PRODUCTS that boast sustainability without sacrificing style and good taste have always been the design trademark of the Philippines. Most designers set their eyes on plants and other natural resources abundant in the archipelago to incorporate their vision.
February 9 to 13 will mark the Philippines’s third collective participation at Ambiente, the leading international trade fair for consumer goods happening in Messe Frankfurt in Germany. Table settings, kitchen accessories and household products take the spotlight in the show. Gifts, interior trends and home concepts will also be showcased.
The Philippines’s participation in Ambiente 2018 is under the banner of the Lifestyle Philippines brand. Carrying the theme “Sustainability through Design,” the brand bridges the ecological gap between ethics and aesthetics, infusing nature and artisanship in crafting products for modern living.
From abaca, raffia, bamboo, rattan, coconut husk, mother of pearl and fine-bone china, artisan communities of the Philippines transform these renewable materials into consciously crafted objects, thus minimizing the negative impact on the country’s resources and, at the same time, connecting the buyers with the Philippines’s natural environment.
In Ambiente 2018, the Filipino brand will gain a tremendous international exposure, market acceptance and sales generation. The country will prove that ethics and aesthetics can be merged successfully to create top-notch and sophisticated designs.
Returning and new Filipino exhibitors from the home-décor sector will showcase products under the trade fair’s three categories: Dining, Giving and Living.
Marsse Tropical Timber Plantation and Celestial Arts qualify for the Dining category, which covers table, kitchen, houseware and household products. GSG Paper is in the Giving category for their handmade and vibrant products that fit in the group’s varied gift selection.
Red Slab Pottery, Silay Export, Tadeco Home Décor, Pumice Unlimited Ventures, 33 Point 3, Arden Classic, Chanalli, Finali Furniture and Home Accessories, Freden Export, Larone Crafts and Nature’s Legacy are under the Living category’s home interiors and design collection.
Silay Export, Marsse Tropical Timber Plantation, Red Slab Pottery and Pumice Unlimited Ventures are under the Regional Interactive Platform for Philippine Exporters (Ripples) Plus Program, a joint venture by the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Export Marketing Bureau, the DTI’s Regional Operations Group and the Philippine Trade Training Center.
Ripples is assisting emerging nicro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the development of their products and services through strategic interventions, such as capacity-building trainings, product development, market information and global-product trends. These interventions make sure the companies are competent and export-ready.
The Philippines’s Ambiente 2018 participation will be organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (Citem), the DTI’s export promotion arm. Citem is targeting $1.8 million worth of export sales.
“Ambiente 2018 is a great platform to strengthen Philippine companies’ network and client base in Germany and the rest of Europe. The trade fair is a wonderful experience for Filipino exporters because they have a chance to be acquainted with the international market’s latest trends,” Citem Executive Director Clayton Tugonon said.
Citem’s efforts to increase the global competitiveness of the country’s gifts, décor and houseware sector are in line with the government’s latest target—to grow the sector by 20 percent in the next five years. The Board of Investments identified more than 2,400 handicraft enterprises in the Philippines. Majority of those are MSMEs in the National Capital Region, Cordillera Region, Region 5 and Region 12.
Ambiente 2017 attracted more than 4,400 companies and exhibitors from 94 countries. The trade fair also branches out to international markets, holding shows in the major Asian cities of Tokyo, New Delhi and Shanghai.