Preview

, 24-27 April, NEC January Furniture Show

New scope

Rescheduling has presented JFS with extra opportunities

At the end of December 2021, January Furniture Show organiser Clarion Events announced that the pandemic meant the exhibition would be rescheduled to 24-27 April.

‘The response from the industry for the April dateline has been fantastic. Major brands in the UK, Europe and Far East have confirmed their attendance and visitor registration is ahead of the 2020 event. We’ve had an influx of brands register their interest now the dateline is in April and visitors stating they are now able to attend the April dateline,’ says Zoë Bonser, Clarion Events portfolio director retail.

‘The safety and well-being of the community and everyone involved with the January Furniture Show is paramount and this will always be put first. We wanted to give our exhibitors, visitors and partners the best possible chance of success as well as give the industry the time it needs to prepare for an event like JFS. With this in mind we felt it was the best option to postpone to a later dateline where the industry could feel confident, safe and secure.

‘We felt the UK would be in a better position with regards to the evolving pandemic and, through consultation with the market, we know April is still a good time to run the UK’s leading furniture event safely and successfully. Plus, we have managed to secure the same footprint with the venue.

‘We know we’ll attract more European buyers and European brands to the April event. The show features a new talks programme and the VIP offering will be the best yet for our visitors. The April timing will really benefit the brands’ order books and give buyers that much-needed opportunity to touch and feel product as well as meet the whole industry, in person.

‘With the cancellation of imm Cologne and the relaxation of travel restrictions we have already seen increased registrations from European buyers. As the exhibition now falls outside the Chinese New Year we’ve seen a number of enquiries from Chinese brands, as well as enquiries from new European brands wanting to showcase to the UK market. This is an exciting opportunity and we look forward to welcoming a wide range of exhibitors.

‘January Furniture Show 2022 will see the launch of a new seminar programme: Furniture Talks, which will give attendees access to the latest trend insights as well as to the industry’s leading experts, who will be on hand to share their advice through keynote presentations, masterclasses and panel discussions.

‘We will also be announcing and showcasing the winners of the Furniture Awards and buyers will benefit from seeing the winning brands and products at the show. Emerging designers from the Young Furniture Makers awards will also be showcasing their inspirational designs. We can’t wait for the industry to get involved in all the new activations that will take place in April,’ she says.

‘We always look forward to coming to the January Furniture Show. It’s a great chance to meet the owners and representatives of the companies we deal with and it’s a great place to meet new businesses and see new products. I believe Clarion is doing the right thing with the Covid measures it is implementing and look forward to the new date in April,’ says Steve Walker, owner of Homescape Flooring and Furniture, Ashwellthorpe, Norfolk.

‘I look forward to showcasing our new

Zoë Bonser

ranges at the January Furniture Show in April. It remains the most important event in our events calendar. We look forward to meeting and completing business with new and existing buyers in April,’ says Ian Kettle, Kettle Interiors md.

‘Working closely with Clarion has enabled us to develop an active exhibition programme throughout the year. This has helped us engage with existing and new retailers to grow our business as we emerge from the pandemic. It has been both flexible and supportive over the past 18 months with the disruption that occurred and it remains the backbone of our annual exhibition programme,’ says Adam Morley, La-Z-Boy UK head of marketing. Visit: www.januaryfurnitureshow.com

January Furniture Show will return to the NEC for the first time since 2020

, 8-9 March, London BFM Fabric Show London

On the move

The show has a new home and more exhibitors

The BFM Fabric Show London offers an unrivalled exhibition experience for buying professionals to source high quality, contemporary fabrics for upholstery, bed and soft furnishings.

The BFM has moved the event from Chelsea FC’s Stamford Bridge stadium to the ILEC Conference Centre, near Earls Court, to offer increased capacity and space, as well as greater opportunities for more fabric suppliers to showcase their latest products.

Running from 8-9 March, the show will offer a vibrant space for more than 40 prestigious UK and international fabric suppliers to showcase their latest collections, bestsellers and exclusive options – featuring world-renowned fabric manufacturers and suppliers from Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Germany and the UK.

Fabrics on show include wools, tweeds, velvets, cottons, linens, chenilles, silks, leathers, faux leathers, backing fabrics and FR treatments.

The latest fabric protection and cleaning treatments will also be presented, to give industry professionals an insight into innovations in this important area.

‘The BFM Fabric Show offers an unrivalled opportunity to see high-end fabrics from some of the best mills, weavers and suppliers in Europe,’ says Sean Holt, BFM md.

‘We are delighted to be attracting an international audience, and to be able to offer certainty with the date.’ At Stamford Bridge, dates could not be finalised until the club’s fixtures were confirmed.

‘With the industry pushing for an opportunity to network and move business forward, we took the decision to press on with plans to invigorate the event, after the challenges of the past two years due to Covid.

‘The BFM Fabric Show London has previously operated at capacity, so the extra space the ILEC Conference Centre offers has enabled us to include more exhibitors this year, so we can expand the scope of products on display and make the show even more compelling for buyers to visit.’

Pre-booking will be a requirement of attendance. Visitors will be given a lengthy time slot in order to allow ample time to visit as many suppliers as they wish, while some suppliers may operate their own time slot system within the event. Visit: www.bfmfabricshow.uk