Source Home & Gift, the sourcing platform for home and gift, closed on a high after hosting hundreds of exhibitors from around the world and a 47% increase in registrations.
Thousands of buyers, sourcing & procurement professionals and business owners and directors from 12 different countries attended. Retailers and brands including B&M, WH Smith, B&Q, Blue Diamond, Widdop & Co, Dunelm, Next, ALDI, TK Maxx, Amazon, Homebase, Waitrose and TikTok, gathered at the NEC Birmingham from 1 – 4 September 2024 to discover the world’s best manufacturers and material providers under one roof.
Each season, the show strives to bring the best manufacturers, artisan designers and technology providers from around the world to Source Home & Gift, and each supplier is audited and accredited and ready to work with.
Suzanne Ellingham, event director of Source Home & Gift said: “We are doubling down on championing responsibly made products and supporting makers and social enterprises that are making a real difference to communities around the world.
“Buyers investing in buying products from these makers and community projects can have a huge impact on their lives, whilst also buying exceptionally high quality and unique products. In contrast, we’re also really proud to shine a light on the exceptional manufacturers and great products that are coming out of powerhouse countries like China and India.
“Source Home & Gift continues to bring global manufacturers and artisans across 8 sourcing destinations to the UK buying audience, offering an easier, cheaper, and more effective destination to develop and source new materials and products, with reliable, audited brands and producers who utilise responsible manufacturing and sustainable production.”
New to Source Home & Gift for September 2024, the ‘Makers’ sector has shone a light on artisans, featuring live demonstrations which showcased unique handmade products with smaller order quantities. This group of makers from Portugal, India, Peru and beyond have brought a variety of responsibly sourced items and has provided the opportunity for smaller artisanal producers to be introduced to buyers and sourcing directors.
Throughout the show, the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) has supported Source Home & Gift to present a number of live demonstrations from artisans at the Indian Pavilion, showcasing the diversity and authenticity of India bringing a range of regional products.
Suzanne continued: “Source has become a home for manufacturers and makers, and a hub for visitors to discover artisan products in a balanced mix with tried and tested manufacturers; as well as an environment where visitors can be educated on how things are made and how to source responsibly and more effectively.
“This season we’ve seen a lot of people doing business on the show floor, numerous returning customers and an increase in visitor density. Looking ahead to next season’s edition, we will capitalise on the success of the ‘Makers’ section by expanding the area and introducing a global craft hub, highlighting India, Peru, Portugal, North Africa and, importantly, the UK.”
Exhibitors at the show reported high quality visitors who are ready to place orders, resulting in a positive show, Aymet Alcahuaman Torres at Sumaq Qara commented: “We’ve had a great show. We’ve made some really great contacts with some big companies and closed some orders. We’ve met retailers and stores such as TK Maxx, so it’s been great. We’re already re-booked for February.”
Lauren Howells, buyer at WHSmith Travel commented: “It’s really important to be able to see upcoming trends and a lot of products in one go. Being able to wander around Source Home & Gift and see different suppliers and have everyone in one place so you can really pinpoint who you’re looking for and what you’re after, is really useful.”
Retail 100 continued to deliver invaluable information and insights on the Responsible Retail Stage with panel conversations on circularity, how to derisk your business and increase supply chain resilience, and how to source and range new product categories – toys, candles, ceramics, home textiles. The Responsible Retail Stage talks will be available to view at https://www.source-homeandgift.com/content-hub soon.
