The two phases of CIFF Guangzhou 2018 have just ended. The turnout of more than 4,100 exhibitors, including 90 percent of the most influential Chinese brands, and many major international furniture companies, attracted 195,082 visitors from China and all the key international markets.
An important fair, lasting for 8 days in total (from 18th to 21st March for home furniture, home decor & home textiles, outdoor & leisure furniture; and from 28th to 31st March, for office furniture, commercial furniture, hotel furniture and furniture machinery & raw materials for the furniture industry), and spread out over 750,000 square metres. The layout was optimised in order to facilitate professionals and buyers in the course of their visit, and subdivided into areas dedicated to the export market, the domestic market and to design, therefore maximising the time available as much as possible.
But apart from the figures, the key feature of this edition was definitely the improvement by the companies, which have undergone profound developments not simply in terms of quality and design, but also as regards the very manner in which a product is conceived.
A product is now considered as an element of a system, part of a collection that can furnish and make a real contribution to living and working well; products that interpret a lifestyle – that can be easily customised in order to adapt to different markets and requirements; products springing from the hands of young Chinese talent, but also from designers from all over the world – particularly from Europe and the United States. This applies to all the product sectors represented, in which – although clearly in different ways, the product has always been designed in an integral manner.
CIFF Guangzhou 2018 has proved to be increasingly proficient in selecting companies that are ready for export, and in welcoming foreign visitors – who demand the highest in quality standards.
This venue gave life to luxury and accessibly-priced furniture, furniture with a Scandinavian touch, minimalist furniture items marked by pure lines and eclectic furnishing items that seem to tell a story.
There was investigation of intelligent furniture items, able to change the habits of those who utilise them, and to make it increasingly simpler to use shared workspaces and meeting rooms in the offices of tomorrow. This year’s innovation: furniture for healthcare facilities and retirement houses.
Visitors were able to access the latest furniture manufacturing technologies by means of CIFM/interzum Guangzhou.
This edition also raised the curtain for the announcement of a new collaboration agreement that definitely offers new opportunities for exhibitors and visitors; the organiser of CIFF, China Foreign Trade Guangzhou General Corporation (CFTE), and the leading Chinese home furnishing distributor, Red Star Macalline, have announced their new cooperation agreement to run CIFF Shanghai jointly in September 2018. A strategic cooperation agreement, by means of which Red Star Macalline has decided to focus on CIFF Shanghai, undertaking to bring new prestigious Chinese and international companies, to involve excellent designers and the main dealers and players from all over China.
There are definitely enormous advantages associated with this cooperation between the world’s largest furniture sector fair and the largest national Chinese platform for home furniture and retail sales – with shops in all the major Chinese cities, there will be a profound impact on China and on companies operating in the region.
This is only the latest of the synergies triggered by CIFF. In fact, for years the Fair has been committed to always providing the best, also by means of collaboration agreements that have proved to be successful over time.
This spirit has given life to the spaces set up in collaboration with Tmall, (one of the largest e-commerce platform in the world, and one of the world’s top 20 visited websites), the Tmall Carnival Trendy Furniture Show 2018 – where a selection of products was launched both online and offline at the same time.
This edition also saw the debut of “Witness the Pinnacle”, the Pinnacle Awards Asia-Pacific Design Forum & Opening Ceremony, created by the collaboration between CIFF and High Point Market, in order to demonstrate the strength of Chinese design and of the Chinese product to the world. The official launch of the Pinnacle Awards Asia-Pacific 2018 was also announced, with the aim of identifying the best furnishing products in Asia and in the Pacific region.
The China Interiors & Decorations Conference 2018 revealed the current developments in the industry; and the Global Garden Lifestyle Festival 2018 integrated lifestyle, design experience, and commercial activities to promote the outdoor furniture sector in an innovative way. Without forgetting the objects that are at times sophisticated and luxurious, at times ethnic and coloured: new concepts of living in the open air were tested in the halls dedicated to outdoor furniture.
As with every year, trade matching activities were promoted at this year’s edition of the CIFF – with the objective of generating effective interaction between exhibitors and visitors. This edition involved leading international buyers and players – including The Home Depot, the world’s largest furniture retailer.
The needs of the companies and the expectations of the public were the driving force behind CIFF, which has always been committed to the growth and continuous development of the entire furniture production chain.
With the 41st edition of the CIFF concluded, all we can do now is wait for the next iteration of the CIFF at the National Exhibition & Convention Center in Shanghai (Hongqiao), from 10th to 13th September 2018.
Text and images by CIFF
