Trends in plastic housewares products come alive at IHHS

Each year the International Home + Housewares Show (IHHS) at Chicago’s McCormick Place is the hot spot for retail buyers to find the latest home and kitchen merchandise. This year, it was clear that plastic products are still popular, despite recent concern regarding bisphenol-A (BPA).

Hands-down IHHS is one of my favorite tradeshows to attend. Not only do I get to rub elbows with television celebrities, (Last year we spotted Food Network’s Paula Deen and this year I crossed paths with Emeril and one of the Real Housewives), but I get a head-start on developing my birthday and Christmas wish lists.

The aisles are filled with serving dishes in bright colors, like orange and lime; eco-friendly cookware and cutting boards; and self-filtering sport water bottles. If only they took credit cards!

Aside from my interest in the products as a consumer, it’s rewarding to see the variety of items made with our client’s material, Eastman Tritan™ copolyester. At this year’s show more than two dozen national brands, such as Thermos, Oxo and Rubbermaid, featured products made with the new plastic material. These products include plastic sport water bottles, food storage containers, salad dressing shaker, serving ware and more.

I noticed three main trends in designing with plastic for housewares that came to life at the show:

•    Free of BPA. To meet consumer demand, brands are moving away from using the clear plastic material polycarbonate, which is manufactured with BPA.
•    Clear and durable. Products are designed to look like glass, but beverageware and bowls made with plastic won’t shatter or break. This gives the products the desired aesthetic appeal for use when entertaining, as well as for outdoor by the pool or when camping.
•    Simple and elegant. Consumers want to a cohesive, clean and organized look to their kitchens. Plus, simple shapes are often easier to clean.

When you’re shopping at your favorite retail store, see if you notice these trends on the shelves. Hopefully, I’ll see these them in my kitchen cupboards after my birthday!