NYIGF has highest August turnout in three years

HTT Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 8/31/2012 10:02:57 AM

New York - The recent edition of the New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF) broke its own record, drawing its largest attendance since 2009.

The 163rd edition of the semi-annual NYIGF in mid-August attracted 33,000 represented retailers from 50 states and 85 countries as well as the largest number of international visitors hailing from Canada, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, Columbia, Australia and the United Kingdom.

"Expectations for the summer market not only have been met, but also have been exceeded," said Christian Falkenberg, NYIGF director and vp of show organizer GLM vice.

One highlight was the launch of the Emerging Designer Maker Platform, "incubator" showcase in the Handmade division that introduced four American artisans working in a range of multimedia products.

GLM's also launched Artisan Resource, a tradeshow connecting U.S.-based volume importers with overseas artisanal producers and production resources. The event featured some 40 exhibitors and attracted more than 4,300 attendees during its three-day run.