Home of the finest arts September/October 2022 Issue 5 Volume 23
Octo b er Rel eas 16 0 Sensati o nal Agl ter Swish Amelie Rococo To nd out more or to place an order, please contactBEST TRADITIONAL VERSE & SENTIMENT R ANGE FOR
contents September/October 2022 Publisher Mark 01442markh@lemapublishing.co.ukHorsnell289940 Production Director Paul paul@lemapublishing.co.ukNaish Managing Director Mark mark@lemapublishing.co.ukNaish Advertising Manager Marian 01442marian@lemapublishing.co.ukMcNamara289940 Editor Naomi naomi@lemapublishing.co.ukMacKay the team Lema Media Ltd 1 Church Gates, Wilderness, Berkhamsted, Herts HP4 2UB Telephone: 01442 Greetingswww.greetingstoday.media289930Todayhasacirculation of 6,076 Subscription per annum: UK £60 (free for people in the greetings industry), Europe £80, ROTW £100 Keep in touch follow us: @greetingstodaywww.facebook.com/greetingstodaymaggreetingstodaygreetings-today REGULARS FEATURES 14 Cover Story: Ever-evolving Museums & Galleries 16 Autumn Fair preview 20 Focus on… The Eco Friendly Card Co 26 Focus on… Collins/Jumble 28 Focus on… Life Charms 30 Top Drawer AW Preview 32 Insights-X Preview 36 Mother’s Day & Feminine Cards 39 Trends: Party Time 40 Cards and Gifts for Garden Centres 45 Trends: Leaving Cards 45 Focus on… Laura Darrington 46 Focus on… Gruffpawtraits 51 Trends: Verse and Sentiment 52 Retail Interview: British Garden Centres 54 Retail Interview: Bailey’s 56 retail Interview: Penny Black 06 Leader Looking forward to autumn shows 08 News Rounding up what’s been happening, including EcoNews, with more online at www.greetingstoday.co.uk 12 Spotlight A selection of new products and fresh ideas 34 GCA news The latest from the UK Greeting Card Association 48 John Ryan John Ryan asks is digital dead? 49 Shop Talk Retailers from around the country tell us what’s happening in their stores. 50 Retail100 Gearing up for the festive season 58 Ward’s Words Sarah Ward looks at challenges ahead 59 Retail Advice Retail guru Henri Davis considers how holidaymakers affect sales Design Rick rick@lemapublishing.co.ukVickers Chairman Malcolm malcolm@lemapublishing.co.ukNaish Circulation Manager Robert robert@lemapublishing.co.ukThomas 54 36 1440
Send your views and submissions for the magazine naomi@lemapublishing.co.ukto A s I write this, we are enjoying an unusually hot spell during August, usually known for its unpredictable (and often rainy) weather. And it’s not just the weather that is unpredictable. With price rises, supply chain issues, the war in Ukraine, and Brexit, the industry is facing a number of challenges. But positivity is the keyword for the greeting card industry - and that is apparent from a number of industry figures, suppliers and retailers who appear in thisOurissue.columnist Sarah Ward, chief executive of The Giftware Association, says the retail landscape caused by the pandemic is one of constant shifts. It’s been almost impossible for some businesses to plan as they did pre-Covid, but, she points out, “what we do know is that consumers seek transparency, authenticity and quality brands who stand by their values - and they seekAndjoy”.as Penny Bailey at Retas-award winning shops Bailey’s points out: “That phrase ‘send a card, deliver a smile’ is so true.’’ Talking of which, September is the month when we celebrate The Greeting Card Association’s (GCA)Thinking of You Week - a time to encourage customers to let their friends and family know they appreciate them. It’s a wonderful opportunity to encourage card sending - and you can find out more on our GCA news page. Don’t forget to let me know what events and activities you have planned so that we can share them online. We also look forward to Christmas and next year, with a range of shows that offer the chance to find something new for your retail offering.
In this issue you’ll find a comprehensive preview of Autumn Fair (September 4-7 at the NEC Birmingham) offering the perfect timing for buyers to top up their stock and make last-minute orders for the Golden Quarter. With 600-plus UK and international exhibitors displaying their collections, there’s a huge variety and depth of product, as well as live speakers and seminars.
Top Drawer AW returns to Olympia in London from September 11-13. This design-led lifestyle and interiors trade show promises more than 1,500 brands from the UK and abroad, as well as exclusive trends, and seminar sessions. This event also promises positivity - its message of ‘Retail Revitalised’ demonstrates how it is ’looking ahead with an unapologetically positive outlook’.
In October, specialist stationery show Insights-X returns to Nuremberg for the first time in three years. As well as a host of stationery exhibitors, visitors can pick up all kinds of tips from InsightTalks. The first tackles how to be successful in a changing society - a very topical subject - while green issues and learning how to make the most of social media are also in focus. All are translated into English and streamed on the show’s new digital platform. Learn more in our two-page preview. As I’ve said before, the people involved in the greeting cards sector seem full of verve and drive, and are truly inspirational. We have some fascinating profiles for you, including Rhian Ap Gruffydd, who turned a chance encounter with a dog on a photo shoot into a greeting cards business, and Sue and Scott Morrish, whose passion for nature led to a successful and pioneering enterprise: The Eco-friendly Card Co. Retailers can find more inspiration from our retail interviews with Retas award-winners Penny Black in Glasgow and Bailey’s stores in Merseyside. We also focus on cards and gifts for garden centres in this issue - a growing sector that can’t be ignored. Get an insight into buying patterns and what’s selling well from British Garden Centres group gift buyer Emma Davis, and Brittany Bjoko at The Langton Greenhouse and Garden Centre in Leicestershire.Asthisissuegoes to press, the Greetings Today team is planning its trips to both Autumn Fair and Top Drawer - we hope to see you there. Do say hello if you spot us walking the aisles! As always I am more than happy to hear from readers who would like to take part in our features, interviews and news pages. Contact me naomi@lemapublishing.co.uk.at
46 leader Editor Naomi MacKay 32 56 36
Mantons Gifts & Cards raises funds for charity
The award-winning Mantons Gifts & Cards shop in Port Erin on the Isle of Man has raised more than £30,000 so far this year for charities and local organisations, through a combination of running events, donating stock and selling greeting cards. Owner Chris Beards said: “We are all extremely proud to have been able to raise over £30,000 - as well as recently raising £660 for the DEC [Disasters Emergency Committee] and the Red Cross to help the people of Ukraine. We are also thrilled to have worked with and helped local organisations such as Crossroads [an Isle of Man charity that provides support to carers and people with care needs], Isle of Man Arts Council, and The Isle of Man Post Office. I would like to thank all our amazing current and previous team members and our fantastic customers who have helped make this possible.” The Mantons team plans to keep on fundraising, helping the community and supporting new artists and small gift and greeting cards suppliers.
With an entry deadline of November 30, the 2023 contest features 18 categories that cover the whole of the gift and greeting, and welcomes back the People’s Choice Award, where judging is opened up to endconsumers. The GA will allow entry to the People’s Choice award for all shortlisted companies.
Danilo celebrates Lionesses’ win with 2023 calendar
Danilo also offers a range of official personalised birthday cards, perfect for that aspiring footballer, or any fan of this great team, to mark their special day. www.danilo.com
Gift of the entriesopens2023Yearfor
The Gift of the Year 2023 awards, organised by The Giftware Association (GA), was launched at the Home & Gift trade fair in Harrogate. GA PR & marketing manager Chris Workman said: “We want to grow on 2022’s success and really boost the competition to new audiences, as well as encourage brands to enter earlier so we can highlight their great products. We have been working hard behind the scenes to create a smooth user journey on our website for entering products, and we will be reviewing sustainability through all the categories, and recruiting specialist judges for selected categories.”
To view the 2022 winners or to enter the 2023 awards, visit www.giftoftheyear.co.uk.
To celebrate the England Women Football Team’s historic win in the Euro Finals at Wembley, Danilo suggests you get your hands on its official 2023 England Women’s Calendar.
Lawrence Savage, marketing manager at ExaClair, says these kits are a fun way to introduce children to sewing and at the same time develop their hand to eye coordination: “Youngsters will love creating their own brightly-coloured masks and enjoy hours of fun transforming themselves into their chosen animal.’’
ExaClair, the UK distributor for the Avenue Mandarine brand, has announced a new Masks to Sew Kit with wild animal designs. This new creative box contains all the material needed to create three wild animal masks - elephant, tiger and giraffe. The pre-cut felt shapes and punched sewing lines make it easier for younger children to learn how to sew. The plastic needle prevents little fingers being injured, and the large eye makes it simpler for youngsters to thread it. The small shapes are made from self-adhesive felt to make it easier for youngsters to decorate their masks.
ExaClair launches new Avenue Mandarine Sewing Kits
In the news 8 www.greetingstoday.media
Chris Beards with Mantons’ team members Lisa Walster, Olivia Leggate, Debbie Beards, Sophie Christian and Esther Leece
The other kits within the Masks to Sew collection enable children to make their own rabbit, owl and cat masks or fox, cat and reindeer masks.
Best Male Range (non-humour) Graphic Form from Rocket68 Hunky Dory from Paper Salad Mambo from Woodmansterne Publications Metropolis from Paper Rose Odyssey from Rosanna Rossi You The Man from The Art File
Curious World from Icon Golden from Carpe Lumen Photography Minimiam from Holy Mackerel National Trust Hi There! from Woodmansterne Publications Say Cheese from Ohh Deer
Elle Valentine’s Day from Belly Button
Here’s the
Alice Scott from Pigment Productions Boofle from UK Greetings Camilla & Rose from Peartree Heybridge Champagne from Second Nature One Lump or Two from Holy Mackerel Only Fools and Horses from Danilo QuicksilverPromotionsfrom Wendy Jones-Blackett Swing Cards from Santoro Scribbler and Fujifilm partner on instant greeting card kiosk
Female Collection from Simon Elvin Finesse from Kingfisher Cards
The Henry Cole Classic Award
Best Wholesale Range Caboodles from Kingfisher Cards
Best Spring Seasons Range
VistaCandyMother’s Day from Paper Salad Words of Wisdom Valentine’s Day from Dandelion Stationery
Father’s Day from Rosie Made a ProperThingJob from West Country Designs
The Henries finalists are revealed Congratulations to the finalists in the Henries awards. The winners will be revealed in October.
The Lynn Tait Most Promising Young Designer or Artist Sophie MiaStephanieBrabbinsDaviesDunton,Raspberry Blossom Nicole Elders, Caligart by Nicole Alice Gnap, Cardology Iain Hamilton, Bewilderbeest Ian Owen, Folio Katie Wagstaff, Oh Squirrel Best Diversity and Inclusion Range Bright from Cake and Crayons
Eloquence from Out of the Blue Studios
Best Giftwrappings Range Eco Collection from UK Greetings
The new technology will hold more than 1,000 designs, allowing retailers to always have stock of the most popular designs and to offer an entire range within the footprint of a small kiosk. New Scribbler content and designs can be uploaded onto the kiosk overnight, ready to sell the next day. This technology will allow retailers to quickly respond to trends and seasons. With its easy-to-use software, anyone using a kiosk will be able to find t he perfect card. This card will then be printed within the kiosk on specific 320gsm heavyweight greeting card media, ensuring customers receive the same high-quality that they come to expect from both brands.
Rainbow Drops Mother’s Day from Wendy RelatableJones-BlackettFather’s Day from Brainbox
This Card Is For You Because from Bexy Boo Too Wordy from Lucy Maggie Designs Words of Wisdom from Dandelion Stationery
Additionally, the small footprint of the kiosk, housing Fujifilm’s CX3240 printer is designed to save retail space and reduce waste from over-stocking. Cinnamon Aitch
Isabel’s Garden from Simon Elvin Male Collection from Simon Elvin
EveryBody from Arnelle Woker Feel the Love from Hallmark Happy Days from Belly Button Designs She from Cinnamon Aitch Storybook Collection from Natalie Alex Designs
Best Humorous Range Forest Fr1ends from Whale & Bird
The Botanists Society from Sophie FloraBrabbinsfrom Penguin Ink In Full Bloom from Claire Louise Lucy Grossmith from Woodmansterne NaturalPublicationsPhenomenon from The Art File
line-up:
Hellebore from Stephanie Davies
Elle from Belly Button Designs Gin & Frolics Ages from Rosie Made a Midsummer’sThing Dream from Hammond OccasionsGower & Relations from The Art File Ooh La La from Stop the Clock Design Words of Wisdom from Dandelion Stationery
Best Photographic Range BBC Springwatch from Abacus Cards
Jeffrey & Janice – Romance from Bold and Mine’sBright A Pint from Emotional Rescue in collaboration with Paper Salad They Can Talk from Woodmansterne WordsPublicationsofWisdom from Dandelion ZeppelinmoonStationery from Redback Cards
Best Traditional Words and Sentiments Range Blooming Fabulous from Emotional Rescue Indigo Blush from Ling Design Lottie Loves – Month You Were Born from International Cards & Gifts Moments In Time from Words ‘n’ Wishes Whimsical Wishes from Wishing Well Woodstone from Hallmark
GinDesigns&Frolics
Best Children’s Range Are We Nearly There Yet? from Paper Salad Cheeky Chops from Rosie Made a Thing Paper Shakies Ages 1-6 from James Ellis Party Animals from Stripey Cats Shine from Redback Cards
Best Cute Range Animal Blanks from Louise Mulgrew Bear from The Art File
Best Relations and/or Occasions Range
High street greeting card retailer Scribbler has teamed up with Fujifilm on a new instant greeting card kiosk, offering Scribbler greeting cards printed instantly, with Fujifilm print technology.
Hand-Marbled Gift Wrap Sheets from Paper Mirchi Kelly Hyatt Collection from Lagom Design Louise Mulgrew Collection from Glick Paper Salad Collection from Glick Stephanie Dyment Collection from Glick
Magical Christmas from Rush Design
Best Handmade or Hand-finished Range Battersea Pop-Ups from Cardology
Best Christmas Box or Pack Christmas Mini Packs from Paper Salad Christmas Pop from Five Dollar Shake Christmas Premium Boxes from Noel Tatt Elle Luxury Boxed Cards from Belly Button GoldenDesignsfrom Stop the Clock Design Luxury Boxed Collection from The Art File
Best Art Range Animalia from Louise Mulgrew
Tiny & Terrific from Heyyy Cards
Boxed Silver Jewellery Earring Cards from Crumble and Core Ooh La La from Janie Wilson Paper Shakies Adult Ages from James Ellis Special Days from Wendy Jones-Blackett Woodland Numbers from Pogofandango
The Bear, the Hare and the Mouse from Paper Shed Design Owl’s Nest from Ginger Betty Pawsome from Raspberry Blossom Zoo Friends from Hannah Marchant Best Contemporary Words and Sentiments Range Cherished from Lagom Design Cloud Nine from Redback Cards Say What? from Raspberry Blossom
Jumbo Jamboree from Paper Salad Soulmates from The Art File Tattoo from Sooshichacha
Elle from Belly Button Designs
The Hits Collection from Say it with Songs
Best Licensed Card Range Cath Kidston from Ohh Deer Famous Foods from Tache Life In Pencil from Pigment Productions Morris Collection from Ling Design Peter Rabbit from UK Greetings SnowTap from The Art File
Best Christmas Counter Range Bloom from Stormy Knight Christmas Cheer from Five Dollar Shake Cosy Christmas from Ricicle Cards
Best Contemporary Trend Range Bloom from Stormy Knight Bohemia from Stephanie Davies
Western Sketch has it all wrapped up Western Sketch recently launched its sustainable festive gift wraps, with three new designs for conscious wrapping thisDesignsseason.are created from hand -painted illustrations and printed in the UK onto 50x70cm size sheets with a choice of Candy Canes, Gingerbread Men or Mince Pies. The wrap is made in the UK using paper with an FSC chain of custody and can be recycled after use. Team with kraft tags and simple jute twine for a great wrapping look.
The Happy Birthday video sees Shaun and the flock create mischief behind the Farmer’s back, by sending him a card that he mistakenly thinks is musical. Barcoded stamps have a digital twin and the two are connected by the Royal Mail App. The barcodes match the stamp colour and sit alongside the main body of the stamp, separated by a simulated perforationDefinitiveline.stamps are the regular ‘everyday’ stamps featuring t he profile of HM The Queen created by the sculptor Arnold Machin. The design has changed very little since it was introduced in June 1967. The image has become one of the most iconic pieces of artwork in the world and has been reproduced in excess of 220 billion times. The ‘Swap Out’ scheme opened on 31 March 2022. Customers will be able send unused stamps via a Freepost address. Forms are available via a variety of channels, including local Customer Service Points, the Royal Mail website and the Customer Experience team. For more information, visit www.royalmail.com/barcodedstamps.
Every Museums & Galleries (M&G) card range is available in the company’s elegant and clever ecoband, a recyclable folded paper strip, which securely locks card and envelope together whilst giving branding prominence. The bands have now been used over five years in high-impact retail environments and have proved their reliability. M&G is committed to eradicating single-use plastics from its entire product chain, right down to the glues used on notecard boxes. This year it has gone a step further by launching zero-plastic packaging for social stationery and tissue paper. Ben Dorney, group creative director, said: “We are always striving to be more sustainable, and are delighted that we have come up with a way that showcases the products in a premium and sustainable way. We are phasing the packaging in upon re-print so there will be a transition period, over the next couple of months.’’
Publisher Peony & Pangolin has been busy launching its eco-initiative, P&P Planet, to extend the life cycle of each card. It has designed postcard templates inside the front of its cards to encourage the recipient to send it on, and spread the love. Each card also suggests ‘keep me’ as a treasured memento, ‘frame me’ as stylish artwork, or ‘recycle me’.
M&G steps up green makeover
Rainbow Designs offers an extensive range of high-quality soft toys, wooden toys, baby, nursery and gift products. With 50 years’ heritage, its licensed portfolio and collections include Paddington Bear and the New Paddington TV Adventures, Peter Rabbit, Disney’s Winnie the Pooh, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Guess How Much I Love You, Elmer, Spot the Dog, Miffy, That’s Not My..., Snoopy, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and The Snowman and The Snowdog ranges.
Shaun the Sheep sends video birthday greetings
P&PlaunchesPublisherPlanet
Royal Mail has launched a video that enables recipients of mail featuring a barcoded stamp to receive birthday wishes from Shaun the Sheep and his friends. To choose and view the video, both the sender and recipient will have to download the Royal Mail App. The sender can select the ‘Happy Birthday’ video for the recipient to watch just by scanning the stamp barcode. The video was created exclusively for Royal Mail by the multiaward-winning British animation studio, Aardman and is the third in a series released by Royal Mail, with more to follow during the year.
Rainbow Designs recruits national accounts manager
Rainbow Designs has strengthened its sales team with the appointment of Jo Adger to the role of national accounts manager.
10 www.greetingstoday.media News/eco News
Jo brings a wealth of industry and specialist toy knowledge, with a decade of sales experience. She started in sales in 2011, working at housewares supplier DKB Household before spending the past four years at games company Winning Moves.
Given the current economic and environmental climate, the publisher hopes this initiative demonstrates how its cards can be reused and recycled - adding value for the customer, while helping to care for the planet.
Last year the company introduced plastics-free calendars and this year gift packaging products are receiving the plastics-free makeover, with gift tissue boxes being phased in. M&G uses recycled materials for packaging, and the company’s sparkling new headquarters in Corby run on green power.
SIMULTANEOU SLY: LICENSIN G- X GERMANY The new licensing fair in Germany www.licensing-x.de 5–7EXPOSYOURTATIONERYOct2022 |Nurember g #welovestationer y Nicole, Senior Project Manager www.insights-x.com
There are 14 Female Designs Code 55.
Jumble & Co | www.jumbleandco.com
Cherry Orchard 01684
withCelebrateBubbles
‘Bobbles’ or ‘Bubbles’ are bang on trend right now, and the new contemporary Equilibrium Bubble Collection from Joe Davies (Autumn Fair, Hall 7 - Stand C30/E31) showcases this look perfectly. Stylish necklaces, bracelets and earrings with fixed ‘bubbles’ give a really modern expression to a look that is really fresh on the scene. After the gold rush, silver is back to take over the jewellery box with a vengeance, and this attractive silver-plated collection looks stunning as it rocks this great new look. For those who love gold jewellery, all is not lost as there’s a number of gold-plated and two-tone pieces in the collection, which add a touch of added glamour.
info@cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk295500
Joe Davies 0161 975 6300 | www.joedavies.co.uksales@joedavies.co.uk
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There’s a new colour for 2022 from Jumble & Co – Sun Kiss Yellow. Here comes the sun, Sun Kiss is the exciting new colour for Jumble & Co’s 2023 Collection, perfect for those with a positive attitude and who, after a difficult period, are ready to let the sunshine into their life!
enquiries@jumbleandco.co.uk
du-du-du-du…
Here comes the Sun!
femaleFlourishingflorals
The new Open Female Floral range unveiled by Cherry Orchard is flourishing already with itsThecustomers.launchof these versatile and vibrant cards in 14 gorgeous new designs celebrating floral style are a complementary mix of eye-catching colours, artistic images and foil detailing. These new additions to Cherry Orchard’s popular Timeless Moments range bring a modern and traditional twist to this well-liked collection with these botanical female Birthday cards.
ExaClair 01553 www.exaclairlimited.comenquiries@exaclair.co.uk696600
For every occasion
Having listened to the needs of its retail customers, Paper Shed Design made the decision to produce this range in a new 127mm x 177mm size, moving away from its usual 150 x 150mm squares. This quality range has been printed on thick textured board and features charming hand-drawn Illustrations in soft pencil and watercolour. Other ranges include – The Bear, the Hare & the Mouse, Absolutely Barking, Pawsitively Purrrfect and Bucklebury Wood. Available in birthday, blanks and seasonal.
Sophie Brabbins is a luxury greeting card brand specialising in beautiful watercolour greeting cards and paper products of outstanding quality. Best known for life-like yet modern hand-painted watercolour greetings cards, the ever-expanding collection now includes wrapping paper and home décor art prints. All products are responsibly made in the UK with incredible care and attention to detail at every stage, printed onto textured FSC card stock. Cards are finished with a highquality FSC envelope and card clasp or where preferred ecofriendly cello bags. The bestselling butterflies and 3D pop-out designs have been flying off the shelves; their pop-out wings make them particularly eye-catching in store and give the appearance that the butterfly has just landed on the card. The perfect choice for lovers of nature.
Paper Shed Design 01189 744283 | www.papersheddesign.cominfo@papersheddesign.com
With 36 new designs from artists including Andrew Haslen, Robert Gillmor and Rachel Lockwood, there should be something for everyone. Red Hare Publishing www.redharepublishing.co.uk
A touch of luxury
The elegant notebooks are available in A5 and A4 sizes across both gold and platinum editions, which feature a traditional sewn spine and the PEFC-certified Clairefontaine 90gsm brushed vellum paper that’s loved by pen fans globally. The gold edition has pure white covers with gold embossing and contains 96 white pages, while the platinum edition has deep blue covers with silver embossing and contains 96 ivory pages. Each edition is available in a choice of lined or blank pages. ExaClair marketing manager Lawrence Savage said: “These new premium notebooks are a perfect addition to the existing range of Triomphe social correspondence items, offering a natural choice for those seeking a touch of luxury.”
ExaClair, the UK subsidiary of the Exacompta Clairefontaine group, has launched a selection of notebooks to extend the Triomphe range, which remains true to Clairefontaine’s ethos to offer quality, style and excellence.
Popping out in-store
Paper Shed Design launched its new occasions and relations range earlier this year. There are 60 super-cute designs featuring various titles from Niece to New Home, Wedding to Sympathy.
Sophie Brabbins 07834592863 | www.sophiebrabbins.comwholesale@sophiebrabbins.com
Card and gift in one Customers looking for a little present in the post last minute but don’t know what to send? Now they can reach for the Red Hare Coaster Card. Not only is it a fully sustainable, FSC grade and recycled paper art greeting card, it is also a removable coaster with the same eco credentials attached to the front of the card. All the cards and coasters are printed in the UK, thus eliminating damaging air miles, and even better, can be posted with a standard 1st or 2nd class stamp.
art,phenomenallyM&G’ssuccessfulV&Arangesofcardscelebratethecollectionsoftheworld’sfinestmuseumofdesignandperformance
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Card ranges the company publishes stretch from the classic museum-quality core ranges, through standalone ranges for major museums such as the V&A, Tate Gallery, Natural History Museum and British Library, to ranges promoting younger independent artists (Mezzanine; Art of Print) and interesting contemporary designers (Matthew Williamson, Cressida Bell, Sarah Campbell, Catherine Rowe and Helen Ahpornsiri).
Avisit to its stands at Spring Fair or PG Live showed Museums & Galleries (M&G) to be a vibrantly growing business – one of the independent UK industry’s brightest stars, and a leading producer of quality art cards and gift stationery, with an interesting and growing collection of fine art-based gift items.
MuseuMs & Galleries Cover Story
Retailers can access two different M&G ranges featuring Natural History Museum content – the first a stylish and contemporary spin on the museum’s extraordinarily rich archival imagery, and the second a standalone range featuring award-winning photography from the museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
M&G’s phenomenally successful V&A ranges of cards celebrates the collections of the world’s finest museum of art, design and performance – exploring classic British Arts & Crafts designers such as William Morris, CFA Voysey, and Walter Crane; Art Nouveau stars including Alphonse Mucha; East Asian textiles and prints, and mid-century modern design. Card ranges come in a variety of popular formats and finishes.
State of the art
Museums & Galleries continues to innovate within its comprehensive range of designs for cards, gifts and stationery, with art still very much at its core
Strongly individual artists with powerful stories to tell and strong commercial appeal are given their own personal ranges: from Alison Fennel’s charming animal watercolours (Alison’s Ark) to veteran illustrator Lucy Grossmith’s atmospheric, lushly coloured and finely detailed Coast and Country, M&G aims to feature each individual artist’s unique strengths. Developed over the past couple of years have been new ranges showcasing the unique style of Liberty Prize-winning designer Catherine Rowe and Helen Ahpornsiri’s intricate wildflower collages (Wild Press).
Printand Mezzanine,favourites:asthemselvesestablishedhaveartcontemporaryranges;own-brandwithtocontinuedhasinnovatenewtwostrandsquicklyretailerArtof
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While all the above is richly diverse in itself, M&G today is possibly best known for its prestigious branded ranges – starting with the national collections based in London. M&G has worked with both the V&A and the British Library since its inception as a publisher, and today both museums have licensed branded card, stationery and gift collections in M&G’s portfolio. The V&A is the world’s leading museum of art, design and performance, and M&G’s V&A greeting cards offer the ultimate range of decorative art and design. Drawing from wallpaper patterns, textiles and exquisite laquerwork, the collection comes in multiple formats, including a luxury range featuring gold-foil stamp detail and embossing.
An important and growing interest is in fashion design – M&G launched star designer Matthew Williamson’s first dazzling stationery collection five years ago, and this hugely successful range has been joined by collections by such luminaries as Cressida Bell, Catherine Rowe and Sarah Campbell. Each designer has their own utterly distinctive style and approach, which M&G translates with sensitivity and aplomb to cards and stationery products.
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Expanding portfolio Museums & Galleries Ltd launched in the 1980s with the aim of bringing the gems of the world’s museums to beautifully made and produced cards and stationery for the high street. It remains true to this mission today, but over the years the company has expanded both its product portfolio and the variety of art it publishes, so today has an outstanding retail offer covering a wide spectrum from heritage fine art to contemporary fashion design, old masters to contemporary artists and illustrators, anonymous archival discoveries to the most prestigious of fine art museum brands. The company’s core collection of greetings cards, branded Classics, is a heady mix of styles curated from a variety of sources. Every image is chosen for its quality and timeless style. The range is infinitely adaptable to the changing consumer moods, and M&G carefully balances some endearingly quirky designs against classics by the likes of Monet, Van Gogh, and LS Lowry. Asian art is a striking trend here, as well as cards aimed at masculine interests. Animals, florals and landscapes are hugely popular. Classics comes in a square format as well as a traditional rectangular format, all blank for the sender’s own message. The next-own brand the company developed was The Illustrators; all square cards printed on textured board and originally featuring classic illustration from children’s books. Over time this range has blossomed into a showcase for iconic, slightly nostalgic, British character illustration – Peggy Fortnum’s classic Paddington Bear illustrations; Quentin Blake’s work for Roald Dahl’s books; Judith Kerr’s The Tiger Who Came To Tea illustrations, and Anita Jeram’s illustrations for Guess How Much I Love You, among others. New additions are Jill Barklem’s gloriously detailed and muchloved Brambly Hedge illustrations, and Nick Butterworth’s fondly remembered Percy the Park Keeper and his friends. Contemporary art M&G has continued to innovate with new own-brand ranges, and in recent years has launched two contemporary art strands, which have quickly established themselves as retailer favourites: Mezzanine, and Art of Print. Art of Print is a collection of contemporary printmaking across all disciplines, printed on textured board and rectangular in format. Wildlife and especially birds are very strong in this range, but landscapes also feature. Mezzanine focuses on bright, bold and refreshing modern art sourced fresh from contemporary galleries, agencies, and direct from artists. Printed on high-quality textured art board, all cards are square with white borders.
Commercial appeal
Striking imagery
The British Museum offers a world of striking imagery, which M&G publishes on gift packaging, stationery, journals and gifts. M&G’s Tate range explores this worldfamous gallery’s collection of British art from the 16th century to the present, along with international modern and contemporary art. M&G’s art studio collaborated with the Natural History Museum to develop a design-led and inspired NHM range, and has also published imagery from BBC Earth, and Transport for London classic posters.
www.museumsgalleries.co.uksales@mgml.co.uk462165
Together with this carefully curated array of art, design and heritage licences, M&G has developed its stationery and gift offer over the past 10 years into a truly impressive body of work. Customer service too has continually improved with the new warehouse in Corby - which M&G moved into during lockdown - delivering incredible gains over the last two years in particular.
Museums & Galleries
M&G
“With 600-plus UK and international exhibitors showcasing their collections, there’s a huge variety and depth of product, unlike no other trade show, as well as live speakers and seminars ensuring ideas and inspiration are bound to flourish and grow.
The Beauty & Wellbeing sector focuses on an indulgent feel-good factor and features products that groom, spritz and energise. From holistic home fragrances to luxury body care, find beauty staples along with pampering products that make the perfect gift Newcomeritems.Voesh New York will promote its mission for self-care with 100% vegan products, along with brands Per-Scent and Shearer Candles. Returning favourites include Upper Canada UK, The English Soap Company, Heyland & Whittle, The Somerset Toiletry Company, Heaven Scent and Bomb Cosmetics. And look out for sustainable brands Eco Bath, Join Brands, Clarity Blend, Betty Hula, Sevin and Beefayre, as well as Emma’s Soap. Emerging brands in attendance include White Rose Sage, Lizzie ‘‘With 600plus product’’andhugethere’sexhibitorsavarietydepthof
The trade show’s organiser Hyve Group says: “Offering the best products and inspiration just in time for the Golden Quarter, Autumn Fair provides the perfect opportunity for buyers to top up their stock and make last-minute orders for the festive season.
When: 4 - 7th September Where: NEC Birmingham Web: www.autumnfair.com Republic, East of India, The Eclectic Lifestyle Company, Sting in the Tail, Candlelight Products, Price’s Candles, and Quail. New for 2022, Autumn Fair welcomes independent publisher Ryland Peters & Cico Books, Sweet William Designs, Forever England, Fern & Thistle, Treat Kitchen, Ahmad Tea, Artcuts, Good Living (bringing brands including Haan and Omnom), Exerz, and White Pebble (with brands Woodstock Chimes, Solmate Socks, and Ooly), along with international brands Kikkerland, Abysse Corp, and andStationery,threedesktopandMeanwhile,Hellmann-Versand.Gingkoisreturningwillbelaunchinganewlamp.Thisdestinationincludescategories:Greetings&Beauty&Wellbeing,Kids,Toys&Play.
Preview Top Drawer Show Preview AUTUMN FAIR
Also exhibiting is The Eco-friendly Card Co, offering beautiful 100% recycled cards, notecards and calendars and Ireland’s Alljoy Design, with laser cut cards, 3D pop-up cards, candles and gift collections.
Autumn Fair runs across four days from September 4-7 at the NEC Birmingham, and hosts four key buying destinations: Gift, Home, Moda, and Design & Source.
Greetings Stationery& Greetings & Stationery is the place to find ‘everything you need to mark the occasion’. It brings together creative, fun and colourful greeting cards, wrapping paper, stationery and paperNewdecorations.exhibitorsthis year include Jumble & Co, with a new range of stationery, Laura Darrington Design with her design-led greetings cards and Life Charms, exhibiting more than 60 new lines of gifting jewellery and this season’s ready-to-wear collections.
Also new are Fat Cat, with vibrant greeting cards that burst with colour; 16 www.greetingstoday.co.uk
Autumn Fair is back from September 4-7 at NEC Birmingham, offering visitors an appetising array of fresh and exciting products for the new season
Forever Cards and its handcrafted laser-cut cards; Five Dollar Shake; English Graphics, and Do Something David, which offers a collection of humorous greeting cards and gifts designed by a former cartoonist for national newspapers.
Take a look at www.autumnfair.com and download the official Autumn Fair App for the latest updates and news.’’ Gift In the Gift destination you will find best sellers in cards and stationery, contemporary designs to unique, personalised and licensed gifts, including books, candles, licensed gifts, souvenirs, and garden giftware. Visitors will also be treated to an exclusive showcase of all of this year’s Gift of the Year shortlisted finalists, and a dedicated New Product curated showcase of newly launched products from across the show. Returning to Gift for the first time since 2018, Widdop & Co brings a host of new brands and products. Visitors will also discover Sass & Belle, Powell Craft, Joe Davies, Lesser & Pavey, Chalk UK, Gift Autumn Fair
Time to inspiredbe
Kids, Toys & Play is home to children’s toys, gifts and gadgets, where you can tap into play trends and Christmas hits.
Home The Home destination comprises Home, Living and Décor; The Summerhouse; andHome,Everyday.Living and Décor offers furniture, textiles and interior accessories from brands including Coach House, Hill Interiors, London Ornaments, Besp-Oak Furniture, Ancient Mariner, CIMC, London Ornaments, Art Marketing, Taylors of Scotland, Final Touches, Walton & Co, Florelle, and Chic Antique Denmark, showing exclusively at Autumn Fair. The Summerhouse has its finger firmly on the pulse of new homeware trends, with some of the most beautiful, handpicked accessories and contemporary gifts, as well as home fragrance and lifestyle products. This season, Autumn Fair welcomes the return of Bronte By Moon and Scatterbox, along with exhibitors Pacific Lifestyle, Jellycat, Hydro Herb, Malini, Gallery, Inis, Niwa Terrariums, Deluxe Homeart, My Gifts Trade, Hot Tomato, and Spry Candles. Everyday is the sourcing sector for everyday affordable items. Hyve Group says: “Everyday re-energises the traditional ‘Volume’ visitor and attracts independent retailers in search of a better price, product and promotion’.
Moda Moda is billed as the fashion destination at Autumn Fair and the place to discover the latest trends, newest and sustainable designers, and must-have looks that will adorn the season. After successfully co-locating with Autumn Fair 2021, it has now become an integral part of the show. Moda offers a comprehensive line-up of classic and contemporary women’s fashion from the UK and around the world, and is described as boasting ‘the country’s largest collection of footwear brands, as well as a huge range of accessories and its coveted Jewellery & Watch Edit: a curated selection of luxury and staple jewellery, watches, and desirable fashion pieces’. Design & Source Design & Source, originally called Sourcing, brings the international market to the UK with ethical and sustainable manufacturers from all over the world in one destination. It combines product types including home textiles, lighting, funky and contemporary gifts, and artisan products, as well as tableware, kitchenware and flatware for catering and hospitality buyers.
Seminars
On the Inspiring Retail Stage, visitors will be treated to a broad programme of content sessions from industry leaders designed to educate and inspire. Presentations will include a seminar on gifting trends for 2023 by Wendy Lowe, trend editor at trend forecasting agency TrendBible, which promises to ‘provide vital insight into the key trends impacting consumers and key opportunities which will elevate your celebration, occasion and gift ranges to new levels’.
& Wild Candle, Senne. Candle Co., Eriskay Candles, Fizz and Mini First Aid (as featured on BBC One’s reality business series Dragons’ Den).
Sustainability Some of the Autumn Fair exhibitors leading the way with a sustainable ethos include Betty Hula, with honest, innocent skincare; kidswear with a conscience, Mai Clothing; Inside Out Toys, produced by ethically and socially responsible manufacturers; home fragrance www.greetingstoday.media 17 expert Beefayre, which donates 3% of its profits to bee research and conservation; Honest Bottle, described as the only reusable bottle designed and made locally in the UK from UK-sourced post-consumer recycled single-use bottles; and 100% natural and pure essential oil products supplier Clarity Blend. All these brands and many more will be showcasing their vision for the future and a marketplace comprising sustainable, ethical and natural products. For further information, visit www.autumnfair.com or download the official Autumn Fair App.
New exhibitors this LifeDesignDarringtonCo,Jumbleincludeyear&LauraandCharms Life Charms
Earlybird Hall 6 Stand A14 At Autumn Fair, Earlybird is launching 12 new designs in its Honey range, in collaboration with artist Linsey Kelly. These designs use wonderful pattern and colour, combining botanical and jungleCoveringthemes.birthday and occasion, they are printed on FSC accredited board and are carbonEarlybirdbalanced.willalso be showcasing its full range of Christmas designs, combining the talents of artists Linsey Kelly and Emma Jayne Designs, along with newness from founder Dom Early. All printed on FSC-accredited board and carbon www.earlybirddesigns.co.uk01227765372balanced.
Although Christmas is an important focal point of the show, The Art File will also have 180 new Everyday greeting card, gift packaging and notecard lines on its stand at the show, alongside the best of the best performers of the year.
18 www.greetingstoday.co.uk The Art File Hall 6 Stand C30 -E31
www.theartfile.comsales@theartfile.com01158507490
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As The Art File descends upon its last show of the year, the team has pulled out all the stops to make sure that their multi-award winning Christmas collection is on show for any last-minute Christmas orders show-goers may need to place. This eclectic collection includes the three time Henrieswinning festive luxury boxed cards, the successful charity pack collection (all available in full recyclable packaging), as well as the show-stopping gift packaging collections - which include fully recyclable gift bags, roll wrap and flat wrap ideas, which are both commercially proven, and guaranteed to turn the heads of retailers and customers alike.
The publisher has had a long-standing desire to minimise its environmental footprint. With their mutual passion for the environment and wild places featured in Scott’s photography it was personal conviction, rather than current trends, that led them down the environmental route for the business, and it was about this time that Glebe Cottage’s first environmental commitment was born, to only use recycled envelopes with its cards.
Susanna Morrish is joint director of The Eco-friendly Card Co (with husband Scott).
Glebe Cottage Studio, the original name for The Eco-friendly Card Co, was founded by art college student Scott Morrish back in 1993, with the intention of supporting his passion for photography. With a plan that barely scraped a ‘D’ in A-level business studies he obtained a small bank loan sufficient to set up an ’office’ in his bedroom (of his parent’s house - the original Glebe Cottage) and a darkroom in a garden shed. With the additional support of the Prince’s Youth Business Trust, the first four Glebe Cottage cards were created, featuring images of wild Dartmoor scenes. For the first few years when Scott wasn’t in the darkroom, or wandering the moors with his largeformat camera, he drove around rural Devon selling his cards of local views to post offices and shops out of a banana box in the back of a rusty Datsun Sunny car called Bob. Sue joined the business in 1996 after leaving university with a degree in English and Anthropology and by her own admission, “knowing nothing about running a card business whatsoever”. Soon more designs were added, including artist collections, and they wouldn’t all fit in the back of a car any more!
Here she talks about the company, its beginnings, and its eco credentials Eco commitments • FSC certified • 100% recycled cards • 100% recycled envelopes • Alcohol-free print technology • Powered by green energy • Vegetable based inks • Naked cards or compostable bags • Free of foil, glitter and plastic-laminate • Made in the UK • Carbon balanced paper • Carbon zero company Hall 6 Stand C02
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The CardEco-friendlyCo continues on p22
“I think today I would say our aims are three-fold; firstly to produce beautiful, distinctive cards in an environmentallyresponsible way, secondly to collaborate with and promote the work of the wonderful creative artists we work with, and finally to look after our wonderful network of independent retailers.”
Glebe Cottage’s environmental journey started back in the mid90s when the publisher switched to the exclusive use of 100% recycled envelopes. “The logic was simple; why cut down trees to make envelopes that will only make one journey before they are ripped open, screwed up and thrown away?”
The Eco-Friendly Card Co has moved on a long way since then, being the first publisher to switch to compostable packaging back
“We really wanted to understand the environmental impact of how we published our products, so we spent a long time trying to research everything from the types of inks we used, to the bag we packed the card in. It was understanding the issues that prompted us to create the list of ‘Eco-commitments’ that still determines how we create our products today,” explains Sue.
“Feet up, coffee on.”“Live on the blindingly bright side.” “Say yes. Get up and go.” “Take a bow.” “Wake up and smell the next factor“Restoremeeting.”metoysettings.” “Good for them.” NEW COLOUR A brand new stationery range celebrating all of life’s emotions. Life is anything but linear, with a blur of highs and lows, wins and losses, cheers and cries. Some days are remarkable, some are pretty forgettable. So, how are you today? jumbleandc o.com Find us atAutumn FairBooth 6B32
AUTUMN
The art ranges offered are very diverse, from fine art paintings by the late Michael Morgan RI to whimsical designs by artist Kate Andrew (nominated for best art and sentiment range in last year’s Henries awards).
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“People often ask us how we come up with our ranges – everything we do is artist led,’’ says Sue. “Nothing is designed in a studio just for a card, instead every image comes from an original painting or design. Each collection is named after the artist and celebrates their unique style. Our longest-standing artist is Nikky Corker, whose work we have published for over 15 years – we have new designs from her every year, which are eagerly anticipated by her following. Newest is mixed media artist Jane Morgan, whose work was previously only available as fine art prints –Jane’s collection has been shortlisted as best art range in this year’s Henries. The Eco-friendly Card Co has worked with The Wildlife Trusts for over 10 years, publishing notecards, calendars, greeting cards and Charity Christmas packs – the latter two have also both just been shortlisted in this year’s Henries awards.
“Throughout the past decade we’ve really enjoyed working with The Wildlife Trusts and, more recently, the charity SongBird Survival. Along the way we’ve continued to learn so much about the extraordinary diversity of British wildlife. It’s changed the way we look at the world and how we manage our own garden - which in turn has created brilliant opportunities for more wildlife photography,’’ Sue explains. “The natural world is not only fascinating and beautiful, but is also increasingly understood to contribute to mental and emotional well-being. Maybe this is why we are consistently drawn to wide open images of land and seascapes in one moment, and tightly focused studies of flowers, birds and bees in another. We know wildlife and the habitats it depends upon are precious and often fragile. And it’s that knowledge that holds our focus on consistently trying to find additional ways of reducing our environmental footprint.”
01626 www.ecofriendly.cardshello@ecofriendly.cards369269
With their mutual passion for environmenttheand wild places featured in Scott’s photography it was conviction,personalrather than current trends, that led them down the environmental route for the business
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22 www.greetingstoday.co.uk in 2006, and the first direct-to-retail publisher to obtain FSC certification. In 2008, it became the UK’s first CarbonNeutral greetings card company and won Gold for environmental best practice in printing and publishing at the Green Apple Awards. It also scooped top prize in the product category at the BCE Environmental Leadership Awards in 2010, and shortly after that began trading as The Eco-friendly Card Co, instead of Glebe Cottage. In 2021 the publisher started to carbon balance all the paper it uses with The World Land Trust, and backdated that to May 2019 so retailers can be confident that any product they buy has been carbon balanced. The company certainly does have independent retail at its heart – over two decades it has refused to supply supermarkets, or work with brokerage, citing loyalty to its independent retailer stockists.
So what’s next for the company? “We’re launching our new photographic brochure at Autumn Fair – the first since Covid - with lots of new photographic designs and including The Wildlife Trust collection,’’ Sue says. And in a bid to support their independent retail network, Sue says: “Despite the green credentials prices are still very competitive and we have an easy carriage-paid order of just 30 designs in sixes. Stockists can choose between having cards with an easy-peel card clasp label or individually wrapped in compostable bags.’’
Sock Society
Snoozies! have been one of Joe Davies’ bestselling ranges for over 10 years with in excess of 2 million pairs sold sales@joedavies.co.uk | www.joedavies.co.uk
Equilibrium
Sugarlane Sugarlane, the newest brand from Joe Davies, launches a new Autumn/Winter range of clothing following on from the success of its Spring/ Summer 22 range. There are four main trends to this range – Caramel Mono highlights mono prints in black, creams and caramel tan tones; Blue Fusion is a blend of beautiful rich sapphire, twilight and navy blue with highlights of violet, orange and lime green sitting among the floral prints and check patterns. Rich Botanical is a fusion of opulent emerald, rubies and gold alongside rich Oriental prints and a dazzle of gold lurex. And lastly, Opulent Bloom is a garden of strong florals in poppy reds, navy and white. Each trend can be bought in a retail capsule showcasing the trends or as individual pieces; either way there is something for everyone. In addition, there’s a new category of knitwear. Everything is designed in the UK, is exclusive to Joe Davies and created with the planet in mind. Wherever possible, polyesters are made from recycled plastic, and the company works closely with its partners to ensure that everything is ethically sourced. Snoozies! These cosy little foot coverings have been one of Joe Davies’ best-selling ranges for over 10 years with in excess of 2 million pairs sold. New for 2022 are 11 pairable designs - all designed in-house by the UK design team. The pairables include on-trend designs such as gonks, zebra, bees, popular cat and dog and the addition of some specific captioned family snoozies!choose from Mum, Dad, Nan, Grandad and best friend. Also debuting are the luxurious Frosty Fur ladies snoozies!. Super soft and snuggly, you will never want to wear any other brand. Add to this the stylish ‘wild side’ snoozies!fashionable animal print snoozies! that are bang on trend this season. What’s more, there’s an attractive and practical free snoozies! spinner, which is available with any order of 144 pairs.
Home decor gifts
Joe Davies offers one of the largest ranges of gifts - from fashion and handbags to home decor, socks and Snoozies!
The award-winning Joe Davies team are excited to exhibit at Autumn Fair in September. Joe Davies offers one of the largest ranges of gifts in the industry and has been trading for over 100 years. You will not want to miss this stand (Hall 7- stand C30/E31) where they will be showcasing the popular Equilibrium jewellery and fashion accessories collection, alongside newer brand Sugarlane sustainable fashion.
Joe Davies Hall 7 Stand C30/E31
Equilibrium handbags are a real must during the run-up to Christmas, and this season it is all about traditional classic shapes and styles, a bit of luxury and special touches of texture and decoration.
In gifts, sentiment continues to be a very important part of the gift retailer’s offering, so with this in mind Joe Davies ensures that it has plenty of home décor gifting to hit the spot. Choose from the rustic wooden family owl collection of hanging hearts, moon-shaped table plaques, coasters, photo frames and tealight holders, all featuring cute wideeyed owls. Or there is the pretty heartfelt angel range in a subtle cream and champagne gold colourway showcasing standing angels holding a heart with a meaningful message engraved on it.
Texture and embellishment is heavily showcasing throughout this range with fur, tassels, lace-up detail and interwoven texture - all current looks on theThecatwalk.Equilibrium fashion accessories also continue to be the UK’s hottest accessory brand, Autumn/Winter is all about cosy accessories that keep you warm and snuggly. Luxurious colourblocked scarves, elegant faux fur crossover scarves, soft suede-feel gloves, modern cable knit scarf and glove sets and so much more.
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Cross bags are always a big hit with customers as they are stylish and practical for work, leisure, and party season. New designs include a traditional school satchel style with a long cross body strap or a cute little handle to hold; these come in tan, navy and black. Also trending is a smaller phonesize cross bag, perfect for nights out when you just need a phone, money, lip gloss and keys!
0161 975 6300 |
Joe Davies has a reputation for award-winning service and a great range of gifts dedicated to the independent retailer. What’s more all the products are available in Joe Davies’ trademark ‘little and often’ quantities with a minimum order value of just £100 and free nationwide delivery.
A highly successful Joe Davies brand of one size-fits-all quality socks, these are exclusive to Joe Davies in the UK, machine washable, stylish and very comfortable to wear. They are available to buy with a free spinner stand display, which consists of 192 pairs of assorted socks or by individual designs. Sales increase significantly when displayed on a spinner display stand and there are eight exciting new designs to choose from, including zebra, darts, space, and Crocs.
24 www.greetingstoday.co.uk Show Preview
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“So, we are really looking forward to showcasing Jumble at the Autumn Fair, to show off all these products and tell why Jumble & Co is the stationery brand they need in their stores!”
Jumble & Co is an exciting new collection of stationery products, which will be showcasing its 2023 range at AutumnJumbleFair.&Co celebrates all our emotions with a colourful range of stationery products for everyday life, from dated and undated diaries and notebooks to be organised, to bottles to stay hydrated, to scented candles to help you relax.
“The intent for the Jumble & Co brand,” explains Richard, “is to always feel fresh, relatable and stylistically on-point in the eyes of our customers. And more importantly, have an honest connection with their emotions.
“With such a crowded marketplace,” continues Richard, “it was tough to launch a new range, but Jumble & Co has been really great, plus the story behind the brand and the colours is really relevant at the moment, with mental health and wellness such an important topic.”
This year Jumble & Co has created some fantastic new products to complement the existing range, plus it is investing heavily in Jumble’s social media platforms and abovethe-line advertising in the coming months to really raise the profile of the brand in the run-up to the busy Christmas gifting and New Year season.
Jumble & Co is available online at www.jumbleandco.com and Greetings Today readers can get 20% off by using the exclusive discount code GREETINGS at enquiries@jumbleandco.co.ukcheckout.www.jumbleandco.com
honesty’’andempathybrandsappreciatepeoplebelieveandrelevantbeenhaverealnessand“Wellnessnevermorewewith
Each product in the collection is available in a range of vibrant colours, with each colour representing an emotion, positive or “Wenegative!know that life is anything but linear,” says Jumble & Co’s marketing manager Richard Sloan, “with a blur of highs and lows, wins and losses, cheers and tears. And while some days can be remarkable, others can be pretty forgettable, and we think that is okay. “Life is a Jumble of emotions, so we wanted to create a range of stationery that appealed to these emotions, and said it’s okay to not be okay. Embracing real emotions has never been more important than it is today. Wellness and realness have never been more relevant and we believe people appreciate brands with empathy and honesty,’’ adds Richard. Each colour in the Jumble & Co range
Jumble & Co Hall 6 Stand 6B32
The new stationery brand that says life is anything but linear has a nickname. Take pink – nicknamed Rose Tinted – for those who like to live on the blindingly bright side. Or green –nicknamed Sour Grape – for those who say ‘good for them’ with an eye roll! And this year, Jumble is launching a new colour to the range – Sun Kiss yellow – for those with a more positive mindset and looking for a fresh start following a pretty torrid couple of years, who say ‘Yes! Let’s get up andLaunchedgo!’. last year by Collins Debden at the London Stationery Show, Jumble & Co has proven popular with the trade and consumers alike, with strong sales online as well as with traditional high street retailers, with the vibrant block colours and logo creating a strong visual display. There are the ever-popular diaries, organisers, folders and notebooks; all specialities of Collins Debden, of course. But there are also exciting everyday products such as silicone water bottles or pencil cases. Or new for this year, oversized wall calendars to cover your walls, with each month a different Jumble colour.
At Autumn Fair there will be showexclusive deals plus plenty giveaways of samples and even Jumble & Co t-shirts!
26 www.greetingstoday.co.uk Show Preview AUTUMN FAIR
Serenit y Garden snoozies!® Wild Side Xmas Gift Bags Family Owl Equilibrium® Jewellery Gift Sets Tel: 0161 975 6300 Email: sales@joedavies.co.uk www.joedavies.co.uk NEC BIRMINGHAM 4TH-7TH SEPTEMBER HALL 7 STAND C30-E31
How has the past two years or so been for you? The past two years have been challenging for everyone either in retail or associated with retail. However, we have managed to come through it unscathed and with the help of the furlough scheme and the uplift in sales with our online customers we did okay.
If retailers could only stock one item/range in their shops, which would you suggest?
We have just launched our Christmas 2022 collection, which is really strong, and we have also launched our new earring collection, which comes in gorgeous little gift boxes. The reaction to both has been fabulous. How many ranges do you offer? We are currently offering 17 different collections.
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talks to Greetings Today about the
Life Charms started with a more vintage collection on picture cards and we have developed our ranges to include more than 15 different collections. Life Charms has also been runner-up in back-to-back Gift of The Year Awards and is now a regular sponsor of The Greats.
Tony Barrett, MD of Life Charms, company, its product how
Tell us a little about Life Charms. Life Charms was created in 2015 and has grown in popularity ever since with now more than 750 stockists reselling Life Charms jewellery How has the company changed since it began?
Tell us about your designers. I designed all the early collections, but latterly Agata Werycha joined the company and has been instrumental not only in designing all the new collections but has also been influential in shaping the branding of Life Charms.
offering and
Do you have any ecofriendly credentials you would like to mention? We use recyclable materials on all our packaging and we recycle all our waste in our offices. Are you planning to exhibit at any shows this year? We have already exhibited at Spring Fair & Harrogate Home & Gift and we will be at the Autumn Fair on stand 6 www.lifecharms-trade.co.ukSales@lifecharms.co.ukA34.
What about new ranges?
it supports independent retailers Hall 6 Stand A34 well’’incrediblyitfromtodesignsdifferentthanarerange.Becauseourwithgetdefinitelyshould“RetailersinvolvedJustTheremore150chooseandisselling
What are your best selling ranges? Our best-selling ranges include our Just Because collection, Rosey Rabbits and our new Luxury Gift Box range. What do you do to support retailers? We try to be very pro-active in this area. We supply free display stands, marketing materials, merchandising guides, in-store promotions, no minimum re-order quantities, online ordering system, customer support in office, and of course great field support from our team of sales agents.
Life Charms
Retailers should definitely get involved with our Just Because range. There are more than 150 different designs to choose from and it is selling incredibly well. The designs will come in a free rotating display stand – either tabletop or floor standing.
Set aside some precious time to relax and recharge with these hand made pure beeswax 20-minute candles from Cotton & Grey. Designed to help capture and cherish quality time out of the day, these relaxation candles aim to enhance wellbeing and restore your innerThecalm.‘Just to Say...’ range features a sweet sentiment for every occa sion and is attractively wrapped around a thoughtful gift. Supplied with an attractive point-of-sale stand for easy display, each box contains 12 candles with a ceramic holder. See all the designs across three ranges at the show.
www.greetingstoday.co.uk 29
Cotton & Grey Hall 20 Stand A14
Alljoy Design
Mini Cards with Big Sentiments -New Designs!
Strand: Hall 6 B15
Alljoy Design will be launching new designs at Autumn Fair. Visitors will also get the chance to see its award-winning pop-up card collection, along with stationery ranges. Alljoy Design is a graphic design company established in 2009 and based in Ireland. Its principle is ‘Bring joy to all’, and the team aims to ‘Design with love’. Its 3D pop-up kids card was shortlisted in the Cards & Wrap category of the 2022 Gift of the Year awards, and a Henries finalist in 2021. Its Message In A Bottle Pop Up Card won the Cards & Wrap category in Gift of the Year in 2021. 00353 1 630 info@alljoydesign.com1213
Top Drawer AW returns to Olympia this September offering a host of design-led exhibitors for visitors to discover
Launchpad
30 www.greetingstoday.co.uk
Preview Top Drawer Show Preview TOP DRAWER AUTUMN
Top Drawer, the UK’s leading designled lifestyle and interiors trade show, returns to Olympia once again to showcase its unmissable AW22 edit – just in time for the industry’s mostanticipated buying season.
Alongside top brands and household names, Top Drawer is proud to be a platform for promising new talent; the Launchpad sector, which made its debut during the SS22 edition, puts fresh faces in the spotlight, allowing them to network with high-calibre buyers and build lasting connections within the industry. For this edition, we’ll also see the return of the show’s partnership with the University of Arts London, as well as introducing a selection of Young Furniture Makers who have been handselected to showcase their products and
While both the AW21 and SS22 shows provided an opportunity to test the waters in a post-pandemic climate, Top Drawer’s new season message ‘Retail Revitalised’ aims to highlight how we are beginning a fresh chapter in the world of retail and looking ahead with an unapologetically positive outlook for this September’s edition. The world of retail is ever-changing, and Top Drawer is here to help you adapt, learn and grow to stay relevant – with unmissable tips, expert advice and thoughtprovoking conversations.
revitalisedRetail are eager to increase their brand exposure. This show offers an unparalleled range of products to discover from across the lifestyle spectrum. Divided into nine curated sectors, covering everything from artisanal foods to the latest must-have accessories, buyers will be completely spoiled for choice during their visit. With such a wide variety of brands in attendance, Top Drawer attracts an equally diverse range of retailers to every single show; from concept stores, museums shops, boutiques and independents to luxury retailers, garden centres and supermarkets.
industrywithinconnectionsbuildbuyerscalibrewithnetworkthemallowingspotlight,facesputssectorLaunchpadThefreshinthetohigh-andlastingthe
What: Top Drawer AW Where: Olympia, London When: September 11-13 Web: www.topdrawer.co.uk
Held in the very heart of London, this show promises to have buyers and attendees completely spoiled with its line-up of hand-picked exhibitors, exclusive trends, curated seminar sessions and so much more. More than 1,500 brands from the UK and abroad will be joining for this latest edition, including the likes of Alljoy Design, Rosie Made A Thing, James Ellis, Roger La Borde, Lottie Murphy, Print Circus, The Sugar Shed, Morgan Wright, CHALK, Roka London, Little Concepts, Aery, Bronte By Moon, Izipizi, Kikkerland Europe, Bookspeed, Plum & Ashby and Alex Monroe to name just a few.
Positive outlook
Practical tips Dealing with social media and online marketing is another recurrent topic of the InsightsTalks. Patrick Hünemohr of 5H Capital in Cologne offers some tips and tricks on how small and medium-sized retailers in particular can raise their digital visibility locally – with the primary aim of attracting new local customers and hence growing sales. In the same vein, Svenya Scholl, account manager at socialPals, highlights practical opportunities in social media marketing for small bricks-andmortar retailers.
The presentation highlights, for example, how the stationery industry can take advantage of the understanding provided by such analysis. Gabriele Kaiser, on the other hand, explains how megatrends develop, how important they are for retail, and what stationery-related products reflect today’s megatrends.
“A varied programme is on offer to participants at the trade fair on all three days, covering topical issues that are of real interest to the industry,” promises Christian Ulrich, spokesperson for the board at Spielwarenmesse eG. “Through these presentations and trends, Insights-X is providing fresh stimuli for the stationery sector.”
Asense of anticipation is in the air: after a three-year break, visitors to the seventh Insights-X finally have an opportunity for some personal networking again. The international stationery industry gets together in Nuremberg from October 5-7 to present its product innovations and trends for the coming season to a trade audience. At the same time, visitors will also gain practical knowledge over the three days of the tradeRecentfair. years have seen many changes take place, especially for the retail trade. These in turn offer a number of opportunities. For up-to-date knowledge of the industry, the first port of call is the InsightsTalks series of presentations. In the InsightsArena in Hall 10.0 of the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre, experts will speak about particularly relevant topics concerning the stationery trade.
The mustshowgoon unique as a trader?’ and looks at what is required when generating a unique customer experience.
Future-related topics
Further interesting aspects are introduced by Lukas Waidelich, founder and managing director of Cauliflower, who provides fascinating insights into the research method of ‘opinion mining’. This chiefly involves AI-assisted analysis of customers’ comments to determine how positive or negative attitudes towards the product.
The broad spectrum of presentations covers the key areas of digitalisation, sustainability and online marketing, among others. Keynote speaker Frank Rehme, managing director of the SME 4.0 Retail Competence Centre, kicks off the event on the Wednesday. His presentation - Switching the mindset to mindful trading: successful trading in a changing society - revolves around purchase decisions at the point of sale and how they can be influenced by the practical application of neuromarketing. Two subsequent presentations deal in detail with the issue of sustainability. Under the heading Green Retail, independent business consultant Cornelia Schambeck tackles the question of how the stationery trade needs to move in order to be more sustainable.SabineGauditz and Hans Schmidt of Arte Perfectum cast a more precise eye on the point of sale. In a joint presentation they show an approach that bricks-andmortar retailers can take to turn the shop floor into a ‘green point of sale’.
Insights-X in Nuremberg promises to deliver expert knowledge for the specialist stationery trade, delivered live at the first show after three years
The presentation from Sabine BrettMurati and Florian Lindner covers similar matters. They explain how retailers can best make professional use of channels such as LinkedIn and Instagram to address both B2B customers and consumers. For Anne Liesenfeld of IFH Köln, it’s all about one of the major trend themes in specialist retailing: social commerce.
“A industry’’tointerestareissuestopicalcoveringthreefairatparticipantsisprogrammevariedonoffertothetradeonalldays,thatofrealthe Christian eGSpielwarenmesseforspokespersonUlrich,theboardat
Preview Top Drawer Show Preview INSIGHTS-X
Three-day programme
Meanwhile, Andreas Oberländer, head coach at sales consultancy YourWayUp, answers the question ‘How do I become 32 www.greetingstoday.co.uk
To round things off, the new LicenseTalks provide some instructive information from the field of licensing. Licensed products have become as important a topic in the stationery trade as they have in many other sectors. At Insights-X, visitors will learn which brands they should particularly keep in their sights.
Svenya Scholl, socialPALS GmbH, Holzkirchen 1:30-2pm How are the megatrends impacting on the stationery sector? Gabriela Kaiser, TRENDagentur Gabriela Kaiser, Landsberg am Lech 2-2.30pm Making professional use of social media Simone Brett-Murati, Eskimos mit Kühlschränken, Hamburg
Christian Ulrich Anne Liesenfield Frank Rehme Lukas Waidelich
Sabine Gauditz & Hans Schmidt, Arte Perfectum GbR, Nuremberg 2-2.30pm Social commerce for retailers Anne Liesenfeld, IFH Cologne, Cologne
Florian Lindner, BTR Office, Wald-Michelbach 2:30-3pm Listening to thousands of customers at the same time – no big deal with the ‘opinion mining’ research method
Patrick Hünemohr, 5H Capital, Cologne 2:30-3pm How do I become unique as a trader? Andreas Oberländer, YourWayUp, Munich 3-4pm How does licensing work? The legal basics
What: Insights-X Where: ExhibitionNurembergCentre When: October 5-7, 2022 Web: www.insights-x.com
Gabriela Kaiser, TRENDagentur Gabriela Kaiser, Landsberg am Lech
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Christian Fortman, Fortmann Tegethoff Patent- & Rechtsanwälten, Munich Thursday, 6 Oct 1-1:30 pm #NiceToMeetYou – social media marketing for brick-and-mortar retailers
Wednesday, 5 Oct 1-1:30pm
Cornelia Schambeck, Schambeck Consulting, Buchenberg 2-2.30pm. The most important tips and tricks for greater local digital visibility online
InsightsTalks take place every day of the fair, from 1pm onwards. The presentations will be simultaneously translated into English and streamed live on the new Insights-X Digital platform. Talks are free to attend. You can find full details of the presentations at www.insights-x.com/insightstalks.
REthink the stationery industry – products with a sustainability aspect from the stationery and DIY sectors
1:30-2pm Green Point of Sale
Lukas Waidelich, Cauliflower GmbH & Co. KG, Hamburg 3-3:45pm Success with licensing – Figures, data, facts Peter Hollo Friday, 7 Oct 1-1:30 pm
The change of mind to a trade of the senses: Successful trading in a changing society Frank Rehme, Kompetenzzentrum Handel, Düsseldorf 1:30-2pm Green Retail – how green is stationery retail or how should it position itself to be or become green?
34 www.greetingstoday.media
These cards use delightful, collage designs using Liberty’s finest fabrics. Stitching and ribbons on these cards are elegant and chic, sure to make someone smile. All Pearl & Black’s cards are sourced and made by hand in the UK, with all materials eco-certified and FSC from the Lake District.
Now the summer holidays are over, it’s time to make autumn plans in earnest - and those should include a trip to the GCA Conference!The2022 annual GCA Conference and AGM will be held in Nottingham, on Thursday 29 September at Nottingham Trent University.
LeavingTrends:Cards
OrchardCherry
The event will start with coffee, and the first opportunity to network, from 10.15am and finish by 4.30pm. The agenda includes Ged Mace from The Art File and Richard Bacon from The Sherwood Group along with other key industry speakers.
From September 19-25, this GCA initiative 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.
says farewell to Number 10, we look at cards for all occasions
options for leaving
The greeting card industry is one that keeps sustainability and environmental issues uppermost - and it’s apparent from the number of companies who regularly update Greetings Today about their latest eco-friendly initiatives.
Retailers taking part include Marks & Spencer, Clintons, Scribbler, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, House of Cards, Stationery Supplies, and Co-op. You can download a toolkit to promote your activities, with posters, flyers, press release templates and social media ideas at www.thinkingofyouweek.cards/toolkit.RemembertoletGreetingsTodayknow
Asnaomi@lemapublishing.co.ukBorisJohnson
01684 www.cherryorchardpublishing.co.ukinfo@cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk295500
what you have planned too - email
There is a limit on the numbers the venue can accommodate so book now!
Book conferenceyour ticket
Tickets from www.gca.cards/gca-conference-and-agm-2022.
This year the GCA has organised the Platinum Jubilee Schools Project for Thinking of You Week, which will link 70 groups of children in the UK with 70 schools in the Commonwealth country of Ghana. Schools in Ghana and the UK will be provided with greeting cards for the children to write their messages. Award-winning greeting card publishers Lottie Simpson and Afrotouch have designed the cards for this project. Lottie from Lottie Simpson will design for the UK schools and Georgina Fihosy (pictured above left with her Mum) from Afrotouch for the Ghana schools.
The Greeting Card Association says that it’s estimated that as an industry we’ve moved from two-thirds wrapped to two-thirds unwrapped when it comes to cards; a change from 65% to only 15% nowWithwrapped.thisin mind, the GCA has started a series of Environmental case study blogs “covering the good things our members are doing to reduce their environmental footprint’’. Danilo, UKG and Windles - and most recently Hallmark - have contributed. The GCA is keen to hear from other members - to encourage everyone to share their story and inspire others. See more at www.gca.cards/category/environment.
Keeping it green
Thinking of You Week goes back to school
Graphite Creative is printing the cards, with G.F Smith supplying the board. ENVECO is supplying the envelopes and Ohh Deer are donating pens to the Ghanaian children. What have you got planned for Thinking of You Week?
Whatever the reason for saying goodbye, Cherry Orchard has a wide selection of unique leaving cards. Whether it is retirement, new job, travelling or leaving to have a baby. It’s a big milestone in someone’s life and to have a card to share some special thoughtful words, some timely advice or to simply mark the occasion with positivity, Cherry Orchard has it covered. The collection has designs ranging from traditionalstyle artwork with artistic imagery and foil finishes, to modern with bright and fun colours and thermographic finishes.
www.pearlandblack.cominfo@pearlandblack.com07976953457
GCA News
Pearl and Black
goalbooks extra ordinary since 1934 NEW metallic colours Contact us today for more details of the full Rhodia range: www.exaclairlimited.com • enquiries@exaclair.co.uk • 01553 696600 The perfect journal!
36 www.greetingstoday Focus on Mother’s Day & FeMinine
One for the ladies
www.cherryorchardpublishing.co.ukemail01684terms.295500info@cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk
Mother’s Day is a big day in the greeting card calendar - next year it falls on Sunday March 19. Plan ahead to offer customers a wonderful range to keep the ladies happy Cherry Orchard
This year Cherry Orchard is providing the package as a firm sale but has given customers extended
Whether it’s a beautiful bouquet or cute bunny, Cherry Orchard’s Mother’s Day Spring Season 2023 launch has arrived! Cherry Orchard is so excited to finally be able to have a fresh new Spring Season collection after having a disrupted couple of years - and the company has certainly gone for it with the bumper 2023 package. The 17 Mother’s Day cards, which are part of the Spring collection, are a combination of fabulous florals, colour pop, cute and of course it wouldn’t be complete without designs from the popular Grace range.
Mother’s Day is an important part of the Nigel Quiney range, and offers the chance to introduce new Flower Press, Botanicals and Doodle designs
Nigel Quiney
Nigel Quiney Publications 01799 www.nigelquiney.cominfo@nigelquiney.com520200
The company has worked very hard in conjunction with Sherwood Press to introduce a foil-effect glitter on its cards and is really pleased with the results
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Traditionally, Mother’s Day is a celebration on the fourth Sunday in Lent. In 2023 it falls on Sunday March 19. Mother’s Day is now becoming one of the biggest occasions of the calendar year. Mother’s Day is an important part of Nigel Quiney’s product portfolio and it’s a great opportunity to introduce new Flower Press, Botanicals and cute Doodle designs into the range. The recipient will be tickled pink as well with their pretty pink envelope, which accompanies each card. The 2023 Mother’s Day range consists of 30 designs, ranging from C50 through to C150, so there’s a beautiful card for every Mum. Additionally, there are two line extensions being launched.
First there’s six new beautiful Pizazz Grande designs, with Pizazz floral artwork in a larger square size being great value for money at C70II. Then the launch at Spring Fair 2022 that everyone was talking about - Flower Press. Six new flower press designs all at C50. Using textured board, with every design having foiled text and motifs, debossed panels with full colour insert, to create a beautiful Mother’s Day product. Going forward, Nigel Quiney Publications is well aware of the need to help with the environmental impact, and throughout its Spring Season portfolio there is no use of glitter. The company has worked very hard in conjunction with Sherwood Press to introduce a foil-effect glitter on its cards and is really pleased with the results. And yes, this means they can all be recycled as the foil coverage is less than 25% of the card.
Focus on Mother’s Day & FeMinine
The iconic Moonlight designs have stood the test of time and are still very much a part of RED’s DNA, with their foil detailing, embossing and diamantes. Each card comes with a bespoke printed envelope to complete the classic look. The beautiful occasions and relations cards in this range stand out and show that special someone just how special they are. Real and Exciting Designs is home to many ground-breaking ranges in the greeting card industry and is best known for its contemporary style. If you are looking for uniquely stunning cards, you’ve found the original Sales@realandexcitingdesigns.co.uksource.
Sarah’s striking designs for Real and Exciting Designs (RED) are perfect for the feminine market. Voila is the latest range to hit the shops this summer, with its beautiful pastel colours and floral-based designs, along with the fabulous Continental feel that appeals to the female audience. All designs feature embossing, debossing, and a gold ink to give it that extra special touch.
Real and ExcitingDesigns
Pearl and Black Pearl and Black’s delightful, extraordi nary collage designs use Liberty’s finest fabrics. Using stitching and ribbons, these cards are elegant and chic, sure to make someone smile. Also look out for the new line of Dinosaurs hand-torn shapes, which are painted by hand. All cards are sourced and made by hand in the UK, with all materials eco-certified and FSC from the Lake District.
0797 www.pearlandblack.cominfo@pearlandblack.com6953457
All Voila designs feature embossing, debossing, and a gold ink to give it that extra special touch
Frantically ticking off lists with one more night to go
support@lovecountryuk.co.uk507352 Trends: Party
As we slowly come through the other side of a global pandemic, there’s a lot to celebrate - and a lot of celebrations to catch up on! From belated birthdays and parties to simply spending time with loved ones, UK Greetings (UKG) has pulled out all the stops with its line. And nothing says that better than designs like this dazzling Champagne Bling card. Or for something funny, this card (right) is part of the range UKG developed from images entered into the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, which features stunning high-quality funny animal photos submitted by photographers worldwide, paired with funny but simple easy-purchase edit. With thousands of competition entries each year to choose from, the end result is a spectacular offering with great rack appeal. Each year, a percentage of revenue from the range goes to support a sustainable and conservation charity.
Rachel DesignsEllen Flamingo by Rachel Ellen Designs is a bright and bold range of 16 open birthday and relation designs. Pink neon ink is paired with striking black, white and gold to create a modern feel. The range features a variety of party themes, from balloons and cakes to zebras in party hats.
DesignDyson
01924 www.ukgreetings.co.uk2304197 www.greetingstoday.co.uk 39
A pint of beer, a couple of flutes of champagne and a big birthday cake are among the handprinted images on Dyson Design’s Out Loud collection. Perfect for parties, they’re teamed with messages such as Still Sparkling, Down In One, Cake Is Obligatory, and, of course, Cheers! 0116 285 www.dysondesign.com5725
After the past couple of years, we need absolutely no excuse to celebrate!
Love Country Party Time
The streets are full of shoppers rushing to and fro
For those who are escaping their bags are now packed Presents sitting under Christmas trees beautifully Streamerswrapped are dangling and balloons have been hung
There will be dancing and laughing and all kinds of fun Champagne is fizzing and work can now be ignored It’s time to pop the corks and bring out the cheeseboard So, put on your dancing shoes and raise your glass of Tiswinethe season, yes, we earned it! Let’s declare it party 01502time!
0115 970 www.rachelellen.co.uksales@rachelellen.co.uk0321
UK Greetings
And with garden centre visitors more likely to be aware of environmental issues, how important is sustainability to these companies?
Rainbow Designs’ Anthony Temple comments: “Sustainability has always been very important to our business and continues to be. We develop and create high-quality, joyful forever toys for some of the most-loved brands with huge longevity, so it has been an integral part of our process. We have produced soft toys using recycled plastic bottles for a long time now, and we are making big changes to reduce the amount of single-use plastic to pack our toys. Earlier this year we launched our Classic Pooh Always and Forever collection, an adorable selection of luxury soft toys and plush nursery gifts. The range has been designed and created with FSC and reusable packaging, and with stuffing made from recycled plastic bottles and recycled plush fabric.”
Garden centres have become ever-more popular over the past few years - and the pandemic increased interest in gardening as a hobby, helping to improve footfall to centres.
Cards & gifts for garden Centres
And the clue is in the name for The Eco-friendly Card Co, as Sue Morrish explains: “Our dedicated Eco-friendly Card Co spinners have a header that lists our eco-commitments: 100% recycled cards; 100% recycled envelopes; alcohol-free print technology; powered by green energy; carbon balanced paper; made in GB - and we are a CarbonZero company. This information is also printed on the back of the cards.’’
Rainbow Designs
Sue Morrish, joint director, The Eco-friendly Card Co, says: “We’ve always offered a lovely diverse selection of images that do very well in garden centres, especially our blank card collections. With themes across all our ranges to do with the natural world and wildlife, our imagery sits really well in the garden centre market. For garden centres that are not specialist card retailers, having a rich diversity of designs from one publisher is very welcome.’’
Brittany Bojko, gift shop manager, The Langton Greenhouse and Garden Centre, Leicestershire “Our card departments are normally located in high footfall areas and usually positioned near fragrance, houseplants or food. All of which pull in a large customer footfall and are key categories within our business.’’
Emma Davis, group gift buyer, British Garden Centres Cards and gifts have become a key sector for garden centre retailers, attracting footfall all year round.
Greetings Today talks to retailers and suppliers about how important they are to the business
Gardenparty
What retailersthe say “Our cards department is imperative to our gift shop; customers don’t just buy one they sometimes walk away with a handful. Our garden centre over recent times has become a destination for customers; it’s a day out and our shop just adds another aspect to their trip. And it’s hard not to have a look round and not pick something up.’’
Eco-friendly Card Co
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Anthony Temple, managing director, Rainbow Designs, adds: “Rainbow Designs has been inspiring kids for over 50 years and we have a beautiful and extensive range of award-winning, gorgeous, soft toys and gifts, to complement any garden centre display. We have a host of bunnies, bears and woodland characters from some of the most treasured classic children’s brands including Peter Rabbit, Disney’s Winnie the Pooh, Paddington Bear, Guess How Much I Love You and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. All these collections are thoughtfully created, premium legacy toys and gifts, which are perfect for enhancing garden centre gifting.”
Anthony Temple says that Rainbow Designs offers something for all generations of consumer: “A visit to a garden centre is now very much a family day out, with garden centres today offering so much more than just plants and gardening accessories. The addition of carefully selected gifts, for all generations of consumer, catering for every season and occasion, is a brilliant opportunity to create extra revenue streams all-year-round. Playful plush gifts that spark imaginations also provide the added benefit of delivering wonderful in-store theatre, along with family classics such as Peter Rabbit, Winnie the Pooh and The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which appeal to all Suegenerations.”Morrish,meanwhile, recognises the added benefit of cards in a garden centre setting: “Gardening is such a popular hobby now - lots of people see garden centres as a great place to buy gifts, especially for those hard-to-buy presents for people. (I love my garden and always love a garden-related present!)
“Adding cards makes sense when you already have people buying plants as gifts. Cards are also great as spontaneous purchases – if you don’t have a dedicated greeting card area then a spinner positioned by a till always works well – with a good margin and no best-before dates, cards are a sure-fire winner!’’
According to the latest figures from the Garden Centre Association (GCA), excluding catering, retail growth increased by 30.47% in 2021 compared to 2020 and was up 29.77% compared to 2019. And gift sales at garden centres rose by 30.51% in 2021 compared to 2020 and were up by 18.26% compared with 2019.
So what benefits do card and gift ranges bring to a garden centre?
So what do card and gift companies offer garden centres to reflect this increase in demand?
40 www.greetingstoday.co.uk
For 25 years, Belly Button has created elegant, sustainable, beautiful, purposeful design-led products – from ‘planet-friendly’ greeting cards, gift bags and eco wrap and soy wax candles to china mugs, giftware and stationery.
The Belly Button Designs giftware line-up now includes 10 categories of gift bags, social stationery, china mugs and candles. This year saw the offer widened still further with the launch of a broader stationery range and now includes To Do Lists, A4 Padfolio, ceramic pen pot, sustainable notebooks, weekly planners, spiral notebooks and two pen sets. 902
Belly Button Designs
www.bellybutton.cardsenquiries@bellybuttondesigns.com0200
www.westernsketch.co.ukmnelissa@westernsketch.co.uk
UK Greetings has a number of prestigious licences that are perfect for garden centres, including the charming Peter Rabbit card range. Inspired by the whimsical world of Beatrix Potter, featuring classic illustrations and pairing sweet sentiment with foil finishes, this range makes a beautiful addition to any display and is sure to be a favourite among garden centre shoppers. Additionally, the Eco gift wrap range, featuring botanical design alongside innovative paper handles, is perfect for stylish garden centre gift giving.
The Eco-friendly Card Co
The Eco-friendly Card Co is releasing a new brochure, dedicated to photographic cards, at Autumn Fair. Among its collections is a new range of occasion cards of striking images paired with simple wording. Cards are printed on 100% recycled carbon-balanced board printed using alcohol-free print technology powered by green energy. They come with 100% recycled envelopes and are available with either card clasp-label or a compostable bag. Designs can be ordered alongside the publisher’s other art and photographic collections – carriage paid order just 30 designs in sixes.
Western Sketch
Cards & gifts for garden Centres
UK Greetings
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The Deck the Halls Collection comes from Western Sketch. Greeting cards have been created from original handpainted watercolour illustrations by Melissa Western and are printed in small print runs in the UK. The paper is FSC certified and made at a British mill in the Lake District. The company also uses 100% recycled Kraft envelopes and is plastic free.
Garden centres is a channel Belly Button Designs has chosen to work more closely with this year, having joined the Garden Centre Association in recent months. The Belly Button portfolio has a strong selection of nature and garden-inspired designs across cards and giftware that really capture the moment, are inspirational and eye-catching. The breadth of offer at garden centres has expanded, just as the Belly Button giftware and stationery offer has expanded over the past decade, and this offers plenty of great opportunities for the two to work together.
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01626 www.ecofriendly.cardshello@ecofriendly.cards369269
42 www.greetingstoday.co.uk
01924 www.ukgreetings.co.uk436384
Show them how much you love them with beautiful Gifts from Guess How Much I Love You TM and © Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram 2022 L censed by Wa ker Books Ltd Guess How Much Love You is a registered trademark of Walker Books Ltd Call 01329 227300 o r v i si t www.rainbowdesigns.co.uk Follow us inspiring kids’ imaginations for 50 years
Joe Davies
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ExaClair
Rainbow’s extensive Disney; Winnie the Pooh collections include the whimsical Hundred Acre Wood range, featuring the much-loved bear and his adorable friends in an array of trusted plush toys, comforters and ring rattles. For 2022, is the new Classic Pooh Always and Forever collection; a deluxe range that has been designed to last a lifetime with a focus on sustainable materials. This range of Winnie the Pooh heirloom toys features a bespoke nature-themed print, and makes a special gift for any garden centre visitor.
Rainbow Designs has added a new wooden toy collection to its best-selling Beatrix Potter collection, in celebration of Peter Rabbit’s 120th Anniversary. This Peter Rabbit Once Upon A Time collection, created from FSC wood, features a Peter Rabbit and Flopsy Bunny Pull along, a five-piece Shape Puzzle and a 28-piece Domino Set, alongside soft toys and nursery gifts.
44 www.greetingstoday.co.uk
Passionate about creating best-in-class products designed for all ages, Rainbow Designs offers contemporary newborn gifts including comforters, rattles and baby gift sets, through to classic early years wooden toys, as well as premium plush soft toys of classic characters, for fans of all ages.
Jacques Herbin has also recently added a lemonscented bright green ink to the range, which is available as individual bottles. Scented inks give an extra dimension to the pleasures of using a fountain pen and bottled ink to write, not only for the scribe, but for recipients too. This collection makes a perfect gift not only for ink lovers, but also for those wishing to experience the joy of escaping technology for a while by writing or drawing with pen and ink.
01329 www.rainbowdesigns.co.uk227300
01553 www.exaclairlimited.comenquiries@exaclair.co.uk696600
Snoozies! Cosy Little Foot Covering… The original and the best, these have been one of Joe Davies’ best sellers for well over 10 years, with more than 2 million pairs sold. New for 2022 are the Frosty Fur Ladies snoozies!, which are super soft and snuggly. Wild Side snoozies! are right on trend as animal prints are back with a force! Add to this 11 new snoozies! pairable designs including specific mum, nan, dad, grandad and friend captions to go with this popular range. What’s more there is an attractive and practical free snoozies! spinner available with any order of 144 pairs. Joe Davies offers free nationwide delivery, carriage paid orders of just £100 and an easy to buy ‘little and often’ ordering policy.
0161 975 www.joedavies.co.uksales@joedavies.co.uk6300
Rainbow Designs
Rainbow Designs has beautiful collections of award-winning soft toys and gifts, perfect to brighten any garden centre display. There’s bunnies, bears and woodland characters aplenty, including timeless favourites; Peter Rabbit, Disney’s Winnie the Pooh, Guess How Much I Love You and The Very Hungry Caterpillar, all of which are very much at home in garden centres.
For those looking for an alternative to traditional sweet and scented gifts such as chocolate and perfume, the Jacques Herbin scented inks gift box presents five elegant 10ml bottles - each with a delightful floral or fruityThearoma.inksare made using hydrosols, which are water-based and made from the distillation of fresh flowers, fruits, and other plant materials, making them an eco-friendly choice and a joy to inkTheyconnoisseurs.containno pigments and are naturally and delicately scented with different aromas and colours: blue with lavender scent, brown with cocoa scent, red with rose scent, amber with orange scent, and purple with violet scent.
Cards & gifts for garden Centres
StationeryTrends:
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Belly Button Designs
While studying for a Textiles degree at Manchester Metropolitan University back in 2004, we regularly held small fundraisers producing and selling handmade greetings cards to raise money for our department. As a lover of all things surface-pattern, this was an easy way to design and publish my creations, and my first real foray into the greeting card world.
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Just as founder William Collins was given an opportunity in Glasgow 200 years ago, Collins is now giving opportunities to young people in the city to make their mark by having their designs featured in Collins’ famous collection. This year, Collins partnered with the City of Glasgow College to create a capsule Collins Flourish Collection of products based on designs from young, inspiring local designers. Hundreds of students submitted their designs and the best were selected by a panel to feature in the 2023 Collection. Named after the College’s motto, Let Learning Flourish, all the products in the range were designed by local students. The range features 2023 diaries, plus notebooks, to-do list notepads and planner www.jumbleandco.comenquiries@jumbleandco.co.uknotepads.
Belly Button Designs has included a selection of products ideal for the home office in its stationery line-up for some time, and this year has expanded its whole offer with particular emphasis on perfect work-from-home lines such as A4 Padfolio, weekly planners and to do lists. The stationery offer encapsulates Belly Button’s gorgeous inspiration-packed selection of designs including Elle, Electric Dreams and the Spring/ Summer new product hit, Meadow. These three are used in a combination of all-over designs or subtle motifs. The other products in the new stationery line-up are: ceramic pen pot, sustainable notebooks, spiral notebooks and two-pen sets. 902
Withwww.bellybutton.cards0200moreofus
Laura Darrington, founder of Laura Darrington design, talk about her hopes for the company as it celebrates its anniversary Why greeting cards?
Company Profile Laura Darrington Design
working from home now, brightening up our home offices with some special stationery is a real treat
ExaClair ExaClair has expanded the Exacompta pencil case range. The versatile Teksto pencil case can be used in the traditional manner for carrying essentials or, with its innovative design, it can be easily converted to a pen pot that stands on a desk for easy access. Maїa pencil cases are a practical option with a large capacity and two zipped openings for easy access to the contents. The front flap has six elasticated loops to store favourite pens, so they are always at hand. Made from rPET with a recycled polyester lining, these pencil cases are available in four bright colours to complement the Maїa filing and desktop rangesNew for 2022 are the the round PU leatherette ‘Glitter’ models with an attractive glittery look in four colours. 01553sallies@exaclair.co.uk696606www.exaclairlimited.com
Like most couples with two small children [Laura’s partner Ross Harrison joined the family business in 2016] who run a business, we are flying our staff and 25 close friends out to Mauritius for two weeks for an all-inclusive knees-up.* *tea and cake at the office. What major changes have you seen in the greeting card industry since you started? The decline of the high street has seen a major shift in the industry, with a greater focus on exploring new revenue streams from further afield. For example, our export and licensing portfolio has really grown over the past six years, with us now distributing our product to more than 20 countries worldwide. Alongside serious hard work, what is the key to your longevity ? Customer loyalty and the consistency of key accounts to continually support our little brand over the years has really been the bedrock of our success. Without their backing we wouldn’t be celebrating 18 years in business. What hopes and dreams do you have for your anniversary year?
I am hopeful the greeting card industry will continue to thrive in what has been an evolving marketplace over these past couple of years. It’s testament to the incredibly talented people that make the greeting card industry so great - and long may it www.lauradarrington.com0116continue.2849660
Collins Debden
How are you going to celebrate your anniversary?
working with an artist called Jack Vettriano; I showed him the cards and asked if he liked them? He said no… “I love them but do them in colour!”Ithought, well that’s not going to work! But I took his advice and he was rightthey just came to life when I started doing them in colour. I began with a small range and did my first trade show. I did a collaboration with Battersea Dogs’ Home where I put a set of my cards in luxury boxes and they were placed on every table at the charity’s annual ball. When I got my cards into Blue Diamond to supply all its garden centres I looked at my mum and thought what have I done! But it was such an achievement I was over the moon. I was such a small company. I remember me and my mum packed cards right through the night till the early hours for that order but the excitement of the cards getting on the shelves was just too great to worry over lost sleep. That first trade show also gave me a three-year contract with Portico Design for calendars, which are now in John Lewis and soon to be in Waterstones and other independents.I’malsoproud of getting my cards into Harrods pet department. When my mum comes for a visit to London I often say shall we go to Harrods to look at the cards. Just seeing my cards in pretty much any shop
Rhian Ap Gruffydd, founder of Gruffpawtraits talkes about how a chance event on a photo shoot led to her setting up a greeting card business
I was on a shoot one day and the model I was photographing was still in hair and make up. I had set up my backdrop and lights and needed to test that they were all working well. There was only me and her dog that had followed me around all morning, So I looked at the dog and thought, well you’re just as good as the model! So I got the dog to sit in the model’s place so I could test my lights. Later that night when editing I came across the images I had taken of the dog and saw how my lights had really made the dog’s eyes sparkle and the flash had sharpened its fur. I showed a few people and they really loved it, so I started photographing everyone’s dogs when I had commissions on human shoots, and they all came out with the same effect. I was working a lot with the comedian John Bishop at the time and ended up photographing just about all his animals as a test - and to my surprise I got the same beatiful result. So I put all my energy and free time into photographing animals and making homemade cards. They were such a hit that I decided to start my own range. How did Gruffpawtraits develop from there? I started producing the cards in black and white. Around the same time I had been Tell us a little about your story. I am originally from Wales but moved to London aged 18 when I became a nanny. The family I worked for in St John’s Wood paid for me to go to The Camera Club in Covent Garden once a week (everyone else must have been in their seventies, but I loved that they all had so much knowledge to share). It really inspired me to follow this path, but I had very little money and no qualifications to get into college, so continued on my own.
Tell us a little about Gruff Pawtraits.
Rhian ap GRuffydd GRuffpawtRaits
ArtistFocus
The following year I went travelling on my own to Thailand in search of interesting projects to photograph – I worked with the street teacher at the main station in Bangkok teaching street kids, and then at the body collectors of Bangkok at the police morgue (all the while documenting it photographically).Istartedworking in kitchens in London as this was something I was good at, and I went to evening classes in photography. I worked as a location caterer for film and TV, taking pictures on set after I finished the lunch. The BBC saw them and I landed a job on EastEnders and Holby City as a stills photographer. I then became a photographer’s assistant as I wanted to do celeb photography - and off the back of this I worked for Comic Relief, in Africa, before becoming a portrait photographer.
‘’A collaboration’’andcontactedcompanyluxuryHindmarchthemehighlightparticularforwaswhenAnyabagmewedida
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For the love of dogs
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As I’m branching out more now into TV work I have just done the images for a new Channel 4 TV show but I’m not allowed to say the name yet! Is there a famous dog or celebrity’s dog you would like to photographand why? I’m in talks to do something in LA with dogs as that’s somewhere I have just always wanted to go and photograph dogs. They just take loving your dog to another level out there, so that’s my future plan, and then to sell my cards in America How many cards/ranges do you offer?
A particular highlight for me was when last year the Anya Hindmarch luxury bag company contacted me and we did a collaboration where I would photograph her clients’ dogs to go on her bags. It was such a success I retured again this year.
Yes I worked with John Bishop a lot over the years. I did his Comic Relief challenge where I spent over a week on the road photographing it and he told me a lot about the animals his wife rescued. So when I started this project he was the first to get a call as they had such a variety. Their house is like a gallery of my work as they love their animals and I love photographing themdogs, chickens, goats, sheep, horses, pigs - I photographed them all. I actually particularly like photographing chickens;they really do make stunning images.
Where else might we see your work?
There is no secret to what I do, I just spend a bit of time with the dog and when the expression is right - that’s my picture!
Have you ever branched out into other animals?
I am now also working for various TV shows as the dog photographer where my images promote the programme What was your very first card design? After photographing friends’ and family’s dogs I needed some models, so me and my mum went to Crufts and handed out leaflets to people explaining that I am a dog photographer and looking for dog models to photograph free of charge. People were very wary and we didn’t have a great response. We were on the bus back to the car park and while I sat there counting my remaining leaflets I could hear my mum chatting to someone (she talks to everyone). I could hear her ask, “Have you got a dog?’’. Then I heard “yes I have 25 - I rescue them’’. The following week we were back on the road to Chester to photograph those 25 dogs! I was well and truly thrown in at the deep end but created some great images, some of which are in today’s range. Talk us through how you create your images and how you get them to look like paintings/drawings. I use a white background and a few lights. I usually go to the dog’s home as here the dog is happiest. The pet owner will sit next to the dog so the dog feels happy that their owner is there - though at the same time the dog is looking right at me and not them. I very rarely use treats as this makes the dog open its mouth and that’s something I never want in my images as it detracts the attention from the eyes; that is always my focus - great sparkling eyes. I light them with a flash so this sharpens the fur, almost giving a painted quality –this was never intentional. I just had a lot of people asking if they are drawn - it was a real surprise when people asked this as I thought, no I actually get the dog to sit there – it can be quite an effort! But usually the dogs are great – I love what I do and I think the dogs pick up on this.
‘’There is no secret to what I do, I just spend a bit of time with the dog picture!’’that’sisexpressionwhenandtherightmy
Rhian’s
I have 53 different breeds at the moment and seven waiting in the wings in production. I am always trying to grow my range so I can eventually cover most popular breeds – it would be a nice thing to be known as the go-to card range if you want a particular dog card. What are your bestselling cards? Spaniels and Cockerpoos sell really well, though if you go to the more rural areas in Wales and Yorkshire it’s always the sheepdog. is the one thing that really drives me to continue creating beautiful images of dogs.
Gruffpawtraits 842 Instagramwww.gruffpawtraits.comgruffpawtraits@hotmail.com2830-Gruffpawtraits very first card Mum helps out
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Rhian’s
“There is only so much time that can be spent in front of a laptop asuppressingwithoutorofperusingendlesslyrangescards,foodclothing,yawn’’
John Ryan is Stores Editor of Retail Week, a position he has held for more than two decades, and managing director of Newstores, a daily information service on what’s new in retail across the world. www.newstores.co.uk
In truth, the online crowd are being as badly hit by the latest disaster (consumer reticence to spend money, for some unaccountable reason) to hit UK PLC as the physical crew, and in some instances high street shops are actually doing better than they were.
| 07710 429926 RETAIL ENVIRONMENT John Ryan 48 www.greetingstoday.media
iStock/dikushinImage:
The death of online?
The question is what happened? When we were all locked down and filling our waking hours with online shopping that was delivered at a distance by masked drivers, it seemed as if the physical shop had had its time and that not only would online be the eventual winner, but that our shopping habits would have been changed forever.
So here’s a bit of good news, we’re all in the same boat together. Take a look at some of the recent results from online merchants, more or less across the retail board, and contrary to what might have been expected when the pandemic kicked in, the results are not accompanied by the sound of popping corks.
It appears, however, that they have not - and there is a very simple reason for this: boredom. There is only so much time that can be spent in front of a laptop endlessly perusing ranges of cards, food or clothing, without supressing a yawn. The online experience remains very different from heading down to the shops and - even for something as intrinsically online shoppable as a greeting cardthere is still nothing to beat wandering into a, say, Paperchase, a Scribbler or an indy and letting the eye roam freely. Of course this can be done via the web and, unlike clothing, there is no real requirement to touch or feel a card in order to get the general idea of what it will look like in the flesh, as it were. But we’re physically shopping just the Theresame.isalso the matter that shops en-masse have got better. One of the effects of the past couple of years has not been just the disappearance of retail dead wood from malls and high streets, but those that remain have been at pains to ensure that shoppers who do cross the threshold are greeted by something that will be better than they might have remembered.Whetherit’s a lick of fresh paint, new display equipment or improved ways in which to pay for something (the cash-free society is pretty much with us), physical shopping has changed and we should perhaps not beDraggingsurprised.shoppers away from their devices has proved somewhat easier than might have been predicted, and for those who are reticent about being parted from them, there is always the mobile phone that can be wielded in-store to pay, enhance an experience by VR, or just to check a price. Has online retail therefore had its day? Up to a point, perhaps. Growth has certainly slowed for many, and improving upon last year’s numbers is as tricky for internet merchants as it for those who lovingly spend their time making ranges look winsome with artful visual Shoppersmerchandising.arethewinners in all of this. Faced by a large number of options, when it comes to deciding how you may shop, online and physical stores are putting their best feet forward and will have to continue doing so. The small matter of the ‘cost of living crisis’ will certainly have an effect on all, but when it comes to greeting cards, they remain an affordable impulse and may well therefore be able to maintain a steadierEverythingcourse.to play for and not a time to be downhearted. Just make sure that your shop looks the part. Others will be doing so.
Physical stores, card shops and every other kind, may be on the verge of a renaissance in the face of a flagging online sector, says John Ryan
@newstores |
Address: East Langton, Leicestershire
Name: Andrea Tripp, Owner Shop: The Card Shop Address: Staple Hill, Bristol Please describe your shop. We’re a medium-sized card and gift shop in a Bristol suburb with a mix of mainly local customers - young and old! How did you get into greeting card retail? I used to make cards and jewellery and I organised craft fairs for myself and others to sell at. After my second child I wanted to change career and saw this shop up for sale; the rest is nine years of history!
What do you think makes your shop/gift/card area stand out? We are very focused on getting the best products for our customers, but we love and focus on the visual side of things. Our shop is divided up into specific departments and I think this helps the customer on their shopping journey. Our card area is big and in the heart of our shop so it’s pretty hard to miss and is always bustling with customers.
What are the best and worst things about working in retail? Customers and customers! The vast majority are lovely and you get to know some people really well. Covid was tricky in terms of enforcing masks, limiting numbers and so on, and, some people just didn’t get it. What cards are selling well in your store at the moment? Female relation, birthdays and open. What card range or category do you always ensure you keep in stock because of its popularity? Bugart - my customers love them. Plus year you were born - ICG and Cherry Orchard. What’s in your window at the moment? Lots of bee gifts, and wedding gifts What’s by your till at the moment? Stationery - mainly from the Gifted Stationery Company, which has been a recently added range - it’s lovely, pretty, reasonably priced and is selling well. What’s the most surprising thing a customer has said or done or asked for!? Nasal hair clippers and a kettle! What do you think makes your shop stand out? A really wide range of cards and gifts - customers often say ‘I knew I’d find something here’. If you could send anyone a card from the past or present, who would it be and why? Nelson Mandela - to send him my support in his fight for justice and equal rights. How do trade magazines like Greetings Today help you? They’re great to see new ranges and discover new companies.
Name: Brittany Bjoko, gift shop manager
Tell us a little about the garden centre. We are an independent garden centre in the heart of the Leicestershire countryside, on the outskirts of a very popular market town. It is a generous sized garden centre, which also houses our gift shop and a very busy cafe. Our customers range from all ages and from all over, whether it be our locals or people that travel to come to shop with us. In our gift shop we have many departments including greeting cards, homeware, children’s toys, clothing and accessories. What are the best and worst things about working in retail? Every day is different, and so are the customers… most of the time. Working where we work we are very lucky to be able to put our stamp on our shop and share our styles with our very loyal customers. I hope they enjoy the cards and products as much as we enjoy finding them. I would just say there’s sometimes just not enough hours in a day to get all our jobs done. What gifts are selling well in your store at the moment? Our gifts sell through so quickly we are always reordering and on the lookout for new suppliers to get the best products for our customers. A very popular department is our jewellery and accessories; we sell Life Charms and they are a great gift pick-up and very popular with our customers. How important is the gifts and cards area to the centre? Our cards department is imperative to our gift shop; customers don’t just buy one - they sometimes walk away with a handful. Over recent times our garden centre has become a destination for customers; it’s a day out and our shop just adds another aspect to their trip. And it’s hard to have a look round and not pick something up! What card ranges are selling well? We stock so many different ranges, some are very small businesses and some are mainstream. Birthday cards are always the best sellers; we can’t get them in quick enough. Some of our best sellers at the moment are from Western Sketch and Folio - two new companies we have taken on in recent weeks.
Shop Talk
Shop: The Langton Greenhouse and Garden Centre.
It would be somewhat obvious to start this column by saying that an A/W buy is critical in the world of gift and card retailing. However, just as I always reminded my colleagues that birthdays happen 365 days a year - making every day a sales opportunitythere is no escaping that the biggest birthday of all on December 25 is the crux of most retailers’ trading calendar. Over the years I’ve had a love/hate relationship with the season. I spent most of my 18 years buying in seasonal and gift areas. But I will never forget the buzz of seeing how sales climb at that time of year - from departments taking thousands of pounds a week, to over a million pounds a day, as the end of December approached. I was also notorious for being the Christmas buyer who didn’t have a Christmas tree at home, having grown weary of putting up and decorating so many at work! Here are my tips for gearing up for the festive season and ensuring your buy is successful: Buy with conviction and confidence. Make a plan for the season, have a strategy and vision, and then back it. Pick lines that are going to drive volume, and ensure your consumers know they are key. I remember doing this with Panettones: we would design our own tin and then bulk it out to shops, knowing that if we sent them the stock, they would be creative and build towers of it in all locations. There’s no better way to add to your Christmas visual scheme than by using merchandise.
Christmas Day itself is now a key shopping day online, with many a gift voucher burning a hole in someone’s
Launch S/S newness early. If you plan to bring in newness in January and you can get stock early, then launch it in mid-December. I always say that if a product won’t sell in the last two weeks of December, then you are unlikely to sell much of it from January to July. So you might need a Plan B. Obviously this doesn’t necessarily ring true for spring-season specific merchandise.
Enjoy the process. If you are lucky enough to work in a team, then there’s nothing more bonding and joyful than trading in a festive season. Coming together with colleagues through the highs and the lows has given me relationships with people who are now friends for life. One last word of advice. Don’t forget the Christmas party. You may be celebrating sales or merely surviving, but at that time of year it’s always important to take time for people - and realise that retail is for life, not just for Christmas.
“I was notorious for being the Christmas buyer who didn’t have a Christmas tree at home’’
OpiniOn RETAIL100
Prior to Retail100 Consulting, Sara worked in buying roles at John Lewis & Partners for 18 years, predominantly for home and seasonal categories, including eight years leading gift and home fragrance buying. She has specialised in brand relationships and growing small emerging brands into market leaders. Sara is also experienced in own-label sourcing across multiple categories and countries.
ConsultingRetail100 director and co-founder Sara Allbright shares her tips for ensuring your A/W buy is successful
The morning after the night before. It’s not over when the final purchase is rung up on December 24. The time between Christmas and New Year is a great opportunity to drive more sales, especially online.
Email: hello@retail100consulting.co.uk Visit: www.retail100consulting.co.uk www.linkedin.com/company/retail100-consulting
Gearing up for the festive season
50 www.greetingstoday.co.uk
Don’t fall into the best seller trap. It’s too easy to stick with things that sold well the year before. While best sellers should not be ignored, it’s critical to ensure your percentage of newness is high enough to excite your customers and not leave your department stuck in a Christmas groundhog day. All best sellers were, at one point in their lifecycle, a new line. Celebrate sell-through. It’s hard not to panic when a product sells out, or dwell on what could have been if you had bought more. There will always be other stock that needs bringing to consumers’ attention.
pocket - or the sheer boredom for some of Christmas Day TV seeing them turn to retail therapy.
The sentiment of a card can be so special to the recipient - and this selection proves that… James Ellis James Ellis has added a new sympathy card to its iconic Paper Shakies range, designed by artist Artist Dugan. Featuring two white lilies, framed with a turquoise border, this hand-finished card is filled with subtle white confetti dots and is 100% recyclable. It is printed in the UK on paper made from wood pulp sourced from sustainable forests.
A Henries finalist in 2021 for ‘Best Words and Sentiment’ range, Kate’s collection is a firm best-seller for the publisher with notecard sets now also available as well as single cards. Cards are 153mm square, printed on 100% recycled board and supplied with 100% recycled white textured envelopes in either a compostable bag or with an easy-peel card clasp www.ecofriendly.cardshello@ecofriendly.cards01626label.369269
Kate Andrew’s whimsical collection of designs, from The Eco-friendly Card Co, pairs her beautiful designs with gentle wording that can be used for a variety of situations.
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www.greetingstoday.co.uk 51 Say it with words!
0117 927 www.jamesellis.com7667
Kate’s original artwork is painted on slate featuring images of flowers and wildlife and depicting relationships, joy, sympathy or encouragement.
Cherry Orchard is launching a new Female Relations package by popular demand from its retail customers. With a mix of sizes and styles this new launch is available to pre order and consists of 3 x Code 100’s, 9 x Code 75’s, 5 x Code 60’s and 5 x Code 50’s. This stunning range is a wonderful blend of traditional and modern, and the cards feature beautiful sentiments, verses and floral designs. The high-quality finishes really bring the designs to life. Proudly made and produced in the UK. 295500 | www.cherryorchardpublishing.co.ukinfo@cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk Eco-friendly Card Co
VerseTrends:&Sentiment
Cherry Orchard
British Garden Centresa growing business
Getting the right mix
52 www.greetingstoday.co.uk Retail IntervIew British Garden Centres
‘’Our orhouseplantsfragrance,nearpositionedusuallyareashighlocatedaredepartmentscardnormallyinfootfallandfood’’
What is your selection criteria? Are there specific criteria you have to consider as a garden centre? We work with brokerage with both UK Greetings (UKG) and Woodmansterne. We have regular feedback and review the Can you tell us a little about your career background? My career has always been in retail, covering various managerial roles for various brands, then buying for Fenwick Department stores for 10 years before joining British Garden Centres (BGC). And can you tell us a little about British Garden Centres and your card offering? We are the UK’s largest family-owned and led garden centre business. We are also the UK’s second-largest garden centre group, with 61 centres all varying in size andOurdemographic.cardselection
ranges to analyse what is working. We have such a varied demographic, especially since the pandemic where our customer base has widened, which is great to Sosee.we need to ensure we have the right mix and we end up also being able to challenge the core traditional model of photographic/floral. Customers want sentiment but captured in a simpler way – key words rather than verse, for example. by us, if we see a publisher we like and wish it to be considered, we pass this on to the supplier so that they can have the relevant conversations with the publisher to then be part of the brokerage plan.
needs to ensure we have something for everyone so we work hard to range as best we can for each centre. Our card departments are normally located in high footfall areas and usually positioned near fragrance, houseplants or food. All of which pull in a large customer footfall and are key categories within our business. How do you source products? As we are part of a brokerage model, the suppliers inform us of publishers /designs they are introducing for sign-off. However, from various trade shows that are visited
Greetings Today talks to Emma Davis, group gift buyer, about the card offering at British Garden Centres, the UK’s largest family-owned garden centre business
British Garden Centres began in the sleepy Lincolnshire village of Woodthorpe, the home of company founders, Charles and Robert Stubbs. Charles hadn’t even left school when he began his business - selling seedlings and Leylandii from a stall at the end of their drive.
The first garden centre to open was Woodthorpe, in 1987, and the business became well known - not least for its huge sales of compost to keen gardeners from all over the region. When Brigg Garden Centre was added, the company’s reputation for quality and value began to spread. When more garden centres came on board, the company changed its name to the British Garden Centres Group. Rapid growth began in 2018 and now there are 61 centres around the country. The brothers’ ambition to have a British Garden Centre within easy reach of everyone in the UK really is beginning to be realised.
What challenges have you faced over the past few months and how have you dealt with them? How are you feeling about the next few months and the longer term? Luckily, we haven’t experienced too many challenges within the card sector as we have in other categories with stock delays and shortages. For the next few months our focus is on Christmas and ensuring we are set up for a strong season, giving our customers choice and ensuring we have an attractive, affordable offer. If you could choose the cards people sent you - which would you choose to receive for Christmas or birthday or other special occasion? I always love a card that makes me smile so something from our humour section would be just fine!
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“Customers want sentiment but captured in a simpler way – key words rather than verse, for example’’
Do customers ask for eco-friendly product? We don’t have customers asking specifically but I believe that playing a part in being eco friendly is something that is relevant for all businesses and it is growing. But it is almost down to us rather than the customer seeking it out within our environment.
Trading across the group is very strong.
Having grown rapidly pre-pandemic, from 10 to the 61 centres, we don’t really have any benchmarks to measure against. The popularity of gardening, and therefore our garden centres, has grown incredibly since 2020. As a result, the footfall through our card and gift departments continues to show long-term growth. How do you get word out there for cards in particular - do you use social media, local advertising, word of mouth etc? We don’t do any work in reference to cards on their own on social media, however we do promote the key seasonal times, and card sales benefit from this. We are looking to launch cards onto our website over the next couple of months where we can push a point of difference - for instance the seeded cards, which we have had a positive reaction to – another demonstration of the growing popularity of plants! Have you seen the average cost of your products go up - and if so how have you dealt with it? We have seen costs go up, which has been inevitable, but we work with our suppliers and have trust in them to pass on such increases only where needed.
I think subtle changes - like no plastic on cards, which we have been an advocate of for a while now - is part of the norm. We have product that has recyclable packaging and so on, too. The customer has an expectation… that as a responsible retailer we are ensuring we are being sustainable and eco friendly whenever possible. There’s always more that can be done and we look for these opportunities all the time.
What brands have been particularly popular with your customers?
How is trading for you at the moment?
The Seedcard Company Paper LucillaPigmentSaladLavender
Award-winning trio
been able to grow from there. It’s in a busy shopping area that the locals rely on for all their everyday essentials, and I think we benefit from that. A complete change from the card and gift offering that was there before, plus the addition of Thornton’s has also helped drive footfall, I’m sure. We are fortunate, and even more so since the pandemic, that all three shops serve local ‘villages’ with plenty of surrounding residential properties and free or cheap plentiful parking. The ‘stay local’ and ‘shop small and independent’ themes have benefited us. Some customers tell me they rely on us as a destination for a great gift and just the right card. That’s quite a bit of pressure to keep it up, but very rewarding.
Ainsdale was our first shop. I like to think of it as small but mighty. It’s on a local village high street with great parking, nestled between a small Tesco Express and a busy pharmacy. Our customers have mainly been very loyal locals but as Ainsdale village has developed over the years, with more bars and coffee shops, we are getting customers from slightly further afield too. After a comment from a friend about struggling to buy a gift for someone in Ainsdale, I really upped my game in that area, and it’s really paid off. Ainsdale’s success gave me the confidence to open a second shop in Crosby in 2019. This is twice the size of the Ainsdale shop on a busy, pedestrianised shopping precinct. People were a little shocked when we opened in a new unit next door to a Card Factory, but it’s proven to be a great combination, as customers have fabulous choice between us both. With the extra space we were able to add a Thornton’s franchise, which helps drive footfall. Before we’d opened the doors at Crosby, and with no intention at the time of opening a third shop, an opportunity came our way that we just couldn’t let pass. So, we took over the card shop in Maghull, giving it a refurb and opening the doors in February 2020. A similar size to Crosby and with an already established customer base, we’ve Can you tell us a little about how you got into greeting card retail? For most of my life, I’ve been a nurse, mainly in the community as a District Nurse, then Community Matron and my final role was as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner. My husband, Simon (whose family have been retailers for generations) and I, always liked the idea of having a card shop. In 2012, the card shop in the Ainsdale village (near Southport) where we live was closing. We saw the opportunity to fill a gap and achieve our ambition at the same time. I carried on in nursing and had support from my Mum and some great staff in the shop. Four years later, Mum now fully retired, we had an opportunity to relocate. Still within our village but to a much better location, which doubled our turnover immediately and sparked a real enthusiasm in me. After a year, with such a busy shop, plus a very responsible role in primary care, it became apparent I couldn’t continue to do both. So, in 2017 Simon and I took the huge ‘’All our team go out of their way to help goingchattyusuallyandcardjustcustomerthepicktherightorgiftthereisafun,vibeon’’
What brands have been particularly popular with your customers? Our biggest brands are Hallmark, Pigment and Woodmansterne. They provide a fantastic variety of ranges, with something for everyone. All are regularly refreshed to keep it interesting. Paper Salad’s Hunky Dory, Berni Parker’s Ladies who Love Life, Rosie Made a Thing’s Gin & Frolics, Dandelion Stationery’s Words of Wisdom, IC&G’s Year You Were Born and Cherry Orchard’s Grace ranges are constantly re-ordered. Newer brands for us, which have sold brilliantly, are Special Delivery, Ginger Betty and Lucilla Lavender.
Congrats on your Retas award - what do you think makes you stand out? We’re absolutely thrilled! This is our third Retas award so it’s nice to know we are doing something right and have our efforts rewarded. For people to take the time to nominate us feels very special and is much appreciated. However, the most rewarding thing is having customers who keep returning. Obviously, without them, we’d have nothing. I think they keep coming back because they get friendly service. Customers often call in just for a chat and to share some news. All our team go out of their way to help the customer pick just the right card or gift and there is usually a fun, chatty vibe going on. I try very hard to keep best sellers in stock but also to rotate ranges and bring in new stock. As many of our customers visit more than weekly, I would hate for them to get decision for me to resign and start a whole new full-time job as a retailer! I feel very fortunate to have had two completely different, but both very rewarding, careers.
54 www.greetingstoday.co.uk Retail IntervIew Bailey’s
Greetings Today chats to Penny Bailey owner of Bailey’s, a series of three shops in Merseyside, which was named Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer –North and Northern Ireland - at the Retas awards
And can you tell us a little about the shops?
What challenges have you faced over the past few months? I can’t avoid mentioning Covid causing staff sickness, though we’ve managed to stay
Is there anything you haven’t been able to source that you would like to find? It would be great if some of the smaller publishers would consider extending their ‘double-caption’ Christmas card offering to include things like to Niece and Family. Dare I say, the ones you can find currently are a bit run-of-the-mill.
Do you sell both online and in store? We do have an online arm to our company but it is quite separate from the shops in its own warehouse and with a separate workforce.
It tends only to be a few pence on our greeting cards and customers seem to take it as the norm and comment that “everything is going up’’. I try to have a broad range of price points so there is something for most people. Do customers ask for eco-friendly product? I haven’t noticed a particular demand. A handful of customers are keen to know if something is UK-made. The majority of our greeting card brands are produced in the UK and I always opt for plastic-free if it’s an option.
Long-term, I have to be positive. If I don’t stay enthusiastic, I will lose interest in finding exciting product for our customers, in moving with the times and staying current, and in making it a good place to work. I am fortunate I can be encouraged by the way our business has grown, despite all the recent challenges. Anything else you’d like to add?
If you could choose the cards people sent you - which would you choose to receive for Christmas or birthday or other special occasion? I recently celebrated my 50th birthday and was overwhelmed by the number of cards I received.Iloveto receive them and appreciate any card that has some thought behind it. When someone makes the effort to put pen to paper, and then walk round with it or put a stamp on and post it, it’s very special. These are the little things that make life better and long may people continue to do so. That phrase ‘Send a card, deliver a smile’ is so true.
As I have got the opportunity, I would like to thank all my fantastic team for helping make Bailey’s what it is. Caroline and Rachel, my store managers, make my life much easier and are part of a team of very capable, fun and hard-working women. Big shout out to them all.
open with the fantastic support of our team working extra hours. I’ve been frustrated by the media reminding everyone on a daily basis how little money they will have for treats. One report came from a flower market asking should you really be spending money on non-essentials like flowers. I thought ‘oh heck, don’t mention greeting cards!’. Our customers are quite capable of deciding where to spend their money without being made to feel guilty or anxious. Although we are currently in the quietest trading period, our gift half-price sale and very loyal customers are keeping us buoyant. I may be naive but I’m really looking forward to the final quarter and feeling positive about it.
www.greetingstoday.co.uk 55 bored of the same stuff year after year. We also have a varied range of gifts that customers tell us are a little bit different; and our store design, particularly Crosby, is a step away from the norm of a traditional greeting card shop. How do you source products? Usually, I get my trainers on and do three days at Spring Fair. It’s always a good start to get a feel for themes and new products. I love Harrogate Home & Gift and PG Live too. I particularly enjoy the Springboard area where you can find fab, new talent. I’m always in awe of the artists and the efforts it takes to get to the point of publishing. I’ve constantly got my antennae out for good product, while I’m shopping, travelling or surfing the internet; and most of our fabulous suppliers bring out new stuff to keep me interested. What is your selection criteria? That’s a tricky one. Over the years it has been trial and error. Sometimes it’s a gut instinct. If something doesn’t work, I try not to take it personally and move on to something else. I’ve got to know our customers’ tastes over the years, though it’s interesting now as all three shops have slightly different bestsellers, which is keeping me on my toes. Our visiting reps and agents are also very good at advising what is working best for them. There is so much fabulous talent out there, but unless a publisher is offering something different from what we’ve already got, I tend not to buy fromI’mthem.alsolooking for good-quality board and envelopes and ideally to be able to deliver within a few days. A lower carriage-paid order also makes it easier to try a small range from a new company. How is trading for you at the moment? It’s difficult to say, as since having three shops we’ve had the pandemic and a new Epos system, so year-on-year comparisons aren’t easy. However, we are generally meeting our targets and although it feels quieter in terms of footfall, the average spend is a little higher. What’s your demographic like? The majority of customers are in the middle to older age groups. How do you get word out there? We use Facebook and Instagram and occasionally local newspaper ads. It seems that Facebook works best for customers, and suppliers find us through Instagram. I could probably do a better job of it but I must admit it’s difficult to make it a priority with three shops to manage. We try to support the local Civic Society, and give raffle prizes to local events and schools, which helps raise our profile.
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Have you seen the average cost of your products go up - and if so how have you dealt with it? Costs are inevitably rising. Some publishers have held back but now giving notice that their costs are to increase. Unfortunately, to keep our margin, our retail prices have gone up too.
‘Different’ doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s weird and wonderful things, it means that you can, for example, get products designed and made by small independent businesses that sit alongside bigger brands to deliver an offering that allows a customer to buy for any and many occasions at once. A customer feels like they’ve seen a variety of options. We’re lucky to have a big floorplan where over half is dedicated to greeting cards in each store to facilitate the size of the offering. Tell us about your ethical/ sustainable stance. We want customers to feel that we’ve done our job by sourcing ethical and sustainable products so they can feel and do good when they shop. So over the past few years the way we purchase, consume and operate as a business has evolved as the world Can you tell us a little about the shops? We started with a Post Office with typical convenience retail on the outskirts of the city and the idea to establish a brand that rethinks your run-of-the mill Post Office retail was borne from that. We all have an expectation of what a store attached to a Post Office looks like in our mind’s eye, and we wanted to turn that on its head. We took over and moved to a main branch Post Office in the affluent West End of Glasgow. The new site is a double-fronted large Victorian Glasgow tenement building and so we wanted to keep the local/heritage aspect of that as we developed the brand ‘Penny Black’ (the first British postage stamp) and the eventual product offering. This flagship store is opposite Glasgow Botanic Gardens and so attracts tourists and day trippers as well as locals. We’re fortunate to also be near Glasgow University and so service that community too. A few years after this store opened we established our second in the city centre using the same model. The Post Office in each store drives daily footfall, even on the quietest of winter days, but now our retail store is a big draw also for our customers and we see people coming in only for retail rather than Post Office only or both.
Greetings Today caught up with Jo Marwaha, product manager for Reta award-winner Penny Black, which has two shops in Glasgow unique’’ofourin-storecustomersgetwecompliment“Thealwaysfromisthatselectioncardsis Bringing
‘something different’
56 www.greetingstoday.co.uk Retail IntervIew Penny Black and our industries have. The greeting card industry is really at the forefront of change in terms of sustainability but change has been slower in others and so we’ve had to change suppliers in some cases. For us, we also have a responsibility to move on from the way our industry has done things in the past that may have been harmful not only to the environment but to communities not represented visually or in business, and so we have actively sourced product from underrepresented communities or product that captures the diversity of the population we serve. We’re continuing to improve product curation all the time based on these values. How do you source products? New products are sourced by research onlinevia social media (for example) - and from trade shows. We don’t tend to visit all the trade shows, rather picking a couple a year that work for us in terms of seasonal purchasing and the shows that have an offering more suited to independent businesses.
What is your selection criteria?
First and foremost for me it is all about the visuals and if it fits with our brand aesthetic. Other key considerations are the ethics and sustainability of the product i.e. where it’s made, by whom and how it gets to the UK. I can tell very quickly if a product or brand isn’t going to work for us based on the answers to these questions. Then, ultimately, it’s cost!
Congrats on your RETAS award (Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer in Scotland), What do you think makes you stand out? The compliment we always get from customers in-store is that our selection of cards is unique. We work very hard to curate the Penny Black brand as one that brings something different to the high street, and certainly that has kept our customers coming back to us again and again for almost eight years!
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Is there anything you haven’t been able to source that you would like to find? I’m always on the lookout for something I haven’t seen before, particularly in a market that sees plagiarism so often. A publisher that nails all the ages, occasions and relations would be a dream! It’s so tricky to hit the right note across the board. What challenges have you faced over the past few months? Predicting customer behaviour I think has been the biggest challenge recently as we all work out what we want life to be like post-pandemic. That affects how much stock we hold for seasons, staffing and a whole host of other areas of business. We’re feeling positive about the Winter season though as patterns emerge from Spring seasons. If you could choose the cards people sent you - which would you choose to receive for Christmas or birthday or other special occasion? My friends loathe buying me cards! I love to receive cards by brands I don’t know but if I had to pick from one of our current suppliers, we’ve recently started stocking Miss Bespoke Papercuts and I think they are beautiful and unique. What brands have been particularly popular with your customers?
How is trading for you at the moment?
overall the convenience for customers is a big plus.
Our understanding of trade is being rewritten constantly at the moment as the high street finds its feet postpandemic. Things have returned largely to pre–pandemic levels for retail, which is reassuring, but every day is a school day! How do you get word out there? With a Post Office in each store, word of mouth and our online presence is crucial to letting customers know where we are and what services we provide the community. Big drivers for retail are social media (@ pennyblackgla) and for our website pennyblack.co.uk, online ads. With a small team, it’s a constant work in progress to tame the social media beasts! You sell both online and in store. Explain how that works. Our new website launched just before the pandemic started so we got to ride that wave alongside everyone else! Marketing for websites is wildly expensive so we’ve taken on a lot of that work ourselves, which has paid off in terms of return per purchase. The things that set us apart - based on customer reviews - is same-day dispatch. That’s where having a Post Office in our stores really comes into its own! Most often customers receive their delivery the very next day, which is appealing for repeat custom. Also reviewed highly is our excellent customer service, quality of product and product selection. Our physical stores continue for now to drive more card sales than online. Have you seen the average cost of your products go up - and if so how have you dealt with it? We have seen the wholesale cost of most products go up in the past 12 months. Ultimately that cost has had to be passed onto the consumer as with most other areas of life currently, and we as a business absorb the rise in cost of all the other running-a-business expenses. Your shops are dog friendly. How does that work for you? Being dog friendly is essential for us as both our stores are in Glasgow neighbourhoods, so people are often out and about with their dogs. They know we’re dog friendly so we get people in just for a browse with their pups, not necessarily with an errand in mind. We have dog treats, a water bowl at the door and staff who love dogs so it creates a nice engagement with customers. I think “We have actively sourced product from
Our main greeting card brand Woodmansterne remains very popular for us as well as many smaller publishers such as Raspberry Blossom, Cath Tate, Petra Boase, Nineteen Seventy Three, Ohh Deer, and local Scottish publishers such as Claire Barclay Draws and Eat Haggis. Gift wrap wise, our main supplier is Gift Wrap UK, which supplies Stewo product, which does very well for us alongside smaller brands such as Paper Mirchi and again Nineteen Seventy Three brands.
serve’’populationdiversitycapturesorcommunitiesrepresentedunder-productthattheofthewe
Ward’s Words GIFTWARE ASSOCIATION CEO SARAH WARD
camaraderie in Harrogate. The punishing weather undoubtedly impacted on buyer footfall, but exhibitors remained upbeat.
We have some incredible Sharing Lunches happening later in the year on sourcing (led by Talking Tables) and exporting (led by Gisella Graham) which have been created for our members in response to this.
Sarah Ward is chief executive of the Giftware Association, which is at the heart of the gift industry supporting members by offering invaluable advice and assistance. Coming originally from a retail background, she then worked at Penny Kennedy gaining extensive knowledge in the card, wrap and stationery sector, and now uses these skills across a broader environment.
What was interesting to me when discussing the show with various members towards the end, was that people had vastly different experiences. So, what were the differentiating factors in businesses experiencing success?
Sarah Ward pictured with Zoe Bonser, portfolio director for the trade retail division at Clarion and David Falkner, director of Cardology
• Actively networking and making connections – there is business to be done, and it may not always walk up to you at your stand. Shows need to facilitate real networking opportunities and businesses need to talk to each other, to drive progress. But the onus shouldn’t just be on businesses to make trade work. I have now visited every UK trade show so far this year and several overseas as well. They too need to think about how they can adopt change:
• Marketing in the run-up to the show – how hard are businesses working to drive their own visitor numbers?
• Theatre is crucial – we need to bring people together to share moments, learn from each other and connect.
The other issue that is dominating our member meetings is that of credit control. There is an increasing amount of bad debt out there and the GA is finding new ways to help. Bad debt can have a crippling effect on growth and productivity, so we are in talks with Let’s Talk Credit to set up credit control forums to support our members. I want to leave you on a high by coming back to Gift of the Year. We have been inundated with entries for Gift of the Year 2023. Now, more than ever, we need opportunities like this to get products in front of industry judges. Enter at www.giftoftheyear. co.uk/enter-2023.
andbehaviourchangebeneedsdonealreadyweinbusinessesourthewayhave–theretoaradicalinthinking’’
The announcement of this award happened amid an atmosphere of incredible Sarah Ward considers how the industry can face the challenging times ahead, with help from trade shows and the Giftware Association Up to the challenge ‘’None of us continuecan to operate
Trade is everything and I have been banging the drum of international opportunities for GA members loudly since Covid restrictions lapsed. It is a mixed picture out there and we are fielding more enquiries than ever on international trade.
58 www.greetingstoday.media
• Beneficial pricing structures that support businesses of all sizes and potentially enable discounts for three-year contracts. These are just a couple of ideas to throw into the mix. I would love to know your experiences this year and understand what you believe needs to happen in 2023 and beyond.
Tel: 0121 236 2657 Web: www.ga-uk.org
Iwrite this at the end of an exhausting few weeks in which we have been at Glee, Harrogate Home & Gift and at the summer reception with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council in London. It’s enabled me a period of reflection on how we embark on the coming months in what is arguably the most challenging period to date in a few years already beset with challenges. None of us can continue to operate our businesses in the way we have already done – there needs to be a radical change in behaviour and thinking. I want to start this issue’s column on a positive note: The People’s Choice Award, announced at Harrogate Home & Gift. I think moments like this in our industry are absolutely crucial, and consumers know what they want, right? Consumers are more conscious now than they have ever been. They seek transparency and authenticity when being communicated to by brands; they seek quality brands who stand by their values, and they seek joy. Our very worthy winner of this year’s People’s Choice Awards delivers all of this and so much more, and their customers and champions clearly believe they deserve to be crowned as the final part of our Gift of the Year Awards 2022. So, huge congratulations to Cardology, this year’s People’s Choice winner.
Henri Davis is an independent retail advisor to businesses in the cards, gifts, stationery and heritage industries with more than 35 years of retail experience. She worked for Habitat, Next, WHSmith and the National Trust and now advises retailers, visitor attractions, manufacturers and suppliers. A past chairman of the Giftware Association, during lockdown she has taken over a village stores and moved to Cornwall. For more information visit www.henridavis.co.uk
HomePaperHogarthJessicaowner,Hogarth,JessicaGift
salesSummerheat up
Jessica Hogarth is an illustrator and card publisher with a card and gift shop in Robin Hood’s Bay, North Yorkshire, which she runs with her partner Phil. Jessica says: “In terms of our shop - we sell a lot more of everything between the months of May and September, which is our peak period footfall wise. We are predominantly a tourist destination and our locally-inspired cards designed by myself and Ilona Drew (top, far right) sell particularly well during the peak summer season.
“We do have many supportive local buyers who shop with us regularly, but we need the additional summer visitor footfall; the shop would not survive on local shoppers alone.’’
To date
The Eco Friendly Card Company is a card publisher in the South West, which supplies retailers large and small. For co-founder Sue Morrish, sales start to lift before the Easter holidays and don’t end on the August Bank Holiday but extend to the end of September because her retailers find September is a really good month for sales, as people without young children go on holiday. “In the South West we can have lovely weather into late September and these holidaymakers often have more disposable income,’’ she explains. “With regard to the artists that we do especially well with over the summer I would definitely say Becky Bettesworth (top right; bottom right) with her vintage-style images of local scenes and water sportsbased imagery. As well as single cards we offer the mini-card packs with her designs, which are popular gifts.’’ Becky’s cards definitely follow the extended summer sales pattern described above.
Christmas is important, and the best sellers at Christmas are Jessica’s locally-inspired, gold-foiled Christmas packs, which sell better than single cards - although they will continue to offer both.
Holidaymakers ensure summer is a busy time for greeting card shops in the right location - and can even drive the early stocking of Christmas products, as Henri Davis explains Henri Davis
“All year round our best sellers have to be Louise Mulgrew’s (top, left) illustrative and charming cards as well as Rosie Made a Thing’s humorous offering, and we sell significant quantities of their cards over the summer. We have stocked both of these publishers since we opened two years ago, and they will continue to have a space on our shelves.
Jessica’s shop has only been open two years and because of the impact of Covid they are yet to have a ’normal’ year. “This means we are still learning customer buying patterns, what they really want to buy and how far we can go volume-wise for these types of occasion,’’ she says.
Here in Coverack, summer is all about cards with local images - and the sales of postcards is far from dead. We sell 20 to 30 most days, with many purchasers commenting that they are being sent to grandparents, or neighbours to say thank you for keeping an eye on things at home, while some are kept as bookmarks.
RETAIL ADVICE
Jessica hasn’t placed much importance on buying for seasonal occasions such as Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day but having tried some Father’s Day cards this year, which sold very well, she will review seasonal opportunities for 2023.
need“We
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“Other collections we do well with are Nikky Corker with her very funny larger-than-life characters paddling or swimming (bottom, left) and our iconic photographic Ebb&Flow collection, which is inspired by the coast.’’ These two ranges illustrate effectively just how broad a range you need at this time of year. When I was the card buyer at the National Trust, our card sales increased significantly across all genres because of the huge increase of visitors. But maybe more surprisingly, we launched our Christmas card and calendar ranges at the end of June, much to some people’s disgust, because over the years we had found that those who only visited properties in the summer or who came from abroad wanted to buy them. We sold huge quantities in July and August.
Sue has found the same: “People on holiday often have more time for browsing. A lot of the tourist attractions we supply want to get these products in time for the summer holidays – for example we’ve printed a bespoke calendar for Westonbirt Arboretum and delivered this just before the summer holidays to take advantage of the extra footfall over the holidays.’’
alone’’shoppersonnotshopfootfall;visitorsummeradditionalthethewouldsurvivelocal
As I write this we are enjoying lots of summer sunshine and many of us are heading off on holiday. But what does an influx of visitors mean for retailers? How will their sales of cards change over the holiday period? I thought I would ask those in popular holiday destinations what difference it is making for them this year.
(t) 0116 230 4197 (f ) 01536 401 031 (w) www.mint-publishing.co.uk (e) sales@mint-publishing.co.uk SELL CARDS? –GET THE TEE SHIRT! Order 24 units of our best-selling new range, Tee-cards and get a spinner for FREE! Call us or visit our website for more information www.mint-publishing.co.uk
