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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.

Trade Facilitation Agreement: Implications for U.S. Exporters

Bureaucratic delays and “red tape” pose a burden for moving goods across borders for traders. Trade facilitation – the simplification, modernization and harmonization of export and import processes – has therefore emerged as an important issue for the world trading system. On February 22, the WTO announced that the historic Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) negotiated at…

A Cut Above

The Chopping Block is Chicago's largest recreational cooking school and gourmet retail store, and yet so much more to so many people. From cooking demonstrations for newbies flexing their cooking wings to hands-on cooking classes where good home cooks can advance from their comfort zone, The Chopping Block is out to get everyone cooking confidently. And for those who love…

2017 gia Global Honoree – Loft

Michelle Hespe speaks to Mr. Satoru Iimura, Executive Director of Loft — a chain of retail stores in Japan that became one of the five Global Honorees at this year’s IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) at Chicago’s International Home + Housewares Show. Loft was celebrating more than its gia win in Chicago this year. “2017 marks 30 years since the first Loft store opened in…

2017 gia Global Honoree – Rustan’s

Mr. Donnie Tantoco, President of the Philippines luxury retailer, Rustan’s, speaks to Michelle Hespe about becoming one of five Global Honorees at the 2016-2017 IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) in Chicago. It’s the second time that this leading business has been the recipient of a gia in the past decade. With passion, forward thinking and dedicated drive, in 1952, the…

And The Melody Lingers On

By: Martin M. Pegler Imagine it is almost Christmas and the store is filled with happy holiday shoppers. Do I hear music playing? YES!! And probably the music in retail stores is music of the season—like “White Christmas”—or “I’ll be Home For Christmas” or maybe even some Christmas carols. Why the music and why these familiar melodies? Because music “soothes the soul,” is…

Global Retail Intelligence – May

To follow is a brief review of retail news from around the world: May 19 – Alibaba Delivers Yet Another Year of Powerful Growth China’s vast ranks of consumers are finding ways to spend more money online — and that’s good news for Alibaba. The Alibaba Group, the Chinese e-commerce giant that a few years ago led the biggest share listing in the history of the American stock…

Rebellious Energy SS18

Looking ahead to 2018, there are several shifts in consumer mood that are driving trends in design for the home. One major influence in housewares trends, is a growing consumer desire to seek out newness and do things differently. This rebellious attitude is influencing a much bolder and futuristic aesthetic within the home, particularly for the Spring Summer…

Ocean Carrier Financial Results Seeing Red

The 2016 operating margins for the top 13 ocean carriers have been announced. While the fourth quarter showed some improvement, the overall numbers were abysmal for the containership industry. Of the 13 carriers, only three posted operating margins in the black. Despite an uptick in rates triggered by the collapse of Hanjin Shipping, the remaining 10 carriers posted margins in…

2017 gia Global Honoree – Borough Kitchen

Michelle Hespe catches up with two Canadian friends who have managed to create a passionate retail-based community, Borough Kitchen, that all started within London’s Borough Market, with cooking and homewares firmly at its heart. Taking the step from being successful bankers to the owners of a happening kitchen retailer in a thousand-year-old London food market doesn’t seem…