Canton (or Guangzhou in Chinese) is China’s third largest city, the capital of Guangdong Province, and a flourishing commercial centre. It’s also the home of one of the world’s biggest industry events fairs, China International Furniture Fair (CIFF) …
Taking place across two phases this year (the first from 18th-21st March, covering home furniture and furnishings, and the second, from 28th-31st March, oriented towards contract, office and manufacturing), CIFF Guangzhou, which is sometimes referred to as “Asia’s furniture sourcing centre”, is a gargantuan event that brings together more than 4000 exhibitors and nearly 200,000 visitors.
The relocation of CIFF’s autumn edition to Shanghai in 2015 may have widened the brand’s appeal to international audiences, but the Pazhou-based show comfortably remains the business end of this Government-backed event. Furniture News asked the show’s organisers for more details …
Identity: Founded in 1998, CIFF has run for 42 editions to date. Together with the Shanghai edition, held in Honqiao each September, CIFF is a one-stop trading platform for the world furnishing industry’s product launches, domestic sales and exports.
Attendance: Each year, CIFF (Guangzhou) attracts more than 190,000 importers and exporters, retailers, designers, architects, and other professionals from 200 countries and regions.
In 2018, 195,082 visitors attended the show. Of the foreign visitors in attendance, more than 40% came from Asia, about 30% from North America, 18% from Europe, and 12% from Australasia, Africa and South America.
The edition featured 4122 exhibitors – CIFF (Guangzhou) 2019 will host over 4100 exhibitors from 41 countries and regions, and covering the entire industry supply chain, from home furniture to raw materials.
What’s new? There are five notable developments this year. First is a new theme – “The preferred choice for the launch of new products and trade” – which emphasises CIFF’s ongoing commitment to offering a global platform that best launches innovations from quality brands and facilitates domestic sales and foreign trade, creating huge value for the world’s home furnishing industry.
Next is a new image. This year, CIFF Guangzhou will be promoted with an image that integrates the content of the entire furniture industry supply chain represented there, portraying all five of the main categories with corresponding colours and iconic furniture pieces.
The exhibition layout has also been further optimised. CIFF has been upgraded across the five main categories, as well as the seven aesthetic spaces dedicated to individual trends – high-end import, design trend, whole house customised, decor life, leisure life, efficient office, and intelligent manufacturing.
New special features include: Oasis of X Species – New Arrivals of Global Home Furnishing Brands; Ten Parallel Lifestyles; Design Dream Show; and Smart Home of Young People.
Finally, the show’s services will enjoy an upgrade. This session hopes to further strengthen interactions with visitors, improving the exhibition layout and environment, and enhancing the exhibition experience and the commercial atmosphere on-site.
CIFF 2019 promises plenty of workshops and special events. Which of these are the must-attend attractions?
To offer a preview of trends in the furniture world, CIFF will devote a large space to a rich programme of design brand activities, including the Home Furnishing Design Show, China Interiors & Decorations Conference, Global Garden Lifestyles Festival, and Office Life Theme Pavilion.
Besides these, there are the other new special features already described.
What are the advantages of exhibiting?
CIFF constantly commits to offering a global platform that best launches exhibitors’ innovations, and takes great care to welcome the sector’s professionals – a growing number of foreigners among them. In fact, over the years, CIFF (Guangzhou) has consistently come in first place, with the highest number of overseas buyers compared to all other Chinese trade fairs, recording 30,000 foreign operators amid its total of 200,000 visitors – which is testament to CIFF’s worldwide value.
CIFF is thus proving to be the proud leader and reflection of a rapidly growing China – not only from an economic point of view, but also, and above all, from the standpoint of a good living culture. It follows that all the latest Chinese trends and proposed products, which are increasingly sought-after in terms of design and quality, will be represented here.
Can anybody attend?
Yes. Visitors can pre-register on the official website or WeChat account, whereupon they will receive an email with a confirmation letter and QR code. After that, visitors can enter CIFF with the printed confirmation letter, or the QR code on their electronic device.
