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4 In this issue... REGULARS 8 Industry news All the latest from the world of gifts 17 On with the show Trade fair dates and show news 22 Brand spanking new Latest launches and brand-new products 27 Bookstand The latest releases in gift books FEATURES 29 Gift of the Year Finalists Learn more about the finalists of the Gift of the Year competition 38 Light up Candles and home fragrances sure to be customer favourites 43 A day for dad’s Capitalize on this perennial gifting occasion and stock Father’s Day gifts 49 Locally sourced Support your local supply chain and stock Made in Britain products in store 53 Paper planes Beautiful stationery from the industry’s best suppliers 74 Interiors: Colour Wheel Offering regal tones, purple is the colour of the moment as we head towards the king’s coronation 77 Art Direction Help customers create a stylish home with these print and art options 80 Interiors: Garden party Stock outdoor products suitable for the warmer months 27 March/April 2023 80 74 22 53 49
5 CONTENTS SHOWS 59 The Write Stuff Your guide to the London Stationery Show FOCUS ON 61 Gap in the Market Lily Hartley spotted a gap in the market for eco, cruelty-free and vegan bath products, with the successful Salt & Stream brand being the result 65 Up & Coming Starting in the height of the pandemic, Wag&Wool creates matching pet and human accessories – a growing trend in the UK 38 BUSINESS ADVICE 33 ACID Are some forms of theft more equal than others? Dids Macdonald, CEO of Anti Copying in Design (ACID), talks about Banksy 35 FSB Martin McTague, National Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses, looks at e-commerce in an ever-changing society 70 Business Feature Media Works and Peter Campbell of Snowshock look at the effectiveness of relating your company to the past 72 Business Feature How businesses are leading and adopting a zero-waste strategy 65 43 59 61
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7 EDITOR’S LETTER On the cover Corinne Lapierre kits are made in Yorkshire, England by the company’s small but very efficient team. The team is passionate about crafts and creativity, and like to think of the joy and excitement of customer’s opening their boxes! Best of British The annual Gift of the Year competition is a showcase of the best brands and innovative products on the market, and we’ve got all the winners and runner’s up in our comprehensive overview! Check out page 29 to see who’s won which category. While the winter nights may, thankfully, be drawing to a close, the lure of candles never go out of fashion and are perennial bestsellers all year round. To this end, I focus on some of the best home fragrance options on the market. Likewise, as Father’s Day is fast approaching, we throw the spotlight on what to stock for the men of the moment – from accessories to stationery, we’ve got it covered. Focusing on another trend, Made in Britain products are increasingly sought-after commodities, and we cover the best the industry has to offer on page 55. Don’t forget to check out the regulars, catching up on industry news, new products and business advice from the FSB and ACID. We also give further advice on nostalgia marketing and adopting a net zero strategy. We hope it helps! Enjoy the issue! Louise Prance Editor Louise DESIGN +44 (0)1376 535 616 artwork@giftfocus.com ACCOUNTS +44 (0)1376 535 616 accounts@giftfocus.com MANAGING DIRECTOR Sarah Ellis +44 (0)1376 535 602 sarah.ellis@giftfocus.com Gift Focus and Attire Accessories are solely owned, published and designed by KD Events and Publishing Ltd. Whilst every effort was made to ensure the information in this magazine was correct at the time of going to press, the publishers cannot accept legal responsibility for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility of the standing of advertisers nor by the editorial contributions. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. Gift Focus is published six times a year. ISSN 1758-0897 @giftfocus @giftfocusmag @gift_focus Gift Focus magazine is proud to be associated with and supporters of: ADVERTISING Account Manager Lauren Redford-Hughes +44(0)1376 535 609 lauren.redford-hughes @giftfocus.com EDITORIAL Editor Louise Prance +44 (0)1376 514 000 louise.prance@giftfocus.com Father's Day inspiration over on page 43. Lighting the way; new candle buys on page 38.
Industry news JUTEXPO CONVERTS 100 MILLION BOTTLES TO REUSABLE SHOPPING BAGS Jutexpo has reached the 100 million bottle mark having been recycled and converted into reusable shopping bags. With nearly one million plastic bottles being sold every minute across the globe, and the average time for them to biodegrade being 450 years, Jutexpo has taken action, by quite literally taking the bottles from our oceans and converting them into the shopping bags we all use on a daily basis. Barrie Turner, Chair and owner of Jutexpo has said: “With Halt Alliance and Jutexpo we have halted the process of plastic bottles from filling our oceans and damaging the planet. We are immensely proud to be hitting the 100 million bottles converted into reusable bags, and getting all those bottles out of our oceans and made into something we all benefit from. “Over the last two decades Jutexpo have supplied some of the biggest supermarkets in the UK with reusable shopping bags, and are looking forward to the next 100 million bottles being transformed into millions of bags for our clients.” Jutexpo is the UK market leader in reusable bags and products made with rPET (from post-consumer plastic bottles), along with Jute, Juco, Cotton, and its core principle is ‘Beyond the bag’ which focuses on integrity through ethical production, social responsibility, quality and trust. Supplying clients such as Sainsbury’s Waitrose, Merlin, John Lewis, WWF, Tesco and Marks & Spencer. www.jutexpo.co.uk Catch up on all the latest in our news round up CARTE BLANCHE GREETINGS PARTNERS WITH BULLDOG LICENSING Carte Blanche Greetings, best known for the award-winning Me to You brand and its signature character Tatty Teddy and nursery property, Tiny Tatty Teddy, has today announced a partnership with Bulldog Licensing, one of the licensing industry’s leading agencies. The timeless appeal of Tatty Teddy now extends well beyond its original incarnation as a greeting card character to make it a staple part of the UK brand landscape, propelling Me to You as a true heritage brand with timeless appeal. Since 2001 Carte Blanche has partnered with best-in-class licensees to bring to market best-selling Me to You products across many categories including apparel, print on demand, food, gifting and nursery – within these key categories, the characters regularly feature amongst retail number one performers. Alister Marchant, CEO of Carte Blanche Greetings comments: “Carte Blanche have a guiding mantra of considering category, customer and consumer in everything we do. We work hand-in- hand with our retail partners to execute elite class products in targeted categories to deliver excellence to the Me to You consumer. Rob Corney and the team at Bulldog share this approach and we’re thrilled to be partnering with them on this exciting new opportunity. Collaborating with Bulldog comes at the right time for Carte Blanche and our ambitions for Me to You and we’re looking forward to working with Bulldog to identify and deliver exciting ways to take our brand to new heights.” Rob Corney, MD of Bulldog Licensing, commented: “The positive response to Me to You and its delightful imagery made it an ideal candidate for extension into multiple categories very soon after its launch. Now it’s time to take Me to You to the next level. We’re extremely excited to be part of this new stage for this wonderful brand.” Talia Tester, Carte Blanche Greetings Head of Licensing, who will be spearheading the relationship with Bulldog, as well as managing a number of existing accounts, adds: “Bulldog is known as an industry leader in its field with a great commercial philosophy and second-to-none retailer relationships. The team and I are looking forward to working with the Bulldog team to open new doors and enter into new categories to further strengthen our existing brand performance.” www.carteblanchegreetings.com 8
INDX GIFT FOOD RETURNS IN 2024 With admission reserved for retailers only, INDX Gift Food is a unique trade show, attracting department stores, category specialists, high street retailers, boutiques, garden centres, delis, farm shops and e-tailers. Organised by Associated Independent Stores (AIS), the UK’s top buying group for fashion, home and leisure, and held at West Midlands exhibition centre, Cranmore Park, INDX Gift Food brings together an unrivalled selection of leading brands, all under one roof. Curated by Buyers, for Buyers, at INDX Gift Food there will be seasonal trends, product launches, samples and tastings, a friendly, business focused format and order-writing environment, free entry and free onsite parking. Complimentary coffee and refreshments. Convenient location, minutes from J4 M42. www.indxshows.co.uk THE ASSAY OFFICES OF THE UK ANNOUNCE KING CHARLES III CORONATION COMMEMORATIVE HALLMARK To celebrate the coronation of King Charles III a commemorative hallmark has been approved. Based on a medal by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS and using artwork supplied by Thomas Fattorini, the mark depicts the King’s head against an oval background. It can be applied to gold, silver, platinum or palladium items, by any of the four UK assay offices. The approval process involved the assay offices considering a selection of possible designs and submitting two to the British Hallmarking Council which chose the design depicting the King’s head. The King’s Coronation Mark will be an optional mark. Punches will be available in sizes 1mm to 6mm and the minimum size will be 1mm for punches, and 0.75mm for laser. The King’s Coronation Mark can be placed anywhere viable on the item being hallmarked, not necessarily next to the statutory hallmark, and can differ in size from the compulsory component marks. It can be made as large as is practically possible on the item being submitted. The King’s Coronation Mark can be used with or without the current Date Letter mark. The cost of applying the mark in a standard size will be £1, in addition to the standard hallmarking charges. A spokesperson for the Assay Offices of the UK said “The UK Assay Offices have a long tradition of capturing special events with the creation of commemorative hallmarks. The special mark provides an additional narrative for products carrying the mark. Equally importantly, it brings the importance of the hallmark into focus with the jewellery-buying consumer.” Jewellers, silversmiths and retailers can request the mark from their assay office from 1 March 2023 until the end of 2024. The commemorative mark can be applied with or without the current date letter mark. The addition of the commemorative mark will cost £1 for each article on which it is struck as standard, over and above the standard hallmarking charges. Laser and feature commemorative marks may be subject to additional charges. Contact your assay office for more information. INDUSTRY NEWS 9
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KITE PACKAGING LEADS THE WAY WITH NEW APP The employee share-owned company is paving the way in the UK packaging scene as the first to launch an app to support customer ordering. The app, which runs on all smart phones and mobile devices, will make the experience of purchasing packaging a notably smoother and faster transaction for Kite’s credit account customers. Customers will be able to sign in to the app using their existing login details to access their tailored products at their contracted prices as well as their payment, shipping and order history. Pending orders can also be viewed and tracked within the app. A quick scan feature helps users easily find items by reading product barcodes and yielding search results for them. The app enables instant scanning and ordering from the convenience of a mobile device, saving customers both time and money by streamlining their stock taking and ordering processes. Kite’s clever incorporation of mobile technology into their offering provides easier and faster ordering functionality, a personalised experience, and round-the-clock access to their packaging services at the touch of a button. To find out more about Kite Packaging and the services they offer, please visit www.kitepackaging.co.uk ROCKET EXPANDS FUZZBALLS PROGRAM WITH NEW LICENSEES Rocket Licensing, which represents the phenomenally popular Fuzzballs property, is building on the successful consumer products offering for the award-winning property and has already announced the addition of a number of new partners to a fast-growing licensing campaign. One billion stickers used on social media underlines the reach of the brand that began life as a Tumblr web comic. The stories of the group of (kawaii) characters, staring a cat named Whisky, Timmy the Tiger, Ollie the bunny, and a host of friends inspired a major licensing push. The raft of new licensees include; Kap Toys (plush & squishes), Brain Box Candy (social stationery and gifts) and VNR Trading (pop culture confectionery and drinks). These names have joined a UK licensee list that already includes Indiego, with entertainment distribution for t-shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies, Pyramid International for wall art, stationery and gifting, and Pinfinity for augmented reality collectible pins. Fuzzballs is experiencing great success at retail especially with HMV, which first stocked product last summer and positions the brand front and centre of its new stores. Fuzzballs also features in Forbidden Planet’s stores and website, with over 30 SKUs including keychains, badges, travel card holders, mugs and more. Scribbler features the brand prominently online and in-store, and Hot Topic launched an online range in January this year. This has now grown to 184 SKUs. Meanwhile the brand also has its own ecommerce site – www.fuzzballs.co – which has enjoyed huge year-on-year sales growth since 2020. The values of the Fuzzballs brand have captured the imagination of fans throughout the world, with a vast core audience consisting of teenage and student girls, millennials, gift buyers of all ages and pop culture followers. Each Fuzzball has their own unique personality and backstory that not only helps in the world building but is highly relatable to consumers and a key factor in their love of the brand. www.rocketlicensing.com POETIC BRANDS ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF NEW FOOTWEAR DIVISION Poetic Brands, the leading and innovative apparel licensee, has announced the launch of its newly developed footwear division. The first signing for this new division is Original Squishmallows – the lovable, ultra-soft, collectible plush phenomenon from Jazwares. Producing children’s footwear and slippers initially, this partnership is the perfect way for Poetic Brands to showcase their new line. Commercial Director of Poetic Brands, Anne Bradford has spent six months developing the new product line and says: “This has been a really exciting brand to work on and we’re so proud of the product line. We can’t wait to bring the ultra-squeezable, snuggly Squishmallows brand into our footwear division.” INDUSTRY NEWS 11
FOUR NEW PARTNERS FOR ELMER Andersen Press, publishers of the popular picture book character, Elmer the Patchwork Elephant, has recently signed four partners to its growing licensing and brand extension programme: The Puppet Company is launching Elmer hand puppets, Pawprint Family is creating badges and awards, publisher Immediate Media will create Elmer projects for their leading crafting titles and Kabode will collaborate on a special Elmer collection of infant bedding. These companies, alongside bags and aprons licensee, Petit Jour, will be launching brand new Elmer products in 2023. The partnerships were brokered by licensing agency, Metrostar. Paul Black, Brand Director at Andersen Press, comments: “2022 was a record sales year for Elmer books so it’s great to see Elmer licensing growing too. We’re on a mission to increase Elmer’s visibility and accessibility to all families so it’s especially exciting that Elmer products will be gracing so many new stands at the trade fairs in 2023.” Claire Potter, Metrostar Founder, adds: “Our messaging is strongly focussed around Elmer’s core value of “inclusivity”. We’re finding it’s this, alongside his popularity and signature patchwork which is highly motivating to potential partners. It’s great to start the New Year with four new additions to our licensing family and as we head towards Elmer’s 35th anniversary in 2024, we’ll be announcing a number of further licenses and collaborations.” TRADITIONAL TOYS COME OUT ON TOP FOR THE UK’S £3.6BN TOY MARKET The British Toy & Hobby Association (BTHA), organisers of the Toy Fair, and The NPD Group announced their annual industry insights at Toy Fair 2023, held at Olympia London, from the 24th to 26th January. Against a challenging economic backdrop in 2022 that saw UK toy sales decline three percent to £3.6bn, it was traditional toy categories – plush (soft toys), building sets, action figures, and vehicles – which drove toy sales, with all four categories seeing positive growth during the year. The best performing category of 2022, plush (soft toys), up a significant 29% YoY, delivered exceptional results for the toy industry due to its popularity with a wide audience, and its collectability appeal. 2022 saw the top toy properties going to the classics Star Wars, Marvel Universe, and Barbie, and the fastest growing went to Squishmallows and Jurassic World. Licensed toys grew for the fourth consecutive year, up by 5.5%, now accounting for 31% of the market – the highest ever share. The average selling price of a toy now at £10.54, shows that toys remain accessible all-year round purchases. In 2022, consumers increasingly favoured toys that cost between £30 and £50 suggesting that people were making more considered purchases. Toys were and remain available to suit a wide range of budgets. “The UK toy industry has continued to deliver toys and games for consumers at affordable prices during 2022 amongst high levels of inflation, and a cost-of-living crisis” commented Kerri Atherton, Head of Public Affairs at the BTHA. “Last year, new product innovations were vital to driving sales in the UK toy industry which led to growth in the plush toy category. With a strong line up of new releases for 2023, the UK toy industry has signs to be optimistic about the year ahead.” Melissa Symonds, Executive Director, UK Toys, from The NPD Group added, “New licenced properties like Gabby’s Doll House and classics like Star Wars drove major sales throughout 2022. With Disney celebrating their 100th anniversary and movie releases such as Barbie, Transformers, and Super Mario, 2023 looks set to be another good year for licenced toys, an instrumental part of the UK toy industry.” Christmas shoppers appeared to leave their shopping until the last minute this year with week 51 results up 15% on the previous year. This increase could be attributed to customer expectations of potential issues with home delivery which meant high street toy and game retailers enjoyed an uplift of in store sales during Q4. In store purchases increased throughout the year with offline sales accounting for 51% of the UK toy market, an increase of 6% from 2021. Online sales are still ahead of where they were before the pandemic, when online sales accounted for just 35% percent of the market. Melissa Symonds, Executive Director, UK Toys, from The NPD Group commented, “In 2022, we saw consumers returning to make more purchases in store during the year. Consumers are increasingly choosing to shop with specialist toy stores, which saw an uplift of 16% in sales, with consumers seeking out large product ranges offering choice and value.” KINKIND LAUNCHES INTO MASS RETAIL 100 percent plastic-free beauty brand KinKind announces its launch into mass retail, supported by a £2.3m TV advertising campaign to raise consumer awareness. The brand’s mission to convert the family bathroom to plastic-free, high performance beauty care alternatives is accelerating following an ‘airtime for equity’ deal agreed with UKTV Ventures over two years, which will see KinKind feature across seven channels reaching 28 million viewers. Following the investment, KinKind has upscaled and is now launching a retail-ready range in January 2023, and is seeking partnerships with like-minded retailers who support the brand’s plastic-free mission. The brand’s range of award winning innovative, highperformance hair and body care bars includes everyday products such as shampoo and conditioner, 2 in 1 shampoo and bodywash, and body moisturiser: as well as more targeted products including body scrub, after sun and even a dog shampoo bar. KinKind offers consumers an easyto-switch alternative to traditional premium bottled bathroom products that contain approx. 80% water and are packaged in plastic. Founder Victoria Coe, an experienced FMCG marketer said: “I believe it is up to us as business leaders to make it easy for consumers to reduce plastic in their homes. It’s not just the eco warriors who want to change, there is desire on a mass scale. It is our responsibility as brands and retailers to make easy switches available, affordable, and visible.” www.kinkind.co.uk 12
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On with the show Trade show updates from home and abroad Harrogate Fashion Week reports a successful show Harrogate Fashion Week closed its doors on a successful show, with brands exhibiting reporting great sales with a significant increase on last year. The show organisers reported an increase of over 35 percent more buyers than last year. This show is now a major player in the fashion trade calendar with the largest collection of womenswear brands under one roof, a substantial amount of special occasion wear, great footwear and new this season there were a few lingerie collections giving great add-ons for the boutiques. Buyers came from all over the country, as far North as Orkney Island and from Devon in the South. Irish shops flocked into Leeds Airport only a short taxi ride from Harrogate and most came for the two days to make the most of their trip. Organisers Wendy Adams and Sarah Moody were thrilled with the comments from both buyers and exhibitors and announced at the show that for the S/S show this year they have extended to three days due to demand. Sarah commented: “Buyers can do a complete buy at HFW with great daywear, eveningwear, shoes, and accessories all in an easy to navigate layout so there is no need to go anywhere else.” Pennita from Pennita, Helmsley commented: “We could go elsewhere but why? It is all at HFW under one roof. The extra day next season will make the buying experience more relaxed and enjoyable. It will allow me to spend a little more time with each brand and not feel rushed. I love the show.” John McElhinney from McElhinneys, Donegal said: “We had a great show and love coming here. Lots of the brands we stock are exhibiting, and 3 days would be beneficial and help to spread out the buying.” Buyers were thrilled to visit this beautiful spa town and many commented that it was like the “good old days when fashion took over the town.” They love the great mix of business and pleasure that Harrogate offers, in addition to easy access to the venue from all the hotels, bars and restaurants. Brands who are big supporters of HFW include Isabella, Orientique, Marble, Pomodoro, Veromia, Rino & Pelle, Dolcezza, Lily & Me, John Charles, Bariloche, Tilley & Grace, NYDJ and Kevan Jon. Many of them commented how they love the atmosphere in the venue, the additional extras the organisers offer, and the friendly personal service given. They feel valued which is important when investing time and money in a show. Newcomers this season included Kate & Pippa, Amazing Woman, Brenda Zaro, Vilagallo, Flufie, Sabbot Headwear, Patricia Eve, Sahara, Red & Royal, Ochre Knitwear, Mjus Footwear, Nila Rubia, and many more. Wendy explained that the 3rd hall which was opened last season had an additional 1000sqm of stand space and that it was expected to be completely full for the summer edition, with a possibility of going into a 4th Hall. 17 NEWS & EVENTS
INDX FURNITURE RECORDS WELL-ATTENDED EVENT In its tenth anniversary edition, INDX Furniture was able to record one of its most-well attended shows to date, despite a backdrop of market challenges. Curated by buying group, Associated Independent Stores (AIS), the show achieved a 60 percent increase in visitor numbers since its previous edition, and welcomed 35 suppliers across two showrooms at Cranmore Park. This figure includes 9 first-time exhibitors and 11 major furniture brands. Following the appointment of leading trend agency Scarlet Opus in 2022, member day visitors were also able to engage with specialists Phil Pond and Shelley Bou Chrouch for one-toone sessions throughout the show, offering insight on the retail landscape for 2023, consumer buying trends and more. Emma Rackley, Director of Furniture & Home at AIS, said: “Despite forecasts of a difficult year, the furniture industry is already proving to be incredibly resilient, with a real buzz around the show from Friday through till Monday. “Across the event, various exhibitors and visitors remarked on the high-quality nature of this year’s offering, which is testament to our ongoing efforts to create the most focused order-writing environment possible.” The February 2023 edition also marked the debut of a number of major brands, including the sustainably-sourced Bell & Stocchero, Italian upholstery manufacturer Cala Italia, and luxury Swedish bed company Mattsons. Charlie Bell, Director at Bell & Stocchero, said: “We joined AIS as a member just a week before the show and are already beginning to reap the benefits. The intimate showroom environment was really welcoming, and meant that we were able to put the USPs of our products front and centre, alongside allowing us to get face-to-face with buyers who are serious about doing business.” Oscar Mattson, Vice President at Mattsons Beds, said: “INDX was our first time bringing our products to market in the UK and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results. Everyone at the show was really friendly, making it the perfect place to strike up new business opportunities, which allowed us to exceed our initial targets as a result.” Scotland Trade Spring Fair saw returning confidence Scotland’s Trade Spring Fair saw returning confidence in the market with exhibitors and buyers in an upbeat, positive frame of mind at this key buying show for the gift market. After three days of orders being made, new contacts being established and networks being re-connected, the Show was deemed a success by exhibitors and buyers alike. Off the back of a successful retail season in 2022 in Scotland, buyers are feeling very positive about the year ahead and the leads and orders generated reflected this. Tourism is one of the key drivers of the gift market in Scotland and the early indicators for this year are very positive once again. Richard Wallace from new exhibitor Glen Ogal said: “This has been a fantastic few days for us, with many orders written, new stockists secured and new leads established. It is a great start to the year.” One highlight of the Show was the Best Product awards judged by retail experts Sarah Gordon from Luss General Store, Charmaine Fox from Caulders Garden Centres and Amy McCusker from Wee Box. They were impressed by the standard of the entrants as well as the pricepoints, design and creativity, making choosing winners very difficult. Amy McCusker said: “From innovative design to stylish gifts, the entrants and winners of the awards alike should be proud. It is inspiring to see the industry pushing the envelope and emerging from 2 years of the pandemic with renewed determination.” The Talking Shop Seminar Theatre hosted a series of wellattended informative and relevant talks on all aspects of retailing, including masterclasses on social media and online content, panel discussions with leading influencers and the ever- favourite Nessie’s Den, where new young companies pitch to retailers in a light-hearted session. The Show was also delighted to welcome a visit from Ivan McKee MSP, Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism & Enterprise, who toured the Show and spoke about support for Scottish businesses. Fiona Fabian from Papyrus said of the Show: “This was a superb Show. I came for a few hours on the Sunday and ended up coming back for all three days! With so much to see and people to talk to, this was the best Scottish Show I’ve ever attended.” Show Director Mark Saunders added: “Whilst there are clearly big challenges still for all businesses, it will be considerably easier to navigate these as footfall in shops continues to build. The last three years have not been easy ones for exhibitions and in that time, new routes to market and subtle changes in buying patterns have emerged. However, over and over again, the overriding benefits of trade shows were evident. Face to face communication will not go away and the ability to see, feel, touch, taste and smell are a vitally important part of the buying process.” www.scotlandstradefairs.com 18
CHSI STITCHES COLLABORATES WITH THE GIFTWARE ASSOCIATION The Giftware Association has announced it is working in collaboration with ICHF Events, the UK’s leading organiser of CHSI Stitches and a portfolio of lifestyle and hobby events, following its takeover of The Creative Industries Association in 2022. The GA has been learning more about the industry and getting to know creative craft businesses and members at Craft Shows organised by ICHF. ICHF Events has welcomed the association to the craft industry and the collaboration will see both businesses embarking on future events and projects. “It has been great to visit so many new shows across the UK and focus on the craft industry,” states Giftware and Creative Industry Association CEO, Sarah Ward. “I have learnt a lot about the industry and our new members from Simon Burns and the ICHF team, who have shared their knowledge and experience. We are excited to be working on some exciting new projects together that will further cement and grow our relationship for the benefit of the craft and creative industries.” Simon Burns, Managing Director, ICHF Events, “ICHF has been working to support the creative craft industry for decades and we are delighted to collaborate with the Giftware and Creative Industry Association on our common goal to help businesses thrive and grow. There is a great opportunity for a CHSI Stitches exhibitor to win a brand-new Gift of the Year Craft Award, created especially for the show this year.” Connect @ Autumn Fair transforms the future of trade shows Autumn Fair, the UK’s leading and most trusted marketplace for wholesale home, gift, and fashion taking place from the 3rd – 6th September 2023, sees the launch of Connect @ Autumn Fair. Endorsed by leading UK retailers such as John Lewis, WHSmith and Choice, Connect @ Autumn Fair is a transformational new approach to buying, designed to revolutionise the traditional trade show model by connecting retailers and brands on a scale never achieved before. As the definitive ‘shop for shops’, Autumn Fair organised by Hyve Group plc, has supported the retail industry for over 30 years. The home, gift and fashion markets are worth billions of pounds and Autumn Fair is where retail’s bestsellers are found, relationships are forged, products are launched, new ideas and the latest trends for bricks and mortar and e-commerce stores are discovered. From this September, Connect @ Autumn Fair will lead the way for the retail community and transform the buying experience by fuelling thousands of pre-arranged buying meetings before the show even opens. Viewed as the dawn of a new era for retailers, Connect @ Autumn Fair will connect thousands of the UK’s leading buyers and retailers with all 600+ Autumn Fair exhibitors before the show. Buyers will be able to discover the brands and products their businesses need, by selecting from hundreds of data points important to them. Exhibitors can create leads, orders, and opportunities with the buyers they want to meet most - all in an incredibly efficient and effective way - turning chance meetings into guaranteed connections. Ellen Bonsink, Buyer, WHSmith says; “I think Connect @ Autumn Fair will be really good. It’ll be really easy for us as buyers to be in the right hall at the right time so we’re not lost or missing suppliers. It sounds like it’ll be nice to have a curated programme so we can find the best products and find suppliers who are a good match for the business, rather than leave it to chance and miss suppliers.” Over 6,000 meetings are anticipated to take place at Autumn Fair. Each meeting is 15 minutes long and all meetings are double opt-in, meaning both parties have agreed to meet. Meetings take place on the stand, so buyers can explore the full product range. Buyers can participate in as many double opt-in 15-minute meetings as they’d like limited only by availability and mutual interest. If more than 15 minutes is required, a follow-up meeting can be arranged at or after the show. Nicola Meadows, Portfolio Director at Spring & Autumn Fair says, “Buyer’s time is precious, and justifying time away from the retailing space has never been harder. Connect @ Autumn Fair changes all this. Visiting a trade show should not be about chance; buyers can now source and plan their time at the show in advance, and know they are meeting suppliers that will meet their needs. With access to extensive information on every exhibitor and product category, from origin and sustainability credentials to pricing and minimum order values, retailers will be able to pre-select meetings with brands whose products most suit their needs. Exhibitors will, for the first time ever, be able to discover and connect with buyers, based on over 100 datapoints. Through this revolutionary meetings programme, powered by cutting-edge but easy to use technology, we connect the right people, at the right time, and deliver game-changing impact to our customers, their businesses and their industries. With Connect, we remove all the potential anxiety, and the element of the unknown, and allow buyers and exhibitors to be prepared and informed. This is the biggest investment we have ever made in Spring & Autumn Fair’s history. Connect @ Autumn Fair is ripping up the rule book on events and creating value our customers didn’t realise was possible.” www.autumnfair.com 19 NEWS & EVENTS
info@corinnelapierre.com - tel: 0113 2460403 Embroidery kits to delight & inspire www.corinnelapierre.com Creativity in a box ! free sample packs with every order Find us on Faire for 60-day payment terms: corinnelapierrelimited.faire.com Made in Scotland For the perfect must have gift! Silk & Velvet Scarves Unique British Pewter Jewellery Timeless Liberty Art Fabrics Glenshee Wee Bothies glensheepottery@gmail.com Original Wee Bothies Tin Roof Bothies ladycrowscotland@gmail.com Cream Seaglass Satin Designed by Ladycrow Heather Thatch Slate Bothies www.heavenscent.co.uk Heaven Scent doing things naturally
22 Brand spanking new Check out some new and exciting products in the current market JOE DAVIES Wild Blossom is a new range from Joe Davies featuring a range of beautifully decorated ceramic gifts. The design is a colourful array of watercolour spring blooms, bees and butterflies adorning a cream dimpled textured matt finish ceramic. Using all the bestselling shapes such as Mugs, coasters, hanging heart plaques, tealights and heart tokens combined with heartfelt sentiments for Mum, Nan, friends and family make this collection the perfect choice for gifts and home décor. This new addition to your shop is sure to set the spring season selling off to a great start. Joe Davies has a reputation for award winning customer service and a great range of gifts dedicated to the independent retailer, what’s more all their products are available in their trademark ‘little and often’ quantities with a minimum order value of just £100 and free nationwide delivery. www.joedavies.co.uk VICTORIA EGGS The decadent Afternoon Tea collection was inspired by Victoria’s love of this quintessentially British ritual. The delicate design includes Afternoon Tea favourites including tea cups filled with blooming florals, intricately decorated cupcakes, and delicious finger sandwiches and macarons. “There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.” - Henry James All items from the collection are lovingly hand-crafted right here in the UK. Fine Bone China ceramics are made from the finest Cornish clay, and textiles are printed onto unbleached 100 percent cotton using environmentally friendly water-based inks. The collection includes a mug, tea cup and saucer, tea towel, bauble, apron, double oven glove, canvas bag, English Breakfast tea, shortbread biscuits, and coasters. trade.victoriaeggs.com PERSONALISED MEMENTO COMPANY Brand new from PMC, this commemorative crystal token is the perfect keepsake to mark the coronation of King Charles III. Available in a personalised or nonpersonalised option. This new token is part of a new range of commemorative gifts that spans a variety of products such as candles and hanging decorations! Visit PMC’s trade website today to see the full range of gifts available. With something for everyone – and for any occasion, it’s no surprise the Personalised Memento Company are the UK’s leading trade supplier for personalised gifts. Established in 2004, they are innovative and proactive in designing new ranges to keep up with current trends, whilst still supplying those classic gifts too. www.personalisedmemento.co.uk CORINNE LAPIERRE Corinne Lapierre loves bees and so do customers. Her Bee Linen Lavender Bag are so popular that she decided to design a bee themed mini kit with a difference. Covered in buzzing bees and trailing leaves and flowers, this adorable Beehive hanging decoration would grace any garden room or could even be suspended from an indoor plant! The on-trend printed craft card recyclable box is packed with absolutely everything needed to complete the project including soft wool mix felt, DMC thread, a needle and toy filling. Detailed instructions and templates are very clear and easy to follow. There are around 30 designs of Corinne Lapierre Mini Kits to choose from, all in irresistible little boxes that are easy to display and a fantastic way to grow a gift craft kit range. www.corinnelapierre.com
23 BRAND SPANKING NEW SELBRAE HOUSE Selbrae House prides itself on providing a wide range of hand-crafted homeware products that make unique presents for all occasions, and with the launch of the new Celebrate Love collection you couldn’t ask for a more perfect range of gifts for weddings, engagements and anniversaries! The Celebrate Love collection features a delightful range of heart shaped accessories, as well as slate and oak tableware and serveware. Each slate and oak piece is engraved with a celebrate love design and are go-to pieces for dinner parties! Whether you’re building a striking tablescape by incorporating the placemats, coasters and table runner into your décor, or serving your favourite canapes and selection of nibbles on the paddle and board, this range will guarantee you are doing it in style. Carrying on the celebrate love theme, beautiful oak kitchen products have also been introduced to the Selbrae House selection. Ranging from Egg cups featuring “Better Half” and “Other Half” to a “spread the love” butter dish, these items will make beautiful gifts for new couples so they can enjoy slow mornings sharing breakfast together. www.selbraehouse.co.uk MATTEL Mattel, Inc. has revealed the all-new line up for Disney Princess and Disney Frozen to consumers. The line delivers on consumer kid’s insights on what they want, including more animal friends and sidekicks, reveal innovation, castles, houses and vehicles, hair play and colour change, and expanded storytelling opportunities. Offerings include Disney Princess and Disney Frozen characters accompanied by accessories heart, such as Queen Elsa and the Water Nokk. Toys on-shelves now, globally, include bright colours, true-to-character facial features, hair fibre tailored to the characters, and premium fabrics. The Disney dolls line from Mattel will also include unique collector offerings for adult fans that will celebrate the Disney Princess and Disney Frozen characters in a new way with premium offerings to expand every fan’s collection. Together, Mattel and Disney will also bring the Disney Villains out of the shadows with a curated collection of premium dolls, capturing these mischievous characters in a new light. The new line up follows last year when Mattel announced it would have the global licensing rights to develop lines of toys for Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing, including fashion dolls, small dolls, and figures. BRAINSTORM Brainstorm toys has a wide range of products that will prove popular across multiple retail channels in 2023 particularly gift outlets. The EUGY collection continues to grow with new additions including Squirrel, Red Dragon, Moose and Spino taking the number of EUGY models to 54. Made from environmentally friendly, biodegradable card with natural eco-friendly ink and non-toxic glue, the craft 3D EUGY models can be built by following a simple number sequence and children will enjoy collecting the huge selection of animal, dinosaur and mythical models. The impulse price point makes it a perfect gift and Brainstorm Toys have a range of FSC certified POS available which will help gift retailers to showcase the collection with maximum impact. The Brainstorm Toys brand has several new additions and the My Very Own Solar System Suncatcher is a brilliant addition to any Space fan’s bedroom. It comes with eight planets and both translucent paint and a glow in the dark pen to colour them in. The resulting Suncatcher shimmers in sunlight and gently glows at night. Use the planets to create a hanging mobile using the clear thread and sucker to hang on windows or mirrors. Thumbler is a totally addictive, pocket-sized spinning top that transforms into a multi-coloured light show when swirled. Invented by an astrophysicist, this unique fidget toy has its own stand and features a symmetrical spinning top encased in a special enclosure that allows it to spin faster and longer. Thumbler also comes with detailed scientific information about the physics behind each spin on the Brainstorm website. As well as being great for kids, Thumbler also makes a unique desk toy for adults. www.brainstormltd.co.uk MAD BEAUTY Mad Beauty has launched three new collections under the Disney license as well as a trio of trend led Mad Beauty ranges ready for the spring summer season. Mad Beauty’s Creative Director, Julia Cash comments: “This year also marks Disney’s 100th anniversary and we are celebrating Disney’s 100 Years of Wonder with an innovative collection inspired by the art of movement.” The collection features classic character art and interactive moving elements from, movie theatre, camera and lenticular inspired packaging to flip book face masks, lip balms and even a puppet inspired Mickey nail file. Pure Princess also joins the Disney line up, shining a spotlight on much-loved forever icons the Disney Princesses with dazzling new innovations and bestselling formats across cosmetics, skincare, bath and body care and beautiful artworks created exclusively for Mad Beauty! Ready for Disney’s much-anticipated The Little Mermaid release, the Ariel-inspired collection features nostalgic styling from the original release with shellfie ready bath, body and beauty in ocean-inspired prints and iridescent finishes. New on Mad Beauty’s own label side, Mystic Magic brings a touch of wonder to daily routines, inspired by the growing trend for all things magical, spiritual and astrological, while Bursting with Pride hits shelves ready for the festival season, bringing technicoloured joy to both celebratory glow ups and post-party wind downs! Finally, Gnome Matter What’s unique gifts full of garden charm, embrace the growing appreciation for nature in consumers, and make the perfect gifts for plant parents and beauty lovers alike! www.madbeauty.com
24 ANCIENT WISDOM The Konjac Sponge is a cosmetic hit of recent years. It has a beneficial effect on all skin types. In the new range of Konjac sponges from Ancient Wisdom there are eight different products, suitable for acne, combination, couperose as well as dehydrated and dry skin. Customers can save up to 15 percemt by ordering the carton quantities, see product variations below. Konjac (Amorphophallus konjac) is a perennial that comes from Asia, and was known in Japan as early as 1500 years ago. Konjac sponge contains many natural nutrients, vitamins and minerals. It naturally balances the pH of the skin. The sponges are enclosed in elegant cardboard packaging with original, mystical graphics that will catch the attention of your customers. And when that happens, you can tell them about the positive effects of using the Konjac: • removes impurities and blackheads, • deeply cleanses even hard-to-reach places, • gently exfoliates dead skin cells, • maintain water in skin, gives it a glow. Konjac sponges are 100% biodegradable and ecological. www.ancientwisdom.biz/tkong SANDLEWOOD COUNTRY CLUB This home fragrance and body care collection combines sophisticated designs with the scents of nature, available in two unisex fragrances: Driftwood & Sea Salt and Cedarwood & Moss. The range includes luxurious soap bars, hand wash, shower gels, candles & reed diffusers ranging from £5.95 - £16.95 RRP. www.thesomersettoiletryco.co.uk LADELLE Entertaining for family and friends is a breeze with the Gather range of Acacia wood serving towers. Available in round and rectangular options, and in 2 or 3 tiers, each tier features a gentle lip to ensure food doesn’t slide off. Simply wipe clean or rinse the platters in warm water and dry thoroughly before folding them down, or unscrewing for easy storage. www.ladellegroup.com PINTAIL CANDLES Camomile & Clover is a vibrant wildflower fragrance reminiscent of a hot summer day, strolling across a luxuriant lawn of camomile & clover. Fresh, green herbaceous notes are entwined with the dusky scent of a rambling rose. Floating on soft hints of clover honey and ripened apples invigorated by a citrus burst of fresh lime. Camomile & Clover is presented in three candle ranges including the striking Co-ordinate candle with a bold single colour label and a burn time up to 35 hours which retails for under £10. A magical floral fusion is created by Blue Lilac & Lily with the rich powdery tones of blue lilac mingling with the heady scent of Stargazer lilies. Wrapped up in a bouquet of enchanting notes of exotic jasmine, wild rose and delicate violet. Reclining on a rich and mellow base of delicious vanilla and smooth tonka. This fragrance is presented in this year’s trendy shade of blue, Pantone’s “Veri Peri”. It is available in their Paint Pot Candle range with a burn time up to 14 hours, retailing for under £6. Continuing with the sunny theme, their Caribbean Coconut fragrance has been refreshed with an extra tropical infusion. The deliciously smooth coconut aroma is energised with zesty carnival notes of pineapple and a splash of Jamaican white rum. All of these new candles are individually hand poured in the traditional way and are made in the famous Lake District. www.pintailcandles.co.uk AQUA OPTIMA Aqua Optima has unveiled a fresh new look as it seeks to strengthen its position as a sustainable water filtration specialist and appliance brand and highlight the importance of sustainability in water technology. Market research carried out by the brand has revealed that the audience for water filtration products and appliances is becoming younger and more diverse, as consumers look for new routes to being more eco-friendly. Aqua Optima, part of Strix Group plc, has made substantial moves towards offering a more sustainable product portfolio – including manufacturing its jugs and appliances in a solar-powered factory. All its water filters are now fully recyclable via its relationship with TerraCycle® and its latest appliances, powered by Strix technology, are designed to reduce energy and water waste. www.strix.com
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