International Housewares Association

Perfectly Porland

Porland of Turkey, one of the five gia Global Honorees this year, has a long, rich and colorful history. We look into what makes this manufacturer and retailer of porcelain stand out from the rest. by Michelle Hespe Porland’s logo features a ballerina executing a perfect pirouette. This elegant symbol conveys both beauty and strength, reflecting the grounding philosophy of this manufacturer and retailer of porcelain. The word…

CHESS 2019 – Retail’s Seismic Shift: Understanding the Forces Changing Housewares Consumers

Presented by: Michael Dart, Partner, Consumer/Retail Practice, A.T. Kearney Retail specialist and visionary, Michael Dart advises retail and consumer companies on how best to navigate retail’s seismic shifts. He combines his economics and finance training from Oxford University and the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, with more than 25 years of experience consulting with A.T. Kearney and Bain & Co. to provide a unique…

Global Retail Intelligence – April

April 14 – JD.com Creates Offline Catering Supply Chain SolutionJD.com with Juqi, a dinning chain in Beijing, announced a supply chain cooperation, positioning JD.com as the first platform in China capable of providing a one-stop supply chain solution covering both the full category of food and materials supply, and integrated warehousing and distribution services. Through the cooperation, JD will also provide intelligent inventory…

Navigating The Wild West of Ocean Shipping

by Dave Akers, IHSA "Good Judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment." — Will Rogers Here is how the modern shipping business mirrors the Wild West: 1. The “Gold Rush” Boom and Bust Cycles The Old West was defined by the gold rush with sudden, explosive wealth that created overnight millionaires, followed by devastating busts that left ghost towns behind. Shipping operates on the exact same…

IHA Plans Sourcing Mission to Vietnam

To help members investigate alternatives to sourcing from China, the International Housewares Association will hold a sourcing mission to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, next year. The 2020 Vietnam Sourcing Mission will be offered in two sessions: April 20-22 or April 23-25. Each session is limited to just six companies to provide a high level of service and allow for private meetings and factory tours. The dates were chosen to allow…

Guide to Effective Retail Store Design

by Martin M. Pegler If RETAILING is your chosen path of livelihood, here are some simple guidelines you might like to consider when planning your retail store. 1. Let There Be Light! Without the proper light the merchandise cannot be seen or judged, colors cannot be appreciated, coordinates cannot be assembled, nor buying decisions made. Let your light be the best you can afford to install and use—or, if necessary, skimp on…

Knowing Innovation: Howard Lim

December 7, 2011

By Vicki Matranga, Design Programs Coordinator At the International Home + Housewares Show in March, the Innovation Theater in the Lakeside Center (formerly called the Housewares Design Theater) will present 20 educational programs, every hour beginning Saturday afternoon and ending Tuesday afternoon. The Theater, which was located in the Level 3 Lobby, moves to Room E350…

Housewares History: Holiday Histories!

December 7, 2011

By Vicki Matranga, Design Programs Coordinator Ah, December….The biggest shopping month of the year. The race begins with a stampede on a Friday, the day after Thanksgiving known as Black Friday, as shoppers are surrounded by twinkling colorful lights and the jingling sound tracks that echo in our heads as we dash between parking lots. Did you know that retailers have…

Introducing the IHA Innovation Awards!

December 6, 2011

By Connie Chantos, Attendee & Exhibitor Services For the first-time, Show exhibitors’ latest creations and cutting-edge innovations will receive award recognition with the first annual IHA Innovation Awards. The finalists will be spotlighted in the New Product Showcases, located in the Buyers Club in each Show building. A panel of expert judges, including seasoned…

Announcing IHA Social Media Giveaways!

December 6, 2011

By Wes French, Social Media Coordinator UPDATE! HERE'S HOW TO ENTER! Click here to go to our facebook page, where you'll find a status with instructions on how to Enter to win the Hutzler product bundle you see below. You can also enter via twitter by mentioning @HousewaresShow, explaining which Hutzler product you want most for Christmas and adding the hashtag #IHAHutzler.…

Inside Discover Design: Ocean Glass

December 5, 2011

By Marie Kulik, Exhibitor Business Development Manager Nat-anong Moenkanoeng of Ocean Glass, and their brand Lucaris, was our guest this week to be interviewed about IHA's Discover Design and the industry trend-shift towards high design and fashion in home goods products. Nat-anong helps us to understand where crystal and glassware stand when it comes to design, and how it…

ELYSIAN HOTEL CHICAGO: Becoming Waldorf Astoria Chicago before the 2012 International Home + Housewares Show!

December 5, 2011

By: Sharon Janota, Manager, Trade Show Operations The Elysian Hotel Chicago was recently attained in a collaborative endeavor between Hilton Worldwide (the parent company of Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts), an Equity Group Investments affiliate and the Elysian principals. Under the new ownership, the Elysian Hotel Chicago will officially become the Waldorf Astoria…

Housewares History: Whitmor

November 29, 2011

By Vicki Matranga, Design Programs Coordinator Organizing Homes, Organizing a Business Today’s homes need many products to keep track of shoes, clothes, and toys. While shopping for storage supplies, you were probably thinking about how to squeeze your stuff into a space that could use a few more inches of shelving. The organizing business keeps on growing, as we pack our…

Previewing Housewares Charity, Celebrating 15 Years at the 2012 Housewares Show!

November 28, 2011

By Judy Colitz, Special Events & Executive Services Manager The Housewares Charity Foundation celebrates a milestone this March—its 15th Annual Gala during the upcoming 2012 International Home + Housewares Show. Thank you for your ongoing generosity as we continue this proud tradition! FIFTEEN YEARS OF HEART Monday Evening, March 12, 2012…Returning to the Elegant Hilton…

Inside Discover Design: Stelton

November 23, 2011

By Marie Kulik, Exhibitor Business Development Manager This week we were able to sit down with Mathilde Ring from Stelton, who make their Housewares Show debut last year in the inaugural Discover Design exhibit. Mathilde answered some questions about how Discover Design is helping the progress the global design industry, who has influenced the Stelton designs the most and how…