Month: March/April 2020 Issue: 5 Volume: 31
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Gifts Today
Contents
Regulars 5 Message from the editor 7 News 14 Giftware Association
March/April 2020
All the winners from Gift of the Year 2020 awards
24 Licensing news 43 Ross Hewitt’s social media
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Cover story 30 Groovy UK Founded in 1991, the company are known for putting their own original spin onto designs inspired by a whole host of popular movies, TV and fashion trends. We look at their licensed offering, and discover how licences pass through the in-house design and manufacturing process
Retail 22 Manuscript We catch up with Charlie Stockbridge, the MD of the pen and stationery company with 150 years in the pen industry
40 Parlane
Gifts Today team
Parlane’s head of sales talks about the company’s history and their fabulous homewares offering
44 Eightmood
Editor
Eight reasons to offer Scandi style to your home
Sally Norton sally@lemapublishing.co.uk
accessories offering
46 Royal Horticultural Society
Advertisement Manager
The RHS’s head of retail Damian Powell tells Gifts
Mark Horsnell markh@lemapublishing.co.uk
Today how important gifts are to their offering
50 Mr Stanley’s
New Business Sales
Marian McNamara marian@lemapublishing.co.uk
With a heritage dating back to 1843, the company offers the very finest in British confectionery
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Layout/Design
Rick Vickers rick@lemapublishing.co.uk
Managing Director
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Mark Naish mark@lemapublishing.co.uk
Special Features 6 8
Top Drawer review Maped Helix
The company introduce their new Picnik Lunchware
Production Director
10 Exclusively 2020
Chairman
12 Spring Fair review 16 BCTF preview
A preview of the June show
Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk
Malcolm Naish malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk
We look ahead to the April show
18 London Stationery Show Attracting the UK’s biggest retailers, influential buyers and brands, the show is set to celebrate its
Lema Publishing Ltd
PUBLISHING
1 Churchgates, The Wilderness, Berkhamsted, Herts, HP4 2UB Telephone: 01442 289930
p 46
10th birthday this April
25 Licensed gifts 39 Home Interiors
We take a closer look at this growing category
48 Gifts for garden centres We take a look at this growing category - and visit Palmers Garden Centre, a thriving garden centre in Leicester, for inspiration
Contents March final.indd 1
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Liberty Candles are the exclusive distributor for Candle Warmers in the UK & Ireland Liberty Candles & Marvel Fragrances Company Ltd. www.libertycandles.co.uk • brad@candlewarmers.com • 01942 677 448
Agents Wanted South East South West
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p46
p44
Message from the Editor www.gifts-today.co.uk
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Instagram: @giftstodaysally
ell, here it is – spring. The Brexit decision is behind us at last, and the Gifts Today team is back in the office full of inspiration and ideas after all we’ve seen at the first shows of the year. It was all going so well. Until Coronavirus. And so more uncertainty begins. But as I sit at my desk putting the final touches to this issue, I want to take this opportunity to say Gifts Today is here for your industry. As well as the print magazine you’re reading, or the digital edition you’re looking at on screen, we have a website and social media that will continue to share news, views and the latest product launches with you over the coming weeks and months. If you’re not already signed up for our newsflash service, please do so now to ensure you’re updated with the latest news posted on our website: gifts-today.co.uk. You’ll also find Gifts Today on LinkedIn, and there’s our Instagram @GiftsTodaySally. If you have news or launches you’d like to share with our readership, just drop me an email. It’s sally@ lemapublishing.co.uk. Wherever you’re working, Gifts Today is a great place for the industry to come together. We’re here to support you. And so to the contents of this issue, our March/ April 2020 edition. I’ll start with our licensing feature. Our cover stars Groovy UK sit at the heart of it. Founded in 1991, they’re known for putting their own original spin onto their licensed designs. I found it particularly fascinating to discover how they bring a licence like Harley Quinn through the design process.You can read more on page 30. I really enjoyed working on our Garden Centre
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Gifts feature, too. I had a great chat with the Royal Horticultural Society’s Head of Retail, Damian Powell, about how important gift retail is to the RHS. There are 1.2m visitors each year to RHS Wisley alone, and gifts make up 35% of retail revenue. Proof that people really do treat a trip to a garden centre as a day out and more than just an opportunity to pick up some bedding plants. Lots in the interview to inspire and inform the independent retailer. Head to page 46 to read. We also spoke to Palmers, a thriving garden centre in Leicester for inspiration. It’s a fourth generation family business that started as a small allotment back in 1911, and now has a successful Home & Giftware department. Read our interview on page 48. In addition, we bring you a broad range of product from the likes of Something Different, Wild Things, Posh Paws and Mr Stanley’s. Lots to inspire. And last, but not least, we look at the growing home interiors category, with a focus on fabulous companies like Parlane, Eightmood and Culinary Concepts. In fact, we are planning a special standalone Home Interiors supplement for our October issue, that’ll go out with the main issue. Do get in touch with our sales team Mark and Marian to get involved – we have lots of exciting content planned. All this and show reviews and previews, news and views, profiles and products. I do hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together for you.
We have a website and social media that will continue to share news, views and the latest product launches with you over the coming weeks and months
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The views of the contributors expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the publisher. Comments, letters and criticism are welcome.
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News
Groupon stops selling physical gifts The e-commerce marketplace will no longer sell any physical items, shifting its focus solely onto experiences. Rich Williams, the Chicago-based company’s chief executive, announced that Groupon will ‘exit goods’ and no longer sell gifts, clothing, toys or any other physical goods. ‘We believe our plan to exit goods will allow us to dedicate the focus and resources necessary to build a winning position as the purchase of experiences continues to migrate online,’ Williams said.
John Lewis warns of store closures Sharon White, the newly appointed and first-ever woman to chair the John Lewis Partnership, has warned that closures could be coming to the 50-strong John Lewis estate. The partnership, which also operates around 340 Waitrose supermarkets, is facing ‘difficult decisions about stores and about jobs’, she said. Three Waitrose stores, Helensburgh, Four Oaks and Waterlooville, have already been earmarked for closure.
#myshoplife20 challenge The independent shop Instagram challenge has launched in readiness for April. #myshoplife20, aims to get shopkeepers to tell their story through Instagram. Starting on 1 April, there is a new prompt for each day and people can take part by posting to the Instagram grid or in stories (or both). A planner with a brief explanation of what to post each day is available from pencilmeinshop.co.uk/pages/my-shoplife-instagram-challenge or you can find My Shoplife Challenge from the menu bar. Sarah Holmes, owner of Pencil Me In in Elgin, Scotland, said of the challenge: ‘It’s a great way to meet other independent shopkeepers. We encourage those taking part to follow the hashtag on Instagram so they can meet other shops that are taking part. Over 400 shops took part in 2019.’
Beales set to bow out The final 11 department stores are set to shut as no buyer comes forward. After going into administration earlier in the year, the retailer announced plans to close 12 of its 23 shops. Now, the remaining 11 stores have been earmarked for closure. There is no set date for closure, though it could be imminent, as the 139-year-old company with its HQ in Bournemouth had gone into administration. Beales stores had a wide gift offering, including home & garden, beauty, novelty, food and pet.
Earlier this month John Lewis cut its bonus to two per cent, down from three per cent last year, the lowest pay out to partners in 67 years. The slump was driven by a significant decline in the department store business’s profit.
Retail Circle The Retail Circle is a full service, creative solution for importers and retailers who need hands-on input in the field of buying, sales, sustainability and VM. It’s the idea of Elke Beuvink who has worked in the UK industry with Kaemingk for more than 12 years and is a specialist in the field of Christmas, home & gifting and furniture. In her previous role she looked after nationals, department stores and individual garden centres, executing a lot of projects on product selection, store layouts, VM, own brand and direct import. The Retail Circle offers the option to outsource, increasing focus and relieve some of the pressures organisations already have to deal with. For more details, email contact@theretailcircle.com. 6 Gifts Today
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Sainsbury’s Argos concession celebrates hitting 300 stores The concession has opened in Sainsbury’s Salford store in Manchester, and is the 300th store-in-a-store since it opened in 2016. The decision to launch Argos concessions came after Sainsbury’s wanted to enable customers to browse and purchase over 20,000 technology, home and toy products while picking up their groceries. The offering also gives customers access to Argos’ Fast Track Delivery and Collection in Sainsbury’s stores. Sainsbury’s said 60 per cent of Argos’s total sales now start online, while 85 per cent of customers collect their goods in-store.
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Exhibition News Top Drawer Review The design-led trade show welcomed a global audience to a showcase of 1500 brands, hand-picked from across the lifestyle spectrum The January show was made up of 10 highly curated sectors, including Gift, Fashion, Craft, Home and Greetings & Stationery. Buyers discovered companies as varied as Ashleigh & Burwood, Cycle of Good, Estelle Bartlett, Heyland & Whittle, Margarete Steiff, The Woodlife Project, Vent For Change, Denby, Aery, Canova Gifts, Joya, White Leaf/Last True Angel, Gracee Jewellery, Home County Candles and Portico Designs. With a strong international cohort from 54 countries, these exhibitors had the opportunity to showcase their latest products to buyers from across the UK and Europe, as well as Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, the United States, Canada, UAE and South Africa. Visiting retailers, designers and hospitality specialists included Anthropologie, Arnotts, Debenhams, Disney, Fenwick, Fortnum & Mason, Harrods, Hilton Worldwide, John Lewis, JoJo Maman Bébé, Marriott International, Oliver Bonas, Paperchase, Petersham Nurseries, Rockett St George, Royal Academy of Arts, Royal Albert Hall, Selfridges, TATE Enterprises, The Conran Shop, the Four Seasons, the V&A, Tom Dixon, Urban Outfitters, Warner Music Group and Westmorland Family. Buyers also had access to two free-to-attend seminar programmes. Across its two stages, RetailFest and DesignTalk provided unmissable original content, specifically crafted to stimulate ideas and discussion, encourage growth and foster success from some of the best names in the business including Holly Tucker, Rosie Fortescue, Dan Goode and Oliver Heath. The Retail Clinics also provided visitors with access to expert advice and the latest product solutions. Helping visitors to know what’s coming next, Top Drawer partnered with global cultural strategy agency, Flamingo, for the second season. For more than thirty years, Top Drawer has been the bi-annual meeting place for creative retailers and interior professionals who share a passion for design; the ultimate destination for product launches from the biggest names, discovering emerging talent, making meaningful connections and being inspired. The iconic AW20 edition will run at London’s Olympia from 13-15 September. topdrawer.co.uk
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Exclusively Housewares
Have a Picnik Maped Helix Stand EH427
Maped Helix is excited to lift the lid on the launch of its Picnik range of lunch boxes, lunch bags, and water bottles for adults and children at this year’s Exclusively Housewares Show. Maped is a family owned French company that has grown to become a world leader in the design and manufacture of school stationery. Its wide range of high quality products are well known for their innovative design and include ergonomic features which are adapted for the needs of children. Maped’s experience in producing quality products for children has led to the launch of Maped Picnik. This range of brightly coloured, innovative lunch boxes, lunch bags and water bottles have been specially developed with unique features making them simple for children to use and easy to clean. Help your little ones stay hydrated in school with the Maped Picnik range of water bottles. Featuring unique innovations such as easy to open protective caps over the drinking spouts and a removable base for easy cleaning. The bottles are also 100% leak proof ensuring no spillages in the classroom! The Maped Picnik lunch boxes and lunch bags are ideal for food on the go. The lunch boxes are easy to open with the twist of the lid and have three separate compartments with one leak proof tray,
great for carrying a full healthy meal in one box. When lunchtime is finished, the box is dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. The matching lunch bags are fully insulated to help keep food cool and have plenty of space to carry the bottle and lunch box. Also available is the Picnik Adult’s collection, a smart and stylish range of lunch plates and boxes, cutlery sets, lunch bags, water bottles and insulated travel mugs. Its elegant design has been inspired by current tableware trends, in order to make lunch at the office as pleasurable as eating at home. With unique innovations such as leak proof seals and easy opening mechanisms they’re ideal for transporting healthy meals to the office. Gray Richmond, Managing Director at Maped Helix, comments: ‘More and more parents are moving towards preparing healthy packed lunches for themselves and their children. Homemade lunches are not only healthier and more cost effective than pre-prepared meals from the supermarket, they are also better for the environment due to the absence of single use plastic packaging.’
Call: 01384 286 860 Email: customerservices@mapedhelix.co.uk Visit: mapedpicnik.com
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THE UK’S PREMIER SHOWCASE OF HOUSEWARES, TABLETOP & SMALL ELECTRICAL BRANDS
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Exhibition News Suppliers and buyers get ready for Exclusively 2020 Will Jones, BHETA’s Chief Operating Officer and Exclusively Chairman, provides a preview of the show
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ith its mix of established ‘must-see’ attractions, new products and exciting initiatives, anticipation of the Exclusively 2020 show is already building among retail buyers. Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 June will see more than 130 exhibitors and 300 brands gather as the UK’s premier showcase of housewares, tabletop and small domestic electricals gets underway. It showcases the best of everything from tools, gadgets, designer table settings, to smart coffee machines and cookware.
In its 20+ year history, Exclusively has been delighting trade visitors with its user-friendly format. The entry policy ensures that only bona fide buyers and influencers can access the inspiring environment of Islington’s Business Design Centre. The venue is comfortable to get around in two days and no one company dominates the space. It’s a feast of products, brands, Christmas and gifting, trends for 2021 and unique buying opportunities, all in a friendly, positive atmosphere. With so much to see, it’s no surprise that visitor numbers have been increasing. It’s testimony to the show’s ability to continue presenting new opportunities for buyers and merchandisers from the UK and overseas. Decision makers come from leading department stores, multiple grocers, DIY stores and garden centre groups, as well as independent cookshops, lifestyle retailers, individual garden retailers, hardware stores and gift shops. For independents who are bira members there’s an extra benefit - The Exclusively Gift. Each bira member booked to attend receives a £100 Exclusively Gift Voucher. Once validated at the bira stand EH457, this can
be used towards one order with a minimum value of £300 minimum (net VAT), placed at the show. The voucher will be accepted by all Exclusively exhibitors and it highlights the show’s commitment to both exhibitors and visitors, helping to open new accounts and cement existing relationships. In terms of added value features for visitors, BHETA’s marketing manager, Steve Richardson, has been working with show partners to ensure that Exclusively includes some enticing opportunities so ensure that both product choice and instore displays can be on the money in the year ahead. He explains: ’An exciting must for all retail visitors is the opportunity to preview the key trends in colour, materials and products for 2020 and 2021. The inspirational product displays, trend talks and tours from trend forecaster, Scarlet Opus are hugely popular and while on trend products are featured throughout the show, nothing beats seeing the full story in the Trend Hub. The display makes it easy for buyers to understand what will be on trend at Christmas and through 2021, and then visit the suppliers to source the products. ‘Another Exclusively feature, new for 2020 is the Launchpad – a shell scheme area for smaller manufacturers and suppliers. Exclusively has always provided a level playing field for large and small brands and the Launchpad allows the newest and smallest businesses to get in front of significant buyers; and to help retailers find something a little bit different.’ With so many inspirational and commercially valuable opportunities all under one roof, Exclusively is a not to be missed event for anyone in the housewares, tabletop, gift and small domestic electricals business.
Book your place Call the BHETA Member Services Team on 0121 237 1130 Or visit exclusivelyshows.co.uk
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Spring Fair
‘One of the bestattended and successful Spring Fairs to date’ Julie Driscoll
With 2500 industry suppliers connecting with a host of retailers to sell products for key buying periods throughout the year at Spring Fair 2020, MD of Spring and Autumn Fair Julie Driscoll comments on the success of the revamped February show - and we look ahead to Hyve Group’s plans for Autumn Fair 2020
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pring Fair, the important sourcing destination for home and gift retail, inspired visitors with new-for-2020 features, theatre areas and focuses. Backed by a major investment programme from organisers Hyve Group, the show experienced a transformational reshuffle of the show floor to form two distinct sourcing destinations – Gifts and Home & Living. While the new layout took some getting used to for regular visitors to the show, the feedback was, on the whole, very positive. Many gift buyers commented, in particular, on the successful move of fashion jewellery to Hall 1, saying the new location made it much easier to incorporate fashion accessories and jewellery into their buying trip. Jewellery exhibitors were pleased, too. ‘Spring Fair felt fresh and exciting after January, the dullest month of the year, and we finally got to show off the new designs that we’ve been working on for seven or eight months,’ says Sarah Watmore, owner of Miss Milly. With Q&A sessions with two giants of broadcasting, Mary Berry and Mary Portas, leading the seminar lineup, retail insight and expertise wasn’t difficult to come by. Mary Portas had lots of inspirational advice for
the packed audience, saying: ‘We have to consider the triple bottom line, people, planet, profit. We’ve become so driven by data and processes that we’ve forgotten about our instinct, and fear is the most important thing we have to push through.’ Visitors enjoyed expert trends advice also from colour-experts Colour Hive, who were on hand throughout the show to share their knowledge on the colours and trends to watch in 2020/21. These included trend stories named Clarity, Reverie and Alice. With sustainability top of the Spring Fair agenda, retailers were encouraged to visit environmentally conscious exhibitors throughout the show, highlighted by a new Sustainability Trail initiative. The Trail celebrated and showcased those exhibitors who had committed to sustainable practices such as using recyclable or biodegradable packaging and ensuring ethical sourcing practices. Companies included on the Trail included Non Plastic Beach, Heyland & Whittle, Vent for Change and Parlane. The Pitch It successes at the show were a big hit, too. Exhibitor Janna Cossettini of Deckled Edge said: ‘The speed-dating concept was really good. I made three great new contacts and even got a direct email from a
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buyer at Waitrose. I’ve also got interest from some international distributors from the US and Taiwan.’ Beena MuthalPuredath, Senior Sourcing Manager from John Lewis said: ‘It was really great. I have not thought of meeting suppliers from South Africa but now this is something I would like to look into as a result of Pitch It. It is a great programme and I definitely recommend it.’ ‘It was one of the best-attended and successful Spring Fairs to date,’ says Julie Driscoll, Hyve Group Regional Director for Spring & Autumn Fair. ‘The retail sector is ever-evolving, and as a voice and representative of our industry, we vow to never become complacent with our event. Instead, we’re continuously listening to suppliers and buyers alike, and we’re revamping plans for the year ahead to provide bold and inspiring show sectors and at-show initiatives that truly reflect what they want to see.’
visitor segments for previous shows. In addition, Hyve Group plan to further expand the shows’ Club programme – a tiered initiative for show VIPs, featuring Platinum, Gold and Silver levels of membership – with additional investment for Autumn Fair 2020. What’s more, #SBS Small Business Sunday, the online business community founded by entrepreneur Theo Paphitis, has announced that it will again team up with Autumn Fair for 2020, following successful partnerships with the show in 2018 and 2019. #SBS began in 2010 and has seen hundreds of small businesses tweet Paphitis every week to gain access to the supportive small business network. Every Monday, six of these
businesses are invited to become part of the #SBS community, benefiting from boosted publicity and attendance at a yearly #SBS conference with access to motivational speakers and workshops. As part of the partnership with Autumn Fair, 12 members of the #SBS community will be offered free stands at the show. Between now and Friday 1 May, #SBS’s 3000 members will all be offered a chance to put themselves forward for the competition, with the winners being judged on their uniqueness of product, innovative contributions to retail and viability of business plan. Visitors and exhibitors can now register and book for Autumn Fair 2020, which will take place at the NEC between 6 – 9 September 2020.
autumnfair.com
Looking ahead to Autumn Fair ‘We already got our sights set on finalising a host of exciting plans for Autumn Fair 2020 and beyond,’ says Julie Driscoll. Following the success of the designated Sourcing sector at Autumn Fair 2019 and Spring Fair 2020, alongside overwhelmingly positive exhibitor and visitor feedback, Hyve Group will be expanding its sourcing proposition to create an updated show sector: Design and Source. For Autumn Fair 2020 and Spring Fair 2021, the rebranded area will incorporate a host of fresh and ontrend exhibitors in the consumer electronics, tableware, lighting, textiles, surface pattern design, ceiling moulding and flooring sectors. Providing more selling opportunities than ever before, Hyve Group also has plans to attract new buying and influencing groups from the specifier and interior design space, as well as professionals from hospitality and destination retail – all of which have been growing Gifts Today 13
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GA News
Latest developments from The Giftware Association, the trade association serving the gift and home industry since 1947.
Gift of the Year 2020 gets Squelched! First-time entrants and small enterprise Squelch Wellies took home three trophies at the GOTY Awards at Spring Fair, including the Judges’ Choice Trophy
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quelch Wellies had an amazing night on the Sunday of Spring Fair, scooping awards for Children’s Gifts, Fashion Accessory and the Judges’ Choice. They’re see-through wellies, that can be customised by different socks. ‘We’re totally blown away’ said entrepreneur Amanda Wooldridge. ‘I’d like to thank my amazing team who have worked extremely hard over the last year to create a gift that is something children genuinely enjoy, is high quality and that looks good.’ Amanda’s pictured claiming the award from the Giftware Association team, along with her children Thomas and Alice, and husband Ade. Other big winners were Enesco in the Branded Gift category, Puckator for Hot Novelty and Apples to Pears for Pet Gift. Sarah Ward
All winners received a specially designed, ethical wood trophy in recognition of their hard work and success. Highly commended companies, including Carrie Elspeth, Personalised Memento Company and Moo Cow Studios, also took home special trophies as a mark of their achievements. ‘The standard of the entrants and products was very high this year,’ said Sarah Ward, the GA’s CEO. ‘Many judges struggled to find their favourites with so much quality on offer, and there were a few very close calls for the winners. It’s great to see so many companies who made the shortlist stage using the marketing collateral already on their products, and I know this has been echoed by some of the judges of the competition.’
And the winners are... Beauty, Bath And Spa Botanical Range, Fikkerts Limited Branded Gift Beatrix Potter Baby Collection, Enesco Cards And Wrap Wow! You’re…Birthday Books, From You To Me Children’s Gift Squelch Wellies, Squelch Wellies Commemorative And Collectable Sherlock Holmes – The Case Of The Priceless Coin, Professor Puzzle Contemporary Gift Host Your Own Escape Room, Talking Tables Design And Craft Baby Bunny Needle Felting Kit, The Crafty Kit Company
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Festive And Occasional Tree Planting Cards – Tree Wishes Festive Box, 1 Tree Cards Garden And Outdoor Wonderland Games Queen Of Hearts Croquet, Professor Puzzle Gift Food Veggie Roast Dinner Kit, Ross & Ross Gifts Home Accessory Orbital Candle Holder, Aery Home Fragrance Aromatherapy Collection, Aery Hot Novelty Resteazzz, Puckator Kitchen And Dining W&P Porter Seal Tight Containers, Stone
Ethical Gift Tikiri, Tikiri
Pet Gift Dog Lovers Gift range, Apples to Pears
Fashion Accessory Squelch Wellies, Squelch Wellies
Stationery Stationery Collection, Yes Studio
Fashion Jewellery Isla Jewellery Range, Billy’s Beach Hut
Under £10 Mini Me, Sock Academy
www.ga-uk.org 16/03/2020 16:05
5th - 7th April 2020 The original fair for authentic British design-led giftware info@bctf.co.uk â&#x20AC;¢ www.bctf.co.uk 3ULPDU\ 6SRUW %&7) *LIW )RFXV $GYHUW LQGG
Exhibition News Best of British at BCTF 2020 The 2020 edition of The British Craft Trade Fair will be open to retail buyers from April 5 – 7 at the Yorkshire Event Centre in Harrogate, a fabulous venue with plenty of free onsite parking and great catering facilities Handmade British crafts have become increasingly popular with retailers and consumers over the past few years – now more than ever - and the BCTF organisers reported a 22 per cent increase in buyer attendance at last year’s event. As a carefully curated fair, all exhibitors are selected by the organisers who have over 35 years’ experience in the gift industry. Several diverse product categories are represented at BCTF, ranging from a beautiful selection of gift and homeware, home fragrances, greetings cards and stationery, fashion accessories and jewellery, fine art, sculpture, textiles including felt, glassware, pewter and more. Every item on display is guaranteed to be of sound provenance and have strong heritage values, with each item made here in Britain with thoughtfulness and care using artisan manufacturing techniques. The are no mass market or imported goods on display at BCTF, only authentic items from exhibitors who are guaranteed to be working from Great Britain or Ireland. The show organiser has launched a new website and new online catalogue for 2020, making it even easier for buyers to view and purchase articles from exhibitors before, during and after the event. The easy to search catalogue includes full profiles of exhibitors with good quality photographs featuring examples of their work. This year’s show will once again include a large contingent of newcomers to the industry, who have never participated in a trade show before BCTF and are as fresh as it gets for those in search of genuinely new and unseen products. They join a strong base of established suppliers and regular exhibitors, many of whom are also exhibiting exclusively at BCTF in 2020. All BCTF exhibitors join the mentoring programme from day one and even the youngest fledgling designers who participate understand how supplying trade customers works. Individuals and companies that are part of the BCTF family also benefit from the show’s social media and PR platform, which helps shine a light on their exceptional creative talent.
Prices for products on display vary from just a few pounds to items designed for higher budgets and many exhibitors can work on commission ranges for specific themed exhibitions and promotional events. Show organiser, Margeret Bunn, says: ‘Research has shown that the consumer appetite for authentic British products is running at an all-time high, as
people look to support more local, sustainable businesses and seek beautifully designed products which they know are of sound provenance. ‘This research is backed up by strong anecdotal feedback we are receiving from retailers visiting the show and followers on our social media sites. If ever there was a time to support our heritage industries and designer-makers, then this is it!’ bctf.co.uk
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London Stationery Show 21 -22 April 2020 Business Design Centre
10 YEARS
Discover the largest selection of writing and paper products from around the world in one place. Register now at stationeryshow.co.uk
Exhibition News: London Stationery Show
London Stationery Show prepares for 10th birthday edition! Attracting the UK’s biggest retailers, influential buyers and brands in the stationery, gift and fashion sectors, and its trademark mix of established and new paper and writing instrument suppliers, the show is set to celebrate its decade this April
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ach year the show welcomes all the big-name brands as well as new designers and suppliers showcasing exciting launches and latest products, and the forthcoming edition is no different. ‘We’re thrilled to celebrate our birthday with one of the best line-ups we’ve seen in our 10 year history. Stationery buyers will be spoilt for choice.’ says the show’s event manager Hazel Fieldwick.
‘Buyers will be able to source new and original products and be inspired, and get up-to-date with the latest industry developments, all in just one day. Stationery is a core product for many retail stores; it’s an everyday essential, an on trend impulse buy, a stylish gift or a carefully chosen personal accessory. The variety of products on show reflects this widespread appeal and offers visitors a depth of product choice.’
LaunchPad In addition to over 50 first-time exhibitors and 100 plus show regulars, the show’s LaunchPad competition returns with six new hopefuls at the event. Having already garnered approval from this year’s retailer judges, Holly Probert from Scriptum, Amanda Walker from Cult Pens and Chris Lambert from Scrawlrbox, they are
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pens and Sinclairs Products’ Freestyle Artgecko sketchbook and more.
2020 Exhibitor line up
looking to break into the dynamic, design-led stationery market. The 2020 winners, who have been awarded a free stand at the show, are My Happy Journal, O What A Feeling, Pencil Me In, Port West Stationers and Wrag Wrap. In addition, Love Writing Co. has been selected as the London Stationery Show team’s choice.
Stationery Awards London Stationery Show will once again host the Stationery Awards on the first evening of the show. As well as suppliers, retailers are also being rewarded this year, with regional best independent retailer awards introduced, as well as awards for the best high street stores, with the aim of recognising success across the whole industry. Categories include Art & Crafts, Notebooks, Organisers and Journals, Children’s Stationery, Social Stationery, Gift Packaging & Wrap, Eco & Sustainable Stationery and more. Visit stationeryawards.co.uk to find out more. Winners of the Stationery Awards will be revealed at the Awards Ceremony on the first evening of the show.
Head to the Birthday Bar! Visitors will be able to toast 10 years of the show at the new Prosecco Bar on the show floor. There will also be a Happy Hour between 3-4pm every day so visitors and exhibitors can indulge in a special birthday treat.
Trends Hub & Trend Tours The Trends Hub, curated by trend forecasting agency Scarlet Opus, takes centre stage on the mezzanine level. This year it will feature three key global consumer and design trends relevant to the stationery sector for 2021– Biotopia, Earthage and Soul Searching. The display features product from
exhibitors that illustrate these future trends, as well as trend mood boards. The Trends Hub will also have a large focus on sustainability, which will have a display of its own sharing information about environmental issues and actions that can be taken by manufacturers and retailers in the stationery industry. All products displayed here will be 100% recycled or sustainable, including all their packaging.
Live talks Live Talks at the show offer unmissable business advice on long-term retail success for high street stores in the current market, and are always well attended by retailers looking to grow their businesses. Sustainability is inevitably a key topic of conversation between retailers and manufacturers this year and visitors will be able to hear practical tips and advice to help them navigate this ever-changing landscape.
Retailer workshops
Some of stationery’s best loved brands are returning to this year’s London Stationery Show, with over 200 brands represented at the show including Moleskine, Filofax, Faber-Castell, Castelli, Cross, Caran d’Ache, Kaweco, Crayola, Leuchtturm, Sheaffer, Silvine, Stabilo, Staedtler, uni-ball, Pentel, Zebra Pen, Pukka Pads, edding, Posca, Montegrappa, Exacompta, Royal Talens, Daler-Rowney, Platinum, Blackwing, Maped Helix, GO Stationery, Manuscript Pen, and Clairefontaine. There’s also an array of new brands exhibiting, including Bostik, Blu Tack, Avery, Puckator, Pilot Pen, Polaroid, Coffee Notes, Hahnemühle, and Snopake. The Boutique Collection on the ground floor of the exhibition, showcasing designer and gift stationery, will be welcoming A’Laise, A Place of Joy, Chiltern Publishing, Code Natural, Globe Enterprise, Laura Stoddart, Little Plover, Open Narrative, Stalogy and many more.
Show essentials
When: Tuesday 21 April (9.30 – 5.30pm) and Wednesday 22 April (9.30am – 4pm) Where: Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, London N1 0QH Register: stationeryshowlondon.co.uk
Where visitors can get hands-on with exhibitors’ products are also back and redesigned. From transforming a black Moleskine notebook using new Faber-Castell pencils, joining the Great Create - a new fundraising initiative designed to encourage creativity as a way of boosting mental wellbeing - with Staedtler to getting arty with Posca Gifts Today 19
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Exhibition News: London Stationery Show
First-time exhibitor Puckator
Stand M632 This year marks Puckator’s 30th year in the giftware industry and their first ever appearance at the London Stationery Show - they’re very excited to say the least. With a wide new range of own designed stationery to showcase, it’s easy to see why. At the recent Paperworld fair in Frankfurt, Puckator debuted their great new silicone
stationery sets to huge customer interest. A real favourite is the Shiba Inu shaped pencil case with matching stationery set and silicone notepad. And if you just can’t get enough Shiba products, there’s an adjoining fluffy notepad to satisfy all your stationery needs! Another perfect product combo is the best selling ‘Feline Fine’ design married with
exciting new stationery gifts. The cute kitty can now be bought as an adorable silicone pencil case, fluffy notepad, twin pet set and a fab neoprene backpack to carry all your new supplies. Come see all this at the show.
Visit: puckator.co.uk
Time for change
Vent for Change Stand M631 Vent for Change is the sustainable stationery company that combines beautifully designed products with an ethical purchasing option for all your customers. Proceeds from every Vent product sold go towards children’s education projects around the world. Their ethical and social philosophy also comes with impeccable eco credentials. From UK-made recycled pencils made out of CD cases produced in-house, to notebooks made from unashamedly raw and recycled materials, every item has a strong environmental message of its own.
Visit: ventforchange.co.uk 20 Gifts Today
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GT Profile: Manuscript
Q&A Manuscript We caught up with MD Charlie Stockbridge to learn more about the fabulous heritage company that always has its eye on the future Charlie, you’re a fifth generation family company with 150 years in the pen industry. Yes, starting as a small company in Birmingham, Manuscript has grown into one of the most well respected companies within the industry, exporting to over 70 countries. Manuscript in its present form was established in 1989 by my father Nicolas Stockbridge, which in turn was born out of our parent company D Leonardt & Co. Leonardt was founded in Birmingham in 1856 and were penmakers to the Kings of Italy, Spain and Portugal. My mother, Malissa, is a descendant of Andrew Charles who established the pen company T Hessin in 1870, which later became part of D Leonardt & Co. Together my parents successfully ran and grew the D.Leonardt business from the 1970s. They remain active members of the board whilst I took over from my father in 2016 as MD. What products are you best known for? We’ve been producing steel pen nibs in Britain since 1856 and some of our best-known products include best-selling Principal Nib that’s loved by calligraphers worldwide. We’ve also developed our range to cater to all creative mediums. Our Dodec and Classic Fountain Pen sets are a regular in high street retailers including John
Lewis, Hobbycraft and Paperchase. We also cater to the schools’ market and our Handwriter Pen is a school favourite. What is the company’s ethos? Whilst calligraphy remains our passion, we continue to push the boundaries of what writing tools and craft kits can achieve. We continually look to develop writing tools that meet the demands of the retailer and consumer. Our Callicreative Marker range has been developed to serve the growing hand lettering market, and our craft range has grown significantly over the years. As one of the last remaining UK pen manufacturers, we pride ourselves on our commitment to keep growing the calligraphy and writing market.
What will you be focusing on at the London Stationery Show? We’ll be launching a number of new products to the UK market including exciting additions to our Lionheart Collection. We’re very proud of our children’s range and have developed products to focus on colouring, crafting and educating. Away from our Manuscript brand, we will be showcasing a number of luxury pen and gift brands including Chameleon Art Products, KohI-Noor,Yookers, Visconti, Monteverde, Ferrari Pens and Pineder to name a few.
manuscriptpen.com
New ranges you’re particularly proud of? Definitely our luxury ML1856 Fountain Pen Range, that’s been awarded the coveted Stationers Warrant in recognition of quality and innovation in design for the second year in a row. Our recent acquisition of Lime Stationery & Art has helped us diversify away from our core markets by adding in the exciting gift sector to our portfolio of brands and customers. 22 Gifts Today
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Licensing News Peanuts There are two new collaborations on offer during the brand’s landmark 70th year. Tatty Devine have a new 15-piece acrylic jewellery collection now available following a deal brokered by WildBrain CPLG to expand Peanut’s accessories offering. Following the success of Tatty Devine’s first Peanuts capsule collection, this new 15-piece range features the whole Peanuts gang. Designs include sweethearts Schroeder and Lucy at their little red piano, Peppermint Patty with an enviable bouquet of flowers, and Snoopy waving a flag for ‘peace + love’. Meanwhile, two new Peanuts collections from Rainbow Designs have also been launched. The ‘Everyone Loves Snoopy’ plush gift collection presents Snoopy and Woodstock in their beloved traditional formats and is perfect for fans of all ages. The ‘My First Snoopy’ collection has been created specifically for babies and young children to encourage early developmental skills and promote sensory play. The infant collection features multiple variations of Peanuts plush toys, ranging from rattles and comfort blankets to soft cuddly toys.
First deals for Rebel Girls Rocket Licensing confirms two deals for Rebel Girls, the lifestyle media brand for girls, with Gibsons and Portico Designs on board. Rebel Girls is the awardwinning brand behind the globally bestselling book series, Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, which has sold 4.5 million copies and been translated into nearly 50 languages. Rocket Licensing’s deal with Gibsons is for the UK, Eire and Europe, with potential for wider distribution. The initial puzzles, which are anticipated to appeal to girls, teens and young women alike, launch in spring 2020, followed by a card game in summer and a board game in 2021. The Portico partnership covers an extensive range for the UK and Eire, including back to school stationery, gift items and lunchware.
Bespoke 77 X British Library The collaboration is a new collection of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland gift and homeware created from the sketches in the original Lewis Carroll books and manuscripts owned by the British Library. The Mad Hatters Tea Party is celebrated with a range of fine gilded bone china cup and saucers, teapot, cake stand, tea plates and mugs. For the collectors a gilded bone china trinket box and thimble are available. Aprons, a heavy weight canvas shopping bag and tea towels complete the homeware range reproducing the stunning drawings and passages from the legendary books.
Widdop ready to Ice & Slice
Latest RHS x Moorcroft collaboration The new collection contains both limited edition and numbered items and is inspired by the annual RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year Award. For the RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year collection, the Moorcroft design team considered the 20 shortlisted plants and wove elements of some of these extraordinary achievements into a collection to showcase their beauty. The result is seven outstanding creations, including, of course, ceramic representations of the winner and the two runners-up as well as of four of the shortlisted plants.
The design-led gift and home supplier has acquired a worldwide exclusive licence to Gift of The Year’s Highly Commended Contemporary Gift finalist, Ice & Slice, patented by Nobilé Glassware. Ice & Slice will be added to the Hestia home brand, as a luxury housewares range. Widdop’s product development director Stephen Illingworth says: ‘The product is so unique and the design is executed to such a high standard, we know our customers, and theirs in turn, will love it.’
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Licensed Gifts
Katie Alice
Mad Beauty
Licensed to gift Adding licensed gifts to your offering can seriously increase footfall, sales and profit. Chiming with the trend for buying less but buying better, licensing collaborations can create a genuine point of difference for a retailer.
I
f you think licensing is all about children’s dress-up for World Book Day or bright plastic toys, then think again. Popular characters are increasingly being adapted for the grown-up market, while heritage brands and museums are perfect partners for interiors and gifts of all kinds. Take interiors, for example. Last year’s Brand Licensing Europe show at ExCel featured a new Heritage x Interiors area, situated in the Brands & Lifestyle Zone. This area showcased the prestigious licensing programmes from four heritage brands – Natural History Museum, V&A, Van Gogh Museum and Style Library (with Morris & Co) – focusing on their extension into luxury interiors. ‘Many heritage designs are as relevant today as ever,’ said licensing designer Ellie Walton at a talk entitled Heritage Brands: How They Evolve To Stay Relevant. ‘Colours, patterns and textures are having a resurgence and these old designs can easily align with the modern times.’ It’s this interest and appreciation of heritage brands that led to the installation at the show. ‘Generating more than $1.17 billion in 2018, the heritage sector stands as one of the
most exciting and authentic sources of inspiration for licensees and retailers,’ said Anna Knight, VP, Licensing at Informa Markets, ahead of the show. Some of the latest collaborations within this sector include The National Gallery/Signare with paintings printed on bags, the Ashmolean’s work with Woodmansterne Publications and Flametree Publishing, and the RHS’s work with Moorcroft to celebrate its RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year Collection. Modern designers can be seen collaborating with giftware of all kinds. UK designer Katie Alice, named a ‘future star of the interior world’ by the Daily Telegraph back in 2014, is working with a wide range of giftware companies including Candlelight. The Katie Alice collection - candles, reed diffusers and votives - was revealed at Spring Fair on the company’s stand by the designer herself. Character-based licensing is definitely worth looking at for your adult customers, too. ‘Customers of all ages look for licensed gifts depending who they are buying for,’ says Lauren Shipman, group brand and marketing director, Posh Paws. ‘The licence just has to fit the demographic. Our Love
Joco Interiors Hearts collection is perfect for all ages, with characters that appeal to young children and messages that appeal to adults. Our Swarovski embellished bears could be a gift for an adult or child. ‘Of course some of the movie or TV properties appeal to a younger consumer but you are also seeing some of these properties having purchasing power with an older demographic - Harry Potter and Minions are great examples of these.’ Retailer Joanne Williams, Joco Interiors, Nuneaton, agrees. ‘Harry Potter is a best selling range for us, due to the overall popularity of the brand and sales always pick up when the films are shown on TV, as new fans start to emerge,’ she says. ‘We have a huge RHS demand from 20-30 year olds with our Harry Potter collection. ‘Disney across the board is another great seller for us. Some purchases are made for ladies as work gifts for special occasions, and some customers are having Disney themed weddings.’ Mad Beauty are well known for their Disney ranges, introducing an exclusive Disney Mulan collection in hundreds of Superdrug stores, set to coincide with the launch of the latest movie.
Says MD Trevor Cash: ‘There seems to be an ongoing trend for nostalgia and Disney falls beautifully into this, with the Disney Mulan film released later this month it gave us a lot of inspiration for a truly beautiful spring collection for Superdrug.’
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Licensed Gifts
By the book
Museums & Galleries
Museums & Galleries have developed over the last several years a striking collection of stationery, gifts and cards featuring classic and contemporary book illustration. Spring 2020 sees the full blossoming of this creative strategy, with launches of The Tiger Who Came to Tea, Roald Dahl, and MinaLima Classics – all adding to M&G’s hugely popular classic Paddington Bear products, and long-standing Guess How Much I Love You, Bagpuss, Miffy, and Wind in the Willows cards. Classic Paddington is a big hitter for M&G, and features on journals and notebooks, cards and notelets, bookmarks and gift packaging. All the products feature the evergreen original Paddington illustrations by Peggy Fortnum, the artist who brought Michael Bond’s creation to life in the first Paddington Bear books in the 1950s. Launches for this year are Paddington coloured pencil sets and an organic cotton pencil case. Judith Kerr’s The Tiger Who Came to Tea is over 50 years old, and has sold over six million copies. An animated adaptation was broadcast by Channel 4 last Christmas, and a stage adaptation is currently drawing the crowds in London. Judith’s charming illustrations are a brand-new launch for M&G, who have gone full-spectrum for a strongly coordinated look across cards and notelets, journals, gift bags, tissue, and wrap, bamboo travel mugs, pencil sets, and bookmarks. Roald Dahl’s amazing characters Matilda and Willy Wonka from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory appear on cards, social stationery, and a variety of boxed notelet formats. Both Matilda and Willy Wonka have their own sets of gift bags, tissue, and gift wraps, notebooks, bookmarks, pencil sets, and bamboo mugs. Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima are the creative duo behind MinaLima, who have created distinctive and unconventional editions of classic children’s literature for HarperCollins. M&G have taken their bold and dazzlingly colourful illustrations and presented them on a full range of greetings cards, foiled gift wrap, bookmarks, and journals and notebooks.
Call: 01373 462165 Email: sales@mgml.co.uk Visit: museumsgalleries.co.uk
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Licensed Gifts
Gin’s the tonic Lesser & Pavey
Cheers to Lynsey Johnstone gin glasses! The company are excited to launch this contemporary range of hand painted gin glasses from the hugely talented Lynsey Johnstone Art. The range includes 12 beautiful floral designs and four Christmas designs available later in the year. Gin is as popular as ever and these bright, colourful glasses are the perfect way to enjoy it this spring/summer.
Call: 01322 279225 Email: sales@leonardo.co.uk Visit: leonardo.co.uk
VE Celebrations Moocow Studios Ltd
To celebrate the 75th anniversary of VE Day, Moocow Studios have produced a range of commemorative gifts featuring images from the allied forces including spitfires, tanks and battleships as well as traditional imagery from 1945. Ten percent of all sales go to SSAFA The Armed Forces Charity. The company were thrilled to be a finalist in the Commemorative & Collectable category at this year’s Gift of the Year Awards for this range. The products all feature the Union Jack’s colours of red, white and blue, and are available on tote bags, aprons, tea towels as well as coasters, wooden plaques and hip flasks. There are also pens, bunting, fridge magnets and much more. New for 2020 is The Mayflower 400 range, the Quirky World Seaside range and a new postcard range.
Call: 01424 310057 Email: sales@moocowstudios.co.uk Visit: moocowstudios.co.uk
Eyes right! Opticaid UK
Check out Opticaid UK’s licensing collaboration with designer Stuart Cox of the ‘i like birds’ brand. These gift-boxed glasses come with a matching neoprene case and feature the country’s much loved bird! There are eight designs from subtle Red Wing and Puffin to eye catching Blue Tit, Green Warbler and Robin. Opticaid were shortlisted for Gift of the Year 2020 in two categories with their new I like birds RFID blocking credit card wallets. These are functional (designed to stop digital pickpockets stealing your personal details) beautiful – 12 eye catching birdy designs and are excellent value. The wallets are supplied in a handy counter display.
Call: 0113 239 1400 Email: sales@opticaid.net Visit: opticaid.net 28 Gifts Today
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Exclusive Licensed Lit Buildings
www.enesco.co.uk ENESCO LIMITED, Brunthill Road, Kingstown, Carlisle, Cumbria, England, CA3 0EN. UK Customer Services Telephone: 01228 404022 Email: trade@enesco.co.uk Overseas Customer Services Telephone: +44 1228 404066 WIZARDING WORLD characters, names and related indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. WB SHIELD: © & ™ WBEI. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s20) Email: eurosales@enesco.co.uk
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GT COVER STORY: Groovy UK
Groovy licences Founded in 1991, Groovy UK are known for putting their own original spin onto designs inspired by a whole host of popular movies, TV and fashion trends. If you’re after hot licences and quality design, they’re the place to head
W
ith its own brilliant in-house team, Groovy UK is well known for creating its own collections. Fresh for the coming season are licences and new ranges designed to appeal to customers of all ages. We talk to founder Monique Scott to discover more… Monique, Groovy UK is known for its in-house design team – how did this come about? We had ideas and couldn’t find where to get them so we decided to put a team together and do our own. It took a while but now we have the right people to work with to the get the quality and design we are known for. What advantages do you have over those who don’t have their own in-house design team? We are original and we can turn round products with a number of special factories. They work with us so we can always end up with just what we are looking for. Groovy like to be original. Groovy UK products are all about helping retailers stand out in a crowd. How do you do this? Working with retailers to get products that suit their customer base and changing things to give them what they need. Exclusive designs have become a big thing. If you’ve got a unique selling point you are already one step ahead. How do you go about ensuring your products have the quality you’re known for? The Groovy design team are always looking at the detail to ensure our products are always good enough.
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Spotlight – Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey
G
roovy UK are famous for designing and manufacturing a successful mix of original products in line with current trends, movies, TV and fashion. One of their latest licences is for Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey. Monique explains to Gifts Today how the project proceeded through the design and manufacturing process.
1) The licence Well, it’s a brilliant film with Margot Robbie in the lead role.
2) The licensor We have a great relationship with our main licensor Warner Brothers, who we work with on Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Suicide Squad, Harley Quinn and the Joker and many more DC Characters. With the characters being so iconic and the fan base so strong it is so enjoyable to create such exciting products.
3) The design
We QA inspect in China and in UK and anything below grade is rejected. Quality and design are two of the things Groovy is known for. What’s the range of retailers you supply to? From high street to boutique across UK, EU and Australia and New Zealand. Most popular licences? Harry Potter, Friends, Harley Quinn, Wonder Woman and Batman. Our most products are: bathrobes; bags, purses and wallets; rugs (we have a fantastic new collection); lighting. Latest licences you want to shout about? Harley Quinn and Wonder Woman - great new products, and movies to match!
Get in touch!
Call: 0844 372 7820 Email: hello@groovyuk.com Visit: groovyuk.com
We first start off with the licensed style guide which will help us understand legally where we can go with products but also inspire with print, motif, colour, details and outfits. We go and see the films as soon as they come out at the cinema, though we have usually already created the product to get it out to sell in time for the film. These first concepts have to be sent to the licensor for approval, and this in itself can be a lengthy process. Once approved, we can move to create our first sample. We think very carefully about how we can make a unique product that differentiates from what is in the market already and combine this with knowledge about what materials we know will work. Adding new innovation takes time, so we would factor this into our critical path. We like to think of the product inside out, so all aspects of function and aesthetics are thought of. We are renowned for our custom zip pulls and quirky hardware on our bag ranges and each detail on our products needs to be approved by the licensor.
4) The final product Once the pre-production sample is approved, we can move to bulk production and this means the design of all packaging and product information, which also has to go through the same approval process. We also have to think about marketing and arrange photo shoots. One photoshoot will be for our website and catalogue and another photoshoot will involve props and lifestyle for our marketing, social media and customers.
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Licensed Gifts
All board with TfL Gibsons Games
Following record sales of their London Underground inspired card game Mind the Gap, the family owned jigsaw puzzle and board game company have expanded their partnership with Transport for London to produce a raft of new branded products. They’re releasing four jigsaw puzzles this spring, followed by two brand new games and additional puzzles later in the year. In keeping with both Gibsons’ and TfL’s mission to become more sustainable, the new products will be produced using
minimal single-use plastic. Made in the UK, the jigsaws will be manufactured using the thickest 100% recycled board and FSC approved paper.
Call: 020 8661 8866 Email: marketing@gibsonsgames.co.uk Visit: gibsonsgames.co.uk
Groovy licences Groovy UK Batman Batman has been Gotham’s protector for decades, CEO of Wayne Enterprises and veteran member of the Justice League. With the new film out in 2021 and Robert Pattinson announced as the next Batman, Groovy UK have designed a new collection they know the fans will love. A backpack, washbag and wallet in the classic black and yellow but with the motif features in a sophisticated satin print and the straps in a Batman logo jacquard. The wallet comes in a smart gift box, ideal for gifting. Groovy UK design and manufacture many unique gift lines including bathrobes, slippers, lighting, bags and homewares. Licences include Friends, Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, Star Wars, Marvel, DC Comics, Suicide Squad, Birds of Prey, Assassin’s Creed, Mr. Men and Frida Kahlo.
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is one of the most iconic franchises to come into being in the last twenty years, with millions of fans worldwide, across all ages – and it continues to grow. Groovy UK hold one of the largest Harry Potter collections, including bathrobes, slippers, bags, lighting, accessories and homewares. With the success of Groovy’s Batman Projector Light, they have designed a Harry Potter projection light that includes three interchangeable sliders that project the Dark Mark, The Golden Snitch and Hogwarts Crest. Just imagine how amazing a bedroom or garden party would be with a giant Harry Potter motif projected onto the wall. The light can be projected over 20m away and is mains lead operated. Other Harry Potter ranges include Luna Lovegood, Marauder’s Map, The Golden Snitch, Hedwig, Platform 9 3/4, Quidditch, The Deathly Hallows, Hogwarts, Gryffindor and all other Hogwarts Houses and more. Great gifts for any geek in the Harry Potter fandom, kids, tweens, teens, and adults.
Call: 0116 2391115 Email: hello@groovyuk.com Visit: groovyuk.com
Licensed plush Posh Paws
For a licensed gift look no further than Posh Paws. The company has the very latest soft toys from this year’s spring and summer blockbuster movies, and sentiment-driven gift plush from their fun Love Hearts branded collection. Perfect for greetings and gift shops and ready at a pick-up price point is the Love Hearts collection from Swizzles. Already a firm favourite and an ideal alternative to flowers and chocolates, Posh Paws launches two new Love Hearts plush collections for 2020 - Foodie Friend and Positive Pals. Full of fun, with cheeky, sweet and entertaining messages, they make the perfect present for friends, family and loved ones. With messages like ‘Fries before guys’, ‘You’re Koality’ and ‘Toucan Do It’, there really is one for everyone and every occasion. From the smash-hit animated comedy and musical adventure, the Trolls are back in the Trolls World Tour. To celebrate the film’s release, Posh Paws’ comprehensive and colourful cast of highly detailed, soft and cuddly plush toys includes all the film’s main stars such as Poppy, Tiny Diamond, Branch and Queen Barb. All are available in a variety of sizes and price points to suit every pocket. 2020 also marks 10 years since everyone’s favourite yellow henchmen first graced our screens and now the Minions are back in Minions 2 – The Rise of Gru. In line with the film, Posh Paws has created all new soft and cuddly renditions of the three main minion characters, Kevin, Bob and new to the crew, Otto. Hailed to be the cuddliest and softest Minions yet, every Minions fan should have at least one.
Call: 01268 567317 Email: sales@poshpawsinternational.co.uk
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Print, pattern and paper(weights).
From beautifully printed paper products to lasting gifts like crystal paperweights and travel mugs, the Museums & Galleries collection has everything you need to stand out from the crowd. Please see our website or contact your local agent for more information.
Home of the finest arts brands E: sales@mgml.co.uk *LIWVB7RGD\B)3DJHB$GB0DUFKB LQGG
museumsgalleries.co.uk
Tel: 01373 462165
Licensed Gifts
Ker-pow! Enesco
The giftware company has launched a new Batman figurine into its Grand Jester Studios Collection as DC Celebrates 80 Years of the Iconic Super Hero. The new figurine features Batman donning his classic costume. Wearing a grey suit emblazoned with his famous yellow and black chest emblem, the ensemble is completed by his blue mask that covers his face and protects his true identity from being revealed to the world. Presented as if paused in the middle of an epic battle of good versus evil, the new Batman Figurine sees the Super Hero standing on top of a plinth, arm raised in the air ready to launch a batarang, with his long blue cape flowing majestically behind him. Set to be a sell-out with fans of the Batman franchise and collectors of DC memorabilia, the Batman Figurine stands at 37cm tall and is made from resin. It is presented in a branded window box.
Oinktastic! Enesco
Proudly presented by the contemporary gift and homeware retailer, the new Peppa Pig Hanging Ornaments collection features 3D figurines of all your customers’ favourite characters from the hit children’s TV show. Including Peppa Pig, her little brother George, along with Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig too - ideal for hanging from the Christmas tree, wreaths and garlands this festive season. Made from resin and with heights of 5cm and 9cm, each ornament is hand-painted and presented in a branded Kraft window box. To bring a sense of festive fun to the collection, each character is presented in vivid tones of yuletide reds and greens, with Peppa and George dressed as Christmas Elves, Mummy Pig sporting a festive jumper, and Daddy pig wearing a Santa Claus suit – as if ready to shimmy down the chimney to leave lots of lovely presents for good little pigs. The new Peppa Pig Hanging Ornaments are set to be a sell-out so early orders are strongly encouraged. The new items are available to order with other products in the Peppa Pig Christmas Collection including a Christmas Eve Bamboo Dinner Plate Set and a Santa Sack.
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Call: 01228 404066 Email: eurosales@enesco.co.uk Visit: enesco.co.uk
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10 years!
Fizz Creations
Creating Fun For Everyone!
Now in its tenth year Fizz Creations offers an extensive gifting range from SLUSH PUPPiEÂŽ machines, syrups and gift sets to a variety of games, character lines and everyday gifting.
ORDER NOW! 01903 327006 - sales@fizzcreations.com - fizzcreations.com
Licensed Gifts
Creating fun for everyone Fizz Creations
It’s 2020 and at Fizz Creations are celebrating 10 years of Creating Fun for Everyone. But the anniversary does not stop there… two of their licences are hitting some milestones of their own. Pac-Man will be 40 and Slush Puppie will be 50.
Rewind to Retro
When it comes to new products the team works tirelessly on innovative and trendsetting ranges. What’s interesting when it comes to licensing is the strength of nostalgia. It’s exciting for the company to be able to bring an established brand to a new audience and not just those who remember it the first-time round. They’ve certainly seen this with their arcade ranges and the iconic Slush Puppie.
Get set for summer with Slush Puppie
The summer will arrive and when it does the Slush Puppie is the top dog! The range features in excess of 25 products including: • Eight different flavoured vegan-friendly syrups • Two machines • A huge range of cups and accessories
About Fizz Creations NEW for 2020 Give the gift of Slush Puppie ‘s new food gifting sets: • Freakshakes • Milkshakes • Sundaes Each is available in the iconic Red Cherry or Blue Raspberry flavours.
Fizz Creations Ltd is a creative novelty gift supplier based on the sunny south coast near Brighton – founded in 2010. The company was born out of the need to be different and idea that all the products they design should stand out from the others.
01903 327006 sales@fizzcreations.com fizzcreations.com
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08/10/2019 14:28:37
UNFORGETTABLE GIFTS F O R T H O S E T R E AS U R E D M O M E N T S
POS AVA IL A B LE CONTACT US TODAY!
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OFFICIAL PARTNER OF SWAROVSKI
GT PROFILE: Liberty Candles
Candle Warmers leading the way Candle Warmers Etc became the original alternative to lighting a candle in 2001, when a neighbour’s house fire made the company’s founder aware of the dangers of lit candles. He invested his family’s savings into 5000 mug warmers and the original Candle Warmer was born. We take a look at the latest exciting developments Spa Sounds Fragrance Oil Diffuser
Add a luxurious accent to your aromatherapy experience with the new Spa Sounds Diffuser from Airome. Features four mood-enhancing spa sounds, two mist modes, 150ml capacity and eight rotating LED lights - all managed from the convenience of a remote control. It has a running time of approximately eight hours’ continuous mist or 24 hours on intermittent misting; it also has an auto shut off.
Himalayan Fragrance Oil Diffuser
Another Airome innovation, combine the therapeutic of fragrance oils with the purifying energy of the Himalayan salt in the new
Himalayan Salt Fragrance Oil Diffuser. Enjoy the cleansing glow while experiencing the all-natural aromatherapy of fragrance oils.
Candle Warmer Lamps & Lanterns
The patented designs puts a modern spin on classic designs, with elegant curved bars warming candles from the top down and creating the appearance of a lit candle with the safety factor of: • No flame • No sooting • Candles last approximately three times as long
Pluggable diffusers
Pluggable fragrance oil diffusers use a gentle warming to release the fragrance from the selected fragrance oils and impact their aromatherapy benefits. Pluggable Diffusers are perfect for the smaller spaces and above-the-counter outlets and come in a variety of beautiful styles. They also come with eight different coloured LED lights, five pads included.
Get in touch! For further information or to become a stockist, contact the following: Email: sales@ libertycandles.co.uk Visit: libertycandles.co.uk 38 Gifts Today
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Home from Home
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HOME INTERIORS
With the trend for staying put and home improvement continuing, home interiors can be a profitable category for gift shops. With merchandise ranging from small furniture to textiles, tableware to ornaments, there’s something for retailers of all sizes
H
ome interiors are a growing category that can drive additional footfall into store. With style-conscious consumers looking for products that echo the latest trends, there’s never been a better time to invest. ‘People still like to touch and feel product and take it home immediately without the wait for delivery, knowing that they have made the right purchase,’ says Paul Hooker, Joe Davies. ‘You still can’t beat visiting a well merchandised independent retailer to be inspired and find that something special.’ Whether it’s faux florals or sustainable wood, quirky lamps or statement chairs, home interiors are big news at key gift shows. Home & Gift will offer the latest interior trends from key players like Parlane, while the British
Craft Trade Fair in April offers British handmade pieces from a curated selection of exhibitors. Homewares are set to grow at Autumn Fair 2020, too, with a new show sector Design & Source incorporating a host of fresh and ontrend exhibitors in the tableware, lighting and textiles sectors. Whether it’s a Wild Things suncatcher or Eightmood cushion, Royal Selangor pewter pieces or Culinary Concepts cocktail shaker, there’s plenty to suit all tastes and styles.
Retailers say… ‘This years trend’s are bringing the outside in, with lots of green and natural colours. Also recycled materials are being used in throws, cushions and glassware. I think online shopping is having its day. Customers are looking for unique, local and substantial products, things that you can’t just buy online.’ Karen Hardwick, Cranbornes of Shaftesbury, Dorset ‘This year’s colour is my favourite, Classic Blue (Pantone 19-4052). Though interiors are not just colours, they’re different textures, depth and layers. Try a statement cushion that can draw in colours, or you could use a sheepskin rug thrown over a chair to create texture and depth. ‘Having a shop outweighs online, as customers like to touch, feel and smell items. Small businesses are the heart of our neighbourhoods, and customers like the personal touch. Online doesn’t gift wrap, doesn’t provide school raffle prizes or have a friendly face and listening ear to ask how they are!’ Karen Greig, Destined for Home, Edinburgh ‘We have recently ordered the Angel Strawbridge range which is due in the coming weeks. We posted onto our social media about it and it went crazy and we have at least two to three customers each week asking when it is due to arrive! ‘Customers love to touch and feel products for quality, durability and strength. They can see whether colours match their planned designs or not by bringing in samples of their wallpaper, for example. What can look amazing in a photo might be poor quality when it arrives from online shops, whereas customers can see a product first before buying instore.’ Joanne Williams, Joco Interiors, Nuneaton Gifts Today 39
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HOME INTERIORS
Raining cats & dogs! Parlane
Feline Friendly?
These sublime cats add plenty of humour to displays and raise a smile. Pop a few flower and/or foliage stems in the tall, elegant white vases to add a splash of colour and create a contemporary feel. The small cats are a bit of fun and are fantastic for potted plants or alternatively they could be used to store pens or keep trinkets safe.
Hang Dog
Parlane’s pot hangers bring a new decorative dimension to planters and vases – just drape over the edge of vessels to liven up indoor displays. Animal-themed items are always great sellers and Parlane took one of their most popular products, the pot hanger, and developed it into versions of some of the nation’s favourite dog breeds. Choose from a Labrador, Fox Terrier, French Bulldog, Dachshund or Pug.
Q&A with Chris Lewis Parlane’s head of sales talks past, present and future! Q: What’s the story of Parlane? A: Parlane originally began as a specialist glassware company, primarily selling recycled glass products sourced from Europe. An incredible 50 years on, the business has grown to become one of the most highly regarded homeware suppliers in the UK.
country, all our customers are well looked after. All our sales team are extremely experienced and can guide fledgling retailers towards products we know will suit their target customer. We also hold a bank of beautiful lifestyle images that can help to boost marketing campaigns.
Q: How can a retailer see your products? A: Newly launched products, added to our core collection twice a year, can be discovered at our showrooms. For customer convenience, we have a trade web shop, and exhibit at popular trade shows where customers can order from an extensive range of fashion-led accessories. Celebrating our 50th birthday this year at Spring Fair was a real boost for everyone and we had one of our best shows ever. We’re known for our superb customer service and relaxed, friendly approach. With dedicated area sales managers around the
Q: Sustainability is the buzzword at the moment. How does Parlane approach this? A: We still sell plenty of recycled glassware from the same suppliers we used 50 years ago, along with sustainable bamboo and recycled pine. With our own in-house designers creating original patterns and product designs, we are well known for using plenty of natural materials and handcrafted and hand finished techniques. Q: What’ll be big for autumn/winter? A: Japandi is a brand new concept that’s a mix of Japanese and Scandinavian interior
design styles, using their shared passion for simplicity, clean lines and neutral tones to produce a calming, harmonious look. Florals are very natural and relaxed with a dried flower appeal and plenty of feathery textures. Beautifully crafted paper fans add an oriental element to a vase. The Christmas collection offers frosted icy blues and whites, felted woodland creatures and the rustic charm of a forest lodge with magnificent stags head candelabras, hammered metal finishes and cosy furs.
Get in touch!
View the Parlane collection in full at one of their showrooms located in the Cotswolds and Leeds. Tel: 01451 812700 Email: sales@parlane.co.uk Visit: parlane.co.uk
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Passion for Interior Design? Are you Eightmoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new partner? We are looking to develop our independent retail sector in the UK and Ireland. Contact our Country Manager for more details. Simon Pykett simon.pykett@8mood.com 0044 (0) 7967 209156 www.eightmood.com
HOME INTERIORS
Lovely lamps Lesser & Pavey
Home interiors and home fragrance become one and the same thing with these Aroma Lamps. Not only do they fragrance the home but, now available in a multitude of 3D glass designs and numerous colours in glass mosaics and crystals, they can complement any décor.
Call: 01322 279225 Email: sales@leonardo.co.uk Visit: leonardo.co.uk
So rustic
Village Pottery planters The popular Village Pottery Collection consists of charming ceramic planters in the shape of a rustic village cottage. Each piece has a lovely colour palette of soft blues, greens and greys, all are finished with a ceramic glaze. They are ideal for adding a spot of colour to window ledges inside the home or outdoors and are suitable for plants and herbs. There are also tea lights available in the range and this year sees the new addition of moneyboxes and decorative plates.
Call: 0161 975 6300 Email: sales@joedavies.co.uk Visit: joedavies.co.uk
Happy 21st! Culinary Concepts
Culinary Concepts are proud to be celebrating their 21st anniversary this year with some spectacular new products for 2020. Their new collections have been inspired by the latest trends in interior styling. With additions to their dining and barware, including all their signature Octopus and Stag Collections, brand new lighting and sumptuous new designs in their upholstered furniture ranges, there’s something for every home and style. They have acquired a reputation as a leading designer, manufacturer and supplier of contemporary design-led homeware within the home interiors and giftware industry over the past 21 years. Over the past two decades, their style has evolved, but their dedication to creating superior handcrafted products continues and today their brand is synonymous with quality, innovation and the element of surprise. This year sees the introduction of hundreds of new on-trend pieces that sit beautifully alongside their existing well-thought-out collections, so there has never been a better time to join them. With a huge array of homeware, furniture and lighting to choose from, they look forward to inspiring you and your customers when it comes to interior styling.
Visit: culinaryconceptsliving.com 42 Gifts Today
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GT Profile: Eightmood
8 reasons to chose Eightmood If you’re looking to bring some commercially priced Scandi style to your homeware offering, check out Eightmood. We caught up with sales director Sofia Montero of this growing business to learn exactly what the company has to offer to UK retailers an established We have a highly brand that’s new to the UK 5focused sales team 1We’re ‘Eightmood was founded in 2010 in Sweden by Jörgen Johnson and his wife Maria with the aim of creating a brand that covers all aspects of interior design,’ says Sofia. ‘I think the name Eightmood is perfect as it really sums up what we do. Each year we present eight moods or themes that, together, capture global trends. These eight moods can all be mixed and matched by the retailer to create their own style and uniqueness. The possibilities are really infinite.’
We make modern Scandinavian modern 2 design available to everyone ‘We have an in-house design department that constantly creates unique and qualitative products at the right price,’ says Sofia.
We have a comprehensive 3 homeware offering
‘We offer the UK market a large collection covering everything from textiles, accessories, lighting and smaller furniture, as well as a beautiful range of scented product,’ says Sofia.
4
We know who our customers are
‘We have an ever-growing business in the small to medium independent sector and this is where we are focused,’ says Sofia. ‘We offer these customers commercially-priced unique designs of a quality they can rely on.’
‘Our sales team covers the whole of the UK and Ireland, and is run by our Country Manager, Simon Pykett. This team has been selected for the contacts they have and understanding of what the small to medium independent retail sector needs. We have already progressed well and have just enjoyed a very successful Spring Fair, but Simon and his team are actively searching for new partners.’
brand is unique – and commercial 6Our
‘We design everything ourselves, so a retailer knows they’ll never find the exact same product next door. Our ranges are all colour coordinated, so you can easily mix and match whatever you want and still have a selection that feels curated.’
launch collections twice a year 7We
‘We have catalogues released in May and November,’ says Sofia. ‘Expect global trends boiled down into products that are relatable – and have a clear Nordic touch.’
8We’re on trend
‘Take our SS20 collection as an example. It draws a lot of inspiration from the human form and the tactile surfaces of nature, but also from the playfulness of its colours and shapes. ‘As we move into the AW20 season, we focus a lot on sustainability and the way we produce things. This collection will rely largely on certified materials, use natural shapes and offer some statement pieces.’
Get in touch!
Email: Simon Pykett on Simon.pykett@8mood.com Call: 0044 (0) 7967 209156 Visit: eightmood.com 44 Gifts Today
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SOCIAL MEDIA - ROSS HEWITT: GT CONTRIBUTOR
Don’t let social media distract you too much! With social media dominating the ‘noise’ in recent years around digital marketing, there are a few core staples that appear to be getting neglected by a number of retailers and brands in the gift industry
Ross Hewitt .indd 5
Facebook will be driving more than 1.5% of your traffic and if you are very, very active with adverts on there then it might even hit 3-6% but it won’t be more and this won’t apply to 95% of you reading this right now. Where is Instagram? Have you hit 1% yet? Soooo…how important is all that fluffy stuff on social media in the grand scheme of things? Well, it is still very important as it is where your brand personality can live and have fun, and it is also where a chunk of your customer service happens, quickly and efficiently hopefully. Maybe it’s the main place where a local person can find out about your business without actually having to visit your website, or they might learn enough to know your name and then search for you in Google another time…so keep doing all of that good posting and chatting.
‘
People use social media to either chill or complain, rarely to search
‘
W
e all have a finite amount of time each week that we can spend on our marketing and if most of that is being pointed at Instagram or Facebook then other vital components such as search engine optimisation, email marketing, website usability, content management can fall by the wayside. These, however, are the consistent big hitters that genuinely drive traffic to your websites and into stores. If you don’t believe me, then here’s a little exercise. Log into your Google Analytics account (and if you don’t have this on your website then stop reading and go and sort that out straight away!), then look in the ‘Acquisition’ tab in the left hand menu, click ‘All Traffic’ and then click ‘Source/ Medium’. Change the date range (top right-hand side) to December 31 2019 – February 29 2020. Okay, retailers and brands alike, now you can see where your website traffic has really been coming from. I’ll bet it’s not what you expected if you don’t look at this stuff very often? You are probably seeing around 70 to 80% of your traffic coming from Google. This will either be wholly from Google search or a blended figure from search and Adwords campaigns if you run those. Another 10 to 15% will be shown as ‘Direct/ None’ – this is traffic that is harder to determine, but includes people typing your address into the browser direct, clicking from bookmarks, clicking links to your site that don’t have any tracking in them such as normal emails, and so on. Anyway, there is 80-95% of the source of your website traffic right there. Doesn’t leave much room for the rest of the stuff you spend so much time on does it? If you’re lucky,
Just don’t ignore where the lion’s share of your business and website traffic is coming from as that is the lifeblood of your business. People use social media to either chill or complain, rarely to search. Search happens on Google. People turn to Google for ANSWERS. To start a journey with a potential customer you need to be found in their search results. If you have Google feeding you with 75% of your website visitors then you need to be looking after them when they arrive. Is your
website easy to navigate? Can they see good quality images of products you sell? Is there any content on the site that helps them to answer their questions and learn, or are you just running a cold ecommerce site? Take some time to read up on what the latest trends are for search engine optimisation to make sure you are up to date. Important changes within the last 18 months revolve around being mobile friendly and running off a secure URL (https instead of http). It’s more than that though, way more. You need to get up on YouTube already…videos from there are always appearing high up in search engine results, and once you have a video then it also feeds your social media content too. Remember, people predominantly watch YouTube videos to LEARN something, so be informative and make sure people can easily click from your videos and channel to your website. ‘Dwell time’ is becoming more and more important too. Google is tracking how long people spend on your webpage when they send traffic through and this helps your ranking. So, make sure you have good quality content that keeps a visitor hooked. Give them something useful to read, again remembering that your audience is primarily made up of people who want to learn. Jeez…there’s loads to this and I am barely scratching the surface but the formula is simple…make your website search engine friendly to get found. Make your website interesting to linger on when people arrive. Use social media and email marketing to drive traffic to your newly compelling content. Keep doing those things and you’ll find the elements begin to feed each other and traffic, enquiries and hopefully sales will start to climb north. Data isn’t sexy, but it can teach you how to be…
Ross Hewitt, Managing Director of Secret Pie and author of ‘Savvy Social Media’. Ross began his digital marketing career in 1998 when social networking was something you only did in a pub. He set up Secret Pie in 2010 and has been helping clients get found and loved online ever since. www.secretpie.co.uk | Ross@secretpie.co.uk | 01904 410027 | Twitter: @Secret_Pie
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RETAIL INTERVIEW: Royal Horticultural Society
Gifts in bloom The Royal Horticultural Society’s head of retail Damian Powell tells Gifts Today how important gifts are to the RHS’s offering, making up 35% of retail revenue at the Wisley store, and explains how important it is to create a beautiful space for consumers to shop Damian, what’s your career journey to becoming Head of Retail at the RHS? I started my retail career with Thomas Pink. From there I worked for The White Company and then onto Merlin Entertainments where I had a variety of roles, my last as Group Buying Director. I started with the RHS some three years ago. What locations does your role cover? My role encompasses all revenue streams from retail, so all four, soon to be five, RHS Gardens’ retail operations, our websites, RHSshop and RHSplants, and our licensing programme. What makes your job so special? Having such an extensive range of amazing imagery from our collection at the Lindley Library to create our exclusive ranges, knowing that all of the profit we make as a department goes towards our charitable purposes and I am lucky to have a great team.
Did you know?
1.2m visitors to There are over Wisley the RHS Garden every year
Who’s on the team? We have a team of around 120 at peak times, but my direct reports are ten - five retail head of stores, a head of buying, an online manager, a licensing manager, a visual merchandising manager and a retail marketing executive. Is there a typical RHS visitor? Our visitor type varies dramatically through
the year and to a degree through each week. We see customers with every level of gardening experience who come to us for our plant selection and team expertise, a lot of families come for a day out, and we are growing our younger adult visitor especially through our extensive range of houseplants, which are very on trend at the moment. What about the new Wisley store? It sits within the new Welcome building and has had a very positive impact on our retail offer. It has given us the space to showcase our gift and homeware products at their best and created a retail environment that our customers can really enjoy. It has also given our team the environment to shine in, with space and fixtures that enable them to showcase our products. Our retail sales have risen significantly since it opened.
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What’s your gift offering mix in the shop? We stock a really wide range of gifting lines. Our top selling types are homewares that account for 25% of gift revenue, stationery at 18%, food at 16% and fashion accessories at 11%. Bestselling gift ranges and products? Mainly out exclusive products that we design and source in-house. Out of these, our RHS Butterflies and Kitchen Garden ranges are the strongest performers. We also do well with our licensed ranges, with the toiletry range from Heathcote & Ivory and our calendars and diaries. We do have a criteria for our gift ranges which does need to link back to the RHS in some way. This can be a link to horticulture through design; a fragrance you could find in the garden; a product which reflects the experience our customers have had in the garden; products which help showcase plants in the home or products which help our customers grow their horticultural knowledge. What do you feel makes your store different to a regular gift shop? We have a created a beautiful space for our customers to shop, and we spend a lot of time curating the ranges and then displaying them in an enticing way. The store was designed with plenty of space for the products to breathe, which in itself makes it clearer for our customers to shop. We also have the huge advantage of our link to our gardens, which create an amazing setting for our shops and inspire our customers before they shop.
What trade shows do you visit? The ones for our team are Glee, Spring and Autumn Fairs, Maison & Objet, Top Drawer and Christmasworld, giving us a good balance of UK and EU suppliers across all our main product categories. What about sustainability? As we have Science and Horticulture teams within the RHS, we in the main work to align our retail sustainability with the amazing work these teams deliver. Where possible we also try to source products from the UK and EU. We have done a lot of work on our packaging guidelines, which will roll out throughout this year, and we are working on a way to communicate this to our customers.
‘We stock a really wide range of gifting lines’ Plans for 2020 and beyond? We’ll continue to be investing into our existing stores with refits for our existing estate based on the Wisley model. We have our fifth garden, RHS Garden Bridgewater in Salford, opening in July that will feature a new shop and plant centre.
How well does your online store do? Our current website does well and we are seeing continuing growth. As a result we are investing and developing a new website which will be a far improved customer experience, which should go live by end of March this year. The range is reflective of what you will find in our Wisley store. How important is licensing to the RHS? I am immensely proud of our licensing programme, which continues to grow year on year and helps to showcase the RHS through great product across a wide variety of countries. We carefully select our partners and then work with them to develop the artwork using our collections and imagery. At the end of last year we launched our new children’s artwork and this has opened up some new product types and potential licensees, which will be coming through to market this year. Gifts Today 47
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Garden Centre Gifts
Grow your garden gift offering With garden centres becoming a retail destination in their own right for gift buyers, we take a look at this growing category – and visit Palmers Garden Centre, a thriving garden centre in Leicester for inspiration
I
f you’ve visited your local garden centre recently, it’s a fair bet you’ll have picked up a coffee and a gift or two alongside your bedding plants. Many garden centres are treated as a day out by consumers these days. Often located outside town and city centres, they tend to have plenty of space for cafes and extended retail spaces that often branch out into gifts, home décor, fashion and food. The crossover between gifts and garden is in evidence at trade shows, too, with Glee at Spring Fair bringing a variety of specialist garden and outdoor living exhibitors to the show. An extended gift offering helps garden centres become less weather dependent. While many products tend to be ‘gardeny’ or floral-inspired, many garden centres also do well with products that aren’t. After all, larger spaces available in many garden centres mean that they can offer a broader range of home fragrance, fashion and home décor than some traditional gift shops. Add to that plenty of parking and the chance to stop for a cup of tea, and it’s no wonder that business in garden centres is booming.
‘We sell a huge variety of giftware’ Starting life as an allotment over 100 years ago, Palmers Garden Centre today has a thriving Home & Giftware department that represents around a third of retail sales. We catch up with Erin Wilson, group events planner & coordinator, to learn more
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Garden Centre Gifts
Erin, can you tell us a little about Palmers’ history?
Palmers are fourth-generation family businesses that’ve been trading for over 100 years, and their family values genuinely sit at the heart of the company. Palmers began many years ago in 1911, on a small allotment on the edge of Leicester. George Palmer and his wife Julia grew fruit, vegetables and flower crops to sell to the local community. Five years later George and a friend bought a six-acre field in Narborough, at auction. They planned to have half each, and tossed a coin to see who had which half, then planted a hedge down the middle to divide it up. George’s three acres became first a flourishing nursery which then grew into Palmers Garden Centre. In the 1960s, son Harold Palmer and grandson Brian Palmer created a retail nursery and the transition to garden centre was made. Palmers is now in the hands of an incredibly proud fourth generation of the Palmer family - Caroline Palmer and brother Robert Palmer who are great grandchildren of the founder. 2011 was a big year for Palmers as we celebrated our 100th year and also expanded the business. The Palmers family business now consists of two garden centres, one in Enderby and another in Ullesthorpe. How we speak to one another, how we treat our customers and the painstaking efforts we all put into our business do not reflect a corporate entity but a genuine extended family.
‘Palmers now sells all you need for garden and home; plants, gardening accessories, gifts, homeware, furniture and outdoor features’ When did the Home & Gift shop open at Palmers?
Caroline is our MD. She moved from a busy life in London, back to Leicester in the late 1990s. She had a vision to develop the garden centre and make it more than the ‘traditional ideal’ of what a garden centre should be. The Home & Gift department started to take shape in the mid 90s and it’s expanded ever since. Palmers now sells all you need for garden and home; plants, gardening accessories, gifts, homeware, furniture and outdoor features. Home & Gift
(including Christmas) represents just under 30% of sales, and we have 270,000 visitors coming through the shop each year. Enderby has four members of staff within the Home & Giftware department, all merchandiser/sales assistant positions. Ullesthorpe has two members of staff, both merchandiser/sales assistant positions, plus a department coordinator. Both centres are overseen by one senior manager/buyer.
What trade shows do you visit? We visit Spring Fair, Autumn Fair and Harrogate Gift Fairs as they work well with the seasonal trade. We also visit many of our suppliers directly at their showrooms.
Plans for 2020 and beyond?
Looking towards the future there may be possible introduction of some online gift retailing and refurbishments at our Enderby centre.
Biggest challenge for 2019? Our biggest challenge was local competition and supply in some category areas.
What’s your gift offering mix?
We sell a huge variety of giftware products. The percentage splits are as follows: toiletries 5%, home fragrance 5%, books 2%, homewares including furniture and wall art 45%, toys 2%, stationery 12%, food 25%, and fashion accessories 4%.
Bestselling gift ranges and products for you?
By volume, the following are a random snapshot of some of our bestselling Lines: Gardeco Animal footstools, Xystos Himalayan Natural Salt Lamps, Austin Sloan wooden signs and Creative Products bottle lights.
Does everything need to have a plant theme?
Definitely not. We base our themes on current trends, which change seasonally. It’s important to make sure we do this, in order to keep up with current customer demands.
What makes your store different to a regular gift shop?
We aim to offer a unique shopping experience at both of our garden centres. Offering on trend, stylish and desirable products coupled with excellent customer service. Something that we believe sets us apart from the high street and online retailing. Gifts Today 49
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GT PROFILE Mr Stanley’s
Mr Stanley’s With a heritage dating back to 1843, Mr Stanley’s offers the very finest in British confectionery. Gifts Today caught up with sales director Jaime Waring to learn more about this fabulous brand What’s the story of Mr Stanley’s? With a heritage dating back to 1843, when it was known as Stanley’s Confectionery, it’s a producer of classic British confectionery. In the early 2000s the brand was acquired by The Gourmet Candy Company who have worked to build the brand, now exporting to over 20 countries around the globe. Mr Stanley’s stays true to its British heritage, with its confectionery still made to traditional methods, in copper pots for example. What ranges do you offer? Mr Stanley’s offers the finest in British confectionery – fudges, brittles, toffees, nougats, coconut ices, caramels and chocolates. Our range includes smaller gift boxes such as Coconut Icebergs and Hopscotch Butterscotch, through to high-end confectionery gifts, such as our Cabinet of Confectionery chocolate gift box. What are your bestsellers? Our bestseller is our pure and simple Butterfingers fudge – now with an improved recipe with 18% butter content. Our chocolate novelty items – including Gentlemen’s Club Chocolate Cigars and Milk Chocolate England’s Glory Matches are always great sellers. What makes you special – and different? Mr Stanley’s offers the best of British confectionery, but all with unique twists and original flavours. For example, our Dutch Courage fudge - delicious butter fudge infused with gin and elderflower - and our Nutpopper Brittle sprinkled with popcorn and crunchy peanuts. Why are your products are so giftable? Our products are luxurious and tantalising – making them an ideal gift for a loved one, or for oneself. In addition, our packaging is high quality, and designed with gifting in mind. Each box tells
a story of Mr Stanley and his travels around the globe, searching for new flavours and inspiration, joined by an array of charming characters. What retail environments does Mr Stanley’s sit well in? Mr Stanley’s is a premium, giftable brand that sells well in premium retailers including department stores, garden centres, homeware and lifestyle stores and other independent retailers. What support do you offer retailers? We can support our retailers by offering a sampling programme – which generates great sales uplift, particularly at key seasonal gifting periods. We can also support with marketing.
Tell us about the new rebrand and how this came about? Our new tagline ‘Feed The Imagination’ has been applied to all elements of the new range, from product to packaging. However, the essence of the brand and its premium positioning is not changing. Anything else you’d like to shout about? We’ve been busy planning our Christmas 2020 gifting range and are ready and excited to share this with retailers. We’ve designed an array of delicious gifts and stocking fillers, full of the character you’d expect from Mr Stanley’s – including milk chocolate motor cars and motorbikes, boiled sweets infused with the flavour of mulled wine, festive tipple candy canes, and the perfect tonic for Christmas excess…Hangover Drops!
Email: mail@mrstanleys.com Call: 020 7428 9993 Visit: mrstanleys.com
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Garden Centre Gifts
Flower power Alexander Thurlow
Alexander Thurlow have made new additions to their highly popular Love Flowers range of jewellery. Started early in 2019 this is quickly growing into a great selling product. With its readymade packaging and POS it is a really easy sell for retailers. The company got great feedback on the range at Spring Fair in February. New designs coming through are Periwinkles, Magnolia, Iris and Euphorbia fashion jewellery designs. The best sellers still continue to be Bluebells, Forget-Me-Knots and Snowdrops.
Call: 020 8766 6466 Visit: alexanderthurlow.com
Plant Pot Pals Lesser & Pavey
One of the giftware company’s most popular ranges for garden centres is Plant Pot Pals. These cute little animal figurines sit on the edge of plant pots to give them some animation.
Call: 01322 279225 Email: sales@leonardo.co.uk Visit: leonardo.co.uk
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Garden Centre Gifts
Neat wheat
The Wheat Bag Company The Wheat Bag Company manufacture quality products in the UK. They have their own in-house designers who design their own bespoke fabric that they use to make their very popular Microwavable Wheat Bags, PADi Pillows and a range of textile products. Their Microwavable Wheat Bags are filled with English wheat and lavender buds. They are comforting, warm and relaxing and a natural way to soothe aches and pains. They are available in a large selection of designs with lavender or unscented. The company also offers bespoke wooden display units free of charge to display their products. Their unique PADi Pillows have proven to be very popular with all ages. They are the ultimate accessory for an iPad, tablet, Ebook, phone and book. They can be used on any surface including a lap. Great for travelling and doubles up as a travel pillow, fully washable.
Call: 01747 840 499 Email: sales@thewheatbagcompany.co.uk Visit: thewheatbagcompany.co.uk
Easy Treasy Treasy
Introducing Treasy, the stylish and innovative answer to the problem of Christmas tree needledrop. Unique and brand new to the market, Treasy is a velvet Christmas tree skirt that sits elegantly around the base of your tree during the Christmas period, providing a glamorous backdrop for your gifts, keeping the look once the gifts have been distributed. Furthermore, once the time comes to take the tree out, Treasy simply lifts up and over the tree, seals across the top and along the side, providing a needle-tight bag for needle-free tree removal. At the point of depositing your tree, simply undo the Velcro, take the Treasy off the tree, shake it out, fold and replace in its bag ready for next year. Should it be necessary, Treasy is washable. • No more clogged vacuum cleaners • No more endless sweeping • No more needles in the back of the car Available for six, seven and eight-foot trees, Treasy comes in a variety of colours, including red, gold and silver. Environmentally sound, Treasy uses no plastic in its manufacture. Treasy is made in the UK and reusable over many years.
Call: 07738 003324 or 078762 52370 Email: steve@12drummers.com Visit: 12drummers.com
54 Gifts Today
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Garden Centre Gifts
What a fishy surprise! Phil Parker
Phil Parker has just designed and produced these original Children’s Cheese Cloth Fishing Nets with a fishy surprise already inside. They’re passed by Trading Standards. Distributed and made on Phil’s sewing machine in a little room at the farm in Alston, Cumbria, each net is individually hand made to order with a colour tag plus barcode. Proforma on each order and post paid over £10.
Call: 01434 382051 or 07837373751 Email: phillip.parker888@btinternet.com
Everything in the garden’s rosy Something Different Wholesale Rain or shine, the new Gifts for Gardeners range by Something Different won’t fail to make someone’s grass a little greener. Launched at the NEC in February, the sunny range is already growing in popularity, particularly with spring fast approaching. Their exclusive plant pot-shaped mugs and matching shovel spoons are the perfect gift for the ‘down to earth’ and there is a wide variety of terracotta accessories for the traditional gardener. If you dig a little deeper into the range, you’ll find charming pot-men and funny, little weather forecasting gnomes that will bring a smile even when skies are grey. The Gifts for Gardeners range is an exciting addition to the company’s broad selection of garden and outdoor products. Something Different are well known for their huge selection of ethically sourced windchimes and suncatchers and they have recently expanded on their other garden ranges including outdoor Buddhas and additions to their Green Man collection that celebrates the cycle of growth each spring.
Call: 01792 940 288 Email: customercare@somethingdifferentwholesale.co.uk Visit: somethingdifferentwholesale.co.uk 56 Gifts Today
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Gifts for grown-ups Apples to Pears
The new Gifts for Grown-Ups range launched in September 2019 is growing. Apples to Pears Ltd have added four new lines to the range for spring 2020. The first is Chin Chin, Gin Gin, a set of four slate coasters with recipes on and a garnish guide for 30 gins. One for the cheese lovers – Cheesy Markers! This set includes five slate cheese markers and a soapstone pen. Come Wine with Me is the third addition, including a wine pourer & stopper, foil cutter and four wine charms saying ‘sober’, ‘tipsy’, ‘sloshed’ and ‘on the floor’. The final tin is Groomed & Wonderful, a grooming set including a comb, clippers, scissors and tweezers.
Call: 01453 826759 Visit: applestopears.com
Sticks of style Classic Canes
Walking stick specialists Classic Canes number a great many independent garden centres among their stockists and develop new products accordingly. MD Charlotte Gillan explains: ‘When we are designing new patterns for walking sticks, we always keep in mind where they will be sold. ‘Garden centres always do well with our floral designs as you would expect, but their customers also love animals, art and design. Our latest range of patterned canes includes cats, foxes, hedgehogs, red squirrels and flamingos among other creatures and these are proving an ideal match for the typical garden centre clientele. ‘We have more gardening and natured themed products in the pipeline, which will allow our garden centres to offer even more unique designs.’ Classic Canes’ new range of animal-themed walking sticks and folding canes is available from stock and will make excellent gifts for Mothers’ Day and birthdays. All models are height-adjustable, so can easily be altered to fit the recipient.
Call: 01460 75686 Email: info@classiccanes.co.uk Visit: classiccanes.co.uk Gifts Today 57
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Garden Centre Gifts
Beauty treats Agnes + Cat
Agnes + Cat was created in the beautiful Lake District in the north of England. That’s where they started designing their iconic range of candles and bath products, getting inspired by the surrounding nature and scents. All their cosmetic, reed diffusers and soaps are handmade in small batches and scented with the best of British fragrances; their candles are hand-poured using Indonesian soy wax and cotton wicks. Their lip balms are enriched with jojoba oil, Shea, mango and avocado butter to intensely nourish and replenish your lips. Their Bath Salts are made with pure essential oils and different kinds of salt that all have amazing benefits. They try to help the planet by packing light, recyclable and sourcing local wherever possible. Many of their lines can be re-purposed after use and packaging can either be recycled or reused. Agnes + Cat are committed to make the best possible products and they take time to source the right materials and ingredients which go into their products; from certified sustainable palm oil soap which is overseen by WWF to only using natural soy wax. Products are vegan-friendly and handmade.
Call: 0114 26 77723 Email: enquiries@agnesandcat.org Visit: agnesandcat.org
Pet Themed Spinners Joe Davies
Joe Davies have gone pet crazy and introduced two great spinner stand deals featuring dog and cat furry friends. The first stand features the new Dog Lover Socks range, offering 28 different dog breed designs including all the bestselling breeds such as Westie, Yorkie, Labrador and Pug. They are made from a soft-combed cotton and a premium quality, unisex and one size fits all. There are even some cat designs within the range so feline lovers don’t feel left out. Order the stand and the retailer gets 12 pairs free.
In addition, Joe Davies have a new range of Eco shopping bags called Dog Style that feature 20 designs of cats and dogs with sentiment messages in bright fun colours. Order this pack and get a spinner stand to display the bags on. Easy to buy with their little and often ordering policy, carriage paid orders of £100, buying from Joe Davies could not be simpler.
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UK SALES AGENTS OPPORTUNITIES Organisation: The Vintage Garden Room Location: Across the UK Description: UK SALES AGENTS OPPORTUNITIES
The Vintage Garden Room Following a highly successful 2019 and start to 2020, The Vintage Garden Room is looking for highly motivated and experienced sales agents across the UK. The candidates must have experience in the high end gift or home markets to sell to existing and generate new customers for the brand. Experience of both high street Gift/Home Independents and Garden Centres is preferred. The Vintage Garden Room offers: â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘
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The Vintage Garden Room Ltd The Maltings, 66 High Street, Stoke Goldington MK16 8NR www.thevintagegardenroom.co.uk
Closing Date: 30/04/2020
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Garden Centre Gifts
A gift for all seasons Wild Things Gifts With spring festivals taking place all over the world, Wild Things have launched a seasonal theme. Their range of crystal window ornaments includes Angel Wings and Heart of Hearts for spring, Flaming Suns for summer, Snowflakes and Christmas Trees for winter. The Pure Radiance Tree of life now comes in a colourway for each season. Meanwhile the best-selling Crystal Fantasy range has been extended to Kingfishers, Elephants and Thai Buddhas. • Angel Wing Hearts are available in a small version as a birthstone range (shown boxed) and a large in both chakra and ruby colourways featuring a gorgeous 28mm ruby heart. • Flaming Suns come with either 20mm or 30mm (shown) balls featuring a cluster of rich orange, red and fire opal octagons on top. • Snowflakes again feature 20mm and 30mm versions, this time snowflake crystals, with Swarovski beads redolent of the beautiful Northern lights. • Christmas Trees and Tree of Life are adorned with jewellery quality 10mm hearts in an assortment of colourways. Celebrating British birdlife along with the existing robin, blue tit, barn owl, puffin, swan, is the kingfisher Crystal fantasy. All are made using silver mirrorfinished brass metals and all are embellished with crystals from Swarovski. And, in keeping with almost all Wild Things products, they are made here in Britain. Finally, by offering retail displays to encourage the collector, the Wild Things strapline becomes ‘Artisan. British. Collectable’. Keep your eyes out for the new catalogue!
Call: 01392 211268 Email: sales@wildthingsgifts.com Visit: wildthingsgifts.com
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Over 700 models in stock. Please contact us for a trade catalogue: Tel 01460 75686 www.classiccanes.co.uk
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Garden Centre Gifts
Blooming good gifts Posh Paws
Whether it’s a gift for a special someone, a friend or family member, Posh Paws’ new gift ranges offer garden centres something for everyone! From the record breaking BBC Earth wildlife programmes Planet Earth and Blue Planet comes a beautiful range of soft toy animals. This collection has been carefully handcrafted to bring each beautiful toy animal to life, using only the finest of fabrics and featuring the iconic BBC Earth emblem. From the plains of Africa to the frozen Arctic, there is an animal for everyone and, new for 2020 and ready to pull on the heartstrings, is the new BBC Earth Babies collection. If that was not reason enough to invest in these premium plushies, each toy includes stuffing made from 100% recycled post-consumer waste PET plastic (plastic bottles) along with packaging made using 100% recycled FSC certified craft paper and soy-based inks.
For a luxury gift meet Bailey Bear, the premium teddy bear embellished with Swarovski Crystals from Posh Paws’ brand new Chic & Love collection. Bailey Bear has been lovingly made from head to paw from the highest quality materials and presented in a hand finished gift box. Adorned with Crystals and Swarovski seal of authenticity, this Bailey Bear collection offers a unique keepsake gift for those wishing to spread a special message. Garden Centre visitors can also take a traditional trip down memory lane with the brand new Ragtales collection; a beautiful collection of British designed toys. Each product is made with gorgeous handpicked fabrics, the softest velour, hand knitted clothing and all presented in quality packaging. Each toy is full of character and charm, with the range drawing inspiration from the heritage of English life.
Call: 01268 567317 Email: sales@poshpawsinternational.co.uk
Fun, fun, fun Fizz Creations
Now in its tenth year Fizz Creations offers an extensive gifting range from Slush Puppie machines, syrups and gift sets to a variety of games, character lines and everyday gifting. Perfect for the warm weather is the Summer Nights collection of garden games. There’s no need for the fun to end when the sun goes down as the entire range is lightup - perfect outdoors. The Summer Nights range comprises: Bean Bag Toss, Lawn Darts and Ring Toss. We know the British weather so, for those rainy and miserable days, the Make Your Own Tech range is an ideal indoor activity and great for Father’s Day. Each craft-at-home kit contains a 45-minute project to build your very own piece of tech. Everything needed is included in the pack and no tools are required. The Make Your Own Tech range comprises: Synth, Torch, Sketcher. Radio, Desktop Arcade and Buzzer Game.
Call: 01903 327006 Email: sales@fizzcreations.com Visit: fizzcreations.com
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Our Wheat Bags are all handmade in Wiltshire, England and are filled with English wheat. All designs are available in unscented or lavender using the fineest English Lavender buds. They can be either heated in the microwave for soothing aches, pains, relaxation and warmth or chilled to treat headaches or injuries.
Treasy - No more needles! Introducing Treasy, the stylish and innovative answer to Christmas tree needledrop. A velvet Christmas tree skirt that sits elegantly around the base of your tree during the Christmas period. Once the time comes to take the tree down, Treasy simply lifts up and over the tree, providing a needle-tight bag for needle-free tree removal.
• • • • •
• Available for 6, 7 and 8 foot trees
07738 003324 078762 52370 steve@12drummers.com 12drummers.com
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Are you looking for
agents... if so contact: Mark Horsnell 01442 289949 mark@lemapublishing.co.uk
PADI Pillows
No more needles Reusable Made in the UK Eco-friendly Variety of colours available, including red, gold and silver
A versatile, hands-free stand perfect for holding any mobile device on your lap, in bed, the kitchen or on public transport. The Padi Pillow is suitable for iPads, tablets, Kindles, phones & books and keeps your device stable at almost any angle.
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* Helps relieve R.S.I *Ultra lightweight *Ideal travel pillow *Shop and surf with ease *Made in England *Over 50 designs
01747 840 499
www.thewheatbagcompany.co.uk sales@thewheatbagcompany.co.uk
Green Spinner Racks for sale Delivered £45.00 each U.K. only no vat. 36 Pocket Portrait 7”x5” . Selling due to semi retirement 24 boxed. Contact Phil Parker’s Art 01434-382051 phillip.parker888@btinternet.com High Bayles Farm, Alston,Cumbria. CA9 3BS. Cards,Cushions,Foot stools, Children’s Fishing nets,lap tables Posters,Postcards, Watercolour Prints Catalogue on Request.