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trade show floor
The show floor was bustling from the Preview Party Wednesday evening through the end of the day on Friday when the show closed.

Many smiles and happy faces were seen during the first edition of h+h americas which took place from June 22-24, 2022 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention & Conference Center in Rosemont/Chicago.

Right off the bat this trade show and conference gathered 195 exhibitors and more than 2,000 attendees during 2 ½ days of activities on the show floor and extensive conference sessions.

“We are very encouraged by the strong response we received among the handicraft community,” said Mette Petersen, President and Managing Director of Koelnmesse Inc. “We had buyers from all major retailers as well as store owners from all across North America, Europe, and as far as Australia coming to our event.”

“Many attendees praised the diverse product range and appreciated the exposure to international product lines from 39 countries normally not seen in the US. Because of strong demand, we are planning to integrate even more categories for our event next year such as beading, scrapbooking, cake decoration, and many others,” Petersen said.

“A big compliment to our North American team as well as to our conference partner, Craft Industry Alliance, for successfully bringing the h+h brand from Germany to the US,” said Gerald Boese, CEO of Koelnmesse GmbH.

“This first-time event on US soil will mark the start of many future editions in the coming years and we look forward to seeing exhibitors and attendees traveling to our trade shows in Cologne and Rosemont next year.” 

ribbon cutting
Mayor of Rosemont, Bradley A. Stephens, cuts the ribbon for this inaugural event.
panel
The show kicked off with a State of the Industry panel discussion.
knitted dress
A stunning knitwear dress on display from Freia Fibers.

“We were thrilled to have been the strategic partner for such a fantastic inaugural event,” said Craft Industry Alliance President Abby Glassenberg. “The turnout was incredible and the expertise and skill of the conference teachers were impressive. We came away with new ideas, fresh inspiration, and invaluable business connections. We’re so grateful for our partnership with Koelnmesse and the h+h team. We are enjoying being part of the Digital After Show and look forward to seeing everyone in Rosemont next June!”

Leading up to our event we built strong relationships with organizations and supporting partners who either support buyers and sellers in this industry. A big thank you to the Creative Industry Association, Prime Publishing, Knitty, Surface Design Association, Indie Untangled, Where Women Create, American Quilt Retailer, The National Needlearts Association, Golden Peak, American Crochet Association, Road 2 California, the Handweavers Guild of America as well as Knit the Rainbow and Help Heal Veterans,“ added Darrin Stern, Show Manager of h+h americas.

The dates of the Digital After Show are June 27-July 1st, 2022. The virtual event offers video-based meetings, instant messaging, and access to all prerecorded educational sessions for registered attendees via the h+h americas website and app.

Future Show Dates:
h+h cologne: March 31 – April 2, 2023 – Cologne, Germany

h+h americas: June 21-23, 2023 – Rosemont, USA (now full 3-day trade show & conference from Wednesday-Friday)

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