7 minute read
Autumn Fair preview
Time to be inspired
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
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.
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.
“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. 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 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 Hellmann-Versand. Meanwhile, Gingko is returning and will be launching a new desktop lamp.
This destination includes three categories: Greetings & Stationery, Beauty & Wellbeing, and Kids, Toys & Play. 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 paper decorations.
New exhibitors this 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; 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.
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.
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 items.
Newcomer 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
Autumn Fair When: 4 - 7th September Where: NEC Birmingham Web: www.autumnfair.com
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).
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; and Everyday.
Home, 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’. 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.
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. Sustainability
New exhibitors this year include Jumble & Co, Laura Darrington Design and Some of the Autumn Fair exhibitors leading the way with a sustainable Life Charms 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
For further information, visit www.autumnfair.com or download the official Autumn Fair App.
The Art File
Hall 6 Stand C30 -E31
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.
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.
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 jungle themes.
Covering birthday and occasion, they are printed on FSC accredited board and are carbon balanced.
Earlybird will also 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 balanced.
01227765372 www.earlybirddesigns.co.uk
