Aug 27, 2007

New York International Gift Fair Enjoys Robust Summer Market

White Plains, NY – Expanded museum and children’s resources, a new integration of home textiles, and a focus on environmentally-friendly products were among highlights of a robust summer 2007 New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF).

The 153rd semi-annual NYIGF featured 2,710 exhibitors at three New York City locations – Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Passenger Ship Terminal Piers and Metropolitan Pavilion – with some 283 first-time exhibitors, representing more than 10% of the total, bringing fresh, new resources to market. More than 36,000 buyers from all 50 states and some 78 countries attended the August 2007 market, with a marked increase in international buyers, especially from South America.

“The Fair continues to evolve, grow and improve for buyers and exhibitors. Many companies cited the NYIGF as their best show of the summer season, based on the quality of buyers, strong order writing and response to new product introductions,” said Dorothy Belshaw, NYIGF Director and GLM senior vice president.

NYIGF introduced a number of new initiatives this August, including expansion of two divisions (Handmade and New York’s Newest), expansion of two General Gift special focus areas (Just Kidstuff and The Museum Source) and repositioning and enhancement of luxury home textiles resources in the Fair’s At Home division.

“We will continue to expand and refine better home textiles, kids and museum offerings for the February 2008 edition,” said Belshaw, “An expansion of luxury tabletop resources presented in the Tabletop & Housewares division is also in development for next winter.”

One of the Fair’s most successful new additions was the premiere of SustainAbility: design for a better worldtm, a special exhibit showcasing some 200 eco-friendly, socially-responsible and fair trade-oriented products and producers. “We received an overwhelmingly positive response to both the display and the related seminar, which attracted a standing-room-only crowd of 125 retailers, designers, manufacturers and press,” said Belshaw. “Based on this reaction, we intend to repeat the project every six months, rather than annually as originally announced.” The winter 2008 display will highlight and explore sustainable materials, and the seminar offering will broaden to feature dedicated tracks for retailers and manufacturers.

Once again, the NYIGF offered additional buying and selling opportunities for market participants through cooperation with other concurrent markets. The newly launched New York Home Textiles Market Week, presented cooperatively at NYIGF, 230 Fifth Avenue, and 7 W New York offered access to nearly 500 better home textiles resources throughout New York City; and, the continued co-location of EX∑TRACTS: New discoveries in beauty and wellness with the Fair’s New York’s Newest division brought some 75 exhibitors, featuring 250 personal care and well-being lines to the Metropolitan PavilionThe New York International Gift Fair, the premier market for gifts and decorative accessories in the United States, presents more than 2,700 exhibitors in nine specialized divisions: Accent on Design, At Home, Floral & Garden Accessories featuring Outdoor Living, General Gift featuring Just Kidstuff and The Museum Source, Handmade, New & Distinctive Resources, Personal Accessories featuring Details, New York’s Newest and Tabletop & Housewares.

The 154th semi-annual edition of the NYIGF will take place Saturday, February 2, through Thursday, February 7, 2008, at the Javits Center, Passenger Ship Terminal Piers and Metropolitan Pavilion. Some 40,000+ attendees from around the world are expected to attend.The New York International Gift Fair is produced and managed by George Little Management, LLC. For information and registration, visit nyigf.com.