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New theories, old favourites &immense possibilities enthuse buyersfrom across the globe

Home Expo India 2017was inaugurated in thepresence of buyers,exhibitors and organisers.The show was inauguratedby Mr. Ian Snow, EPCH’svalued buyer patronisingthe Council’s shows sinceinception. Alongwith Mr.Rakesh Kumar, ExecutiveDirector, EPCH, industrystalwarts gracing theoccasion were Chairman,EPCH, Mr. Dinesh Kumar;Vice Chairman, EPCH, Mr.Sagar Mehta; COAMembers, EPCH - Mr. RaviK Passi, Mr. LekhrajMaheshwari, Mr. K LRamesh, Mr. Raujesh Jain,Mr. Neeraj Khanna and Mr.Vijay Goel; President,Home Expo India, Mr. UditSaran Agarwal; Mr. S SBhatnagar, Chaiman,Sakshay International.

18-20 APRIL, 2017

Venue: India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida Expressway, Delhi-NCR

Organizer: EPCH - Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts

Show

New

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Home Expo India - the Mart exclusiveBuyer-Seller Meet at the well-appointed IndiaExpo Mart, is routing in buyers from all overthe world. 650+ participants in the Marthave risen to the occasion with product linesin home textiles, furnishings, furniture,houseware & decoratives and alliedproducts. Theme presentations of regionalcrafts from Central, Northern and NorthEastern Region and a showcase of crafts byprimary producers from Uttarakhand adds tomaking this expo wholesome.

Having seen a positive opening day with buyers from USA, Europe, Far East, LatinAmerica, Central Asia and Africa, registering from the early business hours of day 1,Home Expo India, is anticipated to sign off with interesting tidings. Now in its sixthedition, this April bound annual trade appointment of EPCH is dedicated to specificcategories that are combined to complement each other in the home segment.Categories of houseware & decoratives, Home textiles & furnishings and Furniture &accessories are brought together under a ‘Home Total’ umbrella.

Bold, bright and cheerful designs reflect a vibrant mood at the spruced up Marts as theirowners welcome buyers for this summer sourcing event. Buyers on their part haveattached a positive credibility to the exhibitors as they have a permanent showroom atthe India Expo Centre.

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Glimpses...

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The organisers feel encouraged with trade visitors from overseas aswell as domestic volume buyers from India, who have optimallyused this platform to cater to their sourcing needs. As the fairstrives to make a mark among similar home special trade events, itcertainly makes an impact on the minds of buyers as well asexhibitors. While buyers are taking keen notice of the show'sobjectives and appreciating this substantial & composite 'hometotal' platform with neat displays in manufacturers' ownshowrooms this time, exhibitors are wooing them withconcentrated theme based product offerings.

Regular buyers are doing their share of sourcing and order placingas buying agencies keep busy with new introductions vis-à-visconsolidation of old ties. Artisan products and regional wares areenjoying a fair share of attention and finding favour by many.

A host of new design theories and unusual combinations aregaining privileged attention. As minimalism enjoys its share ofpatronage, bold palettes and metallic tones find favour.Unconventional combinations continue to make their strongimpressions. ‘Intrigue’ becomes a selling point, feel many buyers asthey opt for such assortments and reach out for statement pieces.And there are timeless materials that have a decorative factor aswell as a practical quotient.

Among houseware, materials like stainless steel, copper, enamel,cast iron and wood with ergonomically styled handles, detailingand accessorisation are sought after. While stainless steel's demandgathers momentum, copper is a new favourite as it not only fitsinto farmhouse as well as contemporary themes but has itstherapeutic properties as a strong backing. Brass is making its forayinto the aesthetic segment, share some trade visitors. Tablewareoffers variety not only in materials but also in surface effects,designs, shape detailing and edgy styles. Ceramics and terracottavie for attention amidst sustainable bamboo serveware.

Galvanized metal, a key aesthetic in the farmhouse movement, hasmany more applications and is most commonly seen in servewareand entertainment-based pieces. Planters and gardening ideas forurban homes is an emerging category as buyers quest for simplelines to complement their botanical pursuits.

Lamps and lighting brings in a variety in materials for fixtures, flushlights, wall scones, pendants, chandeliers, lamps, etc. Hurricanelanterns come with different detailing and their versatility makes

them fit into any space. Some can be used as a cluster or just as apair for the doorway or patio settings. A variety in pillar candlescomplement this category.

Resplendentweaves, surfacedetailing, flowingflorals, shots ofcolour, earthynotes with blockprinting, ajrakh,chippa work, etc.and refreshingapplications withmonochrome, ombre and contrasts feature among the vibrantdisplay of home textiles.

As consumers want authenticity in what they buy and expectelements of personalisation in mass produced as well as upscaleitems, home products manufactured in India easily appeal as theyare credited for handcrafted as well as hand finished detailing. Thisattribute is exclusive to few countries but India enjoys a well-defined edge, feel many European buyers.

As the 6th edition of Home ExpoIndia comes to a close, buyers’interest in our Home segmentproducts is reiterated. Fruitfulbuyer visits are key indicators ofour exhibitors doing commendablebusiness. The artisan groups andentrepreneurs from the Central,North, North Eastern regions gotvery good exposure and thebuyer-seller meet of craftpersons from Uttarakhandwas very successful too.

We’re hopeful of seeing all our patrons here againfor the 44th IHGF Delhi Fair – Autumn, due from12th-16th October 2017. Buyers keen to sourcefashion jewellery & accessories from India must visitIFJAS, due from 20th-22nd July 2017.

R K VermaDirector, EPCH

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Uttarakhand, a State rich in natural resources has created andnurtured various craft forms since ages. The state specialises inproduction of wollen handlooms, cotton handlooms, silkproducts, products of other natural fibers, nettle fiber craft, lihaiwood carving, copperware, ringaal based products, wax work,aipan art – ritual floor painting, lantana furniture, picchuara –painted textile, block printing, driftwood work, pine bark jewellery,papri wood work, ornamental candles, stone carving and manymore innovative combinations. Uttarakhand is home to over 40kinds of natural fibres that are used to make a wide range ofinnovative products. Uttarakhand’s Theme Presentation at HomeExpo India includes 50 participants - all primary producers from11 craft towns and cities of this State like, Almora, Bageshwar,Chamoli, Dehradun, Haridwar, Nainital, Pithoragarh, Rudraprayag,Tehri Garhwal, Udham Singh Nagar and Uttarkashi, besidesrepresentation from Uttarakhand Handloom & HandicraftDevelopment Council. Through this buyer-seller meet at HomeExpo India 2017, the artisans, designers and entrepreneurs of thestate got a chance to market their products not only to exportersbut also to visiting buyers and get their invaluable feedback ontheir product proposition. The participants, mostly primaryproducers, are elated at the international platform and hope toreturn with business, enquiries and lot of learning.

Harsh Chandra Tamta from Bageshwaris on his first participation at the expo.He specialises in copperware likeutensils and decoratives that he sells inthe local market through his shopback home. “I am here with a desire toexpand my business and earn more formy family,” he says and informs thathe works on customised orders aswell. Among his bestsellers are smallsouvenirs and plates. Home Expo India

has brought him closer to the international buying communityand he has received a few enquiries too. Based on recent learningsthrough buyer seller interactions, Harsh Chandra plans to add toysand decorative cum utility boxes to his product range.

Namita Tiwari from Almora brings with her, the languishingtraditional folk art of aipan. She strives to keep it alive and take itto a wider customerbase. Though this is atraditional art formused to adorn homesand festive essentials,enthusiasts arebringing this craft’sapplication tocontemporary

Home Expo India 2017 Show Bulletin is brought out on behalf of EPCH by EPB - Chapakhana.com; E-mail: mail@epbureau.com, Tel.: +91 11 22246094

products. Namita usesaipan to embellish laptopcases, file folders, etc. andmost recently artisanalapparel and wood basedproducts. “We are gettingreally good response frompeople and so many buyershave came with enquiries,”she shares. Another suchaipan artisan is Kirti Singhfrom Haldwani, Nainital.The initiative of EPCH toshowcase regional crafts is

going to help lost regional art to come out of confines and reachnew generations, she feels and says, “my main focus is to retainthe traditional elements in a product, mostly paintings, bags andapparel, while giving it a contemporary appeal.” VandanaNagarkoti from Almora specialises in artistic shawls. This is her firstparticipation and she is here to grow her fairly young business.“We make all the products ourselves and they are all originaldesigns. We don't copy from anyone,” she emphasises, quicklyadding about the buyer appreciation her shawls have gained at theexpo. Deepa Sahni from Roorkee who specialises in zarimalaproducts feel such initiatives of EPCH and the government haveempowered women with gainful employment, making it possibleror them to work from their homes.

Gaurav Bisht is of the opinion that suchEPCH initiatives offer a promising platformfor regional art to connect with the outsideworld. “My organisation makes woolencarpets using hand knotting techniquesand sustainable methods,” he shares. He isconcerned of the declining demand ofhandmade floor accessories as they areexpensive than machine made products,owing to the labour and process involved.

At Home Expo India, buyers, especially from Singapore and Europehave liked their products, informs Gaurav and hopes for orders tofinalise soon. Kumari Bala from Uddhamsinghnagar calls hand

block printing her forte as she explains ofusing this method to adorn diaries, tablecovers and small boxes, besides sarees andtraditional Indian suits, since over an year. “Ithink the platform of Home Expo will helpmy business and help me get new orders,”she quips. I have been doing this craft 1 yearand connected to a small organisation that isworking from 2 years and wants to preservethe traditional art.

UTTARAKHANDArtisan products from MART NO.: C-5/22-28 (Second Floor)

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Sustainable crafts from

Located on the ground floor in the Mart area at the India ExpoCentre, the thematic presentation of crafts from North EasternRegion showcases artistic tribal textiles, dry flowers, bamboo andcane products, home accessories, home furnishing & artistictextiles, made ups, fabrics, shawls, textiles, gifts, trimmings andembellishments, etc. from a team of 19 artisans andentrepreneurs.

Md. Shahid Ali from Lakhimpur, Assam specialises in cane &bamboo jewellery. The process is tedious and the craft is entirelymade by hand. “This is my family business and we’ve been doing

this from generations,” informs Shahid Aliand adds that the best seller is "japi" necklacethat is appreciated by Westeners. He looksforward to expand his business with newdesigns using pearls and even gold. Buyerresponse at this fair has been good withenquiries. “Many don’t believe this ishandmade,” says Shahid. This entrepreneur

finds EPCH's skill developmentseminars and workshops quitehelpful. Benney Lorin from acharity society from Nagalandsays, “I have been doing this worksince 9-10 years and I amthankful that I have got thechance to share my society's craft products.” Dr. Tika Prasad

Sharma from a Sikkimbased NGO isthankful for thisplatform as this hasbrought him in directcontact with buyers.“I have not only gotenquiries but have

benefitted from ideas to customise our products as per marketrequisites. Many buyers and designers came upto us and even gave their opinion on how wecould improve our products,” he says. His NGOis trying to nurture young artisans from ruralareas by teaching as well as fine-tuning theircraft skills. There's a good demand for suchproducts in the local market. Amma Bagbi fromArunachal Pradesh too represents a welfaresociety. This is her first time participation at an

MART NO.: A-06/40-42 &A-12/02-06 (Ground Floor)

EPCH show and she is greatful for this opportunity. “This is a chanceto to showcase my craft at such a big scale,” she says. Shespecialises in making dry flower decoratives using a combination ofcloth, bamboo, flowers and other dried plant parts, and has beeninvolved in this craft category since five years. “I sell these articlesall over India and we also train others in the production of thesegoods. People from various countries have come up here and seenour products and have liked them,” details Amma.

Nita Gurung, Bicky Regmi and JyotiChettri represent a self-help groupfrom Meghalaya. They deal mainlyin jute and bamboo and are tryingto expand their three year oldenterprise by reaching out to theinternational market. They

commission women in rural areas to carry out their manufacturingby offering them gainful employment. This is their secondparticipation at this expo. They share, “we find EPCH's skilldevelopment seminars and workshops really helpful. We are from avery small region. Some people don't even know about our craftbut EPCH is helping us to communicate to buyers.”

Among regular exhibitors at this thematicNER presentation who are counted amongEPCH show patrons now is Puberun Sharmawho deals in organically dyed, handspunMuga and Eri silk as well as cottonhandloom stoles. Having been in thisprofession since 8 years, Puberunappreciates overseas buyers who valueorganic and natural products. He opines, “heresponse to our products has been good. Weplan to bring more products to the market and showcase ourregional crafts. I believe that we need more skill developmentworkshops so that we develop our crafting and entrepreneur skillsfor better trade.” Bapan Sarkar, representingSarah Fashion Fabric has been participatingin EPCH fairs since last four years.Handlooms are their forte with products likecushion covers and stoles. “The responsehas been good. I have recently been to theHong Kong fair and buyers have respondedwell to my products. Buyers are interestedin using our natural dye based productsbecause they sustainable,” he informs.

NORTH EASTERN REGION

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VISITING BUYERS ON HOME EXPO INDIA - 2017Prime Interest: Home Products

I represent Maison Citron Sarl Company and

am here for home

furniture, bed

linen, cushions,

brass and metal

décor. This is my

first visit here. I

feel, there's a big

market for Indian

products in France because people like

handmade things very much and are willing

to pay for it. Personally, I find prices here

reasonable.

Adeline Lhermenault,France

Prime Interest: Home Decor

I am from

Decoraciones

Lar studio and

this is my visit to

this fair. I think

the fair is really

good and it has

a lot of nice

products. I am specifically looking for

home accessories and furniture. I do have

a buying agent in India. I import from

USA as well. People in Mexico like Indian

products. This fair is not big but it's good.

I will come back for the October fair.

Marian, Mexico

Prime Interest: Furnishings

I am

specifically

looking for

textile,

furniture

and home

décor

things.

India has a well established market

and the show is very well organised

with nice facilities. Joanna Hellen,

UK

Prime Interest: Handmade articles

I am from ILOT

interiors and am

here looking for

handicrafts. I have

attended EPCH’s

the bigger fairs in

February and

October. This one

is comparatively compact. I import from India,

China and Indonesia. I feel, India offers the

best metal goods and enjoys a big market for

such products in Spain. Sabino, Spain

Prime Interest: Wooden Furniture

This is my second

visit to this show. I

am from Tony Wais

Design and am

specifically

looking for

wooden furniture.

I already found

some really good options. I am open to meet

new suppliers but I am comfortable with my

regular ones as they are cooperative and I

know them very well. I like Indian style

because even though they are a bit

expensive as compared to Chinese products,

they are very colourful, made beautifully and

are more durable. India and China are big

exporters to the world and we see Indian

products in China all the time. Olivia, China

Prime Interest: Furniture

My

company is

Home

Décor and

Gifts. I am

specifically

looking for

furniture.

In Mexico, people like Indian products

as they are really affordable and of

good quality. India has a big

manufacturing base and I really like

distinct Indian styles. They are

colourful and traditional. Rafel,

Mexico

Prime Interest: Home Products

I am a

buying

agent

and

work

for

several

French

companies. We have a lot of potential

buyers in our country but they are aways

a bit hesitant to come to India. I bring

French buyers here and they absolutely

love this show. They always spread the

good word about EPCH shows and bring

more people with subsequent visits.

Veronique, France

Prime Interest: Antique

Reproductions

I am

specifically

looking for

old

furniture

and

antique

reproduc-

tions here. The EPCH February fair

was huge and there was so much to

do. This one allows me lot of time.

Indian products are very popular in

Lebanon and we import frequently

from here.

Charbel, Lebanon

Prime Interest: Northern crafts

My company is Studio One Solution and

I am here for

furniture, rugs,

crafts, leather,

etc. I am

looking for a

wide variety. I

am here for

the first time

and it’s a good exposure. All handicrafts

and artisans for home products are

under one roof and that’s a good thing.

Mamta Puri, USA

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Prime Interest:

Home products

This is my

second visit

to India. I

have my

buying

agents in

India. Indian

products

are good but some handicrafts take lot

of time in the production process. I

also import from China but Indian

products are handmade and have that

edge over other suppliers. The variety

suppliers offer here is really good.

Antoine El Haber, Lebanon

Prime Interest:

Furniture & Lighting

This is my

first time

here so I

really

don't

have an

earlier

edition or other EPCH shows to

compare Home Expo with. I am

specifically looking for furniture and

lighting. People here are friendly and

welcoming and I am looking forward

to source good quality products.

Yannick Dichampt, France

Prime Interest:

Home Decor

I was born

and

brought up

in India and

so I want to

build a

bridge

between

India and UK. There’s a big

manufacturing base in India and I am

looking for suppliers. This is my first

EPCH show but I plan to come here for

the next ones too.

Param Bansal, UK