Event Focus

Inset: The SS23 collection from Blade & Rose features some familiar faces. Spring Fair returns to the NEC Birmingham from 5-8 February 2023, and the preschool industry is readying new products and ranges to show at the annual multicategory trade show. PPS catches up with some of them to find out their plans.

SPRINGING TO LIFE

Kids, Toys and Play will be situated in the Gift area of Spring Fair and will host well-known names such as Hippychick, Smart, Blade & Rose, and many more, as well as relative newcomers to the industry, including Pods, Scrunch and Happy Little Doers.

Suppliers agree that Spring Fair’s central location and range of categories makes it a good way to present to existing customers, and also pick up new accounts. Alan Houghton, head of sales at Hippychick - which will be launching a selection of puzzles and new wooden toys and plush ranges at the show - tells PPS: “Spring Fair is always a good show for us to catch up with our fantastic existing retailers and we always meet new ones too.

“This trade show gives us the opportunity to introduce and showcase our new products for the year and obtain strong feedback, and it helps secure good business opportunities for the spring summer season with our retail partners.” Bev Cochrane, national account manager at Orange Tree Toys, agrees: “Spring Fair is a great venue and location for many of our existing customers to visit and see our team and products. It is also a great platform to pick up a lot of new accounts. We have attended Spring Fair for many years now, missing only 2021, and it was really missed, we are all looking forward to 2023.” Orange Tree Toys is excited to present its new

Above: Safari Park Jr from Smart woodland range at the show, including new challenges little ones to get the animals in the perfect position for their photo. Left: The Puppet Company’s new concepts, as well as its new Peter Rabbit TV rabbit range and a new Disney collection.

Bedtime Bears are dressed ready for The positivity around the show continues bed and have a matching pocket pal. with Amanda Peffer, founder of Blade & Right: There are some new additions to the Wilberry Collectables mini-sized Rose: “We love the show and it’s something range and new Wilberry Favourites Blade & Rose has showcased at many times from The Puppet Company. in the past – we’re really excited to be back with a strong collection for SS23.” Blade & Rose will be launching a range of new characters in its SS23 collection, along with some familiar faces, like Peter Rabbit. A number of those who exhibited for the first time in 2022 are returning. Celeidh Cook, co-founder of Eco

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Right: Wonky Woolins is one of the 12 #SBS winners exhibiting at the show. #SBS VILLAGE

Rascals, explains: “We decided to trial Spring Fair in 2022 because we’d heard great things about the home shows and we were desperate to meet people face-to-face after two years of closures. Due to the success of 2022, exhibiting again in 2023 was an easy decision to make.”

A new range will be joining the Blade & Rose stand at Spring Fair. While prototypes have been shown recently, the final product will be making its debut, ready for orders.

Enesco marketing and product director, Helen Cottrill, echoes the sentiment: “We had such a successful show in 2022, that it really was an easy decision; we have a slightly different space in 2023, which will be easier for our team to present our product launches to customers. Spring Fair really is the platform to showcase all of our new and bestselling lines; we have the space and the time to really spend time with our customers. That face-to-face contact is so important.”

The Scion collection is Enesco’s big preschool launch, with final product on the stand, the team hopes the iconic Mr Fox will appeal to a whole new audience.

The return of in-person shows is very welcome. Katy Rugman, marketing and product director at The Puppet Company, comments: “Whilst the industry as a whole did an amazing job with virtual shows during the pandemic, and we’re very grateful to the show providers for giving us the opportunity to participate virtually, you can’t beat seeing products in person and talking to buyers face-to-face.

“We pride ourselves on our customer service and getting to know our customers, discussing their business and ambitions means we can cherry pick across the range to put together really diverse, fun collections that will sell for them.”

Bedtime Bears are new for The Puppet Company at Spring Fair, while the team has also continued to add to the

Wilberry Collectable mini-sized range. Looking ahead to Christmas, My First Christmas Puppets will also be on show, alongside new Christmas Wilberry Minis and a Reindeer Finger Puppet. Debra Tiffany, marketing manager at Brainstorm Toys, concurs: “We, like everyone, have adapted our business over the past few years to compensate for the absence of trade shows, but there really is no substitution to meeting face-to-face.” Brainstorm will add to its Torch & Projector range, with a new Nick Jr Baby Shark’s Big Show version, as well as a Tractor & Truck For the fourth year, Spring Torch & Projector. Fair has partnered with Theo Paphitis’s Small Business Sunday to offer 12 new winners and two past winners who had been unable to exhibit previously, the opportunity to present their designs at Spring Fair. From the preschool sector, the SBS Village in Hall 4 will include handmade toys from The Wonky Woolins, plus creative, physical, musical, literacy, numeracy, social and scientific learning activity packs from Busy Brain Activity Packs. Above: The new Scion collection from Enesco features careful attention to detail and the iconic Mr Fox character. Left: Peter Rabbit is a new licence for Orange Tree Toys and lines will be on the stand at Spring Fair. Below: Orange Tree Toys is particularly excited to launch its new Woodland collection. Some will be celebrating, too. Smart Toys and Games brand director, Karen Clarke, tells us: “This year’s event will be particularly exciting as we will be celebrating our 30th anniversary, which is an impressive milestone and we look forward to having the perfect opportunity to commemorate with the industry at Spring Fair.” A new game for preschoolers – Safari Park Jr – will be on the Smart stand. Suitable for ages three and over, the toy and puzzle game allows younger children to play with the figurines and use the toy as a shape sorter or path finder. With so much on show for the preschool market in 2023, it seems Spring Fair is well worth a visit.

Left: The new Torch & Projector additions from Brainstorm beam different images onto walls and ceilings and double as a torch.

SPRING FAIR 2023

ENESCO

Enesco is hopping with happiness to announce a larger-than-life plush will join its best-selling re-invented, reimagined and totally renewed line of Beatrix Potter soft toys. The new plush has been developed in collaboration with Penguin Ventures on behalf of Frederick Warne & Co. Everyone’s favourite bob-tailed bunny and mischief maker, Peter Rabbit, is presented in a brand-new jumbo format, measuring in at a whopping 69cm.

Tel: 01228 404022 www.enesco.co.uk Stands 4C61, 4C60-D61

INSIDE OUT TOYS

In this latest collection, jumini’s designer has incorporated friendly safari animal characters into a range of wooden toys, using a combination of vibrant colours and natural wood. All products in the range are manufactured using sustainably sourced FSC certified wood, and plastic has been removed from packaging wherever possible.

Tel: 01908 969969 www.insideouttoys.co.uk Stand 5H30 WILTON BRADLEY

Wilton Bradley is proud to present a new product in its Playhouse brand; Waterwall. It’s a must have for households with imaginative toddlers, teaching kids about gravity, angles and water flow. This wall is packed with limitless combinations for them to enjoy a different creation every time they move the pieces. Kids can have fun creating their own water flows and seeing their problem-solving skills come to life as they pour water from the top.

Tel: 01626 835400 www.wiltonbradley.com Stands 5G20-H21, 4G26

RAINBOW DESIGNS

Rainbow Designs will be showcasing its Bedtime Cuddles and Stories theme at Spring Fair, an important aspect in establishing good sleep habits and that essential bonding time. The ever-popular Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit, Disney’s Winnie the Pooh, Guess How Much I Love You, Elmer and We’re Going on a Bear Hunt soft toy collections, along with new additions, Maisy, Bagpuss and Giraffes Can’t Dance, all coupled with the adored character storybooks, make a wonderful gifting combination for those bedtime cuddles and stories.

Tel: 01329 227300 www.rainbowdesigns.co.uk Stand 3M10-N11 BIGJIGS TOYS

In 2023 Bigjigs Toys will be launching new products which include its new dress-up sets. Young heroes can save the day and put out pretend fires in their firefighter costume, or nurse teddies back to full health in their doctor dress-up outfit. Kids can also choose from its new builder, scientist, police and princess sets. All dress up sets are packaged with recyclable materials and zero plastic.

Tel: 01303 212691 www.bigjigstoys.co.uk Stand 5H02

SPRING FAIR 2023

HIPPYCHICK

Brand new and launching at Spring Fair 2023 is Crocodile Creek, the latest introduction to Hippychick’s toy and gift portfolio. The focus at the show will be on Crocodile Creek’s wooden puzzle sets – a range which includes floor puzzles, holographic puzzles and ‘almost impossible’ puzzles with themes that include planets, dinosaurs and wildlife.

Tel: 01278 434440 www.hippychick.com Stand 5G22

ZIGGLE

Dedicated to quality, affordable baby clothes and accessories, Ziggle will be showcasing award-winning products. Retailers can find new birthday and Christmas gift bundles, as well as much-loved products such as Cosatto accessories and ultra-soft Ziggle swaddles.

Tel: 01625 569530 www.ziggle.co.uk Stand 5G49 THE PUPPET COMPANY

The Puppet Company is delighted to be introducing some of its new collections at Spring Fair, especially its exciting new Eco ‘Walking’ puppets range made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. The Puppet Company is committed to supporting customers, including sales promotions, reduced carriage paid orders and low minimum order quantities.

Tel: 01462 336040 www.thepuppetcompany.com Stand 5H10-J11

ECO RASCALS

Award-winning sustainable tableware brand eco rascals will be displaying its popular bamboo and silicone products at Spring Fair. With success across the globe, eco rascals has been providing eco-friendly children’s tableware since 2018. The brand will be showcasing a number of new and exciting products set to hit the shelves in 2023.

Email: hello@ecorascals.com www.ecorascals.com Stand 5F27

1 TWO KIDS

1 Two Kids is the official distributor of several children’s brands in the UK and Ireland. It’ll be exhibiting at Spring Fair and showcasing new lines for 2023 for Sophie La Girafe, nailmatic kids, play & go and 3 sprouts.

Tel: 01383 735134 www.1two.co.uk Stand 5M18-N19

2023 Toy Trends: The Next Big(jigs)Thing

Bigjigs Toys has been family-run since day one. All of its beautiful toys are lovingly designed in the UK and thoughtfully crafted to complement childhood development through fun, exploration and learning. The toy fair season is a major calendar highlight for the Bigjigs Toys family. These events do a wonderful job in bringing products to life and give the toy industry a chance to work together in one colourful and collaborative space. In 2023, Bigjigs Toys will be showcasing 45 exciting new products at Toy Fair, Spring Fair and Spielwarenmesse in Nuremberg. Eco-friendly toys are predicted to become an emerging trend in 2023, as parents’ awareness of environmental issues continues to evolve. Bigjigs Toys has been creating sustainable products for more than 30 years. Alongside its FSC Certified range, it also works with ethical brands, such as Green Toys, whose products are made from 100% recycled milk bottles. Bigjigs Toys likes to think outside the (toy) box when it comes to managing its environmental impact, from sourcing sustainable rubberwood to reducing plastic by packing 95% of its proprietary lines in recycled cardboard. It has also been redesigning its internal packaging in favour of paper and cardboard inserts, and has a zero-tolerance approach to plastic packaging for all new Bigjigs Toys products. For the first time, Bigjigs Toys will be launching an FSC Certified Train Set in 2023 (Pictured below left). Animal-loving little ones will go wild for the adorable woodland theme, crafted from FSC Certified wood. Mini train enthusiasts can chug past toadstools, pine trees, and cute forest creatures as they make their way around the track. The railway set comes with high-quality wooden track pieces that form a figure of eight layout, as well as accessories such as a cafe, a bakery, an eco-friendly engine with two carriages and much more.

Other products Bigjigs Toys will be launching in 2023 include its new dress-up sets. Young heroes can save the day and put out pretend fires in their firefighter costume, or nurse teddies back to full health in their doctor dress-up outfit. Kids can also choose from its new builder, scientist, police and princess sets. All dress up sets are packaged with recyclable materials and zero plastic!

Junior Jurassic fans will love Bigjigs Toys’ new Dinosaur Animal Playbox (Pictured left). Packed with plenty of play value, the playbox introduces kids to a world of friendly dinos. This fun activity set features chunky wooden dinosaurs such as a T-Rex, Diplodocus, Stegosaurus, Triceratops and Ankylosaurus, as well as exotic play pieces including a cactus, aloe vera plant and palm tree. It also comes with a fold-out scene for imaginary play, and the compact wooden box makes it ideal when on the go.

Then there’s the a-maize-ing Country Tractor & Trailer by Tidlo (Pictured above). Pocket-sized farmers can plough the fields of their playroom with this lifelike wooden tractor toy. Painted in shades of bright green, black and yellow, the tractor features realistic chunky tyres and a roomy trailer for transporting toy animals from A to B.

Bigjigs Toys will be at Toy Fair, Spring Fair and Spielwarenmesse 2023, so contact the team now to be one of the first to check out its innovative new products.