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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.

2013 HECNA Global Forum: Registration and Key Details

Registration is underway for the 2013 HECNA Global Forum taking place in Panama City, Panama from September 15-18. Within the agenda are key retailer presentations, networking events and a tabletop tradeshow at which participants will have a chance to showcase their products to Central American buyers. In addition, there will be an optional trip to the Colon Duty Free Trade…

Key Retailer Profile: Ahmed Abdulrehman & Sons L.L.C. from the UAE

The HECNA key retailer profile this month is on Ahmed Abdulrehman & Sons of United Arab Emirates. See the report for details on the company, including key contact information. This and previously published HECNA key retailer and key distributor profiles are available for download at the HECNA Members Only website.…

Chicago – Inspiration by Architecture

Anyone who has been to Chicago will tell you that the Chicago architecture is the thing that grabs your attention. Take a stroll by foot or an architectural tour by boat along the Chicago River through downtown Chicago, and you’ll start to understand why architects and designers have chosen to make their mark in this city. Take the Aqua  skyscraper in the  Lakeshore East…

2012-2013 gia Winner Contact Information

In 2012-2013, there were 23 gia (Global Innovation Award) winners - representing the very best in housewares and homegoods retailing - from 22 countries on five continents. Contact information for all 23 companies, including key retailers such as Cooking.com, Kookpunt, Matchbox, Coqueluche, Bahne, and ToTT Store can be found on the HECNA Members Only website. Find even more…

Tips to Make your Blog Perform Better on Search Engines

By Larry Stopa and Molly Guendert Blogs are an important tool for improving branding and search visibility. According to a Search Engine Journal study, companies that Blog have 434% more indexed pages than companies who don’t, which means better visibility and more leads. If your brand isn’t seeing the results it would like from its Blogging efforts, you may want to use…

gia Global Honorees: New Zealand’s Taylor Road Homewares

By Piritta Törrö, International Marketing & Business Development Michelle Hespe caught up with Anne and John Heng, after their New Zealand-based store, Taylor Road Homewares, became a Global Honoree at the Global Innovation Awards (gia) in Chicago. Organized by the International Housewares Association (IHA) during the International Home + Housewares Show, the awards have…

Global Forum Presents Opportunities to Learn from non-US Retail Buyers

Save the date for the 2013 HECNA Global Forum, taking place September 15-18 in Panama City, Panama at the Trump Ocean Club. Registration and hotel booking details will be available by mid-June. With the focus of providing opportunities for attendees to increase exports through networking and education, the 2013 HECNA Global Forum will include: Executive…

The Color Game

Michelle Hespe chats with Leatrice Eiseman, Pantone Color Institute’s Executive Director, about her view on the cycles of color and how to decide on what is best for your business. It was once commonly said that fashion, and thus trends and colors, had a 10-year cycle, but in today’s world, that’s really no longer the case. As a global consciousness of the environment and…