Fair and trade
Hyve ’ s Autumn Fair is celebrated as the season ’ s number one wholesale gift and home trade show . It ’ s role in promoting international business was cemented by UK and Chinese government officials renewing their trade partnership at this year ’ s exhibition
Autumn Fair and MODA returned to the packed NEC with a remit to renew trade partnerships with China .
The UK ’ s leading wholesale marketplace for home , gift , fashion and sourcing at NEC Birmingham , 4-7 September , welcomed more than 600 exhibitors and gave UK ’ s leading retailers a preview of the hottest products and key looks for the coming year .
The show opened with senior government officials from China and the UK kickstarting renewed trade partnerships as part of the international remit of the Design & Source destination of the show .
Hyve Group ’ s divisional managing director Julie Driscoll highlighted the opening ceremony as signalling the start of a renewed relationship with China .
Driscoll said : “ China has always been a significant trading partner to UK retail , last year according to the office of national statistics it accounted for £ 63.6bn of total imports into the UK , around 13.3 % making China our largest importing partner and in return we export £ 27bn of goods each year making China one of our largest trading partners . The last few years has seen disruption to our global supply chains , and retail , as well as manufacturing , is in a transformation process . This is not just a transformation of supply chains but also reflects how retail and manufacturers are reacting to consumer changes , and our need to provide them with products that are on trend but made in a better way .
“ Autumn Fair and Moda , and indeed all Hyve retail events , create an important platform that facilitates trade in order to fuel UK retail . As we look
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