WellnessMats at International Home + Housewares Show in March!

Celebrity Chefs Under Foot and Debut of New Linen Collection

Preparations are now well underway for WellnessMats to attend the upcoming International Home + Housewares Show (IH+HS), March 10-13, 2018 in Chicago. It is not only biggest show that IH+HS hosts with an estimated attendance of nearly 60,000 people from over 130 countries across the globe, this world-class home retail extravaganza features a buyer-seller interface for everyone in the marketplace. WellnessMats is a regular exhibitor (you can find us in the South Hall, Booth #3359) and a prominent sponsor in the much-acclaimed IH+HS Cooking Theater, supporting your favorite celebrity chefs during the several days of live cooking demonstrations.

Attendees of the show can get a sneak peek of some of the hottest new products before they ever hit the market, meet other housewares professionals, learn about what’s next in this ever-changing industry and, for the star seekers and the foodies, be amazed and inspired by some of the world’s most talented and renowned celebrity chefs.

Some people call IH + HS great for networking, others say it’s educational, and some just call it one big party. In any case, members of the Housewares Association always connect, inspire and delight one another at this annual event and showcase.

Same Place, Same Comfort...All New Design

IH+HS is special for WellnessMats given that it was, in many ways, the real birthplace of WellnessMats. It was at this show that the company originally launched it’s top-of-the-line, premium anti-fatigue mats that have since revolutionized the ergonomic flooring category for millions of happy feet.

Guests at IH+HS have seen a succession of innovative, new Premium Standing Solutions for the entire home, including the PuzzlePiece Collection (for custom sizing and convenient floor coverage - you’ll see the chefs on one in the cooking Theater) and, more recently, the Studio Collection Mats which are ideal for compact kitchens and are perfect vanity mats.

This year, WellnessMats will debut yet another product in the New Product Pavilion - introducing the subtle, beautiful intricacies of the much-anticipated Linen Collection.

Detailed textured patterns give the appearance of natural-woven fabric, offering consumers a timeless color and design appeal, making healthy standing in every room of the home a reality. Available in 12 gorgeous colors – varying from deep reds to warm coppers, cool silvers to ocean-inspired blues – the Linen Collection gives consumers what they want: a contemporary yet timeless design that can work in any room and complement any color scheme.

“Subtle with a splash of color is what we’re hearing, and we think we’ve delivered just that with Linen Mats,” explains Daniel Bouzide, CEO of WellnessMats. “The best part may be that Linen Mats can be matched with any other pattern and we kept the color ways compatible so they ‘play well’ together.”

“Linen [mats] act as a bridge between styles, adding visual complexity to every room while delivering on the enduring WellnessMats promise.”

“This collection is true to the vision for the coming seasons; our focus is on Premium Standing Solutions for the entire home, vanity, workplace, yoga studio or home gym, the garage/grill and, of course, the kitchen - everywhere you stand, we have a quality solution designed for that application,” adds Bouzide.

Lights, Camera, WellnessMats...Action!

One of the (not so little) secrets of IH+HS is the Cooking Theater, a fully functional studio kitchen and stage built and fully outfitted with a generous sponsorship from our friends at Kitchenaid. The Cooking Theater stage looks a lot like the well-known Kitchen Stadium like you might see on the Food Network’s Iron Chef.

WellnessMats provide an elegant complement to Kitchenaid’s well-appointed Cooking Theater every year, which is why they have been a sponsor in the Theater now for nearly ten years.

If it weren’t for the support underfoot as well as behind the scenes in the staging kitchen backstage – the stage wouldn’t be as elegant, functional or attractive, nor would the chefs be as comfortable during their demos. And if you think chefs aren’t messy while on stage, think again. The enormous, custom-sized Granite Onyx PuzzlePiece Mat designed for this very stage takes quite a beating but holds up like a champ every year. That’s why WellnessMats are the mat-of-choice for so many prominent celebrity chefs and home cooks alike.

In the past, we’ve worked closely with Chefs like Fabio Viviani, who touts the comfort, style and performance of his very own line of Comfort Mats. We’ve had the pleasure of offering comfort and support for chefs including the first woman to win “Top Chef” Stephanie Izard, the Emmy Award-winning Ming Tsai, and accomplished restaurateur, chef and culinary consultant, Geoffrey Zakarian. Frankly, the list is too long to include here, but we’re still building upon it. This year we’re excited to introduce our mats for the first time ever to Cat Cora, Alex Guarnaschelli and many more accomplished chefs. 

A Healthy Way of Life

Don’t let the excitement about the kitchen distract from the true function of our Premium Standing Solutions. WellnessMats are, and have always been, for throughout home.

"A 'Healthy Way of Life' doesn’t begin and end in the kitchen. We are all about educating consumers that fit standing has a direct impact on healthy daily living."

We feel it’s a perfect time to share our effectiveness in other areas of the home with WellnessMats supporters. This year, in response to the growing popularity of our Studio Collection our consumers will also be introduced to the Semi-Circle Smooth Mat. We’re offering this highly anticipated mat in 4 dynamic colorways from our Granite Collection that include speckles of metallic golds and silvers. It’s another great product that enhances our "Healthy Way of Life" campaign.

We’re showing millions of believers, standing on WellnessMats in the kitchen that they can experience comfort all throughout the home.  

Our team is bringing that excitement to IH+HS to promote “WellnessMats for the Home” to our consumers, fellow retailers and housewares industry leaders. Additionally, our PR and Digital Marketing Team will provide coverage of the show for our supporters, working closely with the celebrity chefs while promoting and showcasing the new directions of WellnessMats.

The best way to stay up to date on all things WellnessMats, is to follow our social channels and be on the lookout for another blog recapping the show.

Other keynotes include understanding “How Millennials Make Themselves at Home” and trends in the industry relating to economics as well as color and design forecasts. Also throughout the four-day show, there are plenty of opportunities to visit the Innovation Theater, see ambitious inventors and marketers present their creations to panels of exports and to network in a laid-back environment with people who are serious about business.

The future of homes and living style is happening at IH+HS...and we’ll have the inside scoop for you, our amazing supporters.