Trends and innovations collide at AmericasMart Atlanta’s Fall Design Week By Jess Schmidt

{Sponsored} What do eco-friendly products, witty and animal-based designs, puzzles, CBD products and innovative gadgets have in common? Buyers can find items that check those boxes and a great deal more at Fall Design Week Featuring Gift & Home in Atlanta.

Some hot trends at AmericasMart include reusable items in metal, glass, fabric and cork; merchandise adorned with puns and fun color schemes; and prints featuring lemons, bees, llamas and sloths. Mister Rogers pops up in designs from several brands at Market, capitalizing on the upcoming release of “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.”

Puzzles are a strong category for the rep group Anne McGilvray, according to Meg Gilmore, vice president of sales and marketing. Look at Madd Capp Puzzles and White Mountain Puzzles for some of Gilmore’s personal favorites. Madd Capp makes puzzles in the shape of the art itself — unique to the puzzles most shops carry. In White Mountain designs, brilliant colors and a wide variety of difficulty levels mean that not only can buyers find art that will suit their shops, but they can also tailor the difficulty to their customer base.

At July Market, eco-friendly items were clearly top-of-mind for buyers. “One of the big buzz words that buyers are looking for in products is ‘sustainable,’” said Diana Blackburn, vice president at Appelman Schauben. She reports that eco-friendly straws from Kikkerland are being included in nearly every order. The straws come in stainless steel, bamboo and rainbow styles, which means there’s a straw style for everyone. Appelman Schauben also offers produce bags, items made of mango wood and bamboo and TAG market totes with smart sayings like “I want to live in a world with clean oceans.” And Blackburn suggests buyers check out NOW Designs; their Swedish sponge cloth replaces 40 rolls of paper towels.

Glass water bottles are a huge trend with the eco-conscious as well as with customers simply looking to stop using so many plastic water bottles. At Anne McGilvray, Lifefactory’s bottles come with a silicone sleeve available in every color imaginable, so buyers can pick and choose shades that complement other offerings or brighten up the shop with new colors.

We’re all looking to make our lives easier and a few clever items are stealing the show at Anne McGilvray. Reversible umbrellas are designed to keep you dry even after the rain stops. Their innovative design allows the umbrellas to fold with the inside out, keeping that rain water from splashing once the umbrellas are folded. And their most popular new item at Summer Market was the W Fan from Time Concept Inc., which sits around the neck and has adjustable dual fans to help keep cool when it’s hot.

Appelman Schauben says the hottest trend they’re following is CBD. With claims that it helps with stress, pain and sleep, consumers are looking to it as the most innovative health product. “Our new brand, CBD for Life, produces highly innovative, natural, luxurious and effective CBD-infused beauty and wellness products,” said Blackburn. Check out the Appelman Schauben showrooms in Building 2, Floor 18, Suite 1830 and Floor 11, Suite 1127.

“Buyers should visit Fall Design Week at AmericasMart because there is just so much to see,” Gilmore said. “With so many categories, and as almost a one-

stop-shop, you’ll need to walk fast, but you can really see everything.” Check out the Anne McGilvray offerings in Building 2, Floor 17, Suite 1718.

For buyers looking for extensive variety, including new and favorite brands alike, look no further than Fall Design Week Featuring Gift & Home at AmericasMart Atlanta, September 23 – 25. Learn more at AmericasMart.com/FallDesignWeek.

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