring

As you have seen, there is a large selection of exhibition carpets. Discuss with your stand builder which carpet is best suited to your exhibition stand concept. It is important that you communicate your ideas to your stand builder so that he can also get an idea of your vision. Ask yourself the question:

Should my exhibition carpet serve as an eye-catcher or do I have other elements that already do that!