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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.

May Currency Outlook

In their May 2017 Currency Outlook report, Tempus, an exchange rate and global payments company, provides a detailed report including the following topics and sections: In Brief U.S. GDP growth was at its worst level since 2014 European Central Bank showed economic optimism, but remains hesitant on tightening UK Prime Minister calls for early primary election…

Export 101: Understanding Product Selection

When initiating an export plan, conducting a product selection exercise is a key element. In reviewing market selection, suppliers may have considered product suitability as one aspect, understanding on a basic level what markets were best suited for the supplier’s current product lines. Before deciding to ship products overseas, however, a more in depth product review should…

Recycling and Display Props

By Martin M. Pegler Props, I would imagine, is short for “properties” and “properties” can be anything that adds something to a scene, a setting, a display. If we were to look around us, we would see we are standing in the center of a field of display props: from the furniture in the room, the plants, the unused rolls of wallpaper, the tableware, the collection of pots and…

2017 gia Global Honoree – Green with Envy

Michelle Hespe speaks to Nicole Ward, Founder and Owner of the New Zealand gia Global Honoree award winning retailer, Green with Envy. When people visit New Zealand, or meet New Zealanders, many comment that the country and the people are so warm and welcoming. That the place and its people are down-to-earth. There’s a true sense of caring and connectedness in this small…

EuroDev – Outsourced Sales Solutions in Europe

EuroDev is a business development company with headquarters in the Netherlands and a secondary office in France. EuroDev’s business model is built around being the outsourced sales force for U.S. companies which are looking for boots on the ground. With a team of dedicated, experienced and multilingual business developers and subject-matter experts, EuroDev have successfully…

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…