The latest edition of the HKTDC Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair suggests that the gifting category is undergoing a structural shift.  While attendance remains strong, with more than 95,000 buyers from 134 markets this year, value is being redefined across the supply chain.

Today, products are competing less on price or novelty, and more on a combination of sustainability, functionality and storytelling. This aligns with broader shifts across retail in Asia, where consumers are prioritising quality, meaning, and long-term value over trend-driven consumption.

Jenny Koo, HKTDC deputy executive director, outlined that the fair is expanding beyond trade facilitation to supporting cultural and creative industries and intellectual property development. 

“In alignment with the national 15th Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong will continue to actively develop its role as a regional intellectual property trading hub, further enhancing its international competitiveness in the cultural and creative industries and IP transactions.” 

Sustainability moves upstream

One of the clearest signals from the fair is the shift in sustainability’s position within the value chain.

In the gifts and premiums segment, cultural gifts are expected to see the strongest growth at 19.7 per cent, followed by sustainable and tech-enabled products at 18.6 per cent each. The proximity of these figures suggests that sustainability is no longer a standalone category. It is increasingly becoming part of mainstream product development. 

More notably, sustainability is moving upstream. It is no longer confined to packaging or end-of-cycle considerations, but is influencing material selection, manufacturing processes and product architecture.

This is particularly relevant for manufacturers such as Marshallom, whose core expertise in tin packaging underscores the growing strategic importance of upstream capabilities. As sustainability expectations extend across the full product lifecycle, packaging is increasingly treated as an integral component of product value rather than a secondary layer.

Design becomes functional, storytelling adds value

Alongside sustainability, design also plays an equally important role. It is no longer defined primarily by aesthetics, but by its ability to improve functionality, extend product lifespan and adapt to multiple use cases.

This reflects a broader shift in consumer expectations across Asia, where demand is increasingly centred on practicality, durability and long-term usability. 

Heritage brands are leveraging this shift differently from newer entrants. Hong Kong-based Camel Vacuum Flask, founded in 1940, positions durability and reliability as core attributes. Its legacy becomes a signal of quality, in step with a market that increasingly values longevity. 

In contrast, Moral Bag Co reflects a more contemporary approach, designing products around versatility and mobility. Its offerings are positioned to support multiple daily contexts, from work to leisure, responding to increasingly fluid consumer routines. 

However, design alone is no longer sufficient to differentiate. There’s a growing expectation for products to come with stories that give them depth and meaning. 

Singapore-based Risis captures this shift. Founded from a scientist’s effort to preserve an orchid, the brand weaves storytelling into its products through real orchids encased in gold. The result is a proposition that combines material innovation with emotional and cultural resonance.

This reflects a broader retail trend in which storytelling is becoming central to how consumers engage with products. Across Asia, emotional connection and cultural relevance are increasingly influencing purchasing decisions, particularly among younger consumers. 

In this context, storytelling is not an additional layer of branding. It is increasingly at the heart of how product value is understood. 

From sourcing to strategic alignment

Taken together, these shifts point to a broader transformation in how sourcing is understood.

It is no longer a transactional process focused on price and efficiency. Instead, it is becoming a strategic function, one that integrates sustainability, design and narrative into decision-making.

The fair’s structure reinforces this change. By co-locating multiple lifestyle sectors, it enables cross-category exploration, allowing buyers to identify opportunities that extend beyond individual product segments.

Hong Kong’s role is evolving accordingly. As Koo highlights, the city continues to position itself as a connector between Mainland China and global markets, facilitating cross-sector collaboration and international trade. 

“HKTDC will continue to leverage Hong Kong’s unique advantage of connecting the Chinese Mainland with the rest of the world, foster cross-sector international trade collaboration, and reinforce Hong Kong’s status as an international trade hub,” he said. 

In this context, the Gifts & Premium Fair operates not only as a sourcing platform but also as a coordination point where product development, manufacturing capabilities, and brand storytelling converge.

Sustainability and smart design are now foundational requirements, while storytelling is emerging as the element that ties them together, translating product attributes into meaning.

For retailers and suppliers alike, the implication is not simply to adapt to these changes, but to integrate them. The next phase of gifting will be defined not by individual trends, but by how effectively these elements are combined into a cohesive, scalable proposition.