13 Companies Honored with gia Awards for Product Design

Perfectly Porland

Porland of Turkey, one of the five gia Global Honorees this year, has a long, rich and colorful history. We look into what makes this manufacturer and retailer of porcelain stand out from the rest. by Michelle Hespe Porland’s logo features a ballerina executing a perfect pirouette. This elegant symbol conveys both beauty and strength, reflecting the grounding philosophy of this manufacturer and retailer of porcelain. The word…

CHESS 2019 – Retail’s Seismic Shift: Understanding the Forces Changing Housewares Consumers

Presented by: Michael Dart, Partner, Consumer/Retail Practice, A.T. Kearney Retail specialist and visionary, Michael Dart advises retail and consumer companies on how best to navigate retail’s seismic shifts. He combines his economics and finance training from Oxford University and the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, with more than 25 years of experience consulting with A.T. Kearney and Bain & Co. to provide a unique…

Global Retail Intelligence – April

April 14 – JD.com Creates Offline Catering Supply Chain SolutionJD.com with Juqi, a dinning chain in Beijing, announced a supply chain cooperation, positioning JD.com as the first platform in China capable of providing a one-stop supply chain solution covering both the full category of food and materials supply, and integrated warehousing and distribution services. Through the cooperation, JD will also provide intelligent inventory…

Navigating The Wild West of Ocean Shipping

by Dave Akers, IHSA "Good Judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment." — Will Rogers Here is how the modern shipping business mirrors the Wild West: 1. The “Gold Rush” Boom and Bust Cycles The Old West was defined by the gold rush with sudden, explosive wealth that created overnight millionaires, followed by devastating busts that left ghost towns behind. Shipping operates on the exact same…

IHA Plans Sourcing Mission to Vietnam

To help members investigate alternatives to sourcing from China, the International Housewares Association will hold a sourcing mission to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, next year. The 2020 Vietnam Sourcing Mission will be offered in two sessions: April 20-22 or April 23-25. Each session is limited to just six companies to provide a high level of service and allow for private meetings and factory tours. The dates were chosen to allow…

Guide to Effective Retail Store Design

by Martin M. Pegler If RETAILING is your chosen path of livelihood, here are some simple guidelines you might like to consider when planning your retail store. 1. Let There Be Light! Without the proper light the merchandise cannot be seen or judged, colors cannot be appreciated, coordinates cannot be assembled, nor buying decisions made. Let your light be the best you can afford to install and use—or, if necessary, skimp on…

Thirteen housewares suppliers ranging from well-established brands to first-time exhibitors were honored as Global Honorees of the IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) for product design today. The Global Honorees in each of 13 categories were announced during the invitation-only gia dinner on the first evening of the 2019 International Home + Housewares Show, now taking place through Tuesday, March 5 at McCormick Place.

Global Honorees are:

Bath + Personal Care: Easy Reach, LLC, Easy Reach

Cleaning: Fusionbrands LLC, BendItBrush

Cook + Bakeware: IPAC S.P.A., Panboo – 8” Casserole

Home Décor + Gifts: Sagaform, Inc., Hold Adjustable Vase

Home Organization + Storage: Stasher, Stand-Up Stasher

Household + Home Electrics: Gingko Electronics Ltd.., Octagon One Desk Light

Kitchen Electrics: Galanz Americas Limited Company, ToastWave 4-in-1Convection Oven + Air Fry + Toast + Microwave

Kitchen Hand Tools + Cutlery: Dreamfarm, Ortwo – Grind One-Handed or Two

Kitchenware: Mastrad, Inc., m°control

Personal Care: IQAir North America, Inc., Atem Personal Air Purifier (4 in 1)

Pet Products: IRIS USA Inc., Top Entry Cat Litter Box (PUNT-530)

Smart Home: ETEKCITY, Levoit Willow True HEPA Air Purifier

Tabletop: Magisso North America, Visibility Bottle

“Congratulations to these winners of the IHA Global Innovation Awards for product design; they are excellent representatives of the cutting-edge innovation and creativity that is driving the housewares industry today,” said Derek Miller, IHA president. “Our world-renowned gia program is the ultimate awards event in the industry, honoring excellence in both housewares retail and product design.”

Nearly 500 products were entered in the IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) competition. The 65 finalists in all categories are featured in the New Product Showcases in the Buyers Club in each Show building and the 13 category Global Honorees are on display in the Hall of Global Innovation in the Lakeside Center.

The 2019 International Home + Housewares Show features more than 2,200 exhibitors including 400 new companies and 60,000 total attendees from around the globe. For more information about the gia Awards, view the list of finalists for the IHA Global Innovation Awards for product design.