More than 40 local exporters are gearing up for the world’s largest, oldest and most important consumer trade fair in Frankfurt, Germany, next month.

The Philippines will join thousands of exhibitors from around the world at Ambiente 2016.

Showcasing mostly handmade products in the Dining, Giving and Living categories, in an exhibit area more than 50 times the size of the Philippines’ SMX Convention Center, the show has double the number of its exhibitors from last year.

“European shows are design-oriented, so we have to make sure there is always something new each year,” said Wilbert Novero, general manager of We Link (Worldwide Exhibitions Linkage Services), a division of Global Link Exhibitions Specialist, the official sales partner of Messe Frankfurt GmbH, organizer of Ambiente.

With a booth occupying a floor area of 700 square meters at the fair, the Philippines will be presenting table, kitchen and household products in Dining; gifts, decor, fashion and jewelry in Giving; and furnishing ideas, home accessories, and indoor and outdoor decor in Living.

Nuances of craft

The country’s edge in the show, however, is what Novero calls the Filipino “soul.” Most countries now go for a clean, industrial look. While these are modern, they lack the nuances of craft that can only be seen, for example, in a handmade chair.

The indigenous materials and labor that go into Philippine products, coupled with unique design sensibilities, have always made them a standout at Ambiente trade fairs.

Dining tabletops are now among the most sought-after products, since many Europeans today opt to dine and entertain at home. What the Philippines lacks in tableware and glassware, it makes up for in innovative designs.

Germany is known as the capital of trade fairs, where every major city has a fair ground. Ambiente has been the leading world trade show in consumer goods for more than 800 years, since it started in a medieval building in Frankfurt in 1150.

Today, it sets trends worldwide in design, color and material.

Italian designer Paola Navone will design this year’s partner country presentation, while German designer Detlef Klatt and Rachelle Dagñalan will curate the Philippine exhibit.

For more info, visit we-link.gesi.com.ph/ or www.messefrankfurt.com/frankfurt/en.html.