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: Warren Tuttle

October 31, 2011

By Vicki Matranga Previewing the speakers at the 2012 IHA Innovation Theater 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 beginning Saturday afternoon and ending Tuesday afternoon. The Theater, which was located in the Level 3 Lobby, moves…

Housewares History: Dishpan Hands No More – Kitchen Sink Tales

October 25, 2011

Can you guess what this is? How was this item used every day? Chain mail for personal protection or something in a kitchen? It’s a pot scrubber! Back in the “good old days” when cast-iron cookware heated on a wood-fueled cook stove, burnt-on crusts were scoured with such a “dishcloth” made of iron loops. Tough on the hands, such scrubbers were used with salt, sand, lemon…

Inside Discover Design: Joseph Joseph

October 19, 2011

By Marie Kulik, Exhibitor Business Development Manager You'll recall the blog series we began in the spring highlighting IHA's newest exhibit at the 2011 International Home + Housewares Show, Discover Design. We took a short hiatus, but we're back with new companies and fresh perspectives on the world of design and how it relates to housewares. Damon Wilmott of Joseph…

Webinar: Trends in Cookware & Bakeware

October 19, 2011

“What’s Cooking…trends and techniques in cookware and bakeware" When: Wednesday, October 26 at 1 p.m. (CDT), one week from today. Free Webinar for IHA Members and Specialty Retailers Presented by IHA's Gourmet Home Specialty Retailer University Point, click and join IHA for this free webinar with Hugh Rushing, leader in the cookware industry. He has served as executive vice…

The Metal Ware Company: Generations of Innovation

October 17, 2011

By Vicki Matranga, Design Programs Coordinator Where did key items in the history of kitchen products originate? Look to the rolling landscape of Wisconsin for many chapters of this continuing story. The Metal Ware Company celebrated several anniversaries recently. In 2010, the company marked the 90th year of its founding in Two Rivers, Wis. In 2011, it noted the 30th…

IHA Trade Mission: India!

October 6, 2011

You can find out more information on our website at http://www.housewares.org/iha/global/exportTM.aspx…

Register Now! Get Early Bird Rates on Hotels & Airfare

October 4, 2011

By Wes French, Social Media Coordinator Reserve your badges, housing and travel now to get special discounts for your extra day at the 2012 Show! It's never too early to register for your badges and trip to the International Home + Housewares Show 2012 and we've even got an early bird special for you! Sign up for your Hotel, Airfare and/or Car Rental before January 1,…

Floral Exhibits & IHA: The Ultimate Tradeshow Partnership

September 30, 2011

Originated in 1942, Floral Exhibits has been the leading plant and floral tradeshow provider throughout the United States and has worked in all of the major convention centers nationwide. Floral Exhibits has been the plantscape provider for the International Housewares Association (IHA) since 2003, adding that special touch, not only to the show floor and lounge areas, but also…

Armaly Brands: From the Bahamas to Brillo

September 29, 2011

By Vicki Matranga, Design Programs Coordinator More than 100 Years of Innovations in Cleaning In the early 1900s, W.J. Armaly found opportunity in locally available resources. Living in the Bahamas, he began harvesting and processing natural ocean sponges and shipping them around the world. Two generations of family management and more than 100 years later, Armaly Brands…