SA crafts in German expo
Ambiente, reputedly the largest consumer goods trade fair in the world, which takes place in Frankfurt Germany from 12-16 February 2010, will feature 14 Western Cape crafters. The craft products, ranging from jewellery and textiles to leather and metalwork, will be displayed on the Department of Trade and Industry's (dti) South African pavilion in the Gift and Loft Showcase areas of Ambiente.
CCDI's Vuyisile Mshudulu
The craft producers are Chimpel Traders, Master Wires and Bead Craft, Urban Africa, Tin Town Arts and Craft, TW Ceramics, JoJo Wiremetal Sculptures, Brass Images, Sithabe African Crafts, Fiona Spolander Promotions, Zizamele Ceramics, The African Queen Studio, Casamento, Potina Ceramics and Wire World.
The Western Cape enterprises constitute half of all the South African enterprises that the dti has selected to take part in Ambiente 2010, said Vuyisile Mshudulu, Cape Craft and Design Institute (CCDI) manager market access: export and retail outlets. "We consider this a remarkable achievement because it validates our export market development initiatives in the Western Cape craft sector."
Technical information provided
Most of the Western Cape craft producers selected for 2010 have completed training and market access programmes run by the CCDI.
"Some craft producers have also been through our export readiness programme, which has provided them with the necessary technical information relating to various aspects of the export market value chain," said Mshudulu.
"We have not, for a very long time, pushed companies into the export market due to the general consensus that it is rather complex to deal with. However, we have now spent years consolidating our market access programme and orientating a number of craft enterprises through the domestic markets. These enterprises have now grown organically to the point where they are ready to take on the world markets."
He said that the CCDI would accompany the 14 craft producers to Ambiente and would assist them with export support programmes to ensure they could continue operating in overseas markets.
The dti will cover the cost of the exhibition space, transport, accommodation, branding on the stand and freight of the goods. Craft enterprises will pay for their own promotional material.
