CEBUNEXT: Furniture of the future

CEBU, Philippines - Previously known as CebuX, this year’s furniture and furnishings exhibition dubbed as CEBUNEXT, aims to showcase the best of what Cebu furniture companies and designers have to offer in the future.

CebuX organizers find it timely to change the major event to CEBUNEXT to convey the message that it is time to think of the future and foresee what the Cebu furniture industry could still offer.

Creative Director Kenneth Cobonpue said that they re-branded the activity “because they are thinking about tomorrow” and through the show on March 5-8, products that are not only entirely unique but environment-friendly will be displayed.

Cobonpue said that eco-friendly materials were already used by furniture designers and companies even before, but stressed on the importance of using it now especially since mainstream buyers are also looking for products made of environment friendly materials.

During the launching recently of what would be expected during the show on 2010, which will be held in Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, Lahug, products on what has been popularized by the local designers during the 60’s to 90’s were featured like rattan, buri, stonecraft and abaca and hinted on more to be seen at CEBUNEXT.

CFIF Executive Director Joseph Martin Borromeo said that “they are taking the bold step forward” in order to rise up from what has been seen already in the past.

“This event aims to answer the question, What has not been done yet?” said Borromeo who explained that after a lot of consultations from their members and the previous exhibitors, they have come up with a show that is aimed to encourage more buyers.

Charles Streegan, the overall chairman of the Fair Management Team said that they are not after the number of exhibitors that will commit themselves for the show, but is on giving out the best show that the customers and buyers could witness regardless of how many exhibitors.

The show is aimed at proving that “Cebu is still the place to get things that are not in other places” said Streegan who stressed that they would want to show the furniture world that “Cebu is here.”

Streegan explained that in their effort to gather more buyers, they have already cleaned out their previous data file and have added more than 4,500 new buyers both local and international.

Also the committee explained that they have also lowered down the prices of the payments for the exhibitors so that more could be able to participate in the exhibition. These new rates are much more less than the exhibit in Manila which could help the exhibitors save up to 62 percent all in all.

 Aside from this effort in gathering in more companies, CFIF have also come up with new promotional activities to entice and help out their buyers like their new user-friendly and interactive website.

Streegan said that they are determined to make the buyers come and believe that they have done their part and is now challenging the exhibitors to do their part also.