The Taiwan Teddy Bear Association (TWTBA)
Compared to the U.S. and European countries, Taiwan is very new to the world of teddy bears. However, since the Taiwan Teddy Bear Association was founded in 2003, more and more people have got to 'know" about teddy bears. Through the TWTBA and some educational events in department stores and teddy bear making classes, people here in Taiwan have gradually realized the meaning of teddy bear and artist "appreciation".
Of course, the TWTBA still needs to work hard in order to establish the whole market system here in Taiwan. Some years ago, collectors in Taiwan only collected famous brands such as Steiff, Hermann bears and so on. But our records show that more collectors are interested in purchasing artist's handmade teddy bears as well as the more popular brands. For example, when we visited a SWISS show last summer, TWTBA members (a group of 7 people) brought 53 artist handmade bears in 2 days.
At the 2007 Taiwan Teddy Bear show, we had 40 exhibitors and more than 2,000 visitors in one day! It was a big success!!! We hope we can increase by 5~10 trade tables each year. Yes, it's a small show but we try to make it very special, with music/dance, interactive programs, culture theme exhibitions, English/Japanese/German/Chinese translation services, and lunch for the exhibitors. We even provide a local tour for overseas exhibitors!
For more information about the TWTBA, please visit our web site at
www.twtba.org.tw
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