Gourmet Housewares / Textiles Show

May 8 - 10, 2007

IMC recently attended the Gourmet Houswares / Textiles Show and made the following observations:

• More Americans are looking to improve their health by "going green." Literally. Veggies are taking center stage as evident through Spring Switzerland's expanding line of Andrew Weil's The Healthy Kitchen.

• Prime Way has added several new items to its Sunbeam line of home storage and organization products.

Licensing Trends and Thoughts

• Material matters! Copco returned to the mainstream cookware business with a non-stick aluminum line of developed by celebrity chef Robert Irvine. Chef Marcel Biro teamed with Regal Ware for a line of stainless steel cookware. All-Clad has expanded its Emerilware line to include cast iron pieces. Lifetime brands continue to feature its line of JELL-O silicone molds

• Concerns about the potential health effects of materials has led to an explosion of bamboo, cotton and wicker in products ranging from storage containers to cutting boards.

New Products on Show

• Helen Chen has partnered with Harold Imports to launch the Helen’s Asian Kitchen line of cookware.

• Ginkgo International has added two new patterns to its Laura Ashley Stainless Steel collection of flatware.