Quality Importers Announces the XIKAR Xi2 Dia de Muertos Series

Quality Importers Trading Company announces the XIKAR Xi2 Dia de Muertos series, a celebration of the beautiful art surrounding the Mexican tradition of honoring deceased family and friends. Dia de Muertos will be celebrated on Sunday, November 1 and Monday, November 2.

Each of the four designs is inspired by Mexican regional traditions. The series will launch at the company’s QI Spotlight trade show on Saturday, October 17, and ship immediately after on Monday. Production is limited. Suggested retail price is $59.99.

Cartonería: In the state of Guanajuato, traditional paiper-mǎché (cartonería) skulls are made from paper and flour paste (engrudo). These festive and expressive designs often feature native flowers and patterns in bright colors such as pinks, teals and yellows.

Alfeñique: The states of Mexico and Puebla are well known for their sugar paste confections (alfeñique) which are molded into skulls and other shapes for Dia de Muertos. The style includes bright, neon-like colored icing in applied swirls, detailed patterns and miniature marigolds.

Guerrero: In the state of Guerrero, artisans make skulls of clay or carved wood with a stark black or white surface upon which they hand paint intricate folk-art. The designs often depict rural Mexican life detailed with images of birds, jaguars, harvests and traditional dances.

Huichol: In the mountainous region of Sierra Madre Occidental in western and central Mexico, Huichol artisans developed a style using wooden or clay skulls covered in beeswax, then tightly pressed vibrantly-colored beads one-by-one onto the surface creating a striking effect of color and patterns, often including imagery of fire, corn, and the sun.

QI Spotlight Trade Show will be held Saturday, October 17, 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM at its headquarters in Weston, FL. The event is free and exclusive to retailers. “We created and timed the event specifically to give retailers in Florida and the southeast a chance to save and stock up for the holidays, all while having fun seeing old friends and making new ones.” says Marilyn Florez-Giordano, President of Quality Importers.

Exhibitors include CLE/Asylum Cigars, Davidoff, Drew Estate, Espinosa Premium Cigars, Ellorian Leaf Library, Gran Habano Cigars, La Aurora USA, La Pistolina, Quality Importers Trading Co., West Tampa Tobacco Co. and Villiger.