The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) has successfully concluded seven flagship lifestyle and licensing events, attracting over 95,000 buyers from 134 countries and regions for sourcing and business negotiations. The events, held concurrently, included the Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair, Home InStyle, Fashion InStyle, the Hong Kong International Printing & Packaging Fair, DeLuxe PrintPack Hong Kong, the Hong Kong International Licensing Show (HKILS), and the Asian Licensing Conference (ALC).
Among the lifestyle fairs, the Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair attracted over 32,000 buyers, Home InStyle drew some 20,000, and Fashion InStyle gathered about 12,000. The printing and packaging events saw over 9,600 attendees, while HKILS attracted over 21,000 buyers. The ALC featured over 20 international licensing industry leaders as speakers. Non-local buyers came primarily from Chinese Mainland, Taiwan, and Japan, with significant growth from the Philippines, Canada, and Türkiye, underscoring the fairs' strong international appeal.
Jenny Koo, HKTDC Deputy Executive Director, said: “In alignment with the national 15th Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong will continue to actively develop its role as a regional intellectual property trading hub, further enhancing its international competitiveness in the cultural and creative industries and IP transactions. The seven flagship events fully showcased Hong Kong's distinctive strengths in lifestyle, cultural and creative design, brand development, and intellectual property, offering global buyers a rich and diverse array of sourcing options, while connecting exhibitors with international buyers and partners to unlock business opportunities.” She added that HKTDC will continue to leverage Hong Kong's unique advantage of connecting Chinese Mainland with the rest of the world.
To gauge market trends, HKTDC conducted a questionnaire survey of 1,541 exhibitors and buyers during the Gifts & Premium Fair, Home InStyle, and Fashion InStyle. Nearly half (49.0%) of respondents expected overall sales to rise in the next one to two years, while 44.6% foresaw stable sales. Key challenges identified include global economic fluctuations (47.8%), geopolitical tensions and supply chain chaos (37.2%), and protectionist measures (33.7%). Respondents were most optimistic about sales prospects in ASEAN countries (69.0%), Taiwan (67.9%), India (66.7%), Korea (65.2%), and Chinese Mainland (63.0%). Exhibitors are actively exploring Europe (34.0%), ASEAN countries (18.3%), North America (16.0%), the Middle East (13.6%), and Australia (12.8%).
Product trends highlight growth potential in cultural gifts (19.7%), sustainable gifts (18.6%), and tech gifts (18.6%) in the gifts and premiums market. In furniture and home products, designer furniture and houseware (27.3%), interior decoration and handicrafts (27.1%), and smart home technology (23.0%) lead. In fashion, designer clothing (42.4%), urban clothing (34.5%), and womenswear (31.9%) show strong potential.
The events facilitated cross-sector opportunities. For instance, Semk Holdings International Limited, a character IP licensing company, showcased B.Duck co-branded products at the Gifts & Premium Fair and connected with buyers from Mexico, Canada, Europe, and Southeast Asia. The UAE made its debut at the fair; Alpha Art, a Dubai exhibitor, connected with about 40 new clients on the first day and anticipates orders totaling around US$1 million.
Three memoranda of understanding (MOUs) were signed during the Gifts & Premium Fair. The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Shanxi Provincial Committee and Fujian Sub-Council signed MOUs with HKTDC to encourage enterprises to leverage Hong Kong's platform to “go global.” The Busan Economic Promotion Agency also signed an MOU to promote Korean gift products through Hong Kong.
Fashion InStyle featured the returning NEXT@Fashion InStyle zone, with over 60 new material exhibitors. Textile Library from Hangzhou, which connected with a Thai exhibitor last year, brought patented epoch-poly fabrics and attracted international interest. First-time exhibitor New High Limited, a local swimwear and sportswear specialist, connected with about 50 potential buyers from around the world, including Dubai and North Africa, with expected orders totaling about US$100,000.
Home InStyle introduced innovative materials for homeware and home textiles. Hong Kong exhibitor Lotux International Holdings Co. Limited presented biodegradable cutlery and food containers made from lotus stems and deodorising cat litter from lotus fibre. The company is in discussions with a houseware company for joint development of eco-friendly straws. allcareAI Limited debuted an infection-prevention mobile toilet, receiving over 20 enquiries from local care homes and potential partners from Chinese Mainland, Japan, Australia, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
The Hong Kong International Licensing Show facilitated a deal between Hong Kong exhibitor Postgal Workshop and Malaysia-based M&M Creations Holdings Sdh. Bhd. for the IP “Din Dong,” valued at over US$200,000. At the Asian Licensing Conference, Maura Regan, President and CEO of Licensing International, stated: “We remain convinced that we'll see significant growth across property types. Overall, the licensing industry is not slowing down. Consumers continue to demand immersive experiences, from theme parks to branded hotels to pop-up shops to retail experiences.”
