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IHA’s blog features informative posts written to keep the housewares industry educated and informed about key strategic issues and IHA member services.

Trends: Looking Inside America’s Kitchen

Consumers, time strapped as they are, still want to make fresh meals at home. In fact, U.S. consumers have a renewed interest in cooking freshly prepared meals, according to a recent survey by the NPD Group, which also found that those same consumers don’t want to spend more time at the stove. It is a conundrum that NPD says influences how people set up their home kitchens…

February Currency Outlook

In their February 2018 Currency Outlook report, Tempus, an exchange rate and global payments company, provides a detailed report including the following topics and sections: In Brief The USD was at its lowest since 2011 The Euro surged by 3.3%, reaching its best level in 3 years The Bank of Canada increased Interest Rates and the Canadian Dollar had a four-month…

IHA’s 2018 Student Design Competition Winners Announced

Innovative Product Concepts Solve Social Problems, Tie into Home, Health and Hydration Trends in 2018 IHA Student Design Competition Winners to be Showcased at 2018 International Home + Housewares Show, March 10-13, Chicago Health, safety and hydration were key themes of winning entries in the 2018 International Housewares Association’s 25th Annual Student Design…

Looks Matter: Protecting & Enforcing IP in Product & Packaging Design

IHA caught up with Christopher Carani, noted intellectual property attorney, to learn about latest developments in patent and appearance IP protection – a topic of critical importance in our industry, which he will discuss at the 2018 International Home + Housewares Show. At the Show, the Innovation Theater will feature 21 presentations over four days. Topics discussed will…

Global Retail Intelligence – February

To follow is a brief review of retail news from around the world: February 28 – Amazon Japan Asks Suppliers to Share Shipping Costs Amazon Japan has set a flat rate for food suppliers of 2% and 1-5% for other suppliers. These “cooperation payments” are said to help defray the cost of sales system upgrades as well as other expenses. From Nikki Asian Review February 27 –…

Reimagined Stores: Why We Need Display

by Martin M. Pegler I recently received a copy of a popular trade magazine, Chain Store Age, that had these words blazoned across the cover: “REIMAGINED STORES.” Though I am not really that active in my chosen field—I am like the proverbial old-time fire horse, let out to pasture, who still responds to the fire alarm sound though the horse has been replaced by trucks—my…

Discover Design: Meet Grand Fusion Housewares

We spent time with Brendan Bauer, co-president and co-founder, to hear about how Grand Fusion Housewares was established. This first-time exhibitor will premier its varied product lines at the 2018 International Home + Housewares Show in booth N8533 in Discover Design. Brendan, tell us about how/year your company was founded. Grand Fusion Housewares, Inc. was founded in…

The Shift (aka Trends) That Will Impact the Future of the Connected Home

IHA reconnected with Kevin Young, of the global design consultancy, Continuum, to learn about his latest research into the evolving needs within the home that will fulfilled by connected devices, which he will address at the 2018 International Home + Housewares Show. At the Show, the Innovation Theater will feature 21 presentations over four days. Topics discussed will include…

Discovering Design: THAT! Inventions

IHA speaks with Howard Chiu, CEO and co-founder of THAT! Inventions, creator of elegant and functional kitchen and tableware products. When Howard Chiu, Jung-Ya Hsieh and Ta-Wei "Dave" Chien formed the company in 2013, they discovered that they had a common scientific approach to problem solving, based on their experience in practical research and development systems. They…