Indian Handicrafts & Gifts Fair Scheduled for February

Home Textiles Today Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 12/17/2012 2:00:00 AM

NEW DELHI - The 35th Indian Handicrafts & Gifts Fair is set to take place Feb. 8-11 at the India Expo Centre & Mart in New Delhi.
     The IHGF has been held twice a year for the last 17 years. The 35th edition of the IHGF will feature about 2,500 companies exhibiting products such as home accents, housewares, furnishings, floor coverings, gifts, jewelry and fashion accessories, among other categories.
     These products are largely produced from the raw material base of wood, metal, leather, natural fiber, artificial fibers, wool, silk, coir, hemp, jute, animal bones, lacquer, stones etc.
     According to a press release from the show organizers, Indian products are known for their exclusivity in terms of its workmanship, craftsmanship, colors, finish, quality and price.
     India has abundance of raw materials, skilled manpower, inherited designs, techniques and skills, the release continues. The products are made using natural materials and are promoted as eco-friendly and not made using chemicals.
     The last edition of the show was held in October and was visited by 5,500 foreign buyers representing some of the world's major buying houses and retail chains. Countries represented by buyers were the United States, UK, Japan, Germany, France, Australia, Spain, Greece, Italy, Hong Kong, China, Turkey, Hungry, Oman, Bulgaria, Thailand, Singapore, Lebanon, Israel, Portugal, Sweden, Mexico, Denmark, Belgium, Canada, Switzerland, Taiwan, UAE, Bangladesh, Nepal, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and many other countries. A total of US $ 200 million worth of business was placed at the show.
     Indian handcrafted exports total more than U.S. $2.3 billion annually, the press release stated.
    The IHGF is organiszd by the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts, the trade body with a membership of 7,000 handicrafts and gifts exporters from all over India.
     The Council works under the aegis of the Ministry of Textiles and Government of India. For more information, call the show help line at +91-11-26130692 or visit www.epch.in.