From custom caps and cufflinks to tailor-made towels and teapots, Expo 2020 Dubai is looking for manufacturers in the Gulf for two important merchandising categories – apparel and homeware, according to organisers.

The Expo team seeks producers of these goods, from international brands to artisan producers, which will be offered to millions of visitors from around the world as official Expo 2020 Dubai merchandise, said a statement.

The apparel category includes T-shirts, trainers, headwear, cufflinks, and ties, while homeware includes dinnerware, china, bedding and towels, chairs, and lighting, it said.

In particular, the team wants to hear from vendors and retailers, large and small, who can create authentic, local items that help ensure the first World Expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region captures the essence of this part of the world.

They might make abayas or kandouras and believe they can create something unique for visitors to remember their incredible Expo experience. Or perhaps their expertise lies in intricately crafted glassware and they want to produce items inspired by the expo logo.

The demand for such goods in this region is huge. According to research by Dubai Chamber last year, the market for apparel and footwear in Dubai alone was estimated to be worth $12.8 billion (Dh47 billion), registering 5.5 per cent annual growth in sales since 2010.

Expo 2020 Dubai offers vendors a platform to grow their existing business with new opportunities through our network of partners and affiliates and the many millions from around the world who will visit the destination from October 2020 to April 2021, said a statement.

Najeeb Al Ali, executive director, Bureau Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “Expo 2020 Dubai offers a unique platform for producers to showcase their products in one of the most exciting markets in the world.”

“One of the great things about hosting a World Expo is that it also attracts visitors who may never have been to the region before,” Al Ali said.

“This combination makes Expo 2020 Dubai an unmissable opportunity for manufacturers, both large and small, of apparel and homeware to reach new markets,” Al Ali added.

Through its overall theme, ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’, Expo 2020 Dubai will be a platform to foster creativity, innovation and collaboration globally. It will be a celebration of ingenuity that gives a glimpse into the future, guided by its three pillars: Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability.

It will be visited by many millions of people – 70 per cent of whom are expected to be from outside the UAE, the largest percentage of visitors from outside the host country in the 166-year history of World Expos.

Official merchandise will be sold at selected outlets across the UAE, including dedicated Expo retail stores, as well as at the ‘Superstore of the Future’ at the Expo 2020 Dubai site itself.

Homeware and apparel are the latest of up to 40 licensed product categories being put out to tender by Expo 2020 Dubai following the launch of campaigns to find manufacturers of such goods as souvenirs, perfumes, and food products.

Through its licensing programme, Expo 2020 Dubai will accept tenders for more than 5,000 products in total.

The tender process for becoming an official licensee for Expo 2020 is online and open to businesses of any size from anywhere in the world. The initial stage – for companies to register their interest – is now open and closes on 31 August, 2017.

SMEs are actively encouraged to participate in the programme, and to tender for every product category that is relevant to their business. The expo organisers will tailor flexible terms to ensure profitability and equal opportunity for companies of all scales.

By becoming expo licensees, SMEs have a unique opportunity to strengthen their product offering, develop their brand and expand their scope to reach new global audiences.

Al Ali continued: “We want to ensure that merchandise at the first World Expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region reflects our heritage.”

“We believe SMEs, such as local artisan producers of apparel and homeware items in the UAE and GCC, are vital in helping us achieve this goal and we want to give them the chance to share a global platform with international brands, showcasing their unique products,” Al Ali said.

“The experience and exposure they will gain from being part of the Expo will play a key part in developing the SME sector in the region,” Al Ali concluded. – TradeArabia News Service