Posted 5/26/2008 - 10:22:03 AM
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What are these?
• Here’s one indicator that the Hong Kong Houseware Fair has earned a place alongside top U.S. and European housewares shows as a global fashion trendsetter. One of the more unlikely visitors to a Hong Kong fair focused on non-electric housewares was a senior personal care appliance buyer for a U.S. specialty chain. The reason: “I’m shopping for colors and design ideas to put to use in our controlled-brand appliance development,” the buyer said. “I often get a good idea of new colors and techniques here.”
• A new line of toasters from Hong Kong’s Technical Manufacturing Ltd., a veteran producer of mills, corkscrews and other kitchenware items, were spotlighted by the fair organizers as emblematic of the cutting-edge, design-driven development coming from the region. Technical’s new toasters include a unit based on the movement of a clock: the entire toasting module rotates, like a timer dial, stopping and ejecting the bread when the cycle is complete. Another compact countertop model, inspired by commercial conveyor toasters, works by positioning the bread upright on a track; the bread is then “pulled” through a frame housing the heating elements, and it emerges on the other side toasted. “In the past, we’ve been known as a Hong Kong bridge to China for producing designs from the USA and Europe,” said Flores Ng, Technical’s marketing director. “Now we want to show that we have a very strong design and development team in-house.”
• The “Green” product movement was evident along the Hong Kong fair aisles (although it was not a focal point as at recent U.S. shows). Among notable eco-friendly entries, from Japan’s LEC, were cleaning implements made from natural materials. The line includes a wood deck/patio scrubber made from chestnut shells; a lava stone for paint removal; a peach pit-based dish scrubber; and a shredded scrubbing cloth topped with ground corn core for cleaning stainless steel, cast iron and other metal kitchen products.
• Hong Kong’s QDO (Quality Design Objects) drew attention for its bold, new kitchenware line touting authentic, proprietary Scandinavian design with Chinese direct supply efficiency. QDO is a 50/50 joint venture of a veteran Hong Kong-based manufacturer and Denmark’s Scandinavian Living design house. The Danish side handles product and packaging design, and the Hong Kong side manages engineering, production and marketing.
The QDO line features red-accented black baking tools presented on vivid, red cards; and a boxed series of tea brewers and matching serveware showcasing modern, spherical shapes and a bold red-on-white color scheme. The red, circular QDO logo is prominent on all of the packaging.
“We’re looking to build QDO into a worldwide lifestyle brand,” said company director Patrick Heng, adding the joint venture plans to support its branding strategy by opening QDO shops in China. “With QDO, we’re offering true European design at affordable, factory-direct prices,” he said.
