Witnesses growing upward industry trend this edition
Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the 33rd Hong Kong Houseware Fair and the ninth Hong Kong International Home Textiles and Furnishings Fair drew to a successful close today. The two four-day fairs welcomed a total of close to 49,000 buyers from 112 countries and regions, up 1.5 per cent on last year. More than 29,500 buyers visited the Houseware Fair, while more than 19,000 buyers attended the Home Textiles and Furnishings Fair. Attendance from mature markets such as Singapore, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as emerging markets including the Chinese mainland, Vietnam, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico saw satisfactory growth.
Sino-US trade friction having no impact on industry exports
To understand the views of industry players on market prospects and product trends, the HKTDC commissioned an independent on-site survey, interviewing more than 540 buyers and exhibitors at the two fairs. About 60 per cent of respondents expected the ongoing Sino-US trade friction to have no impact on the sector’s export performance.
A spring board for start-ups
“Hong Kong has long been a cradle for entrepreneurs,” said HKTDC Acting Executive Director Benjamin Chau. “Our innovative thinking and entrepreneurial spirit, which have contributed greatly to Hong Kong’s economic success, are crucial for the city’s future. As such, we continued to organise a Startup Zone at this year’s Houseware Fair, featuring more than 20 start-ups from Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland, Taiwan and Bangladesh. The zone allowed start-ups to exhibit at a lower cost, making the show a springboard for them to connect with overseas buyers and manufacturers, and a testing ground to gauge market responses to their products. We also organised a number of “Startup•Smart Launch” sessions for start-ups to present their business ideas and explore opportunities.”
Brisk sourcing by buyers from emerging markets
The Houseware Fair’s main theme this year continued to be “L.I.F.E.”, standing for its four major the med zones: Lifestyle, Interior, Feast and Enrich. Buyers appreciated the effective
zoning, which facilitated sourcing. Zubair Ahmed, a buyer from the United Arab Emirates’ Danube Home, said that he came to Hong Kong to source home furnishings products for the company’s 18 stores. He found six potential suppliers from the Chinese mainland, Japan and Thailand, and finalised orders with four exhibitors for $250,000 worth of cookware, glassware, cutlery and kitchenware, making his visit rewarding.
Home Textiles Fair creates additional opportunities
Held concurrently with the Houseware Fair, the Hong Kong International Home Textiles and Furnishings Fair adopted the “Interior” theme and showcased a variety of home textiles, upholstery and furnishings products, providing a one-stop sourcing platform for buyers. The highlight zone, the Hall of Glamour, spotlighted quality brands and designer collections. India and the Chinese mainland set-up a number of dedicated pavilions to showcase their products. Nisha Lamba and Guru Lamba, Directors of Angads Fashion Pty. Ltd. of Australia, visited the fair to source hotel-related textiles and concluded an order for $25,000 worth of products with an exhibitor from the Chinese mainland.
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