On 13 September, at the Hongqiao NECC, CIFF Shanghai 2018 ended. What’s the balance sheet like? The best ever! A unique edition, one that has definitely left a mark on the history of the exhibition.
Organised jointly by CFTE (China Foreign Trade Guangzhou Exhibition General Corporation) and Red Star Macalline, the event will be difficult to forget. Indeed, the coalition of these two furniture sector giants, both determined to provide exhibitors and visitors with the best, made it possible to achieve new quality levels. Under the theme of “an Example of Global Home Life”, the exhibition gave international and Chinese operators new concepts of living and working, and, particularly, new opportunities for acquiring information and doing business.
37% more visitors
146,419 professional operators from more than 200 countries and regions (37% more than in the 2017 edition) were provided with the opportunity to find out about the innovations in the sector and do business at the booths of the more than 1,300 companies attending the fair, spread out over a surface area of 400,000 square metres, and through a series of B2B meetings organised by CIFF, aimed at international buyers and Chinese dealers.
So, for 4 days the NECC corridors were packed with sector operators, who were able to draw fresh inspiration by visiting wonderful design exhibitions and by attending forums and conventions on the new trends in the Chinese and international furniture market.
An edition with an international air, highlighting the extent to which product design, furnishing solution customisation and intelligent production methodologies are essential added values if a business wants to be competitive; driving factors, crucial for facilitating further development in the international furniture trade sector, and for the growth of the Chinese industry. CIFF Shanghai 2018 effectively helped changed the concept of “Made in China” into “Designed and Created in China”, partly due to the contribution made by over 90 high-level Chinese brands, attending CIFF Shanghai for the first time. By increasing the range and the level of the products on show, these brands therefore helped create a new fair experience, both for those working in the sector and the media representatives who came to Shanghai from all parts of China and from all over the world.
Improved subdivision of sectors represented
The quality and inventiveness of the products, the care devoted to the presentations and the architectural design of the stands themselves, as well as the contents of the organised events, were the valuable ingredients of a successful recipe that resulted in the attendance of an extremely high number of designers, as well as dealers and buyers.
An improved functional and strategic subdivision between the various sectors represented, Home Furniture, Homedécor & Hometextile, Outdoor & Leisure, Office Show and Furniture Machinery & Raw Materials, allowed visitors to optimise their time at the fair, and fully enjoy the services available in the surrounding district, which has unquestionable enriched and enhanced. This was one of the many ways in which the organisers indicated that they wished to constantly improve all aspects of the CIFF experience.
A fair that is growing continuously, that hosted a series of key events, seminars, competitions and innovative initiatives, including East Design Show, Design Dream Show, China Design Forum, the Pinnacle Awards Asia Pacific, China Interiors & Decoration Conference, Office Life Theme Pavilion, Milan Shanghai Creative Twin City. All aimed at providing strategic and thought- provoking information, and creativity to be transformed into business opportunities.
East Design show celebrates Asian craftmanship
One of the stand-out events was definitely the 4th edition of the EAST Design Show; the incredible exhibition of Asian design, where the best takes shape, astonishes and arouses passion. The spirit of Asian craftsmanship, rediscovered in all its power, of marvellously handmade objects, details designed to make the difference in a symphony of shapes and materials, is celebrated by the selection of leading companies, young designers and thematic workshops. The theme of this edition was “More Different, More Interesting”; a theme that is significant and fascinating, one that is never investigated sufficiently, and that is extremely topical in years of globalisation.
Design Dream Show, the event dedicated to the trends in contemporary home furnishing, created by Red Star Macalline and Innovation Design Alliance, was a resounding success. A medley of installations that that interpret living styles, even before furnishing. This led to the creation of rooms that talked about ways of being, dreams and interpretations of private spaces.
Without forgetting the China Design Forum, which by means of the project entitled “Seek Innovation, Boost Entrepreneurship and Jointly Create a Better Future”, made a good contribution to educational developments in the fields of design, art, culture, architecture and interior design.
2nd edition Pinnacle Awards Asia-Pacific
CIFF Shanghai 2018 also witnessed the award ceremony and the exhibition of the 2nd edition of the Pinnacle Awards Asia-Pacific, promoted by CIFF, by the American Society of Furniture Designers (ASFD) and by High Point Market. During this event, it was reiterated how the products awarded in the 16 different competing categories will be easily accepted by and distributed in the international markets, and particularly in the US market.
The 42nd CIFF Shanghai edition that has just ended was the result of constant work conducted over the last twenty years, and of a new collaboration agreement aimed at creating a global business platform, at innovating and improving the fair constantly, at showcasing innovations, at improving the visitor experience.
CIFF has therefore once again proven itself to be an essential event for those who wish to understand the Asian market; a non-to-be-missed appointment, one that year after year manages to surprise its visitors.
