Greetings Today September October 2024

Paul

Editor Naomi MacKay naomi@lemapublishing.co.uk

Advertising

Marian McNamara marian@lemapublishing.co.uk 01442 289940

Managing

Mark

mark@lemapublishing.co.uk

Production

Paul

IEditor Naomi MacKay

leader

n the last issue we were talking about ordering early for Christmas, and now we are heading into Q4. Many garden centres and larger multiples have already laid out, or at least started to lay out, their stall for the Christmas season.

Our Diary of a Sales Agent columnist, Richard Pass, had already seen some Christmas displays on his travels at the end of summer, but says the smaller independents he has spoken to are happy to put off Christmas, at least for a little while. This is not the case for South Kensington’s Medici Gallery, which, after many requests from customers, put out a taster selection of Advent calendars and Christmas cards in the first week of August. Well, some shoppers like to be organised for Christmas!

Talking of our Diary column, this issue we welcome back Cards ‘N’ Things from Hellesdon, Norwich, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Owner Paul Southgate has been having fun with window displays and has been finding that an interesting window - even if it doesn’t show actual product - lures in shoppers. A Hornby train set in the window for Father’s Day went down a treat!

And if you want to make more out of your shop windows and displays and are heading to Autumn Fair (our preview starts on p18), do check out information about the new Merchandising Masterclasses.

Meanwhile, our Cover Star this month is Museums & Galleries, which has added to its popular Wild Press range with new designs from artist Helen Ahpornsiri, who uses a clever collage technique with pressed florals to create beautiful designs. These feature not only on cards, but on notelets, bottles, tote bags and more.

Send your views and submissions for the magazine to naomi@ lemapublishing.co.uk

designs from artist Helen Ahpornsiri,

These feature not only on cards, but on

And if you’re a garden centre buyer looking p34 should offer inspiration.

It’s the ideal range for garden centres. And if you’re a garden centre buyer looking for more product ideas, our feature on p34 should offer inspiration.

may be thinking about your Christmas Day is a big event - coming third behind

half of the mums who responded (43%) card.

answer, with flowers in second place

your customers’ lives. See p28 for more

Of course we’re always looking ahead in the greetings industry, and while you may be thinking about your Christmas display, you’ll also be planning ahead to the 2025 spring season. Mother’s Day is a big event - coming third behind Christmas and Valentine’s Day in card sales. A YouGov survey found that almost half of the mums who responded (43%) wanted a card. It was the most popular answer, with flowers in second place at 39%. So of course we have gathered together ideas for the special women in your customers’ lives. See p28 for more female-focused designs.

There’s plenty more to read, including two retail interviews with Retas finalists, profiles on publishers including Dog’s Paw, which specialises in localisation and customisation, and Rush Design, which is celebrating a decade in business.

As always, we are keen to hear from any readers who would like to take part in our features, interviews, or news pages. You can email me at naomi@lemapublishing.co.uk or connect with me via LinkedIn. And look out for the Greetings Today team at the shows.

STOP PRESS: As we went to press, Card Factory announced that it has gone into partnership with delivery firm Just Eat: a deal that will see 200 items available on demand for quick delivery for the first time. A Card Factory LinkedIn post stated: ‘’Our affordable and high-quality range of cards, gifts and celebration essentials is now just one click away, with customers able to order from 19 stores across the UK, including Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow, Manchester and Wakefield.’’

Cli still proves a hit!

In a market flooded with merchandise from current pop icons, the enduring appeal of Cli Richard has proven its strength yet again. Calendar and greeting card publisher Danilo has capitalised on this nostalgia with the o cial 2025 Cli Richard Calendar.

The company says the product’s success has been nothing short of extraordinary, capturing the hearts of both longtime fans and a new generation of admirers.

Danilo’s strategic marketing e orts culminated in a media blitz in August that included online coverage in the Daily Mail, a feature in the print edition of the Daily Mail, and a special mention on ITV’s Lorraine Show. ‘’These key placements were not merely strokes of luck; they were the result of a meticulously crafted PR campaign designed to maximise the calendar’s reach and impact,’’ said Claire Bates, senior marketing & sustainability manager.

The 2025 Cli Richard Calendar has not only resonated with fans but has also achieved impressive sales figures, Danilo said. The media coverage, alongside social media awareness, has significantly boosted online tra c, leading to a spike in pre-orders.

The success of the Cli Richard calendar underscores the potent power of nostalgia in driving sales. Danilo’s decision to focus on a beloved music icon from the past reflects a keen understanding of the market’s emotional triggers. While contemporary artists such as Harry Styles and Taylor Swift also feature prominently in media, the sustained popularity of Cli Richard’s calendar demonstrates the unique allure of classic stars.

Danilo’s triumph with the 2025 Cli Richard Calendar serves as a compelling case study for how nostalgia, when paired with strategic marketing and media exposure, can lead to retail success. As the calendar continues to fly o shelves, it’s clear that Danilo has hit the mark, proving that timeless appeal can stand strong in an ever-evolving market.

Award excitement for Ginger Betty

Ginger Betty owner Tracey Colliston says she is ‘’absolutely over the moon to have reached the finals of the Henries Awards 2024. Our Hello Mellow range is in two categories; Best Cute, and Best Traditional Words and Sentiments. It means so much, as we try to marry the words and illustrations together to create a meaningful sentiment, so to be in both categories is amazing!’’

At the end of September, Ginger Betty is exhibiting at Brand Licensing London, where the team hope to meet with potential partners and grow the brand. Ginger Betty last attended in 2021, after winning the License This! competition. Tracey said: ‘’We’d love for our characters to be added to children’s clothing and nursery products, as we feel they would fit onto those products perfectly. We’d love to explore other avenues also, and we’re open to new conversations.’’

Henries finalists revealed

Congratulations to the finalists in the Henries Awards. The winners of the awards, which celebrate the greeting card industry, will be announced at The Royal Lancaster Hotel, London on October 3.

A selection of finalists are listed below, the full list can be seen at www.thehenriesawards.co.uk/finalists-2024.

Best Diversity and Inclusion Range

Nobody’s Perfect from Flu mallow

Out! from Emotional Rescue

Peace and Blessings from The Art File

Queer Cards from Pickled Prints

Seasons from AfroTouch Design

You Go Girl! from Paper Rose

Best Licensed Entertainment or Character Card Range

Elmer from Tache

Harry Potter Vintage Railway Poster Collection from Cardology

Marvel Die Cuts from UK Greetings

Peter Rabbit from Hallmark Cards

Snoopy from Hype Associates

Squishmallows from Danilo Promotions

Best Licensed Heritage, Lifestyle, Art or Design Card

Range

Cath Kidston from Ohh Deer

Emma Bridgewater from Woodmansterne Publications

Frida Kahlo from Origamo

National Trust Harmony from Woodmansterne Publications

RHS Classic from UK Greetings

Sara Miller London from The Art File

Best Christmas Box or Pack

Christmas Tri-Fold Card Boxes from Roger la Borde

Fa La La Packs from Stop the Clock Design

Luxury Christmas Boxes from The Art File

Minnows from James Ellis

Superior Boxes from Ling Design

Woodland Christmas Boxes from Nigel Quiney Publications

Best Cute Range

Absolutely Barking from Paper Shed

Animalia from Great British Card Company (GBCC)

Hello Mellow from Ginger Betty

Primrose Hill from Cinnamon Aitch

Rouge from Little Roglets

Woodland from Ohh Deer

Best Contemporary Words and Sentiments Range

Fun Thoughts from Ohh Deer

Just Because from Eleanor Bowmer

Lucy Loves Literature from Cath Tate Cards

Nikki Miles from Jolly Awesome

One Step At A Time from Fox Under The Moon

Words of Wisdom from Dandelion Stationery

Best Children’s Range

Birthday Blocks from Cath Tate Cards

Multi Sticker & Colouring Collection from Little Green Vibes

Shine from Redback Cards

Split Pin Puppets from Emily Nash Illustration

Sunshine from Paper Salad

Wobbly Head Pop-ups from Alljoy Design

Best Service to the Independent Retailer

Abacus

The Art File

Dandelion Stationery

International Cards & Gifts (IC&G)

Jolly Awesome Nigel Quiney

Publications

Noel Tatt

Ohh Deer

Paperlink

Pigment

UK Greetings (UKG)

Words ‘n’ Wishes

Alljoy Design’s Wobbly Head Pop-ups, finalist in the Best Children’s Range category

Podcasts highlight publisher’s story

Greeting card publisher and Fay’s Studio founder Fay Martin has started a podcast, which gives an insight into her journey as a start-up greeting card publisher, while living with two auto-immune diseases - ulcerative colitis and coeliac disease.

Fay delves into how she started her greeting card business in the depths of recession in 2009 and follows her story through to today where she sells her cards all over the world.

Fay’s Studio Podcast invites listeners to ‘’Join in the ups and downs of a solopreneur, and get lots of tips and tricks on how to evolve and pivot your business in an ever-changing and challenging retail landscape.’’

Fay said: ‘’Readers, whether they are a publisher, designer, start-up entrepreneur, retailer or anyone battling chronic illness, will hopefully find this relatable. I realised that I have such a love for podcasts, it’s a lovely way to connect with people that you can’t reach in person, especially when you have an illness, so the podcast will cover so many topics. I try to get one out weekly.’’

Fay’s Studio Podcast is available to listen to on Spotify.

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/faysstudio

GCA NEWS

Book GCA Conference tickets asap!

The GCA annual conference and AGM will be held on September 19.

GCA CEO Amanda Fergusson is urging everyone to book tickets as soon as possible. She told Greetings Today: ‘’I went to Bristol to see the venue and we held a GCA Local there too! Before the Local members catch-up, Sarah Jackson and David Nichols-Rice from the GCA Conference sub-committee met with the Bristol Harbour Hotel to see the stunning room (pictured, right) where we will hold the GCA annual conference and AGM.

‘‘We had a great GCA Local in Bristol. Eleven GCA members got together to discuss cards and much more!

‘‘We were also joined by conference speaker James Stevens from James Ellis who remembers paying in cheques in that same room when it was a Lloyds Bank! The Grade II-listed building was built in 1856 and is modelled on Jacopo Sansovino’s 16th-century library in St Mark’s Square, Venice, complete with elaborate facade, complete with angels, lions, ships and cherubs.’’

If you haven’t already booked your Conference tickets please do so asap as there is a limited number of spaces. All information and booking link are at: www.gca.cards/2024gca-conference-and-agm-thursday-19thseptember-2024

Also speaking at the Conference will be James Taylor, commercial director at Cardzone, Royal Mail’s director external a airs & policy, David Gold, and Mark Callaby, MD of Ohh Deer! Plus there will be the latest consumer insights by the Kantar team.

Drinks the night before, kindly sponsored by Ling and Emotional Rescue, will be held next door to the Conference venue at Dirty Martini Bristol from 6pm on September 18. It will be a fun opportunity to network ahead of the Conference – don’t forget to secure your place at the drinks when you book your Conference ticket, again there will be a limit on numbers.

Amanda added: “We have a fantastic line-up of speakers and it will be a great opportunity to share the latest industry insights, gear up for the all-important Christmas period and celebrate our wonderful industry. It’s a stunning venue and I’m really looking forward to welcoming the industry to Bristol.”

GCA joins coalition determined to protect postal service

The Greeting Card Association has joined a new coalition of membership organisations and businesses that have joined forces to make sure the new government understands the importance of protecting the Royal Mail service.

The coalition represents more than 10,000 small and medium-sized UK businesses, serving millions of consumers across the country.The GCA, British Independent Retailers Association (Bira), the Booksellers Association, the National Federation of SubPostmasters, Voice of the Postmaster and Bookshop.org have sent new business secretary Jonathan Reynolds an open letter urging him to ensure the postal service stays national, reliable and a ordable.

The GCA and its coalition partners have been campaigning to prevent the Royal Mail postal service being given a 21st century ‘Beeching Axe’, with second class deliveries chopped back to just three days a week, and potential runaway prices for first class mail.

The incoming government and the department of business have significant pending decisions on Royal Mail including the bid for Royal Mail’s parent company IDS plc by EP Group and its formal response to Ofcom’s call for input into possible reforms to the ‘Universal Service Obligation’.

What unites all the groups writing to the minister is a belief that more price rises and service reductions will accelerate a decline in the British postal service, leading to increasingly frequent requests for bailouts. It’s these beliefs that drive the coalition’s alignment around six key points:

A decade of TOYW!

2024 marks the 10th anniversary of Thinking of You Week.

This annual event, which takes place in the third week in September, began life at a UK Greeting Card Association (GCA) Council Meeting and launched in September 2014.

Thinking of you week was inspired by the ‘heartfelt replies’ received by GCA member Leonard Smith, who sent 40 cards to friends and family during Lent. He reported the fantastic response he had from people on receiving his cards out of the blue, just to say ‘hello’, share a joke or memory.

The GCA Council discussed how they could encourage others to reach out to people they care about, spreading joy by sending cards without an occasion, and Thinking of You Week was born!

This year, the week runs from September 16-22. You can download a free toolkit with templates for social media posts, posters, banners and more from www.thinkingofyouweek.cards/get-involved/toolkit.

• Royal Mail needs to reverse the slide in performance and re-commit to meeting existing performance targets before any changes are agreed for the USO;

• Ofcom’s ‘Future of the Postal Service’ review must facilitate ways for Royal Mail to o er an aligned plan for innovation and growth, grounded in their 500-plus years’ history of public service, and leveraging the trust that postal workers have on every doorstep;

• Both first and second class mail prices should be regulated to avoid further above-inflation rises - including on Saturdays;

• Royal Mail should remain a national service to every household;

• Parcel deliveries should not be prioritised over letter deliveries;

• A national, a ordable, and reliable postal service is vital for high streets and communities across the UK.

GCA CEO Amanda Fergusson said: “Consumers and small businesses are united by a desire to see a postal service that gets back to its best. The businesses and consumers our respective organisations represent are looking to the new administration to recognise the importance of Royal Mail, Post O ces and the associated services communities depend on.

“Whoever owns it, we need lock-tight, long-term undertakings from Royal Mail on a ordability and reliability.”

Royal Mail’s David Gold

Mark Callaby and James Stevens

The venue for the GCA conference

Bira CEO Andrew Goodacre with GCA CEO Amanda Fergusson

IN THE NEWS

GOTY winner

Fox Under The Moon, led by Stacey McNeill, secured the prestigious People’s Choice Award for the second consecutive year with her One Step at a Time greeting card range.

For the first time, The Giftware Association also recognised the next two brands in line. Congratulations to Beevive and Little Dog Laughed for their outstanding contributions and achievements.

(l-r) Fox Under The Moon director Jamie McNeill, founder Stacey McNeill, Lema Publishing MD Mark Naish, and Greetings Today advertisement manager Marian McNamara at Harrogate Home & Gift

“I can’t believe we have been fortunate enough to win The People’s Choice Awards two years running,” Stacey said. “Winning the Gift of the Year People’s Choice Award in 2023 really put us on the map. It was the jumping-o point for us being noticed and taken more seriously in the trade world. This award reflects the personal connection I have with our customers, and it’s been an incredible 12 months for us.”

Speaking at the Harrogate Home & Gift show, Sarah Ward, CEO of The Giftware Association, highlighted the significance of The People’s Choice Award, noting the record-breaking public engagement with more than 8,000 votes cast.

“This award is a testament to the power of connection between brands and consumers,” Sarah said. “The dedication of our shortlisted companies to their products and customers has been truly inspiring, showcasing the ingenuity and resilience that define our industry.”

FOCUS ON... HOLY MACKEREL

Photo shoot is

on brand

A few weekends ago, Kali and Jemima from Kali Stileman Publishing joined forces with Bev from Ginger Bee Studios for a branding shoot – for the second year running.

When asked about their experience, the verdict was unanimous: ‘’We loved every minute of it!’’ said Jemima. ‘’Bev was so incredibly thorough in her planning before; we talked about every aspect of the shoot, from the poses to the colours and the locations. As for the shoot, Bev was brilliant at making us feel so at ease, and after 20 minutes or so we totally forgot we were even in front of the camera, and just had fun!’’

‘Random’ gifts come top in survey

A Rex London survey on what people like and dislike about gift giving revealed that almost half (48%) of respondents expect to receive random gifts from their partners. In fact, the findings revealed that 92% of people prefer giving random gifts rather than Christmas, birthday or gifts for other marked occasions. Some 91% said the same about receiving them.

See full survey result at www.rexlondon.com/blog/nearly-half-us-expectrandom-gifts.

Keeping it sporty

After a summer of sporting occasions, Holy Mackerel is still in active mode!

The Olympics may be over, but the Holy Mackerel team are still celebrating all things sporty, with Erica Sturla’s amazing One Lump or Two card range. There are so many sports covered, from old favourites cricket, golf and football, to the more extreme activities of kitesurfing, snowboarding and mountaineering!

Whether you want a card for badminton player, a wild swimmer or a crown green bowler, Holy Mackerel have got it covered. And what customers particularly love is that there are male and female versions – look out for Erica’s oarswoman, footballer and female rugby player.

“We love Erica’s sporty designs,” says Holy Mackerel’s director Katie Meeke. “They’re bright and fun and full of humour, and the huge choice of sports and other hobbies makes it so easy for someone to find just the perfect card for their recipient”.

Launched this month are male and female hockey cards, and watch this space for more sporting cards on the way – the team haven’t yet been asked for a pole vaulting card but it could happen!

Holy Mackerel

01395 578571

www.holy-mackerel.co.uk

spotlight

Good wood

Ginger Betty’s new range Doodlewood received a lot of love at Home & Gift!

These cute cards are made up of doodles and a printed wooden attachment, on high-quality board, and come with a brown kraft envelope. The captions are quite versatile, so can be used for several sends.

Ginger Betty 01706 557285

hello@gingerbetty.co.uk www.gingerbetty.co.uk

Garden glazes

Jolly hockey sticks!

Just arrived at Holy Mackerel HQ in sunny Pembrokeshire are the latest additions to the One Lump or Two range, featuring two highly requested hockey cards! The cards feature best-selling artist Erica Sturla’s signature polymer clay figures in both a male and female version.

These cards are the perfect addition to the range and accompany the other selection of sports cards perfectly. Each card captures the dynamic motion and spirit of the game, making them perfect for any hockey or sports enthusiast.

These beautifully crafted cards are 15cm square, blank inside, and come cello wrapped for protection. Each card is paired with a high-quality white laid envelope, ensuring they make a striking impression from the moment they are received.

Holy Mackerel 01395 578571

sales@holy-mackerel.co.uk www.holy-mackerel.co.uk

Crackle glazes have been used in ceramic art and pottery for centuries, but combine this with modern botanical designs and you have the stylish new Indigo Garden and Wild Garden collections of vases and planters from Joe Davies. Plus everyone is going ‘loopy’ for bows! This trend coincides with the rise of hyper-feminine fashion and the new Equilibrium Eternal Bow Collection from Joe Davies is feminine to the core. Joe Davies 0161 975 6300 | sales@joedavies.co.uk | www.joedavies.co.uk

Fresh horizons…

Following feedback from sales agents and customers alike, the design team at Jonny Javelin has created a completely new range.

Jonny says that the consensus was that there is a real gap for traditional male cards at the moment – but not featuring the usual sport, alcohol and gaming themes. Following more research, the team came up with a stunning male scenic idea that is both appealing and atmospheric.

The Horizons range features calm, tranquil and picturesque outdoor scenes that make you long to be in the countryside enjoying a walk across the fields or by a river. Jonny is confident that these designs will fill the male birthday gap in the traditional sector of the market.

Initially released in nine male relation titles in Code 75, these are available now with more Open birthdays to follow.

The Jonny Javelin Card Company Ltd 01423 563740

info@jonnyjavelin.co.uk www.jonnyjavelin.co.uk

Stand for attention

Introducing the Sending Sentiments Bracelet Stand.

Letterbox Love introduced this new collection earlier this year and has been blown away by its success! The stand features eight beautifully designed, adjustable bracelets, each with a sparkling cubic zirconia centerpiece. Each bracelet is paired with a heartfelt sentiment, making them the perfect gift for any occasion and an excellent till point pick up.

For £96 you will receive this entire stand (includes five of each design), which has a recommended retail price (RRP) of £279.60 - £6.99 per bracelet). It’s an affordable way to offer something special to your customers. Whether it’s a Thank you for being you, or Sending you a hug or two, these vibrant bracelets are here to make a statement!

Letterbox Love

01773 475760

Literally literary!

Cath Tate Cards is hugely excited about its Henries nominations!

The Lucy Loves Literature range, nominated for Best Contemporary Words and Sentiments Range, showcases hand-illustrated designs by artist Lucy Stephens. Each card features quotes from cherished classic literature, beautifully framed by illustrations that capture the essence of the stories.

In the running for Best Contemporary Trend Range is the Lost Plots collection, featuring hand-drawn typography and illustrations by artist Lisa Robson. The brilliantly vivid colour palette and handdrawn type, inspired by the 70s, feature in each design.

Also nominated, for Best Children’s Range, is the Birthday Blocks collection. This series of nine die-cut number cards, designed for ages one to nine, features bright and fun coloured patterns and blocks enhanced by a spot gloss that creates an embossed effect.

All cards are printed in the UK on high-quality, 100% recycled board. Cath Tate Cards is at Top Drawer Autumn/Winter, stand T21. Cath Tate Cards 020 8671 2166 | orders@cathtatecards.com www.cathtatecards.com

Party animals!

Kali Stileman Publishing’s mini party animal cards have been so popular… the card publisher has brought out even more! This cool collection features adorable animals from a stripy snake to a party-ready pup. The perfect mini cards for birthdays, party invitations and hellos.

Kali Stileman Publishing 01305 848899

info@kalistileman.co.uk

kerry@letterbox-love.co.uk

www.kalistileman.co.uk

Where the wild things are...

Museums & Galleries adds to its successful Wild Press range from artist Helen Ahpornsiri, with more designs, a Christmas collection and products including notelets, gift wrap and tote bags…

Museums & Galleries (M&G) launched its Wild Press collection of cards in 2021. Designed by artist Helen Ahpornsiri, the range was a runaway success from the start, with the artist’s clever and intricate collages of largely British wildlife made from pressed flowers and foliage striking an immediate chord with retailers and consumers alike.

The card range has now doubled to around 30 designs across fine art blank everyday formats to birthdays and special occasions, and its most popular commercial successes have transferred beautifully onto M&G’s wider portfolio products – boxed notelets; gift wraps, bags and tissue; tote bags and pouches; aprons, oven gloves, tea towels and napkins; cushions; insulated bottles and mugs; as well as playing cards, notebooks and journals. 2024 sees her debut in M&G’s Christmas collection, with four new specially commissioned exclusive designs.

Based in East Sussex, artist Helen Ahpornsiri grows and collects flowers, foliage, and seaweeds, which she preserves with traditional flowerpressing methods before delicately re-imagining them into artworks. She works with a variety of flora, preferring fern and wildflower species. Flowers commonly considered weeds are unassuming yet familiar, they can be imbued with folk tales and personal connotations, which resonate with people in di erent ways. The artist is interested in the idea of preserving plants like these and giving them a new narrative.

A guiding principle Helen follows in working with natural materials is

are four new designs

always to contribute more than she takes. The majority of the plants she uses in her work are grown in her small garden. Selected flora is cut for pressing, leaving the rest of the plant to continue growing and providing for the local wildlife.

If foraging from the wild, she follows the BSBI (Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland) code of conduct, only collecting small specimens from abundant species, being careful to cause as little disturbance to the environment as possible.

Helen is very enthusiastic about flower pressing: “Flower pressing is a great activity for both children and adults. It’s a wonderful way to discover, appreciate, and build a connection with the natural world. Presses can often be found in second-hand stores or made using wood, bolts, and wingnuts/straps. Even an old book can be used as a flower press. Most plants that are quite flat will press nicely. There’s a lot of trial and error in flower pressing; try the different flowers and leaves around you and see what works. Some of my favourite plants to press are ferns, forget-me-nots, Queen Anne’s lace, and violas. Excess moisture on your flowers should be avoided so try not to pick on rainy days or dewy mornings. If picking from a garden, only pick a few flowers at a time, as it’s best to keep them as fresh as possible before pressing.”

Helen creates absolutely extraordinary images of wildlife out of the pressed florals, using negative space as well as the pressed material itself to create the image.

It’s a phenomenal bestseller, a real credit

to

Artist Helen Ahpornsiri grows and collects flowers, foliage, and seaweeds, which she preserves with traditional flower-pressing methods before delicately re-imagining them into artworks

floral pieces that comprise the final artwork. However, Helen has risen to the challenge and M&G is proud to present four new designs by Helen Ahpornsiri for Wild Press in its 2024 Christmas Designer Collection.

Helen’s incredible talent as an artist Ben Dorney, creative director, M&G

A brilliant example of her technique is Wildflower Hare, a collage of a hare rising out of a bed of wildflowers to observe its environment. The collaged, pressed florals make up both the meadow and the form of the hare – a brilliant combination of using the pressed materials as collage and as a drawing medium: the hare is perfectly depicted and with great personality. The design is one of the stars of the collection and as such appears on many of the gifting, gift stationery and home and giftware products. Helen explains: “Most of the flowers that form this hare are wild species grown in my little garden. You can spot wild strawberries, forget-menots, dandelions, toadflax, poppies, and many more traditional wildflowers.”

Wildflower Hare has become an iconic Museums & Galleries design, reports Ben Dorney, creative director at M&G. “We rapidly designed a repeat design based on the original to go on gift wrap, tissue paper and gift bags. It’s now transferred to M&G organic cotton products – cushions, the new kitchen textiles (oven gloves, aprons, tea towels, and napkins) as well as tote bags. It also features on our insulated metal bottles and mugs, and various journal formats. It’s a phenomenal bestseller, a real credit to Helen’s incredible talent as an artist.”

The move this year to Christmas designs presented a number of challenges around the selection and foraging of the foliage and floral source materials, as well as the time it takes to painstakingly compose the thousands of individual

Helen has chosen a running theme of a wreath-like spray of foliage to frame various Christmas animal motifs, set off in jewel-like colours against a dark background. There’s a new winter version of the Wildflower Hare, a cheeky new squirrel holding a nut, Christmas mice, and a fabulous winter robin. Each image captures a perfect moment in time and they are standout seasonal designs.

The new Christmas designs are printed on textured board and are packed with white envelopes, eight single designs to a pack, in smart cardboard Designer Collection boxes. SRP is £5.75 per pack. The full collection of four designs also come as a Theme Pack with five each of all four (20 cards and envelopes total) – SRP £8.39.

Helen and M&G are already working on the next generation of designs and products for Wild Press. What’s coming next? Watch this space!

There

by Helen Ahpornsiri for Wild Press in M&G’s 2024 Christmas Designer Collection

Merchandising masterclass

Autumn Fair will open its door to buyers once more this September, with a new o ering for retailers who want to make the most of their shop displays. We find out more...

Autumn Fair will be creating a pop-up shop in the Buyers Lounge and hosting a series of live window Merchandising Masterclasses with visual merchandiser Debbie Flowerday (pictured right).

With extensive knowledge and experience of the display and visual merchandising industry, working globally for well-known retailers including Max Mara, Mary Quant, Estée Lauder, Top Shop, Gucci and Royal Worcester, Flowerday will host live merchandising masterclasses in the Buyers Lounge three times a day followed by audience Q&A’s on the Sunday to Tuesday of the show.

For each of the three days, Flowerday will host a live installation session dressing a shop window within a specific theme and methodology including ‘Gifting & Pyramid Merchandising’, ‘Seasonal & Repetition Merchandising’, and ‘Building a Collection & Grouping Merchandising’. During the first session of the day, visitors will be invited to watch live as she constructs the window display and brings the theme to life.

For the following two sessions, Flowerday will talk through the elements of the display she created that morning and take audience questions. In between sessions, Flowerday will o er some 1-2-1 personalised masterclass sessions with buyers.

Exhibitor comment

What do you enjoy about the show?

What I enjoy about all trade shows is the opportunity to meet up with customers and colleagues in the industry. Autumn Fair is quite di erent from the others. It’s quite intimate and relaxed yet big enough to make it a worthwhile visit for customers.

Any tips for newbie visitors?

Best advice ever is wear comfortable shoes. Think day at a festival rather than day at the races! The food options have definitely got better over the years. If saving time and/or money is key, then bring something with you. Always keep a banana or energy bar in your bag for emergencies. And remember to keep hydrated.

What’s your most memorable story/experience from previous shows?

Most of the memorable ‘incidents’ happen during set-up and no one ever knows once the show is open. Drop by for a chat and ask us!

What one product or range should greeting card retailers check out at the show?

We are beyond excited (some might say super excited) about the new Ella collection. So, we just can’t wait for everyone to see it. Did we say we’re excited…! Come and see for yourself.

Lorraine Bradley, Rush Design, Stand 6B10

What: Autumn Fair

When: Sept 1-4

Where: NEC Birmingham

Web: www.autumnfair.com/visitor-registration

Multiple choice!

The Art File team is thrilled to be attending Autumn Fair, showcasing its bestselling Everyday, Christmas and Spring Seasons collections. With hundreds of new designs to choose from, there’s something for everyone looking to celebrate an important event.

The Everyday collections include two notable new card collections named Tale & Ivy and Zig Zag Zoo. Other standout releases include new designs across bestselling card ranges, new looks in gift bags, wrap and new stationery.

The Art File will be showcasing Spring Seasons 2025 for those buyers who want to plan ahead for next year. This collection includes more than 70 new designs across all the major spring events for 2025.

Autumn Fair will be the last chance to order from the multi-award-winning Christmas 2024 collection, which has been curated to make your festive gift-giving even more magical. With more than 170 new designs, from a range of charity cards to a selection of luxurious boxed cards and hand-folded 3D pop-ups, there’s something for everyone in this stunning collection.

The Art File will be at Autumn Fair with sister company Tall Boy Prints, which sells luxury fine art prints. View a curated selection of these art prints at Autumn Fair and see the full catalogue in person.

New for you

As the busy trading season heats up in retail, Autumn Fair offers an invaluable opportunity to discover Joe Davies latest gift and jewellery collections. The company has one of the largest collections of gifts, jewellery, and fashion ranges in the industry, making a visit to the stand a must for retailers.

One of Joe Davies’ bestselling ranges are the branded snoozies! - cosy little foot coverings; they have been popular for over 12 years with well over two million pairs sold. Combining comfort with style, they’re lined with luxurious sherpa fleece and feature non-slip soles. This season there are new adorable ‘Furry Foot pals’ - cats, mice, dogs and pigs - available in both kids and ladies sizes, a new version of the bestselling ’lots of dots’ with the addition of a Cute Dottie bow and new pairables such as Land Rover for men, new owl design, there’s even something for the chocoholics and wineoholics on a cold night! To help retailers maximise their sales, Joe Davies is offering an attractive free snoozies! spinner with any order of 144 pairs. Don’t miss the opportunity to stock up on these bestselling cosy foot coverings.

In the world of home décor and thoughtful gifts, Joe Davies continues to set the standard with the enchanting new collection of resin gifts called Loving Lavender; crafted with attention to detail, these pieces make perfect gifts for friends, family and loved ones. The range features a theme of lavender pots, pretty flowers and toadstools in soft pastel colours and each one has a lovely heartfelt message.

When it comes to fashion accessories, the Equilibrium Collection from Joe Davies has you covered, even for the hardest-to-shop-for men. As we approach the cold, wet season, the Equilibrium men’s fashion accessories collection offers the perfect combination of style and functionality ensuring you stay warm and look good. The men’s collection includes warm scarves, chenille beanie hats, fleecy and knitted style gloves all packaged in a luxury branded gift box, making them the ideal Christmas gift.

Also, there are lots of exciting new Equilibrium Jewellery ranges beautifully packaged ready for Christmas; this ever-popular brand always comes up with the perfect finished gift. One new key collection is the new Geometric square range. The Equilibrium Geometric Collection features an array of pieces that combine classic shapes with modern design. With clean lines and sharp angles, classic squares, and contemporary rectangles in mixed metals of silver, gold and rose gold, this eye-catching jewellery will add a touch of sophistication to any outfit.

The excitement doesn’t end with the Geometric collection, there are so many more jewellery and gift collections to be showcased at Autumn Fair.

Joe Davies has built a reputation for delivering high-quality, stylish products that stand the test of time. Ordering couldn’t be easier with its well known ‘little and often’ quantities and the surprisingly low minimum order value of just £100 for free nationwide delivery. Stand

Top 100

Laura Darrington Design is launching its Spring Season 25 collection at Autumn Fair, featuring more than 100 designs across Valentine, Mother’s Day, Easter and Father’s Day captions.

All seasonal designs o er a diversity of styles and sentiments needed for Spring 25. Also on show will be 18 new relation captions and the new Kingdom everyday collection.

Stand 6C11

Laura Darrington Design 0116 2849660 www.lauradarrington.com

Rush returns to NEC

After a year o , Rush Design will be back at the NEC for Autumn Fair. The card publisher will be o cially launching a new collection - Ella. This range will initially focus on Female relations, Male relations and Occasions. Something new from Rush, Ella has a simple and elegant style with a striking colour palette. Printed on textured FSC board and finished with a gorgeous gold foil and matched with a classic cream envelope. Ella will be in a new slightly larger card size 165 x 165mm.

A New Spring Season collection is also being launched, which includes Valentine’s, Mother’s Day, Easter and Father’s Day. There will also be additions to the classic collections from Rush including more Mango designs. The 2024 Christmas collection will still be available to order too.

Joe Davies will also be at Autumn Fair showcasing new glassware and gift bag lines from licensing collaboration with Rush.

Lorraine said: “We are really looking forward to being back at the Autumn Fair this and seeing customers new and existing.”

Stand 6B10

Rush Design 01788 521745

info@rushdesign.co.uk www.rushdesign.co.uk

Sparkle Ar t

Bridgewater Pen Company

Creative Crochet Kits

Scribe Pen Collection

Cream of the crop

Design-led trade show Top Drawer returns to London Olympia with its Autumn/Winter o ering…

Design-led trade show Top Drawer is back for its Autumn Winter edition from September 8-10. For three days, Olympia London will be transformed into the ultimate sourcing destination for product discovery, set to inspire buyers, designers and retailers alike.

As the new season kicks o , Top Drawer o ers design-led and innovative products all curated under one roof. Retailers will be able to discover bestsellers, while designers will be inspired by original and aesthetically driven products - all on-trend.

Visitors will be able to explore more than 600 brands where newness is at the centre of each sector

Top Drawer is renowned for curating the best design-led brands across multiple sectors covering the full lifestyle spectrum. All the essential product categories will be catered for with the show’s sectors o ering Greetings & Stationery, Gift, Home, Fashion & Jewellery, Play, Wellbeing, Food Emporium and Launchpad.

Visitors will be able to explore more than 600 brands where newness is at the centre of each sector, as Top Drawer continues to fly the flag for fresh brands and emerging talent.

Top brands will be returning to the show including ACADEMIE, Aery, Alex Monroe, Boho Betty UK, Bookspeed, Bottled Baking Co., By Eloise, Chalk UK, Charlotte’s Web Jewellery, Clockwork Soldier, Coco Pzazz, Copper Bee, Estella Bartlett, Hyggen LTD, Kikkerland, Kind Bag, LORDS Fragrance House, My Doris, Nordic Flowers, Ohh Deer, Olor, Once Upon a Tuesday, Redecker, S-c Brands, Suck UK, Talking Tables, Toasted Crumpet Designs and We Are Proper Good to name a few.

Plus, these will be joined by fresh brands just waiting to be snapped up, including: Annie Brougham Illustration, Artemis Muse, Ash + Ember, BUFF UK, Callie Stay

New this year…

New for 2024, Top Drawer will continue championing brands by partnering with IND!E to host the first-ever Top Drawer Product Pitch. A panel of top retailers will hear from four brands as they pitch their products in the hope of winning a one-week pop-up with a leading retailer.

Cool, Candle Flair, Charlie Bears, Conscious Yoga Collective, dog&boy, Happy Sunshine Studio, Fin Creative Studio Ltd, Morris Prints, Namaste UK, Oaks & Willow, One of a Kind Club Ltd, Unique Linen, along with lots more.

Launchpad latest

For those buyers looking for the latest discoveries from emerging brands, Launchpad is the place to find them. Among this collection of fresh talent, buyers will find stationery, homewares, gifts, art and more from new brands that retailers need to stock. This season’s Launchpad will welcome Flu mallow, Freya Niamh Design, Illustrated by Weezy, Mimo, Minibeau Ltd, Neesh Homewares Ltd, Other Lovely Things, The Way to You, Westmount Art, Willow Leather, plus more just waiting to be discovered.

Aside from product sourcing, Top Drawer provides the chance to gain industry insights with another inspirational lineup taking to the Retail Revealed stage and a brilliant selection of experts on hand at the Business Hub. Visitors will hear from an exciting line-up of industry experts ready to impart their knowledge on the stage.

What: Top Drawer

Autumn/Winter

Where: Olympia, London

When: September 8-10

Web: www. topdrawer.co.uk

A decade of design

Card publisher Rush Design has been enjoying an extra special 2024. This year is the 10th anniversary since owner Lorraine Bradley put pen to paper and launched Rush Design following several life-changing events.

Things have grown organically year after year with great support from customers, agents, trade shows, trade magazines and of course an amazing husband who is also an agent in the Midlands - looking at you, Ian Bradley!. This greeting card duo are a force to be reckoned with when they get their heads together on planning everything from new ranges and captions to trade show building and magazine editorials. They also managed to fit in the annual Cardgains charity walk at the end of June, covering more than 100 miles in training beforehand.

This year, Rush has had three trade shows on the calendar, starting with Spring Fair back in February followed by PG Live in June, both of which were hugely successful, with the new 5x7 size Mango card range getting special interest from export customers. After taking a break from Autumn Fair last year, Rush Design is back once again this September on Stand 6B10.

“With four months of the year still to go it’s a great show for customers who are looking for some autumn

As Rush Design celebrates its 10th anniversary, we take a look at the card publisher’s achievements during that time, and its plans for the future

newness along with current products and last-minute Christmas orders too,” says Lorraine.

The collaboration between Rush Design and Joe Davies continues with a collection of fabulous new glassware featuring Wedding, Anniversary and landmark Ages. Plus, a new selection of male, female and occasion gift bags. Joe Davies will also

‘‘With a new collectionElla - and our first spring season collection for several years launching at Autumn Fair, that will be more than 200 new designs across seven new collections in 2024’’

Lorraine

Bradley, owner Rush Design

be at Autumn Fair where you can see all the Rush Design products on display. “Many of our customers buy from Joe Davies too, which is a great combination when a lot of the product matches in with our card designs,” says Lorraine.

She continues: “One of the main aims for our 10th year in greeting card publishing was always to release as much newness as possible for our fabulous customers. With a new collection - Ella - and our

first spring season collection for several years launching at Autumn Fair, that will be more than 200 new designs across seven new collections in 2024.’’ This is a feat for a celebration itself.

So, what are the plans for 2025?

Rush Design will simply build on the epic year that has been 2024. There will be newness ready for January followed by even more new designs ready for Spring Fair at the start of February.

Lorraine and the Rush Design team would like to say a huge thank you to all of their customers for their support, orders, feedback and loyalty over the first 10 years. It has been fun, exciting, challenging and rewarding too. Here’s to the next 10 years of making people smile with everything that a greeting card delivers.

Rush Design

01788 521745 info@rushdesign.co.uk www.rushdesign.co.uk

Let’s hear it for the girls!

Behind Christmas and Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day is the third bestselling card day of the year, so kick o the spring seasons in style with this selection of cards for Mums, Grans, Aunts and more. And of course no one has to wait until Mother’s Day to make the girls or women in their life feel specialthere’s plenty of fabulous cards to choose from, whatever the time of the year…

Spring seasons

The Art File team is excited to showcase its Spring Seasons 2025 collections at Autumn Fair, including cards and gifts for Mother’s Day. This includes two new collections and extensions to popular Mother’s Day card ranges.

The Art File is also showcasing three new tote bag designs in its tote bag collection. These bags are made from recyclable cotton and come with an internal pocket, making them the perfect sustainable gift for fashion lovers. The Art File sales@theartfile.com | www.theartfiletrade.com

Blending texture and artistry

Eloise Hall’s beautifully delicate blank greetings cards are inspired by the beauty and power of nature, making them ideal for feminine themes and Mother’s Day. Each collection begins with a handcrafted collage, created from hand-cut shapes using patterned origami paper, along with ink drawings. This blend of textures and artistry results in cards that are both visually appealing and meaningful.

With more than 100 designs, Eloise Hall o ers cards for a variety of occasions, including milestone birthdays (ages 30 to 80), anniversaries, engagements, weddings, new baby celebrations, sympathy, and Mother’s Day. Special attention is given to maternal figures, including grandmothers, ensuring that every motherly role is acknowledged. Additionally, many cards are available in Welsh, providing a personal touch for Welsh-speaking recipients.

Holy Mackerel, the publishers behind Eloise Hall’s cards, are dedicated to maintaining her high print quality and ecofriendly principles. All cards are printed in the UK on FSC-certified board and wrapped in biodegradable cornstarch bags. For those who prefer an even greener option, ‘naked’ cards without packaging are also available upon request.

Eloise Hall’s cards are not just greetings; they are carefully crafted pieces that capture the essence of nature and the warmth of human connections. Whether celebrating a special occasion or simply reaching out to someone you care about, these cards provide a beautiful and thoughtful way to express your sentiments.

Holy Mackerel

01395 578571

sales@holy-mackerel.co.uk www.holy-mackerel.co.uk

The bag trade

For Mother’s Day, Glick has six bag ranges available to pre-order now with delivery in Jan 2025. The team has its eyes on both sustainability and SOR for customers across its spring ranges. And so by design only one of the bags in the range says ‘Mum’ and all of the others can be used for everyday displays! Glick

01274 655980 | sales@glick.co.uk info@glick.co.uk | www.trade.glick.co.uk

It’s in the bag!

Crossbody camera style bags and sling bags are quickly becoming fashion essentials with their structured design and trendy colours. The new Equilibrium bag collection from Joe Davies features an array of these popular bags in various colours, all equipped with attractive removable straps. The collection includes camera bags with either single or double zips/compartments and practical, yet stylish sling bags, perfect for wearing across the body or around the waist, all available in a selection of colours and styles.

If you haven’t embraced the bag strap trend yet, now is the time! Interchangeable bag straps are fun, easy and an affordable way to jazz up and personalise your bags. Equilibrium bag straps come in two widths and a range of exciting designs/colours, including animal prints, elegant stripes, jacquard and many more, so if you’re looking for a Christmas gift or even a Mother’s Day gift, these bags and straps are just perfect!

Joe Davies is proud to be 100% employee owned and its award-winning customer service offers free nationwide delivery, carriage paid orders starting at just £100 and an easy ‘little and often’ ordering system. Joe Davies 0161 975 6300 | sales@joedavies.co.uk | www.joedavies.co.uk

Fabulous florals

Kali Stileman Publishing’s floral greeting cards for girls are perfect for all the wonderful women in your life! Inspired by its best-selling floral range, these cards feature the same delicate flowers and lovely lettering, and are aimed at lovely aunts, gorgeous wives and fabulous sisters to name just a few.

Kali Stileman Publishing 01305 848899

info@kalistileman.co.uk www.kalistileman.co.uk

What’s in a name?

Mum, Mam, Mom? Jonny Javelin has responded to this regionally alternative way of addressing that most important relation in everyone’s life. Jonny says that they have been asked for many years to include Mam in their Velvet range of cards, but only recently to also include Mom. This is a West Midlands favourite (as well as across the pond). Always keen to keep their customers happy, Jonny Javelin has recently expanded its ‘maternal’ captions.

These three titles are all included in the recent release of 11 beautiful new female relations and special friends in Velvet Code 75. As always, these cards include a lovely colour printed insert and have a four- or eight-line verse. All feature colourful, pretty and pleasing scenes with embossing and silver foiled finishes to enhance the images. Available to order now.

The Jonny Javelin Card Company 01423 563740

info@jonnyjavelin.co.uk www.jonnyjavelin.co.uk

Blossoms for her

Alljoy Design, with its Henries shortlisted card ranges, offers beautiful cards for Mother’s Day and women in general. The Message in a Bottle range, complete with the new colour options, allows you to gift a beautiful 3D card that the recipient will cherish. While the laser cut Blossoms range, shortlisted for Mother’s Day card at the Henries 2024, offers floral, delicate greeting cards. With designs to appeal to the women in everyone’s life, these cards are a joy to give and receive. Printed in Ireland on luxury textured paper. Alljoy Design info@alljoydesign.com www.alljoydesign.com

New for mums

Laura Darrington Design has introduced 35 new Mother’s Day designs for Spring 2025. These designs range from punchy captions in Aurora (as pictured) to softer more sentimental designs in the Spectrum and Noted collection.

Laura Darrington Design 0116 2849660

www.lauradarrington.com

Something different…

If there’s one thing the design team at Rachel Ellen Designs don’t want to do, it’s follow the crowd and do the same as everyone else! As with so many ranges, the Mother’s Day cards offer something different, using many of the trademark finishes such as die-cutting, clever attachments and other embellishments. The results are special when combined with the unique artwork created by Rachel and her team. What’s special about Rachel Ellen however is the ability to send a gorgeous card alongside an equally lovely gift, be that a luxury boxed pen or coordinated notebook, a truly stunning design from their new mug range, and to be able to wrap it or use a gift bag from the new range of gift packaging, genuinely the one-stop shop for cards and gifts for a special mother, friend or female relative.

Rachel Ellen Designs 0115 970 0321

sales@rachelellen.co.uk | www.rachelellen.co.uk

Springing into action

This year Rush Design will be launching its first Spring Season collection for several years. Following many requests from loyal retailers, Lorraine has decided that the time is right to spring into action for 2025. The plan is to have a carriage paid package focusing on the four main spring seasons: Valentine’s, Mother’s Day, Easter and Father’s Day.

The big opportunity here is without doubt Mother’s Day, which continues to be the next strongest card-buying season after Christmas. Celebrating this very special day is the high point of the spring season and it is a great occasion to show our love for the mother or mother figure in our lives. Captions will include Mother’s Day, Mothering Sunday, Mummy and Mum.

The new Spring package will be launched at Autumn Fair.

Rush Design 01788 521745 info@rushdesign.co.uk | www.rushdesign.co.uk

Heartwarming words

So many special women impact our lives in so many ways. Which is why UK Greetings continues to look for new and creative cards to help consumers connect with those they love. From refreshed classic floral looks to the modern elegance of intricate paper engineering, its female line truly stands out from the crowd. And if these cards are designed to turn her head, the beautifully crafted messages are written to warm her heart. Whether they’re traditional verses that celebrate her special day or messages that authentically capture the way consumers speak, they’re the perfect package.

UK Greetings salesandservice@ukgreetings.co.uk

Great for garden centres Supplier opinion

Cards and gifts are a staple part of the garden centre o ering, bring year-round sales - and just as much of a draw for shoppers as plants, garden furniture and tools. Here’s a few ideas for your next round of orders…

Zara Grindrod, sales and brand director, Rainbow Designs

How long have you been supplying garden centres - and how important are these relationships to your broader retail strategy?

Garden centres are a very important and valuable sector of our retail supply chain. We recognised, about 10 years ago that with the change in high street retail, and the move to online platforms, that garden centres were in a strong position to become the new department stores. Today they are the place to go, not just to buy plants, but for a day out, an experience, and the perfect opportunity to pick up unique and thoughtful gifts.

Kali Stileman Publishing has truly gone back to its roots with this botanical collection: a greeting card range of delicate flora and foliage on lovely linen textured board. This collection first took shape over 20 years ago when Kali was a botanical illustrator, taught by Kew gardens artist, Paddy Sellars!.

Stileman

Which of your product lines work particularly well in garden centres?

Parents also take little ones to garden centres to help keep them occupied, and so having lines in stock that they will connect with, and ask for, is vital. Particularly popular are ranges featuring garden-based animals and animals in general, including Peter Rabbit and Flopsy Bunny, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Guess How Much I Love You, Paddington, and Disney’s Winnie the Pooh. Some of our bestselling lines include our high-quality, licensed character nursery essentials, such as comforters, ring rattles and gift sets, as well as our Classic Paddington soft toys.

How can you make an impact on the shop floor of a garden centre?

Garden centres o er the space and environment to allow for some creative retail theatre, with bold, creative and enticing displays. As part of our retail support we have created some beautiful wooden and permanent FSDUs for these particular retailers, that have the capacity to display multiple ranges and product selections, in the most attractive and eyecatching way

Loving natural beauty

Many of The Art File card and gift wrap collections are inspired by the beauty of nature, making them perfect gifts for garden centres. From bestselling card collections such as Natural Phenomenon and Nature Trail, designed by Kate Heiss, to the bestselling Christmas collections, there’s something for every type of nature lover.

The Art File team is also excited to showcase three new tote bag designs in its tote bag collection. These bags are made from recyclable cotton and come with an internal pocket, making them the perfect sustainable gift.

Visit The Art File at Autumn Fair to see its Everyday and Gift collections. Come say hello at Stand 6D30-E31.

The Art File

sales@theartfile.com www.theartfiletrade.com

Inspired by nature

Alongside a broad and diverse range of greeting cards that appeal to a large audience, Cherry Orchard Publishing has a high-quality, ecofriendly card range, which is the ideal fit for garden centres. The publisher’s Nature’s Diary range celebrates great British nature with traditionally hand-painted flowers and wildlife that can be found across the UK. The natureinspired artwork sits alongside interesting facts and observations about wildlife and habitats giving them a sketch/note book feel.

This appealing range covers a variety of titles including, relation birthday, open birthday and popular occasions, which are all price code 60. There are also the month you were born in cards included in the range.

To give the customer a greener choice, the Nature’s Diary range is printed on FSC credited board using a carbon neutral press and is supplied with an eco kraft recyclable envelope.

As eco-conscious publishers, Cherry Orchard also has an a liation with 9 trees, a non-profit organisation whose vision is to tackle climate change by restoring woodland habitats.

Cherry Orchard

01684 295500

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

Walk on the wild side

Ailsa Black’s cards, with their stunning nature and wildlife themes, are a perfect fit for any garden centre. Originally, she launched her blank range, Fields and Fathoms, which includes 48 beautifully vibrant square cards. These cards feature the wildlife she encounters during her walks through the countryside and along the coast of Dumfries and Galloway. Being Scottish, Ailsa often includes plenty of charming Highland cows in her designs.

Due to popular demand, Holy Mackerel has expanded her collection to include occasion cards. This year, it introduced We Two - a series showcasing Ailsa’s gorgeous watercoluor wildlife images paired with simple, heartfelt messages. Whether it’s a birthday wish, a note to say, thinking of you, or a simple thank you, these cards are sure to bring a touch of nature’s beauty and warmth to every special moment.

UK made and blank inside, the cards are 15cm square with 12 different designs to choose from, and they come wrapped in cornstarch bags.

Holy Mackerel 01395 578571

sales@holy-mackerel.co.uk

www.holy-mackerel.co.uk

The perfect fit!

Ginger Betty cards and stationery fit beautifully into garden centres, especially when displayed all together; it really shows the products off to their best. Ginger Betty products have a very natural feel, with the wildlife illustrations, textured board and wooden elements, which sit perfectly within a garden centre environment.

The publisher offers a range of stationery in CDUs, and also cards in a spinner, and its keepsake cards in a CDU. When these are put together, they create a beautiful display.

According to the gift buyer at Priory Farm Estate’s garden centre, Redhill (pictured, right): “The range is doing so well for us. Customers are loving the sentiments of the cards and can find a message that is suitable for every occasion or event.”

Ginger Betty owner Tracey Colliston adds: “Our agent Bella says ‘Ginger Betty is proving to be just the thing for many occasions. The whimsical designs and characters are adorable and Tracey manages to capture the cuteness of the animals to the right caption’.’’

Ginger Betty 01706 557285

07923 368612

hello@gingerbetty.co.uk www.gingerbetty.co.uk

Just adorable!

Brighten up garden centre displays with adorable bunnies, bears and caterpillars from Rainbow Designs’ award-winning, licensed classic character collections. With bestselling ranges including Peter Rabbit, Disney’s Winnie the Pooh, Paddington Bear, Guess How Much I Love You, The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Snowman and Snowdog, these collections offer beautiful, high-quality gifts and easy pick-up lines for every generation of garden centre visitor.

Peter Rabbit is a favourite woodland character that brings to life any garden centre display. Rainbow Designs’ Rabbit Signature Collection is a beautiful range of forever toys, created to be shared across generations, includes adorable soft toys, comforters and ring rattles, and featuring two of the most traditional and much-loved children’s literary characters. Joining this popular gifting range this autumn are Signature Peter Rabbit and Flopsy Bunny Gift Sets. The baby soft plush toy and knitted blanket, featuring a white bunny silhouette with a cute bobble tail, comes beautifully packaged in an illustrated keepsake box.

The beautiful Disney Classic Pooh Always and Forever range is a collection of truly special Winnie the Pooh soft toys and baby gifts, including gift-boxed soft toys, comforters and ring rattles. Designed with high-quality fabrics and featuring a beautiful bespoke print, these lines have been created with a vision for these adorable toys to be treasured for many years to come - Always and Forever.

A festive must-have for any winter display is Rainbow Designs’ range of Raymond Briggs’ The Snowman and The Snowdog soft toys. The Snowman Musical Soft Toy, alongside the Snowman and Snowdog bean toys make beautiful Christmas gifts; there are free Standees available too. After all, what is Christmas without the Snowman!

Gifts from The Very Hungry Caterpillar range make wonderful treats for little ones, encouraging the fun of gardening and a love for the great outdoors. Rainbow’s colourful Very Hungry Caterpillar soft and wooden toy collection, with strong primary colours, and a variety of textures and sounds, is designed to stimulate senses and encourage development through play.

Rainbow Designs 01329 227300

sales@rainbowdesigns.co.uk www.rainbowdesigns.co.uk

Cards and Gifts for Garden Centres

Glick’s new Louise Mulgrew floral bags and Stephanie Dyment Bee Meadow best sellers are so popular that the company is increasing the range to include a shopper and bottle bag. Glick

01274 655980 | sales@glick.co.uk info@glick.co.uk www.trade.glick.co.uk

Making hay even when the sun doesn’t shine

Peter Burks, CEO of the Garden Centre Association, shares his insight into the economic resilience of garden centres and the shifting product mix that makes them family destinations

Garden centres have not been in existence all that many years, with our own Garden Centre Association (GCA) founded in just 1966, so at the very beginning of the retail nursery journey. How they have changed since then, with the aims to reduce both the impact of the weather – never more keenly felt than this spring – and the seasonality of gardening affecting many of the changes that our customers enjoy today.

Garden centres are very easy places for people to visit, and the quality of garden centre buildings has dramatically improved - and with it the standards of visual merchandising, particularly in the home, gift and clothing departments. Here the standards are now significantly above what you see in the high street.

Garden centres are the go-to place for cards, children’s toys, general giftsparticularly for Mothering Sunday and Father’s Day - candles and home fragrance, to name just a few. Sustainable sourcing is the buzz word in these ranges to try to match the environmental credentials of our members’ plant departments.

The range of product is also very important to ensure all members of the family are catered for; there are even ride-on lawn mowers, garden tractors and barbecues to keep those not so gift-, lifestyle- and plant-oriented amused. Then of course there is Christmas with quite staggering displays and activities for every age group. Events certainly help to bring in a completely different age group for this season; encouraging them to come at other times for these non-gardening items too.

Bottled love

Alljoy Design has cards designed specifically to appeal to the gardening world. The 3D Message in a Bottle cards are full of colour and offer a unique way to celebrate everyone’s love of gardening and the natural world. In addition there are 3D square cards from the Miniature World (Henries 2023 Winners) which offer an alternative beautiful greeting card. These two ranges can be displayed on a unique two-format spinner. Additionally, Alljoy Design offers the Blossom range of laser cut greeting cards with loads of colour and floral design. All cards are designed and printed in Ireland. Alljoy Design info@alljoydesign.com www.alljoydesign.com

Once the shopping is over there are play areas for the children and of course first-class restaurant facilities for all. Technology continues to move forward at pace and the area where I think I have seen the biggest changes is in our members’ restaurants. The range of service options has changed significantly, many driven by changes made during the Covid years.

Some centres still have counter service with a great range of food, much of it homegrown, and with local provenance clearly on show. Some have table service still provided by humans, while others are using apps. Who would have thought our customer base could move so smoothly to something like this? Others have gone to a model more often seen in fast food outlets, with electronic ordering from screens, again a change that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.

I’m also pleased to see the increase in the use of QR codes to help to educate our customers on particular plants and products. This will undoubtedly lead to our customers having greater success with these as well as leading to greater loyalty when they can see some of the thinking and work that has gone on behind the scenes.

The level of community engagement seen in so many GCA member garden centres is really quite breathtaking. There are great schemes in restaurants encouraging customers to interact and sit together; centres organising programmes of in-house demonstrations and lectures; hosting and/or sponsoring local fruit, veg and flower shows; organising coach trips to gardens of interest, to mention just a few.

Then there are lots of activities to engage with children, particularly during the school holidays, and some of the play areas are quite incredible, with great catering facilities added in, some even attracting school parties!

The industry is fortunate that the vagaries of the economy rarely have an impact on sales performance, with the weather having far more of an input. Again, the good news here is that even poor weather rarely lasts for long, and with the range of retail options available now, garden centres can still ‘make hay’ even when the sun doesn’t shine.

With the level of innovation currently being displayed, I’m sure the industry is looking at a very strong future.

The GCA represents more than 200 garden centres nationwide. Through sharing information and its inspection programme, it helps members achieve high standards in customer service, plant quality and reliability. Visit www.gca.org.uk

Just paw-fect!

Martin Eaglen introduces Dog’s Paw, which specialises in localisation and customisation in its cards o ering, to Greetings Today readers…

Can you tell us a little about Dog’s Paw’s background?

Dog’s Paw is run by myself and my wife Maria; we both have an exceptional track record in the greeting card and art world. Maria began her art career as an artists’ representative in Brussels, Singapore, and New York, working primarily in the advertising, poster, and fine art print market. After several years spent working in the corporate sector in the City, she ran her own label company, publishing cards for Clinton’s. Subsequently, she took over running the studio at Gibson Greetings, where her organisational and artist management skills came into play.

My involvement in greeting cards began as a young art school dropout when I met Hanson White’s primary artist in a pub. I went on to become creative director at Hanson White, eventually moving to Athena International, where I met Maria. I then set up a company designing and producing own-brand products for Clinton Cards. In 1991, I was a founder of Gibson Greetings, and following the company’s acquisition by American Greetings (UKG), I became licensing director.

With our passion for greeting cards, in 2002, Maria and I set up Dog’s Paw

We have to ask - why Dog’s Paw?! We’re often asked that! When the company was being established, our solicitor called to discuss the incorporation and potential names. At the time, we were extremely busy and couldn’t come up with anything. Just then, our dog Monty (sadly no longer with us) lifted his paw, seeking attention, so we jokingly suggested ‘Dog’s Paw’, thinking we could change it later. To our surprise, people liked it, and the name stuck.

How do you support retailers?

By stocking Dog’s Paw, independent retailers can o er their customers a unique and engaging product that stands out from the competition. Our collection covers a wide range of titles, ensuring you’ll find the perfect card for any event. Incorporating Dog’s Paw designs

will transform any greeting card display into a vibrant and fun o ering, delighting your customers.

To support our retail partners, we produce a choice of 25 eye-catching posters for store windows, featuring Dog’s Paw cards with a focus on the neighbourhood connection or diversity products. The localised posters are headlined with your location, attracting customers and reinforcing the unique, localised nature of our products and local nature of your store.

‘‘We know that a good laugh and some hometown pride are a match made in heaven. Localisation is at the heart of what we do’’

What’s di erent about your card o ering?

We know that a good laugh and some hometown pride are a match made in heaven. Localisation is at the heart of what we do. By incorporating city, town and village names, our cards resonate with customers and recipients alike.

Stocking localised products not only boosts customer satisfaction but also drives sales with a personalised shopping experience. We understand the power of humour and hometown pride. Our studio crafts each card with humour or thoughtful sentiment, and detailed illustrations, incorporating the local town name. Imagine sending a personalised birthday card to the Best Mum, Loveliest Sister or Greatest Brother in your town. Our cards make moments even more special!

Dog’s Paw also o ers high-quality cards with a level of personalisation normally only available online. We also o er all the regional variations of titles, whether it’s Mum, Mam, Mom, Grandma, Nan, Granny, or Grannie - we do them all. We feel that for retailers, this local touch is invaluable.

And what’s new?

We have recently introduced Giant cards as a size choice for all of our designs.These are particularly popular for milestone birthdays, anniversaries, and titles for female loved ones. Giants, measuring 220 x 312mm, are packed in units of three. The dimensions of Code 75 cards are 155 x 222mm, supplied in packs of six with white C5 envelopes. This is the largest size for standard postage. We have recently released a diversity range covering a wide variety of titles and plan to grow this o ering. Do you have any environmental credentials you’d like to tell us about?

Absolutely - we are committed to quality and sustainability. All of our cards are meticulously designed and printed in-house at our UK factory using the latest digital printing technology. This ensures vibrant colours, sharp details, and minimal waste, making our cards not just delightful but eco-friendly. Each order is printed on demand, which means we don’t have large amounts of stagnant inventory stored in warehouses. This approach reduces the need to send unsold products to landfills. Anything else you’d like to add?

Our quick turnaround time means we can o er hundreds of customisable designs, delivered to your doorstep in just five working days! And the best part? We believe our prices are as competitive as our turnaround time, ensuring you get exceptional quality without breaking the bank.

All Dog’s Paw cards have full-colour inside illustrations, reflecting the front design, adding extra perceived value. There’s also a full-colour illustration on the back page. We like to say every Dog’s Paw card is a little piece of art that guarantees a smile.

Dog’s Paw

01938 500 740

maria@dogspaw.co.uk

www.dogspaw.co.uk

Monty inspired the company name

Comfort in a card

Whether it’s a card to send to a bereaved loved one, or simply a message that we’re thinking of you, a card can say so much…

Say you care

Sending greeting cards is an integral part of British culture, and with Thinking Of You Week in September, it’s a great opportunity to show the power of sending greeting cards. Cards are such a tangible way of making someone feel special, and cared for, and for just keeping in touch.

Following customer feedback, there is an increased demand for cards to simply to brighten someone’s day; cards to say hello, share a joke or just to show someone you are thinking of them.

Cherry Orchard Publishing has an extensive range of sympathy cards with thoughtful artwork and colour palettes, finished with metallic foil and heartfelt verse.

Cherry Orchard

01684 295500

Portable hugs

Ginger Betty owner Tracey Colliston says: “At Ginger Betty we have a wide selection of sentiment sympathy cards. We try to keep the words short, and when added to the cute illustrations, they give lots of meaning.

“Illustrating the card, and at the same time thinking of the words, helps me to create a deeper feeling. Sometimes, at difficult times, it’s hard to know the right things to say. Hopefully our cards help to get feelings across in those situations.’’

These keepsake cards are perfect to keep in your purse for a little reminder - either for words of encouragement or a reminder of how much you’re loved. They’re like a portable hug!

Ginger Betty

01706 557285 ӏ 07923 368612

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

hello@gingerbetty.co.uk www.gingerbetty.co.uk

A mix of messages

Words are at the heart of what helps UK Greetings connect its customers to those they love.

For those who prefer to let the card do the speaking, the traditional verses from Helen Steiner Rice continue to prove time and again why they’re so popular. Meanwhile, for consumers who are looking for extensions or precursors to their card message, Little Voice authentically captures this across a variety of sending situations.

One area people struggle the most to find the words is Sympathy. In answer to this, UKG o ers a mix of di erent approaches to help – including one card that encourages the recipient to take care of themselves. Not only does this add a more personal touch to the message, it also feels applicable for other situations where the sender wants to o er their support.

UK Greetings salesandservice@ukgreetings.co.uk

Thoughts in bloom

As one of the most important captions in its ranges, Laura Darrington is always adding to its Sympathy o ering. Designs featured here are two of the most popular additions to the Bloom collection.

Laura Darrington Design

0116 2849660 www.lauradarrington.com

Growing sympathy

Rush Design o ers an extensive variety of greeting cards for expressing love and care at di cult times. This section of captions has always been strong for Rush. Encouraged by the feedback from retailers and customers, the team is always evolving this sector and growing the range.

Titles include Sympathy, Thinking of You, Feeling Brighter, Loss of Pet and Sympathy relation captions. With the addition of the mini card range and then a new 5x7 size collection, there are even more sympathy and sentiment captions available.

All Rush Design cards are printed on a quality FSC board, matched with a quality envelope and wrapped in eco cello bags. This product is 100% UK manufactured.

Rush Design 01788 521745 ӏ info@rushdesign.co.uk www.rushdesign.co.uk

Ginger Betty

Last year Ginger Betty began publishing A6 notebooks featuring its characters and adding a bit more colour. They’ve been really popular, so this year the team decided to expand its stationery offering. They now produce lovely notecard wallets, shopping pads and A5 notebooks, either separately or as a package with an attractive CDU.

At Home & Gift, Ginger Betty launched its new wooden bookmarks; all printed on FSC birch plywood and printed in the UK. There are 12 designs, shaped individually at the top, and each has a caption, making them a lovely little gift! They can be ordered as a package with a neat CDU, which they all slot into. 01706 557285

07923 368612

hello@gingerbetty.co.uk

www.gingerbetty.co.uk

Joe Davies

Following on from the success of its Bridgewater boxed pens, Joe Davies introduces its new stylish scribe pens sold in a modern acrylic stand perfect for display; not only do they look good they offer a great value-for-money solution. There are ladies’ and gents’ Tech pens with a rubber stylus tip to use with smartphones and tablets; the men’s tech pens are in classic colours of black, navy, red and silver and the ladies’ version is available in soft pastel colours of lilac, pink, white and peach.

Another stand of pens on offer is the scribe rose gold pen, with a soft touch feel, making them comfortable to hold. Choose from black, camel, white and red, all finished with rose gold tip and clip.

All of Joe Davies stylish pens are available to see at Autumn Fair. 0161 975 6300 sales@joedavies.co.uk | www.joedavies.co.uk

Rachel Ellen Design

Alongside its extensive range of greeting cards, stationery has always been at the heart of the range from Rachel Ellen Design. While children’s stationery represents some of the company’s bestselling products, including the everpopular secret diaries, writing sets, sticker scene books, colouring books and large range of pens, the gorgeous range of adult stationery is certainly worth a look. Including beautiful notebooks in numerous formats, list pads, boxed luxury pens, a wedding and birthday card planner, and address books, every product is fabulous in its own right while still sitting seamlessly in a stunning coordinated range. 0115 970 0321

sales@rachelellen.co.uk

www.rachelellen.co.uk

The Art File

The Art File introduced four new stationery collections at the beginning of 2024, which went hand-in-hand with its cards, gift bags and gift wrap ranges. This year the company has launched A5 notebooks, magnetic list pads, guest books and desk calendars. These new collections feature striking designs created by the award-winning inhouse design team. Every item contains thoughtful added touches, which elevate the design and add a higher-quality finish.

These stationery collections are made from luxury materials, are sustainably sourced and are perfect gifts to pair with a lovely greeting card.

sales@theartfile.com

www.theartfiletrade.com

Sharing memories, voices and moments…

Addsquirrel founder Jen King talks about the company, its vision and how it is transforming greeting cards and gifts into interactive keepsakes

At Addsquirrel, we’re passionate about creating meaningful connections through personalised and interactive card and gift-giving. We create smart QR stickers that allow users to add a video, photo or voice note to any card or gift in just a few taps.

Our journey began with me, an artist and entrepreneur with a heart for innovation. My background in the traditional greeting card and gift industry, under the banner of Jen Winnett Art, saw my product stocked by organisations such as the National Trust and RSPB as well as independent retailers and B2C markets. This experience gave me a deep understanding of the power of personal touches in creating memorable experiences.

The birth of a Squirrelly idea

The idea for Addsquirrel, was born from the realisation that while digital communication has its merits, there’s something irreplaceable about the tangible nature of physical cards and gifts. I noticed that in our fast-paced digital age, traditional cards and gifts were losing their personal touch. People wanted to share more than just words on paper; they wanted to share memories, voices, and moments. Integrating smart QR stickers into cards and gifts came as a bridge between digital and physical, o ering a way to combine the best of both worlds.

Our vision

Our vision at Addsquirrel, is to transform every card and gift into an interactive, heartfelt experience. We believe that cards and gifts should be more than just objects; they should be vessels of emotion and connection. By leveraging the simplicity of QR codes, we aim to make every card and gift memorable, turning simple gestures into cherished moments. We aspire to be the go-to solution for anyone looking to add a personal and modern touch to their card and gift-giving.

The journey so far and what’s next

Since our launch, the response to Addsquirrel, has been overwhelmingly positive. Our smart QR stickers have been used in a variety of creative waysfrom heartfelt birthday messages to touching wedding congratulations, from thank-you notes to festive holiday greetings. Our users have shared stories of how our product has added an extra layer of emotion and surprise to their cards and gifts, making their loved ones feel truly special. Addsquirrels have also been used by businesses small and large to transform customer experience and sta relations.

Looking ahead, we’re excited about expanding our product range and exploring new ways to enhance the gift-giving experience, including gift tags and other products. We’re developing our tech further to include features such as tracking (to notify the user when the Addsquirrel, has been opened), streamlining our white labelling feature, and working on integrating our bulk upload option for events such as weddings and conferences. Additionally, we’re planning to launch a subscription service, providing our users with a steady stream of new and innovative ways to use Addsquirrel, in their everyday lives.

Challenges and anticipations

Like any innovative venture, our journey with Addsquirrel, hasn’t been without its challenges. One of our primary hurdles is educating our audience about the potential of QR codes in card and gift-giving. Many people associate QR codes with mundane tasks like scanning menus, so demonstrating their emotional and creative potential is requiring a strategic marketing e ort.

Another challenge was ensuring ease of use. We wanted to make sure that our product was accessible to everyone, regardless of their tech-savviness. This meant investing a lot of time in user-friendly design and comprehensive tutorials. Looking ahead, we anticipate the challenge of scaling our operations to meet growing demand while maintaining the high quality and personal touch that defines Addsquirrel.

Surprises along the way

The journey for Addsquirrel, has been filled with delightful surprises. One of the most heartwarming has been the sheer creativity of our users. From creating memory-filled anniversary cards to sending messages of hope during tough times, our users have found ways to use our product that we never imagined. This creativity has inspired us and confirmed that we’re on the right path.

On the flip side, we’ve also been surprised by the occasional technical hiccup, such as ensuring seamless QR code scans across di erent devices and platforms. Each challenge, however, has been a learning experience, pushing us to improve and innovate continuously.

And finally…

In a world where digital and physical realms often feel disconnected, Addsquirrel, o ers a bridge that brings them together in a meaningful way. We’re excited about the future and the endless possibilities for adding joy and personal connection to card and giftgiving. Whether you’re a business looking to enhance your corporate gifting or an individual wanting to make your loved ones feel special, Addsquirrel, is here to help you create unforgettable moments. Thank you for joining us on this journey - we can’t wait to see where it leads!

Celebrating culture

The Art File has been thrilled to work with Zakera Kali for many years, publishing a card collection that celebrates key cultural events such as Diwali, Eid, Hanukkah and Chinese New Year. These cards remain incredibly popular and are beautifully designed with tasteful finishes. The Art File sales@theartfile.com www.theartfiletrade.com

Everyone welcome!

Inclusivity is the name of the game for these card publishers, who are celebrating the diverse society that we live in

Inclusive not exclusive

Dog’s Paw’s Francesca Collection was conceived for British people of colour in mind. For creative director Martin this was a deeply personal endeavour - he wanted to create cards that he felt comfortable sending to his Jamaican-born wife, Maria, their British-born nieces, nephews, family, and friends, celebrating their dark skin tone and reflecting today’s vibrant, diverse, and integrated society. Designed to be inclusive, not exclusive.

The collection is named after Maria’s grandmother, Francesca, one of the pioneering members of the Windrush generation who arrived in the UK in the 1950s.

With more than 200 designs, the collection covers popular family titles and blends humour, contemporary style, and cute imagery. Some cards are ‘localised’, showcasing Dog’s Paw’s signature touch, while others are more general. All are available in two sizes: Code 75 and Giant. To support and promote the range, six general, stylish window posters are available for customers. Dog’s Paw 01938 500 740 | maria@dogspaw.co.uk | www.dogspaw.co.uk

Diversity at its heart

At Holy Mackerel, diversity is at the heart of its greeting card collections, ensuring everyone finds their perfect card. Artist Erica Sturla leads the way with her inclusive designs. Her Father’s Day cards now celebrate dads and grandads of colour, dads in same-sex couples, first-time dads, and even someone who’s like a dad to you. Welsh dads are also honoured, especially since Holy Mackerel is based in sunny Pembrokeshire!

Erica’s One Lump or Two collection brings older birthdays to life with vibrant elderly characters, featuring walking sticks, mobility scooters, and crown green bowls. The sports-themed cards are a particular point of pride, available for both men and women across various sports, from cricket to snooker.

Her LGBTQ+ cards are truly joyful. From same-sex wedding and Christmas cards to anniversary cards, including the new son and son-in-law, and daughter and daughter-in-law cards, there’s something to celebrate every special moment.

The Funny Olde Worlde range showcases Erica’s polymer clay recreations of historical, scientific, and literary figures. This collection has been expanded to highlight diverse and often overlooked characters in history, adding names such as Mary Seacole, George Washington Carver, Ada Lovelace, Amy Johnson, and Marie Curie.

Rosie Brooks’ Whole Lotta Rosie range also embraces diversity with birthday cards featuring characters in wheelchairs, and inclusive wedding cards. Exciting new additions for 2024 include gay and lesbian numbered wedding anniversary cards, from 1st (paper) to 15th (crystal).

Finally, there’s a range of textile art cards by Holy Mackerel’s very own director of stitching, Sarah Hopkins! Her beautiful applique work has been transformed into vibrant printed designs, perfect for LGBTQ+ celebrations.

At Holy Mackerel, commitment to diversity is evident in every card created, bringing joy and inclusivity to all special occasions.

Holy Mackerel

01395 578571 | sales@holy-mackerel.co.uk | www.holy-mackerel.co.uk

Our multicultural birthday collection was inspired by a customer spotting a gap in our collection for more cultural representation – and we’re so glad they pointed it out! This fun range features lots of children of different ethnicities and hobbies against cool and colourful backgrounds. We’ve also made sure to diversify the activities pictured, such as a girl riding a dinosaur. Kali & Jemima, Kali Stileman Publishing

Child’s play

The girls at Kali Stileman Publishing are delighted to announce the extension of their favourite children’s birthday card collection: multicultural cards. This range features lots of children of different ethnicities and with various hobbies against cool and colourful backgrounds – new members of the gang include a super spaceman, beautiful ballerina and even a girl and boy riding a dinosaur! Available in square and mini form.

Kali Stileman Publishing 01305 848899

info@kalistileman.co.uk www.kalistileman.co.uk

Babies on board

UK Greetings (UKG) continues to look for new and exciting ways to bring more diversity and inclusion to its line and, more importantly, its customers.

According to James Tucker, head of health analysis at the ONS, 2022 saw for the first time in five years an increase in the number of UK babies born to mothers from outside the UK. In London alone, two-thirds of births that same year occurred to parents where either one or both were born outside of the UK. Some of the most common countries included places such as India and Pakistan.

It was these kinds of statistics that led to UKG introducing New Baby captions to its Eastern Print licence. Working closely with founder Gurinder Bahia, the team wanted them to feel authentic and culturally sensitive, using language that resonates with these communities.

UK Greetings salesandservice@ukgreetings.co.uk

Diary of a card shop

Paul Southgate, director at Cards N Things in Hellesdon, Norwich, has fun with window displays, and moves on with eco-friendly plans at the shop…

As I write this column, we have just had the conclusion of Wimbledon with the incredible Spaniard taking the prize, as well as the end of the Euros - but let’s not talk about that! And so the England flag and window display comes down; we went for a retro Subbuteo theme, which has now been replaced with an Olympicthemed window.

We’re having great fun with our window displays now; we’ve generally thought we must always feature the products we sell but we are finding more and more people stop and comment on a window that is just fun and nice to look at. Our Father’s Day window, for instance, was a simple Hornby model railway scene, which got a lot of attention.

‘‘We are finding more and more people stop and comment on a window that is just fun and nice to look at. Our Father’s Day window, for instance, was a simple Hornby model railway scene’’

As the spring seasons finished with Father’s Day, we found the usual rush came in the last few days when the daunting display of cards suddenly reduced down. It ended up being a good sellthrough on cards and gifts. Kikkerland, Bookspeed for books and Toblerones with ‘Best Dad’ all made great pick-up lines to boost sales, if you’re thinking ahead to next year. Our newest range from Inis has been very popular with its unisex fragrance, hand creams and di users, giving us all a taste of the sea.

We are lucky enough to have a separate room where we display spring seasons and Christmas, and as I write this we have turned our attention to the end of term, and all the academic cards ranging from Thank you teaching assistant, to Graduation including titles for those special family members, and many more!

We currently deal with close to 50 card publishers and multiple other suppliers for our ever-

Our Inis display

‘‘Over these past 40 years we can honestly say that greeting card sales have stayed consistent and people still love sending cards’’

growing gift range. Our eight staff work tirelessly to keep the shop stocked and looking clean and tidy. Over the years we have renovated and deliberately kept back from cluttering the shop with stock; we feel an open, tidier shop often helps sales and gives customers space to browse, rather than trying to cover every floor and wall space with product. We want to create a mood and atmosphere that makes our customers feel good.

In other news…

We were very excited again to be nominated for The Retas for the fourth year running; we want to say a big thank you to all our incredible reps and agents for putting us forward for an award and for their hard work, support and advice they give us throughout the year. Congratulations to all the winners.

Our attention now moves towards the Henries awards, where we will be judging both online and in person.

We also enjoyed having Bethany with us for our first work experience placement and she thoroughly enjoyed herself, learning all aspects of the business and of course the price gun!

This year, Cards N Things celebrates 40 years of business and on September 7 we plan to have

an open day at the shop with lots of prizes, fun activities and hopefully a visit from Tatty Teddy! He previously came for our 25th anniversary.

Over these past 40 years we can honestly say that greeting card sales have stayed consistent and people still love sending cards and especially now you can get such lovely designs with age and relations or something with a person’s favourite hobby on.

Together with people supporting small businesses we are very positive about the future of our industry.

Future plans

We also plan to revamp the front of the store as we refurbished the main shop during lockdown, but would love to renew the front till area. It’s such a key area to get right with a good serving area, impulse-buy items and wrapping/ pricing to be done there too.

We are so thankful for the solar panels we had installed a few years ago. Not only do they offer a huge saving on electricity bills but it’s nice to try to reduce our impact on the planet. It’s worth looking into solar as there are often government grants available and we were lucky enough to get a grant to contribute towards the cost. It’s a great solution for a business as nearly all the electricity demand is during the day when the sun is out… okay maybe not this summer! But it still works great on bright, cloudy days.

We have also found we can now recycle our soft plastic, which the cards are often wrapped in. Now our landfill waste is minimal as cardboard and paper is also recycled.

Our next step is to look into a helium balloon and partyware recycling scheme, with inspiration from Earlybird.

We are finding trade is very good and people are definitely supporting small businesses and we are very positive about the future of our industry.

Tatty Teddy is set to visit again

Bethany has been on work experience

Getting ready for Henries judging!

Shop dog Borris is ready for tennis!

A family affair

Holly Williams tells Greetings Today about Nottingham’s The Tokenhouse, which was founded by her parents Diz and Geoff

Can you tell us a little about how you got into greeting card retail?

The shop started in 1973 when both my parents, who met at art college, decided it would be a good idea to open a gift shop. They started in a small alleyway called Tokenhouse Yard and with the help of my grandad came up with the name Tokenhouse because the name fitted with the idea of selling Tokens. The shop outgrew the alley and they moved to a unit on Bridlesmith Gate, which is where it was for 45 years. Only in 2018 did we decide to move around the corner to where we are now - in St Peter’s Gate, Nottingham. They started with the idea that they would sell handmade gifts and restored antique furniture because my dad did that as a job alongside. A lot of what they sold then was vintage or one-off pieces. There were barely any card suppliers around at the time. They made their own for a while. Hallmark and Gordon Fraser were the big ones and Elgin Court and Gallery Five were smaller ones. We used to buy a lot of cards and products from Hunkydory, which if they brought back some of the cards which I have kept, they would still be fabulous now.

The shop was their first child, as myself and my sister would describe it! We worked from a young age pricing Christmas deliveries in the evening on the promise we got a takeaway pizza as a reward! We then both went on to work in retail. I started in Boots HQ

Bestsellers

The Art File

Cath Tate

Ohh Deer

Brainbox Candy

Art Angels

East of India

Alljoy Design

and then decided to come back to Tokenhouse and help, and my sister stayed in London.

And can you tell us a little about the the shop?

The shop as it is now is on a high street with Waterstones and The White Company as neighbours. It’s a large unit, following on from the unit it had grown into on Bridlesmith Gate, which was shops knocked together over the years. We are happy in our new setting because it is flat and therefore access for wheelchairs and pushchairs is much easier.

Most of our customers have fond memories of the second premises - it had oak beams and was on five different levels; lots of character but very difficult to staff and not very accessible.

Congratulations on your Retas nomination! What do you think makes your shop stand out from others?

I think the thing that makes our shop stand out is probably the variety. We try very hard to appeal to customers of all ages. I love it when a whole family can come in and find things together. Grandparents, parents, children and students. We have rude greetings cards but also artists cards.

How do you source products?

We source our products from trade shows and research. If I find a gap in the market I will go and hunt for the best prices and items. We have had a fair few requests recently for confirmation cards, which is a tricky one to source nowadays. Five Dollar Shake, however, has some pretty ones.

How is trading for you at the moment?

Footfall was affected for us as for most people by a downturn but made even worse when the shopping centre and thoroughfare to the station went bankrupt and closed. But for the first time since Covid we are really optimistic and trade has improved.

What’s your demographic like?

I think The Tokenhouse stands out because we offer products for different age groups, not one demographic. Even the large student population buy cards for their parents and grandparents. We source products every which way we can; exhibitions are

important, and like-minded agents can unearth new companies. Websites are useful if they are manageable. We probably buy from too many suppliers but trying new products is what makes the job interesting.

How do you get word out there?

Thankfully we have some younger members of staff who enjoy doing the social media and online content. The stock makes for pleasing reels and stories and hopefully, much like the window displays, can give the customers a view of the shop without having to physically come in, although we would always rather they did!

What do you like most about your job?

I thoroughly enjoy most aspects of my job. I get to see end to end, which is not what many people get. I choose cards and gifts based mainly on my taste but then we have obviously learned over the years what people like and cater to as many people as we can from artists cards to humour. I then sometimes serve on the till in the shop and the feedback from customers telling you what a great selection of cards you offer is the best feeling.

And what is your least favourite aspect?

The rota and hiring staff. We have a great small team of lovely staff who have worked alongside us for years but sometimes we need an extra and it is just so hard to find the right person and for them to work weekends. The rota is very time consuming.

Diz Williams and Geoff Williams who founded the shop in 1973, with their daughter Holly Williams

Diary of a sales agent

Richard Pass starts thinking about Christmas and retailer displays, and looks back on Home & Gift, which turned into something of a family a air!

Is it just me, or does Christmas feel like it gets earlier every year? With orders for calendars being delivered in July and Christmas cards and so on arriving with retailers in August, has the retail environment shifted?

Many of my independent card and gift retailers still work to September and very often October before putting Christmas on display yet the garden centres and larger multiples are already displaying Santa-themed products.

In reality there is no right or wrong time; the display of Christmas, especially in large stores, is a very time-consuming process that takes a lot of planning to create the right mood and space. Also, if the summer season sales have been poor due to weather or other external factors, the opportunity to generate sales is very welcome.

Interestingly when asked, the independent retailers I spoke to all confirmed they are happy with the later, more traditional, approach to Christmas. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it seems apt, and with the potential of a late summer, maybe Christmas sales will remain in the traditional form. Either way, here’s hoping everyone has a very profitable time. Show time

Retailers spend a lot of time organising their displays and trying to stock the buzz products for their customers. And each shop is di erent, which is one of the joys of this job. I get to visit so many fabulous shops and chat to lots of lovely people.

Each day is a real joy. Equally, when publishers plan for a trade show it takes a lot of time and resources. With Harrogate Home & Gift now just a fond memory, I wondered about the overall success of the show.

Without question footfall was down, which for the exhibitors who put so much e ort into creating such a wonderful show is somewhat frustrating. However, all of the exhibitors I talked to said it was a very good show for sales and new customers. So from that standpoint, the show was a success. Plus, there was more time for the retailers to look at the stands and to talk to the sales teams.

There did seem to be a disjointed feel to the show this year, because of the new layout and entrance to the marquees DP 1 & 4. I doubt we will ever know if this impacted on footfall. With so many fabulous stands it seems a shame we can’t encourage more retailers to attend.

I can’t mention everyone but The Art File’s stand looked stunning and no one can deny the amount of work that went in to Ohh Deer’s display (which also looked brilliant). Dandelion Stationery and Ginger Betty both had excellent stands, and they always seemed to be busy. (They both have really great cards and stationery so I can understand this).

I’m hesitant to mention the Alljoy Design stand, which was very busy, because its design and set-up was orchestrated by my wife Suzanne and constructed by our eldest son Jason. (Suzanne even

Richard Pass is a sales agent (STL Agency), who covers the North of England except where listed below. The companies he currently represents are: Alljoy Design, The Art File [NW only], Dandelion Stationery, Ginger Betty [Yorks & NE only], Ohh Deer, Redback Cards [Yorks & NE only], Two Little Monkeys and Flametree Publishing Contact: 07790 844342 or richard.pass@yahoo.co.uk

working on her birthday!) Our daughter Lisa turned up to be top sales for Sunday and Monday. So next year if we ask our youngest Elliott to work maybe I can take a holiday?

In DP4 ,Two Little Monkeys and Natural Partners both had good shows, and I don’t think Jane at Jane Buurman Handmade will mind me saying she had her best show. So from my own viewpoint at least, it must class as a successful event. If you can find time next year then it is a fabulous show for retailers to visit and to appreciate all the hard work that the exhibitors put into it. Maybe see you there?

Jason hard at work installing the furniture at Home & Gift

OF PORTH

Special Occasions

Tony and Nicola Lavery, of Retas-nominated shop Occasions of Porth in the Rhondda Valley, chat to Greetings Today about their shop, set in a family-based

Can you tell us a little about how you got into greeting card retail?

Tony: My parents owned a greeting card shop in the middle of Cardi and I ran it for a number of years and then started my career outside the family business. I then went on to manage a wholesale greetings card supplier for a number of years.

And can you tell us a little about the shop?

Our shop is situated on the high street in a small town in the Rhondda valley. We have a lovely community we serve with a good selection of cards, balloons and gifts.

Congratulations on your Retas nomination! What do you think makes your shop stand out from others?

We have an amazing team behind us and they always give great customer service, plus we are blessed to have a large shop so we can o er a very large range of cards and gifts.

How do you source products?

We go to trade shows and contact our suppliers that way, but we also visit gift shops when we are out and about to see if we are missing anything.

What is your selection criteria?

We do like to buy products that fit into our range and

Top 5 bestsellers

Kingfisher Cards

Cherry Orchard

Words ‘N’ Wishes

Carte Blanche

Dog’s Paw

from companies that will add value to our business. We’re always conscious of price and try to give good value to our customers.

How is trading for you at the moment?

Since we opened after Covid business has been good but we’re noticing that people haven’t got as much money to spend as they did have.

Have you noticed any changes in purchasing behaviour?

Because we sell a large range we try to keep ranges that cover as many price points as we possibly can.

‘‘We have an amazing team behind us and they always give great customer service, plus we are blessed to have a large shop so we can o er a very large range of cards and gifts’’

What’s your demographic like?

We are a family-based community; we have customers across all ages and it’s not unusual to see five generations in-store shopping together.

How do you get word out there?

We use social media to connect with our customers and sometimes advertise on local radio.

Have you seen the average cost of your products go up - and if so how have you dealt with it?

We have seen price rises across some of our suppliers and we do try to keep prices low but sometimes that’s not possible and we have had to put prices up. We

community

even had to stop selling some products because of the price increases.

Have you noticed any trends in the cards people are buying/looking for?

Customers now look for a larger range of cards than we have ever known; they want literally every title with every age. For example, we’ve been asked for Grandson-in-law and Granddaughter-in-law recently.

What do you like most about your job?

Being in control of your own destiny is very rewarding.

And what is your least favorite aspect?

When you run your own business you tend to work longer hours because it’s for yourself but it can take over your life if you let it.

Do customers ask for eco-friendly product?

We are buying in card ranges now that are not in cellophane and we have just ordered a new range - Bare Cards - where the cards have the envelope built-in.

If you could choose the cards people sent youwhich would you choose to receive?

Anything as long as it was purchased in our shop!

Tony and Nicola Lavery

Let’s talk about… sourcing

Retail100 Consulting director and co-founder Anna Berry has advice for buyers on optimising their product sourcing strategy in a volatile world

When buyers are looking to build a profitable sourcing strategy, they should consider a number of factors. This can be an overwhelming task, especially if you want to make more ethical and sustainable business decisions, but it is achievable.

Sourcing reliably, conveniently - and critically competitively - in this volatile geopolitical world means it is vital to plan and build flexibility into your model.

Covid was a clear wake-up call for many retailers, and brands that relied heavily on a Far Shore sourcing policy, particularly in China. Other world events have caused major disruptions to sourcing, for example the war in Ukraine and now Israel, and have impacted both the cost of goods and access to markets. They prove that it is critical to incorporate some flexibility and resilience in order to mitigate the impact of these major upheavals.

Geopolitical turmoil can interrupt or even disrupt supply chains by blocking trade routes or imposing economic restrictions on specific countries. We have seen this recently with Ukraine, and with the Israel/ Gaza conflict on the Red Sea.

These disruptions add to shipping times and costs. Normal routes are blocked, and containers can end up in the wrong locations. Singapore’s container port has been severely congested in recent weeks, which has caused container prices to jump dramatically.

Sourcing from Europe and closer to your home market can cut delays and costs. Popular near-shore options are Morocco, Portugal, and Turkey.

The benefits of nearshoring are lower transport costs and speed to market; less inventory, as lower MOQS (minimum ordering quantities) are required than with larger farshore factories; increased stock turn, with the ability to repeat in season; and less risk and possible markdowns. These benefits will cut your warehousing costs, lower your carbon footprint, and make it easier to visit more factories to ensure ethical standards.

Geopolitical instability can also cause swings in exchange rates, which can raise the cost of acquiring products from international vendors.

Retailers and brands may need to carefully manage their currency exposure in order to reduce hazards. Where you can hedge currency, this is advisable.

Political unrest in sourcing countries can create uncertainty and risk for businesses. Prospective government changes, policy adjustments, and civil unrest may affect the availability and cost of obtaining items.

Geopolitical turmoil can also result in trade restrictions, taxes, and embargoes. The US election is having an impact on sourcing from China. Because of concerns about poor China/US relations and increased tariffs on the horizon, more Chinese factories have switched significant production to Vietnam to benefit from free trade agreements and low costs.

India has also been a major beneficiary of this strategy. This country is ‘nearer shore’ than China, with significantly shorter lead times and lower tariffs in a number of categories. There is also the tantalising prospect of a free trade deal with the UK now that its elections are over.

India, Bangladesh and Pakistan specialise in large core textile programmes and can do smaller, more fashion/design-led techniques across home and fashion textiles. They also have strong jewellery, gifting and leather specialities.

Africa continues to grow as a sourcing route, with Ethiopia, Egypt, Tanzania and Madagascar growing in particular for home accessories, home decor and tableware.

China is likely to remain a key part of your sourcing strategy. However, it’s increasingly important to have a blended sourcing strategy - which will deliver a blended margin but allow for flexibility and resilience in this volatile, everchanging geopolitical environment.

Ethical concerns such as labour rights, environmental issues, and the increasing focus on sustainability should be a priority wherever you source. Working collaboratively with your supply base with open and honest communication is critical. Transparency and accountability are key to delivering the most positive impact from your sourcing strategy.

Anna Berry is a director and co-founder of Retail100 Consulting, which is a consultancy firm with 100 years of retail experience that helps retailers and brands grow.

With more than 30 years of retail experience - both on the shop floor and in the head office - Anna was Head of Buying for Gifts, Cook and Dine at John Lewis, with a team of over 60 and sales of close to £400 million. She has also covered many other buying categories in menswear, sport, fashion and beauty.

A driven leader, Anna is strategically agile and known for her passion for people and product, with trust and mentoring at the heart of her leadership style.

Email: hello@retail100consulting.co.uk

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