Progressive Greetings April 2020

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The Hallmark Signature range makes an immed iate impression. The distinctive range features de tail ed crafts manship, be autifu l finis hes and uni que keeps akes .

To find out more call our customer service team on 0800 90 20 900 or ROI 012 480104, or your local area representative

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From The Editor

ON THE CARDS “The unknown is a worrying place to be, but we just have to take this day by day.

Staying positive is a bit of a roller coaster, trying to keep a level head and manage decision making when you don't know what's around the corner isn't easy. We have been through tough (albeit very different) times before, and that helps to reassure that we will get through this too.”

Wise words indeed, and I am sure ones that reflect how many of us in the greeting card trade are feeling at present! Yet they don’t emanate from some politician or cod philosopher, but Victoria Robinson of Wishes, an independent retailer based in Cockermouth, Cumbria. And she should know! A few years ago, Victoria’s shop was literally washed away in those terrible floods.

What is so heartening in these difficult and tragic times is that the greeting card industry is showing how compassionate and caring it really is. Despite the very real personal and business worries I have heard of, there are so many acts of kindness from the card community that I can’t count them all.

The esprit de corps is that we are all in this together!

@Prog_Greetings

Eventually we will come out of this horror show, and as Cardsharp’s column this month (see pages 28-29) details, the industry has survived many a crisis in its very long history and has always bounced back.

We hope you enjoy this historic issue of PG. Since Warren and I first started publishing PG almost 30 years ago we have never once missed bringing out a monthly issue of the magazine. For obvious reasons however, we have taken the decision to publish a joint May/June issue, but in the meantime our twice weekly e-newsletter PG Buzz will keep you up to date with any news. But rest assured, just like the greeting card industry which we are so honoured to serve, we will bounce back!

Big metaphorical hugs,

Above: One of the many uplifting images Rosie Harrison, founder of Rosie Made A Thing has posted on its Instagram feed.

Right: The greeting card community will all be together to celebrate The Rets 2020 now on the new date of November 11. Last July’s Frida Kahlo-themed event was full of colour and warmth.

Below: Good for Brainbox Candy for creating downloadable posters in support of the NHS that Mooch Cards & Gifts has put in the window of its now closed stores in Bewdley and Stourport.

PS. In these testing times it’s good to have a few pleasant events in the future to focus on, so we are very pleased to announce we have managed to announce the date of Wednesday November 11 for this year’s Retas awards, replacing the original date of July 8. With PG Live now taking place on September 2 and 3 instead of in early June, it promises to be a busier and definitely more fun-filled autumn than this spring! www.max-publishing.co.uk THE HOME OF MARKET LEADING TRADE MAGAZINES

EXHIBITIONS

THE HOME OF MARKET LEADING TRADE AWARDS

Max Publishing Ltd, United House, North Road, London N7 9DP Tel: 020 7700 6740 Fax: 020 7607 6411 www.progressivegreetings.co.uk PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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What’s Inside?

CONTENTS 25

27

37

11-24 News

28-29 Cardsharp

An Historical Perspective 25 In Conversation With… Cherry Orchard Publishing

A Delicate Touch In these tough times Cherry Orchard commissions verse writer Patricia Rose to create a special poem for the industry.

Cardsharp muses over topical events happening in the industry.

31-35 Innovations 37 Art Source

26-27 Over The Counter

Stay Strong David Robertson, co-owner of JP Pozzi in Scotland, shares some advice to indies during the Covid-19 situation.

38 What’s Hot? 39-41

39-43

Focus On Male Cards

Within This Issue

Focus On Male Cards Left: A male design from Ricicle Cards’ Iconic range.

A Tour De Force The ‘wheelie’ hot bike trend on male designs.

42-43 Focus On Male Cards: New Launches

Wild Frontiers Fresh ranges launched into the current male card market.

44-55 Classified

Subscribe to Progressive Greetings from £60 (UK) to £90 (International).

You can organise this quickly and easily online at our secure site: Max-Subscriptions.net For assistance, please email maxsubscriptions@marketingreinforc ements.co.uk or call 0207 700 6740.

Jakki Brown

Warren Lomax

Gale Astley

Ian Hyder

Tracey Arnaud

Editor/Joint Owner

Joint Owner

Deputy Editor

Joint Owner

Sales Manager

jw@max-publishing.co.uk

warren@max-publishing.co.uk

galea@max-publishing.co.uk

ianh@max-publishing.co.uk

traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

Use your smartphone app to scan the QR code to visit our website.

Copyright© 2020. While every effort has been made to ensure the information in this magazine was correct at the time of publication, the publishers cannot accept legal liability for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility for the standing of advertisers nor any organisation mentioned in the text. Views of contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers.

PG is the official magazine for the Greeting Card Association GCA: Amanda Fergusson 020 7619 9266 Email: gca@max-publishing.co.uk www.greetingcardassociation.org.uk PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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NEWS Publisher Support

TOP STORY

‘Sorry We’re Closed’ Card retailers concentrate efforts online On the evening of 23 March 2020, Prime Minister Boris Johnson made the announcement that all “nonessential” shops had to shut as part of the effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus Covid-19. Since then, the only greeting card retail stockists allowed to be open have been post offices, supermarkets, other food shops as well as newsagents.

Card Factory, Paperchase, Cards Galore, Scribbler and Cardzone were among the greeting card multiples who have taken the decision to close their High Street shops prior to the Government’s directive.

“It has been a very emotional and sad day,” commented Paul Taylor, md of Cardzone, which was trading from 135 card shops until they all closed just after Mother’s Day. Likewise, many small groups and indies had already taken pre-emptive action, largely to protect their staff.

For Home Counties specialist group, House of Cards, shutting its stores on March 22 was especially poignant, coinciding as it did with the 30th anniversary of its very first shop opening.

“This is one of the saddest days of my life.

Below: The Harold’s Planet card design (from Clare Maddicott/Abacus) that is being enlarged into a poster and put on display in House of Cards’ shops.

Bottom: Postmark is concentrating its efforts online for the time being.

Today is the 30th anniversary of House of Cards. Today we closed all our stores,” said co-owner Miles Robinson, with a heavy heart. “But we had to put the health of our staff first.” As he astutely pointed out: “This has to be one of the biggest challenges for business and society that we have ever faced, outside of wartime.”

Mark Janson-Smith, co-owner of the London-based Postmark group, also closed its four stores over the preceding weekend. “Our staff were getting anxious and we wanted them to be as safe as possible,” he said. “But we have created a window display of humorous cards so that at least those walking past will see something to lift their spirits,” he added.

Also, taking a similar tack to Postmark, House of Cards is to raise a smile among those walking past its shops as it is including a poster that is an enlarged version of a Harold’s Planet card from Abacus/Clare Maddicott which taps into the loo paper shortage caused by stockpiling. “Whatever happens, the UK public will always have its love of lavatorial humour to fall back on!” quips Miles.

l “Oh what a horrible time for everybody,

but together we can get through this,” believes Linzi Russell Watson, one of the owners of ArtPress. The publisher has extended the credit terms to 60 days for indies, but has also removed carriage charges, reduced minimum order quantity to £50 and will be giving two extra packs of cards (of a retailer’s choice) on all orders placed by the end of June.

Above: ArtPress is looking to support indies.

l Lucilla Lavender has waived carriage fees on all orders placed with the company and has extended its credit terms to 60 days.

“We hope that this gesture will help to ease the burdens on our retailer partners,” is the message that has been sent out by the publisher.

Above: A Lucilla Lavender design.

l Natural Partners has reduced the trade

prices of its greeting cards by 20%, plus has extended the payment terms.

Meanwhile, Emma Bryan and Bewilderbeest are another two publishers who are waiving minimum order quantities.

“When shops re-open they may just want to top up a few cards to make the shop looks its best for when their customers venture back out again,” says Bewilderbeest’s Iain Hamilton. l Acknowledging that these are “strange

and scary times for individuals, businesses and communities”, Dandelion Stationery has extended its credit terms to 75 days for all March, April and May invoices. l As Laura Kavanagh,

Spike in Scribbler’s online sales “None of us knows how long this is going to last, or what the High Street will look like ‘out the other side’, but one thing’s for sure, the public are still buying cards,” confirmed John Procter, md and co-founder of Scribbler.

With all of the card retailer’s 38 physical shops “currently on ice”, John said that its online shop has been “busier than ever.” He believes, “one upside to this awful situation is that thoughtful gestures, such as sending a card, however outrageous the message may be, will be totally appreciated.”

All of Scribbler’s in-house designers are working flat out to come up with new designs, but the company has also sent a call out for new submissions from card publishers and designers to submit their ideas.

“We are lucky to work with some of the most talented card designers in the industry and it does concern me that with virtually all of their retail stockists currently closed that their livelihoods, in common with many of us working in retail, have been severely curtailed,” says John. “That’s bad enough, but then there is the risk of great creative ideas never seeing the light of day,” he adds.

With Scribbler’s online card shop being ‘print to order’ (offering a personalised option), publishers and designers will be paid a royalty on each card ordered.

Publishers and designers with “burning ideas” can email submissions@scribbler.co.uk.

Above: One of the designs created by Scribbler’s in-house team.

co-owner of Go La La says, “even as a small company there are still important gestures we can make to support each other!” In addition to offering free carriage and no minimum order quantities, part of Go La La’s solution is to circulate fun, upbeat posts across social media and mailshots, and offering tongue-in-cheek ways to cope with self-isolation, using its designs to illustrate.

Above: An uplifting image from Go La La.

l Redback Cards has announced that in addition to offering 60 day credit terms to indies it is also to give two free packs of cards on orders placed by the end of April.

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A MERRY CUPCYCLING™ CHRISTMAS FROM HALLMARK Following on from the success of our original everyday range, our Cupcyling™ Christmas Collection for 2020 consists of 20 beautiful, thoughtful and eco-conscious cards, offering shoppers a variety of design styles, captions and colour palettes, in an easy-to-shop collection created with the consumer in mind.

Call our customer service team on 0800 90 20 900 or ROI 012 480104, or your local area representative

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For more information, contact us on: UK: 0800 902 0900 | ROI: 012 480 104 | Email: customerqueriesUK@hallmark.com

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NEWS Streets ahead

TOP STORY

Supportive Action Card publishers help retail customers The nation may be in lockdown, but the heart of the greeting card community is still beating strongly, despite the fact that so many of the physical card shops have been forced online and the vast majority of card publishers are now working from their ‘home office’.

“We are all in this together, and it is horrendous, but for many of us publishers our retail customers are our friends too, as are their end customers to them. It is great to see everyone doing their bit to help each other,” said Katie Meeke, co-owner of Holy Mackerel.

The publisher is among those to have communicated with customers in the last few weeks to pay tribute to their resilience as well as inform them that they have waived their minimum order value for the next few months to help on stockholding.

Greeting card publishers Louise Tiler Designs and Rosie Made A Thing have both made genuine gestures to help and support their independent retail customers during this time of crisis.

“We really want to help and support our independent customers and the High Street to ride out this difficult time,” stated Louise Tiler, founder of Louise Tiler Designs. The publisher has extended its payment terms on all orders placed by independent retailers to 60 days. “Anyone who has ordered from us since March 9 will also be given 60 days from the delivery date to pay for the stock they have in store,” assured Louise.

The company is also offering a 20% discount on all UK independent, online

Above: The Holy Mackerel owners are there with smiles for customers.

Below left: One of the humorous posts from Rosie Made A Thing to raise spirits.

Bottom: Just some of the positive responses Louise Tiler Designs has received in response to the publisher’s offer to extend credit terms and offer discounts to indies.

greeting cards orders until June 15, with the discount automatically deducted from the ‘cart’ when placing an order on its website.

Louise took to social media to spread her good wishes to her UK and overseas customers. “Remember to look after each other and those in the community!

We hope you all stay happy and healthy,” was the sign-off on the positive message.

Rosie Made A Thing is also showing support to its indie customers - both financially and by another potent means humour. Rosie Harrison, founder of the business has been peppering its Instagram feed and Facebook page with pertinent designs designed to raise the spirits and engender a feeling of camaraderie.

The company is extending all indies’ credit terms to 60 days for the next three months. Any orders placed up until the end of May will be placed on 60-day terms, while any independent who has ordered from the company since the beginning of March will also have 60 days to pay for the stock they have in store.

In addition to sending out the wishes that all customers stay healthy, in typical Rosie fashion her final instruction ended on a humorous note… “Wash your hands, shop local, and don’t hog the loo roll.”

Cherries on top “Let’s hope we can all pull together to get through this situation and come out stronger,” wrote Jackie Collins, managing director of Cherry Orchard, in a supportive message to the publisher’s retail customers. Cherry Orchard has removed the carriage charges on orders placed through its sales team or online, plus is offering 60 days credit from now until the end of May. Its special offer catalogue, with 50% off prices, is also available, as well as reducing the price of its code 75 cards.

Bex Hassett, founder of Bexy Boo, has been helping in a different way, turning her design talents towards supporting her local Knutsford retail community. Bex created the artwork for a poster which is being used to encourage people to ‘shop small, shop local and support the indies’. The poster is being distributed across all local businesses for use on social media and in their shops so if they are closed people can still order and buy from their local online ‘high street’.

Bex is featured in the Knutsford Guardian explaining why she felt compelled to create the poster: “I drew the picture because I felt I had to do something to help the High Streets. By shopping local you support these lovely people, their livelihoods and families. My business is designing greeting cards and supplying to independent shops across the country.

Without them, I won’t be able to continue to do what I love to do,” said Bex.

Above: Bexy Boo founder, Bex Hassett.

Left: Close up of the poster Bex designed for Knutsford.

Shine on “We’re doing everything we can for our lovely independent customers at this difficult time,” proclaims a colourful Shine On message from Rachel Ellen Designs announcing that it is offering a 15% discount on orders of its cards and gifts placed for delivery until the end of June - and carriage free on orders above £75 (normally £150).

What’s more, retailers using the code Shine On when placing their order will be able to benefit from an additional 5% discount on all orders for the rest of the year.

Above: Rachel Ellen Designs is among the many publishers trying to help retailers.

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NEWS Royal Mail strike called off

TOP STORY

PG Live 2020 Moves To September Industry backs the decision to postpone show Progressive Greetings Live 2020 trade show will be going ahead, but not at the start of June, having been postponed to Wednesday 2 September and Thursday 3 September. The dedicated greeting card show will take place in its ‘home’ of the Business Design Centre in London’s Islington. (The original dates of the show were 2-3 June 2020).

“While the absolute top priorities right now have to be on keeping everyone safe and being there for each other, while the June timing of PG Live was looking increasingly untenable, what has come across loud and clear from those in the greeting card community is that they wanted us to find a later date for the show, rather than cancel it for this year,” explained Warren Lomax, co-show director of PG Live.

The greeting card community has responded very positively to the news that PG Live 2020 will now be happening three months later than originally planned.

“We are so happy that we have a new date planned for PG Live - it is like a ‘ray of sunshine’, giving us all something to look forward to in these uncertain times,” commented Karen Wilson and Claire Williams, co-owners of Paper Salad.

“Hopefully by September the worst of it will be over and we can all rebuild our businesses and re-connect with all our wonderful friends in our fabulous industry!”

Sharing her thoughts, Kate Leach, Woodmansterne’s head of marketing said: “This is very good news. Much better to have a postponement than a cancellation!”

Giving the date move his endorsement from a retailer perspective, Miles Robinson, co-owner of House of

Above: Everybody will be together at PG Live 2020, in September instead of June this year.

Cards said: “This is absolutely the right decision - we don’t want to miss that show! We’re all going to have a big ‘reset’ and knowing that PG Live is happening in early September is something to really look forward to.”

John Procter, managing director of Scribbler, was equally enthusiastic about the news. “Fantastic! We will absolutely be needing PG Live by then; everybody will be so hungry for new ranges and keen to discover new publishers.”

As Matt Genower, managing director of Five Dollar Shake and Counting Stars highlighted, the current ‘lockdown’ will see Christmas buying shifting. “Staring at Santas and snowflakes may just be the very last thing our independent customers will want to do in the next couple of months!

My feeling is Christmas buying will be left late. Wouldn’t it be brilliant if come September life was just a little bit back to normal, with footfall on the high street again and the tills ringing. Boy are we all going to wish for a happy Christmas!”

The 2021 PG Live show will revert to its usual early June timeline.

A gifted response In a message of support to its retail stockists, the Caroline Gardner team acknowledges that: “The Covid-19 virus outbreak is the last thing any of us needs, and people are understandably worried from a number of standpoints. However, it is important for us all to remain positive and to remember we are all in it together.”

In addition to offering a 15% discount on all orders, extending its terms to 60 days and reducing its carriage paid to £120, the company has also devised artwork for gift vouchers that retailers can use for their customers to redeem once they are up and running again.

Left: Stay positive is a message from Caroline Gardner.

At a time when receiving greeting cards and letters are proving to be a godsend, especially for those in self-isolation and adhering to the social distancing advice, the news that Royal Mail workers (the Communication Workers Union [CWC]) had voted unanimously in favour of a national postal strike sent shudders down the spine.

Thankfully sense and sensibility came to the fore and the strike action - which 94.5% of CWC voted in favour of (rejecting a 6% pay rise over the next three years) - offered a truce to Royal Mail.

Shane O'Riordain, Royal Mail’s managing director of regulation, corporate affairs and marketing welcomed the CWU's climb down on the strike front, recognising “that now is not the time to take industrial action”.

Royal Mail has been classed as providing one of the ‘emergency services’.

Below: The calling off of the strike action by CWU means that cards can continue to be delivered during the lockdown.

Paws for thought Lucy Spence of Lucy Maggie Designs has come up with a way of creating solidarity among so many that now find themselves working from home while raising much needed funds for animal shelter and animal protection charities. Lucy is donating 70% of the profits from the sale of a specially created ‘Stay Home Club’ range of stationery and mugs to animal charities. As she points out: “Lack of food for animals due to panic buying and people abandoning pets in fear of them carrying the virus means that these organisations are really struggling. As a pet owner, this really hits home, and I really want to do something to help.”

Above: A card from the Lucy Maggie Stay Home Club range.

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NEWS Cardies shout about International Women’s Day

TOP STORY

A Mother’s Love No final flurry for second Spring Season sales Mother’s Day sales were going great guns for many retailers, but the final push was extremely curtailed due to the severe drop in footfall, though there was a feeling that ‘shopping local’ was the order of the day.

“So far trade is rocking!” exclaimed Miles Robinson, coowner of Home Counties group, House of Cards, up until a week before the event. He believes that many people bought early anticipating the shutdown.

Amanda Oscroft, co-owner of Love It in Stamford and Bury St Edmunds, also reported “a very good” run up to Mother’s Day. “Our early card sales were strong”. Amanda believes Love It’s two shops were busy as “customers shopped locally and supported small businesses.

We certainly found people wanting to have a bit of light relief giggling at our humorous cards.”

In addition to the Mother’s Day sales, Amanda says that there have been extra sales made with “people wanting to cheer someone up with a cheeky card.

Meanwhile, others were genuinely worried and wanted to buy something to wish us well! We have been very touched by the kindness.”

Another naturally positive person is Deborah Tingay, owner of Southbourne Cards, who sees it as part of a card retailer’s role to be there for the community. “You can find the humour even in the darkest of times. I had to laugh when a customer said to me in the run up to Mother’s Day: “This panic buying of toilet rolls is just for arseholes!”

Above: Part of the Mother’s Day display at Southbourne Cards.

Below Amanda and Will Oscroft, co-owners of Love It,

Conflicting Messages on card posting safety ‘Coronavirus: Royal Mail confirms Mother’s Day cards and gifts are safe to post home’ headlined in the Mirror newspaper, which was among the media to help reassure the public that they would be highly unlikely to risk spreading the Covid-19 virus by sending greeting cards.

Royal Mail issued a press release with the backing of Public Health England (PHE) advising that people receiving cards and parcels are not at risk of contracting the coronavirus as a result of their post. ‘From experience with other coronaviruses, we know that these types of viruses don’t survive long on objects, such as letters or parcels’ stated the release.

However, on its website, Harvard Medical School, shared how a recent study found that the COVID-19 coronavirus can survive up to 24 hours on cardboard.

Left: Contrary to the heading, the Daily Mail said the coronavirus was highly unlikely to be spread through cards.

Greeting card retailers, publishers and artists’ agents were among those to bang the drum for International Women’s Day last month.

Scribbler got behind this year’s #EachForEqual campaign by highlighting several of its female designers in its blog and asking them how they fight gender stereotypes through their work. Lucy Spence from Lucy Maggie Designs, Angela Chick and Aisling Crosland (Scribbler’s inhouse designer) all took part in the campaign, with the public being asked to share their thoughts and photos on Scribbler’s social channels.

Meanwhile, Paperchase ran a special promotion which saw the company donate 25p from every pen sold on March 8 to CAMFED (a charity supporting women and girls in Africa to learn, thrive and lead change).

Oliver Bonas’ activities included a promotion in partnership with the film Misbehaviour, a politically relevant, inspirational true story set in Britain during the 1970 Miss World competition when the newly formed Women’s Liberation Movement achieved overnight fame by invading the stage and disrupting the live broadcast of the competition.

Oliver Bonas customers could create an #EachForEqual campaign poster in-store or online to go into the draw to win a private screening to Misbehaviour.

Licensing agency, This Is Iris (which represents greeting card publisher Pabuku and artists Alisa Black and Beryl Cook), took to Instagram to highlight its female artists, their roles, their favourite project and what inspires them.

Above: Angela Chick on Scribbler’s blog for International Women’s Day.

UK Greetings helps grieving families A request from a daughter who had just lost her father struck a chord with the UK Greetings’ team, who created and printed a card for staff at Ayrshire Care in Scotland to give to families who lose a loved one.

When Gayle Ridge lost her father in Crosshouse hospital (Ayshire Care, Kilmarnock), her mother was handed a little brown envelope with his wedding band in it.

“It struck me as strange that the last final bit of a person we lose is in a little brown envelope; the bit of metal that they cherished for so long had been demoted to the brown envelope.

But where else could it go?”

Gayle approached UK Greetings and asked if they could make a special card design with ribbon on it so that when a person passes the care team can tie a ring or bracelet onto the ribbon so it doesn’t get lost in a brown envelope. UKG was only too keen to oblige.

Above: The card designed by UK Greetings for Ayshire Care to use.

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NEWS TOP STORY

‘Woodie' Brokers Waitrose New publisher selection installed on 1 September “Hopefully looking past the challenging times now, and into a brighter future,” Sarah Moughtin, partner and junior buyer of John Lewis & Partners and Waitrose revealed that not only will there be a brand new selection of greeting cards going on sale in Waitrose stores in a few months’ time, but that Woodmansterne has been appointed as the new brokerage partner for the grocer.

Waitrose’s brokerage contract with Hallmark expires on 31 August.

This announcement came less than a month after the news that Sarah’s card buying remit has extended to include both John Lewis & Partners and Waitrose as part of the group’s Future Partnership plan, which saw the formation of a single sourcing team for all general merchandise products.

This new development means that Woodmansterne will be working with Sarah and her team to create, supply and fulfil the card displays in both the John Lewis & Partners stores (under the existing agreement) as well as a different selection of publishers’ designs into Waitrose stores.

As Sarah commented: “Woodmansterne and The John Lewis Partnership have worked hard together to achieve some fantastic results over the years and I hope that we can evolve this further with the addition of Waitrose.”

The Greats 2020 gift retailer finalists revealed

Sharing Woodmansterne’s delight in further growing the relationship with the retail group, Seth Woodmansterne, deputy managing director of the publishing and brokerage company, said how they were looking forward to September when, together, “with many participating publishers” it would deliver “a comprehensive range of homegrown British greeting cards reflecting the taste and values of the Waitrose consumer.”

However, he stresses that, “As for everyone, our focus at the moment is the continuing safety and future of the jobs of all our staff, customers and suppliers during the challenges and uncertainty presented by Covid-19. Throughout these times, it will be how we (as publishers, businesses and society) serve and support each other and our relationships that will get us all through.”

Above: Waitrose is to welcome new card selections from September 1 with Woodmansterne as its new broker.

Left: Seth Woodmansterne, deputy md of Woodmansterne, on the company’s stand at Spring Fair ready to pour out the fizz for its retail customers at the end of the day.

Card Factory’s shares tumble but has Oz growth Card Factory’s share price has dropped dramatically over the last month, but its presence has ramped up significantly in Australia.

Card Factory has now opened 356 branded concessions across the entire retail network of The Reject Shop, Australia’s leading value retailer. The exclusive five-year supply agreement with The Reject Shop is Card Factory’s first international partnership and follows a successful trial that started last year, which has resulted in an increase in the number of cards sold in the Aussie value chain.

Card Factory has leveraged its own customer insights and learnings from the trial to curate a value-led range of over 1,200 single everyday greeting cards to go on sale in each of The Reject Shop’s branches.

Karen Hubbard, ceo of Card Factory, said: “We are delighted to have completed the roll out of our partnership with The Reject Shop.

Its customers’ response to our products is testament to the strength of our quality value offer and we believe that with this partnership we have the potential to be the leading greeting card retailer in Australia. This is our first international partnership and we are excited about the opportunity to apply this model in other markets.”

The finalists of The Greats Gift Retailer Awards 2020 have been revealed, including many respected greeting card retail stockists such as Between The Lines, The Cats Whiskers/Polkadot (Bishops Cleeve and Keynsham), Mooch (Northamptonshire) and Alligator Pear (Tadworth).

The winners of The Greats gift retailing awards will be announced at a lavish event which is now to be held at London’s Honourable Artillery Club (HAC) on Wednesday 30 September. (The event was postponed from its original date of May 13 due to the coronavirus).

Piers Morgan card breaks TV protocol A reaction to a Dean Morris birthday card broke through the seriousness of Covid-19 news causing chaos in the ITV studio. Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan broke TV protocol on a recent breakfast programme when he read out the cheeky birthday message on a Dean Morris card that had been sent to him by his famous actor and former footballer friend Vinnie Jones.

The TV host, who turned 55 yesterday, did not self-censor and read out the entire message on the card: ‘Happy birthday you total legend' and in smaller writing, 'total b***end'.

Somewhat baffled by his words, Pier’s co-host Charlotte Hawkins jumped in to apologise to viewers and said that the term was not suitable for daytime television.

Piers also featured some of his other birthday card experiences on air as well as on his Instagram page, redeeming himself somewhat by making a special mention of thanks to Charlotte’s five-year old daughter Ella-Rose who had made him a special card.

Dean has taken the ITV Good Morning Britain fame in his stride. “Well I always like a bit of coverage in the news, it’s especially welcome in such crazy times,” he told PG. “I saw it was covered in the Mail (my best friends!) and the Mirror. Anyone would think it was a slow news day!”

Above: Piers sharing the cute card he received from co-host Charlotte Hawkins’ five-year old daughter.

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NEWS TOP STORY

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Brainboxers Turn Poster Boys Card publishers join the applause for the NHS Brainbox Candy, Dandelion Stationery and Gabrielle Izen Designs are among the card publishers to have joined with the nation in applauding the incredible work being done by the NHS and healthcare workers.

Feeling compelled to do something to acknowledge “the amazing work that the NHS are doing”, Brainbox Candy’s coowners, Mark Williams and Ben Hickman, set to and designed seven different posters which are free to download from the company’s website. (www.brainboxcandy.com/freeposters/). Included in the selection are two outlined designs which can be printed out for children to colour in.

Echoing the huge participation in the nation’s ‘clap for the NHS’, one poster features hands applauding in thanks, another is based round the message ‘Not all superheroes wear capes’, while another is a colourful rainbow with an overarching message of ‘Thank you’.

“We posted about the posters on social media and had some amazing supportive and appreciative feedback, both from the public and retailers,” Mark told PG. Mooch Cards & Gifts, which has shops in Bewdley and Stourport, was among those to immediately get behind using the posters, affixing a whole array in its shop windows.

Left: A trio of the free downloadable posters from Brainbox Candy.

Middle: The Dandelion Stationery special card.

As Mark points out: “Shops may be closed currently, however, their windows are still on display to hundreds of passers-by each day, so what a great platform to show support for the NHS up and down the country!”

Dandelion Stationery is another greeting card company who has been keen to show its support of the NHS. Jo Wilson, founder of the Derbyshirebased company has created a special edition card to honour all of the NHS and healthcare staff.

“This card is the perfect way to say thank you and show appreciation to the doctors, nurses, paramedics or any healthcare member of staff working on the frontline for us,” says Jo. The card is currently only available online from Dandelion’s sister company, The Stationery Studio (www.stationerystudio.co.uk). However, it will be made available for trade orders as soon as the office is re-opened.

Meanwhile, Gabrielle Izen Designs has launched a new personalised collection called Post Your Love, for which 50% of the profits are to be donated to the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust.

Some top filing Last month The Art File launched The First Class File, a new greeting card sending service (accessed from its website), aimed at individuals who are self-isolating as well as those working from home.

As well as covering the cost of the postage, the Nottinghambased publisher is also offering a 20% discount on cards ordered via its website (using a happy20 at the checkout) to send to friends, family and loved ones.

“With so many people unable to see their family members and loved ones due to the importance of social distancing, and for some the necessity of self-isolating, this means that people are probably worrying about their loved ones now more than ever, whether that be because of the health crisis or the resulting loneliness that will affect many,” says James Mace, sales and marketing manager of The Art File. “It is more important than ever to keep each other's spirits up and make sure we check in with one another. Sending and receiving cards is a powerful way to do so. We don’t want this pandemic to distance us from our loved ones,” says James.

Above: The Art File is offering to post cards free of charge to consumers to help stave off loneliness.

The design team for wholesale card publisher Out of the Blue Studios and its new sibling company, Into the Green Publishing has been busy spreading some goodwill on social media (Twitter/Facebook/Instagram) with some supportive virtual card designs.

The main messages support the NHS, encourage us to stay safe indoors as well as sending get well wishes to the PM Boris Johnson. Even within a few days, the posts achieved over 15,000 likes and lots of shares.

Above: A message from Out of the Blue Studios/Into the Green Publishing.

Spreading the love The greeting card community continues to reach out to consumers in ways that are helping them keep in touch with friends and loved ones through the sending of cards.

Wraptious has donated 1,000 of its greeting cards to Levenshulme Good Neighbours, a charity local to its HQ which supports isolated older people in the community. “The cards will be used as a way for people to stay connected during the periods of isolation and beyond - especially for older people who may have to stay at home for longer periods of time,” confirmed Simon Wadsworth, md of Wraptious.

It will be the little things that count as well as the big ones, believes Megan Purdie, founder of Megan Claire, who has been pen poised writing cards and sending them to say thank you to the staff at the publisher’s local urgent care unit in Corby, to those at the Corby Royal Mail depot, as well as the team at her local Tesco and Asda.

“All were surprised at the very small gesture but very grateful,” shares Megan. She was also delighted to furnish her seven-year old niece with cards who took it upon her young self to write personal messages to the residents in a local nursing home in Leicester after hearing that they would welcome any correspondence.

Top: A card design from Wraptious, who has donated 1,000 cards to local charities to help people feel valued and cared for.

Above: A Megan Claire thank you design.

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NEWS Gold Crown glister

TOP STORY

Changes At Paper Rose Alison Butterworth and John Lowey appointed joint mds Paper Rose has made some structural changes to its senior management team as part of future proofing the business.

Drawing on the strengths from within the Paper Design group (of which Paper Rose is a part, along with Simon Elvin, Nigel Quiney, Polytint and Glick), Alison Butterworth, managing director of Nigel Quiney Publications, has broadened her remit to also become joint managing director of Paper Rose, responsible for the product and sales aspects. John Lowey, who is also finance director of Nigel Quiney and Glick is now also joint managing director of Paper Rose and will head up operations, finance and systems.

Sadly, Nigel Willcock, the long-time sales and marketing director of Paper Rose, who has been with the company for 15 years, has been made redundant.

Commenting, Ian Jackson, ceo of the Paper Design group (following an MBO in January of this year), said: “I know that Simon Elvin would want to join me in thanking Nigel for all that he has done over the past 15 years to help develop the Paper Rose business. It is very sad that the changes in our industry have necessitated this restructuring. Everyone at Paper Rose wishes him well for the future”.

John Broad, who has been heading up Nigel Quiney’s independent sales team (as

well as covering the South East territory himself for the publisher) for some time has extended his role to head up the Paper Rose independent sales force which comprises five reps and seven agents.

“We have absolutely no plans to amalgamate the Nigel Quiney and Paper Rose sales teams,” assures Alison Butterworth. “However, with Nigel Quiney and Paper Rose having such complementary product portfolios it makes sense for both teams to work together with customers who are looking to install a stock control system, an area that has grown considerably for us at Nigel Quiney,” she adds.

Jenny Weare, national accounts manager of Nigel Quiney Publications, is now also to represent Paper Rose at national account level. Stuart McKay, who has been chairman of Paper Rose for several years, relinquished this position at the end of March to revert to his original role for the group as a non-executive director to work on strategy and group synergies.

Becky Dobson, managing director of Glick, the group’s giftwrappings company, now reports directly to Ian Jackson. Prior to this Becky reported to Alison Butterworth.

Top: Alison Butterworth is now joint md of Paper Rose as well as md of Nigel Quiney.

Above: Nigel Willcock, who was with Paper Rose for 15 years, was made redundant last month.

GCA Brings Sunshine To ToYW In addition to providing guidance to its members about what help and advice is out there during this period of virtual lockdown, the Greeting Card Association (GCA) has been doing its utmost to promote greeting card sending to the general public through leveraging its contacts in the media and other groups.

“While accepting that safeguarding the health of our nation has to remain a top priority, it has also become increasingly clear that our mental well-being as well as physical health is important during these challenging times - and sending cards can really help in making people feel connected and cared for,” says GCA ceo, Amanda Fergusson.

As part of this, joyful new livery has been created by Paper Salad, which gives a fresh new look to Thinking of You Week (ToYW). It includes the GCA’s tagline ‘#Send a card, deliver a smile’.

While the actual week does not fall until 21-27 September, a version of the new ToYW branding is also available, without the date on, so that it can be adapted for use from now onwards.

In a case of perfect timing, the branding includes a rainbow element, which has been adopted as the symbol of hope to help stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Work is also underway on developing a consumer-facing landing page on the website for Thinking of You Week.

Left: Paper Salad’s creative duo, Karen Wilson and Claire Williams designed the livery for the GCA ToYW event this year.

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PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

“The plan for 2019 was to stabilise the Gold Crown programme, 2020 is a year of measured growth, and we have got off to a great start,” stated Graeme Francis, Gold Crown business manager.

A new Hallmark Gold Crown store in Maghull, Merseyside, makes it a ‘hat trick’ for owners Penny and Simon Bailey, while Bob and Jill McGhee, owners of Hallmark Newark have just benefitted from a £13,000 free refit, as a result of winning the Big Prize Draw at last autumn’s Gold Crown conference.

“We are absolutely delighted with the refit,” commented Bob, adding that, pre Covid-19, it has also resulted in an uplift in sales. Being a post office the shop is continuing to trade.

Below: Bob and Jill McGhee in their recently refurbished Hallmark Newark store.

UK publishers up for a Louie UK publishers Paper Salad, Dandelion Stationery, Ohh Deer, Rosanna Rossi, Roger la Borde, Little Posy Print, Santoro and Think of Me Designs have all reached the finals of The Louies, the US greeting card awards, run by the American Greeting Card Association.

Different from its UK counterpart The Henries, The Louies celebrate individual card designs rather than ranges. Instead of being announced at Noted (a trade show that was due to take place in May in San Francisco, but has been cancelled due to Covid-19) the winners will be announced online.

Below: Rosanna Rossi has been shortlisted in the general birthday category.

25.qxp_Grid 01/04/2020 13:24 Page 1

In Conversation With... Cherry Orchard Publishing

A Delicate Touch Ordinarily Cherry Orchard Publishing would be celebrating its 25th anniversary this month with a lively event for its staff and promotions galore for retailers, but that was before the farreaching effects of the Covid-19 crisis took hold.

Instead, compelled to show solidarity and support for the company’s retail stockists, and her fellow members of the greeting card community, Jackie Collins, the owner and managing director of the Gloucestershire-based card publishing business, commissioned famous author Patricia Rose to write a dedicated poem that would bring hope during these challenging times.

PG had the great pleasure of speaking to both Jackie and Patricia about this very special piece of writing (which graces this magazine’s front cover) and the important role greeting cards are playing right now.

“April 1st 2020 is exactly 25 years to the day that Cherry Orchard Publishing began its journey. We have seen so many changes over the years, had the support of so many great retailers, worked with a host of talented artists and writers, been well blessed by having a wonderful team of people at Cherry Orchard and feel so proud to have developed so many fabulous ranges!” reflected Jackie Collins, owner of Cherry Orchard Publishing. “While we had been planning a big event to mark the milestone, when the coronavirus and attempts to curb it spreading started to take hold, it felt insensitive to even contemplate a celebration - there will hopefully be plenty of time for that when we come out the other side of this,” she added.

Driven by a compunction to show compassion for retailers who were forced to close their doors, as well as others in the industry feeling pain and worry, Jackie contacted the very person she just knew would have “the right delicacy of touch” to write a bespoke poem that would convey exactly the right sentiment and be shared by appearing on the front cover of PG. “Patricia Rose is a very special lady. Fi [Douglass, Cherry Orchard’s sales director] and I refer to her as our ‘earth guardian angel’. I was delighted that she agreed to write the poem as I was never in any doubt

that she would strike the right tone and indeed she has,” reveals Jackie, who has worked with Patricia on several card ranges over the years.

“I felt very honoured to be asked by Jackie to undertake this special commission,” Patricia told PG. Now 79 years old, Patricia’s passion and talent for writing goes right back to her infant school days when one of her early poems was recognised as being outstanding and was read out at assembly to the whole school.

“Being able to touch someone and make them feel better through the words and phrases I have put together makes me feel better. It is such a privilege to be able to do that,” shares Patricia. “With this poem, I

Above left: Patricia Rose’s passion for words knows no bounds.

Above: The specially written poem by Patricia Rose for Cherry Orchard.

Below: Cherry Orchard’s retail customers Carl Dunne and Oliver Guise-Smith at the recent Spring Fair at which the chaps presented Jackie Collins with a cake and cupcakes to celebrate the company’s 25th anniversary.

wanted to convey the love and connection that Jackie has with the industry; her concerns for her retail customers and friends in the trade,” says Patricia. She believes that greeting cards really have an important role to play, now more than ever.

“A greeting card can speak volumes, especially at a time when kindness, gratitude and appreciation of those in our lives are paramount,” believes Patricia, herself an avid card sender.

Echoing Patricia’s feelings, Jackie adds, how “the poignancy of sending cards seems ever more crucial. Cards provide a way of reaching out in this time of need, to those close to us emotionally as well to others we may not know very well. I have been inspired hearing about initiatives such as Kindness By Post and Post Crossing where cards and postcards are being sent to complete strangers to cheer them up,” says Jackie.

Cherry Orchard may have started on April 1, but Jackie Collins is much more of an April soul than an April fool.

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OVER THE

COUNTER

Stay Strong “You will be defined not just by what you achieve, but how you survive.” - Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating office at Facebook.

This month my column was to focus on International Women’s Day, which fell on March 8 this year. I had spoken to some leading women in business locally and thought that I would speak about the fact that a huge amount of the key people in our industry are women, and the point of the column was to say that for me gender does not and never has mattered.

It was triggered by thoughts I had at Spring Fair about card designers that had made an impact on me. It was easy to list them: Beth (Five Dollar), Wendy (JonesBlackett), Laura (Darrington), Rachel (Belly Button), Megan (Megan Claire), Rachel (Ellen), Louise (Tiler), Bex (Bexy Boo), Georgie (White Cotton)… and many more.

Anyone who has been in this industry for as long as I have knows these women, and, in truth, I respect them, not just because they are women, that is a given, but because they have produced great product consistently for many years and are skilled, professional people to work with. It really is that simple.

I have recently been dealing with some very successful men in the property game and could not believe the arrogance of some of them. Simply because they have made a lot of money investing in property they thought they could treat me (or indeed anyone they deal with) with little respect.

For me, gender is not a problem, in fact I prefer dealing with women as it always seems more straightforward – a sweeping statement I know!

The theme of this year’s IWD was ‘An equal world is an enabled world’. The thrust of this was that individually we're all responsible for our own thoughts and actions - all day, every day. We can actively 26

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

Independent card and gift retailer, David Robertson, coowner of JP Pozzi in Scotland, shares some wise advice for indies during the Covid-19 situation.

Left: Remain resilient and strong in these testing times.

Below: Wendy Jones-Blackett, co-owner of the eponymous card publisher, continuously creates beautiful designs.

choose to challenge stereotypes, fight bias, broaden perceptions, improve situations and celebrate women's achievements.

Collectively, each one of us can help create a gender equal world. #EachforEqual was the hashgtag. I intended to highlight how the card industry is one of the best for people helping and supporting one another regardless of age, gender or experience. I have seen competitors share information and work together and be confident enough that their own ranges will find their markets. That is true strength. Indeed, many of the leading lights of this magazine publication are women and take their own unique style, achieving many things with a velvet glove rather than an iron fist.

In my life I have been surrounded by strong women, from my staff, who are mainly all women, to my mum, who has been the driving force behind our business (and me!) and who, at the age of 75, I still need as much as ever.

I feel this potted version of the column I was going to write is still important to put out there but, in reality, I feel compelled to write about the unprecedented times we face.

Last night I was supposed to be at a private party for a friend’s 50th birthday but I didn’t go because of the COVID-19 issue that faces, and no doubt worries, us all.

We have a very ill family member and we have so many difficult decisions to make every day to avoid the possibility of catching and giving this virus to ill or vulnerable groups. My mum for instance, has many underlying health issues and it frightens me that her determination to keep the lights on and the shops functioning in this very important week (at the time of writing this) for the card industry (Mother’s Day) is not the right thing to do.

I, as I am sure all the readers of this article are, have no idea what to do for the best and in truth have no idea what we will be told by the government to do. Will we have to close the stores? Will we have to pay staff? Can we keep going? Do we show the stiff upper lip? Do we acquiesce and self-isolate?

The questions are vast and many. I have a diversity of businesses as you will know - from coffee shop to newsagents to cards and beauty - and each has specific challenges to try and keep them all going.

We have situations of confusion, with the Chancellor wiping out business rates for

26-27.qxp_Grid 25/03/2020 16:13 Page 3

OVER THE COUNTER

Left: David, with his mum, Lynda, will try to continue trading if they can.

Below: One of David’s suppliers, Bexy Boo, sends a little sunshine.

Below right: “Let’s be careful out there” – the infamous phrase from TV series, Hill Street Blues.

some, yet here in Scotland the rules are different to further confuse things.

What can I write about it? I am not a scientist and have no real answers, but what I thought I could do is write some practical bits of advice that may help even just one of you make a decision that helps.

Staying open - If we are allowed to continue to trade then we should try. Whether this is you as an individual or with staff, you have to simply communicate the message that you are doing everything you can.

We pride ourselves on our stores and their cleanliness but we have implemented more routines. Cleaning all handles, card machines etc with anti-bacterial wipes after use. Asking people to use contactless payment where possible. Making sure any staff that are unwell in any way don’t come in and asking them to be responsible for their own actions.

Wage commitments - Whether it is one team member or nearly 80 like us, this is by far the most difficult thing. Can you afford to pay the usual working week? Can you protect the hours? We have committed this up to the next day pay and then will have discussions with all team members to see where we are. Most businesses do not have large surpluses of money and if there is less coming in you may simply not have enough.

I have a friend with a monthly £1 million a month wage bill (not our industry) and he has taken the view of asking staff what they need and who can afford less hours etc. These are difficult but perhaps essential discussions and we all just have to trust each other and find a path through.

VAT/PAYE - These will no doubt be large sums of money and the government have indicated that they will support and allow businesses time to pay. The key thing here is to speak to them by calling 0800 0159559. This is a specific helpline for COVID-19, as opposed to the normal line which is 0300 200 3700.

The key thing is to discuss the situation quickly and the worry of this should be able to be deferred until things return to normal. You will need your VAT details and the amount due. Please ensure that you have a plan as these lines have been exceptionally busy. The usual argument is that you have had this money, but as all businesses know, we have to use cashflow as and when we can at times.

Suppliers - Suppliers of course are businesses as well and you need to be mindful of this. In the case of smaller or new businesses they will have bills to pay as well. Some card companies have already come out with public statements offering extended credit terms, and speaking to the companies on a case by case basis will be key. Some of the main suppliers are longestablished, and without naming names, some of the largest players in our trade have already indicated that they will support indie retailers.

We have taken the decision to not buy stock moving forward until we see where we are. Our stores are well stocked and no-one knows what is going to happen.

Bank/accountant/local MP/professional bodies - These professional services will become more important than ever. We are perhaps fortunate that we are a larger small business, and because of the way I am I have a close relationship with all of the card publishers I mentioned. This gives me the opportunity to find out what I can and cannot do and what support is out there. I know many small businesses will have no clue who their relationship manager is, and perhaps view their accountant much like they view their dentist, but now is the time that they can directly or possibly help.

I have seen on LinkedIn various local bankers sharing the information about accessing the emergency funding available.

And if you Google your business’ bank you will find a link to what is out there and your MP should be able to guide you to the government forms needed for help as well.

Please don’t be afraid or embarrassed to ask for help. We baled the banks out remember!

So now that they are in a stronger position they need to return the favour!

The future - No one knows exactly what is going to happen or, more importantly, how long things are going to be affected. Can we trade through this? Will we have to close? Will the public be afraid to come into stores? Will banks and landlords be understanding? Will the promised help from Government really be there?

With each announcement more confusion comes…Johnny Nash sang there were more questions than answers, and perhaps never has this been more true.

Last week’s figures for us, while down, were not horrendous, but tomorrow is a different day and we just have to literally take it a day at a time. I am not a person to panic and I don’t think we should now. We have survived wars, crashes and even recently floods and fires. As indie businesses we are resilient and we will find a way to come back.

Survival sounds a bit dramatic, but in reality that is what we need to do. I don’t think I have ever experienced anything as challenging as this in my professional career. Indeed, I have taken to quoting an old TV favourite of mine, Hill Street Blues “Let’s be careful out there.”

To contact David email: jppozzi@btconnect.com PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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cardsharp

An Historical

Perspective Cardsharp is only stating the bleeding obvious, when he observes the current Covid-19 crisis has obviously paralysed our industry, like many others. With greeting card shops forced to temporarily close their doors, the greeting card industry faces a challenge like no other in its history. Or does it? In fact, Cardsharp notes the industry has gone through many crisis in its 180 year history, and yet has always emerged the other end.

While everyone is understandably reeling from the unprecedented upheaval and hardship (psychological and financial), Cardsharp tries to find some solace in history that everything will be alright soon. He recalls how there was controversy right from the start of this great industry, when Sir Henry Cole launched the first 1,000 of what were then the first ever commercial Christmas cards back in 1842. The design itself featured a family celebrating with glasses of red wine, but shockingly for many, these were being drunk by the children as well as adult members of the groups. The Muggletonians (one of the temperance groups of the time) and many other religious followers were outraged and protested against and destroyed some of these ‘new fangled’ festive greetings, but eventually this outrage subsided and Henry Cole, and his later imitators, moved on to safer subject matter like robins and wintery scenes.

In fact, despite what the Daily Mail’s hysterical December headlines would have you to believe, Christmas cards in the Victorian era were never much on a religious theme then.

28

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

Flowers, fairies, Santa Claus and elves dominated. Amazingly, in the 1880s, one manufacturer produced over five million cards a year - a number few modern publishers would ever dream of reaching.

But then the emerging greeting card industry was dealt another near-death blow.

Suddenly there was a huge surge in popularity of cheap postcards, many of them printed by a now famous historical company, Raphael Tuck, and these could very well have spelt the end of the beautiful and elaborate Victorian style greeting card.

That could have been it for the humble greeting card. We could all have been sending postcards to each other, like our continental counterparts for the whole of the 20th century, if assistance had not come from two very unlikely sources.

Firstly, across the Atlantic, some 70 years after Sir Henry Cole, the eminent philanthropist and public servant who created the commercial Christmas card, two young entrepreneurs of very lowly contrasting backgrounds were building the first American greeting card empires. Irving Stone of American Greetings and Joyce Hall of Hallmark were both doing their best to establish the

Above: Henry Cole launched the first ever Christmas card in 1842.

Bottom: The 'Banana Wars' in 1999 threatened the UK greeting card economy.

greeting card habit with spectacular results.

Phew, but there was more to come.

The horrible devastating tragedy of the First World War, ironically helped reestablish greeting cards on this side of the water. As millions of US troops were posted to Europe in 1918, their families sent Hallmark and American Greetings’ cards in their hundreds of thousands across the Atlantic for Christmas and birthdays. And the craze soon became spread to British families, who had their loved ones stationed on the Western Front, so much so that in 1919, a year after the armistice, the UK greeting card manufacturers formed the Greeting Card and Calendar Association.

The ultimate and tragic irony given our current situation, is that this was also the year of the so-called Spanish flu epidemic, which killed globally up to 50 million people.

More than the number that died in the whole four years of the Great War. With the greeting card sending habit firmly re-established, the UK card industry managed to survive the rigours of the 1920 and 1930s, including the Wall Street Crash

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and the subsequent economic downturn.

King George V’s wife, Queen Mary, even started a collection of all the huge number of greeting cards she received, which is still in the possession of the British Museum.

Then in 1939 the Second World War broke out. In times of extreme austerity, which bears no comparison with our present situation, rationing was made compulsory of almost all consumer goods. Initially, the wartime coalition government sought to ban the production of greeting cards, in order to save paper. But a public outcry and pressure from the GCA of the time made the government reconsider. And in the end, and perhaps something we could well agree with now, greeting cards were considered essential to the war effort.

But the industry was far from out of the woods even after 1945. The post war years were even harder economically than the war itself, with rationing continuing well into the 1950s. There was an extreme paper shortage that really effected production, but as living standards started to rise in the 1960s, the modern greeting card industry started to emerge in its present form.

Hallmark opened its operations over here, with its first offices in the London suburb of Ruislip, and with the decline of the textile industry in the north of England due to cheap imports, some manufacturers turned to greeting card manufacturing as a substitute, utilising the pool of design talent that had served the rag trade.

But there were still periodical crisis to face, reflected Cardsharp. In the early 1980s, as Britain’s economy was once again in the depths, a new threat came from the East. No not from China, but from the then officially ‘atheist’ Soviet Union, who decided to dump millions and millions

Above: Cards were threatened by the Soviet Union in the 1980s - USSR and US leaders, Brezhnev and Nixon.

Below right: Clintons went into receivership in 2012, but survived when bought by American Greetings.

Below left: During WW2 the UK wartime coalition government sought to ban greeting cards.

of ultra-cheap greeting cards onto the UK market, undermining UK publishers, many of whom were big employers based in the West Midlands and the North West, two areas that had been hit particularly badly by the downturn. The now defunct Kenrick and Jefferson (based in Birmingham) was then a massive manufacturer of cards, and together with local Labour members of parliament (and with help from the GCA) managed to get these imports curtailed for breaking import regulations.

Since then the industry has faced its periodic challenges, but luckily nothing life threatening. There have admittedly been periodic retail failures, notably Athena in 1995, Birthdays in 2009 and Clintons in 2012. While these created huge ructions and damaged several companies, the industry itself recovered.

Cardsharp also recalls some other periodic scares, the ‘Banana Wars’ for starters. In 1999, a spat between the US and the EU over trade in Caribbean bananas (Cardsharp kids you not!) threatened the global greeting card trade, but in the end, it all blew over, and thankfully none slipped on the peel (sorry, humour is called for in these times!).

Equally bizarre, was the so-called ‘Barcode Wars’ in the 1990s, the details of which, Cardsharp can’t quite recall. But at the time it was considered so crucial that a special greeting card industry summit was hastily arranged, and the technical debate that followed, regarding which barcode system the trade adopted, became so

heated that two senior male industry executives had to be separated before they came to blows!

Then of course, as we entered the 21st century, we have had the potential threats, first of texting, then e-cards, then Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and all manner of social media channels. We have also seen the high street decimated by Amazon and e-commerce. Yet, as an industry, we have remained resilient throughout these as well.

So, Cardsharp reflects, the UK greeting card industry has had its fair few ups and downs, and near critical moments in its almost two centuries of history. The current awful situation, with the industry in virtual lockdown, may seem like the end of our world, but, if the past is anything to go by, we will bounce back. A habit and tradition engrained over so long in the British public will not disappear over a couple of months. Greeting cards engender within us all a huge feel good factor and brings out all that is good in human nature.

Cardsharp thinks that is something we are really going to need when we eventually emerge from all of this.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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PG Innovations Normal.qxp_38-39/40-41 31/03/2020 11:47 Page 1

PG showcases a selection of new product launches

Tending Growth Following on from a successful gift launch, which saw A Year in the Garden shortlisted as a finalist in the Gift Of The Year Awards 2020, introduced under the Paper House (GBCC) brand, is a collection of 12 greeting card designs (all 5” x 7”). Featuring beautiful watercolour paintings by Jessica Johnson, enhanced by a gold foil finish, the new collection is inspired by the four seasons and their floral displays; just perfect for all garden enthusiasts and nature lovers!

The Great British Card Company 01452 888999 www.greatbritishcards.co.uk

Thinking Positively Positive thoughts and support are at the heart of Softly Spoken, the newest range from Emma Bryan. The 24 designs are designed to connect and send messages of support and positivity. The 120mm x 170mm cards featuring Emma’s soft colour palette and stylised florals, are printed in the UK on beautiful uncoated board and supplied with a recycled kraft envelope.

Emma Bryan Design 07889 598606 www.emmabryan.co.uk

Ready, Steady, Glow The stunning vibrant new Glow Collection from Laura Darrington Designs features an array of subject matter, from juicy fruits to fabulous florals. The 93 designs are cold foiled and embossed. Each card comes with a colourful envelope, with either a card clasp or cellowrapped to the customer’s requirement.

Laura Darrington Design 0116 2849660 www.lauradarrington.com

Telegraphic Messages Poet and Painter’s new Telegraphic range is something of a departure from the publisher’s usual inky splashy thinking. In a nod to the beauty and function of the telegram, the graphic treatment and carefully considered words of this range (which covers everyday and occasions) will raise spirits and smiles. All of the cards are 150mm x 150mm in size, printed on FSC approved matt stock, with vegetable-based inks and come a plain white envelope, supplied naked or with an Eco Klasp on request.

Poet and Painter 07779 064894 www.poetandpainter.co.uk

Seeding An Idea To 1 Tree Cards’ mind, kids are the true trailblazers of this recent surge in the eco movement, so its Little Critters collection is dedicated to them. While the 18 designs are full of animals and birthday cheer, the recipients’ little hands can get dirty by planting the flower seed token that are inside each card. For every card bought a tree is also planted by the publisher. Printed on 100% recycled board, the greeting cards are supplied naked or in compostable sleeves.

1 Tree Cards 07484 694951 www.1treecards.com

Open Door Policy Veronica Dearly’s Lovely Flaps range has been proving so popular that it has been augmented with some fun, slightly cheeky, love designs. While the ‘Let's Get Dirty...’ design features euphemisms for sex, with their analogy revealed behind each flap, the ‘12 Things We Could Try in Bed Together’ design, for example, features cheeky objects depicted that hint at sexual fun, behind each of the flaps are very domestic activities!

Veronica Dearly 07809 879069 www.veronicadearly.com PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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PG showcases a selection of new product launches

A Dog’s Life Pugs & Kisses is Nigel Quiney’s latest cute collection. The collection of 16 loveable Pug designs will melt your heart, all with a birthday vibe. It includes images of Pugs with cakes, balloons and presents through to karaoke singing and sofa snoozing! Finished with gold foil and printed on Veltique Ice board, the card designs have full colour reverses, are 150mm square and come with high white envelopes.

Nigel Quiney Publications 01799 520200 www.nigelquiney.com

On The Rader

No Heavy Metal

Lagom Design continues to delight with its wide portfolio of artists’ work. Among these is a beautiful new collection of 12 greeting cards and two gift wraps by Meghann Rader. Whimsical, romantic and full of intricate detail, elegant figures and magical animals are depicted, enhanced by deep debossing and gold foil detail and lettering. This collection includes designs for birthdays, thanks, romantic occasions and mums and dads.

Lagom Design 0333 123 0101 www.lagomdesign.co.uk

Sienna is a new contemporary collection from Noel Tatt. Handmade in the UK, each design is enhanced with a copper textured foil and pearl varnish, delicately hand-finished with an array of gems and organza bows. Comprising 24 designs, the range includes a mix of open birthday, ages and female relations in a 6” x 6” format, each of which is accompanied by a luxury graphite grey envelope.

Noel Tatt 01227 811600 www.noeltatt.com

Loads Of Bright Ideas High Scoring Bexy Boo has extended its award-winning Henries Scrabbley Neon range to include 56 new designs. Hand-finished with an original wooden Scrabble tile and sparkly, gorgeous crystals, each of the 150mm x 150mm cards comes with a bespoke Bexy Boo polka dot envelope, wrapped with a biodegradable cello as standard, but can be also be naked or card clasped.

Bexy Boo 07810 448080 www.bexyboo.co.uk

Lucilla Lavender has been overflowing with new collections, and Bright Ideas is just one of them. This fun, colourful range of 12 designs are all on birthday themes.

Making great shelf impact, all of the illustrative elements are embossed to achieve extra stand-out, and the use of a slightly textured board increases the tactile quality of the cards. Most of the messages and images are genderneutral and many are suitable for a wide age range.

Lucilla Lavender 0203 405 1410 www.lucillalavender.com

Heart Of The Matter As the range name Fine Foils suggests, the designs in this new collection from Laura Sherratt Designs includes foiled messages, but that’s not all. Each of the 20 designs is embellished with a sparkly heart. Covering many different titles, including, new baby, new home and many love-related sends, the 120mm square cards are printed on high quality textured board and come complete with a colour coordinating envelope.

Laura Sherratt Designs 01538 384566 www.laurasherrattdesigns.co.uk PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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PG showcases a selection of new product launches

A Fair Cop(per) Old English Company’s new Copper Collection caters perfectly for the men in our lives. The contemporary foiled illustrations stand out wonderfully against the bold solid coloured backgrounds. As well as rich greens and browns, the range also includes a similar blue palette to the Pantone colour of the year.

Old English Company 01780 763 368 www.oldenglishcompany.com

Thinking Big The Natural World

International Cards & Gifts has expanded the selection of high quality code 250 cards in its main range with the addition of another 17 brand new designs covering captions from relations and birthdays to anniversaries. The designs, which echo the publisher’s most popular ranges, are hand-finished with beautiful embellishments and completed with a heartfelt verse for those really special sends.

International Cards & Gifts 01202 897494 www.icgcards.com

With gardening and our appreciation of nature on course to be increasingly popular, Louise Mulgrew’s new Flora range is well timed. The 21 designs of botanical, floral and celebrations of nature are each finished with a touch of gold foiling. The designs, all 150mm square, includes birthdays, adult ages, sympathy and encouragement sentiments. They come with a teal envelope and are packaged naked with a branded easy-peel clasp to hold the envelope and card together.

Louise Mulgrew 07706 285921 www.louisemulgrew.com

A Daily Treat Providing a joyful treat in these challenging times is the Miranda Day collection from The Eco-friendly Card Co/Glebe Cottage.

Miranda paints vibrant characters using acrylic paint combined with mixed media on canvas or board, weaving words into them. There are 14 designs in the range, all of which are printed on 100% recycled board, with 100% recycled envelopes, and available either in compostable bags or ‘naked’.

The Eco-friendly Card Co 01626 369269 www.ecofriendly.cards

More Than Okay Hunky Dory is a gorgeous new birthday and occasions range from Paper Salad which comprises 30 super bright designs. In a new large size of 185mm x 155mm, the designs feature deep embossing, patterned textures, stand out neon colours and lovely foiled elements. Each is paired with a beautiful patterned envelope.

Paper Salad 0161 427 0001 www.papersalad.co.uk

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PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

Page Turners Kissmekwik has released a whole raft of new designs into its ever-popular Ladybird Books range. The combination of classic illustration and silly jokes continue to surprise, delight and amuse in equal measure. The cards, 128mm x 180mm in size, are available wrapped or unwrapped, banded in paper. Each greeting card comes with a brightly coloured envelope.

Kissmekwik 01273 571757 www.kissmekwik.co.uk

PG Innovations Normal.qxp_38-39/40-41 31/03/2020 11:47 Page 4

PG showcases a selection of new product launches

Purrfect Depictions

An Added Dimension Raspberry Blossom’s latest Treasures collection is set to be a card, keepsake and objet d’art in one. The paper engineering means the recipient can keep the card as a contemporary ornament by simply twisting it around to hide the 'Happy Birthday' message. All of the designs hero some of the planet’s most colourful creations, from stunning birds and animals to rainbows and flowers.

Raspberry Blossom 01553 636194 www.raspberryblossom.com

Blooming Lovely Flame Tree’s beautiful foiled greeting cards collection welcomes spring with a new range of delicate floral designs. The collection, which includes 104 designs (170mm x 125mm), ranges from the historic, such as the intricate Compton Wallpaper design by William Morris, through to the contemporary, such as the vibrant Love for My Garden by Nel Whatmore.

Flame Tree Publishing 0845 402 0422 www.flametreepublishing.com

Jane Faires Art’s new Furry Felines collection is full of (four-legged) character. The designs, based on original oil paintings by Jane Faires, span elegant Siamese cats through to a black and white moggy, with the occasional appearance of a mouse. The 150mm square cards are printed on 300gsm FSC board and can be supplied individually cellowrapped or naked.

Jane Faires Art 01803 862123 ww.janefairesart.com

Out Of This World Stormy Knight has recently had the pleasure of collaborating with the award-winning illustrator Alex Foster on an amazing new range of birthday cards. The Alex Foster collection includes bright and cheery birthday designs featuring everything from astronauts to beach bods. The cards are printed onto FSC approved stock, finished with a glorious touch of foil and paired with a GF Smith Callisto Pearl envelope.

The cards come naked with a Kard Klasp or in cello bags.

Stormy Knight 0117 9098684 www.stormyknight.co.uk

Back To Collage Designed by combining hand-painted papers and chunky crayon imagery, the new Kids Collage range from Sarah Kelleher have an attractive rustic look.

Printed onto FSC card, each of the 40 fun designs (covering birthdays, ages and words of encouragement) come with a brown ribbed envelope and a card clasp option is available.

Sarah Kelleher 07768 123957 www.sarahkelleher.co.uk

Rural Idyll On the basis that you can’t get enough of a good thing, Wrendale Designs has added a new clutch of charming designs into its Country Set card collection. With broad appeal, the 12 new designs all feature Hannah Dale’s gorgeous watercolour artwork. The greeting cards measure 150mm x 150mm, are printed on 350gsm sustainably sourced textured board and come with a recycled kraft envelope.

Wrendale Designs 01652 680253 www.wrendaledesigns.co.uk PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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To discuss your next greetings card range call us on 01797 223355 www.abbotprint.co.uk sales@abbotprint.co.uk

30/03/2020 19:22

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Art Source PG helps to paint a pretty picture of freelance artists, designers, verse writers and photographers’ worlds in order to promote their talents to publishers and, conversely, make it easier for publishers seeking artists.

ARTIST IN FOCUS

Lee Foster-Wilson I am an illustrator living in Cornwall. I am hugely inspired by the rural, coastal landscape I live in. I like to work with traditional analogue materials, as well as digitally, though my favourite tool is the marker pen in all it’s different guises (it will probably have my heart forever).

I grew up surrounded by my family’s menagerie of animals, riding ponies and swimming in the sea after school. These early experiences have defined and influenced the things I seek out as inspiration.

I enjoy observing the relationship of people to nature, and to each other, often defined in the phrases, text, and weird and wonderful celestial and mystical symbols I like to add to my work.

Alongside illustrating, I also run a little business called Bonbi Forest where I sell cards, posters, enamel jewellery and pins, and scarves. Stocked in shops all over the world, Bonbi Forest has been featured in numerous publications including Vogue, Grazia, Elle and The Guardian.

I have had the pleasure of working with Quarto, Compendium Inc, Mollie Makes, In the Moment Magazine, Ohh Deer, Cause and Lionheart Magazine.

If you would like to license any of my work or would like to talk about a commission please contact me or my agent Jehane Boden Spiers. l Tel: +44 7703 185413 l Email: studio@jehane.com l Web: www.jehane.com

WANT TO BE FEATURED?

If you are an artist, photographer or verse writer and would like to be considered to appear in Art Source, please contact PG’s Emma Cain on emmac@max-publishing.co.uk. This is an editorial feature and as such is free of charge.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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WHAT’S HOT PG ASKED A SELECTION OF CARD RETAILERS FOR THEIR ‘HOT’ CARD SELLERS PRE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN

Jinny Semmens, owner of Cardtime, Penzance, Cornwall A small store in a seaside town with a loyal locals and tourists customer base.

Category

Name of Publisher

Product/Name Range

Comments

Everyday

Nigel Quiney

Pizazz

Cute

Alex Clark Art

Standard square cards and Sparkle designs

Humour

Country Cards

Across The Board

Art

Paper House (GBCC) Heart of a Garden aka Art Eco Designs

Look At It This Way Across The Board

Jonny Javelin and Grass Roots (Paper Rose) Glick Byzantium Collection

Twingles Jelly Beans

Always popular. The latest designs are even more attractive, incorporating more colours.

These cards always sell well, the newish range of Seaside Sparkle cards have sold particularly quickly.

Traditional cartoon illustrations looking on the funny side of rural life.

A great humorous female to female range.

John Dyer and his wife Joanne Short's paintings of local scenes are Above: A design from the hilarious Look At It This Way range from consistently good sellers.

Paper House (GBCC).

People come in especially for the age/ relations cards, particularly the grandchildren designs in all of our ranges, but particularly these two ranges.

The patterned tissue especially sells really well.

A beautiful range of jewellery that’s very reasonably priced.

Children’s

Giftwrap Ancillary

Alexander Thurlow

General Paua Shell jewellery collection Flower Jewellery

Poppies, pansies, blue bells, lovely flower jewellery at a good price.

Graham Fraser, proprietor of Alba The Artshop, Oban, Argyll A mini department store in a coastal town with a locals and tourists customer base.

Category

Name of Publisher

Product/Name Range

Comments

Everyday

IC&G

Humour

Peartree Heybridge

The Year You Were Born Camilla & Rose

Claire Maddicott

Harold’s Planet

Catherine Kleeli Edinburgh Arts

General Scottish Series

Art Angels

Printmakers

Contemporary

Abacus 1 Tree Cards

Azalea General

Traditional

Noel Tatt

Decoupage

Children’s

Noel Tatt, IC&G, Rachel Ellen Wendy Jones-Blackett and Belly Button Glick

Across The Board

Sells and sells and sells. Every customer you point toward this range buys a card!

Suits such a wide range of customers; a perennial performer.

Regularly refreshed, inoffensive but funny range that produces steady sales.

A unique perspective on animal art.

Blank cards of paintings and sketches by Scottish artists of our local area.

They have a particular and neverending market. Coastal bird cards are great for our location.

A new range that’s taking off!

People seem happy to pay the extra to help the environment. A tree is planted for every card bought and it includes a seed token.

The ultimate traditional card, constantly being reordered.

Three great suppliers who cover all bases, with ranges continuously being refreshed.

Both of these publishers are the creme de la crème. I’ve just done £1,000 orders with both. Great sellers!

Always fresh, up to the minute and innovative, with quality always a given.

We stock over 100 varieties, always selling, but especially now.

We were scared of the price point at first but the quality and style just shine and they have been a huge success.

Art

Above: A pretty design from Abacus’ Azalea range.

Right: Wendy Jones-Blackett creates gorgeous handmade designs.

Handmade/ Hand-Finished Giftwrap Ancillary

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House Of Puzzles Peppermint Grove

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

Across The Board Pizazz and Across The Board Jigsaws The Mews Collective’s Candles

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Focus On Male Cards

A Tour De Force Road warriors, speed conquerors, a Braveheart cry for freedom topped off with the obligatory cake stop - MAMILs (Middle-Age Men In Lycra) are a growing pack on the cycling circuit, and, with this spurt of road, racer, fixed gear and mountain bike users, cycling and bike iconography has become ‘wheelie’ popular on male card designs, often speeding to the top of the sales chart’s hill for numerous card publishers.

In a ‘chain’ reaction to the climb of bike illustrations, Focus On Male Cards gear-ed up and ‘spoke’ to a peloton of card publishers about this trend.

James Stevens, md for James Ellis:

Katie Taylor, marketing manager for Ling Design:

“I go out with a group on a Saturday morning and a typical ride will take three hours, including breakfast, and be about 30 or 40 miles. From Bristol you can get to the coast in 50 minutes and have breakfast overlooking the Severn estuary with the Welsh hills on the other side. Personally, I do it to be in the countryside, get some fresh air and stay fit but a lot of my friends are obsessed with bikes, some own five or six and will spend £1000s to get better wheels or to shave off the odd kg off the weight of the bike, and much discussion on this subject occurs while we are tucking into our full English breakfasts!

Competitiveness also comes into it. A lot of us record our rides via the Strava app and arrive home after a ride to eagerly open the app to see if we have beaten our personal best or friend's times on a route.”

“Bike riding has developed something of a cult following in recent years. There are many reasons for this - GB’s cycling glory in the 2012 Olympics, the growth in cycling gear, increasing environmental awareness - but perhaps the most prominent is the feeling of freedom it offers. Bike riding is a manifestation of man meets machine; two bodies working together to create momentum. Bikes are entirely powered by their riders and offer a ticket into the Great Outdoors - something that we need more and more in our busy modern lives.

We believe that bike imagery is popular on male cards, partly because of the increasing popularity of the sport, but also because of the connotations that cycling evokes. Cycling is twinned with competition, victory, sportsmanship and also with escapism and the pursuit of freedom - themes that many modern men can relate to.”

Above: James believes bike images on cards appeal as it is quite hard to choose a card for a middle-aged. “I seem to get mostly cycling related gifts for birthdays and Christmas!” - One of James Ellis’ new Ingot designs.

Sara Burford, co-founder of Cinnamon Aitch: “Getting on your bike allows for a feeling of freedom, a chance to blow away the cobwebs and maybe escape from the rat race for a while. There may also be a little subconscious nostalgia for a simpler time in life, rekindling childhood memories of just hanging out, tinkering, existing in a more innocent time. The two fabulous bike designs in our ‘Cobalt’ men’s range are certainly proof of the popularity of this pastime, as they’re up there with the top sellers in this smart, contemporary range… we’ve even added a cheeky little ‘Dads in Lycra’ design to our men’s soap range!”

Right: A Cobalt design from Cinnamon Aitch, along with its Dads in Lycra soap.

Above: A design from Ling’s Galleria range.

Ian Bradley, sales & marketing guru for Rush Designs: “Bikes and cycling are definitely popular images for male cards simply because it’s been a popular leisure interest for many years, surging big time when the UK started winning lots of cycling medals. For this reason, it makes sense that cycling should feature in the ever-challenging ‘men’s cards’ market.”

Above: Rush Design has two cycling designs in its new male collection the Domino range, which has over 40 150mm square designs, including open, ages and relations.

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Focus On Male Cards

Ian’s keen cyclist friend explains the appeal: “Certainly fitness and the technical gear feature high on the list of attractions, maybe the history too, but also the competitiveness - man’s instinct to kill or be killed. The opportunity to travel to new places and seeing the world at 15mph is the perfect balance between distance travelled and time spent. All cyclists have common factors, while the various disciplines hold different interests for individuals.”

Rachel Hare, creative director for Belly Button Designs: “As a studio we’re always looking to the latest trends for inspiration, pulling from our own personal experiences, including partners and husbands! Bikes are one of those big trends. We may initially say “Men and their toys”, but it’s that ‘fun’ appeal that comes with any toy, and harking back to our childhood and the desire for speed, to tinker and build - we’re all looking for some form of escapism in the day today. It’s this that we capture in our designs, that emotive icon of the bike and all it represents.”

Tom, husband to Claire Seneviratne, a Belly Button designer: “Personally speaking I can say the following…You can do it at any time so you’re not restricted to organised schedules like with other activities. It might sound childish but going downhill really fast is great fun! You work hard to get to the top but worth it for the speed on the way down. It can be as techy and geeky as you want it to be; there are lots of toys and gadgets to play with. Tinkering with the mechanicals on a bike is good fun. For commuting, which I also do, I don’t like paying for transport so travelling ‘for free’ feels like a win. The fitness is a good part, but for me it is secondary to the other things.”

Above: Capturing the emotive icon of the bike, a Belly Button design.

Emma Hancox, marketing assistant for The Art File: “The Art File like using bikes on our greeting cards mainly for the pun opportunities; a couple of ours include ‘You’re wheelie cool’, ‘All ass no gas!’, and ‘You’re not getting older, you’ve just gone up a gear’!

Bikes are also versatile, even within the genre of male cards. The sporty aspect of bikes is definitely a factor in their popularity. Football, amongst other sports, can feel alienating if you’re not a diehard fan, but the majority of men have ridden a bike as a child or enjoyed a casual cycle along the canal, and of course, many will be keen cyclists.”

Above: The Art File’s ‘All Ass, No Gas!’ design.

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PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

Katie Meeke, md for Holy Mackerel: “I gave up cycling quite early in life - I couldn’t take my right hand off the handlebars to indicate, so I could only ever turn left, which makes it quite a limiting hobby. On the plus side I never got lost!

I consulted my cousin, who has cycled all along the Rockies, avoiding bears and vertiginous drops, and he reckons the appeal of cycling is a mix of the adrenalin, and the taste of the first pint after you stop!”

Above: This bike design is a huge seller for Holy Mackerel.

Ross Harrison, business development manager for Laura Darrington: “As we live quite rurally, we see a steady stream of cyclists coming through the village quite regularly. And, while I applaud anyone who’s hobby keeps you fit and healthy, a cyclist’s desire to pull on the lycra and helmet is up there with their fondness for cake. No bike ride is complete without a cake-stop it seems. And for that reason alone, cycling is now my favourite sport.”

Right: A design from Laura Darrington’s Little People collection.

Eddie Clarke, licensing manager for Museums & Galleries: “Cycling hits the spot as a subject on cards because bicycles naturally tend to make great graphics and have a long heritage of beautiful adverts and event posters, which sits well with M&G's aesthetic. The sport has easy entry levels and a wide variety of expression - from urban commuting to mountain biking. From boosting fitness to doing your bit for global warming, cycling hits a lot of positive points - meaning when we come across a strong bicycle subject in research it's always worth considering closely.”

Left: Mint’s M.A.M.I.L. card in its new range 'Modern Life Illustrated' references the stereotypical middleaged male in brightly coloured, tightfitting lycra on a bike (which often cost as much as a car). As the card says, "It is essential to buy ALL the gear before attempting ANY kind of exercise”! - M&G’s group creative director, Ben Dorney.

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Focus On Male Cards

Kate Jamieson, creative editor for Icon: “I think men have always been seen as (hugely stereo-typically speaking of course) lovers of machinery and all things mechanical, but we are witnessing a gradual evolution from greasy petrol-heads into the more ecologically acceptable cycle-psychos. Of course there's still the element of speed and danger, so ego and machismo remain firmly intact, and indeed on full display, thanks (but no thanks!) to the seemingly obligatory ultra-snug apparel. Plus, they can legitimately vent their road-rage at other road users knowing they possess the moral high ground. In my head, the real reason men love cycling so much is because the little shoes are just supercute and it gives them a lovely shapely calf!”

Emily Holmes, marketing coordinator for Molly Mae: “Bike riding has become huge for men over the last 10 years, and is growing steadily for women too. There’s an element of freedom that helps with the stresses of everyday life and clears the mind, it’s also an excellent way to see parts of our lovely countryside.

For the more competitive among us, the challenge of competing against peers or against themselves on apps that measure speed and distance is an appeal. There’s the mechanical aspect, plus there’s a lot of gear available. For the older gent or lady it’s a chance to be sporty and physically fit without it impacting on joints, and of course it’s a great way to meet likeminded people and enjoy the social side of it too.”

Above: A thoughtful send for a keen cyclist, a card from Molly Mae.

Above: Inspired by the Tour de France, a design from Foxes and Angels.

Left: A design by Nick Veasey from The ArtPress’ Inside Out range.

Dan Kane, co-founder of Think Of Me Designs: “Several issues are at play, one is certainly the mechanics of bikes. It’s a machine, and guys love messing around with machines, but its simpler and so more universally tinker-able.

Guys also like belonging to clubs, and cycling has a definite club-like culture, starting with the uniform. If it’s not lycra and brightly coloured with big bold branding are you really cycling? Cycling, unlike running, which is quite a solitary activity, is also usually done with other people.

And you can’t beat the feeling of speed! Riding a bike is also something we all know how to do. This means that it doesn’t take too much effort until we’re bombing down hills like when we were 10!”

Left: A Think Of Me male card design.

Luka Thorp, designer for Redback Cards: “Due to having both physical and psychological benefits, there are many reasons why men are developing a passion for the sport. However, for guys that have really caught ‘the bug’, the sense of freedom that comes with bike riding plays a huge part in their enjoyment: You choose the destination, you choose the speed and you choose your own journey.

With men currently embracing ‘pedal power’, it’s no coincidence that bike imagery is a popular choice for male cards. Whether he’s a MAMIL or a cheeky chappie with ‘all the gear but no idea’, Redback’s enamel pin Pinata design is perfectly suited to all bike enthusiasts!”

Left: This cool keepsake enamel pin card from Redback’s Pinata range features a dashing design with colour that really pops!

Rebecca Badrock, product manager for UK Greetings: “The popularity of the bicycle has definitely been raised in recent years by several high profile cycling events that have been held in the UK, such as the Tour de France choosing to hold a leg of the race in Yorkshire in 2014, and the Tour de Yorkshire now a regular cycling event.

Cycling is an increasingly popular hobby and growing numbers of people are now choosing to cycle to work - both for exercise and environmental reasons.

Bike images are often accompanied by beautiful scenery, creating a lovely backdrop for a photographic card.”

Above: A mountain bike design from UKG.

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Focus On Male Cards: New Launches

Wild Frontiers Beer goggles, cowboys, bold typography and vintage vehicles, Focus on Male Cards discovers the new male designs breaking borders and bucking onto card ranges. l Word up! is a range of cards focused at men by Caroline Gardner. They’re perfect as the designs feature just colourful text in rich blues, greens and red, making them within the range there are birthday cards and relations, covering son, dad and brother. Plus some fun phrases such as ‘Mr Amazing’ and ‘Happy Birthday Handsome’. l Cherry Orchard has received a fantastic response to the launch of its male Month You Were Born cards. These cards have bright text-based artwork finished with gold fluted foil and captions with gentle humour. Inside the card are some facts about events and famous people who share the birth month.

l Hotchpotch has a selection of male cards within its newest collections - Popcorn, Spectacular and Gee Whiz - as well as some favourites from its best-selling Orion collection. Beer, typography and sports feature time and time again throughout its collections: “Over the years we’ve learned it’s not about re-

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

inventing the wheel but about coming up with an idea that’s just a little different to all the other male cards out there. Iron on patches, geo fluted foil, pop-ups and wearable glasses cards make up our newest male collections,” explains senior designer, Anna Price.

l Introducing the Frank

l Piano En Vogue is a brand new range from Hammond Gower that includes male captions.

Concentrating on bold typography, the designs are strong and masculine with gold foil. The cards cover a range of relations captions and are available in 5.5" square with a quality white envelope.

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Right: A spot-varnished and embossed new Panache Neon male design from Real & Exciting Designs.

Collection from Dandelion Stationery, a minimal, clean-shaven design-led range covering male general birthday. The Frank Collection is printed onto luxury, cream FSC certified board and is supplied with recycled kraft envelopes.

Size 140mm x 140mm, these cards can be supplied cellowrapped or plastic-free, the choice is yours. l UKG has just unveiled its latest refresh within its male relations captions that will launch in June. From bear hugs with Granddad to admitting to your brother he’s brilliant, the exciting male line has it all! The publisher has also developed some fresh updates in some of its classic illustration ranges, with painterly and retro photographic styling. There’s something for everyone in this collection!

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Focus On Male Cards: New Launches

l Clanna Cards and Visioni have a huge range of classic men's cards. The range of 150 cards focuses on motor-racing, vehicles, sport and travel and includes licensed ranges from the Le Mans 24 Hour race, British Airways, P&O Cruises and Brooklands Museum. Many of the card images are reproductions from vintage posters from the 1920s to 1980s and capture the heyday of motor racing and air travel. All the cards are 7”x 5" and are available either blank inside or with happy birthday. l Introducing Fairlight captions from IC&G, a wonderful new collection of code 75 designs covering all of the publisher’s most popular captions. Featuring fantastic foiled borders and striking artwork details, these cards are not to be missed.

Offering an alternative to male humour designs, Fairlight takes a look at lifestyle, hobbies and leisure without losing that celebratory, heartfelt sentiment.

All Fairlight captions cards are accompanied by a coloured insert. l Go ‘Rogue’ with Think Of Me’s awesome new male greeting card collection for 2020! With clean, bold styling, strong embossing, a male-friendly colour palette and imagery perfect for all of the men in your life, Rogue is a perfect addition to any male card section. Printed on thick textured FSC certified board, Rogue can be ordered nested or clasped to maximise its environmental credentials. l Talking Pictures (Ling) has extended its hugely popular Menazzo range for April 2020 to include more specific relations.

Following the success of the initial launch, Menazzo’s offering has broadened to include new designs for Brother, Nephew, Granddad, Grandson and Dad. The range is embossed and

decorated with tip-ons and gold foil – perfect for an extra special occasion. Four of the five new designs are sized at C, and the Granddad card is sized at G. All are paired with a kraft envelope and wrapped in cello to protect the finishings. l The inspiration for the Vintage and Retro ranges (six designs in each) from new card publisher Foxes & Angels came from countless visits to London’s RAF Museum and Classic Car shows with the founders’ son who loves all things automotive. It’s opened up a whole new world for the publisher, finding inspiration for cards that would appeal to men not interested in ‘lad’ culture. The publisher is also excited to be launching its Meadows and Window Box ranges (12 designs in each) at PG Live, which feature several dynamic ‘Tour de France’ style racing cards. All cards are size 127mm x 177mm. l As a publisher The Art File has won a number of industry awards for its male cards and so it is very proud of its latest collection in this category, the aptly named Vertigo range.

This new collection of 20 birthday and occasion cards combines eye-teasing designs with a clever use of hot foils, as well as a dash of humour. The result is a collection designed to stop you in your tracks! l Stop the Clock has recently extended its popular Oh Hello range with male focused designs a plenty!

The new designs cover a range of captions including birthday, special ages, new home, thank you and wedding. With a modern, masculine colour palette the cards are given extra wow factor with embossing and hints of copper and teal foil. The cards come cellowrapped or clasped with a deep teal envelope.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l PRODUCT DIRECTORY

To appear in the Product Directories email Warren Lomax warren@max-publishing.co.uk or Tracey Arnaud tarnaud@btinternet.com

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To appear in the Product Directories contact

Warren Lomax

020 7700 6740 or email warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

Tracey Arnaud

07957 212 062

or email traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

Publishers of quality blank greeting cards Tel: 0115 929 4776 enquiries@bugart.co.uk Order Online

www.bugart.co.uk

To appear in the Product Directories simply contact

Warren Lomax on: To appear in the Product Directories email Warren Lomax warren@max-publishing.co.uk or Tracey Arnaud tarnaud@btinternet.com

020 7700 6740

or email on warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

Tracey Arnaud on: 01565 830 546 | bexyboo.co.uk @BexyBooLtd

BexyBooLtd

@BexyBooLtd

44

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07957 212 062

or email on traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

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PRODUCT DIRECTORY

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l PRODUCT DIRECTORY

To appear in the Product Directories email Warren Lomax warren@max-publishing.co.uk or Tracey Arnaud tarnaud@btinternet.com

To appear in the Product Directories simply contact Warren Lomax

LOTTIE COLE

on:

020 7700 6740 or email on warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

Tracey Arnaud

Beautiful, Soulful Cards

on:

www.lottiecole.com

07957 212 062

info@lottiecole.com lottiecoledesigns

or email on tarnaud@btinternet.com

Caspari Ltd

AGENTS WANTED

Linden House, John Dane Player Court

East Street, Safffrron W Waalden Essex, CB10 1LR Teel: 01799 513010 T Faax: 01799 513101 F Email: inffoo@caspari.co.uk ww ww w.CaspariOnline.com

Products: Everyday cards - birthday, blank & occasions, charity Christmas cards, gifftt wrap, bags, tissue, ribbon, hankies, napkins, paper plate, candles, placemats, crackers,invitations, placecards, notecards,diaries, address books, journals, advent calendars and bridge gifftts.

ELEGANT CONTEMPORARY DESIGNS www.emmabryan.co.uk

Method of Sale: Direct to Retail

made with great imagination

@thecuriousinksmith

01892 838 574

sales@thecuriousinksmith.co.uk

hello@emmabryan.co.uk 07889 598606

SALES AGENTS WANTED

One of the UK’s leading suppliers of Greeting Cards since 19995

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Products: High quality greetin ng cards with superb finishes. All maajjor and minor titles, covering traditio onaall to the latest in innovative design, n both Everydaayy and Seasonal. Providing an all NEW selection of Muggs and Notebooks. k

www.cathtatecards.com

Brands Include: Down Memory Lane, Wo Wot A Mug and Tw Twist & Shout

WISHES

A w o n d e rf u l Eid!

Ch C hin nese ese HE IS

Methods of Sale: Direct to retail

Unit 1, 45 Morrish Road London SW2 4EE Tel: 0208 671 2166 Fax: 0208 678 1119 info@cathtatecards.com

To appear in the Product Directories email

Warren Lomax

WAY

THE

LIFE

Witty, gritty, switched on humour.

Cards and gifts with a real difference.

Desiggners welcome contact beverley@cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk

THE

THE AND TRUTH

Unit 10 Duddage Business Park Brockeridge Rd Twyning Tewkesbury GL20 6BY 01684 295500 info@cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk www.cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk

Polissh Po h

warren@max-publishing.co.uk or

Te T el: 0161 1 64 641 0 06 655 Email: m sales@da sales@d avora.co.uk av

Tracey Arnaud

135 Hea 13 135 eaton Moorr Rd | Stockp ock kpo port ort SK4 4HY 4 4H HY

tarnaud@btinternet.com

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PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l PRODUCT DIRECTORY .6-5*3"$*"- and -(#5 (3&&5*/( $"3%4

• UK Market leaders with humour, art, photographic, contemporary and traditional occasions & relations cards, plus seasonal.

• 2΍HULQJ D IXOO SODQQLQJ VHUYLFH with merchandising and retail development opportunities.

Hue tribe

• Specialists in garden centres and the independent trade.

www.huetribe.com t: +44(0) 7943416562 e: info@huetribe.com facebook: www.facebook.com/huetribedesign

CPNF TFF PVS OFX JMMVTUSBUJPOT PO 45"/% 41 BU 1( -*7& % OFF ALL SHOW ORDERS

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CHARITY GREETING CARDS

High Quality Greeting Cards, Gift Bags,

One of the UK’s leading publishers of Charity Greeting Cards.

Impress offers a wide collection of images, including fine art, graphic, photographic and cute.

We also offer a bespoke design service for bulk orders and/or mail order fulfilment.

Find The Great British Card Company on:

Gift Wrap & Ta Tags for every occasion.

Hallmark Cards PLC Dawson Lane, Bradford, BD4 6HN

*GCF 1HƂEG +353 (0)404 20528 Email info@garlanna.com www.garlanna.com

UK&NI: 0800 90 20 900 SUPPLIER

www.greatbritishcards.co.uk Waterwells Drive, Gloucester GL2 2PH Tel: 01452 888970

frrom the

Including firm favourites and brand new designs Brands include: Keepsakes, Words of Love, Jelly Beans, Bella Rose, Champagne and many more

Innovative high quality gift wrap, gift bags, tissue paper and accesssories galore for all seasons and occasions.

0127 74 4 655980 sales@glick.co.uk www.glick.co.uk Teel:: +44 (0)115 986 0115 T customer t ser vices@paper i @ rose.co.ukk www.writefromthehear t.co.uk

Glick, Unit 1 Allenby House, European Ind. Park, Knowles Lane, Bradford BD4 9AB

@glickgiftwrap

46

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ROI: 012 480 104 customerqueriesUK@hallmark.com

Impress Publishing Appledown House Barton Business Park New Dover Road Canterbury, Kent CT1 3TE Tel: 01227 811 611 Fax: 01227 811 618 email: info@impresspublishing.co.uk

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PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l PRODUCT DIRECTORY

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+

60 years

Your Number One Supplier of Numerals, Name, Relation & Age Labels for Greetings Cards.

Huge selection with immediate delivery y.. Buy direct or from your wholesalerr..

Listan Labels 3 Isis Court, Wyndyke Furlong, Abingdon Business Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX1 5JN

LING DESIGN

Te T el 01235 465489 Fax 01235 532118 www.listanpublications.co.uk sales@listanpublications.co.uk

originalposter.com

Great brands, Great service Bespoke planning

www.lingdesign.co.uk

01892 838 574 information@lingdesign.co.uk

We can help with all your bespoke planning requirements.

From smaller displays to redeveloping complete card departments

All our cards are supplied on consignment, so you only pay for what you sell.

We also supply card fixtures and spinners free-on-loan.

We replace slow sellers and damaged stock free of charge.

We merchandise regularly, so you don’t have to.

THAT’S WHY WE’RE ORIGINAL!

01932 267 300

@NoelTattGroup 01227 811 600 sales@noeltatt.co.uk www.noeltatt.co.uk

WIDE RANGE OF PRODUCTS “Art that tells a story…”

Marina B Designs from me to you with love

UK

An exciting and innovative range of quality Birthday, Relations, Special Occasions, Handmade, Art and Humorous greeting cards. Full range of Christmas and Spring Seasons merchandise.

B rand N ames a

Happy Mother’s Dayy D

Love Country

by Sarah Reilly www.marinab.co.uk mar in a@ m a rinab. co.u k Agents wanted

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p p paperlink... the home of fabulous cards!

Cloudesley House, Shire Hill, Saffron Walden,, CB11 3FB

T: 01799 520200 F: F: 01799 520100 www.nigelquiney.c w ww.nigelquiney.com ww om

To appear in the Product Directories email Warren Lomax warren@max-publishing.co.uk or Tracey Arnaud tarnaud@btinternet.com

356 Kennington Rd London SE11 4LD T 020 7582 8244 info@paperlink.co.uk k www.paperlink.co.uk

K

Tel: 07735 918118 sarah@lovecountryuk.co.uk www.lovecountryuk.co.uk

Pizazz, Pizazz Gallery, G Pizazz Limited Edition, E Pizazz for Men, Doodle, D A of Nature, Whatt a Picture, Art Designers Corner

e in the U

Paperlinkcards

@ @paperlinkcards

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PRODUCT DIRECTORY

Send Love e ( all year round )

l PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l PRODUCT DIRECTORY Uk publisher of Greetings Cards with an extensive range of quality Birthday, Relations, Occasions and Seasonal product...

To appear in the Product Directories email Warren Lomax warren@max-publishing.co.uk or Tracey Arnaud tarnaud@btinternet.com

available from

LING DESIGN

Our Brands: Laughter with Animals, Sporting Fun The Funny Side of Life.

Method of sale: Direct to Retail 14-20 Eldon Way, Paddock Wood, Kent TN12 6BE Tel: 01892 838574 enquiries@lingdesign.co.uk www.lingdesign.co.uk

t: 0208 6138 085 paperbirdpublishing.co.uk u

Exquisite Designs Beautiful Cards Key br ands include: Wr ite from the Hear t Ar tisan, Marzipan, Capisco Designer s Guild, Clare Tupperr Lucy Ledger plus man y more

LUXURY GIFT PACKAGING

Tel:: +44 (0)115 986 0115 Te customer ser vices@paperrose.co.uk www.paperrose.co.uk www.ar tgroupcards.co.uk

To appear in the Product Directories email Warren Lomax warren@max-publishing.co.uk or Tracey Arnaud tarnaud@btinternet.com

raspber r yblossom.com hello@raspberryblossom.com 020 3723 5405

ICONIC LICENCED BRANDS

01892 838 574 www.pennykennedy.co.uk To appear in the Product Directories contact

Warren Lomax 020 7700 6740 or email

Awesome cards & gifts inspired by life

warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

Tracey Arnaud 07957 212 062

purpletreedesigns.co.uk info@purpletreedesigns.co.uk greeting cards & contempoRary gifts

or email

traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

Visit us at PG LIVE

SPRINGBOARD 780 10% off orders placed at the show

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www.redbackcards.com e: info@redbackcards.com t: 01752 830482

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PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l PRODUCT DIRECTORY

Products: Greetings Cards, Gift Wrap, Gift Bags, Social Stationery, Partyware

t. 07779 654 694 e. info@ruby-tuesday.co.uk www.ruby-tuesday.co.uk

Brands: Blossom & Bows Card Essentials Greetings Impressions In Touch Isabel·s Garden Planet Happy Sentiments With You In Mind Word Play

To appear in the Product Directories contact

Warren Lomax 020 7700 6740 or email

warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact

Tracey Arnaud 07957 212 062 or email

traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

Method of sale: Wholesale Distributors DIRECT TO RETAIL & EXPORT

Simon Elvin Limited Wooburn Industrial Park, Wooburn Green, Bucks HP10 0PE Tel: 01628 526711 Fax: 01628 531483 www.simonelvin.com mail@simonelvin.com

AGENTS WANTED

6 Heron Trading Estate Alliance Road, Park Royal, London W3 0RA T: 0208 385 4474 F: 0208 385 4471 E: info@Xpressyourselfcards.co.uk

The UK’s leading publisher of highest quality handmade Greetings Cards.

WWW.XXPRESSYOURSELFCARDS.CO.UK

Products: Greetings cards for all occasions, Christmas and Spring Seasons. Spinners and other retail displays available.

PRODUCTS: World’s leading publisher of high quality plastic greeting cards. Also an extensive range of quality greeting cards covering Everyday, Occasions, Christmas and Spring seasons.

BRANDS: Cherished Thoughts, Sweet Sentiments, Buddies Always, Symphony, Thinking of You, Style, Special Wishes, Special Times, Young Editions, Groove Sensations, Forever Blessed, Grey Skies, Classics.

Talking Pictures Cards Ltd

TEL: 01480 435562 FAX: 01480 450599

14-20 Eldon Way, Paddock Wood, Kent, TN12 6BE

Tel: 01892 838574 enquiries@talkingpics.co.uk www.talking-pictures.co.uk

METHOD OF SALE: SENSATIONS – Direct to retail XPRESS YOURSELF – Now one of the leading wholesale publisher suppliers in the UK

www.tracksltd.com UNIT 2, 12 BLACKSTONE RD, STUKELEY MEADOWS IND EST, HUNTINGDON, CAMBS, PE29 6EF

7RPFDW &DUGV

To appear in the Product Directories email Warren Lomax warren@max-publishing.co.uk or Tracey Arnaud tarnaud@btinternet.com www.tomcat.cards info@tomcat.cards

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PRODUCT DIRECTORY

l PRODUCT DIRECTORY

WHOLESALE

We offffer a We COMPREHEN

range of high Greeting Cards f ALL Occasions,

CHRISTMAS an Season f Sale:

mail: inffo o@words-nWeb: www We w..words-n-wishes.co.uk

Tel: 01942 233201

view by rufus designed in thames ditton

Verse

& entimen

an extensive range of superior quality,

design-led Greeting Cards for all occasions, Spring Seasons & Christmas.

... and if we fall into the ountain, we will just prosecco ffo ha av ve to drink our wa ay y out!

topdog@view by rufus.com 020 8972 9706

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Method of Sale: Direct to Retail

viewbyrufus.com

Orders can be placed on our trader site

register ffo or a trade account: www w..viewbyrufus.com/b2b

or call our customer services team on

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www.cbgtrader.co.uk +44(0)1243 792600

A Cards e Art Botanical Fine

Market Leaders in

Vibrant and nd elegant gree greeting cards A fr freshly modern perspective on nature

Call Now 075 7700 1145 www.zaquarella.co.uk info@ zaquarella.com

EUROPE’S LEADING GREETINGS CARDS, PARTY PRODUCTS, GIFTS, CANDLES, TOYS, STATIONERY AND FLORIST SUNDRIES DISTRIBUTION CENTRE 75000 SQ FT BESCOT CRESCENT, WALSALL, WEST MIDLANDS. WS1 4NG 01922-646666 www.greetingshouse.co.uk info@greetingshouse.co.uk MON,WED,FRI 8.00am-4.45pm TUES,THURS 8.00am-7.45pm SAT,SUN 8.00am-1.45pm

To appear in the Product Directories email Warren Lomax warren@max-publishing.co.uk or Tracey Arnaud tarnaud@btinternet.com

Classified Complete 2020.qxp 24/03/2020 20:08 Page 51

DIRECTORY OF WHOLESALE

CLASSIFIED

l CLASSIFIED BAGS

Polypropylene & biodegradable bag specialists

GREETING CARD

Over 40 years quality service to the trade Hotfoiling also available

T 01206 396209 E sales@badgerconverters.co.uk www.badgerconverters.co.uk

BAGS We’ve been producing p bags of high clarity and high quality q for over 30 years.

01274 220 220 www w.wrapid.co.uk sales@wrapid.co.uk

BAGS

GIVE E YOUR

Manuffacturers of high quality fllexible packaging 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE - QUA UALITTY Y SERVICE EXTENSIVE STOCK RANGE - QUICK DE ELIVERY ASSURED

- HEADER BAGS - WA WALLET BAGS - ZIPPER BAGS - FLEXOGRAPHIC, HOTFOIL & THEERMAL PRINTING www.transrappackagin ng.co.uk sales@transrap.co o.uk

CALL US TODA AY

01773 5378 810

V VIP

TREA AT A TMENT HIGH CLARITY L TY Y BA AGS FOR R GREETING G ET T NG CARD DS, CALEND EN N ARS ARS AND AND D ARTW TWORK WORK ŏ ŏđŏ

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FOIL LB BLOCKING NG G EXTE XTENSIVE NSIV VE RANG V R RA ANGE OF S ST TOCK SIZES SIZ ZES AND BES AND BE ESPO OKE KE MANUF KE MANU UF FACTU TUR TURE T U E AT TED D WRAPPING SERVICE NEW AUTOMA

CALL CA CAL C LL US ST TO ODAY OD

0122 1228 228 2 28 8 5605 56 60 052 26 6 www.fful ulcrumfilms. ulcrrum mfillm ms s co.uk uk

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CLASSIFIED

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FOR ALL YOUR ENVELOPE NEEDS! Largest range of in-stock colours Over 400 Bespoke Envelope Sizes 8 Sizes Permanently in Stock RECYCLED

PAPER

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ORDER ON LINE AT: www.regentenvelopes.com 01274 583000 sales@regentenvelopes.com

W W W. EN VE CO .CO .U K

01 90 83 78 86 6

FLITTERING

IN FO @E NV EC O. CO .U K

‘we we make Envelopes and Stationery’

MOREE THAN 50 COLOURS 6 POPULAR GREEETINGS CARD SIZES 50+ WH HITE SIZES IN STOCK BESPOKE ENV VELOPES AV AVAILABLE PEEL A AND SEAL CLOSURE RECYCLED / KRAFTT / 140GSM / 120GSM 11 SUPER BRIG GHT NEON COLOURS BESPOKE NOTEBO OOKS & STATIONERY

PLEASE GET IN TOUCH FOR TARY RY YOUR COMPLIMENTA ENVELOPE OR NOTEBOOK WATCH PA PACK SWA

FOR ALL YOUR FLITTER REQUIREMENTS

ABL Foil Ltd Unit 1, Industrial Estate East Hanningfield Chelmsford Essex, CM3 8AB

Contact DAVID JIGGINS Tel: 01245 400104 Email: david@abl-ltd.co.uk

PRINTERS

SPECIALISTS IN SHORT RUN MULTI IMAGE PRINT s Foiling Services without the need for dies s Wiro bound notebooks, no minimum quantity s In House Fulfilmment Services

T 01274 305832 E info@hellocards.co.uk www.hellocards.co.uk 52

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CLASSIFIED

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l CLASSIFIED

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PJ PRINT LONDON The Capitals Only Specialist Greeting Card Printer All Industry Finishes Available In-House Including Laser Cutting

The simplest way to order your greetings cards

The Print Works Colville Road, Acton, London, W3 8BL

Unit 8, Archers Park, Branbridges Road, East Peckham, Kent TN12 5HP www.theimagingcentre.co.uk Email: info@theimagingcentre.co.uk Tel: 01622 871449

we print

we finish

we pack

we deliver

E-mail: sales@pj-print.co.uk Tel: 020 8993 5160 www.pj-print.co.uk

cturing ufa an m

s for Far E and as fh t o r

Your saf ep ai

Powered by

Outstanding, cost effective and efficient production of Greeting cards, Packaging and Social stationery, ideal for intricate and hand finished products.

• Over 15 years experience providing high-quality printed products direct from the Far East • Trusted and financially stable, UK owned by The Sherwood Group • Socially responsible manufacturing: SMETA, ISO9001, ISO14001, FSC certification • Full product prototyping in the UK for competitive speed to market requirements

To find out how we can benefit your business, contact Derek Lam +00 (852) 3527 3471 / derek@sherwood-press.com or The Sherwood Group Head Office Hong Kong Office: 13/F, Kam Chung Commercial Building, 19-21 Hennessy Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong

www w..sherwoodgroupuk.com

000510

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l PRINTERS

Social Sta tationerry Printer of the Year

Award winning U UK & Global specialist manufacturer ffor the greeting card industry fo or over 40 years To discuss how we can worrk together, contact Richard Bacon: Tel 0115 928 7766 Email ric chard.bacon@sherwoodgroupuk.com

www.sherrwoodgroupuk.com Hadden Court, Glaisdale e Parkway, Glaisdale Drive West, Nottin ngham NG8 4GP

WAREHOUSING & DISTRIBUTION

Same day order turna around Accurate fulfilment Value added only as you sell the product

THE SPECIALIST GREE ETINGS CARD PRINTE ER Litho Print

Die-cutting

Digital Print

Flittering

Foiling

Packing

Embossing

Distribution

Exclusively Greeting Cards Dedicated Account Managers With an excellent reputation we work as an integral part of yourr team bringing QYGL QSVI XLER JYPǻPQIRX 4YV GSWXMRK WXVYGXYVI MW WMQTPI ERH XVERWTEVIRX ;I ; I GEVV] SYX EPP EWTIGXW SJ LERH ǻRMWLMRK ERH EWWIQFP] ERH TVSZMHI [LEXIZIV EHHMXMSREP WIVZMGIW ]SY RIIH 4YV WIPIGX XIEQ SJ SYX[SVOIVW GEVIJYPP] LERH [VET ER] WM^I SV JSVQEX SJ GEVHW YVKIRXP] 4ZIVRMKLX ;I GEVI EFSYX ]SYV TVSHYGX EW QYGL EW ]SY HS &XXIRXMSR XS HIXEMP 6( .WWYIW ;I

Tel:0127 e 4 4531828 Email: info@herbertw o alkers.co.uk

www.herbertwalkers.co.u uk

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PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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DISPLAY AND SPINNERS

WAREHOUSING & DISTRIBUTION

à ® FSDU U à ® CDU à ® POS

Greeting Cards Displa ay y Solutions

We also d do: à ® Cartons s à ® Boxes à ® Diecuts s

Call: 0121 557 7 1891 email: sales@nsmithb box.co.uk

web. www.nsmithbo ox.co.uk n.smith, Haing ge Road, Tividale, Oldbury, West Midlands s B69 2NZ OVER 115 YEARS OF MANUF FA ACT TURING IN THE UK

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PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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