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Venue: India Expo Centre & Mart, Delhi-NCROrganizer: Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts

Show Bulletin III 20-23 FEBRUARY 2016

IHGF Delhi Fair's day 2 and 3 saw energetic field days with new contacts made andold ones renewed, product lines from new suppliers and innovations from regularvendors considered, some orders made, some noted for finalizing later and plenty ofinteractions, learning and observations. The near concluding IHGF Delhi Fair-Spring2016 continues to garner rave reviews from buyers and exhibitors as sourcing for FallWinter 2016-17 and Spring Summer 2017 is conducted. 2750 plus exhibitors withinnovative collections confirming to 14 different show sectors rose to the occasion forbusiness with buyers from over several countries across the world. The upsurge inquality buyer traffic contributed to a significant contribution in buyer attendance toIHGF. There is positive feedback from both sides as the show draws to a close and timeconstraints keep all busy. Exhibitors in the halls as well as the Marts at India Expo Centrehave demonstrated the extra effort to create unique and outstanding displays to engageand entice buyers. New product innovations have ascertained more business as manyhave added to their buyer lists. And as buyers share, many are leaving with orders and someare on the verge of finalizing. All are being quite expressive in complimenting the organizersand exhibitors for the variety, quality and in particular, hand crafting techniques that have nocomparison anywhere in the world.

Spring is signing off with a good wrap-up and a warm goodbye to regular patrons and manynew participants. Overall, it's been a commendable show, say buyers as they leave with promisesto return in October for the IHGF Delhi fair-Autumn 2016. This congregation couldn't haveasked for more - happy exhibitors, happier buyers, a very appealing show, a connection withartisans through the Theme pavilions and great facilities. Impressive buyer numbers come fromUSA, UK, Australia, Italy, CIS countries, Hong Kong, Japan, Nordic region, African and LAC regions.IHGF has also brought in Indian representatives of foreign buyers. Buyers have evidently liked theincrease in display area with the additional new halls that became part of the Expo Centre duringthe previous edition of the fair. Happy with the large size fair and seamless layout with big spacescategorizing major product segments, this edition is proving to be a refreshing and welcomechange for many regular patrons of IHGF. The artisan products too are taken note of.Some buyers who are visiting after a considerable gap are surprised at the 360o

change their good old Indian Handicrafts & Gifts Fair has gone through. Theopening of the fair to retail volume buying has shown encouraging results,and several domestic buyers visited to explore business possibilities; manycame to source for premium & high end stores.

Insightful seminars and informative presentations through the course of allfour days saw good number of attendees gathering information on necessarycompliances in the handicrafts sector, clean technology for metalware industriesin Moradabad, social media, risk management in export business, exportopportunity in new markets, trends & forecasts, etc.

SPRING 2016SEE YOU IN AUTUMN!

set to sign offwith a splendid wrap-up

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IHGF Delhi Fair - Spring 2016 Show Bulletin is brought out on behalf of EPCH by Chapakhana.com; Email: mail@epbureau.comAdvertisement Charges: Back Page - INR 100,000; Full Page - INR 75,000; Half Page (Horz. / Vert.) - INR 40,000; Quarter Page - INR 25,000

“Partners in Progress” KAL, AAJ aur KAL 2014-2016-2018

EPCH organized a "Mega PanelDiscussion" on 22nd February,2016, at the India Expo Centre. Thisbrought together among panelists,Mr. Kumar Rajagopalan, ChiefExecutive Officer, RetailersAssociation of India; Mr. LatifNathani, Vice President andManaging Director, eBay India ;Mr. C. K. Nair, Customer CareAssociate & Chief Operating Officer,Home Stop; Mr. Addepalli VenkataSitaram Kumar, Vice President/Business Head - Home CentreIndia; Mr. M Wenkatesh S Patri,Head-AM & FBA, Global Sales,Amazon India; Mr. Vikram Chitnis,Business Head, Shoppers Stop; Mr. KashyapVadapalli, Chief Marketing Officer, & BusinessHead, Peppefry.com; Mr. Vivek R, Head, HomeFurnishing & Decor Category, Flipkart India Pvt.Ltd.; Ms. Sonali Bhandari, Senior Executive,Westside; and Mr. Ashish Jhalani, founder,e-Tailing India, alongwith Mr. Karan Jethwani,member exporter from mumbai region andModerator Coordinator-Domestic RetailPromotions at EPCH and Mr. Rakesh Kumar,Executive Director, EPCH.

The panel discussion aimed to provide theexporters aninsight into themarket size ofonline and retailsector in India. Itpresented awiderperspective ofIndia’s retailstature as well aspotential ofhandicraftexporters toescalate theIndian economywhile helpingthe country earnforex. Thediscussion alsoencouragedretailers ande-tailers tocreate a solid

supply chain for the domestic market andreduce their reliance on imports as well as tocreate industry wide synergy betweenExporters, Brick & Mortar and e- Commerceplayers. This was attended by members fromthe handicrafts export industry, representativesof the organized and e-retail market, EPCHofficials and member exporters.

Mr. Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO, RAI said that thepast, present and future of domestic retail hasshown a tremendous change. He believes that

The Indianmarket is inatransitionalphase -

from manufacturers cateringonly to foreign market toattention towards thedomestic market too. Icongratulate EPCH for itsinitiatives and feel that inorder for both to grow thegovt has to come up withmore policies to promote"make in India.”Kumar RajagopalanKumar RajagopalanKumar RajagopalanKumar RajagopalanKumar Rajagopalan, CEO,Retailers Association of India

Right now, the Indianmarket is in atransitional phase

commerce sothat Indianhandicraftsthat go tooverseasmarkets areaccessible/madeavailable toIndianshoppers.Through theirplatform hedaid, they tryto includemaximumexporters inthe domesticmarket. Hebelieves morenumber ofexporters andmanufacturersshould join inescalating

Indian business. States like jodhpur, Mumbai,Nagpur and Noida are major manufacturersselling through Pepperfry.

Ms. Sonali Bhandari, Senior Executive, Westsidesaid that it’s a major challenge to includeexporters in the domestic market. EPCH is a“must go event” according to her which servesas a platform for the entire Indianmanufacturing trade. Mr. Venkata SitaramKumar, Vice President, Home Centre, also spokeabout the importance of Indianised productsthat hold great demand in overseas markets.Mr. Navin Mistry, Head-Retail Exports, eBayIndia further emphasised on realizing the valueand potential of online business.

Mr. Vivek R, Head – Home Furnishing & DecorCategory, Flipkart India Pvt. Ltd., explained howpackaging is also an important aspect ofmarketing. The panelists altogether highlightedthe growing reputation of Indian handicraftsand the potential that lies in it.

Myassociationwith EPCHhas beenquite long,in fact since

the beginning of IHGF Delhifair. I note a major boost inthe e-commerce sector in thelast 2-3 years. There has beenan overall acceptance, asIndian products are ganingmore credibility in the eyes offoreign buyers. In the recentpast, even though thedevaluation of rupee has notled to a favorable marketscneario in China, I hope thatin this collaborative endeavor,the Indian creative crafts willhave even more variedproducts to offer. VikramVikramVikramVikramVikramChitnisChitnisChitnisChitnisChitnis, Business Head,Shoppers Stop

Indian products areganing more credibilityin the eyes of buyers

thehandicraftsindustry has arenownedmarket andthereforeindigenousproductsshould besold in thedomesticmarket inaddition toexports. Hefurther added,India providesthe highestnumber ofretailers to theworld. RAI’svision is tomodernizeIndia bychanging andimproving theretailingscenario ofIndia. AndhraPradesh and

Maharashtra are leading states in retail policy,he informed. Mr. Latif Nathani, Vice Presidentand Managing Director, eBay India, shared howa slum dweller managed to sell his products inthe overseas market. He emphasised that Indiais a land of entrepreneurs and traders andfurther added that e-commerce is a way to earnbillions by selling across 206 countries. Thisway eBay is a major channel to provide anopportunity for artisans from remote areas ofIndia, he said. Mr. Vikram Chitnis, BusinessHead, Shoppers Stop explained how businesshas increased from 10% to 20% in thedomestic world. Kashyap Vadapalli, ChiefMarketing Officer & Business Head –Peppefry.co, spoke about the aim of Pepperfry,which is to increase Indian business through e-

IHGF is theplatform forthe bestIndianmanufacturers.The E-

commerce platform likepepperfry and others wish togive open entry point to thesemanufacturers. Thus, E-Commerce groups are here atEPCH to persuademanufacturers to sell todomestic buyers on their sites.This is mutually beneficial forall parties - e-commercegroups, manufacturers andEPCH. Kashyap VadapalliKashyap VadapalliKashyap VadapalliKashyap VadapalliKashyap Vadapalli,Chief Marketing Officer &Business Head – Peppefry.com

e-Commerce platformsoffer open entry pointsto manufacturers

Mega Panel Discussion on Retail and e-Commerce

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As the customer becomesmore and morecosmopolitan and transcendscultural boundaries, resultingin opening up of moreoptions of travelling and the

Internet, these aspects themselves bring theboundaries even closer. Even still, in light of therecent scenario, the domestic supply chainought to step up, as So, the question arises: ifthe foreign buyers have given credibility to theIndian domestic markets, why don’t thedomestic buyers do the same? I hope that inthe near future, EPCH would further thegrowth of domestic producers, and reduce thelatent hesitation between exporters and thebuyers on a domestic level. Sonali BhandariSonali BhandariSonali BhandariSonali BhandariSonali Bhandari,Senior Executive, Westside

Indian retail and manufacturerchains have gained prominence

I am quite overwhelmed withthe overall positive receptionof the entire business oftrade going online. With therecent market trends of Indiamatching that of the US, e-

commerce is gaining more prominence, as theconsumer himslef evolves into a more matureand well-travelled being, thus, transcendingpolitical boundaries as a result.Ashish JhalaniAshish JhalaniAshish JhalaniAshish JhalaniAshish Jhalani, founder, e-Tailing India

Overwhelmed with positive receptionof the entire e-business

An EPCH fair is literally an"umbrella" which bringstogether the best of the Indianmarket. The deepeningpenetration of the internet aswell as the rising purchasing

power of Indians makes the domestic marketequally attractive to these manufacturers. EPCHallows E-Commerce sites the change to bring thebest of Indian products to Indian homes too.Navin MistryNavin MistryNavin MistryNavin MistryNavin Mistry, Head-Retail Exports, eBay India

EPCH fairs bring the best ofIndian market

Asmoderatorof thediscussion,Mr. KaranJethwani,Coordinator -DomesticRetailPromotionsat EPCH,presentedtheparticipantsa vision for

the next two years, elaborating that within thisspan, India will observe a tremendous growthin the livelihood of artisans. EPCH is the way toconsolidate this vision. With the growinghandicraft industry, more exporters are willingto work in the domestic market. Our Motto : Every ForEX saved is

every ForEx earnedEPCH realized the importanceof the domestic market andwe made “every ForEX savedis every ForEx earned” ourmotto. We brought on boardCEOs of top companies to

help provide direction and guidelines on thedomestic retail market. Today, out of the 2750exhibitors, 1200 are selling to domestic buyers,which is a huge encouragement to EPCH. Thisreflects that we are progressing towards ourgoal. Karan JethwaniKaran JethwaniKaran JethwaniKaran JethwaniKaran Jethwani, Co ordinator -Domestic Retail Promotions at EPCH

Community has still not gauged thetrue potential of e-commerce

When we had consideredopening to volume domesticbuying two years ago, therewere very few exporterslooking at the domesticmarket. Even today, many are

unable to gauge the potential of our ownmarket, specially the e-commerce segment.That said, in this show there are nearly athousand exhibitors open to talk business todomestic market buyers, and many fromJodhpur are already doing sizable businessthrough domestic retail and e-commercemarket. Moradabad and some other clustersare also slowly joining the band wagon.Rakesh KRakesh KRakesh KRakesh KRakesh Kumarumarumarumarumar, Executive Director, EPCH

India is a landofentrepreneursand traders ande-commerce is

a way to earn billions by sellingacross 206 countries. This wayeBay is a major channel toprovide an opportunity forartisans from remote areas ofIndia. Latif Nathani Latif Nathani Latif Nathani Latif Nathani Latif Nathani, VicePresident and MD, eBay India

Opportunity also forartisans from remote areas

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A special showcase of crafts from India’s NorthEastern Region has been set up at a ThemePavilion at IHGF Delhi Fair-Spring 2016. With ateam of 27 artisans and entrepreneurs andrepresentation by 5 welfare organizations, thisrefreshing collective display includes crafts fromall states of the North East- Arunchal Pradesh,Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram,Sikkim and Nagaland. The Theme pavilioncurated by renowned international designer, PJAranador presents concept settings withproducts from many participants, surroundedby individual participant stalls, with productsthat are manifestations of traditional art formsas well as green design sensibilities.

Illuminating the central concept at the themepavilion are lamps made of bamboo and totola/paksham shing (a rare seed pod from a tree,found only at the foothill of the Himalayas).These are by Zeyma from Sikkim that specializein “fully organic” lamps produced in limitedquantities as producers don’t want tooverexploit the rare raw material. This is theirfourth participation at IHGF and theentrepreneur finds this an apt platform forartisans and producers like him to showcasetheir arts and get orders. Mexico, France andCzech Republic are his regular markets.

NER crafts presentedLOCATION : Near Hall 9THEME PAVILION-Sustainable crafts from NER

Many cushions in handloom, some embellishedwith handmade lacework adorn the themesetting as well as their individual stall here. Theyare from Chanu Creations, Manipur, representedby Indira Chirom. They have exotic display ofhandloom home textiles tailored for theirestablished buyer base in several Europeancountries. They have manufacturing units anddyeing units in Manipur and Delhi NCR,primarily employing women.

Nirman Fabrics by Sarah Fashion fromGuwahati, Assam, is represented by Twarita Das.She has been participating in IHGF since last

four years and this time, is quite overwhelmedby the positive reception and greater coverage,as she places an estimation of at least Rs. 12lakh worth orders through this fair. Handloomsare their forte with products like cushion coversand stoles. They have also got selections inexquisite Muga and Eri silk.

Towokali D. Yeptho and Roli D.Yeptho from World Trading,Dimapur, Nagaland, are firsttime participants at IHGF. Theyhave distinct products likeethnic hair accessories thatmake for the internationallyrenowned annual Hornbillfestival in Nagaland, as well asembroidered hand-wovenproducts. Their focus is toaesthetically adapt the ethnicityof their products to tastes of themodern generation. Withcertain new innovations at

hand, they plan onapplying newtechnologies forweaving. As theirintention is to help artisan families, they areappreciative of EPCH’s intervention inpromoting and branding NER crafts for theworld market.

Kouna Craft with N.G Choushim at the helm ofaffairs is a specialist in home utility baskets,picnic baskets, mattresses and cushions fromManipur. Their primary raw material is kauna or

water reedalso knownas phak inMeithei, aManipuritriballanguage.The plant is

cut only when it hasreached maturity.

Once cut, the stems are dried and become softand pithy and quite brittle. A bunch of cutstems of the appropriate length are then wovento shape up as mats and other products. In theirattempt to bring the regional craft to themainstream, Kauna Craft seeks to reach out to aglobal clientele.

Puspi Brahmafrom Kokrajhar,Assam has gotalong a range inwater hyacinthwith diningmats, ladies bags, yogamats, baskets and storageboxes. She is noticeablyoverwhelmed with thepositive response and thegrand platform EPCH hasprovided through thisparticipation. She aims forfurther exports of her finelycrafted ethnic products andhopes to be part of the fair the next time too.

Cane & Bamboo crafts, handlooms, silks, decoratives, jewellery,bookmarks and much more...

with vivacity and fervour

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Imphal, Manipur based Daniela Designs’proprietor, Daniela mainly deals in homefurnishings, with their main focus on wovenfabric, hand embroideries, 3-D textured cushioncovers and cotton appliqué on silk. This being

their maiden participation at IHGF, her mainintent is make her artisans’ meticulous effortthat goes into making hand-woven fabric, reachbuyers and connoisseurs of craft.

Craft Heritage from Tripura, Agartala isrepresented by Bholanath Bhowmick, a firsttime participant and a range in cane and

bamboo products like exquisite bamboojewellery, cane chairs, dining mats and wallhangings. With a target export figure of atleastRs. 1 lakh through this fair, he is impressed withthe overall coverage of NER by EPCH.

S D Enterprise is a first time participant fromGuwahati, Assam with Madhumita as theirrepresentative. They deal in home décor andfurniture besides pen stands, easy chairs,swings, curtains, jewellery, bangles and table

lamps madeentirely out ofbamboo. Hermain focus is tospreadawareness aboutthe crafts fromher state sherepresents andthen build astrongmarketing

foundation for her products. She is quiteecstatic about the platform of IHGF offered byEPCH and wants to be a part of it in the comingyears as well.

Indian Institute of Entrepreneurs (IIE),represented in the fair by Shruti Bauah, theProject coordinator of production of north-eastern jewellery and garments in Guwahati,Assam, reported of queries from domesticbuyers from India as well as from the Philippinesand the US. She informs, at IIE, artisans are

formed intoclusters and arethen given specialtrainingprograms, helpedby the EPCH officein Guwahati. IIE isan autonomousorganizationunder theMinistry of SkillDevelopment &Entrepreneurshipwith an aim toprovide training,research andconsultancyactivities inSMEs,with specialfocus onentrepreneurship development. The North EastHandicrafts & Handloom DevelopmentCorporation Ltd.(NHHDC) is represented herewith jute bags and cane & bamboo products.

There is an exhibitor with a range in traditionalAssamese jewellery comprising meenakariwork dominant with beautiful patterns andfinely polished. The Thuria earring, which has amost distinctive design of its own in the form

of a lotuswith a heavystem, is acommonitem, madeof gold andstuddedwith rubies,is here too.Thejewellery istypically

hand-made, and the designs mostly depictflora and fauna treasures of the region.Traditional designs of Assamese jewellerypieces are simple but decorated with vibrantred gemstone, ruby or mina. Black, red andgreen colours on gold /gold plated silverjewellery are most favorites as these coloursalso dominate the traditional dresses of tribesand communities of the northeastern states.

There is an artistic collection of small bowlsand bamboo cutwork paintings by aparticipant. Another exhibitor, from this regionand with their base in Nagaland has CaneConcepts and Heirloom Naga, dealing inbamboo & cane home utility and home decorproducts and premium range in made-ups andother handlooms, respectively. Cateringprimarily to the high-end market, they have atastefully done stall with unique piecesattracting attention. The products carry manysignature designs of the mother-son ownerduo that also have domestic retail units in theNorth East.

Some participants from the North EasternStates have put up a display of design elementsanchored on trends interpreting varioustendencies using handloom, silk, cane,bamboo, etc. in the 2nd floor Mart area of theIndia Expo Centre.

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Crochet & Lace from NarsapurLOCATION : 2nd Floor, CFB

Over 35 participants including manufacturers,exporters, crafts persons and self-help groups fromAndhra Pradesh’s lace craft hub-Narsapur, havebrought to this fair, a variety in hand made lace-embellished as well as lace-total home textiles liketable cloths, coasters, bedcovers/spreads, cushioncovers, curtains, apparel, hand bags, motifs, dollies,soft toys, accessories to apparel, pin cushions,cellphone covers, etc. These are fine hand wovencrochet work in subtle shades with ocassionalsplashes of bright colours in natural dyes. Theseparticipants from Narsapur include wellestablished exporters who pioneered in creatinga niche for India’s handmade lace craft in overseasmarkets and created the demand for lace & crochetfrom India among major brands all over the world;small & medium sized export organizations as wellas artisan groups.

It is interesting to see some new (artisan turned)entrepreuners who have benefited from the ExportPromotion Council for Handicraft’s(EPCH) handholding initiatives like training workshops, skilldevelopment workshops, entrepreunershipdevelopment programs(EDP), etc.They havefurther honed their skill potential with theestablishment of the International Lace TradeCentre (ILTC) at Narsapur, set up by EPCH underthe aegis of O/o Development Commissioner(Handicrafts), Ministry of Textile, Govt. of India.Skill development and up-gradation has alwaysbeen one of the top priorities of EPCH and in linewith the same, has initiated skilling of over 5,000individuals at West Godavari & East GodavariDistricts of Narsapur that contain the lace &crochet making cottage and household basedindustry. The skill training is based on NationalOccupational Standards for lace maker,furnishings, tailoring, apparel developed for laceand lace crafts, etc. Over 3000 individual artisanshave been trained so far in 76 programs under themonitoring committee set up exclusively to seethat programs meet the standard and impact onskilling of artisans.

One of them are a group of 6 women, whocompleted EDP training program and started theirown business in the name of ‘My Village LaceIndustry’, are represented at the Narsapur ThemePavilion at IHGF. They have displayed cushion

THEME PAVILION

covers, table cloths, apparel and laces. They alsohave samples of a line of ‘baby products’ in crochet,lace sandals, hair bands, hand bands and jewellerythat they are going to include among their regularproduct portfolio soon.

Apoorva Handicrafts is represented by DeviNarasimha Murthy who has come to IHGF for thefirst time. They work with a team of 30 men and10 women and specialise in crochet and lace workfor garments like skirts, wraps, tunics, accessories

and bed covers. This enterprise that works withdomestic buyers in Delhi, Jaipur and Mumbailooks forward to working for buyers in overseasmarkets with support from EPCH. They are verygrateful for the seminars and other activitiesconducted by EPCH in Narsapur.

Headed by K Satya Sri, Godavari Delta WomenLace Artisan Cooperative Cottage Industriesemploys more than 400 women from severalvillages to produce lace and crochet articles liketable cloths, bags, dollies, coin purses, lace

necklaces and jewellery for export markets in USA,UK, Japan and Australia. They have been EPCHmembers for a long time, but are at IHGF DelhiFair for the first time. With their existing customerbase long established they look forward to newbusiness ties through IHGF.

Under Ram Uday, members of Loyola Exports haveattended EPCH seminars for development andsupport for handicrafts held in Narsapur twice,and seem very happy with the guidance. Theirproducts are sold in Tamil Nadu, Bangalore, andChennai. They are keen to reach out to theinternational market with their product rangecomprising garments, cushion covers, bed covers,dollies, etc. They have a large number of womenacross 20 villages working for them.

Excel Handicrafts is represented at IHGF Fair byBhaskar. Excel has seen several business fairs in

Delhi and othercities. They have beenexporting productslike lace and crochetdecoratives andfurnishing items,garments, bags,kitchen articles tocountries like Japan,European for the last10 countries. Thework is outsourced tothe women who

earn their livelihood through this skilled labour,on the basis of thecontemporary designsordered by the customers. Mr.Bhaskar is extremely happyto share that EPCH is trying tohelp the artisans geteducation and earn morethan just a meagre amountof money for their efforts.

Surya Handicrafts isrepresented at their maidenparticipation at IHGF DelhiFair by Naveen Kumar. Theyhave about 50 womenworking with them to bringout lace articles, garmentsand decorative items. Thedesigns are derived fromcontemporary trends and hand-stitched to be soldto buyers within the country. Mr Kumar is excitedto be here as the international buyers seem quiteimpressed with their variety on display.

Under the proprietorship of E LI Srinivasa, IndianLace Craft produces handmade crochet articlesmade by women in the villages in Narsapur,Andhra Pradesh, in their homes after they areprovided with the raw material (threads). Herecognizes the great help that EPCH has been doingfor the rural artisans in this industry, and was apart of the reverse buyers-and-sellers meet thatwas recently organised by EPCH in Narsapur. Alongwith catering to demands of the domestic market,they also export to Japan, Germany and the US.

Many artisans share success stories in entrepreunership,credit EPCH guidance, training programs & initiatives for upscaling

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Rajiv Kalavakolanu, a 3rdgeneration businessman ofthis 55 year old productionhouse, established in 1960,having their own set ofartisans, designers andtechnicians, representRamakrishna ParamhansaCo., specialists in print andembroidered table linen,decorative cushions,kitchen linen, bed linen,

throws and other crochet work. This IHGF patronhas already got offers from US and French buyersthrough this fair. Exporting primarily to theEuropean and American markets, he has beenlooking at the huge support and skill developmentoffered by EPCH to about 5,000 persons inNarsapur, and is very happy about the platformbeing provided by the EPCH through IHGF.

T. Raghu representingPadmavati Handicrafts,forayed into lace goodsindustry in 1996 for thedomestic market in Indiaand since then hasn'tlooked back. Though it is hisfirst IHGF participation, heis nervous and excited inequal measure. Whileappreciating the platformhe plans to make the mostof the opportunity and seems hopeful aboutexpanding his home textiles, decoratives & giftsbusiness overseas.

Sony Lace Industries’ Nageshwar Rao spent sometime working under other industrial managements

before forayinginto his ownmanufacturingand exportbusiness in lacework. Though heexports to UK,Greece and

Japan, IHGF Spring Fair has his hopes up for buyersfrom other countries. EPCH provides opportunitiesand platforms like the fair which he believes to bevery fruitful in initiating & strengthening exports.

A.V. Brahma Rao of AV Exports has been a longstanding participant of EPCH initiatives from theirfairs to skill development programs. He hasimmensely benefitted from this long collaborationand support from EPCH. A strong team of 500artisans work along with him to craft the productsthat are sent across the nation and outside. Citingexamples of his participation in EPCH fairs andEPCH’s participation with Indian exporters inoverseas fairs, he detailed that his experience andthe exposure he got through them has helpedhim shape up new product ideas and designs. Hehopes to increase further export throughconsistent participation.

Manufactures and exporters of crochet garments,home furnishings, laces and accessories, Mallika

Lace Industries haveestablished theirdomestic buyer hubprimarily in North India.They are very muchhopeful of businesstheough IHGF and lookforward to overseasexport opportunities.Basava Lingam, their representative, is full of ideasand hopes about innovations and wider reach ofthe local craft. He hopes that EPCH's interventionwould extend to tackling timely and judiciallypriced raw material availability issues that lacemanufactures often face in Narsapur.

Krishna Murthy from NVVA Krishna Murty, hasbeen passed on this legacy of skilled artwork by

his father, and has 2,000 artisans working underthem, within 30 kms of their establishment. Theyget their material from the districts of Rajasthan,and produce crochet patchwork and cushioncovers to be exported to Europe. Being aparticipant in the workshops held by EPCH for thedevelopment of local handicrafts, he is very happyabout the knowledge of the trade community andthe lace-work that he learnt there. This is the firsttime he has come to the IHGF Delhi Fair.

Natesh KumarLace Industrialsrepresented byNatesh Kumar,has beenparticipating inIHGF since 1997.His firm has beenp r o d u c i n gexclusive and unique crochet patchwork designsand exporting to Europe. He has a regular businessclientele and is happy to share that his productlines are appreciated by buyer at the fair. He isquite happy about the business prospects this timetoo.

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21st February, 2016VRIKSH - Indian Timber Legality Assessmentand Verification SchemeEuropean Union Timber Regulation (EUTR) legislationrequires that due diligence is applied to all timber andtimber products placed on the EU market, to ensurethat such products have not come from illegal sources.In order to combat the challenges posed by EUTR, theCouncil has developed due diligence system certification scheme titledVRIKSH. The speaker at this seminar, Mr. Barun Sharma, Deputy Manager,Scientific Certification Systems (India) Pvt. Ltd. and Programme Managerfor VRIKSH, made a detailed presentation on the EPCH "VRIKSH" timberlegality assessment and verification standard that aims at tracking"VRIKSH" timber products and can also be used to track timber productsverified by other legal origin standards, under mutual recognition.

Clean technology for metal ware industries inMoradabadMr. Sanket Bhale, representative of WWF India talkedabout water crises and resulting challenges in industryin Moradabad. He went on to chart the initiatives andsteps that WWF is taking to reduce the dependency ofmetalware and other industries based in Moradabad.Starting out with the statics about the quality andquantity of water available in the city skirts, Mr. Sanket explained how theRamganga River is supporting the 9lakh population of Moradabad, where84% of total groundwater has already been withdrawn. Out of 88wetlands, 33 are encroached upon while the rest lie degraded. Even in the12 city blocks quality and level of groundwater is overtly critical in 3blocks, critical in 4, all the while leaving only one of them in the safestandard zone. It is such poor quality of the available water that even thedrinking water tests confirmed the presence of heavy metals beyondpermissible limits. As a result of the polluted water, a heavy dependencyon the groundwater ensued, leaving that too badly compromised.Consequently the quality of water has been affecting industry standards,leading to quality and quantity issues as water becomes essential in theprocess of manufacturing. Even the efforts to treat water, are not beinghighly effective as water treatment cost is going up. As a result, theIndustries are bound to suffer regulatory and reputational risks, related towater use and reputation; especially the nearly 50% of industries inMoradabad which heavily depend on ETP. He elucidated the various stepsand measures that WWF has been taking with their central motto of 'Riverfor life. Life for River' in Moradabad. They identified the basic aspects oftheir work scheme in four parts: conservation of species, sustainable watermanagement, climate change adaptation and inclusion of around 15000farmers in the drive and water stewardship.

Seminars & PresentationsTrends & Forecast and New GreenSustainable ProductsMs. Kamlesh Pangtey, Resource Centre In-Charge, PearlAcademy’s session focused on the current sustainabletrendsetter forecasts for fashion, home décor and furnishing for theupcoming time. Her approach was divided into four sections focusingon the vision, colours, surface and materials and products for theupcoming seasons. She speculated three main visions which will “catchfire” in the coming trends- Digitrail; Revise; and Time lapse. In coloursthe key stones mentioned were Gachala Green (a blue betweenturquoise and teal), Mango (with pale sunset color undertones),Machine Red ( dynamic, intense and bold), Black Plum and a plethora ofseveral more of the likes of Purples, Oranges, Pinks, Blues, Browns, Greysand Pastel. In the line of products, the most in vogue would be fashionaccessories from yarns to wooden, marbling and thread jewellery; beltswith broad fabric, tassls and fringes; scarves populated by textures,marbled patterns, and long thin scarves as well. Other eco friendlyproducts will be trendsetters and much in demand would be wrapturbans, Hats and caps, Footwear from strings tobarefoot sandals with crochet, Bags and purses especially long totebags, duffle bags and canvas bags with an array of tassels and fringes.

Our experience & methodology of working withgrass root level artisans in basketry handicrafts

Ms. Payel Nath, Co-founder, Kadam, spoke on how ahybrid model of business functions to motivate grassroot artisans to work effectively, how a locally grownavailable raw material and not known skill craft can beused productively to create profitability, sharing herexperience working of with natural fibers, primarily in

West Bengal where her foundation- Kadam is based. The firstidentification that was made was that the skill level of the local peoplewas low and a need to invest was recognized. To combat a situationsuch as this, she and her team developed a hybrid model to motivategrass root level artisans to work more effectively and in turn be able touplift their own economical position. Ms. Nath emphasized thenecessity of abundant research before planning out a work plan. Shefurther shared some of her research experiences while working withSabaii grass and Bamboo products in West Bengal.

Trends & Forecast for Spring Summer 2017PJ Aranador, International Designer & Consultant, madean insightful presentation on the forecasts forupcoming seasons, as well as his personal suggestionson how to improve customer satisfaction and productdesirability. He explained that 3 things are whatprimarily make the products less marketable - if they

are too ethnic, too religious or non-utilitarian and the engine mentalityof merchandise. He then talked about product development, explaininghow the correct method is to assess the demands and the needs of thetarget market, and getting the artisans to work on the designsaccordingly, instead of the traditional method of selling whateverdesigns the artists produce in the market. Thus, the development shouldbe done according to the scope of a particular product market. He thenexplained a few basic trends that the artists and the producers shouldlook at for the upcoming seasons. He explained how the consumersnow increasingly want more natural, organic and green products thatare raw in their appearance, like attention to materials like wood, coarsefabrics like jute, metals. The lesser the chemical polish used, the better,hence the continuation of ombre and feltin trends. He then talked aboutthe minimalistic, yet natural and symbolic shapes, like the stones.

9

22nd February, 2016Increase in Exports throughEffective Use of Digital MediumIt is an information age and social media platform like Twitter,Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, YouTube are being used asmarketing "tools" to communicate with customers. In his presentation, Mr. ManujBajaj, CEO, GreyBox Technologies, explained about how to digital media toenhance business and build relationships. Giving a b2b model of how through theuse of Social media, one can achieve business successes, he explained, while lowerranking officials have the power to reject a proposal, it is only C-level executiveswho have the power to put a project into motion. The added benefit of beingassociated with them is what adds to the trust factor. He defined Digital Marketingas "the process of reaching out and engaging with potential leads."

Exploring new Markets for Development & Promotion ofExports of Indian HandicraftsDr. Tamanna Chaturvedi, Assistant Professor, IIFT’s presentation was to guideentrepreuners on an efficient leap into the international market. She elaborated on

how such a decision would entail linking trade compliances withbusiness needs via understanding changing import regulations ofthe foreign markets. She shared, how in such scenarios, tradecompanies need to be proactive to the changes in globalenvironment, leveraging free trade agreements, minimizing dutyand delays and staying ahead of the competition. The first andforemost question that is raised in light of the decision to foray

into export trade, is how well prepared is the company to go out; are the productscustomized according to the need of the target market and are all the factors inplace. Once such factors have been measured, the onus lies on the market that onehas decided to target. In order to reduce various levels of competition in Europeanor American markets, which are saturated and the traditional export markets, atruly remarkable and profitable idea would be to go beyond them. She advised astrong understanding of the Foreign Trade Policy.

Take a Leap Into International Market: Control All Your RisksMr. Pranav Sharma, Birla Sunlife Insurance(BSLI) and Mr. SumitSaurav, Branch Manager, ECGC, addressed this seminar that detailedhow managing risk is very important to increase profit.Development and growth of any business depends largely on themanaging risk. The session was to make the participants awareabout the role of ECGC in minimizing the risk associated withexport business. After extensive research of SMEs operatingenvironment, BSLI has designed a unique tool called SME ProtectionTool. This tool would guide the audience in identifying the risksthe challenges that businesses faces and will help in best fittingsolutions. The tool has been developed with inputs from over 1500plus SMEs and financial planners and advisors. Mr. Sumit Sauravfrom ECGC explained the role of ECGC in minimising the risk associated with exportbusiness.

Explore the European Market for Outdoor FurnitureChristoph Werner, Vice President , IMM Cologne, spoke of theimportance of the category of outdoor furniture for the Indianmanufacturers in the context of contemporary European marketand enumerated the 5 trends that will dominate the future ofoutdoors furniture in the upcoming seasons, namely: Connectivity;Urbanisation; Individualisation; Silver Security; and Neo-Ecology.He explained how the home living structure is fast-evolving with the changingpurchasing powers and the family space. For example, people seem to preferlarger lounges and recliners, and barbeque in their gardens and lawns for morecomfort. With intelligent designing of the houses, gardens and terraces havegained importance as living spaces in an urban world. An example of intelligentdesign would be a side-table, which would also act as a seating area as well as astorage area, and sofas that can be reconfigured. In the trend of neo-ecology,people are increasingly looking for natural, raw materials like wood – teak and oak– and more.

Rajesh KumarJainVice Chairman, EPCH

This year’s fair is bigger thanthe one last year as a lot ofeffort has gone into it. Thefirst day of the fair saw buyersfrom Sweden, Italy, Portugaland Spain, despite the factthat global economy isconsidered to be slow rightnow. In terms of innovation,attention has been paid tominute details and no stone is

left unturned to ensure that every aspect of the fairsees smooth functioning. The Indian market is hugelybased on handicrafts that encompass home andlifestyle categories that are now seeing fast changingtrends, just like fashion. Overseas buyers observetrends from Frankfurt, Paris, etc. and look forthings around those lines when they come to IHGF.The theme pavilion this time focuses on North-EastIndia region (NER) which is still considered anuntapped area. EPCH is doing its utmost to helpproducers from this region by cultivating a culture ofentrepreneurship and innovation, conductingseminars to impart skills as well as providing loans.

Buyer response encourages as they seekinternational trends among our products

Prince MalikVice Chairman, EPCH

With IHGF becoming a ‘mustvisit’ platform in buyeriteneraries, there is growingexpectation among buyers,especially in design. The world isincreasingly moving towardshandicraft products as it hasseen enough industrial influences,technological advancements anddigitization. Buyers now want

to return to eco-friendly products that showinnovation and reflect the mood of the decade. Ourmanufacturers have a niche in handcrafted skills. Ourvariety of products from Moradabad, Jodhpur,Jaipur, etc. show more artistic developments thistime. For example, the lighting section has improveddrastically in the last 3 years and they make suchfantastic products from a mix variety of metals now.With the Birmingham Spring Fair and Ambiente,Frankfurt happening around the same time, it hasbeen a packed schedule for all as organisers as well asexhibitors and buyers.

The world is inclined towards the handmadeand handcrafted

10

AJAI SHANKAR MEMORIAL AWARDSFor Best Display and Stand Design

Home Textiles & Furnishings Fashion Jewellery & Accessories

Lamps & Lighting Products

M/s. Artasia, JaipurReceived by Ms. Vandana Maheshwari

Stand No.E-08/08Hall-3

Housewares & Decoratives Gifts Furniture & Home AccessoriesChristmas Decorations, Candlesand Incense

M/s. Ocean Exim India Pvt. Ltd. , JaipurReceived by Mr. Bhuvnesh Gupta

M/s. East Wood International,MoradabadReceived by Mr. Danish Khusrozaman

M/s. Parkland Exports, MoradabadReceived by Mr. Sanjay Gupta

Stand No.E-05/06Hall-3

Stand No.G-02/05Hall-9

Stand No.G-01/02Hall-9

M/s. Dee Gee's Creations, New DelhiReceived by Mr. Deepak Gupta

Stand No.E-15/01AHall-3 (Foyer)

M/s. "ANUVA" Dileep Potteries Pvt. Ltd.,Jaipur, Received by Ms. Anuva and Mr. Akshay

Stand No.F-08/06AHall-4

M/s. Intrading Pvt. Ltd., NoidaReceived by Ms. Kompel and Mr. Sanjay

M/s. Noble Art & Craft House, JodhpurReceived by Mr. Atul Jain & Team

M/s. Natural Products ExportCorporation Ltd., ChennaiReceived by Mr. Aditya

M/s. Artifacts India, DelhiReceived by Ms.Savina Sharan

M/s. "Bella Design"- Universal Designs,Moradabad, Received by Ms. Neetu Maheshwari

Stand No.H-05/02Hall-15

Stand No.E-04/06Hall-1

Stand No.H-06/25Hall-15

Stand No.F-08/15Hall-4

Stand No.G-07/11Hall-10

DC(Handicrafts) graces

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MART PROMOTION BUREAU AWARDSFor Best Mart Display

Display Awards Ceremony

Home Furnishings Home Decor Products

Festive Decor & Lighting Houseware & DecorativesFurniture Products

M/s. Ex-Mart InternationalReceived by Mr. Rajesh Jain & Team

M/s. Hast Kala ExportsReceived by Ms. Kimmi Goyal

Mart No.A02/29-31

Mart No.A08/08-14

M/s. Jagdamba Cutlery Pvt. Ltd.Received by Mr. Samrath Kansal& Mr. Ankur Jain

Mart No.A12/34-42

M/s. Bothra InternationalReceived by Mr. Naresh Bothra

M/s. Indian CraftsReceived by Mr. Gaurav Jain

Mart No.B05/40-42

Mart No.C02/27-35

M/s. Gulati ExportsReceived by Mr. Vividh Gulati

Mart No.B05/16-18

M/s. Muchhala N.V.Received by Mr. Pradeep Muchhala

M/s. Digvijay ExportsReceived by Mr. Upanshu Agrawal

Mart No.B04/31-33

Mart No.B02/02-04

M/s. Haq BrothersReceived by Mr. Ikramul Haq

Mart No.A06/26-32

M/s. VisbaReceived by Mr. Abdul Azim

Mart No.B05/22-32

Development Commissioner (Handicrafts),Dr. K Gopal graced the Display Awards ceremonyfor IHGF Delhi Fair-Spring 2016, held on 22ndFebruary, 2016, at the India Expo Centre. Alsopresent were, Mr. D Kumar, Chairman, EPCH;Mr. S P Dadoo, President, Reception Committee–IHGF-Delhi Fair-Spring 2016; members of COA,EPCH;Mr. Rakesh Kumar, Executive Director, EPCHand Chairman, IEML; members from the industry,press and media.

The Ajai Shankar Memorial Awards for BestDisplay and Stand Design at this fair were givenaway in six product categories. In hiscongratulatory address to the award winners,Dr. K Gopal said that best presentation by thewinners in front of the international buyingcommunity added additional value to theirproducts.

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M/s. Vijay EnterprisesReceived by Mr. Vivek Vikas

M/s. Dileep Industries Pvt. Ltd.Received by Mr. Dileep Baid

Mart No.A04/20-30

Mart No.A03/28-36

M/s. JayanitaReceived by Ms. Taru

Mart No.D07/30-32

M/s. Sai ExportsReceived by Mr. Nishanth Mathpal

M/s. BasantReceived by Mr. Gaurav Jain

Mart No.C03/17-25

Mart No.B06/35

Today’s Seminars23rd February, 2016

03.00 PMSkill Development in Handicrafts &

Carpet Sector - Need of the HourManish Singh, MD, Progilence

03.30 PMReach out to customers far and

wide: Presenting HOMIRajiv Malhotra, CEO, LEMS

Venue: Board Room, GroundFloor, Central Function Building

IHGF Delhi Fair- Spring 2016

HelplinesHotel: +91 9871121212

Transport: +91 9818725533General: +91 9818725553

For Contribution to Mart Promotion

13

The Indian market is where the excitement is

I have has been with my newspaper since 15 years now as a writeron diplomatic affairs. While touring the exhibition I particularly likedthe home décor products as well as textiles. Prices are reallycompetitive here. The Indian market is where the excitement is asChinese products are by and large made from machines whereasIndian goods are more of handicraft based. In my reviews, I willrecommend Egyptian businessmen to invest in the Indian marketand also hope for more collaboration between Egypt and India to

exchange technology and skill-sets.

Intricate and elaborate craftsmanship brimmingthroughout

I am amazed by the textiles and exquisite craftsmanship as wellas the large variety of colours infused in the ethnic crafts.Having visited international markets in Dubai, Germany andseven countries in Africa, I rank the products displayed at EPCHas better than most. The products here have intricate andelaborate craftsmanship brimming throughout.

Craftsmanship amongexquisite character inIndian products

I have been visiting India sincethe 1960s. I am quite impressedwith Kashmiri textiles, lacquerwork, elaborate furniture andbedroom and kitchen furnishing.Having visited internationalmarkets and fairs in South Africaand Hong Kong, I have noticed arecent price hike in the Indian

products, yet the craftsmanship still retains its exquisitecharacter and is worth every penny.

Ms. Warda El HosaniAmin, Chief Editor,Akbhar Alyoum,Cairo, Egypt

Ms. Magali AnneFrederic, Editor in Chief,Business Magazine, PortLouis, Mauritius

Mr. Mohamed MounjidPublication Director, LibreEnterprise, Casablanca,Morocco

Mr. Mark LoraineAllix, Journalist,Business Day,Johannesburg,South Africa

There is need for more aggressive promotion ofproducts made in India

I am overwhelmed and bowled over by my first Indian and EPCHexperience. The variety, colour and creativity of Indian craftsmenare a surprise to me as I had expected them to producetraditional stuff. It left me puzzled as to why these products arenot so well known in Mauritius. I feel, there is need for moreaggressive promotion of products made in India. I liked thecreativity, finishing as well as quality. To top it all, the prices arereally competitive and can do well with Mauritians’ increasing

purchasing power. I also emphasize on the need for closer economic ties between SAFFcountries to compliment the closely linked historical ties.

Exquisite North-Easterncraftsmanship areworth admiring

This is my first visit to IHGFDelhi Fair. I am enthralled withthe lighting and lamps variety,bronze craftwork and metalcraft as well as embroiderywork from Rajasthan. I havevisited international markets inSouth America, and comparedto the zonal products there I

feel the exquisite North-Eastern craftsmanship in thisfair and other ethnic and varied products displayed hereare worth admiring. The pricing need to be competitiveas it is prime time for India to engage in business withChile, given our present economy.

Ms. Caroline AndreaTorres Ayala, Writer,Casa Magazine,Santiago, Chile

Overseas Media on IHGF Delhi Fair Spring 2016

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Perceptions, Observations, Purchasesand Future Planning....

VISITING BUYERS ON IHGF DELHI FAIR - SPRING 2016

Prime Interest: Home Decor & Fashion

Accessories

This is my first visit to this

fair. My company KDO

DKO are wholesaler

retailers for fine Indian

handicraft products

ranging from home décor

to fashion accessories.

This being my first visit,

he was quite unsure of what to expect. By and

large, I like the products displayed at the fair

although there can be more innovation to cater to

the international market. I give a a big thumbs up

to the organizers for putting together a fair of such

massive scale. In comparison to other markets such

as China, products here have better quality. But the

Indian market must be more competitive in terms

of pricing.

Frederic Pascalon, France

Prime Interest: Wall Items

I am the Product Development Manager of New York based Azzure

Home and am on my first visit to this fair. We are importers, exporters

and manufacturers. We keep manufactured and imported stocks in

our warehouse which we supply to retailers. China, India and Thailand

are our main markets for imports. I am here to buy wall items like

photo frames, mirrors and decoratives. Indian goods are more

personal, unique and organic since they are mostly handmade. This is

probably why they are on the more expensive side. The fair is very

well organized and the facilities provided are superb. Anna Vaskevich, USA

Prime Interest: Home Decor

I am a designer of

home accessories

at Eightmood. I am

here to buy good

quality home

décor, textiles and

fabrics. Although

this is not my first

trip to India, this is my maiden visit to IHGF.

Home décor is like fashion, it keeps

changing, that’s why we always seek

differenr products. We import mainly from

Asia countries – China, India and Thailand.

As a home accessories company, we have

concepts – modern, Scandinavian, rustic

and classic. For different themes, different

imports from different countries are

required. Sometimes we just make hybrid

products from products imported from

different countries. This fair has been good

for me and I hope to visit again next time.

Matilda Lundgren, Sweden

Prime Interest: Fine Furniture &

Rugs

We are here to

buy fine

furniture, rugs

and good

carpets too if

they are good.

These are high

in demand in UK. This being our 4th year of

visit to IHGF, we can say that there are

noticeable improvements in terms of fair

organization. Things have changed for the

better. Besides, India we also source from

Vietnam and China. Indian goods have an

edge due to their focus on quality, finesse,

finishing and also due to the fact that they

involve a lot of hand labour. We love India

and EPCH fairs are always a good experience

for them. Jon Borkowy & associate, UK

Prime Interest: Sustainable Products

This is my first visit to

India and to IHGF. I

love this fair as offers

great variety and

designs. I deal in home

wares, sustainable and

natural products,

cushions, bags and

candles. In Australia I run a company by the

name butterflymoon. I have attended different

trade shows in Paris and France and EPCH fair is

also turning out to be equally good in terms of

product quality. I wish to extend my business to

New Zealand and this fair is helping me find the

right products in order to extend my business to

other countries. I love the fact that different

nationalities get to meet here and are also

given a chance to exchange business ideas.

Australian customers look for subtle Indian

products and therefore we look for unique

handmade products. Shipping from India is

profitable and exhibitors here have been very

supportive and friendly. I will definitely come

for more jewellery and textile products again.

Steven, Australia

Prime Interest: Smoking Accessories

I have been coming to

this fair for over 3 years

now, and I came here to

look for something

different this time, like

some smoking

paraphernalia, smoking

bongs and smoking

pipes. There is a huge demand for such Indian

products among the buyers in South Africa. I love

the fair this time; it’s a lot bigger than some

international fairs that I have seen.

Glynnis Arender, South Africa

Prime Interest: Home Decor

I have been coming to

this fair for some 3

years now, looking for

home décor products

that could interest me,

anything from the

cushions to the metal-

ware. It’s good to see

how the fair has become bigger and better, with

such varieties of products to choose from. Other

than this, I generally import from China to sell in

the South African markets. I can already spot the

things I want to take back home!

Craig & associate, South Africa

Prime Interest: Furniture & Decor

I am the owner of Odds

and Ends Ltd. based in

Kenya. This is my fourth

visit to IHGF. My primary

interests revolve around

furniture and home

décor products. Since it

is not possible for us to

export whole containers, there is an obstruction in

the case of custom clearance back in Kenya, and

the store owners have to prevent design

replication. Despite all that, our dealings have been

fairly positive as a whole.

G K Shah, Kenya

15

Prime Interest: Home Textiles

We are the

owners of

Zenobia Store in

Italy, and we

have been a part

of IHGF for the

last five years.

We mainly deal with home furnishings, and

we source our materials from Jaipur. We

prefer our works with an Italian finesse. Even

though the prices are relatively fine as

compared to other international markets, we

do face issues with the time of delivery.

Overall, we are impressed with the fair and

are glad to be a part of this year’s expo.

Sylvia and Maria, Italy

Prime Interest: Lighting Products

We are importers,

exporters and

manufacturers of

lighting products &

accessories. This is my

first visit to India as

well as IHGF. My

company came to

know about this fair through a newspaper and

sent me to here to see if manufacturers here

can offer good business opportunities. I find the

fair very efficient and well managed with well

categorized stalls. Alison, Australia

Prime Interest: Home Textiles

I am from Munuc,

Mexico. My

company deals in

wholesale of

accessories and

home décor

products – pillow,

cushion, linen, etc. I feel these products’

pricing is extremely good and competitive,

given their quality. I also buy from China and

USA but the best deals come from Indian

suppliers. In terms of style too, Indian goods

are unique. Here, I like the feel and ambience

of the fair. Things can improve if more

manufacturers commission European

designers while planning for future sourcing

seasons. Alejandra Gomez, Mexico

Prime Interest: Handicrafts &

Textiles

I head a

company

called

Capricho,

based in

Spain and

dealing in

textiles and handicraft goods. I prefer to

source from India as what I get here are distinct

and different from those I get from Thailand,

Nepal or Indonesia. There is no comparison as

such as each market is different, and one goes

to different markets with different expectations.

For me, it is a matter of priority. But when it

comes to handicrafts, India is the ‘go-to’

destination. The Indian market is looking good

for the near future.

Mohcen, Spain

Prime Interest: Fine Jewellery

I am from Cleopatra

Trading Limited., UK.

I am interested in

jewellery, fine

handicraft products

and textiles. I have

visited close to 20

editions of IHGF and

have seen how it has changed with time. I

thank EPCH for their initiatives towards

making this fair buyer friendly. Even the

products are getting better and also

increasingly catering to international

demands. Dr. Farshid K. Zanoozi, UK

Prime Interest: Home Decor & Textiles

I am from North

Carolina, America, and

have visited the EPCH

fair since the last

two years. I run a

wholesale store of fine

floor coverings and

accessories, including home décor and pillows

and textiles. We do source our products from

China, and the selection there pales in

comparison to products showcased here. The fair

here is well-organized, and we do wish for more

food stalls in this huge venue. I will be surely

coming back next year. Jason Sumner, USA

Prime Interest: Home Products

I run a company

in Canada called

Modernz. I deal

with home

products and all

these products

carry a story

with them. These stories and products are

further taken by other suppliers in Canada. I

sell a product only when the customer is

ready to carry forward the story behind the

product line. This time I have found paper

products and I am happy with my decision. I

like the variety in EPCH fair.

Suparna, Canada

Prime Interest: Textile Products

I am a wholesaler

retailer running a

company called C & S

products. I deal with

wholesale and retail

market. Our products

are also retailed

through e-commerce. I have been attending

IHGF fair since past 8 years and I can clearly see

the fair getting bigger and better. I deal in

products like T Shirts, hoodies, cotton or canvas

bags, aprons, cushion covers and tea towels.

Our company is also appreciated for leather

products and Indian Jute is highly popular in

England. C &S products also

customize products by

providing different

types of printings such

as screen, digital and

colour printing. IHGF

has been a good

platform to fulfill all

our product demands.

Sarah Fox, UK

Prime Interest: Cotton Products

I am and I deal with

cotton products in my

company called

Dohara. Our business

is spread in countries

like London and

Dubai. I have travelled

all over India in order to pick up finest Indian

products. EPCH fair makes the communication

much easier as I can visit different suppliers at

one place. The profit of our company is also

transferred to one an NGO in Bangalore that

educates underprivileged children. I deal in

cotton products like blankets, garments and

bed sheets. Exhibitors are very helpful here.

Paula McLean, UK

Prime Interest: Handicrafts

This fair is turning out to be a great experience. There are proper

information boards, brochure and details provided in the entire fair. Our

company Zeniture deals with handicrafts and home decorations. I have

attended fairs in Hong Kong too. I like the quality of products in this fair

and have been attending it regularly. I feel that Indian products have

good quality and durability. Proper directory in this fair has made our

work much easier. Lizzy & George Lazar, Australia

16

Prime Interest: Furniture & Lighting

I am the owner and

manager of IGOR, a

wholesaling and

manufacturing

company. This is the

sixth time I am here

at IHGF. Furniture and

lighting products are

my main interests. From countries like China,

Indonesia, and other parts of Asia, I buy

machine made goods but India is my

destination for handicraft products. The

finishing of these goods is brilliant and the

built is solid too. I have noticed that, the stalls

are getting bigger and this is a good move as

exhibitors are able to display more variety of

products which is of great help to buyers in

assessing the quality. Prices are fine for the

quality. Damien Claey, Belgium

Prime Interest: Furniture & Textiles

This is the 2nd time

that I have come to

the Delhi Fair, and it

is such a huge affair!

I am based in

London where

I have a retail store

called the N-Square

Studios selling furniture and textile articles, and

we are expanding it online very soon, so we

will be selling in India as well as in London.

I have been to some fairs in Germany and

Vietnam, and have orders coming in and going

out constantly. Nikita Popat, UK

Prime Interest: Home Furnishing

I am manager of

Techno Prime, a

company based in

Tokyo and it deals

with home

furnishing products.

We deal with soft

wood, metal and

fabrics. Its my second visit to IHGF and I see

this fair as an opportunity to widen my

business deals. I hope to see more good

products in the fair in future as well.

Ashish Kumar, Japan

Prime Interest: Wall Products

This is my 15th visit to

IHGF and this fair has

changed a lot over

the years. The size of

the event, exhibitor

stalls and innovation

of items has got a

major boost.

Correspondingly, the efficiency of services has

bettered. For busy buyers hard pressed for

time, information is easily available and the

direction boards are very helpful. I look to buy

wall products - wall hangings, mirrors and other

decorative items. The demand for these is good

in my home country, the Netherlands. My other

import market includes China, Thailand, and

Vietnam but when it comes to handicraft, I rate

India very high. John Van Wolferen,

Netherlands

Prime Interest: Brassware

I am owner of Antep

Sepeti, a

manufacturing,

wholesaling and

importing company,

based in Gaziantep,

Turkey. We deal mainly

in products of all variety

made from brass. Till recently we used to

manufacture only but now we are starting to

import as well. This is my first visit to India and

IHGF. I came to know about this fair from the

internet and decided to pay a visit. This trip has

revealed to me how much India has to offer in

terms of the quality, finish as well as creativity.

The efficiency of the organizers has ensured that

buyers feel comfortable. Cihan Kocer, Turkey

Prime Interest: Board Games &

Trick Items

This is our first visit

IHGF as well as India.

We are looking for

good hand crafted

wooden items –

board games, trick

items, perhaps even

animal figures, etc.

India is the only market from which we source

our products. But mostly, we manufacture our

own goods. Products exhibited here at IHGF have

given us more ideas which can be incorporated

in our own products. It has been a good

experience so far and we are glad we

came.Constantin Geduldspiele & associate,

Germany

Prime Interest: Home Decor

This is my 2nd visit to

the IHGF, the last was

about 10 years ago,

and I have to say that

the fair has turned

into an amazing

place! I have my local

home decor Russian

markets to sell the products in. We get a lot of

products from China, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and

Japan too, but personally I love the cultural

influence that the Indian products bring in.

Michael & associate, Russia Prime Interest: Metal Crafts

I am the

Director of

Accessories

Development in

Markor

Furnishings

Retail, China. I

have visited the

IHGF before also. We deal in home accessories,

textiles and metal craft. Having visited other

international fairs in China, Las Vegas and

Atlanta, I observe that products in India are

relatively well-priced. This year’s IHGF has been

quite productive.

Shauna Ann Snyder & associates, China

Prime Interest: Furniture

I’m the General

Manager of Alhambra

Inc./ Eclektic. I am

from New Mexico

and Colorado, U.S. It

has been a long 15

years of association

with IHGF. The furniture in IHGF fair has been

world-class in terms of design and skill. Its good

pricing easily shoots up in the international

market. Robert Vander, USA

Prime Interest: Fashion Garments

I am based in Argentina and this is my first time in Delhi as well as IHGF

Spring Fair. I am mainly looking for fashion garments for women. Though I

have enjoyed browsing through and there certainly are interesting craft

and designs that I came across but I found cost for some of them a little

high than my liking. I still feel I should be coming back next year.

Vincente Abel Ritorto, Argentina

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Prime Interest: Home Decor

I am owner of

Shilpam Craft, an

online store where

I offer items like

candles and plates.

I wish to expand

my business

horizontally and I am willing to include three

more categories. It is for this purpose that I

have come to this fair. The exhibitors are very

helpful and are also willing to describe their

products. I have already signed deals for

kitchen decors, hanging lights and pottery

products. I am happy to be a part of this fair.

Arpita Gupta, DelhiPrime Interest: Exquisite Collections

I am the owner of

Scarlet Splendor

Designs Pvt. Ltd. I

am based in Kolkata

and this is my

second visit to this

fair. My primary

dealings are focused

on luxury brands and relative exquisite

collections with an Italian touch to them. I have

been browsing the products showcased in

EPCH, and might I say, the manufacturing

quality is top-notch. Though I mainly focus on

the domestic dealings, I have had a fairly good

experience in the fair, and would be back again

in the near future. Ashish Bajoria, Kolkata

R K VermaDirector, EPCH

Many newexhibitors andmany new buyersare the two bigwinners for me.New exhibitorsbring in newnessand freshness toour product line-up, while new

buyers bring in new opportunities andnew vistas for growth. Our Mega clusterpromotion programs have beensuccessful and through directparticipation artisans have benefitedboth in terms of business opportunityand exposure to international clientele.The views of our participants fromNarsapur lace craft cluster, Jodhpurwood, metal and leather craft clusterand NER are testimony to this.I take the opportunity to invite eachone back here for the IHGF DelhiAutumn Fair, to be held from 14-18October, 2016.

More of New Exhibitorsand New Buyers bring inmore opportunities

Prime Interest: Accessories

I have a style and

sourcing company

in India. I export

bags, jewellery and

beach ware

products to

countries like

France, USA and

Spain. I have been attending the fair for 8 years

now and every year I see a range of new

products like special mats, laces and jewelry. I

hope to sign good deals in this fair.

Ranjana Sareen, Delhi

Domestic buyers keen to source...

Prime Interest: Handicrafts

I am the owner of a

contemporary

handicraft boutique,

Manglam, I mainly

deal with the ethnic

handicrafts,

furnishing and

carpets. Since IHGF

allows domestic buyers like me to engage in

dealings with the foreign exporters, such a

grandiose platform of the Expo enables us to

increase the domestic dealings amidst the vast

network provided by EPCH. I sure hope to be

aprt of it in the coming months.

Gopala Gupta, Hyderabad

Prime Interest: Ceramic Products

I own a manufacturing facility and this is my first visit to IHGF. I have

been to other international markets as well, including those in Sri Lanka.

Compared to the latter, the pricing of the products displayed in the

IHGF is relatively better, and since it does not compromise on

craftsmanship, it helps the domestic market as well. I am looking for

potential suppliers for ceramic products.

Amrud Patel, Ahmedabad

Prime Interest: Home Decor

I have been coming

to the IHGF Delhi

Fair in every edition

for quite a few years

now. I own a home

decor retail store in

Delhi by the name

of Kainaat which will

soon be expanded for e-commerce. We also

work for projects that our clients hire us for, and

the fair provides us with the ideas and artisans

for that. Every year, the fair gives me more

business and I do the same for the artisans.

Neeta, New Delhi

Prime Interest:

Home Decor &

Furnishing

I have a retail store

in Bangalore that

caters to home

decor, furnishings

and lights. I have been to several business fairs

in Thailand, but this is my first visit to the IHGF,

and I am so amazed at the huge variety and

beauty of products at display. Except Delhi, I

often source my products from Thailand and

Indonesia. I am quite excited about IHGF now.

Anu Asar, Hyderabad

Prime Interest: Flooring

I am originally

from India, I

have my

import-export

business based

in Morocco. I

have come to

the Delhi Fair

several times now, and it is always a great

place to find newer varieties of products of

rugs and carpets. I generally source from

China and Dubai, other than India, and

export to the local buyers in Morocco. This

time too it has been a great business

experience.” S M Zubin, Morocco

Prime Interest: Fashion Accessories

My business relationship

with EPCH is close to two

decades. I am a designer

and am here to buy

fashion Jewellery,

accessories, bags and

scarves for Ropane S.L.

which is based in

Valencia, Spain. Back in my domestic market, these

goods have average to good demand. What I like

about the Indian market is its uniqueness, as what is

found in India cannot be found elsewhere. I also

source from from Thailand and Philippines.

Paco Ruiz, Spain

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Glimpses

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IHGF Delhi Fair - Autumn 2016 ad. (Black)