World Market Center Las Vegas is the source for new trends and new products that will soon be available at retail to consumers. If it’s new, it’s here.
Dave Palmer General Manager, World Market Center

Channel Logic's - Total Green Bedroom Collection being shown at the summer Las Vegas Furniture Market.

Home furnishings buyers attending this week’s international home furnishings event, running July 30 through August 3 at World Market Center and the Sands Expo, will find the largest Las Vegas Market to date.

“World Market Center Las Vegas is the source for new trends and new products that will soon be available at retail to consumers,” said World Market Center’s General Manager Dave Palmer. “If it’s new, it’s here.”

The semi-annual Las Vegas Market is the global stage for new product introductions across all categories of home furnishings including furniture, bedding, accessories, lighting, rugs, wall décor, gift products and more. “Our Market features emerging styles and trends from top designers and leading manufacturers as well as thousands of direction-setting product debuts that retailers and editors won’t find elsewhere,” Palmer said.

More than 1,300 exhibiting companies are presented in both permanent showrooms and temporary exhibits which together total 3.8 million square feet of space. Among the roster of leading brands, 250 new companies join Las Vegas Market this week for the first time.

Buyer attendance is expected to be equally strong. “We have had very strong registration for the Summer market – well ahead of registrations for last July’s show. We are anticipating high levels of attendance this week, consistent with registrations exceeding 50,000 on average in the past markets,” said Dana Andrew, director of marketing and public relations for World Market Center. “This continued growth in our numbers demonstrates the momentum of World Market Center as we add more buildings, and the continued support of our Las Vegas Furniture Market as the industry hub.”

Andrew added, “the influx of international buyers is growing, too – this July is the largest attendance we’ve ever seen from out of the country. Once again, we are also seeing a dramatic increase in new buyers coming to Las Vegas Market and they represent retailers from around the country.”

Market organizers have placed a heavy focus on trends and education in all Market venues. “Our research shows that buyers attend Market to source information as well as product,” Andrew said. “It is our responsibility as a Market to deliver the best educational programs possible for our attending buyers.”

Not only does the education program this week feature a trifecta of trend gurus, but the Sands Expo will play host to the first-ever “Living Green Pavilion” and “Greenhouse Gallery,” featuring the most talked-about movement in the home furnishings industry today: sustainable furniture.

The inaugural Living Green Pavilion show is the most comprehensive presentation of new sustainable products available to independent home furnishing retailers looking to move into that category.

“Living Green presents new sourcing opportunities for retailers to capitalize on the increasing consumer demand for sustainable home furnishings and includes established and emerging manufacturers across all styles and price points, making it an efficient and focused purchasing experience,” said Andrew.

The Market will feature sustainability related educational opportunities as well at both World Market Center and the Sands Expo Center – including the first ever “Retail Sustainability Panel,” featuring some of the home furnishings industry’s most progressive retailers on Tuesday, July 31.

Las Vegas Market has developed some new platforms at the temporaries to expand certain sectors, including establishing a new product-focused design segment of the Sands Expo show called Design & Living and a sub-section for sustainable furnishings named “Living Green.” Of the 72 companies that will make up this segment, 68 percent are first-time exhibitors and 51 percent are from outside North America.

The Summer Market will also feature a strong international flair. The international roster of exhibitors includes 205 companies from 25 different countries, which translates to 15 percent of the total exhibitor base.

“There are many new international exhibitors which we are proud to be bringing to U.S. buyers for the first time,” said Tim Branscome, director of international business development for World Market Center. “Among the countries showing the strongest increase are Brazil, Canada, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Peru and Vietnam.” In fact, Journalist members of The International Alliance of Furnishings Publications (IAFP) will meet this summer in Las Vegas, in conjunction with the Summer 2007 Las Vegas Market. The IAFP July meeting during Las Vegas Market will mark the first time the group has met in the United States and the first time many of the members have attended a U.S. home furnishings market.

The complimentary M-Line shuttle service is conveniently available to transport attendees between World Market Center and Sands Expo Center as well as to all of the host hotels.

The Las Vegas Market takes place July 30 – August 3, 2007 at World Market Center’s Buildings A and B, the Pavilions; the temporaries will be featured at Sands Expo & Convention Center opening on Tuesday, July 31.

The Winter 2008 Las Vegas Market is scheduled for January 28 to February 1, 2008 at World Market Center’s Buildings A, B and Pavilions with temporary exhibitors at the MGM Grand Hotel.