Source Home & Gift, opened on Sunday (1 September) and brings together an international line-up of artisan makers and audited manufacturers championing responsibly and sustainably made products.
Taking place across four days at the NEC Birmingham and running parallel to Autumn Fair, Source Home & Gift provides a platform for responsible sourcing, offering a diverse showcase of homewares, furniture, gifts, toys, textiles, packaging and stationery and greetings producers and manufacturers from countries including Peru, South Korea, Portugal, the Philippines, Egypt, Nepal, China, and India.
The debut Makers section, offering a dedicated space for artisan craftspeople, was well-received with visitors keen to learn about the products and maker’s stories. The Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) joined forces with Source Home & Gift to present live demonstrations in the Indian Pavilion, capturing the authenticity and diversity of India’s craftspeople.
The Mawe (Madhya Pradesh Association of Women Entrepreneurs) Pavilion offers a collective of makers from India with a focus on empowering women through entrepreneurship. Dr Archana Bhatnagar, chairperson and founder of the association said: “We have received a good response to all our handcrafted products by our women entrepreneurs. We find the customers we want to at Source Home & Gift.”
Claybotik is a handmade lifestyle functional ware studio, based in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India that celebrates the oldest and most widespread art of pottery as well as hand block print bed and table linens.
Bringing Peruvian crafts to life, Sumaq Qara from Lima in Peru is dedicated to the production of handmade, authentic, eco-friendly and quality textile crafts for the international market, committed to promoting good practices of fair trade, care for the environment in our community, and empowering female victims of terrorism and domestic violence.
Suzanne Ellingham, director of sourcing, Source Home & Gift commented: “There’s been a fantastic feeling of positivity during the opening day. Source Home & Gift is a show of two halves, championing beautiful high-quality products from artisan makers in India and Peru, and some really fantastic products from industrial powerhouses like China.
“The breadth and depth and quality of product on show in Source Home & Gift is unparalleled for a responsible sourcing show. It makes for a very compelling offering for our audience. The awareness in the buying community of what Source Home & Gift offers is continuing to strengthen as we continue to bring variety and as they appreciate the quality of the products on offer.”
Visitor Vikram Avasthi, Owner of Homescapes, West Midlands said: “Looking around Source Home & Gift is a trigger, you can specify your needs to suit your requirements, and the exhibitors can react to these. You can initiate relationships to build on after the show. There is a good representation of core Chinese industries here.”
Exhibitor Sheetal Dhawan, founder of Shreeya Fineries commented: “We have had an excellent day, the response has been good and we have had a few orders from new buyers.”
Alongside the hundreds of manufacturers and makers, Source Home & Gift features the Responsible Retail Stage, hosting daily seminars with industry professionals. Jack Stratten, head of trends at Insider Trends opened the stage with ‘Sourcing and storytelling: Why history and heritage matter more than ever.’
Therese Oertenblad, founder of Small Business Collaborative and Louise Welsby, managing director of Buy followed with a ‘Fireside chat: revitalising the high street – how to re-engage and evolve alongside it’.
Further talks and presentations will run throughout the show.
