by Arrival of Chinese New Year and Tet highlights winter season of shows in Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia and China
With much anticipation, we along with the rest of the industry welcome the new year — including Chinese New Year and Tet, which start on Feb. 10.
As our New Year celebrations in the West harkened the approach of the furniture industry’s winter show season in the Western hemisphere, so does the start of the Chinese New Year. For many, the Asian show circuit that begins in late February marks a wide mix of events and furniture to see throughout the Asian region.
Here is a brief rundown of some of the major shows taking place from late February through late March:
+ The Vietnam International Furniture and Home Accessories Fair takes place Feb. 26-29 at the Sky Expo in Ho Chi Minh City. With about 360,000 square feet of space, the event showcases product from about 600 manufacturers of furniture, home décor and accessories, hardware, machinery and support services and handicrafts. In addition, the show offers business matching services, seminars and tours of factories in the region.
Last year, the show drew about 18,000 visitors, including about 6,000 from outside Vietnam. In order, the areas outside Vietnam with the highest attendance included China, the U.S., Australia, Japan, France, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Europe, India, Korea and Hong Kong.
For more information on the event, visit https://vifafair.com/home/vifaexpo-brochure/.
+ The Indonesia International Furniture Expo — IFEX for short — takes place Feb. 29-March 3 at the Jakarta International Expo. The show presents offerings from 450 companies, many of which highlight the country’s strength in wood manufacturing and the use of natural mixed media elements. In addition to furniture, the show features arts and crafts, pottery and other decorative items for the home, according to the show website.
The event draws more than 12,000 visitors from 115 countries. For more information, visit, https://ifexindonesia.com/.
+ Billing itself as Southeast Asia’s largest trade show, the Malaysian International Furniture Fair takes place March 1-4 at the Malaysian International Trade and Exhibition Centre and the World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur. As with previous shows, there is convenient shuttle service between both venues, allowing visitors to shop the estimated 650 manufacturers and exporters showing between the two locations. While the majority of these are from Malaysia, others are from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. In addition to residential furniture, the show also offers a wide mix of commercial office furniture.
MIFF draws some 20,000 visitors, some 6,000 of which are from 140 countries and regions, including the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
For more information on the event and to register, visit https://miff.com.my/.
+ On the heels of MIFF is the Export Furniture Exhibition, which is scheduled for March 4-7 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center. As with MIFF, the show features a wide mix of residential and commercial office furniture, targeting both domestic and international buyers in both segments. There are about 300 exhibitors, which include mostly Malaysian manufacturers of case goods, upholstery and bedding, plus outdoor seating and dining furniture.
The show typically draws about 15,000 visitors, including buyers from the U.S., Asia, Australia and the Middle East. For more information on the event, visit https://10times.com/exportfurniture-exhibition-kualalumpur.
+ HAWA Expo 2024 is taking place March 6-9 at two locations in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. These include the Connect Hall (offering a glimpse of Vietnam’s entire furniture supply chain) at the SECC complex that is open March 6-9 and the Create Hall (with a focus on interior design and innovation) at the White Palace, which is open March 7-9. Between both venues there are some 700 exhibitors showcasing a wide mix of furniture and other home furnishings, plus contract and hospitality furniture, home accessories and gifts and handicrafts.
The show is expected to draw 30,000 buyers and other visitors from 200 countries.
For more information, visit, https://www.hawaexpo.com/.
+ The Philippine International Furniture Show takes place March 7-9 at the SMX Convention Center in Manila. Spanning about 300,000 square feet, the show is one of the smaller ones in the region. However, it features some 200 manufacturers primarily from the Philippines, showcasing a mix of natural materials and creative capabilities across a wide product mix that includes bedroom, dining room, occasional and other living room furniture as well as accents and accessories.
For more information about the event and to register, visit www.pifs.ph or email info@pifs.ph.
+ The 3F International Famous Furniture Fair will be held March 15-19 at the Modern International Exhibition Center in Dongguan, China. Spanning more than 7 million square feet across 10 exhibition halls at the complex, it features product from some 1,200 exhibitors that are primarily Chinese manufacturers of case goods, upholstery, bedding, décor, accessories and more. According to the show website, 3F draws 350,000 visitors from around the world including China, Southeast Asia, Australia, Russia, the Middle East, Europe, and the U.S. and Canada.
For more information and to register, visit https://www.gde3f.net/international-famous-furniture-fair/.
+ Formerly known as the Shenzhen International Furniture Fair, Shenzhen China International Furniture Exhibition and Creative Week takes place March 17-20 at the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center. Held in more than 2.5 million square feet of show space at the facility, the event features nearly 700 manufacturers of furniture, bedding, home décor and accessories, to name several core categories.
It draws an estimated 190,000 visitors from in and outside of China including North America, Europe, the Middle East and Australia. Spanning more than a dozen halls at the complex, it is segmented by core Chinese brands, contemporary and lifestyle décor for younger consumers and a Smart Home Exhibition area targeting innovative design concepts for every area of the home.
For more information on the show and to register, visit https://www.szcreativeweek.com/.
+ The China International Furniture Fair takes place March 18-21 at the China Import and Export Fair Complex & PWTC Expo Guangzhou, in Pazhou, China. Devoted to residential furniture, including indoor and outdoor products, the event features more than 350 exhibitors showcasing product in five halls spanning more than 550,000 square feet at the complex.
A second phase of the event is held March 28-31 and features office furniture, commercial furniture and hotel furniture, as well as furniture machinery and raw materials.
For more information on the event and to register, visit https://www.ciff.furniture/.
