Aug 25, 2010

Brisk Business & Exciting New Changes at NYIGF

White Plains, NY – Strong order-writing by buyers and favorable reactions from exhibitors contributed to palpable energy at the summer 2010 New York International Gift Fair® (NYIGF®) – the largest edition since summer 2008, with 2,800 exhibitors in 534,000 net square feet of exhibit space. More than 33,500 attendees visited the market, which ran August 14-19, 2010, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship Terminal’s Piers 92 & 94.

Of the Fair’s 2,800 exhibitors, some 650 were new to NYIGF, with 400 participating for the first time and 250 returning after a hiatus from the New York market. In total, 46 countries were represented at the Fair, with a total of 20 international pavilions, including first-time participation by international government-sponsored delegations from Argentina, Egypt, South Korea and Thailand.

Eight of NYIGF’s ten divisions were sold out for summer 2010 market, with the most notable growth in At Home, Tabletop & Housewares and Handmade®. “Sunday was my best day in all my many years at the show, and about half the orders were from new buyers,” said Michael Wainwright of Michael Wainwright Inc., a Tabletop & Housewares exhibitor. “I also saw more international buyers than I’ve ever seen in the past.”

Retailer attendance grew 6.5% over last year, with 33,500+ attendees representing all 50 states – with especially strong turnout from surrounding states (New York, New Jersey and Connecticut) as well as the west coast. International attendance also was strong, with Canada, Japan, Central and South America and the European Union best represented among the 85 countries visiting the summer 2010 market.

“NYIGF’s timing – as the last major market of the summer season – was beneficial for buyers and exhibitors alike, with many retailers making their final purchasing decisions here in New York,” observed Dorothy Belshaw, NYIGF director and GLM senior vice president. “Thanks tosearch.nyigf.com, the Fair’s new, more robust product search platform, serious product sourcing and lead generation began before market officially opened, as some 18,000 unique buyers visited the site to view product, set appointments and submit orders with participating exhibitors. In the week leading up to NYIGF alone, the search engine facilitated 44,000 buyer referrals to more than 2,600 exhibitor websites.”

Among highlights of the summer 2010 market were the debut of a new Baby & Child division, the reorganization of the Handmade division into two distinct categories (Handmade® Designer Makerand Handmade® Global Design) and the return of New York’s Newest at Pier 92.

The debut of the Baby & Child division was universally praised as a new resource for well-designed, sophisticated and purpose-driven products for babies, toddlers and kids. Some 150 companies – including 47 newcomers to NYIGF – participated in the launch. According to Lisa Lowe of exhibitor Sugar Booger, “We always have had a good show in General Gift, but we’ve had a great show here in Baby & Child, since customers came to this division with intention. Our customers are thankful for the new location, where they can now find us quickly and easily.”

Summer 2010 marked the 25th anniversary edition of Handmade and the division’s first reorganization into two distinct categories – Handmade Global Design and Handmade Designer Maker – which grouped artisans by process and provenance. Buyers, as well as exhibitors, in both categories responded positively to the changes. “The more that like products and categories are grouped, the easier it is to shop,” said retailer Janet Francouer of Carolina Creations in New Bern, NC. “The new Javits Center North is beautiful, and the grouping of American designer makers made it much easier for me to source products made in the USA.”

Handmade Designer Maker, which was located in the newly constructed Javits Center North, showcased 360 limited-production makers across categories and media. “I’m thrilled that all the designer maker resources are now together,” said exhibitor Karen Duclos, of Frédéric Duclos. “I’ve been at NYIGF since the old Coliseum days, and the show continues to deliver the caliber of buyers I need. We’ve had a very, very good show.”

Handmade Global Design featured 200 international resources combining sophisticated design with traditional artisanal techniques. “We have had a fantastic show, with great feedback from buyers about it being much more cohesive,” reported Leslie Mittelberg of Swahili Imports.

New York’s Newest, a division showcasing first-time participants in the NYIGF, returned to Pier 92 with some 200 exhibitors new to NYIGF. “We’ve had great exposure to stores from all over the country, such as Plantation, Robb & Stuckey and Lillian August,” said pillow designer Michelle Hatch of Michelle Hatch New York. “We are so excited to be in this show!”

Other notable market activities included the presentation of the 3rd semi-annual Eco Choice Awards, which recognize the most innovative and environmentally responsible products within NYIGF’s SustainAbility: design for a better world® exhibit. Product innovation was also recognized in other categories of the Fair, with trade and consumer editors selecting winners of theEX∙TRACTS® Best New Product Awards and the Home Textiles Market Week® Best New Product Awards; and representatives of leading design blogs selecting their top product picks in the Accent on Design® “Bloggers’ Choice Awards.” Winners of these awards, as well as the Accent on DesignAwards are listed online at www.nyigf.com/TheShow/AwardsandPromotions.aspx.

The winter 2011 edition of the New York International Gift Fair will run Saturday, January 29, through Thursday, February 3, 2011, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship Terminal’s Piers 92 & 94. NYIGF is the nation’s premier gift, home and lifestyle marketplace, with 2,800 exhibiting companies featuring an extraordinary breadth and depth of design-driven home fashion products and complementary giftware. Some 35,000 attendees from all 50 states and more than 85 countries worldwide are expected. Information and registration is available online at www.nyigf.com.