Upcoming Edition Brings Strong Global Presence, Upsized Content, and New Collaboration
Singapore, 2 February 2016 — As companies usher in the new year, preparations for the upcoming International Furniture Fair Singapore 2016 / 33rd ASEAN Furniture Show (IFFS/AFS) are underway. From 10 to 13 March, Halls 1 to 6 of the Singapore EXPO will once again be transformed into a larger-than-life furniture and furnishings display, where over 18,000 industry professionals from more than 100 countries will gather over four days to view the latest in furniture trends and explore new business opportunities.
Now in its 33rd year, IFFS has long cemented its status as the region’s leading event for trade professionals of furniture, interior design, and furnishing industries all over the world to source for the latest products. As one of the most prominent trade furniture exhibition in the region, the upcoming edition has garnered much interest and the industry is rife with anticipation for the various opportunities and ideas that the show has to offer. This is reflected in the robust pre-registration figures of 6,263 visitors to date, an impressive 46% increase from the year before. 2016 also marks the first year that furniPRO Asia will be co-located with IFFS, along with The Décor Show.
“IFFS is more than just a trade event for business exchange”, said Mr Ernie Koh, Chairman of IFFS Pte Ltd. “We envision our show as a holistic platform that serves to create conversations, stimulate new ideas, and foster business partnerships. Through a series of unique and inspirational feature areas, IFFS 2016 will present a whole new experience for our visitors that is in line with our recent rebrand.”
Strong International Presence
At IFFS 2016, over 350 furniture manufacturers, furnishing suppliers, exporters and designers will showcase their latest and most impressive collections. This year, IFFS continues to expand its global footprint by welcoming exhibitors from more than 27 countries, including new players from Ireland, Lebanon, Mexico, and Russia. Visitors can look forward to meeting established market players, including the likes of Asiades, d-Bodhi, Far East Furniture, HALO Creative & Design, Hugo Sofa by Yew Hoong, Koda, Kuka Home, Ligne Roset, Maiori, Manutti, Pure Home Collections, Resource Decor, The Rug Republic by Sharda Exports, and Woven+.
Upsized Content with New Highlights
To up the ante and to enhance visitors’ experience, IFFS 2016 will present an all-new The Outdoor Boulevard that clusters exhibitors with garden or outdoor offerings together in a dedicated area. Here, visitors get to experience the outdoors in an indoor setting at the Garden Cafe, which houses a collection of specially curated products from participating exhibitors.
IFFS will also introduce Gamification – an interactive ‘play area’ that consists of a shuffleboard table, ping-pong table, and a foosball table – set up in collaboration with District Eight Design. Apart from allowing visitors the opportunity to let their hair down, Gamification also highlights the multi-functional nature of modern furniture, which is a sure way to inspire buyers and furniture designers alike.
In yet another unprecedented move, IFFS makes a bold decision to break away from the spatial confines of past editions. The Décor Show will no longer be contained within one event hall this year. Instead, the various exhibitors’ booths will stretch across multiple halls, lining one end of the venue. This offers a seamless navigation experience that enables visitors to browse through both furniture and the accompanying decor items within the same hall.
Visitors will also benefit from a series of dialogue sessions and business seminars set around the theme of ‘Smart Living, Convivial, and Design Forward’. Featuring personalities from various industries and backgrounds, these complimentary talks will be held during the first three days of IFFS in The Piazza Hall (Hall 4). The full schedule will be made available shortly.
Get Inspiration from Young Design Talents
Besides interacting with exhibitors at their respective booths, visitors can also get acquainted with up-and-coming designers through two dedicated showcases – Design STARS and Furniture Design Award showcase.
The Design STARS collection features product debuts by 20 design talents from around the world, including France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Lebanon, Mexico, The Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and the USA. A special Furniture Design Award showcase featuring winning entries of the 2016 edition will also be put up on the show floor. Organised by the Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC), the FDA seeks design talents from all over the world to exhibit their unique creations amongst international furniture manufacturers and designers. Winners will be decided by a panel of industry experts a day before IFFS, and announced at the IFFS official Opening Ceremony. Visitors to both showcases will be able to draw inspiration from these display pieces and kindle some new ideas.
New Collaboration
And last but not least, IFFS is pleased to share details of a new collaboration with HipVan, a Singapore-based online store for designer furniture, home furnishings, and lifestyle products. For the first time this year, IFFS will have an Online Preview that showcases selected exhibitors’ products on HipVan’s website, allowing visitors the opportunity to take a first look at some of the pieces even before the show opens. Apart from getting a sneak peek at the latest collections that will be on display at IFFS 2016, one can also purchase these exhibits through the HipVan platform during the preview period, which runs from 1 - 9 March[1].
All in all, IFFS 2016 is set to impress the industry once again with a multitude of trade opportunities and design-centric elements.
For more information, please visit www.iffs.com.sg.
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About International Furniture Fair Singapore Pte Ltd (IFFS Pte Ltd)
International Furniture Fair Singapore Pte Ltd (IFFS Pte Ltd) is partly owned by the Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC) and MP International Pte Ltd. IFFS Pte Ltd’s primary objectives are to organize and manage furniture and furniture-related fairs, exhibitions, shows, conferences and other events worldwide. This includes the annual International Furniture Fair Singapore/ASEAN Furniture Show (IFFS/AFS) and The Décor Show, a keynote event on the furniture trade exhibition calendar.
About International Furniture Fair Singapore/ASEAN Furniture Show (IFFS/AFS) and The Décor Show
The International Furniture Fair Singapore, held in conjunction with the ASEAN Furniture Show (IFFS/AFS) and The Décor Show, is regarded by industry experts as Asia’s premier sourcing platform and design-led exhibition. With three decades of experience since its inaugural event in 1981, the IFFS/AFS remains the most distinctive channel for regional and international companies to penetrate the global market.
In the 2016 edition, the biennial furniPRO Asia, a woodworking and furniture and panel production exhibition in South East Asia will be held in conjunction with the IFFS/AFS. The exhibition aims to be a showcase and trading platform for the newest machinery and technologies in the market into its third edition.
Together, the trilogy of events - The IFFS/AFS, The Décor Show and furniPRO Asia – will feature a comprehensive range of furniture, furnishing, decorative accessories, interiors and fittings by a diverse portfolio of quality exhibitors, as well as offer an unparalleled outreach and access to the latest technological machinery development to the highly dynamic market, and attract a healthy and well-represented attendance of trade buyers and visitors from the entire furniture ecosystem and value chain.
To make it a holistic trade event, the various design initiatives (SingaPlural and Furniture Design Award) offer added depth and dimension to this Singapore-anchored trade event, raising its profile as a show not-to-be-missed in the industry calendar.
IFFS/AFS is supported by the ASEAN Furniture Industries Council (AFIC), DesignSingapore Council, International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau and SPRING Singapore.
For more information on IFFS 2016, please visit www.iffs.com.sg/.
About furniPRO Asia
The biennial furniPRO Asia is the leading trade fair for the woodworking, furniture and panel production industries in South East Asia. furniPRO Asia offers an unparalleled outreach and access from the international woodworking and furniture production industries to trade professionals in the ASEAN region and beyond. The show attracts high quality buyers with its commitment to be a showcase and trading platform for the newest machinery and technologies in the market.
For more information on furniPRO Asia 2016, please visit www.furniproasia.com.
For media enquiries on IFFS, please contact:
Ms Alina TEE
Red Bug Communications
+65 6220 4787
alina@redbugpr.com
Ms CHUA Siew Bee
IFFS Pte Ltd
+65 6505 9176
siewbee@iffs.com.sg
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