Firms offer more innovative designs

Hong Kong suppliers of household items are developing innovative designs that cross the boundary of ordinary household items to become lifestyle products.

The HKTDC Hong Kong Houseware Fair showcases a broad selection of these design-oriented products that serve practical functions and double as decorative objects for the modern home.

'Hong Kong companies are strong on innovative design,' said Brian Sun Tan-cheung, managing director of Technical (HK) Manufacturing.

In line with its philosophy of developing trendy and functional designs, the company is launching an acrylic knife holder with tightly arranged tubes in the middle for knives of all sizes to slot in. Its aerodynamic contour and slick surface make the knife holder look like a modern sculpture.

Under the company's Technical brand, designs are full of visual surprises. An electric kettle looks unremarkable when the power is off. But when the kettle is on, the front viewing panel becomes translucent and is illuminated by a moving blue light reminiscent of whirling steam.

'We develop products with unique functions that are not otherwise available on the market,' Mr Sun said. Technical will also display a bathroom scale with a separate iPod-sized radio frequency receiver for easy reading.

'We've designed this scale for people whose bellies are so big that they can't see their feet when they stand up straight. It also makes seeing the reading more convenient for people who forget to put on their spectacles when they stand on the scale.' Technical is exhibiting in the Hall of Elegance.