Jul 29, 2019

Philadelphia Gift Show names best new exhibitor, handmade product

Attracting retailers from the Mid-Atlantic and Tri-State region, the July 21-24, 2019 edition of the Philadelphia Gift Show debuted its expanded selection of handmade resources from more than 55 artists in the new Artisan Alley section. Attending retailers voted on a series of show awards — naming OG Studio Creations as the show’s Best New Product winner and The Wearable Garden as the company with the Best Handmade Product.

OG Studio Creations designs and crafts men’s fashion accessories and home accents, including bamboo wood bow ties, belt buckles, cuff links and Tzedakah boxes. Each piece is laser engraved to reveal shifts in color and tone that bring out the intricacies of the patterns. They are then sanded and oiled to bring out the material’s natural color.

Buyers also cast their vote for Best Handmade Product, recognizing the exhibitor with the best handmade design on the show floor and Bucks County, Pennsylvania’s The Wearable Garden was selected as the winner.

With a background in fine arts and an emphasis in printmaking, Kathy Lang began creating beautiful eco-friendly printed silk scarves using plant materials such as leaves, vegetables, berries, and found metals that she collected and laid out in a design on the fabric. The material is then bound tightly and steamed forcing the dyes into the fabric leaving a “print” similar to how a leaf would print on a sidewalk. The resulting scarf is embodied with prints and color from only the natural elements design.

On Saturday, July 20, the show partnered with CRAFT to co-host a pre-show seminar, “All About Wholesale,” designed for artists and makers’. The show offered a number of new hospitality and buyer socials including muffins and mimosas, ice cream, philly cheesesteak lunch on Tuesday, daily retailer prize giveaways, popcorn socials, and the “stay for the last day” promotion inviting buyers to shop the last day of the show and enjoy free lunch and show specials offered by exhibitors on Wednesday, July 24.

The Philadelphia Gift Show will return January 25-28, 2020, to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center and co-locate with the Philadelphia Souvenir and Resort Expo.