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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.

Cooking Up a Dream: Kookwinkel Bianca Bonte

Michelle Hespe catches up with Bianca Bonte, the managing director and founder of Kookwinkel Bianca Bonte, and discovers a charmingly rustic, modern cookware store in the Netherlands that pays homage to its surroundings. At the 2014 Global Innovation Awards (gia) held in Chicago in March, Kookwinkel Bianca Bonte, a store lovingly run by Bianca Bonte in the city of Oostburg…

Staying on Trend – Scott Kohno

Scott Kohno, CEO of The Retail Element, has made a living out of analyzing the latest retail trends, deciding which ones can or should be applied to business and how. Michelle Hespe catches up with him to get some insight into the latest trends and how social media and technology are playing an increasingly larger part in staying “on-trend.” THE RETAIL PYRAMID The Retail…

Housewares Show Product Donation Program Assists Local Charities

The International Home + Housewares Show doesn’t have just an economic impact on Chicago, Show exhibitors also leave a lasting impression with five local charities who receive their product donations. For more than 10 years, the Show has allowed exhibitors to donate booth product to pre-approved charities. For the 2014 Show, 225 exhibitors donated their product to five local…

Aussie Nomads: TheSuperCool

Michelle Hespe catches up with the dynamic Australian duo behind TheSuperCool – a pop-up store that is growing some roots – in cyberspace and soon on the ground. It was one of six retail stores from around the world to become a Global Honoree at the 2014 gia Global Innovation Awards in Chicago. The reputation of the husband-and-wife team, Kate Vandermeer and David Nunez (aka…

From Little Things, Big Things Grow: Kastner & Öhler

Michelle Hespe speaks to the team behind Kastner & Öhler, one of the six impressive gia Global Honorees from the 2014 Global Innovation Awards held in Chicago. Kastner & Öhler (K & Ö) has an incredibly rich history behind their exceptionally modern 40,000 square-meter department store. The store willalso always hold a special place in retail history, being…

Housewares Export Council (HECNA) Changes Name to International Business Council (IBC)

The Housewares Export Council (HECNA), a special interest group of International Housewares Association members who sell their products internationally, has changed its name to the International Business Council (IBC). The rebranding, which coincided with the start of IHA’s 2015 membership year on April 1, better defines the global activities of IHA’s international programs and…

Top Trends for the New Normal

Housewares manufacturers need to adapt, inspire and motivate in order to have success with today’s ever changing consumer, Tom Mirabile said at the 2014 International Home + Housewares Show focusing on top trends. “Whether you’re a retailer, manufacturer or wholesaler, a single word encapsulates today’s most crucial business imperative: Adapt,” he said. “Today’s consumer…

New Harmonies: Changing Themes in Color/Design Trends

2015 Pantone Color Palettes Introducing the 2015 Pantone color palettes at the International Home + Housewares Show, Leatrice Eiseman, Pantone Color Institute’s Executive Director, demonstrated the strongest trends in color and styling families – where they are coming from, why they are happening and where they are headed in future. For most consumers today, color and style…

Housewares Exports Grow in 2013

Report and analysis by: Laura Spingola, Trade Resources Ltd. 2013 was a positive year for housewares exports as they grew 3.9% to nearly $4.3 billion. This is a record high! Almost all export markets expanded, though the pace was more moderate than that of the previous four years. Houseware exports have now climbed 12.8% over the past two years. This is a testament to the…