NEXT18 Trade Exhibition Cape Town

Export-ready product design from South Africa

33 leading designers and manufacturers from South Africa will take part in the NEXT18 Trade Exhibition in Cape Town from February 22-25, 2018.

‘Development by Design’ is showcasing the results of their various export readiness programmes, in which over 50 small and medium businesses have participated, with some having exhibited at European trade shows, whilst others are young designers eager to take their first steps in exporting. Craftscurator has been training and coaching these companies to prepare them for entering the European market.

These 33 exporters represent the best of South African product design, showing their new ranges of small furniture, lighting, home textiles, and fashion and home accessories. All targeted at international markets, and ready to order by importers, retailers and decorators. The product offer includes lamps inspired on African necklaces by Modern Gesture, jacquard woven textiles in bold colours by African Jacquard, ceramics with a hand painted glaze by The Potter’s Workshop, woven rugs by The Ninevites, and felted textiles by Chic Fusion. An overview of all exhibitors can be found on the website of The Craft and Design Institute, partner of CBI in the Development by Design project.

For international visitors, the exhibition is a unique opportunity to meet new suppliers and designers from South Africa. Besides visiting the exhibition, there is also the option to visit the designers in their showrooms and workshops throughout the city. The annual Design Indaba event, with a conference on social design and an exhibition of Emerging Creatives, is taking place in the same week. Cape Town also has great craft and design shopping to offer, as well as good food and nice summer weather.

The 'Development by Design´ project enables small and medium businesses in South Africa to develop, grow and sustainably enter new markets. The project is an initiative of The Dutch Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries (CBI), and their local partners, the Craft and Design Institute (CDI) and Seda.

The NEXT18 Trade Exhibition will take place from February 22 - 25, 2018 daily at the Homecoming Centre 15A Buitenkant Street in the East City of Cape Town.

Get in touch with Irene to learn more about the event and exhibitors.