24th Hong Kong Optical Fair Ends In Success

13 November 2016 – The HKTDC Hong Kong Optical Fair 2016 ended on a high note with a record number of buyers attending the three-day event. Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and co-organised by the Hong Kong Optical Manufacturers Association, the fair’s 24^th edition drew more than 15,000 buyers from 100 countries and regions, up 2.4 per cent over the previous year. Buyers from several ASEAN and emerging markets recorded satisfactory growth, including Malaysia, the Philippines, Russia, Iran, Brazil and Mexico. The number of buyers from mature markets such as Canada, Australia, Korea, Spain and Sweden, also saw good growth, underscoring Hong Kong’s position as a prime trading platform for the global eyewear industry.

“The total number of visitors to the fair increased this year, and there was satisfactory growth in the number of buyers from various countries,” said Benjamin Chau, Deputy Executive Director, HKTDC. “This shows that the Hong Kong Optical Fair is essential for eyewear promotion and sourcing and continues to play an important role as a trading platform for the global eyewear industry. The trading atmosphere was very good at the fairground. Buyers eagerly sought the latest eyewear designs, products and equipment.”

Brand Name Gallery spotlights 3D printing and high-tech eyewear
This year's Brand Name Gallery featured more than 220 international brands and designer collections. Among the dazzling array of fashionable eyewear were high-tech eyewear and eye-care products, which were once again highlights of the show. 

3D printing is becoming a new wave in  the eyewear industry. Hong Kong exhibitor Chang’s Optical Asia Ltd featured ic! berlin’s 3D-printed, special edition sunglasses at the fair. The sunglasses were created to mark ic! berlin’s 20^th anniversary. The company, which is also the distributor for 10 top designer brands such as DITA and Ørgreen, also featured wooden spectacles from Italian brand FEB31st, which allow consumers to customise their frames by adding their names, signatures, graphics and words on the side. “Mainland consumers like personalised eyewear products,” said Mabel Sze, the company’s Brand Manager. “With buyers coming from all over the world, the Optical Fair provides an excellent trading platform for us to introduce high-end, distinctive eyewear products and build our brand.”

Korean brand Sodamon, which won the Good Design Award in Korea and Australia, brought its Fugu sunglasses collection, made with lightweight materials that allow the sunglasses to float in water. With a business presence spanning Asia, Europe and North America, this exhibitor joined the fair for the first time with a view to expanding into the mainland market. Justin Cha, Sodamon’s manager of foreign division, considered Hong Kong an important gateway to the Asian and international  markets. On the fair’s first day, Mr Cha found potential buyers from the Philippines and Taiwan, where they planned to bring Sodamon’s products to local department stores.

Spanish company Eyewear From Barcelona SL debuted at the Optical Fair last year and successfully promoted its designs to the mainland, India and several other Asian markets. The returning exhibitor doubled the size of its booth this year. It met many mainland buyers and was actively seeking distributors in Indonesia and Thailand.

Record exhibitor attendance
This year's Optical Fair gathered a record of more than 780 exhibitors from 29 countries and regions. The Chinese mainland, France, Italy, Japan, Korea and Taiwan set up group pavilions to showcase stylish eyewear products. Among them, one of the exhibitors from the French pavilion, Oxibis Group, is the designer, manufacturer and distributor of various brands that are represented in 35 countries and regions. General Manager Jérôme Colin and Area Export Manager Julien Daubry hailed the fair as the best in Asia. Their existing Asian distributors were at the fair and the company is also looking for new distributors who are active in other markets. They will participate in the fair next year too.

To cater to growing demand for protection against harmful blue light emitted from digital devices, especially for youngsters, many relevant products were featured at the fair. Swiss Lens Laboratory (HK) Limited has launched the Amour 420 SF lenses and sales professional consultant Michael Fung said they had received numerous enquiries from buyers. “The Hong Kong Optical Fair provides an important platform for us to launch new lenses and collect customer feedback. By demonstrating the effects of our new lenses at our booth, we have received positive responses from customers all over the world and reaped onsite orders. This year we have got more enquiries from North Africa and the Middle East.”

Vibrant eyewear market
Iranian buyer Star Optical’s Chairman Reza Shamsababdi visited the Hong Kong fair to source the latest eyewear products. With a population of 80 million, he said, Iran is a huge market for the eyewear industry, estimating that nearly half of the country’s population wear sunglasses. On the first day of the event, the company placed approximately HK$150,000 worth of orders with suppliers from the mainland, Korea and Taiwan.

Optica Next operates 12 shops in Russia. Company President Alexander Golubkov said Russian consumers favour classic styles and dark colours. He was happy to have found some potential frames and sunglasses suppliers from the mainland, Hong Kong and Europe.

Optical Korea Co., Ltd from Korea sells various eyewear products online. Company Vice President Hyun-mo Jung said the HKTDC’s business matching service helped the company find two potential suppliers of plastic frames. The company planned to buy 4,000 pairs in assorted colours and styles from each supplier. “The Hong Kong Optical Fair is the best place for the industry to source new products that are good quality and of competitive price. I can easily find styles that meet the tastes of Korean consumers.”

The HKTDC organised a number of eyewear parades, buyer forums, seminars and networking cocktails during the fair to help industry professionals expand their networks. The 14^th Hong Kong Optometric Conference was held on 10 November, with the theme “Advancement in Ophthalmic Treatments”, attracting about 900 participants.

Fair website: http://hkopticalfair.hktdc.com/

	The 24th Hong Kong Optical Fair gathers more than 780 exhibitors from 29 countries and regions,  welcoming more than 15,000 buyers
	Several seminars, buyer forums, networking cocktails and eyewear parades are organised during the fair to help industry professionals expand their networks and share market intelligence
	This year’s Brand Name Gallery showcases more than 220 top brands
	Professor Sophia Chan, Under Secretary for Food and Health, HKSAR Government, delivers opening remarks at the 14th Hong Kong Optometric Conference on 10 November. The theme of the conference was “Advancement in Ophthalmic Treatments”
	Luisa Leitao ( second from right) debuts her eponymous brand (Booth: GH-J01) at the fair and attracts fellow artistes Myolie Wu (second from left), Evergreen Mak Cheung-ching (left), and Max Cheung (right) to try on some of the designs
	Swiss Lens Laboratory (HK) Limited has launched the Amour 420 SF lenses and sales professional consultant Michael Fung said they had received numerous enquiries from buyers, especially from North Africa and the Middle East
	Hong Kong’s Chang’s Optical Asia Ltd showcases many internationally-renowned designer brands. Brand Manager Mabel Sze says Chinese mainland consumers like tailor-made and personalised eyewear products, and the Optical Fair, attended by buyers from all over the world, provides an excellent platform to expand their presence in the mainland
	Returning Spanish exhibitor Eyewear From Barcelona SL, which took a larger booth this year, say they met many buyers from the Chinese mainland. The company was seeking new Asian distributors for markets such as Indonesia and Thailand at the fair
	Exhibitors and buyers express satisfaction with the fair’s arrangements and atmosphere. Reza Shamsababdi, President of Iran’s Star Optical, says the company  placed HK$150,000 worth of orders with suppliers from the Chinese mainland, Korea and Taiwan

Media Enquiries: Please contact the HKTDC's Communication and Public Affairs Department:
Joe Kainz     Tel: (852) 2584 4216           Email: joe.kainz@hktdc.org

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About the HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) celebrates its 50^th anniversary this year. The HKTDC is the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and services providers. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China and throughout Asia. The HKTDC also organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in overseas markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.