EXPORTHELP TO EUROPE for HOME-DECORATION & HOME-TEXTILES

Fair Wage Guide

2009-10-20T06:42:00.007+02:00

The Fair Wage Guide is a free website that helps artisans and craft buyers calculate costs and determine if the artisan is being paid a fair wage for their labor time.

World of Good Development Organization worldofgood has been selected a 2009 Tech Awards Laureate by the Tech Museum of Innovation and Applied Materials for our work on the Fair Wage Guide.
The Tech Awards is an international awards program that honors innovators from around the world who are applying technology to benefit humanity. More than 600 projects were nominated and the Fair Wage Guide is one of 15 projects being honored. Prize laureates will be announced on November 19 at a formal gala featuring former VP, Al Gore, who will be accepting the Tech Awards Global Humanitarian Award. Learn more about the Tech Awards.

From native materials into CUTTING EDGE ARTWORKS - MOVEMENT 8 The Philippines

2009-10-01T10:36:00.003+02:00

Kenneth Cobonpue: Beyond Brad Pitt

Pratt-trained designer Kenneth Cobonpue combines industrial design savvy with exquisite Filipino craftsmanship, local traditional techniques and indigenous materials, to produce cutting-edge designs.

One of his main contributions was to translate the Filipino spatial concept of airiness and transparency into a contemporary and global lexicon. His groundbreaking design, the Yin and Yang armchair, was the first skeletal steel frame structure, wrapped with rattan wicker, created in 1998.

"I test the furniture myself. There's never a compromise. First, they've got to be comfortable and ergonomic. Design comes second", he declares.

In 2005, Cobonpue received the most prestigious Design For Asia Award for the Lolah chair, the only Filipino product among the selections.

The Voyage bed, made of buri (plam) and metal, evocative of a boat, became a high-profile product when the press reported that Brad Pitt acquired it for Shiloh, his daughter with Angelina Jolie. Cobonpue recalls that Pitt wass still married to Jennifer Aniston when he acquired other styles such as the Corissant sofa, admired for its fine, transparent, crescent shape and use of coconut leaf cores.

Lately, his furniture has been mor curvilinear, with the use of Italian techno fabrics wrapped over the frames.

The Cebu-based designer says the core of his design is material and structure, where every element has a purpose.

From native materials into CUTTING EDGE ARTWORKS - MOVEMENT 8 The Philippines

2009-09-30T13:45:00.004+02:00

Since their launch at Valencia Fruniture Fair in 1999, the designers have been enjoying world acclaim for their innovations.

Movement 8 members are Budji Layug, Kenneth Cobonpue, Tes Pasola, Milo Naval, Ann Pamintuan, Tony Gonzales and Luisa Robinson.

Budji Layug: From designing bamboo to designing space:

In the 70s, bamboo was considered "poor man's wood" in the Philippines. Antonio Budji Layug broke barriers when he designed a baboo fruniture collection that evoked tropical chic. His fascination thin with the nipa hut and the possibilities of enhancing its design elements inspired him to produce his landmark Giant Bamboo Collection. He became the first Filipino to displa his collection in formost department stores such as Bloomingdales, Lord & Taylor and Harrod's, and to establish operations in the US.

His designs are in such luxury resorts as Four Seasons, Fairmont and Hotel Delano. His furniture finishes feature the various cores, nodes and textures of bamboo - but interpreted in clean, understated, elegant lines. Layug's style became synonymous with sophisticated tropical look - sleek fruniture made from natural materials combined with lustrous upholsery, set amid wellappointed interiors. He was also designing space. Space planning became a natural outcome of his design.

http://www.budji.com/

Maison & Objet Paris September 4-8, 2009

2009-09-03T12:55:00.003+02:00

Explore the whole world of home-fashion
More than just a trade show, MAISON&OBJET is a magnetic pole for all professionals. Design, home-fashion, objects, tableware…
more?
6 quarters each explore a decorative world and a style: fodder for giving you fresh ideas, or changing tacks, inspiring you, and creating your own world. A true reference in the world of decoration, creation and design, a mosaic of trends, new talents and new concepts...MAISON&OBJET offers you a new vision, a new atmosphere: a high added value offer!

source: http://www.maison-objet.com/en/index.php?page=maison-objet-presentation&theme=maison-objet&menu=maison-objet

CBI will have a stand in Hall 1, stand D72/E71
For more information visit: www.cbi.eu/showroom/hometextiles

EVISA - EU web portal about chemical species

2009-08-13T12:48:00.004+02:00

The European Virtual Institute for Speciation Analysis is a service provider in the fields of speciation analysis. EVISA's web portal is the primary source for all those seeking information about chemical species with respect to analysis, biological activity (toxicity, nutritional value, metabolism), legislation (laws, rules, standards) and research in related fields.

http://www.speciation.net/Public/Linklists/EVISA.html

MilK - Magazine

2009-08-13T10:48:00.006+02:00

Have you ever heard of this unique and fantastic French Magazine (with summaries in English)? Its more than about kids. Inspiring for home decoration, fashion and gifts. Trends!

http://www.milkmagazine.net/

Have also a look at there blog: http://leblogdumilk.blogspot.com/

"because we all feel something in common: nostalgic for our childhood. And here we are, new parents with a mission: to pass on a genuine education that also helps children to develop a taste for beautiful things. This transient moment, we want to live it together, like a hedonistic transition where each moment is an occasion to be an aesthete. Milk takes us on a modern journey through the world of childhood. Both the photographs and illustrations reveal our desire to discover together the still unexplored world of children's fashion. From family way of life to the latest children leisure activities, all the new spheres will be explored.“Kidding” is born… surfing on today's wave… and it's Milk's raison d'être"

Isis-Colmbe Combreas/Director of the publication MILK

SOVEC Social Venture Capital

2009-08-05T09:37:00.007+02:00

SOVEC is an investment fund set up by Dutch entrepreneurs, to invest in small and medium sized companies (SMEs) in Africa.
SOVEC’s main objective is to alleviate poverty in developing countries. They strongly believe that this objective is most successfully achieved by stimulating socio-economic development, in particular through the support of SMEs.
SOVEC therefore supports local entrepreneurs by investing capital and committing its own network of entrepreneurs who are prepared to invest their time, energy, expertise and business contacts. This helps entrepreneurs in Africa to build their businesses and create job opportunities.
In other words, they aim to reach their social goal through a business approach aiming for a normal financial return.
SOVEC is active in Africa and currently has a focus on Ghana, for its political stability and good economic development. Capital is required to fuel such growth. The need for SME financing in Ghana is therefore urgent. The availability of a good “Venture Capital infrastructure” provides a solid basis for SOVEC in Ghana.

http://www.sovec.nl/

SOVEC Social Venture Capital

Silodam 256

1013 AS Amsterdam

The Netherlands

Tel: +31 (0)20-673 28 18

Fax: +31 (0)20-662 17 79

info@sovec.nl

CBI Workshops for Handicraft MARKET ACCESS REQUIREMENTS in VIETNAM and INDONESIA

2009-08-04T13:59:00.006+02:00

This Market Access Requirements - Handicrafts training aims to improve the knowledge and skills of SME's in order to identify, gather, analyse and practicize EU market information on handicraft products.
The training Market Access Requirements - Handicrafts is especially developed for export managers or production managers from SME's. This training can also be attended by BSO sector specialists.
For further information on attending the training and its venue please contact ITPC, who is responsible for logistical organization and critical selection of participants on location: Ms. Ngoc Linh, email: linhntn@itpc.gov.vn
Experts: Mrs Carla Peters and Mr Jan van Straaten
Start date: August 13, 2009
End date: August 14, 2009
Location: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

more workshops will follow in September in Hanoi and Bali, Indonesia conducted by the experts Mr Klaas de Boer and Mr Reinhard Werner
more information: http://www.cbi.eu/?pag=151&groepid=51

European Trade Fairs in August and September 2009

2009-08-04T13:51:00.001+02:00

14.08.-17.08.2009
Formland - Trade Fair for Skandinavian Design, Table Top, Giftware, Handicraft & applyed Art Herning (Denmark)
21.08.-24.08.2009
ORNARIS - Trade Fair for innovations and trends Berne (Switzerland)
28.08.-30.08.2009
CREATIV SALZBURG - Intern.Trade Fair for gifts,home accessories,design-&lilestyle articles,paper,office+ station.goods,floristry,handycraft supplies,art products,toys.. Salzburg (Austria)
04.09.-08.09.2009
TRADEXPO - International Volume Goods Tradeshow Paris (France)
04.09.-08.09.2009
maison & objet - Home Decoration, Giftware and Tableware Trade Exhibition Paris (France)
13.09.-15.09.2009
Top Drawer Autumn London (Great Britain)

ETFAM organises Annual Trade Fairs for our international business partners. The first ETFAM Trade Fair is scheduled for September 17-20, 2009 in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. www.etfam.nl

24.09.-27.09.2009
100%DESIGN - The Interior Design Exhibition London (Great Britain)

Dealing with the economic crisis in the Home Decoration Sector

2009-07-22T10:27:00.001+02:00

CBI Sector Alert
Publication date: July 2009
CBI’s Sector Alerts aim to give BSOs and exporters in developing countries insights into their
sector and provide them with recommendations concerning the latest developments.
This Sector Alert on home decoration focuses on the consequences of the recent international
financial and economic crisis. Challenges and opportunities are highlighted in order to assist
exporters and BSOs in dealing with this crisis.
Key-issues that are covered in this Sector Alert:
1. Effects of the international economic crisis on the home decoration sector
2. Recommendations to exporters
3. Recommendations to BSOs
4. Useful sources for further orientation
http://www.cbi.eu/marketinfo/cbi/?action=showDetails&id=3650

LINK2EXPORTS

2009-07-21T07:50:00.003+02:00

Link2Exports

Brought to you in conjunction with the British Chambers of Commerce, as part of their official export zone. Link2exports is the one stop shop for companies and organisations worldwide, increasing awareness of export, trade & Investment opportunities.

You find useful information like:

export terminology
export licensing
market entry
market information by country and product
risks and rewards
trade basics
trade finance
busines culture etc.

http://www.link2exports.co.uk/

Rugmark

2009-07-18T17:12:00.004+02:00

RUGMARK
•Global non-profit organization working to end child labor and offer educational opportunities for children in India, Nepal and Pakistan.
•The RUGMARK label is your best assurance that no illegal child labor was employed in the manufacture of a carpet or rug.

To be certified by RUGMARK, carpet-manufacturers sign a legally binding contract to:
–produce carpets without illegal child labor
–register all looms with the RUGMARK Foundation
–allow access to looms for unannounced inspections.
•Carpet looms are monitored regularly by RUGMARK.
•Each labeled carpet is individually numbered enabling its origin to be traced back to the loom on which is was produced. This also protects against counterfeit labels.

http://www.rugmark.de

SUSTAINABLE Production

2009-07-10T19:01:00.010+02:00

Ten years from now if a company does not have sustainability and environmental stewardship as a core ethic, it will be irrelevant. David Mahood, Olive Designs

Green will become the new normal. Trends come and go, but this one will leap off the bell curve and become permanent within 4-5 years.Michelle Lamb, The Trend Curve

Selling environmentally friendly products and services has gone mainstream...products that protect the natural environment by conserving energy or resources and reducing the use of toxic agents, pollution and waste. Entrepreneur.com

A guide developed by USAID and SENADA
content and the 5 modules:

Sustainability: Global market trends are driving businesses to improve the sustainability of their products and poperations. Sustainabilty offers your business a valuable competivie advantage in the marketplace
Sustainable Design and Materials: Sustainable designs and use of materials reduces costs and environmental impact, enables access to new markets and increases sales opportunities
Sutainable operations: Implement sustainable manufacturing practices by making the most efficient use of resources and minimizing your impact on the environment. These practices will cut costs, improve performance and increase market access

Social Responsibility: Investing in workers and communties increases the sustainability of your business, improves performance and increases your market competitiveness
Managing for Greater Sustainabilty: Implement sustainable practices by managing change within your business and achieving buy-in from employees, suppliers and subcontractors
Marketing Sustainability: Understand the global marketplace and identify your competive advantages to develop effective marketing strategies that promote your business and increase market access and sales.

The guide comes along with Quick Benefits, Tools, Links and "A step by Step Guide to Implement a Wood Certification System"

here is the guide: http://sustainable-production.ecoexotic.net/

The publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It was prepared by SENADA, under the management of DAI. A guide and moduls are available in English and Bahasa Indonesia and a website is under consideration for development. This guide is offered for general use.

SLOW FASHION

2009-06-06T06:23:00.007+02:00

it’s time to slow down and consider the true cost of choosing quantity over quality

Fast speed in fashion is a defining characteristic of today’s textile and clothing industry. It’s fast in production – tracking sales with electronic tills and just-intime manufacturing, which can now turn a sample or design sketch into a finished product in as little as 12 days; and fast in consumption....

Fast fashion isn’t really about speed, but greed: selling more, making more money. Time is just one factor of production, along with labour, capital and natural resources that get juggled and squeezed in the pursuit of maximum profits. But fast is not free. Short lead times and cheap clothes are only made possible by exploitation of labour and natural resources.

Yet it doesn’t have to be this way. We can design a different system for ourselves that makes money while respecting the rights of workers and the environment, and produces beautiful and conscientious garments.
Slow fashion is about designing, producing, consuming and living better. Slow fashion is not time-based but quality-based (which has some time components). Slow is not the opposite of fast – there is no dualism – but a different approach in which designers, buyers, retailers and consumers are more aware of the impacts of products on workers, communities and ecosystems.

The concept of slow fashion borrows heavily from the Slow Food Movement. Founded by Carlo Petrini in Italy in 1986, Slow Food links pleasure and food with awareness and responsibility. It defends biodiversity in our food supply by opposing the standardisation of taste, defends the need for consumer information and protects cultural identities tied to food....

In melding the ideas of the slow movement with the global clothing industry, we build a new vision for fashion in the era of sustainability: where pleasure and fashion is linked with awareness and responsibility.
Slow fashion is about choice, information, cultural diversity and identity. Yet, critically, it is also about balance. It requires a combination of rapid imaginative change and symbolic (fashion) expression as well as durability and long-term engaging, quality products. Slow fashion supports our psychological needs (to form identity, communicate and be creative through our clothes) as well as our physical needs (to cover and protect us from extremes of climate).

Slow fashion, with the shift from quantity to quality, takes the pressure off time. It allows suppliers to plan orders, predict the numbers of workers needed and invest in the longer term. It gives companies time to build mutually beneficial relationships. No longer will suppliers have to employ temporary or subcontracted workers, or force workers to do excessive overtime to meet unpredictable orders with impossible deadlines. Instead, workers will have secure employment with regular hours and the opportunity for promotion.
Of course, quality costs more. We will buy fewer products, but higher in value. A fairer distribution of the ticket price through the supply chain is an intrinsic part of the agenda. Jobs are preserved as workers spend longer on each piece. Slow design enables a richer interaction between designer and maker; maker and garment; garment and user. A strong bond of relationships is formed, which permeates far beyond the garment manufacturing chain.
Slow fashion is a glimpse of a different – and more sustainable – future for the textile and clothing sector and an opportunity for business to be done in a way that respects workers, environment and consumers in equal measure. Such a future is but a garment away.

This article was originally written by Kate Fletcher for the Ecologist Magazine.

Organic Cotton

2009-06-06T05:53:00.006+02:00

Why is Organic cotton important? The chemicals used in traditional cotton production are extremely dangerous and even deadly for producers. Why should they be putting themselves at risk for the cotton we wear and buy? Organic cotton is an alternative allowing producers to work in safer environments without the chemicals polluting the environments in which they live and affecting their health. PAN UK are the experts here, for more information see 'The deadly chemicals in Cotton' on the PAN UK website: www.pan-uk.org PAN UK is an independent, non-profit organisation. They work nationally and internationally with like-minded groups and individuals concerned with health and the environment.
PAN UK believes it is possible to eliminate the use of hazardous pesticides, to reduce dependence on pesticides and to increase the sustainable alternatives to chemical pest control in agriculture.

PAN UK has:

Increased the use of organic cotton in UK textiles and clothing while helping to prevent deaths from poisonous cotton pesticides in developing countries.

Strengthened the international commitment to deal with pesticide hazards.

Increased availability of disposal facilities for household pesticides in the UK

Everything you need to know about cotton and sustainability, including pesticide, health and GM issues: over 50 reports, books, articles, directories, and videos:

http://www.pan-uk.org/Projects/Cotton/index.html

Product Development Workshop Bali/Indonesia CBI/BEDO

2009-06-03T14:21:00.003+02:00

CBI The Netherlands is in the process of conducting a 3 day product development workshop. This will be based on the product development guide written by Ms. Aileen Brindle and will be an opportunity to work hands-on with support from the consultants on developing your own range development strategy and action plan. It is aimed at both marketing and design staff . Therefore I see this as a great opportunity for you and those of your staff involved in product development to really focus for a few days on what you are going to develop for the next season. It will be very much a hands-on learning time, enabling you to put into practice what we present during the workshop. The consultants Steve Pepper and Reinhard Werner will carry you the workshop,Denpasar, Bali, 13-15.7.

For further information contact BEDO - Bali Export Development Organization - Mr. Christian Fritz, mail: info@be-do.org phone: 0062-361-759282

Trade Fairs in June and July 2009

2009-06-03T14:15:00.001+02:00

03.07.-07.07.2009
Tendence Frankfurt/Main (Germany)
19.07.-22.07.2009
HOME + GIFT - Gift Trade Fair Harrogate (Great Britain)

Global Trade Finance Programme (GTFP)

2009-05-14T13:50:00.003+02:00

Taken from CBI:

Global Trade Finance Programme (GTFP) might help exporters in need of export credit. GTFP extends and complements the capacity of banks to deliver trade financing by providing risk mitigation in new or challenging markets where trade lines may be constrained.
A CBI survey among more than 200 exporters and BSOs in developing countries as well as dozens of European companies and associations revealed that the international financial and economic crisis has had a (very) negative effect on access to export credit for 58% of the exporters. The Global Trade Finance Program (GTFP) might be of help.GTFP extends and complements the capacity of banks to deliver trade financing by providing risk mitigation in new or challenging markets where trade lines may be constrained. GTFP offers confirming banks partial or full guarantees covering payment risk on banks in the emerging markets for trade related transactions. These guarantees are transaction-specific and may be evidenced by a variety of underlying instruments such as: letters of credit, trade-related promissory notes, accepted drafts, bills of exchange, guarantees, bid and performance bonds and advance payment guarantees. The guarantees are available for all private sector trade transactions that meet IFC's eligibility criteria. Check http://www.ifc.org/GTFP for a complete list of banks participating in the program, updates and contact information.

Doing business - Avoiding financial risks

2009-05-05T23:18:00.003+02:00

Do you know your customers and partners? Their are companies who provide you with information that let's you calculate your risks.
The readiness to take a chance and thus fast decision-making are important qualities for successful companies in the fast moving world and especial in these times. Get information about new and existing business clients and check the creditworthiness to avoid bad debts.
Share your payment experiences with other pool members and get free data feedback for your internal risk management.
Check the services of:
http://www.creditreform.de/english/
http://www.equifax.co.uk/Business-Services-Logon/Business_Services_Logon.htm
or get more information about credit bureaus (also by countries) on:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit_bureaus

REACH compliance

2009-04-29T12:29:00.002+02:00

Depending on the product that the importer is buying, he/she should know its obligations under REACH. If one of the obligations is that a substance has to be registered (e.g. because it contains substances intended to be released), then the importer should make sure that the substance is registered, or that the exporter appoints an only representative who registers the substance (although the latter is not very likely to happen in this case, in my opinion). In anyway it's always the EU company's obligation to meet the requirements under REACH, but the EU company might need extra information from it's supplier to know if and in what way the importer should undertake action to meet these requirements.

In any case the importer just wants to place safe products on the market and meet all EU requirements. In this matter he also wants to be sure that his products don't contain dangerous substances, which use is restricted on the European market (e.g. phthalates, azo-dyes etc.).These requirements were laid down in the so called 'dangerous substances Directive' 76/769/EEC), but these restrictions will be implemented in the REACH Regulation as per 1 June 2009. Of course an importer may require (certified) proof of the absence of possible dangerous substances (as is the case now, before the requirements are implemented in REACH).
by Ariane van Beuzekom, CBI

International Year of Natural Fibres

2009-04-14T23:02:00.002+02:00

International Year of Natural Fibres (IYNF) 2009Every year, some 30 million tonnes of natural fibres are farmed from animals and plants across the globe, from China to the Andes22 January 2009, Rome – The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today officially launched International Year of Natural Fibres (IYNF) 2009 to celebrate the virtues of cotton, flax, sisal and hemp, but also of wool, alpaca, camel hair and angora. And, why not, cashmere too.IYNF – quickly dubbed Wild and Woolly 2009 – follows on IYP (International Year of the Potato), while 2004 was International Year of Rice and 2002 International Year of Mountains. All were coordinated by FAO at the request of the UN General Assembly to help promote and raise public awareness of the importance of familiar natural resources that are often taken for granted.At a ceremony launching Natural Fibres Year, Hafez Ghanem, FAO Assistant Director-General for Social and Economic Development, said production of animal and vegetable fibres was a major agricultural sector, worth some $40 billion annually to the world’s farmers.Fibres, he noted, could in some cases account for up to 50 percent of a developing country’s exports. “Farmers and processors in these countries depend on proceeds from the sales and exports of these natural fibres for their income and food security.”King CottonEvery year, some 30 million tonnes of natural fibres are farmed from animals and plants across the globe from China (cotton, wool, hemp, sisal, ramie silk etc) to the Andes (alpaca). The biggest crop is cotton, with an annual production of some 25 million tonnes while 2.2 million tonnes of wool is produced every year in almost 100 countries, with Australia accounting for roughly a quarter of that.In volume terms, jute, which comes from the bast, or skin, of Corchorus plants, is the world’s second biggest fibre crop (2.3-2.8 million tonnes) but is worth far less than wool in terms of cash. Main producers are India and Bangladesh.Sisal, henequen and similar hard fibres are produced from the leaf of the Agave mainly in Africa, Latin America and China. Coir, the fibre from the husk of the coconut, is used in upholstery and mattresses but is finding new applications in geotextiles and composite materials.Sausages and bank notesAbaca, from the leaf stalk of a plant closely related to the banana, is produced almost entirely in the Philippines and Ecuador and, while traditionally used for rope-making, is now pulped for a range of speciality papers for sausage casings, tea bags, coffee filters and bank notes.Once of strategic economic importance – England’s rise as a world power was built on wool and textiles, while silk for centuries held a central role in international trade – natural fibres have increasingly been displaced by synthetic materials.The main objective of the International Year of Natural Fibres is to raise the profile of these fibres and to emphasise their value to consumers while helping to sustain the incomes of the farmers. Wild and woolly, in other words, is wonderful.Celebrations of IYNF will include conferences, exhibits, and fashion shows in many countries, including an International Mohair Summit in South Africa and a Creative Fibre Festival in South Caterbury, New Zealand.FAO needs funding in order to coordinate activities and provide support to partner organizations around the world and is appealing to member countries and natural fibres industries to provide support. International Year of the Potato was made possible by $800 000 in donations.International Year of Natural Fibres 2009http://www.naturalfibres2009.org/

taken from: www.cosmoworlds.com

Alexa Lixfeld Designer

2009-04-08T14:31:00.003+02:00

"I PRODUCE CULTURE," SAYS ALEXA LIXFELD.`CROSS-CULTURE`WOULD BE BETTER. WHETHER IT`S A PROJECT IN WHICH SHE TRIES TO USE CONCRETE AS AN ALTERNATIVE FOR CERAMICS IN HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS, A PERFUME, FOOD-DESIGN, AN EAT-ART PERFORMANCE IN WHICH THE PARTICIPANTS LADLE SOUP FROM A PLATE WITH A 1,4 METER DIAMETER, OR A SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION SHE SET UP IN SRI LANKA, TO HELP CHILDREN AND RUAL WOMEN - SHE OFTEN SEEMS TO GO FOR A CHALLENGE THAT OTHERS THINK IMPOSSIBLE. IN CREACETE™ SHE COMBINED HER PIONEERING EXPERIMENTS WITH CONCRETE IN THE FIELD OF TABLEWARE WITH THE ULTIMATE IN FINISHING, THE TRADITIONAL JAPANESE URUSHI LACQUERING TECHNIQUE FROM WAJIMA, WHILE LEAVING THE CONTRAST OPEN AND VISIBLE. AFTER A TEN-YEAR CAREER AS A MODEL, ALEXA LIXFELD STUDIED AT KÖLN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF DESIGN, UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED ARTS PFORZHEIM AND DESIGN ACADEMY EINDHOVEN, THE NETHERLANDS. SHE WORKS IN HAMBURG SINCE 2006, RUNNING HER OWN STUDIO.MAX BORKA
Alexa Lixfeld Design GmbH,
www.alexalixfeld.com

The Home Textile Market in Spain

2009-04-06T09:59:00.003+02:00

Furniture/furnishing stores
The British Habitat operates through 6 stores on the Spanish market. Inditex extended its Zara offer with household textiles, including bath towels, table and bed linen. The number of Zara Home stores is 135 in 11 countries, of which 96 in Spain (http://www.zarahome.com). The
Spanish furniture and furnishing multiple Ka (http://www.ka-international.com) operates with 450 stores in 45 countries, of which over 200 on the domestic market. Another domestic chain is Moblerone (51 stores; http://www.moblerone.es). Foreign furniture and furnishing multiples on the Spanish market, besides Ikea and Habitat, are Roche Bobois (30 stores), Conforama (15 stores), Descamps (16 stores) and Geneviève Lethu (6 stores), all from France.
Department stores
The Spanish department store market remains very underdeveloped, with just one chain, El
Corte Inglés. This company achieves a broad national reach through 67 stores and dominates
non-food retail in Spain (http://www.elcorteingles.es). El Corte Inglés department stores have
a mid-market positioning and the group has strong brand recognition throughout Spain. Other
players are variety stores Dunnes Stores (5 stores, from Ireland) and Marks & Spencer (5
stores from the UK).
Home shopping stores
Home shopping activities are relatively weak in Spain. The major German and French players
are present in Spain, but their progress has been slow. Leading Spanish mail-order companies
with sales in household and furnishing textiles, besides general goods, are Venca
(http://www.venca.es part of Otto Versand) and La Redoute Catalogue
(http://www.laredoute.es).
Do-It-Yourself (DIY) stores
The Spanish DIY sector has grown in recent years, mirroring the strong performance in the
housing market. The French giant Leroy Merlin is the market leader, which operates through
41 stores of the same name as well as its other company AKI (24 stores), formerly a
competitor. The DIY sector is littered with domestic co-operative groups (like
Bricovalle/Bricofac, 275 stores; http://www.bricovalle.es) and buying groups (like Bricogroup,
60 stores; http://www.bricogroup.com), as the small independents work together in order to
defend themselves against the threat from bigger rivals.
Hyper- and supermarkets
Hyper- and supermarkets grew in number, as did textiles sales through these channels. The
number of hypermarkets grew from 315 outlets in 2002 to 360 in 2006. Major national
hypermarket chains are: Hipercor (37 stores; https://www.hipercor.es) and Eroski (84 stores;
http://www.eroski.es). Major international hypermarket chains came from France: Carrefour
(147 stores) and Alcampo (47 stores and part of Auchan). The number of supermarkets grew
from 6,600 in 2002 to 12,500 in 2006. Major national supermarket chains are: Eroski Centers
and City+ (567 stores), part of the Eroski group, Mercadone (1,050 stores), Caparabo (570
stores) and Dinosol Supermercados (415 stores). Major international supermarket chains are
Sabeco (126 stores, part of Auchan http://www.sabeco.es) and Carrefour (143 stores;
http://www.carrefour.es). German discounters, like Aldi (154 stores), Lidl (410) and
Tengelmann’s Plus (239) compete on the Spanish market with the French discount chain Dia
(1,961 stores, owned by Carrefour http://www.dia.es). The German Metro/Makro Cash & Carry operates through 34 stores in Spain

Source: CBI http://www.cbi.eu/

iSEARCH market information by Philexport Cebu

2009-04-02T11:25:00.003+02:00

Taken from: Philexport Cebu, The Philippines:

iSEARCH provides you with:
value added pre-processed statistics, tables, charts and graphs on key market trends per industry sector
unique, short and up-to-date market reports for 8 major sector, including competitor reports
customizable data search where you can search using your own parameters
high quality links for further references and resources
an alerting system by sms and email so that you’re the first to know the latest trends in the priority markets

Free access!
Members of Philexport Cebu enjoy free access to iSEARCH. You only need to Sign up once to get your username and password. As a non-member, you may try the online features for thirty days free of charge upon registration. Annual membership is only Php 2000. Contact Philexport Cebu now!

Sectors covered
The core of iSEARCH is a database which market information on the following sectors:
furniture
housewares
holiday décor
costume jewelry
fine jewelry
footwear
leather goods
health and wellness

Sources
iSEARCH contains statistics on world trade with details down to the sub-product and country level. The data sources are: United Nations, European Commission, CBI, and other high quality sources.
Special research
iSEARCH is also capable of undertaking fee based special market studies for interested clients. Examples of such studies include identification of new potential markets, competitor profiles, market trends analysis, and credit background information on potential buyers from Dun & Bradstreet. Fees vary depending on the scope of work and time required to complete the studies.

Sign up for my iSEARCH Account
For more information, please contact Mr. Benjamin Chiu.
Note:iSEARCH, is a service of Philexport Cebu set-up with support from the Pearl2 Project, a development project of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), and coaching by the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries (CBI) of the Netherlands. It is part of Philexport Cebu's continued drive for effective and innovative servIces to the Cebu exporters community.

REACH a never ending story

2009-04-01T19:46:00.002+02:00

taken from www.cbi.eu
information on REACH legislation
REACH is the new EU legislation on chemicals that entered into force on 1st June 2007. REACH establishes a single system for the registration, evaluation and authorisation of chemicals (REACH) throughout the 27 EU Member States. REACH involves chemicals, preparations as well as products containing chemicals. The legislation is applicable to EU producers and EU importers.

There are quite some unclarities on the correct implementation of REACH legislation. Please note that in the CBI market information database at www.cbi.eu/marketinfo you can find a document describing the implications of REACH for the CBI target group, as well as a clear outline of the legislation itself.

EU legislation: What exporters need to know about REACH

If you have any questions on REACH, please contact Ms. Ariane van Beuzekom, Programme Manager market access at marketaccess@cbi.eu. Also, any examples of REACH practices are welcome so we can document them and possibly include them in our information.