Off to another great furniture design show! This time, SEASONAL LIVING is blogging from the TIFF in Bangkok, Thailand…
Organized by the Department of Export Promotion (DEP) TIFF is Thailand’s premier furniture showcase under the concept of “Fill Green, Feel Good.” Once again, as one of Asia’s longest running furniture shows, the TIFF Fair Bangkok put on an impressive design presentation of both in and outdoor furniture!
The Thai people ha
ve been manufacturing furniture and decorative accessories for decades and are very creative and cutting-edge artisans when it comes to innovation and sophistication of design. Sadly, rising labor costs coupled with cheaper production centers in other parts of south east Asia and China have driven this country’s ability to compete away and now Thailand really is more of a high-end design / unique product sourcing center. The TIFF is now a shrinking trade show compared to nearly a decade ago.
This show, in terms of style, represents the closest in Asia to what you would expect to see in Paris or Milan. The closest style competitor to TIFF would be the furniture fair in Manila, Philippines.
SEASONAL LIVING’S TAKE ON THE KEY TRENDS FROM TIFF…..
1) Great emphasis on high-end clean modern looking furniture, although accompanied with a higher cost.
2) Continued leadership in wood, PE, ceramics and metal craftsmanship. This show held a depth of design expertise heavily apparent compared to other national furniture trade shows in SE Asia.
3) Continued inno
vation in new materials coupled with the ability to reinvent materials for new purposes.
4) Unique designs harkening back to bygone eras – with a new and fresh approach.
At TIFF, there were over 220 leading furniture business operators participating in the exposition, manning a total of more than 830 booths. This grand furniture event gives business operators a chance to exhibit their innovative design and home decoration ideas in a venue of over 30,000 sq. m.
Three highlights from the show organizers… www.thailandfurniturefair.com
T-Style in Thailand
This joint project is led by the Department of Export Promotion, Ministry of Commerce, Thailand, and the renowned Japanese designer Toshiyuki kita. Under the theme of “Ecological & Elegant”, T-style contains state of the art furniture items from leading Thai companies and represents a whole new perspective of interior design and the various eco-friendly materials Thailand has to offer.
Waste to Wealth
It’s time to help fight against global warming and make the best out of what are commonly seen as waste materials. This year’s 4th Waste to Wealth exhibition promoted better and even more sustainable waste management.
Design Camp
This year’s 4th Design Camp enjoyed collaboration from leading education institutes and professional designers. The project aimed to provide university students with the opportunity to learn first-hand how furniture is designed and made in real-life environments from experienced gurus in the field.
FUN FACTS FROM THAILAND…
– The Thai greeting “sawasdee” was invented during the Second World War. Before that, people greeted each other by asking if they had eaten yet.
– The Thai believe that you should only write the name of people in red ink if they are dead, or you wish them to be dead.
– His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand was actually born in Cambridge, Mass., USA, on December 5, 1927
– According to the World Meteorological Organization, Bangkok is the hottest city in the world
– Thailand is the world’s largest exporter of Rice
– Thai people don’t call the capital ‘Bangkok’. They call it ‘Krung Thep’ – The complete name is the longest city name in the world: KRUNGTHEP MAHANAKHON BOVORN RATANAKOSIN MAHINTHARAYUTTHAYA MAHADILOKPOP NOPARATRATCHATHANI BURIROM UDOMRATCHANIVETMAHASATHAN AMORNPIMAN AVATARNS ATHIT SAKKATHATTIYAVISNUKARMPRASIT, meaning “The land of angels, the great city (of) immortality, various of divine gems, the great angelic land unconquerable, land of nine noble gems, the royal city, the pleasant capital, place of the grand”
– According to the ‘Guinness Book of Records 1995’, the Thai language has the second largest alphabet in the world. The largest alphabet in world – Khmer
– Thailand has the highest percentage of Buddhists. More than 95% of Thais practice some form of Buddhism
– The orchid is Thailand’s best flowering export. Exports of the Orchid are valued at US $250M per annum
Next destination the Milan Furniture Show in ITALY! Follow us there!