The 2017 International Home + Housewares Show, to be held in Chicago March 18 through 21, sold out in late December, more than 11 weeks before opening day, according to the International Housewares Association.
“We have exceeded last year’s exhibit space square footage, a continued sign of how important this world-class marketplace is to IHA member suppliers,” said Phil Brandl, IHA president and CEO. “We look forward to bringing the industry together at the premier housewares trade event.”
According to the IHA, the show will host more than 2,200 exhibitors from around the world, including 400 new companies exhibiting for the first time. Among the first-time companies and well-known suppliers returning after an absence are:
Dine + Décor Expo: C & F Enterprises Inc., Craft A Brew, Housekeeper Crockery, iSi North America, Koopman, Loftin Oysters, LotusGrill GmbH, Maxili Les Artistes, Nest Homeware and Sitram, Unitam-Ameditam.
Discover Design Expo: 3Sprout, Bredemeijer, Comfort Research, Hasegawa, Luckies of London, Nashi Home, Palm Products, S’ip by S’well, Sophistiplate, Stackers and Stelton.
Wired + Well Expo: ACIGI Relaxation, Daewoo, Friedrich Air Conditioning, iFavine, Jinsung Hitech Co., Nadair International, Neuera Enterprises, Pico Brew, Snooz, Southern Telecom and Unilution.
Clean + Contain Expo: Balthazar & Brisco, Curver/Keter North America, Hang A Bunch, Molly’s Suds, Rust-Oleum Corporation, WD-40 and Xangar.
This year, the show will feature a special emphasis on the smart home and connected products with the new IHA Smart Home Pavilion, several educational seminars and exhibitor smart home signage.
Mike Wolf, curator of the Smart Kitchen Summit, and Carley Knobloch, digital lifestyle expert, will be at the pavilion to answer questions and discuss the emerging technology and trends. On March 19, Wolf will also moderate a panel of tech experts and suppliers during the keynote session, “How the Smart Home is Disrupting Housewares (And What to Do About It)” in the South Building. In addition, several sessions in the Innovation Theater will explore the growing importance of smart and connected products in the home.
Also new this year is the Excellence in Booth Design Award honoring exhibitors for their booth presentation. Based on creativity in design, merchandising and messaging, one overall winner and two winners from each expo will be awarded.
The Discover Design Expo returns to its new location in the North Building and will feature nearly 200 companies and brands from all show categories, along with Design Debut, which allows 11 new exhibitors whose product demonstrates high-design and innovation to come and experience the International Home + Housewares Show without having to create an entire display.
