Industrial design fair 'sets new standards'

Portable fans compatible with all USB types, power banks that can rotate and are as small as lipsticks, and various home appliances with sleek design... Industrial design has made products more appealing to consumers.

About 6,000 exhibition items are on display at the 11th Shenzhen International Industrial Design Fair (SZIDF), which opened at Hall 2 of the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center in Futian District on Thursday and will run until Sunday.

Visitors look at an exhibit at the National Industrial Design section during the Shenzhen International Industrial Design Fair on Thursday. Liu Xudong

The overseas showpieces come from countries and regions such as Japan, Germany, the U.S., Italy, the Netherlands, South Korea, and Denmark.

3nod, a Shenzhen-based enterprise, is showcasing over 30 smart products at this year’s fair.

“This rapid response cloud conference system speaker can make office collaboration more efficient. It has enjoyed a fast-growing market in recent years,” Liu Zhixiong, chairman and CEO of 3nod, said.

“The fair brings together global brands and designers, and it also seeks to cultivate excellent young talents. It’s a place where futuristic ideas are explored to highlight how design can contribute to high-quality life for all of us,” Thomas Garvey, president of the World Design Organization, said at the opening ceremony.

According to Garvey, industrial design in China has been rapidly evolving and getting better global reputation in recent years.

“Shenzhen International Industrial Design Fair has been at the forefront of industrial design for the past 11 years, working to establish new standards here for design professions in China,” Garvey said.

Themed “Design Reboot: Symbiosis,” this year’s SZIDF revolves around the three aspects of design empowering industry, design empowering city, and design empowering social sustainability.

The fair features a total of seven exhibition areas in the main exhibition venue covering 15,000 square meters, and has four subvenues in Nanshan, Futian, Qianhai, and Shenzhen Bay Super Headquarters Base.

According to data from Shenzhen Industrial Design Profession Association, the city currently has nearly 22,000 industrial design institutions, more than 700 high-tech enterprises involved in industrial design, and over 150,000 industrial designers and industrial design practitioners.

Since 2012, Shenzhen companies and designers have won a total of 2,360 iF Design Awards and 1,524 Red Dot Design Awards.