Jul 15, 2011

Growth in Global Resources at NYIGF Brings 380+ Companies from 46 Countries to Summer Market

White Plains, NY — International participation in the New York International Gift Fair® (NYIGF®) will increase by more than 20% for the summer 2011 edition with 380+ companies from around the world represented among the Fair’s 2,800+ exhibitors. A total of 46 countries will be represented throughout NYIGF – with international government sponsored pavilions in five of the Fair’s divisions.

“International scope has long-been a defining characteristic of NYIGF, and we’re delighted to significantly expand both the number of countries and the number of suppliers from around the world,” said Dorothy Belshaw, NYIGF director and GLM senior vice president. “Many of these newcomers from overseas are making their industry debut at NYIGF this summer.”

New York’s Newest, the division featuring companies new to NYIGF, will have the greatest international participation, with 20 countries represented. Of these, seven are government-sponsored pavilions from Argentina, China, Ecuador, India, Malaysia and Nepal.

The largest number of pavilions – a total of eight – will be located in NYIGF’s General Gift division. Two groups, the Korea International Trade Association, and the Panama pavilion, are making their NYIGF debut, and the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts from India is returning after an absence. Other General Gift pavilions include: Africa Now!; JETRO New York (Japan); Landesmesse Stuttgart GmbH, Messe Stuttgart (Germany); Created in France/Ateliers d’art de France; British Jewellery & Giftware International; and the Israel Export Institute. General Gift also will welcome a new unofficial “collective” of exhibitors from Ireland, as well as two groups of independent international exhibitors returning from China and Russia.

“Buyers will see both new, state-of-the-art Korean products which have never been showcased before, as well as traditional products, like handicrafts made from bamboo and mulberry paper,” said Sofia Cho of the Korea International Trade Association. “Korean Pavilion participants are looking forward to the opportunity to develop their products in the U.S. market, and learn about market trends.”

Both individual artisans and design-focused companies from abroad will join two juried NYIGF divisions, Handmade® and Accent on Design®. Within Handmade Designer Maker, British Contemporary Crafts and Landesmesse Stuttgart GmbH, Messe Stuttgart ( Germany) will feature 35 artisans specializing in jewelry, personal accessories, wall art, textiles, decorative accessories, glass and tabletop.

Three government-sponsored pavilions – ProChile, the American Chamber of Commerce of Peru (AMCHAM), and the Israel Export Institute – return to Handmade Global Design with artisanal products in jewelry, accessories, textiles, clothing and stationery. These international contingents nicely complement the division’s 200 global import resources, all of which focus on good design, traditional craftsmanship, and community building through global artisan workshops. Within Accent on Design, Created in France/Ateliers d’art de France will present four companies featuring tabletop, home and personal accessories. The “Accent on Japan” group, an independently-organized contingent, will return with five companies presenting tabletop, home accessories, and personal accessories.

The Italian Trade Commission also will return to NYIGF this August, with a group of exhibitors from the region of Umbria. This government sponsored pavilion will be located within NYIGF’s Tabletop division.

Pavilions and individual NYIGF exhibitors represent these 46 countries: Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Poland, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom (England and Scotland), Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

NYIGF runs Saturday, August 13, through Thursday, August 18, at the Javits Center and Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 92 and 94 in New York City. NYIGF is the nation’s premier gift, home and lifestyle marketplace, with 2,800+ exhibiting companies featuring an extraordinary breadth and depth of design-driven home fashion products and complementary giftware. Some 35,000 attendees from all 50 states and more than 85 countries worldwide are expected. Information and registration is available online at www.nyigf.com.