Greetings Today July August 2023

Editor Naomi MacKay naomi@lemapublishing.co.uk

Publisher Mark Horsnell markh@lemapublishing.co.uk 01442 289940

Advertising Manager Marian McNamara marian@lemapublishing.co.uk 01442 289940

Managing Director Mark Naish mark@lemapublishing.co.uk

Production Director Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk

Design Rick Vickers rick@lemapublishing.co.uk

Chairman

Malcolm Naish malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk

Circulation Manager Robert Thomas robert@lemapublishing.co.uk

1 Church Gates, Wilderness, Berkhamsted, Herts HP4 2UB

Telephone: 01442 289930 www.greetingstoday.media Greetings

While we have been working on this issue, we’ve been treated to some fabulous weather - and let’s hope it continues as we all get ready to head to Harrogate for the Home & Gift Buyers’ Festival when it opens its doors on July 16.

Last year’s show was, as The Sun newspaper might say, a scorcher! And if the forecasts are to be believed, we’re set for more of the same this year.

Meteorological mishaps/climate conditions aside, the good news is that even if you’re a regular Harrogate attendee, you can look forward to plenty of newness.

Among the 30% of new brands exhibiting this year are plenty to appeal to greeting card retailers, including Caroline Gardener, Luke Horton, Ohh Deer, Roger La Borde, The Art File, Toasted Crumpet, and VENT For Change.

For more than six decades, this four-day trade show held in the North Yorkshire spa town has been a key date in the UK greeting card industry calendar. And as the show runs in high summer, it may feel difficult to turn your thoughts to Christmas. But that you must! So to give you some inspiration for the busiest time of year, we’ve compiled a selection of some of the new products ready to grace your festive shelves this autumn and winter.

And it’s never too early to think about December - as Cherry Orchard’s Jackie Collins points out in our festive feature: ‘‘We always recommend that retailers put in

their orders while their previous Christmas sales are fresh in their minds!’’ However, it’s also never too late, as Wilderbeest’s Iain Hamilton notes: ‘’Last year we found that having a good stock of Christmas cards for trade customers well into December, meant we could send out top-up orders to them quickly, which helped shops snag a few more last-second sales. We plan to do the same this year.’’

Speaking of looking ahead, if you need some inspiration on how to prepare for the crucial golden quarter, our regular columnist Neil Amer of Retail100 Consulting offers some invaluable pointers on how to plan ahead for Yuletide.

Of course Christmas means gifts, so we’ve compiled a round-up of presents that should appeal to your customers, while our regular columnist Henri Davies considers why, with purse strings tightened, foodrelated gifts will always be popular - and what sells well in her Cornish coastal shop.

We also focus on keepsake and pop-up cards. So if you’re looking for something a bit different - and as Bewilderbeest’s Iain Hamilton says: ‘’Many of us are more cautious with our spending at the moment, but there will always be people who are willing to spend a bit more; premium cards will always be in demand’’ - then these are the cards for you. Cards to enjoy and keep long after the birthday, anniversary or other special event is over.

Send

And while you’re considering your own strategy on the cards you stock, you may get some ideas from our Retail Interview. Asma Ola and Andrew Hart took a failing backstreet Post Office in Harrogate and turned it around - they now sell 50,000 cards a year.

We’ve also turned the spotlight on five greeting card, wrap and gift suppliers: UWP Luxe, which has just signed a distribution deal with Ohh Deer; Glick Gift Packaging; home fragrance brand Best Kept Secrets; The Seed Card Company; and, last but certainly not least, our front cover star The Art File, which reflects on a busy year and plenty of newness to look forward to at Home & Gift.

So whether you’re out in the garden enjoying the sun, or on the train to Yorkshire, relax with this issue and get planning!

Editor Naomi MacKay

Inaugural award inspired by Glasgow’s Art Deco style

The first Collins Debden Graduate Award has been awarded to communication design student Katie Smith.

Katie’s work was inspired by the iconic Glasgow Art Deco restaurant Rogano and her family tradition of Christmas Eve visits there for lobster and champagne. In the work she imagines her sister and herself through the ages, each decade beautifully depicted in a separate course.

Diary and stationery supplier Collins Debden has collaborated with Communication Design at The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) for this new award - a prestigious design award that will see a communication design student’s designs featured in Collins’ diary and stationery collection.

Katie (pictured) was presented with the first annual Collins Debden Graduate Award at the School’s Degree Show, and will go on to work with the Collins’ design team to apply her designs to diaries, notebooks and other stationery products.

In a show of appreciation for the rich history and prestigious legacy of both institutions, the winning design will highlight the unique cultural significance of Glasgow, where both Collins and GSA were founded in the early 19th century.

Creative Cove picks up Club title

Welsh stationery and greeting card retailer (and sometime Greetings Today columnist) Creative Cove has been named Retail Business of the Year by UK dealer group Nemo Office Club, at the organisation’s annual conference.

Sandra Jervis, who owns the Lampeter store, told Greetings Today: “It was an absolute honour to be awarded Retail Business of the Year by Nemo Office Club and was a complete surprise. To be recognised for what I’m doing and my achievements means the world to me. We all work so hard in our industry to be the best and do the best, so when someone stands up and says your name, it says you’re doing something right! I live and breathe my shop and this gives

Spotted online…

The Cherry Orchard team was surprised to come across a social media post from EastEnders star Natalie Cassidy who recently turned 40 as she had by mistake been sent one of Cherry Orchard’s Happy 50th Grace cards! Luckily Natalie took it all in her stride and saw the funny side but did comment on how beautiful the card was despite it being the wrong year! Cherry Orchard then decided after the mix-up by one of Natalie’s friends to send her a bespoke celebratory card to wish her a happy 40th birthday. Jackie Collins at Cherry Orchard said: ‘’I’m not sure we could be quite so jovial about receiving the wrong year card but receiving a bespoke card certainly cheered Natalie up!’’ Have you spotted your product being admired by a celebrity or praised online? Send details with the subject line ‘Spotted’ to naomi@lemapublishing.co.uk.

Kali sticks to new collaboration

Kali Stileman Publishing has announced its latest wall sticker collaboration with Stickerscape, an awardwinning wall sticker, roller blind and personalised gift manufacturer based in Hampshire. Stickerscape’s latest range of wall stickers feature some of Kali and Jemima’s favourite wrapping paper designs, including underwater, animals and smiley stars. Now available to the trade in beautiful (and fully recyclable) retail packaging, the wall stickers can quickly create a fun and engaging bedroom or playroom. Suitable for walls, doors and furniture, all stickers are easily applied and cleanly removable. www.kalistileman.co.uk

www.stickerscape.co.uk/trade

me the validation to keep on going and doing what I do.’’

New arrivals join Enesco brand team

Gift supplier Enesco has announced changes to its brand team.

Iain McGeary joins as senior brand marketing manager, heading up the brand team on a day-to-day basis. Iain is an experienced marketing and brand manager, who brings with him extensive knowledge gained during his most recent roles in the sports fishing industry. In his spare time Iain can be found spending time with his three children and is a Newcastle United season ticket holder.

Adi Jones was born and raised in Mumbai, India, and now lives in Cockermouth in Cumbria where she started playing rugby at the age of 45. Adi has joined Enesco to support the brand, sales and marketing teams as a product administrator, assisting with the all-important forecasting (among other things). Adi has completed two masters degrees, while raising her daughter, and has even found time to be an extra in the film Supernova, with Colin Firth.

Tom Dunning-Lewis and Enesco are a perfect match with Tom’s passion for interior design, collectables, digital technology, house plants and craft gin. Tom has joined the Enesco team as brand marketing manager, and has a varied skillset having previously worked with a PR agency in Brighton, a UK charity in Uganda and an international company specialising in fire protection.

Finally, Enesco welcomes Summer Cottam to the e-commerce team as a digital assistant. Summer is passionate about digital creation, marketing and art. Having grown up in Spain, Summer is fluent in Spanish and in her free time hikes, gardens and knits.

Aline Mellor, head of marketing and ecommerce at Enesco, said:

“At Enesco we have had a lot of change with our new ownership, opening up new opportunities for our teams to expand, bringing in fresh ideas and a drive for a brighter future. We are now the UK leader in home fragrance for the independent gift sector and with an ever-changing landscape in our industry, changes were needed to keep us at the top of our game.’’

Ohh Deer takes on UWP Luxe distribution

Ohh Deer has become the official UK distributors of UWP Luxe, making the US company’s entire pop-up card catalogue available to the UK market.

Monika Brandrup, VP and creative director of UWP Luxe/Up With Paper, said: “We are delighted to have Ohh Deer become the exclusive UK distributor of UWP Luxe, our leading design-driven pop-up cards, and boxed notes. They are the perfect partner to fully introduce UWP Luxe to the UK market.”

Ohh Deer has plans to debut UWP Luxe designs at Harrogate Home & Gift. Due to the timing of the show, a large focus and the theme of their display will be centred around holidays/Christmas.

“We are thrilled to become the official UK distributors of UWP Luxe. We think their 3D cards are second to none and can’t wait to bring them to life at Harrogate Home & Gift and at Top Drawer in September,‘’ said Alex Turner, sales manager at Ohh Deer.

Bewilderbeest

bags GBCC commission

Bewilderbeest has been commissioned by Great British Card Company (GBCC), through The London Studio, to create a capsule collection of exclusive new designs. The result is 12 witty new designs from Iain Hamilton, specially created for The Great British Card Company. The designs recently launched on the GBCC stand at PG Live.

The Great British Card Company said: “The London Studio has a reputation for creativity and inspiration both in its own work and in its partnerships – and Bewilderbeest is no exception. This beautifully drawn, elegantly presented and uncompromisingly absurd brand has been a delight to work with, and its very first collection for GBCC contains some of its finest designs to date.”

Iain was given free rein when designing the cards, and was pleased to be able to just do what he normally does (come up with nonsense). He was absolutely chuffed to see his designs on display at PG Live, and that the daft cards were received so well.

www.bewilderbeest.co.uk

Open season on eco range

Cherry Orchard Publishing has launched the new Nature’s Diary Open, which is part of its new Eco Range. The company says that feedback from the new range has been phenomenal with many repeat orders already coming in. The stunning artwork is painted by creative director Beverley Fisher.

www.cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk

Adi Jones

Aline Mellor

Iain McGreary

Tom DunningLewis

Summer Cottam

Andrea s Digital & Content Marketing

Comedy Card Company

Alan Auld at the Comedy Card Company is comfortable using a bit of humour to rebel against a male-dominated world and female stereotyping (he has two daughters which might have something to do with it!). ‘’A couple of cards that spring to mind are the one where a woman is thrashing a bloke at golf, the boyfriend recycling one, and the one showing a woman making a birthday cake - but with the word ‘twat’ in icing!’’ he says. info@comedycard.co.uk | www.comedycardtrade.co.uk

‘Non-girly cards’ Looking For...

Jo Sorrell at Cardies, in Stevenage, Herts, struggles to find female cards that break the mould. We went on the hunt and found a few possibilities for her…

I would love to see more designs thinking outside of the box, for example a female relation card such as daughter, wife or mum invariably has flowers, cakes or girls in floaty dresses. While these are popular, I’m often asked by customers for something a little less ‘girly’

Animo

No one will tell this mare what to do! This Girl Power lady athlete has the strenth of several stallions and is not afraid to show it.

Animo is painted by Swedish artist and set designer Anna Gisle. She has been painting these quirky animals and their endearing emotions since 2011. All are painted in a whimsical way in old-fashioned watercolour, but with a modern twist of humour. Animo now has more than 270 paintings in art prints, posters and greeting cards.

Recycled white card, with a kraft recycled envelope, packaged with biodegradable non plastic cellos. Printed in the UK and free shipping in the UK.

+972 507 605 099

animoalphabets@gmail.com

www.animo.design

Paper Shed Design

This is a fun range by Paper Shed Design. Wonderfully Wild offers a number of non-gender specific designs suitable for animal lovers of all ages! 0118 9744283 info@papersheddesign.com

Paperlink

Paperlink’s Snaccident range is all about celebrating perfect imperfections and letting loose with the besties. This hilarious collection of female cards is not your traditional girly send and instead focuses on celebrating all life’s best bits with friends. Perfect for those times when you accidentally finish a whole tub of ice cream by yourself or stumble in heels on a night out - because we’ve all been there! Snaccident features fun illustrations of ladies living their best lives, with jokey captions that will leave recipients laughing out loud. Perfect for fun-loving friends who are not afraid to laugh at themselves (or each other).

020 7582 8244 | info@paperlink.co.uk

www.paperlink.uk

Sarah to share insights at conference

Have you got your tickets for the GCA conference yet?

A recent addition to the list of speakers is inspirational indie retailer Sarah Laker, who will be sharing her insight into retail and top tips to get people into store and buying cards!

Sarah is the owner of award-winning retailer Stationery Supplies, with stores in Marple and Wilmslow in Cheshire and online at Giraffe Gifts. She is also a marketing expert who will be sharing examples of some of the successful campaigns she has led.

Sarah, who was lead of 2023 National Stationery Week, is no stranger to sharing her knowledge with GCA members - she offered her expertise to publishers selling into indie retailers in her role as a Dragon at the 2023 GCA Dragons Speed Dating. Publisher keynote speaker this year will be award-winning Wendy Jones-Blackett, who is based in Leeds. She will talk about how she found her way into the world of greeting cards – from her blacksmithing days at art college via the Glastonbury Festival – plus a few highs and lows from her years in business, and where she finds the inspiration for new ranges. Wendy is also the designer of the 2023 Conference and AGM 2023 logo.

Back by popular demand are market research company Kantar’s Ni Wang and Alex Bandini, who will share updates on British shopping habits in 2023.

The 2023 annual GCA Conference and AGM will be held in Leeds on Thursday September 28 at the Royal Armouries Museum.

The event will start at 10am with coffee and the first opportunity to network, and finish by 4.30pm. If you are local, or planning to stay over the night before, UK Greetings is hosting a meet-up drink in Leeds city centre from 6pm on September 27. Book tickets at www.gca.cards.

Royal Mail - latest

The GCA is continuing its work representing the greeting card industry as concerns over Royal Mail’s plans to cut postal services continue.

GCA CEO Amanda Fergusson tells us that she has learned that messages the GCA has championed - including safeguarding the Royal Mail’s Universal Service Obligation (USO) - have made it onto the Labour Party’s policy priorities.

Amanda also spoke to David Gold, director external affairs & policy at Royal Mail, who had this message for the industry: “We want to see a strong, successful greeting cards sector in the UK. We love delivering cards and letters and we know how much people enjoy receiving them through their letterbox, especially when delivered by their local postie.

‘’Royal Mail is embarking on the biggest transformation programme in our five centuries of delivering the mail. Our aim is to improve our quality of service; to give our customers more of the services they want at a price they can afford; and to ensure that the Universal Service remains sustainable for the future.

‘’We know recent times have been tough, and you need to be able to rely on us. We value our relationship with the GCA and appreciate their engagement with us. Let’s keep working together to achieve our common goal.”

Royal Mail to support Thinking of You Week

Royal Mail will be supporting Thinking of You Week 2023 with a special postmark, which will be printed on all mail stamped and posted between September 18 and 24. The message will be: Send A Card, Deliver A Smile for Thinking of You Week

Thinking of You Week is organised by the Greeting Card Association and sees people across the world send cards to friends, loved ones, work colleagues, neighbours to say hello, thinking of you, share a joke or just to reach out and connect.

Retailers signed up so far for this year’s event include Cardzone, Scribbler, Sainsburys, Tesco and Asda.

At PG Live, Amanda Fergusson, GCA CEO and Adriana Lovesy, marketing and membership coordinator, were busy getting the message across to the industry, handing out flyers encouraging retailers and suppliers to get involved.

Last year more than 1,000 retailers across the UK, plus many others in the US, Australia and New Zealand took part in this special week.

The GCA is encouraging early orders to ensure there is sufficient stock in store for September and to start planning activities to promote this occasion to your community.

One successful campaign from last year was the Schools Project for Thinking of You Week, which saw more than 6,000 of children in the UK and Ghana exchange cards. If you are interested in running a similar project for your local school contact adriana@gca.cards.

The GCA heads to Pride

As we went to press, GCA members were getting ready to take their place in the Pride in London 2023 parade, through Central London.

GCA CEO Amanda Fergusson, said: ‘’It will be a wonderful opportunity to showcase the diversity of products in our industry and promote greeting card sending.’’

The GCA will form a 50-person walking group, supporting the LGBTQ+ community and celebrating the diverse greeting cards that our industry produces. GCA members have donated 10,00 LGBTQ+ themed cards, which will be handed out by both the GCA and the Royal Mail float.

Mark Callaby, co-Founder of Ohh Deer, leads the GCA Diversity and Inclusion Sub-Committee. He said: ‘’I’m a proud member and supporter of the LGBTQ+ community and have been wanting to do something that supports and showcases this part of our industry for a while. Pride in London is the largest Pride event in the UK and I’m excited that our application was successful.

‘’Greeting cards send a powerful message to anyone who receives them and as an industry we’re already producing a really rich and inclusive collection of cards that send messages of love and support.’’

Ohh Deer’s Mark Callaby, right, with business and life partner Jamie

GCA CEO Amanda Fergusson met with David Gold, director external affairs & policy at Royal Mail

Introducing

A brand new open, bright and funky verse inspired range, with modern floral styling and a pretty female colour palette

finished with gold flute foil with full colour front and reverse printed on bright white board for a contemporary feel and supplied with bright cerise envelopes

12 lovely designs at 8x5 C60

Silver star

Autumn/Winter 2023 sees the re-emergence of silver jewellery as a preference over gold jewellery…… not that many of us ever really left silver behind! The catwalks dictate that silver will be a huge trend for the months ahead and the simple yet stylish new Equilibrium Silver Ice Collection from Joe Davies (Harrogate Home & Gift Stand B66) combines matt ice white with shiny silver plating to create an elegant look which when combined with a touch of sparkle elevates it to another level.

Joe Davies specialise in supplying to the independent retailer in its signature ‘little and often’ quantities with carriage paid orders of just £100 and free nationwide delivery.

Joe Davies

0161 975 6300 | sales@joedavies.co.uk

www.joedavies.co.uk

spotlight

Nutty, but nice!

Bewilderbeest has been at it again and launched a baker’s dozen of new designs at PG Live recently. As you might expect, the designs are absurd and cover occasions such as birthday, good luck, and quite frankly, nutty, everyday cards.

There are some gardening themed cards for these summer months. The new Amateur Gardening card has already proven to be a hit. Bewilderbeest has also added to its everpopular dog-themed cards, so if you need a ‘dog-eared’ card, you know where to come.

As ever, the cards are printed on premium creamy textured cardstock that’s thick enough to stir a milkshake with, and they’re available naked or wrapped in cello.

Bewilderbeest

07742895283

info@bewilderbeest.co.uk

www.bewilderbeest.co.uk

All tied up!

As a supplier of cards, stationery and gifts for children and young people, Rachel Ellen Designs has many themes and designs running through its range. This allows retailers to create eye-catching co-ordinated displays and consumers to pick matching cards, gifts and packaging, including gift wrap. The majority of Rachel Ellen’s comprehensive range of flat wrap designs tie in perfectly with its greeting card designs.

Rachel Ellen Designs

0115 970 0321

sales@rachelellen.co.uk

A Kaleidoscope of value

Cherry Orchard Publishing has always offered outstanding quality within its extensive portfolio but the Kaleidescope range also offers exceptional value for customers. Cherry Orchard has just launched 50 new Code 35 designs; the designs include 14 female open, 14 male open, seven occasions and 15 relations.

If you are looking to offer your customers great value then Kaleidescope is a perfect fit!

The publisher has also extended its Grace and Grayson range, which is going from strength to strength with fantastic feedback from retailers who are finding the ranges consistently top sellers.

The new milestone ages come in Wife, Husband, Mum, Dad, Sister, Brother and Friend. They feature the signature artwork and stunning textured foil finishes along with a gold envelope.

Cherry Orchard Publishing

01684 295500

info@cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk

www.cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk

Small but mighty!

Kali Stileman Publishing announces the launch of lots of new Tiddly Widdlies! The extensive range of mini cards have always proved popular with public and trade customers alike, with a wide range of styles and occasions. The latest (and loveliest!) Tiddly Widdlies continue to cater to many occasions; from ‘you make everything groovy’ to ‘sending you good vibes’… And everything in between! These mini cards are printed on linen board, with some made extra special with gold foiling.

Kali Stileman Publishing

01305 848899 | info@kalistileman.co.uk

www.kalistileman.co.uk

The full Monty

Taking a little bit of inspiration from Terry Gilliam’s fabulous Monty Python animations, the Quip Art range from UK Greetings brings to life various humorous situations with etched Victorian character artwork.

Each design features different animated elements or pop-ups, and these paper mechanised features, together with the illustration style, give it something of a steampunk feel. The editorial is based on popular themes delivered in a punchline format, which is not only highly send-able but fits with the overall concept of a modern take on something classic and iconic.  A great example of this and a particular favourite of the UKG team is the ‘It’s not everyday someone slips £20 inside your birthday card’ joke with the moths flying out of a wallet pop-up on the inside to accompany the ‘it’s not today either’ punchline!

UK Greetings

salesandservice@ukgreetings.co.uk

Keeping cosy

These super-soft over-sized Hoodzies from Joe Davies (Harrogate Home & Gift Stand B66) will keep you warm and toasty whatever the weather. A cross between a giant hoodie and a blanket with a handy pocket for storing essentials or keeping your hands warm, these bright, sherpa fleece lined, printed Hoodzies are available in men, women and kids styles and come in a variety of fun designs including liquorice allsorts… almost good enough to eat, pretty pink hearts and cute spotty coated dachshunds. There’s a fun Jolly Christmas design too, which is sure to bring on the festive cheer. Hoodzies are a fun way to stay warm and cosy without causing your household bills to soar, and a real must-have for the coming winter months.

Joe Davies

Behind the curtain at The Art File

It’s been a busy year for The Art File, both at the office and in the publishing world. At the start of the year, The Art File launched more than 180 new designs at Top Drawer, including standout collections such as Soleil and Toby The Dog, which have since proven themselves to be best-selling ranges across retail customers. The Art File then had a record-breaking Spring Fair, launching its celebrated Christmas 2023 collections, alongside new and bestselling everyday ranges.

Back in the cultural heart of Nottingham city centre, The Art File was also busy refurbing its entire office, adding a vibrant new contemporary feel to the characterful Victorian building. This included opening a new office space on the ground floor, decorating the walls with art from its sister company, Tall Boy Prints, and updating the branding onsite, including a new sign outside (above). This is only the beginning of a series of exciting events unfolding in 2023. The Art File team is incredibly excited to share more of what’s been happening behind the scenes and what we can expect to see from them over the next few months…

PG Live launches

The Art File has exhibited at PG Live since the very first show and the team were pleased to join PG Live again this year, at their usual spot, Stand 200.

Acting as a perfect launch pad for a mid-year launch, The Art File showcased several new, unmissable greetings card ranges, as well as a number of range extensions from current popular and high-performing collections.

Among these new collections was an incredibly exciting range in collaboration with the renowned organisation, English Heritage. English Heritage cares for more than 400 historic buildings, monuments and sites across the UK, bringing the history of England to life for more than 10 million people each year.

The Art File has been delighted to create this collection of 16 unique cards that are inspired by the historic buildings, monuments and sites that English Heritage cares for. Every single card represents a design that can be found at an English Heritage site, making them incredibly unique and meaningful.

These cards are printed in the UK on premium 280gsm lightly textured board. They are finished with hot and cold foils, embossed lines and come plastic-free with a corner clasp. The Art File is proud to produce cards that help keep the historic story of England alive for future generations.

The Art File team was also thrilled to introduce two additional collections at PG Live, created by talented artists, Merle Goll and Mary Collett. Cat Walk, and LopEared Merlin are two striking card ranges that have animals at the heart of their designs. Lop-Eared Merlin is a bold new collection featuring detailed and dynamic images of animals and birds. These striking designs have been created using detailed

It’s been a hugely successful start to the year for The Art File, which has exhibited at Top Drawer, Spring Fair and PG Live, launching more than 255 stunning new designs so far this year. Here’s more about what the multi-award-winning company have been up to and where it’s going next…

lino printing, and have been tastefully finished with embossing, on 300gsm board.

Cat Walk is a bright and colourful card range that is inspired by the playfulness of cats. This collection is printed on 280gsm board and features a spot UV finish to show off its bold and beautiful designs.

The Art File also launched range extensions for popular collections at PG Live, including Snowtap, Nature Trail, Soulmates, and Bear range, alongside its fabled Christmas collections, which is packed with musthaves for the upcoming festive season.

Exhibiting at Harrogate Home & Gift

The Art File is incredibly excited to exhibit at the wonderful upcoming Harrogate Home & Gift show, at DPI Stand C5. This is one of The Art File’s favourite shows of the year and will be the host of several new collections being launched.

The Art File’s signature launch will include an exclusive new collection called Elysian, which consists of 12 greeting cards, with matching gift wrap and bags. Elysian is finished with embossing, gold foiling, and the very first use of a gold-dipped spine effect. The collection is printed at 300gsm on a beautifully textured off-white board.

Elysian has been created by award-winning designer, Beth Kemp, and is inspired by Greek culture, human forms and the beauty of simplicity. This collection embraces the imperfection in illustration, featuring sketchbook illustrations that are tastefully illuminated by gold.

Elysian is a Greek word meaning blissful, beautiful and divinely inspired. This stunning collection embodies this meaning and is sure to become a fast favourite for customers all year round.

James Mace, marketing and sales manager, says: “We’re delighted to launch Elysian at the Harrogate Home & Gift show. It’s a stunning new collection that’s very different to anything else we’ve launched this year. Elysian is sure to capture the hearts of card lovers everywhere.”

Among the other new collections, The Art File will also be launching new gift bag designs and wrap, along with range extensions from best-selling ranges, including Nature Trail, I Like Birds and Snowtap. Be the first to see these brand-new designs, along with the stunning Christmas 2023 collection by visiting The Art File at the show.

Christmas 2023 collections

Christmas is one of the most important trading times in the industry and that’s why The Art File offers one of the most complete and comprehensive Christmas collections in the industry. This collection includes award-winning Luxury Boxes, hugely successful Charity Packs, a show-stopping gift packaging collection, and much more. These are all designed to make Christmas 2023 more magical than ever before.

Charity contributions remain a strong focus for The Art File this year with a mission to raise money for the RSPCA, MNDA, Dementia UK and Young Lives vs Cancer through Charity Packs. In recent years, with the support of brilliant customers, over £300,000 has been raised for charities.

You can see The Art File’s Christmas 2023 collections in person at the Harrogate Home & Gift show, on July 16-19. The Art File will be showcasing its full collection, including Luxury Boxes, Charity Packs and much more. Visit The Art File at DPI Stand C5 to see the stunning Christmas 2023 collections first hand and order in time for the festive season.

Sustainability at The Art File

From the packaging on the cards to where The Art File products are sourced, sustainability remains hugely important to The Art File.

The Art File is proud to state that all of its greeting card, gift bag, and gift wrap board is sourced from FSC sustainable forests. All cards are offered naked and plastic-free, while the cards themselves are all recyclable.

Gift bags are produced free from laminate and are 100% recyclable once the ribbon handles are removed. In addition, all cards are proudly printed in the UK, along with the Christmas Wallet Cards and Luxury Boxes. This has the double impact of reducing the carbon footprint and supporting local businesses.

This is only the beginning of The Art File sustainability journey. Becoming more environmentally conscious is a constant work in progress and one that is becoming central to how the company operates.

DPI Stand C5

You can catch The Art File at the Harrogate Home & Gift show on July 16-19. Head over to the stand to see all the new and bestselling card, gift wrap, and Christmas collections.

“We’re delighted to launch Elysian at the Harrogate Home & Gift show. It’s a stunning new collection that’s very different to anything else we’ve launched this year. Elysian is sure to capture the hearts of card lovers everywhere’’ James Mace, marketing and sales manager

Earlybird Designs

Earlybird has gone neon crazy with more than 150 neon ink designs in its catalogue.

“It started off years ago when we played around with some Riso printing using neon inks and just loved the outcome,” says Dom Early, creative director.

“We then talked to our printer about bulk printing them and have never looked back”

Original designs Ink Sandwich and FAB are now especially eyecatching in an emboss and spot UV finished neon range called Super Fab, and designed by Dom.

“This is now the best-selling range we have ever produced. So we have expanded it into numbers, relations, and occasions this year. As a brand we love colour and neon inks are a joy to work with.’’ he says.

“It is quite exciting to do the artwork as you don’t quite know how it will come out until it hits the press, but I have never been disappointed with the end result.”

All Earlybird’s printing is in the UK, on FSC certified board and every print run is carbon balanced. 01227765372 | dom@earlybirddesigns.co.uk | www.earlybirddesigns.co.uk

Meraki

Meraki is bringing the 80s back, and what better way to celebrate upcoming milestones than with a truly groovy card! The Electric Sunshine range brings bold colours and psychedelic patterns to the forefront in these stylish new designs covering ages 18 to 70. Perfect for those who remember the 80s and all those who wish they did!

020 7840 2662

info@merakigreetingcards.co.uk

www.merakigreetingcards.co.uk

Neon Trends:

Exacompta

Clairefontaine

New for 2023 is a range of Koverbook Neon notebooks from the Exacompta Clairefontaine Group, featuring a choice of five bright colours –yellow, orange, green, fuchsia and blue.

All the books in the Koverbook range contain Clairefontaine’s renowned ultra-smooth white brushed vellum paper which is PEFC Certified. They also feature two clear flap pockets for storing loose sheets or papers for reference to keep them neat and tidy. The flaps also double up as page markers if required. The opaque polypropylene covers make the books durable and can easily be wiped clean to keep them pristine.

Sustainability is a key issue for the younger generations who are purposefully looking for environmentally friendly options. These Clairefontaine Neon Koverbook notebooks give the user the opportunity to bring bright colours into their lives with a considered eco-friendly purchase.

01553 696600 | enquiries@exaclair.co.uk | www.exaclairlimited.com

Dyson Design

Dyson Design’s range teams electrifying fluorescent colours with stylish typography and understated backgrounds.

Neotype introduces playful text messages such as Ooh! Let’s Celebrate, Mwah! Love You X, and Fab as you are, to complement Dyson’s more traditional collections.

To add to the visual impact, exclamation marks and other characters are picked out as popping bottles of champagne, candle-festooned cakes and smiley faces. All the ‘fantastic fonts’ used on each card are listed on the reverse.

The contrasts are striking. On the Hugs – feel better soon card, electrifying lime green text leaps out from a blackboard grey background while on the reverse, grey text stands out against dazzling green.

The envelopes emphasise the contrast for an all-in-all zingy package.

0116 2855725 | www.dysondesign.com

Rachel Ellen Designs

Aurora is a range that literally shouts the virtues of neon ink in a way that can’t be missed! This comprehensive range features open birthday, milestone ages, relations and occasions but the graphic artwork combined with the vibrant neon inks, embossed detail and foiled highlights really make this range stand out from the crowd.

0115 970 0321 Ӏ sales@rachelellen.co.uk

www.rachelellen.co.uk

Cherry Orchard

80s iconic fashion and style has featured every year since the launch of Cherry Orchard’s iconic Down Memory Lane range, which is now celebrating its 10th anniversary in production this year. This top-selling range has 28 milestone age designs and five milestone anniversaries spanning the decades.

The 80s was dominated by a variety of styles and fashions including high-waisted trousers, prints, bright sweatbands and oversized clothing and let’s not forget the bandanas and the leg warmers! Plus, the emergence of electronic dance music, synth pop and new wave with artists such as Spandau Ballet, Rick Astley and Boy George. The 80s began with the election of Margaret Thatcher and the marriage of Lady Diana Spencer to Prince Charles.

Cherry Orchard’s Born in 1983 - 40 Today cards are finished with a bright foil finish making the design really stand out, and feature nostalgic facts, which also make it a great keepsake card too.

01684 295500 | info@cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk Instagram @cherryorchardpublishing

Bright is back! These bold neon designs, inspired by the 80s, are made to catch your customers’ eyes

Go the X-tra mile

After last year’s successful restart, the eighth Insights-X event is beginning to shed its light on the autumn: the international stationery sector will be meeting up again from October 11 to 14 at the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre. With the return of major brands and funding for innovative startups, the trade fair for ‘Stationery, office, bags and more’ offers a successful mix of trends and innovations at the ideal ordering time in the autumn.

The enjoyable and efficient networking atmosphere of Insights-X is being strengthened with the expansion of evening events and the introduction of the eXtra-Day.

“Saturday turned out in our survey to be the most important trading day in the German speaking DACH region, which is why we have introduced the eXtra-Day at this year’s Insights-X,” says Christian Ulrich, spokesperson of the Executive Board at Spielwarenmesse eG.

Tickets

Show tickets are €15, which allows access to Insights-X for the entire duration and can also be used as a ticket for travel on public transport. The fair is open every day from Wednesday to Friday between 9am and 6pm (5pm for Hall 12) and on Saturday from 9am to 5pm. Tickets go on sale on July 26.

Strong brands

During the week from Wednesday to Friday, buyers chiefly from larger chain stores across Europe are expected, drawing on the full range of exhibitors in Halls 12, 11, and 10, while the additional opening on the Saturday focuses on specialist retailers, with highly regarded suppliers and promotional activities in Halls 11 and 10. The multi-category arrangement across the three halls at the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre is designed to ensure efficient networking and short distances. It means that the six product groups – Writing Utensils & Equipment, Paper & Filing, Artistic & Creative, Desktop & Office, Bags & Accessories and Stationery & Gift Articles – can be explored in a relaxed business atmosphere on each day of the fair.

The high quality in terms of both exhibitors and visitors will continue to play an important part in the fair, with companies such as STABILO returning. In addition, major international players in the sector such as Clairefontaine and Exacompta (France), Gataric (Bosnia), GIPTA (Turkey), Santoro (UK) and Seven (Italy) will be taking part in Insights-X, along with German businesses Lässig, Online Schreibgeräte, Stylex

and Undercover. Top countries in previous years have included Germany, China, Turkey, Italy, Poland, Spain, India, Greece and the Netherlands. Turkey will have a shared stand for the first time. This can be found in Hall 12, as can creative startup ideas from international exhibitors and young innovative German businesses. Hall 10 will house the InsightsArena with hands-on activities and a Food Court.

New trends in stationery

Insights-X offers buyers and retailers the opportunity to discover innovations and trends. And in all of this, one topic continues to develop: sustainability. It is evident in the use of recyclable plastics, refillable products and plantable pencils and paper. In another trend, paper is proving as popular as ever – in the form of lovingly designed notebooks, origami and papier mâché, which is enjoying something of a renaissance. Meanwhile, the traditional pen producers are enriching the creative area and offering DIY and calligraphy sets. Last but not least, in the back-to-school sector, is the omnipresent theme of licensing. Alongside tried-and-trusted blockbusters such as Harry Potter, new films including Barbie, The Little Mermaid and Dungeons & Dragons have potential this year for inclusion in the range.

Networking

Insights-X also has a strong focus on networking. The popular AfterHour on the first evening of the fair, is where the sector rapidly comes together. The next highlights come on Friday 13 October, when the duo schreib & spiel association holds its Autumn Conference at the exhibition centre itself. In the evening, the organisers, along with the exhibitors, invite attendees to the great get-together.

What: Insights-X

Where: Nuremberg

Exhibition Centre

When: October 11-14

Web: www.insights-x.com

Stationery, office, bags and more is on offer at this autumn’s Insights-X show, with big-name brands and an extra day to make the most of your visit…

Ask the retailer

What do you stock in Christmas cards that sells well?

I always rely on a few great suppliers for packs - The Art File, Museums & Galleries, Cinnamon Aitch and Noi all do well for me, and offer a nice varied selection of style and quantities. Charity packs are always the best seller.

For individual cards both relations cards and funny cards sell well - anything with a good (and possibly mean) festive joke. Ohh Deer and Sunshine Llama have done some good ones recently. I find people often buy one or two packs for general sending, and then think a little more carefully about close family and friend cards.

Is there anything you would like to see in this sector?

Good and funny relations cards are still a bit of a struggle. And I think price-point is a challenge - people are buying more cards than usual at Christmas so I always bear that in mind and try to have a nice mix.

And what are your favourite brands for gift wrap?

Artebene has always been a go-to for the

excellent quality roll wrap, and immense festive volumes required!

It’s great to see some of the UK suppliers dropping in more options for Christmas roll wrap, too. It means I have more suppliers to turn to and more variety and flexibility.

But I’m always on the hunt for the perfect bold and bright contemporary festive roll wrap - it would be great to see some of the amazing single sheets turned into rolls, but I understand there is a cost issue.

Does anything particularly stand out in this sector?

I absolutely adore Noi and its Christmas packs - they sit so well between modern and fun, with a hint of traditional. They appeal to my younger customers who maybe don’t send in bulk but want some cute and colourful festive cards. And the quality is always excellent

Helen Fisher, SNAP Bow, East London

Christmas cheer

Last Christmas is a distant memory, but now’s the time to ensure you have the stock you need for the next festive season. And the good news is that, despite the issues with Royal Mail - which the Greeting Card Association continues to battle on behalf of the industry - suppliers are feeling positive about Christmas 2023.

As Iain Hamilton at Bewilderbeest says: “It seems that festive cheer is as strong as ever because we decided to significantly expand our Christmas card offering last year and had our best ever sales by some margin, despite Royal Mail seeming to lose the plot before Christmas.!’’

Jackie Collins at Cherry Orchard agrees: “With the Royal Mail strikes hitting the industry in the Christmas period of 2022 causing immeasurable damage, Cherry Orchard once again has surpassed ourselves, bucked the industry trend and supplied a 100% new Christmas offering to our customers, giving them the optimum chance of a successful trading Christmas for 2023.’’

Bewilderbeest is also expanding its offering: “There has always been high demand for our Christmas range, but completing the full set of the Twelve Days of Christmas (left) proved to be a good move,’’ says Iain. “The new designs are fun twists on traditional designs, and have been extremely popular. The Christmas period is steeped in tradition and nostalgia, so it’s no surprise that giving a nod to the more traditional elements of Christmas in their daft designs has been the best strategy for Bewilderbeest.’’

Best Kept Secrets is also banking on a successful Christmas with new introductions, says MD Vanessa Curry: “Our products always do well at Christmas, as they are so focused on occasion gifting, and have a price point that really works for people looking for that special, affordable gift. At Harrogate Home & Gift, we will be launching our new Spirit of Christmas range – our signature scented candles, each featuring different woodland animals.

There are 12 in the range, each using our bestselling fragrances and signature sparkle. There is so much festive fun embodied in this collection. Our mission has always been to make people smile with our products, and this collection is all about the joy of Christmas.’’

And what trends can we expect in Christmas ranges? Iain at Bewilderbeest has some promising news: “While some people look to buy large inexpensive sets of Christmas cards, many customers told Bewilderbeest that they were buying premium cards for their most special friends. Many of us are more cautious with our spending at the moment, but there will always be people who are willing to spend a bit more, and Bewilderbeest thinks that will continue in future. Premium cards will always be in demand.’’

Best Kept Secrets also nods to the personal touch when gifting. Vanessa says: “Sustainability, and personal, occasion-led gifting are two trends that have really inspired our new product development throughout the year. The Spirit of Christmas candles have all been lovingly hand-poured and created to be as sustainable as possible. The vessels are reusable or recyclable, our trademark sparkles are biodegradable, and we use environmentally friendly print on our FSC-registered packaging. So, you can gift the Spirit of Christmas knowing that it will bring joy to the receiver while being kind to the planet too!’’

So when should you get your order in?

Jackie Collins says that Cherry Orchard receives customers’ orders from January onwards. She says: ‘‘We always recommend that retailers put in their orders while their previous Christmas sales are fresh in their minds!’’

But Iain at Wildebeest adds: “Obviously, it’s good to be organised when ordering for Christmas – they do say that Christmas gets earlier every year, after all, but we also find that the public is always buying Christmas cards right up until the last minute. Last year we found that having a good stock of Christmas cards for trade customers, well into December, meant that we could send out top-up orders to them quickly, which helped shops snag a few more last second sales. We plan to do the same this year.’’

The sun may be shining but it’s time to swap sun hats for Santa hats and look at your festive selection for the end of the year…

Raspberry Blossom

Best Kept Secrets

Bewilderbeest

Bewilderbeest

Christmas Cherry Orchard

Cherry Orchard Publishing throughout the years has designed the size of each year’s Christmas Collection in response to retailers’ wish lists, needs, trends and feedback. The company offers an enviable variety of styles along with price points catering for its diverse range of customers covering the whole of the UK and of course, its international customers too.

To ensure that retailers get their orders in plenty of time for the start of the Christmas selling period, the orders are sent to print in the early part of the year.

Already printing its Christmas cards on FSC accredited board, Cherry Orchard has also taken the conscious decision to remove as much flitter from designs as feasibly possible this year as customers are taking greater steps towards more eco-friendly offerings in their stores.

Cherry Orchard still continues to hold back from any price increases despite the rising costs, supporting independents as much as it possibly can, while they continue to face adversities on the high street.

01684 295500

info@cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk www.cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk

Joe Davies

Transform the home into a haven of cuteness this Christmas with an enchanting collection of cross stitch mice, gonks and fairies from Joe Davies (Harrogate Home & Gift – Stand B66). These delightful little characters come in red, grey, and pink variations ensuring there’s something to complement most Christmas colour schemes. Choose from hanging, sitting, standing and dangly leg versions and don’t miss the cross stitch gonk wine bottle cover that is sure to inspire some festive cheer!

Joe Davies offers products in its signature ‘little & often’ quantities. With a minimum order value of just £100 and free nationwide delivery, it’s never been easier to access this great product range.

0161 975 6300

sales@joedavies.co.uk

www.joedavies.co.uk

Christmas gets growing!

The Seed Card Company director Lewis R. Stevenson talks to us about new winter collections…

Tell us about your Christmas card range?

This year our Christmas card offering has grown. We’ve added new designs to some of our most popular collections; Continuous, The Doodlings and of course the fan-favourite Plant Pot People.

This year we’ve taken some more great puns, some of our best watercolour single line drawings, and our own spin on a Christmas classic. On top of that we are launching two new collections, well a new one and a spin-off. Winter Love is our seasonal take on our popular Summer Love collection, and Winter Woolies is a nod to everyone’s festive favourite, Christmas Jumpers.

As well as our new cards, we have created matching gift tag sets and also a whole bunch of new notecard designs focusing on bright bold florals. This year we have decided to also offer packs of five notecards and envelopes so there are now two pack sizes available. Our gift tags come in packs of three, with a different design from the given collection on each tag. So how do seed cards work if they are sent at Christmas - when can they be planted? We would definitely advise not to plant them on Christmas day, it is a tad cold! Once the decorations are packed away, make sure the cards are kept in a warm dry place, where they can’t get damp.

If you are planting the card outside, we would wait until the weather warms up a bit - spring through to the end of summer is best - but as long as it is not too cold outside you will be fine.

Our cards can be planted whole or torn into smaller pieces to fit your pot. Fill it with soil, lay the card on top and then finish with a sprinkling of soil. It doesn’t matter if a bit of the card is on show. Give it plenty of water (they are extremely thirsty) and it won’t be long until they start sprouting.

All of our Christmas cards and tags are made using our Wildflower seed card, but if you would like to try something different, we have Carrot, Lettuce, Basil and Parsley cards available with their own collections.

We understand you both design and produce your own packaging…

We do indeed. The three of us have been in the printing industry for a long time. Kay and Jit have a lot of experience in paper engineering, cutting and packaging creation for bespoke products. My expertise comes in on the print production and method side of things. Working with each other and playing to our strengths, we decided to use the tools we had at our disposal to create our own packing. Our gift tags are packaged in a kraft card wrap, which is 100% biodegradable and contains no plastics whatsoever. We create prototypes, work out the finer details and because we make it ourselves, can then make any small adjustments needed to ensure that the packaging fits the products perfectly with as little waste as possible.

When can retailers next see you at a show?

Our next show is Autumn Fair in September in Birmingham. Spring and Autumn Fair are some of our favourite shows each year, you’ll be able to spot us from a mile off by the floral ensembles!

Do you support retailers in any particular way?

Absolutely! We are very proud of our POS displays; they are a little different to the wireframe ones out there but that is how we roll. Our displays are all made from reclaimed wood and are branded with our company logo on the base. We offer a 16-20 capacity countertop display, 24, 32, 48 and 64 pockets spinners and then also something I like to call ‘The one-stop seed card shop’. These stands house cards, wrapping paper and gift tags, we have single and double-sided versions available. All of our stands come with signs explaining our cards and why they are different from your average greeting card. If a stockist has opted for some of our vegetable or herb cards, we will send a sign for their POS reflecting the seed type chosen. As we produce all of our own products, we have complete control of the process, with everything being printed, cut, creased and checked in house. This means

we can keep on top of our turn-around times and also means if urgent stock is required, we are in a much better position to be able to help. We have also moved premises and now have more room than we know what to do with (for now!) which will allow us to grow our operation and increase our production capabilities, being able to print more cards and products and work more efficiently.

Why should retailers stock your cards?

We are very hands-on at The Seed Card Company. We work directly with our stockists on their orders, answering questions, giving advice on planting and instore displays, and helping meet delivery deadlines. We also have a team of sales agents covering parts of the UK so for those stockists who like to order in person and look over physical cards before ordering, so we’ve got you covered too!

What’s the best thing about being in the greeting card industry?

We would all say the people for sure. We have only been in this industry for a few years, but we have always found everyone so helpful and forthcoming. At any show we have been to we have found like-minded companies who are always happy to help and offer advice. We are now finding that people are coming to us with the kind of questions we were asking in the beginning too, so now it is our turn to pass on what we have learned.

UWP Luxe

UWP Luxe’s Pure Alchemy Christmas 2023 Collection features elegant pop-up greeting cards for the winter season. The designs capture the unexpected, showcasing twists on popular themes and brought to life with intricate details and movement.

This year, UWP Luxe has invited one of its favourite paper artisans, Hiromi Takeda, to collaborate on a Christmas design; winter blooms are nestled within sprigs of holly and pine. The designers were inspired by cold weather fauna and have created pop-ups featuring prancing deer and earnest sled dogs. Also spotlighted are favourite Christmas icons, unveiling scenes of shimmering ski slopes and delicately tapered candle wreaths.

All Pure Alchemy Christmas cards come in a variety of unique sizes - including traditional horizontally- or vertically-opening formats, tunnel cards, and novelty die-cut shapes - that best suit each individual concept, rather than being limited by a single set of dimensions. Each annual release balances Christmas-specific with winter-inspired designs, so that there are options available to delight all.

Each card is carefully finished with a variety of techniques including hot foil stamping and Pantone neon ink. UWP Luxe designers love incorporating unexpected materials such as vellum, acetate, or string. All cards are hand assembled and are paired with matching envelopes.

Alljoy Design

Experience the magic of Christmas with Alljoy Design’s pop-up cards featuring Message in a Bottle and Miniature World pop-up collections. These unfold to reveal enchanting scenes filled with festive cheer. From Santa’s sleigh to snow-covered landscapes glistening under starry skies, these pop-up cards capture the essence of the holiday season and will bring a smile to the faces of your loved ones.

Alljoy Design’s reusable Wooden Ornament Christmas Cards are exquisite cards that not only capture the spirit of the season but also offer a sustainable and lasting celebration of Christmas. The Reusable Wooden Ornaments convey your heartfelt messages but also become cherished decorations that can be enjoyed for many Christmases to come.

info@alljoydesign.com

www.alljoydesign.com

Museums & Galleries

There’s a heart-warming addition to M&G’s established Christmas licences.

An optimistic young robin raised by a family of mice makes a heartfelt wish on a Christmas star. Will she finally learn who she is — and how to fly?

Robin Robin is a heart-warming and timeless tale of a Robin who, through friendship, family and adventure discovers who she really is. Both an Oscarnominated film and an illustrated book, Robin Robin has already established itself as an instant classic.

M&G is releasing a boutique collection of four single-image box packs of cards, a large composite box (16 cards), and a festive sheet wrap in its Robin Robin range.

Robin Robin is a 2021 stop-motion animated musical short film. Starring Bronte Carmichael as Robin, Richard E. Grant, Gillian Andersen and Adeel Akhtar, the film was co-produced by Aardman Animations and Netflix and is the

first project by Aardman to use needle felting instead of plasticine. MacMillan Children’s Books has also published a tie-in book.

Robin Robin joins an impressive Christmas character collection in M&G’s stable - Paddington Bear, Brambly Hedge, Percy the Park Keeper, and Guess How Much I Love You - are established favourites among M&G Christmas offerings.

01373 461455 | sales@mgml.co.uk

www.museumsgalleries.co.uk

Belly Button Designs

The festive season has well and truly arrived at the Belly Button Designs Studio with lots of new inspired and beautifully designed cards, and a new range of signature giftware showcasing candles, ceramic hanging decorations, wrapping and much more.

Christmas 2023 is featuring new Belly Button Designs luxury greeting card collections, including a variety of single and boxed signatures from award-winning Elle, new Meadow Garland full of festive foliage, and brand new larger Luxe designed with opulent gold touches.

Belly Button Designs is proudly supporting The Christie cancer charity in Manchester, donating 25p per pack of cards from the Electric Dreams collection and Jolly Jingles charity packs.

Elle, Belly Button Designs’ iconic signature range, goes beyond the ordinary with a little luxury, and heartwarming festive scenes, celebrating friendships and family togetherness. Intricately hand drawn, these unique designs have delicate highlights of gold and embossing, look elegant... and offer a bit of fabulous!

The Christie is one of Europe’s leading cancer centres and is based in Manchester. Not only local to Belly Button Designs, but close to their hearts.

All Belly Button Designs Christmas Collection Cards are sustainably made in the UK. Printed on FSC certified board and 100% plastic free. Carefully crafted to be both beautifully kept and treasured for ever.

The team at Belly Button Designs is also excited to introduce its new and exclusive hand poured natural soy wax candles, beautifully packaged and 100% sustainably made in the UK. Perfect for Christmas gifting, with more products coming soon.

0161 902 0200

enquiries@bellybuttondesigns.com

www.bellybutton.cards / www.bellybutton.gifts

Stormy Knight

If you’re looking for that extra special Christmas card then look at Stormy Knight’s Bloom seedstick collection (winners of the Best Christmas Card Range at last year’s Henries).

Each beautifully designed card contains five biodegradable seedsticks which, when planted, will grow into your very own Norwegian spruce Christmas tree! There are eight cards in the collection, illustrated by Clare Owen, whose Scandinavian-inspired illustrations bring a contemporary look to the range.

The cards have been cleverly engineered to house the seedsticks and growing instructions inside, while maintaining the traditional greeting card format. Each design is finished with smooth rounded corners and satin gold foil, making them a truly special send.

“We worked closely with our printer’s paper engineering team on this collection to make sure that the design of the card kept the seeds nice and secure but also allowed the sender plenty of room to write their message and the recipient to proudly display it on their mantlepiece,’’ says director Sarah Jackson.

“Being able to plant your own Christmas trees is such a lovely way to feel festive and to connect with the traditions that we are so familiar with now. To be able to give that gift inside a card brings a smile to many faces – whether they are gardening novices or green-fingered enthusiasts – and they are so easy to grow… just pop the seedsticks into soil, water regularly and watch them bloom!”

The whole Bloom collection comprises 42 designs, spanning Christmas, occasions and birthdays. They are all designed and produced in the UK with environmentally sustainable material.

0117 9098684 | hello@stormyknight.co.uk

www.stormyknight.co.uk

Rush Design

Rush Design has a new Christmas Collection for 2023. One More Sleep is a beautifully illustrated range of 50 Christmas captions. Printed on high-quality 300gsm textured board, the designs feature three contrasting colourways. These are then finished with seasonally gold foil and diamantes then matched with a pearlised gold envelope and cello wrapped. Colourful and bright with that luxury vibe.

Initially launched at Spring Fair these have already been a real hit with buyers and will probably be Rush Design’s most popular Christmas collection to date.

The collection focuses on Relations and other special captions including plenty of Both of You and Special Couples. Plus a few open designs to complete the offer.

Once again, the ever-popular Town Card is available for 2023. This can be personalised with the town where your shop is located and additionally this year, you can add your shop name to the image if desired.

Find out more through the website, agents or give them a call.

01788 521745 | info@rushdesign.co.uk

www.rushdesign.co.uk

Raspberry Blossom

Raspberry Blossom has a whole host of offerings for Christmas 2023 from licensing partnerships to new greeting cards and the introduction of homeware into its collections.

The Christmas greeting card collection is getting a festive injection with the arrival of three designs in the new ‘Cheers’ collection – the trio are all die-cut and feature festive tipples and pun messaging on the designs.

Raspberry Blossom also has two new additions to its intricate Keepsakes collection featuring an adorable elf workshop and a snowy Christmas village. And what’s Christmas without bold colourful patterns? The new Happiness collection is fit to burst with festive cards and card sets.

Raspberry Blossom is now also offering flat wrap for Christmas with seven designs to choose from. They all feature signature colourful designs, from harlequin patterns to colourful typography and even the cute Pawsome creatures have been included, with the festive dogs and cats all dressed up in hats and bow ties!

Finally, Raspberry Blossom has launched its first homeware edit with Widdop & Co for a beautiful Christmas collection. From stockings and cushions to candle holders and mugs to fabric crackers and alphabet decorations, there is something for everyone and more than 25 different smile-inducing products to choose from.

01926 257 757

wholesale@raspberryblossom.com

Paperlink

Embrace the festive season with Paperlink’s charming Christmas Reflections range. Elegant colours combine with stunning images to give these cards a magical feel, while eye-catching gold foiling adds that all-important touch of sparkle. These beautiful cards are the perfect way to spread some Christmas joy over the holidays.

020 7582 8244

Rachel Ellen Designs

Special cards for special people. Sugar Plum by Rachel Ellen Designs features Rachel’s signature hand-painted characters to create fun and appealing cards for relations and people close to you. Printed on a high-quality textured board they have luxurious gold foil and hand applied red crystal jewels. Presented with a seasonal red envelope the cards measure 108 x 153mm.

The Christmas catalogue shows the entire seasonal range - call or email to get yours.

0115 970 0321 | sales@rachelellen.co.uk

www.rachelellen.co.uk

Business meets pleasure

Head to the Summer of Love in Harrogate at this July’s Home & Gift. Here’s six reasons for you to make the trip…

How excited are you for Home & Gift to open?! We can’t wait for the buyers’ festival of the summer, which will once again be taking over the Harrogate Convention Centre for another brilliant show from 16-19 July. The grounds of the DoubleTree by Hilton and the halls of the Harrogate Convention Centre will be filled with the best new products from the brands you need to be stocking. Plus, as always, Home & Gift will be the destination where business meets pleasure, offering new-season product sourcing as well as numerous networking opportunities. Relax and source in style this summer as Home & Gift will be transporting visitors back to the Summer of Love with the show’s 60s-inspired creative, designed by show partners The Better Trends Company.

As if the Harrogate sunshine wasn’t tempting enough, Home & Gift has another smashing four days in store for you. Here are six reasons why you won’t want to miss it:

130% of exhibiting brands are making their show debut

Home & Gift is all about newness! New brands and fresh products are important to all retailers no matter their size, and Home & Gift definitely has you covered. With more than 500 brands for you to source from, you will be spoilt for choice among thousands of product launches hitting the market at Home & Gift. Plus, 30% of brands are making their show debut this summer, including these exciting greetings brands joining for the first time; the Instagram-ready Once Upon A Tuesday, organisation-motivating Perfect Planner and eye-catching East End Press, just to name a few.

Also, across the multiple halls and Design Points, you will be able to source fresh brands such as; Blumeli Shop, Brave Designs, CloudWine, Craft & Crumb, Feel The Glow, Gardening For Kids, Labre’s Hope, Nordic Flowers, Òir Soap, Olive & Berry, Pivot, Remony, Trixie Baby, Wool Couture plus a host more. You won’t want to miss out on the chance to stock these fantastic brands, which your customers are guaranteed to be obsessed with. Among the newness, you will be able to reconnect with stationery favourites including; Caroline Gardener, Luke Horton, Ohh Deer, Roger La Borde, The Art File, Toasted Crumpet, VENT For Change plus loads more.

2Perfectly

timed for the busiest half of the shopping year

Curate your Autumn/Winter greetings and stationery collection at the perfect time. With Home & Gift brilliantly placed in the middle of the year, you will be able to use your learnings from the first half of the year to breathe new life into your product offering in the lead-up to the all-important Christmas season. You will be able to source seasonal products including Christmas cards, seasonal decorations, heartwarming gifts, stylish homewares, tasty treats and more.

3Source from thousands of product launches

Across six distinctive lifestyle sectors, you will be able to curate your new collection from thousands of product launches just hitting the market from six sectors including; Design-led Gifts, Food Emporium, Jewellery & Fashion, General Gift, Home and the new Craft sector. In Design Points you will find a range of greetings and stationery products from cards to diaries to journals and notebooks –all perfect for your customers!

4Inspiration overload

Get ready to have inspiration sparked this July at Home & Gift because not only will you be able to source the latest products but you will also discover inspiration around every corner with seamless design and product innovation across

the whole show. This summer, Clarion Retail has partnered with The Better Trends Company to create a nostalgic, 60s-inspired creative that will transport visitors back to the Summer of Love. Across the show’s four days you will be able to meet Louise Healy-Adonis, the co-founder of The Better Trends Company and her team at their trends installation for the two leading trends of 2023; Modern Psychedelic and Rhythmic Form, plus Dreamwave the emerging trend ahead of 2024. Louise will be on hand to talk visitors and exhibitors through the upcoming trends, and she can help retailers and designers strategically shape their collections and designs in light of these emerging trends.

5Have your business cards at the ready

Home & Gift isn’t just about sourcing, but it is THE place to connect with the retail community. Enjoy connecting with like-minded creatives and tastemakers who share your passion for the retail industry and the world of quality products. With more than 8,000 retailers flocking to the buyers’ festival, you will be able to network and forge connections in a laid-back, relaxing atmosphere. Home & Gift is well known for its social atmosphere and regular networking events over the show’s four days. On Sunday, celebrate the show’s opening at Sundowner’s, the show’s famous garden party - perfect for mingling with visiting buyers and exhibitors. Then relax with a gin on the lawn over the next few days on the grounds of the DoubleTree By Hilton against the picturesque Harrogate backdrop.

6Brand new craft sector

More and more customers are now looking for unique pieces that can’t be found everywhere, and Home & Gift’s brand new Craft sector is the perfect place to find delicate, exclusive pieces to tempt your customers. Buyers will be able to explore hand-made treasures from bespoke jewellery to neutral homewares from a range of designer-makers. Source beautiful pieces from the likes of; Circle & Dash, Dreya Glass, Kam Creates, Poppy Treffry, S&ERS Printed Aluminium Jewellery, Zamsoe, Zoe Scott Designs and many more!

So explore all that Home & Gift has to offer this July, register for your free badge now and don’t miss THE festival of the summer. Register at www.homeandgift.co.uk

What: Harrogate Home & Gift

Where: Harrogate Convention Centre/Doubletree by Hilton

When: July 16-19

Web: www.homeandgift.co.uk

Bewilderbeest

Daisycat Fox and Moon

Bewilderbeest treks north

Bewilderbeest will be exhibiting at Harrogate Home & Gift for the first time! Having just launched a bundle of new cards at PG Live last month, the team is looking forward to showing off their daft and richly-detailed new cards further north.

Bewilderbeest (run by Iain and Maddy) believe that the best things in life make you look twice. They’re absurd, they’re funny, and they don’t always make sense (much like Iain and Maddy themselves). Their cards are offbeat and quirky, without being rude, so they’re safe to send to Great Aunt Gertrude (unless she detests questionable puns, in which case you’re on your own).

Bewilderbeest’s Chief Nitwit, Iain Hamilton, is from a farming background and many of his designs are countryside themed, with a heavy dose of absurdity, which he feels will be a big hit at Harrogate. Pigs on tractors, bulls in wellies, and Labradors magicking up pheasants, all stem from his upbringing and interests

Make a note

(though he never managed to actually get the pig to drive the tractor).

Plus, Bewilderbeest has recently added to its best-selling dog range, because let’s face it, who doesn’t love their four-legged friends!?

If you’re thinking ahead to Christmas then Bewilderbeest can pretty much guarantee you some bestsellers because Iain says the Christmas cards sell like flippin’ hot cakes, year after year. They’ll all be on display at Home & Gift, so be sure to bring your festive cheer, even if it’s a blazing summer day. Iain will try to lay his hands on some snow and a Christmas pud.

Iain won a Henries award last year for Most Promising Young Designer (despite his greying hair), so the Bewilderbeest stand (DP4-4) is worth keeping your peepers peeled for. You can’t miss him, he’s 6ft 8in tall.

If you need further incentive, Iain will also be giving out some VERY useful ‘equipment’ on his stand!

Ginger Betty will be on stand DP1 D68, and is really excited to be launching new notebooks, which come in a lovely CDU, as well as new contemporary Christmas designs featuring Owl’s Nest animals on high-quality FSC board, with lovely gold foil captions.

Owner Tracey Colliston says: ‘’The show being in beautiful Harrogate makes it doubly great to visit. There’s such a huge variety of cards and gifts on offer at the show, and the atmosphere is friendly and welcoming. It’s great to catch up with customers and industry friends. We look forward to going now each year. There are amazing restaurants in the town, with all types of food on offer. After the first day there are Sundowners drinks; a chance to relax and chat with fellow exhibitors and customers. It really adds something to the whole experience.’’

Stand DP1 D68

Ginger Betty

01706 557285 | hello@gingerbetty.co.uk

www.gingerbetty.co.uk

If you’re thinking ahead to Christmas then Bewilderbeest can pretty much guarantee you some bestsellers because Iain says the Christmas cards ‘sell like flippin’ hot cakes’!

Rush Domino

Hear tfelt Hear ts & Butter ies

Pebble Bee

Harrogate Home & gift

Packed with interest!

Harrogate Home & Gift is highly favoured by customers and exhibitors alike, as it provides the first opportunity for customers to explore the latest products from their suppliers for the busiest time of the year. The Joe Davies team eagerly anticipates welcoming both new and loyal customers to its bustling stand, B66, where an extensive assortment of gifts, jewellery and fashion accessories can be discovered and purchased.

Equilibrium maintains its position as one of the most sought-after fashion jewellery brand in the UK and there’s plenty to be excited about when their new ranges are unveiled on the Joe Davies stand at Home & Gift. The new Equilibrium Filigree Collection offers a diverse range of bracelets, necklaces and earrings characterised by high-quality, contemporary designs with playful twists, all at affordable prices. Each piece is plated with real silver or gold and comes beautifully packaged in a luxury branded gift box, guaranteeing a premium finish.

Joe Davies will also be unveiling an extensive new range of Equilibrium fashion accessories for Autumn/Winter 2023, including a wide variety of gloves in different styles and fabrics. From functional yet fashionable fingerless gloves to giftboxed soft-feel colourful gloves, ideal for Christmas presents, and gloves with luxurious faux fur cuffs, there is something for everyone. Pair them with the Equilibrium range of gift-boxed scarves for a truly special collection of Christmas gift ideas. This year, expect the launch of cozy, thicker gift-boxed winter scarves with a luxurious look and feel, featuring designs such as metallic foiled splashes and twotone pearl-embellished feathers. Not to be missed are the popular gift-boxed matching hat and scarf sets, all featuring snuggly fleece-lined hats. This collection not only keeps you warm but also allows you to accessorize your outerwear and update last season’s wardrobe.

Nuzzles are another remarkable success story from Joe Davies. These popular slipper socks are a must-

have to keep your feet warm and cosy during the cold winter months ahead. Nuzzles are available for ladies, men, kids, and toddlers in vibrant, graphic designs and colours. They are all machine washable and feature a super-soft sherpa fleece lining. Pair them with a Joe Davies Hoodzies, and you’ll be fully prepared when the temperature drops. With temperatures falling and energy bills rising, these comforting Nuzzles and Hoodzies have never been more enticing.

Bee-themed home décor is still buzzing its way into our homes and continues to be a firm favourite in sentiment gifts, from ceramics to wooden home decor. Joe Davies launches the delightful Pebble Bee collection, featuring cute Pebble Bees with bee-related sentiments on attractive natural and white wooden plaques, coasters, photo frames, and tealights. This charming collection of bee-themed gifts is as sweet as honey and will surely infuse your home with a delightful buzz!

For dog enthusiasts, the trendy Top Dogs range is the perfect addition to any home. Featuring ceramic vases in various dog breeds, including a collie and an adorable basset hound, an attractive Patch dog planter, and a Spot the dog jug, these quirky pieces are guaranteed to bring humour and charm to your living space. In fact, they are absolutely paw-some and sure to put a smile on your face!

A warm and friendly welcome awaits you at the Joe Davies stand in Harrogate Home and Gift, B66. The enthusiastic team is eager to showcase all the exciting new ranges. Everything will be offered in their signature ‘little and often low minimum quantities, and orders over £100 will include free delivery.

Stand B66

Joe Davies

0161

Paper possibilities

Monika Brandrup, VP and creative director at UWP Luxe introduces the company and its creative paper products, which will appear on Stand DP1-C67

Tell us the background of the company - how did it come about?

UWP Luxe, a division of Up With Paper, is a boutique line of pop-up greeting cards and stationery. Our brand came from our desire to collaborate with today’s most respected artists to create curated paper goods for an elevated market.

And what is the aim/mission of the company?

UWP Luxe believes that paper holds so much potential. We hope the integrity of our beliefs shines through in all our products, from elaborately foiled pop-ups to dainty details printed onto envelope flaps. We transform paper into beautiful works of art and explore the possibilities between design and written correspondence.

Tell us a little about your stationery and book ranges:

All of our products feature pop-up or interactive elements that merge unexpected paper engineering techniques with global artist talents. We challenge ourselves to create designs that stand out from other pop-ups in the market.

What about new card ranges?

We are thrilled to announce our newest collection - Dear Alchemy, Boxed Sets. Dear Alchemy is our curious and petite card line; each design is handled smartly to create little salutations with big impact. We took a selection of our favourite and most popular designs and packed them into four uniquely themed sets: Birthday, Brunch, Botanicals, and Y2K. Each box is filled with two each of three designs and coordinating envelopes.

What are your bestselling ranges?

Our bestselling greeting card ranges include our Pure Alchemy Collection, which offers clever copy and pop-ups combined with intricate movement. Our Paper Artisan Series spotlights Hiromi Takeda, a pop-up artist from Japan who uses paper to capture the ephemeral beauty and essence of blooming flowers. Our Dear Alchemy Collection is inspired by childhood memories mixed with current trends and popular puns.

Do you have any eco-friendly credentials you would like to mention?

We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and produce our greeting cards and stationery on FSC-certified paper.

Are you planning to exhibit at any shows this year?

Yes, we will be at Harrogate Home & Gift (Stand DP1-C67) and Top Drawer at London Olympia from September 10-12 (Stand J29).

UWP Luxe

01509 812075 Ӏ harry@ohhdeer.com

www.uwpluxe.com

Pop by Alljoy

Alljoy Design is unveiling new cards at Home & Gift Harrogate. Prepare to be mesmerised as the highly anticipated new collection of cards is showcased at this prestigious show.

Each offers a unique and enchanting experience, from the heartfelt Message in a Bottle Christmas pop-up cards to the innovative Paper Theatre cards, the captivating Miniature World cards, and the whimsical Autumn/ Winter Scene cards. Alljoy Design invites you to immerse yourself in a world of creativity and wonder.

First in the spotlight are Alljoy Design’s award-winning Message in a Bottle Christmas pop-up cards. These cards unveil the magic of Christmas as you open the card and discover a beautifully crafted scene, capturing the essence of the holiday season, all neatly frosted with snow. These cards are not just a greeting; they are a heartfelt gift that will leave a lasting impression. Beautifully engineered using the latest three-dimensional technology.

Next, prepare to be enthralled by Alljoy Design’s New Paper Theatre pop-up cards. Step into a world of imagination and whimsy as these cards unfold to reveal intricately designed theatrical scenes. From classic tales to enchanting adventures, each Paper Theatre card is a miniature stage that brings stories to life. Each card features a miniature theatre stage that pops up when the card is opened, revealing a pre-designed scene with two characters. These characters are designed to be moveable, allowing the recipient to play with them and create their own mini stories.

Alljoy Design also presents its new Message in a Bottle Autumn/Winter Scene pop-up cards. Combining the charm of message-filled bottles with the beauty of autumn and winter landscapes. These cards evoke a sense of warmth and nostalgia. Open the card to reveal a theme, capturing the serene beauty of the changing seasons. These cards bring a warm glow during these colder months. Stand

Gifts for card shops

The present moment

Expand your customer offer with a selection of gifts to complement your greeting card stock…

Retail expert and Greetings Today columnist Henri Davies considers the foodie treats and other gifts that work well in her Cornwall seaside shop… Money may be tight for many of us but there are still times when we want to mark a special occasion with a card or gift. I believe that a gift can be anything that the recipient needs or wants; we don’t like to feel we are wasting money so gifts are likely to be things that the recipient will find useful and functional rather than gratuitous. As we all become more money focused I think useful and functional gifts will be seen as acceptable options by just about everyone.

If you agree with this idea of needs/wants gifting then it is quite possible that gifts can be found in the food arena. In my shop there are plenty of foodie treats, products that link to a food offer and others that are relevant to our location by the sea in Cornwall. Whatever the product, quality, presentation and price are critical. Only this week a lady came into the shop wanting to put together a selection of Cornish foodie treats for a vegan friend as a leaving present, and left with her purchase thrilled with what she had found.

When our visitors head home they will often take gifts for family, work colleagues or to say thank you to neighbours for watering plants or feeding pets. Clotted Cream Shortbread and Clotted Cream Fudge are often bought as thank you presents. At under £5 the price is right too.

As well as being delicious, products can be fun, and Josh’s Gigantic Chocolate buttons are a good example of this. Josh’s buttons are very big and with a bag having 10 big buttons in they are great for sharing; a fun after-dinner gift. The picture (top, centre) shows just how big they are alongside a Cadburys button and the flavour shown is milk chocolate with sea salt caramel pieces; what’s not to like!

We offer a very small range of non food gifts, too. I know from my time at the National Trust that tea towels and mugs are hugely popular gifts and I stock a very small range of good-quality mugs from Dunoon with imagery relevant to our seaside location. We also have tea towels carrying images from Coverack and the Lizard. I believe the £9.99 price point is critical and even though costs are going up and other local outlets are charging up to £14.99 for the same product I don’t believe my customers will pay that for them.

Coverack is on the South West Coast Path and so the book The Salt Path and its sequels are very significant for us and this, coupled with the amazing imagery by Angela Harding on the book covers, means that the product range developed around the book has become a strong seller for us. This is a good example of where the right product does allow you to push the price point boundaries, the jigsaw puzzle linked to the book is a good seller for us even though it is £14.99.

Vanessa Curry, MD at Best Kept Secrets, talks to Greetings Today about gifts for card shops…

Have you found there is increased demand for gifts suitable for card shops?

Yes absolutely, it has been a huge growth area for us over the past couple of years. Card shops are looking for opportunities to up-sell on their customers’ card purchases, as well as being able to offer something new. Perfect occasion gifts mean that card shops can become a one-stop shop for consumers for all their gift buying. Sentimental gifts, particularly like those we have in our Just Because collection, are popular all year round. The other key factor in card shops choosing Best Kept Secrets is our price point – our products are deliberately kept under £10.

Do you have specific ranges that do well in card shops as opposed to gift shops?

We created our best-selling Just Because collection for card shops. Created to give you the perfect gift for any occasion, our Just Because Collection of scented candles, gorgeous gift boxes and tea lights, feature our signature colourful and sparkly home fragrances, and come in a vessel containing meaningful or fun messages for every occasion. Are there any trends in this sector that we can look out for?

The trend that has dominated our new product development over the past two years is sustainability. Our supply chain is proudly British, and, wherever possible, we work with local suppliers. We also recently launched our 100% ethical and sustainable collection, Our Fragrant World. Made in collaboration with artist, Nicky Dawson, the collection has been created to be environmentally friendly, while still delivering fabulous fragrances, colour, and sparkle.

Signature designs

Belly Button Designs offers a new Autumn/Winter collection of giftware, with beautifully crafted wrap-around signature designs on candles and the perfect gifting message for every day and Christmas.

All candles are carefully hand poured with natural soy wax, beautifully packaged and 100% sustainably made in the UK.

Alternative giftware exclusive additions include ceramic bud vases, hanging decorations, and vessel mugs, with more coming soon.

Belly Button Designs

0161 902 0200 | enquiries@bellybuttondesigns.com

www.bellybutton.cards / www.bellybutton.gifts

Take heart

The new Heartfelt collection from Joe Davies is an attractive range of butterfly and heart-shaped foiled ceramic hanging plaques. Available as single hearts and butterflies or as triple plaques, which consist of three hearts or butterflies in descending sizes. These pretty cream textured plaques carry ‘heartfelt’ sentiments for friends and family and make perfect little keepsake gifts.

To see this collection and much, much more visit the Joe Davies stand at Harrogate Home & Gift – Stand B66.

Joe Davies

0161 975 6300 Ӏ sales@joedavies.co.uk

www.joedavies.co.uk

Pick me up

Ginger Betty has some lovely pick-up gifts to complement card purchases. Owner Tracey Colliston says: ‘’We’ve found more of a demand for gifts in card shops and have gone on to produce wooden plaques, keepsake cards and notebooks to complement our cards. The wooden plaques are doing well for us, and the small ones are lovely as a tag to put over a bottle as a gift.

‘’If a shop only had room for one

product, I would recommend our keepsake cards, which don’t take up much space, but get a good return.’’

Ginger Betty

01706 557285 Ӏ hello@gingerbetty.co.uk

www.gingerbetty.co.uk

Ask the retailer

‘‘Gift wise, East of India is a very good seller for us; it continues to surpass itself with ideas and new designs.

We have many lines from Joe Davies and Widdop; very few of their lines don’t sell! well. Container group has a lovely range of traditional wooden toys. As for smaller companies Wot ma like (Yorkshire speak cards and gifts) does very well. Melt candles are also popular; their scents are fabulous.

POM scarves, gloves and jewellery are consistently good. Hopefully that will continue as I’ve ordered A LOT from the AW range!

Also in jewellery, Joma sells very well and Arran Bay is also very popular. I’ve had a couple of orders from Tianguis Jackson, which has unusual designs at good prices.’’ Melinda Scarfe, Thinking of You, Denby Dale, West Yorkshire

Sweets for my sweet…

Card shops looking for the perfect pick-up gifting line need look no further than these irresistible sweetie-shaped pens from Rachel Ellen Designs. With four brightly coloured designs, the pens have a highlighter one end and a ballpoint pen the other; they come in a compact ‘pick ‘n’ mix’ inspired CDU that takes up very little room but can’t be missed. Each CDU has 24 pens (six of each design).

Rachel Ellen Designs

0115 970 0321 Ӏ sales@rachelellen.co.uk

www.rachelellen.co.uk

Sister, sister

Contemporary gift retailer Enesco has unveiled a new keesake box joining the Willow Tree family, stylishly depicting the special bond between sisters and close friends.

Inspired by the top-selling Sister Mine figurine, the Sister Mine Keepsake Box measures 12.5cm tall and features the same female forms as its figurine counterpart, kneeling together side by side while sharing a warm embrace. Lift the lid and customers will find a heartfelt sentiment which reads ‘Nothing comes close to the closeness of sisters’.

Like all Willow Tree figurines, artist Susan Lordi handcarves the original figure from her studio in Kansas City, Missouri. The pieces are then cast from her original carvings.

Enesco

01228 404022

uksales@enesco.co.uk

www.enesco.co.uk

Get the bug!

Bug Art from Lesser and Pavey offers bright, fun, cheerful illustrations that will bring a smile to anyone’s face on receiving.

A quality range spanning many stationery products including A5 notebook, and memo pad with pen, all offering quality paper, gold foil printing - and they come in 10 wonderful designs. It also transforms into cushions, fine china mugs, drinking glasses, trays, and ceramic coasters. From the quirky cow pose to the naughty monkey, from the mad hare to the floppy eared hound - a perfect gift.

Lesser and Pavey

01322 279225 | www.leonardo.co.uk

Bringing joy and sparkle

Best Kept Secrets is a British, family-owned, home fragrance company now in its 27th year. The business, now run by managing director Vanessa Curry (pictured right), was started by her father. Since taking over in 2018, Vanessa has grown the business exponentially, to become the well-loved national brand it is today. Its products embody joy, and are loved for their stunning fragrances, colourful wax, and their trademark sparkle.

The team from Best Kept Secrets are a popular feature on the trade show circuit and have several exciting products that they will be showcasing at Harrogate Home & Gift.

Vanessa says: “We have a few products that we are looking forward to showcasing. First is our new, sustainable candle collection, Our Fragrant World. Made in collaboration with artist Nicky Dawson, the entire collection has been created to be environmentally friendly, while still delivering fabulous fragrances, colour, and sparkle into the home. Each candle has been made from a renewable and sustainable crop using certified coconut and plant-based wax, so you can enjoy beautiful, colourful fragrances, knowing that every step has been taken to be kind to the planet. What’s not to love?

“We are also very excited about our new Spirit of Christmas range, which includes our signature scented candles, each featuring different woodland animals. There are 12 in the range, each using our best-selling fragrances and signature sparkle. We love the fun

that this collection embodies. Our mission has always been to make people smile with our products, and this collection is all about the joy of Christmas.

“We hope that people will spend lots of time with us at the stand because we have so much to show them! Best Kept Secrets has been established for 27 years, so we really know how to make the perfect candle for every occasion.”

Part of the success of Best Kept Secrets over the past few years has been the popularity of the collections with greeting card retailers. Vanessa is totally committed to retaining a price point under £10, and with a candle burn time of 50 hours, the products are affordable as well as offering quality, sustainability and plenty of sparkle.

A particularly popular collection for greeting card retailers is the Just Because range. Created to give you the perfect gift for any occasion, the Just Because Collection of scented candles, gorgeous gift boxes and tea lights, feature the signature colourful and sparkly home fragrances, and come in a vessel containing meaningful or fun messages for every occasion.

With so much product development and innovation happening, what trends does Vanessa predict for the second half of 2023?

“The trend that has dominated our new product development over the past two years is sustainability and we are proud of our environmental credentials and consider our impact on the planet in all that we do. Our supply chain is proudly British, and, wherever possible, we work with local suppliers. Some of the ways in which we achieve this are by ensuring that our vessels are reusable or recyclable, by ensuring that our trademark sparkles are biodegradable, and by having environmentally friendly print on our FSCregistered packaging.

“For Autumn/Winter specifically, consumers are always drawn to our slightly heavier, muskier, and

warmer scents, so we have developed new scents to meet these seasonal trends. This year we have our new Fireside & Cypress, Black Rose & Amber, and White Flowers & Cashmere, which also tick the boxes of what customers love at this time of year.

“A key trend we have also identified is the ways in which consumers are looking to find ways to celebrate and mark special moments in a meaningful and affordable way. This was the inspiration behind our Just Because Collection, and we are excited to be launching our Just Because AGE Tea Light Gift Boxes at Harrogate Home & Gift.”

Best Kept Secrets has been bringing seriously scented joy and sparkle into homes for over 25 years. We find out more about the brand…

It’s a wrap!

We spoke to UK Greetings customer & product manager, Katie Prosho…

What do you think we can expect to see from this category in the future?

We think sustainability is the biggest one to watch. With the nature of gift dressings and accessories covering a wide and varied range of product formats, there are many different avenues to explore and solutions to be found. There may be some really exciting product development techniques, which are discovered due to sustainability development, but actually benefit the product in more ways than just sustainability, but we never would have come across if we weren’t challenged in this way – for example, our amazing woven paper handles!

Have you expanded your product in this category over the past couple of years?

We increased the size of our Essentials offer slightly in January 2022. Essentials had a bit of a ‘re-boot’, where we were able to elevate the offer and move the designs on to be much more relevant and up to date, without cannibalising the main Collage range.

We try to always get recyclable wrapping paper and paper bags for customers when purchasing goods

Anna Bolton, Charlton Cards, Tenby, Wales

What about sustainability initiatives?

In January 2022, we launched an Eco range. The most exciting part of this range, is the 100% paper handle for gift bags, which emulates gros-grain, but is completely recyclable.

Storigraphic has taken a rhythmic direction with its latest design collection of products, the newly launched Sessions Series.

Inspired by the transformative power of music, the design team has translated melodic snippets into pattern form to create a design series of graphical beats. Radiating summer vibes with a bold colour palette, this cross-category collection features six prints and patterns across sustainably-produced homeware, stationery and accessories.

All Storigraphic products are produced in the UK, plastic-free and sustainably made using environmentally certified material.

Gift bags and wrap are the perfect add-on when selling cards and gifts. We look at latest trends and some recent releases...

Glick and collect

Wrap specialist Glick has a host of new designs for spring next year - and a clever new product to upgrade bouquet gifts…

Glick is launching its Spring 2024 range this month featuring 17 designs across five seasons - Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter, Father’s Day and Thanks & Congrats.

Paper Salad features heavily throughout each season - all with neon print, emboss and foiling. There are designs from Stephanie Dyment, Think of Me and Kate McFarlane, plus plenty from Glick’s own Classics range. Packages for each season include gift bags, flat wraps, tissue paper and tags and can be pre-ordered via your sales agent, Glick’s office or online shop. If you haven’t already signed up to shop online, go to trade.glick.co.uk, click Register and complete the online form.

Joe Davies

Joe Davies has a vast collection of gift bags and wrap designed to cater for all occasions, whether it’s birthday, weddings, christening, or everyday gift. As well as occasion and seasonal ranges, the company has introduced matching gift bags to complement its EastWest branded licensed ranges.

The newly-launched collections from Rush Designs is just one example, featuring gift bags alongside occasion-related mugs, coasters, tankards and glasses. With high pre-orders, the collection is set to be a real winner, with most in stock now or due very soon.

Ordering from Joe Davies is both easy and affordable using the ‘little and often’ ordering system. Help and advice will be on hand from the friendly team, who will make your buying experience as simple and enjoyable as possible.

0161 975 6300

sales@joedavies.co.uk

www.joedavies.co.uk

Pink Pig

Pink Pig has just launched a new set of gift wrap designs – a total of 26 include big zingy bold florals, on-trend checks in vibrant contemporary colours, and even some fun highland cows in party mode! Sheets are 50x70mm and can be bought singly. Sold as single sheets. Printed on high-quality 100gsm paper, FSC accredited and 100% recyclable 0779 5574548

info@pinkpigcards.co.uk www.pinkpigcards.co.uk

Kali Stileman

With a wrapping paper collection of more than 100 designs, it is safe to say that Kali Stileman Publishing has a gift wrap to suit every style, occasion and age. When asked which designs were their favourites, Kali and Jemima were both unanimous on their decision: their new Scallops and Scratchy Stars wraps! “They’re both so gorgeously grown-up, and go with everything!” they say. These wraps feature cool and quirky stars and scallops in gorgeously muted, on-trend colours. The flat wrap is printed on sustainably sourced 120 gsm paper in a myriad of gorgeous on-trend tones.

Kali Stileman Publishing is also delighted to introduce its latest wrapping paper design, underwater. This fab wrap takes inspiration from the ‘under the sea’ trend, and features shoals of colourful fish, a friendly shark and a pair of sweet and smiley jellyfish! It’s perfect for children as a gift wrap, or just as fab as a bedroom poster. Like the other wrapping papers, this design has a delightful birthday card and mini card to match.

01305 848899

info@kalistileman.co.uk

Raspberry Blossom

Raspberry Blossom has announced a new partnership with the incredible Penny Kennedy, who will be launching luxury roll wrap, tissue paper and gift bags featuring colourful designs based on the Canvas Creations collection.

The collection has handpainted abstract designs with bold colours and a mix of contrasting and complementary patterns.

Owner Rebecca Green says: “It has been a real joy to work with the Penny Kennedy team and to be able to get the paint brushes out and create some beautiful paintings. I am super excited for the products to launch as I’ve always been such an advocate of a beautifully wrapped gift, from an early age my mum would give me the job of being chief wrapper of all the family gifts!” The collection will be available to order from September and will be showcased on the Penny Kennedy stand at Spring Fair in 2024.

01892 838574

Keepsake & pop-up cards

Looking for something a little special to grace your shelves? These keepsakes and pop-up cards could fit the bill…

Positive messages

Ginger Betty is launching 20 new keepsake cards at Harrogate Home & Gift, offering more friendship captions, words of encouragement and positive messages. Creator and owner Tracey Colliston says: ‘’These prove really popular with our customers as they’re a good price point and hit the spot with a bit of sentiment that isn’t too gushy. The CDU contains 20 of the designs from the range, and it doesn’t take up much space. Often we find that our customers place them next to the till point where they’re easily spotted.’’

Ginger Betty 01706 557285

hello@gingerbetty.co.uk

www.gingerbetty.co.uk

Super stars

Super Nova is a stellar new range of 12 3D Pop-up cards, fresh from M!NT. It features striking graphics with unmissable neons, cutouts and a simple pop-up construction. The combination of multiple neon inks with bold black and white channels 80s and 90s references – including a ‘best of’ birthday cassette and ‘Let’s Roll’ rollerboot – alongside snappy captions such as B’Day Fella and Hip Hip Hooray.

In total the 12 designs include male, female and general birthdays, with seven illustrationbased and five type-based designs. Despite the high spec of multiple neons, cut-outs and pop-up construction, the cards still display flat and retail at a very reasonable MM 125 price code.

Bold, bright and pushing the envelope – Super Nova is super by name, and super by nature!

Stage craft

Introducing Alljoy Design’s new collection of pop-up cards: Paper Theatre. Inspired by the magic and wonder of the theatre, this collection brings a whole new dimension to the art of pop-up cards.

A paper theatre pop-up greeting card is a delightful and charming way to send a special message to someone. The cards feature a miniature paper theatre stage that pops up when the card is opened, revealing a pre-designed scene with two characters. The scene is intricately crafted to create a vivid and captivating backdrop for the moving puppets, making it a unique and memorable way to express your sentiments.

The moving characters allow the recipient to play with them and create their own mini stories. This can add an extra level of fun and engagement to the card, making it a gift that can be enjoyed again and again. Whether you’re celebrating with family and friends, or sending a special message to a loved one, the paper theatre pop-up greeting card will bring a smile to everyone’s face.

www.alljoydesign.com

Born in the USA

UWP Luxe, a division of Up With Paper, is a boutique line of pop-up greeting cards and stationery. All the design concepts originate among a small but devoted studio of designers located across the pond in New Haven, Connecticut.

The company’s story began in 1978, when a stage designer translated his set concepts into miniature paper formats to share with prospective clients. Charmed with the results, he moved away from theatre and instead began what is known today as Up With Paper. While the first release consisted of six painstakingly designed cards per year, advancements have allowed Up With Paper and now also UWP Luxe to release multiple categories of cards per season - but the original fondness for paper and attention to craft remain.

UWP Luxe came from Up With Paper’s desire to collaborate with today’s most respected artists to create curated paper goods for an elevated market. The illustrators, designers, and paper engineers are all selected for their inimitable work. The brand brings two-dimensional art into the three-dimensional realm with elements of curiosity and surprise. Each of UWP Luxe’s pop-up greeting cards and stationery products are unique - carefully crafted with stunning artwork, thoughtful details, and heartfelt copy. Their designs span a wide range of themes, but their creative studio constantly challenges itself to create designs that stand apart from the rest.

As communication becomes increasingly digital, pop-up greeting cards are becoming more treasured for their tactile sending quality. UWP Luxe has found that the 3D card market is flourishing more than ever as there is a growing appreciation for novelty ephemera. UWP Luxe is thrilled to continue creating distinctive paper goods and is passionate about nurturing its business; the team looks forward to adding cards and stationery products and launching new collections. UWP Luxe is pleased to be partnering with Ohh Deer as its UK distributor and cannot wait to see what the future holds!

UWP Luxe

01509 812075 Ӏ harry@ohhdeer.com

www.uwpluxe.com

Precious momento

To cherish forever

Raspberry Blossom always tries to push the boundaries with its paper engineering and the creation of really impactful cards. The aim with its award-winning Keepsakes collection was to create a unique card that customers would want to keep long after the special event was over, with the strap line for this collection being Cherished today. Kept forever.

The cards are all handpainted illustrations created to celebrate those special milestones, from birthdays, to new babies, to getting engaged and then married. With the design printed on both sides and the intricate die-cuts and fold-up elements, they make a truly spectacular gifting piece. All of the Raspberry Blossom Keepsakes cards come in a beautiful striped outer paper wallet, making it fully recyclable.

Raspberry Blossom

01926 257 757

wholesale@raspberryblossom.com

The Meraki Momento range has captured the pure joy of a new arrival with its adorable new collection of fold-out new baby cards. These cards are the perfect way to celebrate one of life’s most precious moments. Featuring charming cartoon illustrations of squirrels, foxes, rabbits, and mice, these cards are available in two designs, for a baby boy or a baby girl. The pastel colours are subtle and sophisticated, making these cards the perfect choice for parents who appreciate tasteful and beautiful Scandi-inspired designs. The intricate fold-out aspect adds a touch of whimsy and means these cards are sure to be treasured for years to come.

Meraki

020 7840 2662

www.merakigreetingcards.co.uk

Kali Stileman

Kali Stileman Publishing has gone all mystical! As part of its extensive Tiddly Widdly collection, this delightful zodiac range features all of the Zodiac signs, from a Capricorn goat to an Aquarius water-carrier. Each design includes the zodiac date and sign, and is perfect for birthdays or... just to say hello!

01305 848899

info@kalistileman.co.uk

www.kalistileman.co.uk

mystical/astrology Trends:

Emma Bryan Design

Animo

This is Animo’s mystical magical Zodiac series with glorious animals showing the way to the paths of the stars. There’s a whole series of all the Zodiac from the rabbit Geminis to the scorpion of Scorpio that you see here.

Animo is painted by Swedish artist and set designer Anna Gisle. She has been painting these quirky animals and their endearing emotions since 2011. All are painted in a whimsical way in old-fashioned watercolour, but with a modern twist of humour. Animo now has more than 270 paintings in art prints, posters and greeting cards.

This greeting card is printed 15x15cm. It comes on recycled white card, with a white recycled envelope, packaged with biodegradable non plastic cellos. Printed in the UK. Free shipping in the UK.

+972 507 605 099 | animoalphabets@gmail.com | www.animo.design

Meraki

These mystical cards are part of the Meraki Momento range. Featuring sparkling shooting stars, in bold pastels and primary shades, there’s a definite out-of-this-world feel to these cards. Metallic holofoils and finishes really catch the eye and with heartfelt wishes on the front like ‘love you to infinity’ and ‘sending you big hugs’, these cards are sure to raise a smile.

020 7840 2662

info@merakigreetingcards.co.uk | www.merakigreetingcards.co.uk

Independent artist-publisher Emma Bryan Design is bringing the stars with the launch of a new zodiac collection of 24 cards plus matching gift wrap.

The All Stars range features Emma’s pretty hand-painted illustrations with a nod to cosmic symbols and star sign traits, showcasing Emma’s love of florals and cute animals as well as simpler constellation designs for increased versatility for customers.

The 105mm x 150mm collection is printed in the UK on beautiful thick textured board for a touch of luxury and supplied with a kraft envelope. 07889 598606 | hello@emmabryan.co.uk

Rachel Ellen Designs

Zodiac from Rachel Ellen Designs represents its usual quirky interpretation of the 12 astrological signs. Each hand-painted design is unmistakeable yet uniquely different, and features the relevant dates and positive characteristics of each star sign. Printed on high-quality textured board and enhanced with gold foil, the cards also come with a bespoke printed envelope.

0115 970 0321 sales@rachelellen.co.uk Ӏ www.rachelellen.co.uk

Align with the stars with this selection of cards based on all things mystical…

Diary of a greeting card shop

Celia Leeson-Cox, visual merchandising manager at Yarnton Home & Garden in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, considers

‘what does your greetings card department say about you’?

As a customer I spend time looking for a card for a specific person and I suspect many of us do that, to make sure the message and/or words are just right.

As card buyers, we are doing just the same, just on a bigger scale – thinking of everybody! But there are of course many more factors to consider when making your selection, and it’s always worth asking yourself regularly ‘what is important to your brand and your customers?’

As a garden centre, we are above all a seasonal business, and taking our cue from the rhythm of the seasons and the colour palettes found among the flora and fauna in our plants areas, we work hard to replicate this seasonality and colour across the store. With the arrival of our new MD, Glen Sheldrake, a true plantsman at heart, the team has been reviewing the progress made so far in our programme of regeneration for the centre and we have been looking at our plans for the coming seasons and years, and our greeting card department is one that we are firmly set to ‘Grow’!

Botanical and horticultural designs continue to be found on the nations’ cards racks as much as ever, and plants of all shapes and sizes, trees, flowers and houseplants are an essential feature of our card product ranging. Our customers love the ‘seed’ cards from Stormy Knight, which come with their own little seedsticks as a point of difference to the plantable ones, Lagom’s floral themes are fabulous and great sellers, and Noi includes some wonderfully bright and fun vegetable and fruity designs.

There are all sorts of other topics and themes that add to the magic and appeal to your customers, and in fact, the selection of cards and the look and feel of your greeting card department can also tell your customer a whole lot of other things about you too! Not only are they a joy to look at, but for something so small in relative terms, they perfectly encapsulate the meaning of communication … ‘the act of giving, receiving and

sharing information’… like nothing else.

A card selection communicates to the customer what the retailer wants to tell them about their brand and who their customers are: It becomes an insight into the rest of the business and a microcosm of the world at large: it can tell us exactly what is going on in society and how we all feel about it!

As one of our best- selling ranges, Rosie Made a Thing (pictured below) addresses this with a unique brand of positivity and infectious humour (I use that word hesitantly!)

effective indicator to our customers that we have done our homework and buy from the companies that we believe in, and as a progressive business with the environment at heart, it is wonderful to see and support the ongoing innovation in this sector.

There are so many ways to communicate a message, and I can’t think of one better to show that you are thinking of someone than with your choice of a simple card – for your friends and family, and your customers too!

Another important requirement in retail is to understand the market and keep up to date with trends. The team at Caroline Gardner do this brilliantly, and there is always something new, which is just what is needed from a core range supplier. The scalloped edged cards (right) perfectly reflect this summer’s whimsical theme found across key sectors such as home indoor and outdoor accessories, and fashion too. Ohh Deer is a recent introduction with a great range of contemporary designs to choose from.

As consumers, we are doing more research into the brands we buy from, so it is also no surprise to note that we as retailers are increasingly judged on our stand on sustainability. Greeting cards are an

“A card selection communicates to the customer what the retailer wants to tell them about their brand and who their customers are’’

Asma came to the UK in 2010 and took up citizenship. She owned and managed several Post Offices in West Yorkshire before taking on King Edward’s Drive Post Office in Harrogate. It was a traditional backstreet, run-down branch that survived on pensioners and sold cigarettes, newspapers, sweets, and just about anything that a customer might want. Its card stock was a collection of glitter, teddy bears, and sweet words that had gathered dust for 30 years. She had cards with Martini Navratilova and Nigel Mansell on the front! Everything was cheap, cheerful and going nowhere.

Andrew, was a retired director - he had worked

at companies such as Taylors Tea & Coffee, and had run factories for the likes of Rington’s Tea. He was a customer who lived locally in Harrogate and called in most days. He was very aware that the business was declining quickly and was able to professionally analyse the shop.

Asma says: “He told me I had to face an inevitable closure or take a big risk and change my trading model. It was a no-brainer, I had to change.

‘‘We stopped tying up a huge chunk of money in poor-return products such as tobacco and cigarettes. We could not compete with the supermarkets. Next, we stopped opening before 6am just to sell a few

newspapers and get ourselves bogged down with paper rounds and the headache of newspaper and magazine returns. We cheaply sold off and eventually, donated endless awful cards to charity. Toys, drinks, sweets, firelighters, toilet rolls and mountains of junk followed suit. We cleaned the place up from top to bottom.

“We gave all our historic metal shelving to the scrap man and over a couple of weekends fitted slatwall shelving and modern display units. In the meantime, we very carefully identified several smaller, independent card artists and producers, some of which were local. We wanted cards that were unique, that caught the eye, and took our new customers by surprise.

‘‘We refused to stock glitter or cards with verses. Display was key, we wanted the customers to come in and see a 1m wall full of beautiful cards that could all be seen at one glance; a wall of exciting colour. A wall where we only buy cards in threes or sixes so we can change the designs and supplier on a very regular basis. We wanted our customers to know that we would have new cards every week.’’

Next, Asma and Andrew turned their attention to the gift offering, which they realised needed to be different but affordable. “We started with a price range of gifts from £2 to £20 each. We brought in Fair Trade products from certified suppliers. Marketing is key so we used the internet, a website, social media and even flyers through letterboxes. It all worked, against all the odds, and a failing backstreet local post office became the

“A failing backstreet local post office became the established regional place to buy good-quality cards and gifts while sorting out your mail’’

Asma Ola and Andrew Hart at Harrogate’s The Red Box post office sell 50,000 cards a year. Here they share their story…

‘Be brave, be adventurous, be different’

established regional place to buy good-quality cards and gifts while sorting out your mail.’’

Their strategy was so successful that they bought nearby Starbeck Post Office outright in 2020 (lockdown year), and repeated the exact process there and found a greater success despite the economic climate.

Andrew says: “We now sell 50,000 cards a year to customers right across Yorkshire and as far away as France. Our advice is take charge of your own cards and gifts. Be brave but keep fixed to the sales. Keep your quality up, your range interesting and tight. Do not be frightened of charging a fixed price for all cards and keep it high. We offer a free sixth card for every five bought.’’

Asma adds: “The best moments are when we find an exceptional artist who literally takes our breath away and stretches our imagination. These create ‘card collectors’ who will easily spend over £100 on cards in one go. We have trebled our Post Office income since we started. This is down to several factors and a change in customer demographics as our market place has grown. Our footfall has grown over 400% and our spend per customer has increased. On the back of these factors we have attracted a clientele that does not worry so much about spending and at the same time they have brought their business postage and parcels with them.’’ And what about the challenges of price increases?

Bestsellers

We have several very popular cards suppliers, and quite a few local artists such as Demelsa Haughton Illustration and Claire Baxter Fine Art.

James Owen Thomas’ (JOT), Museums & Galleries, Bug Art, The Art File, Rachel Ellen Cards, Two Little Monkeys, Woodmansterne, Lola Design, and James Ellis are popular all year round.

“Costs have gone up but there are always bargains to be had if you look hard. We have absorbed costs when we can but more often we have just battled on getting the word out there - we are the Post Office and shop to come to for first-class products and the best customer service. We invest in our online and local profile. We run a Facebook community group that puts time and money back into the community. It has attracted 2,500 members and they are now mainly loyal customers. We reward good customers with discounts or little gifts. There is always a way forward. We cannot stand still. Be brave, be adventurous, be different!’’

Shop Talk

Name: Nish Kanabar, director Shop: Ace Cards

Address: Wetherby, West Yorkshire

Please describe your shop. Originally established on the same site in 1974, we are Wetherby’s oldest card shop, which has been owned by only three families in its time. In the past seven years we have transformed the business by installing LED lighting in the store, giving it a bright clean feel, cutting our energy use, and also working, with suppliers to focus on cards manufactured in the UK, and removing, as much plastic as possible from product packaging.

The store is around 400 square metres and located in the centre of Wetherby in Market Place, in one of the most iconic buildings in town on the corner of The Shambles. We have a mixture of customers from young mums, gentlemen looking for cards for their wives, and then folks looking for cards for 40th, 50th, 60th and 70th anniversaries - so a real age mix of customers.

How did you get into greeting card retail?

I come from a family retail background, and our businesses have always sold cards, from our first sweet shop to our family convenience store, to our stationers, and now a bespoke card shop.

You’ve just celebrated your seventh anniversary - what has changed in that time?

Traditionally, trade has been constant, apart from when the store shut down during Covid - though we continued to trade through delivery and collections. We were able to move over to LED lighting, and generally update the store during that down time, so we bounced back really strongly.

Can you give an example of the customers that come from further afield to visit you?

We have quite a few customers that call in to see us from York, Harrogate, Hull, Selby, and Leeds to name a few places, but we even have customers drop into us, with their lists of cards, as they are travelling up, and down the A1, as Wetherby is next to the A1.

What are the best and worst things about working in retail?

The best thing about working in retail is meeting lots of lovely people from all walks of life, and working with our great suppliers who really support us. The worst thing about working in retail is how sometimes members of the public don’t realise how hard we work, as we always tell them standing behind the counter and taking the money is only a very small important part of running a business.

What cards are selling well in your store at the moment?

For us it is always humour and local cards such as Jonny Javelin, and Peartree Heybridge, but to be honest we don’t really have cards that don’t sell, as we work very closely and at great length with our suppliers to pick great ranges. What card range or category do you always ensure you keep in stock because of its popularity?

It has to be humour cards, and of course age cards.

What’s in your window at the moment?

We have a great range of gifts in the store window, but we do change products in, and out on a regular basis.

What’s by your till at the moment?

By the till we currently have heart confetti, and Keel Toys’ new eco plush teddies. What’s the most surprising thing a customer has said or done or asked for!?

We once got asked for a divorce card. Sometimes customers bring us little treats in to thank us for helping them choose the perfect card or gift.

What do you think makes your shop stand out?

It has to be our customer service, and the fab ranges of cards and gift lines we carry in store.

If you could send anyone a card from the past or present, who would it be and why?

It would have to be my parents just to say thank you. Unfortunately, neither are with us now.

How do trade magazines like Greetings Today help you?

They are great for looking at new lines, trends, and industry articles.

Plan to get Xmas all wrapped up!

Retail100’s Neil Amer offers a merchandiser’s view on planning ahead for the golden quarter

As you know, retailers never stop thinking about the all-important Christmas period. Whether you start planning in January or are just starting to think about it now, it really is the most critical time in retail, but planning for the bestever sales and the cleanest exit has never been so tough. Black Friday has put a real dent into when customers start thinking about the festive season, and has shortened the true selling window. Planning is key with anything in retail, but it couldn’t be more important than at Christmas. Getting the right products and ordering the right quantities can make or break your season. Now, no one has a crystal ball, so doing this is tricky, but you’ll have history and experience on your side. Use your knowledge of what has worked in previous seasons and how many you sold or didn’t sell.

will only be relevant compared to other categories or previous years. For example, if you have added options over time in a particular category, the RPO should grow. This will indicate that each option being added is increasing your sales and offering the customer the appropriate amount of choice. If the RPO is declining, the options are competing against each other and you are potentially splitting your sales and offering too much choice. This is a difficult one to get right - it really is like walking a tightrope.

3Sell throughs (what was sold vs what was bought) will help you understand whether the buys were too small or too big and help direct the quantities needed for your future season. This will help manage the risk at the end of the season - again another one that is not an exact science, but with the right analysis you can reduce your risk/ maximise the potential.

My top tip is to organise your data in a way that helps you understand what your customers need. Aggregating numbers to identify trends will help you understand the direction for your Christmas season - but how do we do this?

1

Rolling up last year’s sales by product type, colour, price point (or whatever is relevant for your stock) will allow you to recognise where your customers are willing to spend and where you should be placing your bets.

2

Layering on the number of products within this will help identify the return per option (RPO) and help you understand whether you have the right number of options within each product type/price band. This

4Layer on any macro trend that might impact purchasing decisions, for example, inflation, cost of living etc. This year, these trends have made retail incredibly tough, so you may want to consider a wider assortment at a lower price compared with previous years in anticipation of customers being less willing to part with their hard-earned cash.

This will help you form a base of your future product offering and build a robust financial plan and a seasonal best product offering. Of course, not everything will have history to analyse. If you have covered off a decent percentage of your seasonal buy with the methodology above, then there is room to take some gambles on new products. This is where the true fun happens - finding the new and seeing customers react to your creativity. Not everything will work, but this is not failure, it is merely more data to help you in the future. Then there is the all-important sale period. Customers love to grab a bargain, so make sure you plan for this too. For sure, the sale period is there to help you move through the stock that hasn’t quite worked for you, but it can also be a strong sales and profit driver - planning larger buys with reduced price sales in mind can work in some categories, and you never know, your customers might react well to these at full price and your sell throughs can be strong - an upside, but again, more data for you to work with for planning the following Christmas! However you are planning for the big season, enjoy Harrogate Home & Gift and any other trade shows you may be visiting, get inspired, find the best products, plan the buys and most importantly, have fun - retail truly is the best at Christmas!

Neil Amer is a director and co-founder of Retail100 Consulting, which is a consultancy firm with 100 years of retail experience that helps retailers and brands grow. Coming from a retail background, Neil worked as a merchandiser for John Lewis for 17 years gaining extensive experience in the retail industry. Learn more at www.retail100consulting.co.uk or contact us at hello@retail100consulting.co.uk

Email: hello@retail100consulting.co.uk

Visit: www.retail100consulting.co.uk | www.linkedin.com/company/retail100-consulting

‘‘Planning is key with anything in retail, but it couldn’t be more important than at Christmas’’