Handmade Continues to Grow at Las Vegas Market
Furniture World News Desk on
11/27/2018
Fueled by continuing consumer demand for all things artisan, Las Vegas Market announced an increase in handcrafted gift and home décor resources at 2019 Las Vegas Winter Market, running Jan. 27 – Jan. 31, 2019, with record growth in the Market’s HANDMADE temporary exhibits.
“HANDMADE has been a consistent category of growth for Las Vegas Market, and this winter we will showcase more than 200 unique makers, artisans and crafters from across the U.S. and around the world in both permanent showrooms and temporary exhibits,” said Terence Morris, senior vice president of gift and tradeshow leasing at International Market Centers. “We also offer craft-focused programming to help retailers better understand the how’s and why’s of selling artisan items, so that they can capitalize on this very important consumer trend.”
Temporary handmade exhibits continue to grow in the Pavilions at Las Vegas Market. This winter, the HANDMADE category in Pavilion 1 will feature its largest-ever presentation with nearly 100 exhibitors in 9,000 square feet of space. The HANDMADE section is a juried collection of artisan-designed and developed products ranging from jewelry and apparel, stationery, tabletop, textiles, and decorative gift and home lines. Artisan resources are also located in the GIFT section in Pavilion 1, and in HOME and DISCOVERIES: The Antique Vintage Marketplace in Pavilion 2.
Newcomers to HANDMADE include: Belle & Beast Organics; Caribbean Craft; Drinking Straws; Indika; Lilly Barrack Ltd; Meredith Strauss; Silk Wool and Bijoux; Stylish Girl; Veronica Riley Marteens; Vicki Jean Leather; and Zaaina. Exhibitors returning to Las Vegas Market after a hiatus include: Elevations Creations; Green Tree Jewelry; Harlow Jewelry; Kavita Painted Silks; Laughing Moon LLC; Rescued Wine; and Two Hermanas.
“We've found that retailers are tired of mass-produced goods and are delighted by our individually-crafted items, which help reflect the personality of their store as well as their customers,” said Eunsun Cho, director of sales for HANDMADE exhibitor Good Paper. “Handmade products connect consumers to a person, but more importantly, a story, which gives the product extra meaning.”
Las Vegas Market will continue its partnership with Aid to Artisans, a collaboration that will bring artisan exhibitors from Tunisia, Lesotho, Mexico, Columbia, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan, among other countries, to Winter Market. In addition to the showcase of ATA exhibitors within HANDMADE, ATA’s TEAM initiative will offer on-site coaching and a mentoring program for emerging international artisan businesses.
Artisan resources will also be included in collectives in temporary exhibits and permanent showrooms across the Las Vegas Market campus. An Artisanal LA (ALA) pop-up showcase in Pavilion 1’s GIFT category will highlight Los Angeles-based makers. On C11, the American Made Collective will feature 23 artisans and Palladium Jewelry will feature seven makers; Wild Rumpus Room will showcase 19 handmade lines on C10.
“Handmade at Las Vegas Market is of special interest to retailers looking for limited edition products,” said Thomas Ballard, co-founder of Palladium Jewelry. “A store presenting handmade attracts the retail customer looking for unique and sometimes one-of-kind work. These products come at a premium and therefore can significantly enhance a retailer’s bottom line.”
Las Vegas Market will also offer two artisan-focused events this winter. The Meet the Makers seminar is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 28 in the Pavilion 1 Seminar Room. Diane Sulg of CRAFT, Carlos Arias, founder of Inspired Peru, along with others yet to be announced, will discuss the maker movement and how artisans are now able to enter the marketplace on a larger scale, the challenges and successes of being a creative, trends in artisanal products, and today’s buying trends.
Meet the Makers Tour – Experience the Creativity is scheduled from 2:30 to 4 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 28. During the guided walking tour, participants will see firsthand how select handmade exhibitors make some of their products and hear each maker’s unique brand story.
“Savvy retailers know the handmade niche is overflowing with fresh designs and high-quality products,” said Diane Sulg, executive director of CRAFT. “In a mass-produced world, many consumers will reach for the items that tell them a personal story. Las Vegas Market is the perfect place for buyers to meet designers, artists and makers who can infuse their inventory with personality, emotional connection, and a remarkable customer experience.”
More about Las Vegas Market: Las Vegas Market is the nation’s fastest growing gift and home décor market and the leading furniture marketplace in the western U.S., presenting 4,000+ gift, home décor and furniture resources in an unrivaled market destination. Las Vegas Market features thousands of gift, furniture and home décor lines, allowing for cross-category commerce among these industries. The Winter 2019 Las Vegas Market runs January 27-31, 2019. For more information, visit www.lasvegasmarket.com.
More about International Market Centers, L.P.: Las Vegas Market is produced by International Market Centers, L.P. (IMC), the world’s largest operator of premier showroom space for the furnishings, home décor and gift industries. International Market Centers owns and operates 12.2 million square feet of world-class exhibition space in High Point, N.C. and Las Vegas. IMC’s mission is to build and operate an innovative, sustainable, profitable and scalable platform for the furnishings, home décor and gift industries. For more information on IMC, visit http://imcenters.com/.