HONG KONG, Nov 6, 2024 - (ACN Newswire) - The 32nd Hong Kong International Optical Fair, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and co-organised by the Hong Kong Optical Manufacturers Association (HKOMA), brings together over 700 exhibitors from 17 countries and regions. Under the theme of “Seeing is Believing”, the Fair provides a one-stop promotion and procurement platform for the industry. The Fair continues the EXHIBITION+ hybrid model, running a physical exhibition from today through to 8 November at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, while the online exhibition will be accessible until 15 November.

Sophia Chong, Acting Executive Director, HKTDC, said: "The Hong Kong International Optical Fair brings together leading eyewear suppliers to present cutting-edge craftsmanship, innovation, and trendsetting products from across the world. This platform fosters networking and business opportunities within the industry.”

“To help the industry expand international business networks, the HKTDC has organised 80 buying missions from 45 countries and regions,” Ms Chong added. “Notable buyers include Best Group from Mainland China, Chilli Beans and Vista Import from Brazil, The Intersett Ltd. from Hungary, EYFE Inc. from Japan, Opticalia Okulux from Mexico, Foptics from Singapore, Grey Sunglasses from Spain, and Euro Vision and Vision Plus from the USA.”

The annual optical fair is a hallmark event for the industry. In addition to internationally renowned local brands, this year's Fair features exhibitors from Europe and the Americas, such as France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as from Asia, including Mainland China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan, and from the Middle East, such as Türkiye. The Fair also welcomes back exhibitors from Australia and Malaysia, which are returning after the pandemic.

This year’s Optical Fair features several group pavilions, including Mainland China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan, as well as the Visionaries of Style and HKOMA Pavilion; along with pavilions from cities in Mainland China, including Danyang in Jiangsu, Jiaojiang in Zhejiang, Shenzhen in Guangdong and Yingtan in Jiangxi. The Fair provides valuable networking opportunities for exhibitors and supports the local industry in entering the international market and capturing the enormous opportunities in emerging markets.

Brand Name Gallery Showcases World-Class Designs

The Brand Name Gallery showcases a curated selection of over 200 renowned local and overseas brands, such as Rosie Allan from Australia, MINIMA from France; STEPPER from Germany; FRANCO FERRARO from Italy; PLUME from Korea; Nano Vista from Spain; Pepe Jeans, Taylor Morris London, Ted Baker, and Vivienne Westwood from the United Kingdom; along with Anna Sui from the United States and more. Highlighted eyewear pieces include:

- Karavan (Booth: GH-C08): This French brand presents handcrafted metal and acetate optical frames in bold colours.
- TAVAT (Booth: GH-A20): The SoupCan series by this Italian brand features meticulously handcrafted mixed-material frames which undergo more than 100 production steps, resulting in rich texture and depth.
- Miyamoto Optical (Booth: GH-B04): This Japanese brand adds weights at the temple tips for ultra-balanced frames. This innovative design has earned top honours in Japan’s Functional and Technical category awards.
- Art Optical (Booth: GH-K01): This Hong Kong brand utilises materials with exceptional stability and impact resistance to create lighter, thinner frames for enhanced comfort. The lenses boast superior scratch resistance and high transparency, ensuring durability and clarity.
- Solos Technology Limited (Booth: GH-B26): This Hong Kong brand presents the cutting-edge Solos AirGo™ V smart eyewear range, complete with integrated cameras and ChatGPT-4o functionality.

Three New Thematic Labels for Facilitating Buyer’s Procurement Experience

The Optical Fair this year features 12 product zones showcasing a diverse variety of eyewear products. Three product categories will be highlighted using special labels to facilitate buying: Smart Ageing Products, Green Solution Suppliers, and Smart Eyewear.

Highlighted eyewear:

- Eleung Limited (Booth: 1E-D14): Featuring BioCell material in their eyewear frames, a cellulose acetate derived from cotton or wood pulp. It contains no industry-standard plasticisers and is compatible with polycarbonate lenses.
- Wenzhou Skysea (Booth: 1D-B33): Offering compact, foldable anti-blue light unisex reading glasses weighing just 15 grams, designed to easily fit into a pocket or purse, ideal for seniors.
- Wenzhou Brilliant Vision (Booth: 1D-F02): Introducing relaxing and blue light-blocking reading glasses made of high-quality material for comfort and durability. The unique blue-blocker feature protects eyes from harmful light, reducing the risk of glaucoma and vision-damage.
- Wenzhou Innovision Optical (Booth: 1B-D31): Showcasing bio-acetate, a material derived from renewable resources, reducing carbon use and plastic waste.
- Chongqing Deding Optical Technology (Booth: 1CON-038): Unveiling ultra-thin smart glasses with a temple thickness of less than 5mm, equipped with a magnetic induction switch and Bluetooth 5.2 for efficient transmission, supporting calls, music playback, and navigation.
- Kubota Pharmaceutical Holdings Co., Ltd. (Booth: GH-B30): Introducing Kubota Glass, utilising AR technology to achieve myopic defocus. This system projects an artificially myopically defocused image in front of the retina.

Gathering International Optometrists to Explore Progress in Myopia Control and Prevention

The 22nd Hong Kong International Optometric Symposium will be held tomorrow, 7 November. Organised by HKTDC in partnership with The Hong Kong Optometric Association and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the symposium will explore myopia control and prevention.

Dr Simon TANG, Director of Cluster Services, Hong Kong Hospital Authority, will deliver the opening remarks. Speakers include Professor Ian Morgan from the Australian National University, Dr. Regan Ashby from the University of Canberra, Professor Frank Schaeffel from the University of Tübingen, Professor Kee Chea-su from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Professor Chen Zhi from Fudan University, and Dr. Chen Jun from Shanghai Eye Hospital. This event is an accredited Continuing Professional Development (CPD) course by the Optometrists Board, Hong Kong and is endorsed by the Council on Optometric Practitioner Education (COPE).

The inaugural Asia-Pacific Eye Health Summit (Hong Kong) and the Greater Bay Area Optometric Practice Development Forum will take place on 8 November, to explore the latest trends and opportunities in the eye health sector within the Greater Bay Area. The Fair will also offer talks and seminars on smart eyewear, sports eyewear, and eyewear for the elderly, helping industry professionals stay updated on global market trend.

Exploring Local Creative Design

Eyewear parades by professional models will be held to show different styles of eyewear products. To foster Hong Kong’s creativity and innovation, the HKTDC and HKOMA have organised the 24th Hong Kong Eyewear Design Competition under the theme of “Be Bold”. The competition award ceremony will be held this afternoon, and the award-winning and shortlisted designs will be prominently displayed in Exhibition Hall 1D, The Forum, throughout the exhibition. For more details on the overview of competition entries, please visit: finalist_design_Info.pdf.

Furthermore, to acknowledge exhibitors who incorporate sustainable elements into their booth designs, the fair has introduced the "Green Booth Design Award". This initiative seeks to commend exhibitors for reducing the environmental footprint of their exhibition booth.

Photo download: https://bit.ly/4hBe7aT

Websites:

Hong Kong International Optical Fair:https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkopticalfair/en

Event Details of the Hong Kong International Optical Fair: 
https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkopticalfair/en/intelligence-hub    

22nd Hong Kong International Optometric Symposium: 
https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkopticalfair/en/the-22nd-hong-kong-international-optometric-symposium

HKTDC Media Room: http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/en

Media enquiries

Please contact the HKTDC Communications and Public Affairs Department:

About HKTDC

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.