Giftguide January 2020

JANUARY 2020

FOR HOME & LIFESTYLE RETAILERS. EST.1975

THE NEW NORMAL Sustainability has gone mainstream

TALKING SHOP How to get customers in the door using visual merchandising

KEEPING IT REAL Why bricks & mortar and online go hand in hand

SOCIAL STANDING How to use social media to grow your business

Meet our 2019/20 gia Australia winner

Far and Few

Giftguide is published by

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H

appy New Year! January is almost over and for most retailers it is back to business as usual. While the Christmas season is a very busy period, the months after are still very important for sales. In fact, retailers need to work harder to get people walk into their stores.

For many small businesses the same customers walk past each week. So how do you get them in the door? Then, once you have the customers in your shop, how do you get them to engage with your product and team so that they end up buying from you?

On page 42 Sarah Quinn shares her favourite VM tips to get customers in the door and then make them stay a while.

Just as retailers need to create an enticing destination and experience that draws people to their physical store, they also need to offer an amazing experience online because the majority of consumers today live life (and shop) through their devices. On page 26 Henrik Peter Reisby Nielsen talks about how to create a successful online store, and why you should now think of your brick and mortar store and your online store as one thing.

One of the retailers that do this very well is Australian store Jumbled, last year’s gia Australia winner and one of the global honourees. This year regional retailer Few and Far has been named gia Australia winner and will be representing our country at the global gia awards in Chicago in March. Owners Tara and Danny Solberg opened their first store in Huskisson NSW in 2009. Following this, they opened an online store and more stores in Huskisson 2010, Berry 2015, Leura 2017, Bowral 2017. All stores are in regional areas.

Check out their story on page 10.

According to a recent Nielsen report, a new era of sustainability is rising with a massive 81 per cent of global respondents feel strongly that companies should help improve the environment. In many markets around the world, aspirations toward a more sustainable lifestyle are now (or soon to become) the new normal. What started as a small, upstart movement is now going mainstream. Read more on page 20.

Most retailers have jumped onto the social media bandwagon and are using it for marketing their business and to sell their products. When it comes to business, Instagram is the social platform that retailers need to be on. One of the latest trends sweeping social media is Instagram Stories. Read more about this and other developments on page 16.

One company that won’t be exhibiting at the Australian gift fairs this year is Gibson Giftware. For the last 40 years Gibson has been a strong presence at the fairs, however, the time is right to try something different and take a fresh approach. Read more on page 36.

Once again we have selected the best products for your store, which you can find in our regular sections starting on page 58, with the seasonal selection this issue being Mother’s Day.

Marion Gerritsen, EDITOR

ONE BADGE. ONE VENUE. TWO EVENTS.

Join NSW’s biggest gathering of the retail industry at ICC Sydney.

The best of both retail events will come together in February 2020, in an industry-changing move, as Reed Gift Fairs Sydney February will co-locate with Life Instyle Sydney at the ICC Sydney Darling Harbour – creating a vibrant, one-stop buying experience and increasing our community’s potential for business.

Bringing the two events together under one roof is designed to make the retailers’ experience more efficient and productive, while increasing connectivity, collaboration and opportunity for the whole industry.

We are excited to introduce a fresh, new audience to the thousands of brands and tens of thousands of products that make Sydney February one of the biggest events in the retail calendar.

Whilst the co-location will create a space for the whole industry to come together for an even more cohesive buying experience, we are committed to maintaining the spirit and purpose of Reed Gift Fairs – bringing

the best retailers together with the best products and sellers. This unwavering promise is only strengthened by the inclusion of Life Instyle at the ICC, as we continue to seek new ways to improve the buying experience for our customers.

“Simply put, this move is what the retailers want and have been asking for,” says Group Exhibition Director for Retail at Reed Exhibitions. “The convenience of two events, under one roof, is more time efficient and cost effective for the buyers, and in turn has the potential to increase foot traffic and diversity in buyers to exhibitors at both Reed Gift Fairs and Life Instyle – a win, win for everyone.”

Conveniently located in the heart of the city and walking distance to hotels and public transport, the co-location will provide attendees with the opportunity to spend more time on the show floor and cut out the need to waste precious time travelling between multiple venues.

Life Instyle is a trade-show experience that defies tradition through next-level creativity, curation and collaboration. With a passion for design integrity and quality, we bring together a like-minded community of creatives to connect, discover and source from over 350 brands in a divine mix of categories to please all retailers, media and stylists.

LIFE INSTYLE

Life Instyle is a trade-show experience that defies tradition through next-level creativity, curation and collaboration. With a passion for design integrity and quality, we bring together a like-minded community of creatives to connect, discover and source from over 350 brands in a divine mix of categories to please all retailers, media and stylists.

DATES & OPENING HOURS REED GIFT FAIRS SYDNEY

LIFE INSTYLE SYDNEY

Saturday 22 February 2020

9am – 6pm

Friday 21 February 2020

9am – 6pm

Sunday 23 February 2020

9am – 6pm

Saturday 22 February 2020

9am – 6pm

Monday 24 February 2020

9am – 6pm

Sunday 23 February 2020

9am – 6pm

Tuesday 25 February 2020

9am – 4pm

Monday 24 February 2020

9am – 4pm

HOW IT WILL WORK: Nothing but extra convenience for you! Register to attend Reed Gift Fairs Sydney as you normally would – and your badge will also give you access into Life Instyle.

The best of two premium events in one location to help save time and add more value to your sourcing experience with a huge variety of 700+ suppliers to discover!

SERVED WITH A SIDE OF INSPIRATION AND EDUCATION.

REED GIFT FAIRS SYDNEY

The best of two premium events in one location to help save time and add more value to your sourcing experience with a huge variety of 700+ suppliers to discover!

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DISCOVERY AND CONNECTION SERVED WITH A SIDE OF INSPIRATION AND EDUCATION.

reedgiftfairs.com.au

10 42 50 FEATURES 10 gia awards meet our Australian winner 14 trends five key colours for 2020 16 social media what will work best for your business

48 profile Phayri Sirikhant, head of Gibson’s warehouse

50 preview IHGF Delhi Spring Fair is bigger and bolder

56 profile the Black Crate story

20 sustainability why it is now the new normal

PRODUCTS

26 online how to create a successful store

58 accessories & jewellery

32 wrap-up all the latest from Maison&Objet

62 baby & child

36 in focus why Gibson won’t be at the gift fair

70 bed & bath

this year

38 preview what to look forward to at Ambiente 2020

42 visual merchandising how to get customers in the door 8 giftguideonline.com.au

72 cards & wrapping 74 desktop & tech 76 home & living

Contents

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20 38

86 kitchen & dining 90 outdoor & pet

56

94 mother’s day REGULARS 98 trade fair diary 98 advertisers index

ABOUT OUR PRICES In all product stories, prices are expressed as either wholesale before GST or recommended retail including GST, unless otherwise stated.

January 2020 9

Few and Far BRINGS THE WORLD TO YOU The Global Innovation Awards (gia) are celebrating 20 years in 2020 and Aussie retailer Few and Far will be celebrating with them in Chicago this year.

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gia awards

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s the gia Australia 2019/2020 winner, NSW based Few and Far will be representing our country at the gia awards in March and competing for the coveted global honouree award. gia was launched in January 2000 by the International Housewares Association (based in the US) with the goal of honouring excellence in home goods retailing around the world.

For owners and husband and wife team, Tara and Danny Solberg, the journey started with a passion for travelling and a desire to bring everything they saw home.

“We had big dreams of creating a magical space full of wander and curiosity and set out to search the globe for unique and interesting pieces, each with its own special story to tell,” explains Tara.

“We are passionate about interiors and products with soul, and strive to present a product range that is both aspirational and affordable.

“Few and Far is inspired by travel and the world we live in. We are creative minded and share a sophisticated sense of adventure which reflects our life and home. We are constantly searching for the next timeless find whose story and history connects with us. Few and Far is a portal to the world of interiors, artisans and craftsmen. A place to lose yourself and to discover, a place to escape.”

In September 2009 the couple opened their first store in Huskisson NSW.

Following this, they opened an online store and more stores in Huskisson 2010, Berry 2015, Leura 2017, Bowral 2017. All stores are in regional areas, offering a worldly experience in a small community town.

The husband and wife team began wholesaling their unique designed and imported range in 2013, which now supplies over 700 accounts within Australia and neighbouring countries.

“We design and develop our own product ranges here in Australia and our stores carry a high ratio of our own product which makes us unique. We operate our own delivery service (where possible) for furniture and bulky items to ensure the safe arrival of that special piece.”

Now with five stores to its name, Few and Far is known for its curated collection of handcrafted, one-of-a-kind, and unique product ranges. Its collection is a mix of old and new and includes antiques from India, China, Indonesia and Turkey.

Tara says first impressions are very important so they need to offer an enticing (and instagrammable!) entrance to their stores, creating a sense of wonder and curiosity.

“Customers are drawn into our stores through fragrance (we burn our own ‘signature candle’ in each store to ensure the experience is always memorable) and soft music (through our own curated playlist). Our stores offer a visual balance between open spaces, layered displays and heritage elements.

“We are passionate about interiors and products with soul and strive to present a product range that is both aspirational and affordable.”

January 2020 11

gia awards

“Our stores are made up of concept areas and coordinated displays through which our customers can choose to wander in various directions. Our displays are best viewed from different angles as there is always more to discover,” she says.

Each store is given a fresh new look at the start of each season to offer new life to old stock, and to introduce new product ranges.

“Our visual displays are constantly evolving due to the nature of our one-ofa-kind products. If something sells, there is always something different to replace it, maintaining interest with our customers.”

Being chosen as the gia Australia winner is such an amazing compliment and honour, adds Tara.

“When we received the news that we had won the gia award for Australia and had the opportunity to travel to Chicago we were beyond excited and thrilled.

12 giftguideonline.com.au

“It really is so rewarding to be recognised for our efforts, as we are very passionate people and always put 110 per cent into everything we do. To think that what started out as a little store on the South Coast of NSW would now be recognised on a global scale is just mind blowing and we are so appreciative and extremely proud.”

Tara says she is looking forward to meeting other retailers from around the world and sharing their passion, being exposed to more ideas and inspiration during the Inspired Home Show.

“It will be a huge milestone and memorable moment in our business growth. We are still in growth stage and are working on concepts for even more stores and are looking forward to ‘bringing the world home’ for many years to come,” she enthuses. www.fewandfar.com.au

g n i c sour range? a

STEP INTO OUR SHOWROOMS AND BE

SPOILED FOR CHOICE

Enquire about an exclusive Melbourne showroom appointment /online shopping access: albi.com.au

*New accounts subject to terms and conditions. Visit albi.com.au/termsandconditions for more.

ON TREND FOR A

colourful

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2020 W

hen it comes to introducing on trend products to the Australian giftware market, nobody does it better than us. We constantly keep our finger on the pulse by working with the best trend forecasters on a global level. That way we keep our retailers ahead of the game with what ‘must have’ colour or design will be impacting the market next.

Nuzzles

Australian Flora range

The world’s trend authority WSGN are global trend forecasters and data scientists who decode the future to ensure what’s coming next means we can make smarter decisions today. Think of them as an authoritative view on tomorrow, building globally relevant content including daily trend intelligence, retail analytics, and consumer insights.

We think of them as our secret weapon.

Let’s colour your thinking Everyone in the industry knows just how important getting the right colour palette is for creating and selling a successful giftware range. That’s why we already have a clear picture of what colours will be on trend in the near future. And why we can share with you the five key colours that will impact our ranges and designs for 2020. Colours that are optimistic and versatile, and mark a return to cooler, crisper hues with a futuristic edge.

Australian Flora range

Chris Riley Native Animal Range

Cassis An essential colour, Cassis departs from the sweet tones that have had such a huge impact across recent markets with a deeper fusion of pinks and purples that capture both the gender-neutral appeal of pink, and the contemporary appeal of purple. Cassis is seen as ideal for both women and men’s casual wear, while it will certainly make a statement in our animal and flora ranges as well as Nuzzles.

Mellow Yellow

7563 C

Purist Blue

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As blue evolves from a core colour to a fashion statement, Purist Blue is softer and sunnier than the cobalts of recent seasons, but also has a coolness that feels crisp and contemporary. Ready to make a splash for fashion purists, in our world Purist Blue will ideally work as an essential colour in Chris Riley’s fabulous ranges along with the soft and snuggly Nuzzles range.

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Yellow is set to hit mass appeal in the earlier part of this new decade with this deeper, more grounded hue, which taps into the ongoing popularity of baked, earthy tones.

Mellow Yellow is upbeat and substantial enough to work from the beginning to the end of the season and will make a vibrant, fun statement for many of our 2020 ranges including Sock Society and Suki McMaster.

trends

Neo Mint

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Neo Mint is a new directional colour with a hue that embodies a forward thinking, positive mood. Heralding a sense of optimism, Neo Mint is an evolution of the popular soft pastels, established by Millennial Pink. Well suited to contemporary womenswear and footwear, Neo Mint will make quite an impact in several of our 2020 ranges including Chris Riley, Suki McMaster and Nuzzles.

Suki McMaster - Bamboo Baby

Wrap print

Icons designed for 2020 JUNGLE FEVER

Colour trends aren’t the only things we look to for our 2020 ranges. It’s important to know what key icons will be on trend for our future designs.

Impacted by social media, pop culture and lifestyle trends, here are five emerging trends we see changing how we design our product ranges in the next few years: • Spreading the joy: Products will come alive with positivity and happiness using creative colour combinations and playful motifs.

• Looking to the past: A mix of eras with refreshing updates will provide consumers with a nostalgic feel • Experimenting with colour: Colour will be used in unexpected ways to inspire emotion such as using calming hues or vibrant pallettes • Catering to all demographics: Design icons that are genderless and ageless, using qualities like muted colours and simple forms • Making a statement: Design will spread awareness of social issues and promote important messages via fresh graphics and limited editions or themed collections

Four fabulous Icons Chris Riley - Native Animal Range

Australian Flora Range

Canteloupe

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A favourite commercial colour, Canteloupe is a milkier, more subdued version of the youthful oranges that have made such noise recently, with a feel-good quality that is perfect for Aussie summers.

Cantaloupe also plays into the continuing appeal of typically feminine colours that can cross over to other categories.

Cantaloupe will become a feature colour for our 2020 giftware products including our native animal ranges.

Here are four graphic icons we’re delighted to share with you that will be on trend soon and a vibrant and fun feature of our 2020 ranges.

1. Water colour turtle - an icon with a mix of aquatic tones that makes a statement for climate and the ocean pollution emergency while still being highly decorative as a beautiful design motif. It will be a highlight of watercolour illustrations and block-print motifs.

2. Bunch of Bananas - A perennial favourite as a tropical fruit, the banana icon will be refreshed with a hand-drawn look that offers a sense of playfulness and optimism. It will give designs a bold eye catching presence, scattered as an all-overprint icon across products.

3. Naïve UFO - Outer space remains a key theme, as the continuing Star Wars franchise illustrates. As a design motif, it will focus on UFO icons in playful styles using naive illustrations that highlight the flying saucer form on simple backgrounds.

4. Majestic Leopard - Safari animals are always popular as an design icon. Following on from current tiger and cheetah icons, the majestic Leopard will soon become king of the jungle and be showcased as a prowling silhouette surrounded by foliage for a softer look.

If you’d like to find out more about any of our on trend ranges of giftware, go to www.gibsongifts.com.au January 2020 15

SOCIAL

standing

Michelle Hespe speaks to Melissa Maker about recent developments in social media, how retailers can work with influencers and new approaches to marketing.

W

hen it comes to business, Instagram is the social platform that retailers need to be on, says Melissa Maker, cleaning expert, business owner and the star of YouTube channel Clean My Space.

In fact, it is detrimental to your business if you aren’t.

One of the latest trends sweeping social media is Instagram Stories, an app where users’ content can only be seen for 24 hours after posting. Stories also allows users to add text, drawings and emoticons to their images or videos—and filters and augmented reality (AR) stickers can also be applied.

The images and videos can then be displayed in a sequence and appear in the feeds of those following the user. In Stories you can skip ads in between the content and swipe up, which allows the user to jump from the Instagram platform to the website of the person or business who is posting, which makes for a great marketing and sales tool.

“This is a great way to cultivate and maintain a relationship with a consumer when they are not in your store, when they are not in front of you,” says Maker. “It’s about brand persona building—like someone showing you little pieces of what they have to offer—a glimpse into their life or business.”

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Using Instagram Stories If a retailer has not yet moved into the Stories realm, Maker recommends looking at the stories of businesses that are complementary to their own. “By using Stories, you are adding to the liaison with the consumer and the brand,” she says. “That ongoing conversation is what will keep your business top of mind. It puts your content in front of someone’s face, wherever they are.”

Maker uses one of her favourite local boutiques as an example. “I love this little boutique in Toronto and follow it on Instagram,” she explains.

“The owner and staff are always putting up new Stories, so I know what new products have just come in, when they’re having sales, when they are hosting an event, and I can swipe up if I want to buy something.”

Instagram polls are also a useful tool for retailers. You can upload two photos of a dinner set, for instance, in two different colours and ask users which one they prefer.

“By doing this, the retailer learns more about their demographic. You can ask things such as ‘what is your perfect Christmas table?’ It’s a great way to do market research and know exactly what to order and stock.”

Via this method, retailers can speak directly to their customers—a staff member can show off objects they’ve

social media

just unpacked, it could be anything from scatter cushions for a bed to a bathroom storage set, and then show people how to style them.

“It doesn’t have to be a fancy video,” Maker says. “Just show your followers how to incorporate new products into what they already have in their home and they’ll love the advice. Talk them through it like a good friend and they’ll keep coming back.”

User-generated content and swiping up Maker also recommends sharing user-generated content.

“That can be fun,” she says. “As an example, you might say to your followers, ‘show us a photo of your favorite Le Creuset pot while in the thick of things in the kitchen and you could win a cutlery set’. People share their photos, and they tag your store. The store then responds and thanks the user for sharing their photo, commenting on the photo. The user is happy with their five minutes of fame (and maybe even a prize), and, meanwhile, it’s a lucky break for the retailer as they are receiving great free content that they didn’t have to take the time and energy to create, and the sharing of their product. It’s a win win!”

‘Swiping up’ on Instagram is also a fantastic marketing/ sales tool for retailers.

“It takes followers right to your website and turns them into customers,” explains Maker. “When someone likes a product being shown off on a story, they can swipe up and it takes people off the Instagram platform and on to your website. If you have just recorded stories about unpacking a new line of dishes for the shop that you have up on your website, generate a link to the page that you have the dishes available at and create a swipe up link to that very page when you are sharing your stories. It takes seconds to do and costs nothing.”

In-store tours & step and repeat Conducting in-store tours on social media is another way of creating engaging content to get the attention of potential customers. When you walk into a physical store, you’ll see staff merchandising—doing things such as creating great table settings or making up a lovely looking bed.

“Tours are a really good way to get people’s senses engaged, and you can do this on Facebook or on Instagram,” says Maker.

“Show your followers how beautiful they can make a dining room look. Take them into corners of your store and show them things that they might otherwise miss.

Use this as an Instagram story. I might not notice that blouse that really suits me on a rack in the corner for instance, but if someone pulls it out and shows it to me, I might go—‘oh, I like that’. Then I can swipe up, buy it and have it sent to my home.

“You can also do ‘Instagram TV’ which is live Instagram without the 15 second (or so) time limit. You can do a tour and have that IGTV spot live on your Instagram January 2020 17

social media

account for people to see and enjoy long after you have filmed it.”

Maker says that step and repeat set-ups are also becoming popular in retail. Previously, these branded backgrounds that guests and celebrities stand in front of to have their photo taken were only used at events.

“Retailers are now using this powerful method for marketing. It’s perfect for Instagrammers. You set up a great backdrop, like a kitchen setting, and customers can stand in front of it holding their favourite vase or pot and they have their photo taken and post it on Instagram.

“It’s all about creating a moment that people want to share. Give people something to talk about and they’ll share it and use your hashtag. Also encourage others to use your hashtag.

“For retailers, it’s not hard to do. Just ask customers to take a photo at your step and repeat, post it and follow you on Instagram (a simple chalk board with instructions often does the trick). It’s a simple way to drive engagement and grow your Instagram followers. And it’s more likely if they are following you, that they are going to purchase from you.”

Immersion events & influencer kits Immersion Events are another relatively new and costeffective marketing tool for retailers. A retailer can hold a party for local influencers—such as people in styling, food or product reviewing, editors—anyone who has a big following.

Maker recommends reaching out to them through direct message on social media and let them know that you are having an event at your store and you would like them to come. You can manage the event yourself or hire a PR company to run it.

“Give them a reason to go such as good wine, great food, a little something nice to take home. Create excitement over a new product such as a new line of cookware by giving followers an in-store tour and show them what they’ll see at the event. Hype it up. If it’s a bunch of food influencers for instance, hire a chef to show them how to cook a meal and then have that chef cook for them. Give people a great experience while sharing your key messages.”

Influencer kits are another relatively new trend. This is when a retailer packages up a new product in a lovely box with nice wrapping, a handwritten message on a card including a reminder to hashtag the store it came from, with key messaging. This is then sent to selected influencers.

“For instance, I might receive a cool Spring Cleaning Box. In it there might be a beautifully scented dish soap, a microfibre cloth, a pair of fun sunglasses and a candle. The idea is that the influencer receives the gift, loves it, takes a photo of the products, shares it and thanks the shop by @ mentioning and hash tagging your store.”

Maker’s recommendations are modern, social-media18 giftguideonline.com.au

driven ways for retailers to engage customers and market products in an exciting fashion.

“As a retailer you need to find a point of differentiation— from other stores and from large online retailers like Amazon,” she says.

“You need to give people exciting reasons to come to you, so you should be using tools such as Instagram stories to create a sense of community, cultivate a deeper connection to your shop and your brand and show the personality of your store.” cleanmyspace.com; IHA/The Inspired Home Show TheInspiredHomeShow.com

THE NEW NORMAL It’s no longer a novelty to say a product is green and consumers seeking a more sustainable way of life are no longer in the minority, says Rachel Crippin Clark.

I

n many markets around the world, aspirations toward a more sustainable lifestyle are now (or soon to become) the new normal.

What started as a small, upstart movement is now going mainstream.

“Global attention on sustainability has skyrocketed over the last five years, in line with growing pressures on natural resources and climate change, combined with an increase in conscious consumption and ethical living,” says Maria Coronado Robles, senior consultant, sustainability, at Euromonitor International, in the company’s market research blog earlier this year.

According to Euromonitor’s 2019 Lifestyles survey, 64 per cent of consumers now feel they can make a difference in the world with their purchases. That’s one reason ethical living (being mindful when making life decisions) is one of Euromonitor’s eight megatrends for the year.

But consumers put even more responsibility on the shoulders of the corporate community. In a recent online survey, Nielsen found that a ‘massive’ 81 per cent of global respondents feel strongly that companies should help improve the environment.

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“A new era of sustainability is rising and it’s touching every corner of the world,” according to Nielsen’s report, The Evolution of the Sustainability Mindset.

“Looking for a better lifestyle, consumers are searching for options that are healthier for them and for their homes.”

Global movement, regional variations Of course, attitudes and attention to sustainability vary in different parts of the world. But don’t assume consumers in established markets are the only ones demanding sustainable practices.

“Facing rapid urbanisation and a growing disparity between classes, many people in emerging markets are experiencing the harsh reality of pollution in this post-modern industrial age,” says Regan Leggett, executive director, Thought Leadership and Foresight, Global Markets for Nielsen, in its report.

“As a result, sustainability has become an urgent opportunity for companies to connect with consumers who are excited about change.”

That’s a message department store chain Liverpool is seeing in Mexico.

sustainability

“Thanks to school education programs and a nonprofit campaign started about 15 years ago to recycle PET, people in Mexico are realising the impact non-sustainable resources have on their environment, and they are starting to take action to prevent this,” explains Liverpool home display consultant, Alejandro Reyes Martínez.

“People are getting more concerned about the planet.”

In Denmark, sustainability issues are also top of mind. “Sustainability is a keyword in everything we do,” says Jacob Bahne Sørensen, owner of Bahne home stores. “Within the last 12 to18 months, we have experienced a very strong growth in demand (for sustainable products) from our customers.”

“In the UK, we get a lot of customers from every age group with sustainability concerns,” shares Sarah Wood, managing director of kitchen supply store Trevor Mottram. She adds that “anything that gets rid of singleuse plastic” is especially popular.

In China, the country’s “central push on protecting the environment mainly targets the companies, but it is also trickling down to the general public being aware of the importance of sustainable living and making greener purchases”, says Jackson Liang, managing director of the Chinese distributor Genesis Household Products.

Opportunities in home and housewares As a result of the growing movement, many retailers are looking for home and housewares goods that are

sustainable or which help support an eco-friendly lifestyle.

According to Maria del Pilar Marín Flores, kitchen buyer for Mexico’s Liverpool, their shoppers are looking for any products they can use over and over so they won’t produce waste. Those products include water bottles, tumblers, reusable bags, reusable straws, reusable storage containers, sustainable textiles and portable flatware.

Wood says more conscientious customers are now asking where products are made. She believes more will start choosing local goods to help cut down on carbon emissions needed for transporting them.

Of course, sustainably made products often come with a higher price tag…at least for now.

Yet Nielsen says half of global respondents (49 per cent) say they’re inclined to pay higher than average prices for products with high quality/ safety standards; 41 per cent says the same for products that are organic, 38 per cent for products made with sustainable materials and 30 per cent for products that deliver on socially responsible claims.

“There are many Mexicans who are willing to pay more because of their commitment to the environment,” says Miguel Angel Herrera Montes, display manager for Liverpool Perisur.

“But there are some who prefer cheaper products because of their income. It depends on their income and education.”

Bahne’s Sorensen says they have had success with products with price increases ranging in 10 to 20 per cent due to sustainability.

Other sustainable strategies Simply offering a product made with sustainable materials or that helps support a sustainable lifestyle is just one way to be environmentally friendly.

Strategies any company can employ range from re-examining suppliers to reducing energy consumption to reducing packaging. In addition, retailers can help educate shoppers

(and in some cases, manufacturers) on the topic and diversify their product offerings. And don’t forget to share your efforts with current and potential customers.

“We regularly speak to suppliers about cutting down on the amount of single use plastic and cardboard sent to us (as part of product packaging shipments),” says Wood.

“Everything we do backstage is sustainable, if possible,” says Sorensen. “We’re also working on reducing our energy consumption by changing to LED lighting.”

Other retailers have moved to sustainable shopping bags and gift packaging, efforts that will likely pay off in this new era of the sustainability movement. “Businesses that embrace ethical living, the circular economy and sustainable packaging will make headways in enhancing their brand image and reputation, and winning over more ethical and demanding consumers,” says Euromonitor’s Coronado Robles.

Crystal Barnes, senior vice president, global responsibility and sustainability at Nielsen, agrees.

“By identifying an opportunity to be more sustainable and implementing a reasonable play of action to accomplish it, companies achieve an authenticity that paid advertising can’t buy.”

IHA/The Inspired Home Show TheInspiredHomeShow.com January 2020 21

Made with love

Keeping Australia’s children out of harm’s way.

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he Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is increasingly focused on the safety of toys sold in Australia. Under its watchful eye, children’s toys are subject to five mandatory safety standards. These reduce the risk of serious injury while enhancing consumer confidence in the products they purchase.

In the last 18 years, there have been four toy-related deaths in Australia. Three cases were the result of choking on small parts, while a fourth involved ingesting small, high-powered magnets. While tragic deaths are incredibly rare, children can still find themselves in harm’s way. In Queensland alone, between 1999 and 2012, more than 2,100 toy-related injuries were reported by emergency departments.

With so much at stake we asked Andrew McGregor, Artiwood Australia’s managing director, how his business is keeping our nation’s children safe. Artiwood distributes a growing range of premium toy brands including Apple Park, I’m Toy, Kinderfeets and Caaocho. Many of its toys are made by hand in Asia. Each one is tested and certified to meet current toy safety standards.

“Artiwood’s first defence against unsafe, poor quality products is its business strategy,” he says. “We practice an ecofriendly, non-toxic and ethically sustainable philosophy. This means we never import 24 giftguideonline.com.au

toys built entirely of plastic and avoid baby products using non-organic or artificial fabrics and fillers.

“You’ll never see assembly lines packed with rows of plastic extrusion moulds in our factories. Instead you find skilled people crafting, finishing and painting every toy we sell. In our experience, the pride and care they demonstrate reduces the risk of an unsafe product.”

Like all of us, Artiwood wants toys coming out of the box safe to use and in perfect condition. In pursuit of this goal it works closely with its suppliers.

It’s constantly reviewing each factory’s quality control (QC) protocols, testing production samples, inspecting facilities and monitoring staff working practices.

“Some of the standard factory protocols we’ll evaluate include inspecting individual parts for cosmetic flaws and selecting random samples for testing in-situ,” says McGregor. “Furthermore, we’ll never work with any manufacturer unwilling, or unable, to provide test certificates issued by a reputable, internationally recognised laboratory.”

He says that choosing the right supplier is critical for ensuring the quality and safety of a toy. Artiwood only imports and distributes toys from reputable, globally-established brands. McGregor says these brands, as a matter of course,

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maintain safety standard compliance rarely matched by an unknown, and often unproven, factory offering its own low-cost home brand.

“Take Bigjigs Toys as an example. It’s selling toys in more than 93 countries,” he says. “As a result, it’s deeply committed to intensive onsite quality control, independent standards testing and regular compliance monitoring.

Bigjigs also understands Australia’s mandatory safety standards and has protocols in place to actively monitor and maintain these.

“Likewise, Indigo Jamm tests its own toys in house, in addition to tests conducted by an external laboratory. This approach reflects its focus on creating toys for children under three years. The safety standard is extremely demanding for this age group. This means Indigo Jamm never leaves anything to chance. In fact, given this challenge, some brands simply avoid creating toys for younger children.”

However, Artiwood doesn’t just take suppliers at their word. It evaluates every new product it imports for compliance with applicable standards. This includes an audit of certified laboratory test reports and an evaluation of samples shipped to Australia. It’ll even undertake its own in-house destruction testing if required.

Artiwood also conducts its own factory visits. This includes spending time on the ground in Thailand and China, often driving for hours to reach a remote factory. In recent years it has evaluated factories used by numerous suppliers including Kinderfeets, I’m Toy, New Classic Toys and Indigo Jamm.

“We stand by the products we sell because we’re actively involved in their creation,” says McGregor.

“We’ve chosen our suppliers carefully. Every product we sell complies with international safety standards, including individual piece size requirements. They’re also finished with non-toxic, certified-safe, paints and lacquers. These really are toys built to endure, not to discard.”

January 2020 25

online

KEEPING IT REAL ONLINE

Michelle Hespe chats with gia expert juror Henrik Peter Reisby Nielsen about how to create a successful online store, and why you should now think of your brick and mortar store and your online store as one thing.

R

eisby Nielsen, in solidarity with many other retail experts around the world, believes that the brick and mortar store is still king. However, today’s savvy retailers need to ensure that their physical store and online shop work seamlessly, and in unison, with technology.

Just as retailers need to create an enticing destination and experience that draws people to their physical store, they also need to offer an amazing experience online because the majority of consumers today live life (and shop) through their devices.

Reisby Nielsen emphasises that retailers have to stir emotions in people and make them feel special, while giving them an experience that they want to share with others. This can be done in a brick and mortar store and online. And the more technology develops, the more emotions can be stirred online.

As an example, Reisby Nielsen uses Jumbled, Australia’s 2019 gia winner. This store proves that retailers can be just as ‘touchy feely’ with their customers online as they are in their physical store. Jumbled implemented a regular giveaway for loyal customers, sending them exclusive artworks that they can print. Customers end up collecting the pieces of art and thus look forward to receiving the Jumbled newsletters.

A gift from the store is like receiving a present in the mail and Jumbled’s staff has grown to really know their customers (through data collection and spending time with customers on social media and in person) so they also understand what kind of art customers are likely to cherish.

The online store is just as friendly and as upbeat as the physical one. For instance, the 26 giftguideonline.com.au

store’s current message to sign up for its newsletter reads: ‘Join the Jumbled gang! We only send REALLY cool emails and you’ll automatically receive a FREE downloadable Anna Cole print!’

Reisby Nielsen is always telling his retail clients that they need to ‘keep it real’ and ‘be personal’ on their website and in-store.

“Take the Opus store in Australia for instance,” he says.

“Before Valentine’s Day they put a cute sign outside their store saying: ‘You are the gin to my tonic’. And then they let people know that they would be open late in case their customers had forgotten to buy their loved one something special. It’s a cute message that makes people smile, and it also encourages people to purchase products.”

This fun/chatty approach is reflected in the online store— fun products are arranged in lovely environments with cool messages on the products. The home page currently features a tote bag with a cheeky message: ‘Don’t touch my stuff, or my face, or my hair’. It sends a fun, young message that ties in with the Opus branding.

Reisby Nielsen admits that retailers can never beat Amazon on price, so their differentiating factor has to be the service, experience and the environment they are offering customers. And this is true online as well. Make your online store personal and ensure that someone is always there to answer inquiries and respond, online and on social.

“Remember that technology is simply another tool to provide a more personalised service,” he says. “And today, people’s Instagram and their Messenger is like their phone —it’s how they communicate, so you need to as well.”

Reisby Nielsen emphasises that you also need to have a highly responsive website. “You can’t afford to be left behind or your customers get stolen by your competitors,” he says. “Sixty per cent of those who visit your online store will not go back if you do a bad job, and 40 per cent will go to a competitor. So your online store needs to be quick to get around, and easy for anyone to use, especially when they are on their phones and on the move, as they are doing other things and can easily be distracted.”

Ease is the name of the game Today people want the process of purchasing products to be as quick and simple as possible because that’s what they are accustomed to online. “They search for a product,

the show

.

2 .

1 1 — O 7. — 2 O 2 S K O LO OD GO People shape the world of business. Ambiente gives structure to the international sector. With an outstanding variety of design and trends, an unparalleled range of products in all areas and expertise around current themes.

Information and tickets: ambiente.messefrankfurt.com Tel +61 2 9955 5515 info@australia.messefrankfurt.com

online

find one in stock nearby so they can order it and have it delivered to their office or their home,” Reisby Nielsen says. “So, you also need to offer a click and collect option and be able to ship products immediately. Make it easy for someone and they will come to you.”

Reisby Nielsen offers examples of previous gia winners who have created successful online stores.

“Maissone (www.maissone.com), based in Singapore, delivers the same atmosphere online as in their brick and mortar store,” he says. “It’s an oasis of calm, and the style is clean, fresh and engaging. It’s modern, chic, welcoming and homely. It makes you want to spend time in the store and online browsing.

“Opus in Australia is a great example of how to sell products well via social media platforms,” Reisby Nielsen says. “Their Instagram site (@opusdesignstore) promotes new products and those on sale, but with beautiful, cool, engaging images rather than salesy ones.”

Reisby Nielsen also points out that 9Design from Poland (9design.pl) includes a virtual reality tour online to understand the physical store, encouraging people to explore both.

Collaborations are another great way for retailers to merge their product offering online and in the store.

Henrik mentions a store in Italy, Quality Living, where a real estate company and a furniture store have joined forces so you can purchase a home and decorate it in the same place, online or in the store.

“It seamlessly merges tech with personal service and is also easy for the customer,” he says. “They can come in and look around, but really, they can do everything online too.”

Reisby Nielsen firmly believes that AR is one of the biggest disruptors in retail today, and those who understand it will survive. “Digital natives expect tech.

They can hold their phone up to a product in a store window, their app recognises it and they can be informed 28 giftguideonline.com.au

of a better deal somewhere else. Why then, would they then go into that store? They would only enter if the store offers a more exciting experience,” he says.

“There is so much that you can do to get a customer into your store and keep them there—surprise them, entertain them and touch their emotions. However, also remember that you need to promote what you are doing through your online store, as it might be their first point of contact.

So many people, so many shoppers, live their lives online.”

With AR, a retailer can offer services to customers (online and in a physical store) such as placing virtual objects into their home to see how they look, or they could create a virtual table setting to test out colours and patterns of plates and cutlery with tablecloths. Customers can gather in-store information on their phone, information that they might not be able to get from a sales executive on the shop floor (such as ‘how many bad reviews does this get?’).

They can scan a product and bring up product information, pricing and reviews from other customers.

In fashion, virtually try on 3D products or create a virtual fitting room, which is great for busy periods where there is a queue—customers simply stand in front of the camera and see how an item of clothing looks. AR basically builds brand awareness in unique and inspiring ways.

Reisby Nielsen’s bottom line is that if a retailer or a brand is doing an excellent job, the customer will stay with them.

But retailers need to understand that the online store is not just an extension of the physical store.

“It’s no longer about having an online store and a physical shop—think of it as one store,” he says. “And remember that it’s not easy to steal a customer from someone doing a great job, so make things personal, interact and keep innovating.”

International Housewares Association (IHA)/ The Inspired Home Show TheInspiredHomeShow.com

Home & Giftware

OneWorld Collection

three

Mary Grace

MEET MUST-SEE SYDNEY GIFT FAIR EXHIBITORS

With Sydney Gift Fair 2020 being held next month at Sydney Olympic Park, we introduce you to some of the newest brands and suppliers to join the Gift Fair.

OneWorld Collection - Greg Ollerhead What do you expect from exhibiting at Sydney Gift Fair 2020?

Sydney Gift Fair at Sydney Olympic Park is a new fair for us so we have gone with a bigger space to really show the ranges off a lot better. For the first time in years many thanks to the cost savings of exhibiting at

an industry-led trade event we are expanding our trade fair stand size so we are expecting to show a lot more of the ranges we previously could not display.

What can retailers expect to see from you at the fair?

We always launch a lot of new ranges at the fair but this year we will look at expanding our very

successful rattan ranges and show some great new furniture pieces that have just landed.

We have a great new range of high-end lighting products including pendants and table lamps and maybe even a new celebrity furniture range that I can’t say too much about just yet.

What are the benefits of visiting trade fairs for retailers?

Trade fairs are ever changing and we have found this all over the world where we are exhibiting.

Online imagery and photography have enabled retail stores to order online with much more confidence and so trade fairs need to be an experience for them as it is an expensive exercise to attend especially if from out of town.

These fairs still are very important to get that initial trust and feel of a product. Customers need to open the drawers on furniture, feel the comfort of the sofas and look at the quality of the glass on the table

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lamps. Once you have seen what the products look and feel like then ordering online for top ups or through agents is the way to go until the next fair rolls around.

Can you tell us a bit more about the company?

OneWorld Collection started in London in the late 80s and we opened up in Sydney in 2003.

OneWorld Collection had humble beginnings importing just a few candles but within 10 years we had products displayed in some of the highest end retailers in the world with the likes of Harrods, Selfridges and David Jones.

In 2016 the founder went on national TV and got a deal on Shark Tank with Janine Allis from Boost and Glen Richards from Petbarn. Both these investors liked what they saw in the brand and are now onboard helping take us to the next level. We have expanded into New Zealand and also have a warehouse in Chicago in the US.

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Mary Grace - Mary Gouganovski You (recently) rebranded from Endless Candles to Mary Grace. Can you tell us a bit more?

We’ve been around for a long time now, however, our growth only really started to shift in 2016 when I stripped the range apart and released Wanderlust by Endless Candles, but that growth was limited. We only managed to get so far, and I noticed whilst exhibiting at trade shows that one of the biggest pause points for the brand was the name. People would walk past and comment that there were so many candle brands out there, they’d read the name and it wasn’t enough to have them raise their heads to look at the stock a few inches above.

It also limited us in terms of the products we could release. I had such a vision for the brand yet no room to run with it. So last year, we changed the name to Mary Grace and I’ve spent the last year honing and developing the offering and new direction and it’s paying off.

This is where I’ve wanted to see the brand heading for a long time now and we’re on the right path.

The brand focuses on high end, luxury products at affordable pricing. I’ve stripped the margins you see most cosmetic, skincare or luxury brands tack onto their ranges. Everything in the Mary Grace range is natural, sustainable, eco-friendly, vegan and cruelty free.

What do you expect from exhibiting at Sydney Gift Fair 2020?

The name change has been a breath of fresh air for the brand and

opened so many doors for us and I think it’s time that the new direction comes with a new home too.

I’m so excited to be showcasing the brand at Sydney Gift Fair at Sydney Olympic Park, I love being on the floor and seeing all my wonderful stockists, meeting new people and building our relationships with customers. I’m hoping to continue developing and expanding Mary Grace and know that Sydney Gift Fair will be crucial to that.

What can retailers expect to see from you at the fair?

We’ve been honing the ranges for

Home & Giftware Bianca Davey Home & Giftware has been supplying the industry for over 24 years, with a stunning collection of everything you could possibly need for the home, from décor and lighting, furniture and art, indoor and outdoor rugs and serving ware. Their buyers travel all corners of the globe sourcing unique and often hand-crafted products made by local artisans to bring customers that something special.

What do you expect from exhibiting at Sydney Gift Fair 2020?

We are very excited for the move to Sydney Gift Fair, a new decade and a new Gift Fair for us. The range of exhibitors, space

a good year now and for the first time since we started exhibiting, I feel like we’re hitting a fair with our best dressed set to date. I’ve nailed what I want the collections to look like and I’m actually so excited to present them.

We’ll have our old faithful Wanderlust Collection, which has candles, diffusers, bath & body.

A newly revamped Elegance Collection with jar candles, hand cream and diffusers.

And our best-selling Sensitive Skincare Collection along with accessories, handbags and Mineral Beauty.

What you are looking forward to in 2020?

There are so many things in the works, it’s hard to narrow it down.

I’m so excited to keep working on the ranges, bringing out beautiful new products and showcasing them at the new venue. I’m looking forward to establishing our retail presence in the marketing and brand awareness fronts and tackling some new ventures that are in the works.

and experience for buyers will be second to none.

What can retailers expect to see from you at Sydney Gift Fair?

We will be displaying a huge range of products to surprise and delight at the most competitive prices in the market. The images shown here are just preview of some of the great items you can expect at the Gift Fair.

What are your 3 top tips for retailers visiting the Gift Fair?

• Be sure to plan your trip and visit key. suppliers first so you don’t miss out on stock.

• Wear comfy shoes!

• Cover each and every aisle, you never know what gems you will find.

Join the industry at Sydney Gift Fair at Sydney Olympic Park to meet many more industry leading suppliers next month from Friday 21 to 24 February. Register to attend free today at sydneygift.com.au.

January 2020 31

wrap-up

GLOBAL

showcase

Maison&Objet delivered right across the board with the show now organised into two hubs, making the event clearer and more intuitive than ever.

32  giftguideonline.com.au

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ith its 25th anniversary just around the corner, the international trade fair for the decoration, design and lifestyle sector showed that it is still a must-visit show with an increase in attendance of 0.5 per cent.

In an uncertain economic climate, the new strategy the fair recently introduced has made a positive impact on visitor numbers, which climbed to 76,862 last September.

Now organised in two separate hubs, ‘Maison’ and ‘Objet’, 3,137 brands showcased their latest creations, with 863 exhibiting for the first time ever. The trade fair is also becoming an increasingly international event, with 61 per cent of brands coming from overseas.

For a number of years the lines between our working and leisure environments have gradually been becoming blurred, forcing furniture makers and manufacturers to adopt the codes of home decor and develop ranges that meet a demand for mobility, sociability, comfort, personalisation and flexibility.

As our relationship with our work is changing and so is our work environment. Driven by social change and digitisation, we are now more mobile than ever. Instead of traditional work settings we are seeing more co-working spaces, offering a more interactive and enjoyable way to work.

Manufacturers, retailers and fitters are now getting their inspiration from residential design as they look to give these new workplaces an added injection of personality and comfort, turning them into a major asset that helps boost a firm’s brand image.

The new WORK! zone was introduced last September to address these needs. Covering about 1,200 square metres staged by Philippe Boisselier, the zone showcased a creative range of work space design solutions as well as a conference program, a space presenting exciting new finds and accessories (sourced

by Chantal Hamaide) as well as a brand new area that hosted over 500 business meetings.

“By dedicating a specific zone to the services sector, Maison&Objet created a small cocoon within the vast trade fair, perfectly laid out and elegantly staged,” says director of exhibitor Bene France, Valérie Ducruet.

“In parallel, having the opportunity to meet new contacts during business meetings allowed us to present solutions that were conducive to interaction and collaboration. We would like to congratulate the team behind this first edition for their professionalism and approachability.”

Constantly on the lookout for new talent, Maison&Objet also celebrated the work of architect Laura Gonzalez, who was named this edition’s Designer of the Year.

The 37-year-old architect has stamped her reworked classical style on Lapérouse, Hotel Christine, the Brasserie La Lorraine and the Cartier stores in Paris, Stockholm and Zurich.

Gonzalez makes a point of never doing the same thing twice and her most recent Parisian projects are testament to that.

At La Gare, a huge brasserie-style restaurant in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, she has incorporated numerous references to travel by looking to the shores of the Mediterranean for inspiration.

At the Cartier store on Paris rue de la Paix, meanwhile, the space she’s designed resembles an apartment worthy of Coco Chanel.

“I feel that spaces need to have their own soul,” she explains.

“I love adding a plethora of details, ensuring there’s always something of interest, no matter where the gaze falls.”

The event also turned the spotlight on the US by introducing six up-and-coming American talents, simultaneously triggering a rise in the number of exhibitors (55 brands) and visitors who made the journey from across the pond.

A lighting designer who fills rooms with blossoms and bubbles, a product designer energised by his industrial Midwestern roots, and

a pair of artistic cousins who make sculptural metal furnishings—these are a few of the innovative Americans selected in the 2019 Rising Talent Awards. Six designers were picked to display their products at Maison&Objet Paris.

Managing director of SAFI, the company that organises Maison&Objet, Philippe Brocart, says that after focusing on Europe, the Middle East and Asia for the past few years, it was time to shine a light on American design.

“The size and cultural diversity of the United States give rise to impressive design achievements, and we are excited to welcome the next generation of designers and their influences to Paris,” he enthuses.

Indeed, there is not one American way, but its many cultural strands are woven into objects that tell a variety of stories.

“The young generation of American designers we meet are generally interested in the handmade,” says Odile Hainaut, who with Claire Pijoulat is the founder of WantedDesign, an annual trade fair in Manhattan and Brooklyn that has championed many emerging talents.

“They are entrepreneurs turning out their own small series rather than designers working behind January 2020 33

wrap-up

their computers and sending their drawings to manufacturers to be developed and produced. Their work is tactile; it’s about material.”

The event was also successful for hoteliers and restaurateurs, who are themselves being confronted with the need to adapt to the changing use of spaces and to design one-of-a-kind environments. The September trade fair featured an itinerary specifically tailored to their needs accompanied by a series of conferences to help them address the challenges of decorating, equipping and designing each zone.

Products to watch: DYOI—created by a mum who was looking for a multifunctional kids product. The multi-use bag can be used as a booster, a thermos bag, a safety rein and is suitable for kids from six months old.

Hamilton Conte—the Otero armchair is a piece that brings transparency and visual lightness while providing a comfortable seat. Ideal to create a statement in any space, it can be used on its own with a fun material or grouped in modules of two, three or more to make a curved sofa.

Jain&Kriz — Weirdos is a collection that looks at the absurdities of the world with a childlike eye and makes you smile. “It began with 34 giftguideonline.com.au

sketchbook doodles which are spontaneous, playful and somewhat surreal caricatures of various moments in time,” explains Krystof Kriz. “It’s easy to lose yourself in the simple lines of the abstract characters which are translated into embroidered collages on fabric and made into pillows and wall hangings. The inherent sense of joy and lightness in the collection makes it a great complement for intriguing homes.”

Lydia Rump—Paperplay is a paper lamp, designed as an ode to the light and raw material. The shade is machine stitched, hard finishing comes with black thread embroidery.

Dimensions are 30x20cm.

Kerra—the Tinzaline rug is the result of an artistic residency in the namesake village located in the Moroccan Anti-Atlas between five weavers and designer Alexia Venot.

The rug in Morocco has a ritual character, in a tradition linked to the transmission from the mother to her daughter. Ancestral know-how makes it a symbol of life and fertility, a marker of feminine identity. The woman tells her story through the patterns she weaves. She represents symbols associated with the different stages of her life but also her memories, or even fragments of her daily life.

This collaboration took place over a period of 20 days, from design to all stages of the rug manufacturing. ignore—ignore launched its first collection of furniture and interior accessories at the fair. Kiss spots and kiss squares are cushions made of high quality 3D fabric with a geomatric pattern and 96 per cent woolen fabric. All products are developed with full focus on the designs itself. www.maison-objet.com

Meet us at AGHA Gift Fair Stand 3Y12 21 - 24 February

TRADING PLACES Gibson is trading in its normal approach for something new.

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or over 40 years Gibson Giftware has been a strong presence at all the local trade fairs. But sometimes as a company you feel the moment is right to try something new and take a fresh approach.

So in 2020 we’re doing something different and you won’t see us at the traditional trade fairs. A decision that’s partly due to our already excellent coverage all over Australia through our extensive network of sales representatives, but also the fact buying patterns are changing with a dramatic lift in sales on the web.

So this year you’ll see some surprising new things on the social media side for Gibson Giftware as well as the web which should make the online experience easier for you.

It means you can get your year off to a flying start by stocking our new collections early. Stay tuned to see what’s involved.

36 giftguideonline.com.au

Room to put on a show in Cheltenham While we won’t be exhibiting at trade fairs this year, we will be putting on a show ourselves. In fact, there’s quite a lot of excitement at Gibson right now as our showroom undergoes a mini makeover. Bottom line is we’re moving away from our existing look and rejuvenating the showroom with a totally different vibe and feel to welcome the new decade.

So on 28 January when retailers come to visit, you will experience new visual merchandising solutions for our ranges with a fresh look and feel to what you’ve seen before.

Our showroom in Melbourne is part of our head office at 81 Tulip Street, Cheltenham. Approximately 30 minutes away from Melbourne CBD, we’re easily accessible by taxi or Uber, which we can organise to pick you up and drop you at our doorstep. You can relax while you view our new

in focus

We also have our annual Gibson calendar which customers look forward to receiving that indicates Gibson showing dates.

Over 100 years of sales experience It’s still business as usual for our team of 12 sales representatives who together have more than 125 years working with Gibson and know their product back to front. They’re always there to help you understand what’s best for you as a retailer, and they do it in a friendly and approachable way.

Our sales representatives are on the road doing countless trips to see retailers and ensuring you don’t miss out on viewing our new ranges. For convenience they carry an array of product samples to showcase new ranges and also have catalogues to leave with you.

New ranges ready to launch We’ve got some exciting new products ready to take off in 2020 starting with our colourful new ranges by brilliant Australian artists Chris Riley and Suki McMaster. Plus there are our vibrant new Australian designs for our fabulous Nuzzles Sherpa range of slipper socks for men, women, kids and toddlers that are right on trend for 2020.

A highlight of our 2020 Essence winter collection are the easy care machine washable hats, featuring fur pom poms and metallic threads, to keep heads fashionably cosy. Sure to be popular is our Australia Flora 2020 range showcasing six popular floras in soft pastel tones, with detailed artwork and premium finishes ideal for Mother’s Day. Premium soaps are always popular gifts and our exclusive 2020 range of Australiana Flora and Chris Riley animal soaps are made from a blend of sustainable palm and coconut oils to leave skin feeling soft, nourished and moisturised.

Keeping up with overseas trends 2020 ranges with one on one personal service, enjoy a bite to eat with us in a stress free environment and then head off to your next destination.

Our showroom is open every day of the year (excluding public holidays) so you’re welcome to come and see us at any time.

A new online experience In 2020, we’re opening promotional avenues through our website and social media.

In fact, our website will be undergoing some real changes thanks to a new digital content creator starting in February 2020. We’re enhancing our digital footprint by implementing new ways of reading customers shopping needs on the web, which will make the purchasing experience easier for you.

While we may not be exhibiting at Australian trade fairs in 2020, we’ll certainly be visiting overseas trade fairs sourcing new manufacturers to develop exciting new products and ranges for the future.

Our Gibson buying team attend trade fairs in New York, Las Vegas, Birmingham and Frankfurt each year to work with some of our international partners and help gain inspiration of what is happening on the home, gifting and fashion front around the globe.

The team also visits China four or five times each year and works closely with our design team developing exclusive designs to ensure that Gibson product is always ahead of the game and has a point of difference to everyone else in the market.

If you’d like to know more about what’s happening at Gibson Giftware in 2020 including our showroom, go to www.gibsongifts.com.au January 2020 37

preview

looking good

AMBIENTE 2020 IS The consumer goods trade fair is just around the corner and there are heaps of new initiatives and old favourites to look forward to.

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hings are looking good for Ambiente. From 7 to 11 February 2020 the fair will be welcoming several well-known first-time exhibitors as well as companies that have had a break and are now back in prominent positions at Ambiente.

“Ambiente is the central hub of the entire consumer goods industry,” says Nicolette Naumann, vice president of Ambiente.

“Exhibitors from over 90 countries will be acting as trendsetters in and beyond the year 2020. In addition, we are planning to expand Dining, and so the new HoReCa hall will be the perfect port of call for national and international decision-makers in the hospitality segment. In this way we want to respond to the specific needs of the industry.

“In the future our visitors will be able to focus even more closely on topics at the interface between hospitality, tableware and interior design,” she adds.

Solutions Visitors looking for innovative kitchen and household products will find a varied, well-chosen selection at Solutions, a special presentation in the foyer of Hall 4.0.

The curator of this area is London designer Sebastian Bergne. True to the motto ‘Form follows function’, the choice of curated products focuses not only on the aesthetic character of a product, but particularly also on its functionality and innovative capability.

They may be sustainable environmental solutions, multifunctional products in today’s urban world, or everyday aids for people with their own specific needs 38 giftguideonline.com.au

or preferences—their clever design and practical details make them stand out.

Short video clips are also on show, enabling visitors to find out more about the practical suitability of the everyday items displayed here.

Ambiente Podcast Exciting stories and insights from the global consumer goods industry, the new Ambiente Podcast offers topical issues that are affecting the market as well as exclusive insights provided by international experts.

Prestigious designers will be talking at regular intervals about upcoming design trends, and researchers and consultants will be explaining the latest developments and strategies. For Ambiente 2020, listeners can look forward, for instance, to an interview with hospitality expert Pierre Nierhaus and a guided tour of Ambiente trends in Galleria 1. The podcast is available via www.ambiente-podcast. com or the Ambiente Navigator app.

An app-solutely practical tool To prepare for the event and at the trade fair itself, the free Ambiente Navigator app has become an indispensable tool.

The latest update will be available a few weeks before the start of the trade fair and can be downloaded from the App Store and the Google Play Store. Its many practical features include a hall and site map, an exhibitor and product search, an Academy program, a program of events and the latest news and tweets on Ambiente. Needless to say, free Wi-Fi will be available throughout the exhibition grounds.

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Focus on design One of the highlights at Ambiente 2020 will be the launch of Focus on Design, featuring outstanding products and detailed insights of current design highlights in a selected country.

This year five different Brazilian design studios will be showcasing their designs at Galleria 1. In addition, young Brazilian designers will be in the Talents area in Hall 8.0, where they will present their unique handmade items and limited series.

“By setting up the special presentation Focus on Design we’ll be honouring important designer nations that may not be quite so well-known yet,” says Naumann.

“This year we’re starting with Brazil, a country whose art, architecture and design scene has been influencing the avant-garde since the 1960s, yet internationally it is still mainly known only to professionals. This is the starting point for Ambiente as the world’s leading trade fair. We want to use our global platform to make Brazilian design better known internationally, in all its facets.”

HoReCa More and more gift and homewares brands are expanding into other areas including hospitality. Ambiente is tapping into this growing market with a whole new hall dedicated to this sector.

“For a growing number of people, hotels are now turning into temporary homes several times a year,” says Thomas Kastl, head of dining.

“And gastronomically, the world is getting smaller too, particularly when you consider the vibrant hospitality market.

“Whether it’s a motley collection of tableware items in fine dining, bowl food sharing or solo dining to

counterbalance the hustle and bustle of everyday life, when the new HoReCa Hall opens its doors for the first time at Ambiente 2020, its unprecedented front-of-house diversity will provide vital answers to the hospitality trends of tomorrow.”

Ethical style There is nothing wrong with consumerism as long as it’s fair and socially responsible. Sustainability is a meta-trend that is gaining more and more momentum and this is also reflected in the Ambiente Ethical Style Guide.

The curated directory for 2020 features 340 exhibitors from 49 countries who follow eco-friendly and socially responsible production standards. This is an increase of 66 companies compared with the previous year.

“Classic consumerism is currently giving way to an increase in ethical consumerism,” says Naumann.

“People want to feel positive about the things they surround themselves with, and this makes them more mindful and critical in their buying behaviour. Moreover, they are usually well informed and ask about the origin, manufacturing method, materials and social responsibility associated with a product.

But it also presents retailers with new challenges. It means deciding between recyclable solutions and fair trade projects as well as between good marketing and greenwashing: which suppliers and which products are genuinely sustainable and in which areas? Answers to such questions can be found in the Ethical Style Guide.

Extras Ambiente offers its trade visitors a wide range of valuable extras including Ambiente Trends. This special presentation will showcase all the important styles, materials, topics and product mixes of the forthcoming season, covering three logically structured worlds of style and providing trade visitors with promising blueprints for designing their own shops and product lines.

The German Design Award, on the other hand, will provide a unique overview of interdisciplinary design trends, ranging from lemon squeezers to electric cars. www.ambiente.messefrankfurt.com 40 giftguideonline.com.au

shop

TALKING How to get customers in the door using visual merchandising. By Sarah Quinn 42 giftguideonline.com.au

F

or many small businesses the same customers walk past each week. So how do you get them in the door? Then, once you have the customers in your shop, how do you get them to engage with your product and team so that they end up buying from you?

You can get customers in the door using visual merchandising (VM). Below are Sarah Quinn’s favourite VM tips to get customers in the door and then make them stay a while.

1. Signage There are many different types of signage—exterior shop signage, talker signage and interior signage. The most important thing you can do with signage is: • Make sure your customer can actually see it • Be clear with your message (no need to be clever or tricky) • Make it legible (handwritten signage is ok, but it needs to be neat and on brand) • Tidy (this means the turned corners, marked or grotty signage has to go) • Consistent. Protect your brand by, so, use the same font

visual merchandising

shopping centre to act as a guide for customers.

• inside your shop • at the counter For talker signage you can use: • A-frame signs that are hand written in chalk or a marker • a lightbox sign • felt letterbox sign • if you’re on the street, why not write a cute message on the footpath? Use arrows to direct your customer Talker signs are a great way to share your shop’s personality & make people smile.

Interior signage Once your customer is inside your shop, you can use interior signage to share information with them.

Information that works well is: • sale • price • details (fit, materials, fabrication, where it’s made, who it’s made by, etc) • brand values and beliefs • friendly messages • social following • events • features & benefits

Here are some actions you can take to check in on your signage.

Time estimated to complete: 15mins

ACTION

for all your logos and then the same fonts for any other signage you create • Deliver a message. A sign should be well thought out, with a purpose

Exterior shop signage In order for your customer to see your shop, to know what you sell and know that you are open you need signage.

This should be visible from multiple locations on the street.

Exterior signage is anything that you can see from the outside such as: • your shop name • opening Hours • hoarding • wall signage

Talker signage These are signs that you can use to deliver a daily or weekly message. They can be positioned: • outside your shop/ on the pavement • at the entry or door to your shop • at the busiest corner/spot of the main street or

• Step outside your shop and take a walk.

• See what your customer sees–from all angles.

What do they see?

• Standing out the front, across the street, from the left, from the right, as they’re walking past, as they drive past.

• When you sit across from your shop on a bench or in a cafe & look at your business what do you see?

• When you approach your shop what do you see?

• What do you see from the outside, looking into your shop–where do your eyes go?

• When you’re in your shop, what do you see as you walk through it?

January 2020 43

visual merchandising

• What does a customer see when they’re at your counter?

CHECK • • • • • •

Is the signage at eye level?

Is it clean?

Is it all created using the same/similar logo and fonts?

Is it clear and easy to read? What about at night time?

Are you delivering a clean and clear message?

Can you see your shop signage from every angle?

TOP PRIORITY From the list above, what two actions can you take that would have the greatest impact on your business?

• Disruption • How can you disrupt the customer walking past? The same customer, who may have walked past yesterday or last week?

2. Disruption How can you disrupt the customer walking past? The same customer, who may have walked past yesterday or last week?

Create newness Bring newness to the front of your shop! You should change the front every week.

It could be as simple as swapping out a colour way, adding the newest product to the front, or rotating stock on a front table, fixture, rail or in the window so that there’s something different at the front every week.

Use objects Use objects on the sidewalk or the front of your shop to interrupt and get your customer’s attention.

• Pot plants at the door • Mannequin at the door or visible from the front of the shop • A small table or fixture near the doorway or front of shop • Dog bowl with a friendly sign • Taste/test samples (think Aseop with their hand creams always placed at the front of the shop) • Use a random prop! Something quirky & unexpected will get your customer’s attention • Try and avoid placing sale rails out the front of your shop outside of peak sale periods. They don’t make for make for the best first impression.

3 . Give them what they’re looking for How do you give your customer what they’re looking for?

Sometimes your customer doesn’t even know what they want! You need to get inside your customers head and you need to understand what their problem is. You need to observe and listen to your customer. You can also track your sales to see what’s popular right now.

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Pick up on the clues customers leave by thinking about the below questions as you observe listen to your customer: • What do they need help with?

• What need are they trying to satisfy in my shop today?

• Why would they shop with me today?

• What are they thinking about today?

Why Method You can dig really deep by using the 5 why method. The Five Whys is an iterative interrogative technique used to explore the cause-and-effect relationships underlying a particular problem. The primary goal of the technique is to determine the root cause of a defect or problem by repeating the question ‘why?’. Each answer forms the basis of the next question (source Wikipedia).

• Identify the problem, then apply ‘why’? to each answer you get.

• Example: • PROBLEM. Customer is not shopping my front table • Why? They don’t stop and look at it • Why? It’s not appealing to them • Why? I don’t have what they want on the table • Why? I put what they want somewhere else in the shop • Why? I was busy & didn’t think about it.

• ANSWER. I have thought about it now and will set up this table or give direction to set up this table to hold what my customer wants.

Once you have some answers, you can make some strategic visual merchandising decisions based on the information you have gathered.

You can also read your sales to see what the most popular items have been for the week.

What can you do to show these popular items to more customers?

ACTION • Think about a problem in your shop and apply the 5 why method.

• Spend 15 minutes to look at your best selling items for the week.

• What can you do to give your customer what they want?

4. Create change This is merchandising. Many businesses will rotate stock on a weekly-fortnightly basis.

One area they will focus on the most is the front third of the shop. This is what is seen the most by customers passing by and is an ideal location for new and wanted products.

In addition to merchandising the front third of your shop, you should change the product in your window each week to show that you have new stock and to perhaps appeal to a different customer or customer needs than you may have last week.

It is best to locate the window product in the front third of your shop, so that when a customer passes by and the window catches their eye they can quickly and easily locate it in your shop.

www.jstyle.com.au Made in Japan Tea ware Dinnerware Homeware

02 4225 8811

visual merchandising

Use Instagram Stories Instagram stories are huge right now! If you’re not using this feature, you should be.

People love the raw, live connection that can be made using this feature. While it’s quiet, teach yourself to use this (if you haven’t already). There are plenty of tutorials available online. Use this feature daily to remind customers to visit your shop. Daily post ideas: • Your opening hours • New product that has arrived • Hottest item of the day or yesterday

Use your email list

Change the window Now, when I say change, I mean totally change the window. This means pulling everything out of the window completely. Cleaning it, dusting it, vacuum, wipe the glass, remove old signs, stickers, bits of sticky tape and hanging strings. This is the very first impression that your customer will get. It needs to be clean and organised.

Use your email list to let your customers know about what’s happening in your business.

• Share information on new and popular products as well as trends you are seeing.

Remember that as a business owner or manager, you see many of the trends before they reach the customer. This is exciting information to read about.

• You could invite them into the shop by adding an incentive like a 15 per cent discount voucher on the email for them to use within the next 10 days when they come to the shop.

• Send event reminders to your email list that are relevant to your business. For example, you might be a gift shop. Send an email two weeks prior to Mother’s Day to remind your customers what you have in stock and that you can help.

Hold a workshop or event ACTION Change your window • Choose the product you want to feature.

• What are the complementary items that go with your product here?

• Think about what message you want to communicate— is it • price • range/collection • theme • brand • Select your items.

Keep your window product refined. By that I mean, what story, message or theme do you want to tell? Please, do not just add every random new thing in the window that you want your customer to see. The product you select needs to be refined.

Some other tips for changing the window • Move the props • Add a backdrop • If you usually place mannequins in the window, try using a hanging rail and vica versa Create something really exciting for your window space.

It’s worth investing time and money in this. This is the first part of your shop that the customer sees.

Hold a workshop for your customers. If you have a shop, you must have knowledge in something that you can share with your customers. Think about it, what do you get asked a lot? What advice do you often give? Can you teach or show something relevant to your business? Some examples are; • How to gift wrap • How to create a capsule wardrobe • How to select the right decor for your interior • How to care for indoor plants Remember to be clever and make changes that are quick but effective. Be smart with your time. As a business owner or manager, you don’t need to be the person that does it all.

So delegate—anything that someone else can do should be delegated. Your team will love being empowered to do extra tasks especially if you pay attention to them and give tasks that play to their strengths and skill sets. For example, you may have someone in your team who loves Instagram—give them the task of creating an Instagram story. If you have someone who is creative, let them dress the window for you.

People love a human connection and today in a world that has so much digital disconnect shops provide an environment where people can look, touch, smell, feel, talk with real humans. Using visual merchandising can really revive and energise your shop. A freshened up space has a positive impact of the way you, your team and your customer feel.

Have fun and remember that there is no harm in trying something new. If it doesn’t work after a day or two, you can change it back—but you will never evolve if you don’t try!

5. Use marketing Marketing goes hand in hand with visual merchandising.

You can use marketing to promote and share what’s happening in your shop. Combine your window theme and new product that’s merchandised in the front third of your shop with these marketing techniques:

46 giftguideonline.com.au

Sarah Quinn is the co-founder of TalkShop (www. talkshopretail.com.au) and owner of SarahQuinn+Co Visual Merchandising (www.sarahquinn.com.au). She helps retailers create unique and exciting shops so that more customers enter and make a purchase.

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“We understand the need in the current environment to bring products to our customers at excellent prices while balancing the requirements of providing good quality goods and high-level service.”

TNW AUSTRALIA –

leaders in service

TNW Australia (The Novelty Warehouse) has been in business for over 35 years and in this time, it has developed a level of customer service that is second to none by focusing on every aspect of support for its customers.

time online. To this end its website has a simple ‘quick order feature’ that allows customers to type in product numbers from previous invoices and compile a re-order in just minutes. The TNW website shows stock levels updated daily so that customers can be confident of stock availability when ordering. The website has detailed product descriptions, latest accurate pricing (including any special offers) and regular news stories about new products and shipments.

The last and most important part of the service is getting the goods to the customer. TNW’s normal despatch times are within 24 hours of receiving orders. The team takes pride in the accuracy, packing and presentation of the parcels and this pride coupled with the fast delivery of its freight partners and TNW’s low freight charges, makes the ordering experience reliable, quick and simple.

Finally, TNW Australia invests in looking after customers not just on the road but in the office with a team devoted exclusively to sales and service to ensure customers get the quotes, samples and orders they need in a timely manner.

“We understand the need in the current environment to bring products to our customers at excellent prices while balancing the requirements of providing good quality goods and high-level service,” says TNW CEO Chris Noel.

“It’s a balancing act which we work on every day to get all the facets right for our customers.”

W TOP: TNW’s recently renovated showroom located in Tempe, five minutes’ drive from Sydney’s airport.

RIGHT: TNW’s NSW Account Manager putting an order together for Humphrey’s Newsagency in Manly on Sydney’s North Shore.

ith the digital age upon us and online selling often being the preferred method of shopping, many retailers no longer get the chance to meet with an account manager. TNW prides itself in having an account manager available in all major areas— something that they feel their customers really value.

From the feedback TNW has received over recent years, this personal touch is something retail owners and buyers are grateful for. Account managers come to your store with product samples and a whole lot of knowledge.

They will work with you to find the products that are the right fit for your store, based on past sales and current trends within your industry or store group. TNW also has a showroom that showcases all its products, which is available by appointment.

In saying that, many customers prefer the convenience of online ordering. TNW finds that around 25 per cent of its customers prefer to be able to order in their own January 2020 47

MEET PHAYRI SIRIKHANT – our head of the warehouse

Phayri makes it a family business In 1978, Walt Gibson showed his own ‘picking’ skills when he chose Phayri Sirikhant to work in Gibson’s warehouse. Phayri started work as a picker and in the mid 80’s she became warehouse manager when Vonnie Gibson left the business.

Since then her family has become a big part of the Gibson story.

Shortly after starting, Phayri’s husband Chen joined Gibson in 1979. Three children, two grandchildren and 40 years later, they are a force to be reckoned with, and a great team together.

There is one story that beautifully illustrates Phayri’s absolute dedication to Gibson and why she is such a revered and popular figure here.

“I worked until 39 weeks of pregnancy with my last baby despite Mr Gibson’s horror but it was such a busy time I just couldn’t find time to have my baby. My 48 giftguideonline.com.au

colleagues made a cradle with a blanket next to my desk in anticipation,” she says.

Now that’s commitment.

The warehouse back in the day When Phayri first began with Gibson we were located at Asling Street, Brighton and the warehouse was about a quarter of the current size with only eight full-time staff. The warehouse was so small that we had additional warehousing in Moorabbin and had to run a shuttle van between locations.

Now our warehouse is four times the size and while it is often overflowing it manages all of our requirements.

It sounds very old school but in the early days Phayri and other team members had to do a daily post office run to pick up our mail and drop off out bounding post.

Other ancient practices included receiving stock to then manually package or ticket stock inhouse for custom orders. Thankfully today stock goes directly to storage and

profile

Many years ago, we made a very smart company decision as far as our warehouse management was concerned. We put Phayri Sirikhant in charge. Smart because Phayri is a great multi tasker as well as one very independent strong personality. Forty years later Phayri still runs our warehouse like clockwork. is ready for picking and packing. There was no automated scanner system either like today— everything was old school back then.

Phayri’s biggest challenge When Asling Street burned down in 1983 Gibson bought a new location on Tulip Street Cheltenham. But with our growing success as a business, it was only about four years before we had outgrown the warehouse and we needed to build a new one.

“While the new warehouse was being built we rented space from another location two doors down for bulk storage. We were running between two warehouses. We needed to purchase a new gas forklift so we could run it on the road between warehouses. The most difficult part was moving the two warehouses into our new location, we operated 14 days straight, it was exhausting,” Phayri comments.

What is the Gibson Warehouse like today?

Today, Phayri oversees a warehouse that runs like a well-oiled machine. But it has its challenges too, especially making sure all the departments work together seamlessly.

Receiving goods must unload the containers promptly to avoid delays while stock must be allocated a warehouse location, transported there and entered into the system. Samples must be constantly quality checked to ensure products meet the highest standard while any faults or shipment breakages are identified by our quality control department.

One of the biggest functions in our warehouse is picking and packing customer orders. All fulltime staff are qualified picker and packers and casual staff are added during peak season.

This gives us the ability to turn orders around in an average of three days, which we take great pride.

Each year we complete an annual stocktake to ensure all stock is accounted for. Once done, Phayri and the team can tidy the warehouse, remove clutter and maximise the available space.

Our warehouse also contains a massive mailroom to handle samples from overseas and make sure that all boxes and mail make it to their correct end destination, which is no easy feat.

Running a warehouse of this size and complexity, it seems Phayri’s biggest challenge

is keeping her team happy with enough hours, and ensuring all staff are operating as efficiently and safely as possible. She oversees a team with a variety of roles including quality and stock control, incoming goods, showroom samples, maintenance and freight and the eyewear team plus many casual staff.

The Warehouse looking forward Perhaps it’s her background as a picker, but looking to the future, Phayri’s is quite picky about what new technology Gibson should be looking at. While there is a lot of new technology available for streamlining operations, it doesn’t necessarily suit her warehouse needs.

We’ll leave the final words on that subject to our warehouse manager.

“While we sometimes get romanced by bigger, better and newer systems at the end of the day our system serves us perfectly and we have little complaints from the office so we’ll stick with what works,” concludes Phayri.

Who’s going to argue with that?

If you’d like to find out more about our warehouse or any other part of Gibson Giftware, just go to www.gibsongifts.com.au January 2020 49

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Bigger

&

BOLDER IHGF Delhi Spring fair brings you much more of everything—more space, more exhibitors, more sectors, more enhanced facilities and more days.

T

o better serve the needs and demand of its [international] customers, IHGF Delhi Fair has moved its 49th fair edition from February to April.

Now running from 15 to 19 April, many have welcomed the new dates as they align better with other Asian trade fairs and strategically fit into their Asia sourcing itinerary.

The five-day fair, spread over 197,000 square metres area, brings you an entire range of home, lifestyle and fashion. IHGF Delhi Fair Spring 2020 is a business platform for importers, wholesalers, distributors, retailers, fashion designers and potential franchises to source an unparalleled variety of handicrafts, gifts and lifestyle products, from a cross section of handmade manufacturers from India.

With a focus on sustainability, fair trade and innovations, the show will have more than 3,200 exhibitors across 15 halls and 900 showrooms (marts). Besides gifts and decoratives, other categories include home textiles & furnishing, furniture & accessories, houseware, lamps & lighting, Christmas & festive décor, carpets & rugs, bathroom & bath accessories, garden & outdoor, educational toys & games, handmade paper products, gift wrapping/packaging products & stationery, candles, incense & potpourri, fashion jewellery & accessories and leather bags & cases.

Home décor from India can be trendy, unusual and classy or simply traditional, with a wide-ranging line-up of products being showcased at the fair including decorative mirrors, frames, wall décor, figurines, porcelain crafts, antique reproductions, collector’s items, vases & bottles, handicrafts, nautical décor & instruments, lanterns, carved soapstone products, contoured or engraved woodcraft, articles of pottery, candles & accessories, dry flowers & potpourri, home fragrances, festive décor, space definers in wood, metal and stone, etc.

When it comes to decoratives, gifts and design led crafts from India, an extensive range of new ideas and old favourites will be on display including modern, directional and unusual medium to high-end gifts and collectibles.

50 giftguideonline.com.au

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“The characteristic attributes of Indian products have been fascinating the world for a long time and the adaptability of manufacturers in India to change and ability to deliver brings in more and more buyers for unique and innovative products,” comment the organisers.

Inspired by the past and moving into the future, a mix of vintage and ethnic elements is offered by exhibitors alongside contemporary collections ranging from rustic table top knick knacks and decoratives, space saving multi-utility line-ups with the latticed crafts of Indian desert states to hand carved artefacts from the northern plains, elegant glass shaped into interesting expressions and metal craft in enticing compositions from central India to handmade artisan crafts from many regions of India.

Botanical motifs proliferate amidst rich saturated tones complementing greens and blues playing off each other against neutral accents in textile based decoratives. The green living trend can be indulged with an array of planters, containers, statement urns, etc. made in a variety of materials and mixed mediums.

Artistic treasures resources and nativity sets are also counted among best-sellers while contemporary and classic home accents offer engaging elements for all lifestyle choices.

Multiple decorating ideas and inspiration, high-end displays for the home or hospitality, gifting and packaging, all are easily sourced from India.

Lighting décor embraces many trends from baroque to chic, from simple lines to extravagance. Statement pieces include elegant beaded crystal chandeliers with stylish details alongside those with pastoral finish and wall lights, scones, pendant lamps and tables.

Enjoy the variety of crystal, metal and ceramic table and floor lamps as well as pendant lamps that continue to offer much more as manufacturers work on new ways to blend materials and craftsmanship. Sure to capture attention are opulently designed lamp shades and lanterns in extravagant compositions and detailed ornamentation with hand embellished trims.

IHGF Delhi Fair is organised twice a year with spring and autumn editions by the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH). www.epch.in/ihgfspring 52 giftguideonline.com.au

trade only!

AUSTRALIAN HOBBY LICENSING

1-4 March 2020

Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre

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2020.

When local means everything W

54 giftguideonline.com.au

hat a year 2020 promises to be. A year where we celebrate the launch of our exclusive new Australiana ranges designed by two very gifted local artists as well as our talented in-house design team.

At Gibson we’re constantly keeping our fingers on the pulse of what’s about to happen in the Australian giftware industry. This 2020 range is inspired by the emerging trend we’re seeing for Australiana product ranges that showcase Aussie pride and the growing desirability of ‘buying local’.

We live in a country that has been gifted a stunning natural environment with unique native flora and animals that are universally loved around the world. So it’s not surprising there is this growing market for Australiana products that capture the beauty of our natural habitat, and are seen as having a positive impact on the environment.

We can proudly say there’s no better example of this than our bold and colourful new 2020 ranges that sit comfortably with the emerging consumer in our industry.

Naturally local choice

The rise of responsible shopping

For 2020, Australiana is flavour of the year. Essentially we are taking a lead in satisfying the ever increasing desire for customers to buy locally inspired products.

There is now a strong shift for our industry to support and develop talented local artists who are creating inspired products.

As we launch into a new decade, one of the fastest growth trends in giftware as well as many other retail industries is the rise of the socially conscious shopper.

Consumers are demanding more transparency and responsible corporate action from the brands and the retailers they deal with every day.

Recent research shows 76 per cent refuse to purchase a company’s products after learning it supported an issue contrary to their beliefs. Quite simply they are paying more attention to what they buy.

The flip side is, if you’re a clever brand you can reap the rewards of attracting this growing army of environmentally conscious customers through ethical, eco-friendly products.

Meet the caring consumer In 2020 and beyond, good corporate values and social responsibility will be more important than ever.

If Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) sounds like an industry buzzword, well it isn’t anymore.

A selfless corporate attitude is becoming more and more the norm, as retailers realise that giving back is a win/win with consumers. You make the world a better place. It’s good for business too.

Now for the fun part While corporate and social responsibility are vitally important to our industry, let’s not forget what makes gifts and gift giving so wonderful. It’s all about fun.

So that sounds like the perfect opportunity to show you our Australiana ranges for 2020 starting with two local artists. From cockatoos and Koalas right through to the iconic pie and sauce, they have created

exclusive giftware designs for us that are beautifully illustrated, high quality and quintessentially Australian.

Chris Riley Birds/Animal Ranges Chris is a NSW artist who now lives in the cultural hub of Brisbane’s West End. His love of native birds and animals came from growing up in the country and exploring the beauty of his natural surroundings. A self-taught artist, Chris has developed his own unique acrylic style on canvas painting landscapes, animals and people, with a self-confessed passion for florals and wildlife.

We love his work so much, we asked Chris to design an exclusive range of bird and animal illustrations for two new giftware ranges launching in February 2020. These wonderful Bird and Animal ranges include mugs, canvases, tea towels, tote bag and animal soaps.

Suki McMaster—Australiana/ Bamboo Baby ranges Equally talented, but quite different stylistically to Chris, Suki’s bold, colourful illustrations have a lovely Aussie sense of humour about them.

Who else could make a pie and sauce so stylish and appealing? A clever fusion of Asian and Australian culture, Suki’s drawings are inspired by nature with the sole purpose to make people happy.

Suki has also illustrated our adorable Bamboo Baby range of soft,

hypoallergenic products that are gentle on baby’s skin and naturally thermo regulating. These sustainable products include face washers, gift set, hooded towel and muslin wrap.

Our own Australian Flora range We’re also justifiably proud of our Australiana range of mugs, canvases, tea towels, tote bags and scented sachets created by our very own Gibson design team which are contemporary, colourful and celebrate our Australian environment.

Exclusive soaps and hand creams Premium soaps are always popular gifts. Our exclusive range of in-house designed soaps is made from a blend of sustainable palm and coconut oils with added shea butter and vitamins to leave skin feeling soft, nourished and moisturised. You’ll feel good on the inside too knowing they’re Australian made and not tested on animals.

Equally impressive are our Australian designed and made hand creams, inspired by native flora. The range is made from essential oils and extracts to nourish and soothe dry skin with the delightful fragrances of Eucalyptus, Lemon, Lime & Petitgrain.

If you’d like to know more about our 2020 Australiana ranges, or how Gibson operates as a socially and commercially responsible company, go to www.gibsongifts.com.au January 2020 55

INTO THE BLACK We sat down to chat with Ashley Tran-Suzuki, owner of Black Crate, about inspiration, style and all things black.

T

he epitome of contemporary design and sophistication, Black Crate elevates the home dining and entertaining experience with à la mode collections of ultramodern dinnerware, table styling pieces and modern meets art-deco custom designed dining furniture.

What is the Black Crate story?

The seed of inspiration for the brand was planted when I myself searched for new dinnerware and cutlery. My husband and I had just moved into our home in Sydney and I wanted to create an unforgettable dining space where we entertained and I really struggled to find dinnerware and cutlery that was striking, made from premium materials and unique. I wanted something that boasted unique tone, texture and style.

I met my co-founder in 2015 and we became great friends as we worked in the homewares industry together. It was during a conversation

at the beginning of 2017 when magic happened and the vision for Black Crate literally came to life. I flew to Melbourne the next weekend to plan the brand concept and the next few months involved intense hard work in bringing it all together.

This culminated in our showroom in Fitzroy, Melbourne that opened in July 2017. I believe because we were so clear on the brand vision and essence, we were able to create the website and showroom quite quickly.

For me personally, the brand was and is about enhancing human connectivity. The business was co-founded with a very good friend during a period of great connection and I view our products as being vessels that enhance not only the dining space but the connection that happens during the intimate experience of sharing a meal with friends and loved ones.

The use of a ‘Black Crate’ as the brand mark is ingenious, how did you come up with the idea?

Offering beautiful packaging was very important to us, we knew it would be key to distinguishing the brand in a competitive market, and we really wanted to create something distinctly unique to the brand.

The black crate was designed by us and is not only synonymous with our name but it perfectly brings to life our story. All Black Crate 56 giftguideonline.com.au

dinnerware is delivered inside the custom black crate. My co-founder and I actually dreamed up the concept and got very excited over a conversation whilst one of us was preparing dinner. After that, it was magic, the aesthetics of the brand and the brand essence just came to life. The vision was just so clear.

Do you use trend forecasting to decide which dinnerware products to stock at Black Crate?

For the dinnerware, the product and design sourcing is organised by myself and my creative director. For our furniture range, it is custom developed by prominent Melbourne architect and interior designer, Elvin Tan. When it comes to the dinnerware, we research and follow international trade fairs extensively and devour religiously leading design magazines. My husband is Japanese so I am very fortunate to be able to visit Japan regularly. I draw so much inspiration from these visits to Tokyo (my third favourite world city behind Melbourne and Sydney!) as Tokyo is just the ultimate fusion of east meets west and in terms of international trends, it’s one of the leading cities to watch.

I also follow international fashion brands extensively and draw so much inspiration from the fashion industry. I believe this helps me keep the brand different, by learning from another industry.

profile

How do you source new products to ensure that Black Crate remains at the forefront of dining space excellence?

We research and follow international trade fairs extensively with my favourites being Maison& Object in Paris and Salone del Mobile Milano. We attend all the major trade fairs in Australia too. A big focus of ours is moving towards in-house design, this has already begun with our very first furniture collection being released in 2019.

Our unique dining furniture range encapsulates the brand essence and ethos of luxury, texture, tone and style. The exclusive range consists of five inaugural pieces including two different dining tables and chairs and a console. The pieces are art deco inspired with a touch of contemporary sophistication and really complete and enhance the brand offering to help make Black Crate the destination for clients to reimagine their dining space.

Each piece is completely beautiful, made to order and individually hand-finished to the highest standard in quality in Melbourne, Australia.

Can you share any styling tips for creating a beautiful centrepiece for a dining table?

If you look at the centrepieces that we have on our dining tables in our showroom, you’ll notice that they don’t just rely on floral arrangements for impact. We style centrepieces using our range of accessories as well—for example, we use gorgeous solid oak wooden salt and pepper shakers and lay our spices on a marble slate to style one table and another has a solid black wooden serving board, paired with smooth matte black salad servers and striking grey tree branches. The idea is to ensure you have a cleat set colour theme, and from there play with different textures and tones. blackcrate.com.au

January 2020 57

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Fun, fashionable and classic finds for every style

3 4

1. Aboriginal art cotton hair scrunchies, wholesale for $2.25. Alperstein Designs, 03 9584 5333, marc@alpersteindesigns.com.au, www.alpersteindesigns.com.au 2. Amelie purse, wholesales for $6. DWBH Homewares, 07 3907 7567, info@dwbh.com.au, www.dwbh.com.au, www.facebook.com/dwbhhomewares, www.instagram.com/dwbh_homewares 3. Beaded bracelets, wholesale for $15.90 each.

Intrinsic Enterprises, 08 8232 2366, hello@intrinsiconline.com, www.intrinsiconline.com, www.facebook.com/theintrinsicway, www.instagram.com/theintrinsicway 4. Lovely Paper by Djeco necklaces, wholesale from $3.20 to $5.50. Kaleidoscope, 07 3375 6446, customerservice@kaleidoscope.com.au, www.kaleidoscope.com.au, www.facebook.com/kaleidoscopeaustraliapl, www.instagram.com/kaleidoscope_australasia 58  giftguideonline.com.au

accessories & jewellery

1

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5

3 4 1. Exyra gender neutral sunglasses, retail from $98. Exyra, help@exyra.com.au, exyra.com.au, www.facebook.com/exyraeyewear, www.instagram.com/exyra.eyewear/ 2. Scarves, wholesale for $22.72 each. Intrinsic Enterprises, 08 8232 2366, hello@intrinsiconline.com, www.intrinsiconline.com, www.facebook.com/theintrinsicway, www.instagram.com/theintrinsicway 3. Anna Blatman organic cotton zip bags, wholesale for $5.88. Koh Living, 1800 811 598, info@kohliving.com.au, www.kohliving.com.au, www.facebook.com/KohLiving/, www.instagram.com/kohliving/?hl=en 4. Midori mesh pouch, wholesales from $11.30 to $15.90. Living and Dining, 03 8679 6419, info@livinganddining.com.au, www.livinganddining.com.au, www.instagram.com/livinganddiningaus 5. Rose trinket box, wholesales for $86.34.

Royal Selangor, 03 8797 0750, sales.au@royalselangor.com, www.royalselangor.com, www.facebook.com/RoyalSelangor, www.instagram.com/royalselangor January 2020  59

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1. Aboriginal art cotton tote bags, wholesale for $14.95. Alperstein Designs, 03 9584 5333, marc@alpersteindesigns.com.au, www.alpersteindesigns.com.au 2. Amalfi Blue & Mystic Magenta coin purses, wholesale for $14.08 each. Intrinsic Enterprises, 08 8232 2366, hello@intrinsiconline.com, www.intrinsiconline.com, www.facebook.com/theintrinsicway, www.instagram.com/theintrinsicway 3. Lovely Paper by Djeco badges, wholesale for $4.60. Kaleidoscope, 07 3375 6446, customerservice@kaleidoscope.com.au, www.kaleidoscope.com.au, www.facebook.com/kaleidoscopeaustraliapl, www.instagram.com/kaleidoscope_australasia 4. Anna Blatman keyrings, wholesale for $6.80.

Koh Living, 1800 811 598, info@kohliving.com.au, www.kohliving.com.au, www.facebook.com/KohLiving/, www.instagram.com/kohliving/?hl=en 60  giftguideonline.com.au

2

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3 Toys, games, clothing and educational products for babies, children and mums-to-be

4 1. Kinderfeets Tiny Tot Plus, retails for $169.95. Artiwood Australia, 02 8294 3030, info@artiwood.com.au, www.artiwood.com.au, www.facebook.com/artiwoodaustralia, www.instagram.com/artiwoodaustralia/ 2. Bunny stick rattle, wholesales for $4.45. ES Kids, 08 8371 0371, sales@eskids.com.au, www.eskids.com.au 3. Janod Hoppo Ride On, wholesales for $71.50. Bright Wonders, 08 7425 1400, info@brightwonders.com.au, www.brightwonders.com.au, www.facebook.com/BrightWonders, www.instagram.com/brightwondersau 4. Cool Stuff Elephant EVA Foam Puzzle, retails for $12.50. TNW Australia, 02 9559 1300, sales@tnw.com.au, www.tnw.com.au, www.facebook.com/tnwaustralia, www.instagram.com/tnw_australia 62  giftguideonline.com.au

baby & child

2 1 3

5

4 1. Sassi wooden sorting box numbers and book set, wholesales for $22.65. Axis Toys, 02 9986 3456, paulaopfer@axistoys.com, www.axistoys.com, www.facebook.com/AxisToys/, www.instagram.com/axis_toys/ 2. HABA Clutching Toy range, wholesales from $12.50.

Bright Wonders, 08 7425 1400, info@brightwonders.com.au, www.brightwonders.com.au, www.facebook.com/BrightWonders, www.instagram.com/brightwondersau 3. Cool Stuff Galaxy Squeeze Ball with Orbs and Foam, retails for $3.95. TNW Australia, 02 9559 1300, sales@tnw.com.au, www.tnw.com.au, www.facebook.com/tnwaustralia, www.instagram.com/tnw_australia 4. The Wiggles lunch bag & drink bottles, wholesale from $4.55 to $6.80. Jasnor (Australia), 03 9562 9900, sales@jasnor.com, www.jasnor.com.au, www.facebook.com.au/JasnorAUS, www.instagram.com/JasnorAUS 5. Aleva Naturals maternal care gift set, wholesales for $40. For Baby and Up, 02 8011 3873, info@forbabyandup.com.au, www.forbabyandup.com.au, www.facebook.com/forbabyandup, www.instagram.com.au/forbabyandup January 2020  63

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5 1. Indigo Jamm Petworth Doll Furniture, retails from $84.95 to $144.95. Artiwood Australia, 02 8294 3030, info@artiwood.com.au, www.artiwood.com.au, www.facebook.com/artiwoodaustralia, www.instagram.com/artiwoodaustralia/ 2. Loch Ness Toys pull-alongs, wholesale for $19.60. Axis Toys, 02 9986 3456, paulaopfer@axistoys.com, www.axistoys.com, www.facebook.com/AxisToys/, www.instagram.com/axis_toys/ 3. Bunny comforter, wholesales for $9.45. ES Kids, 08 8371 0371, sales@eskids.com.au, www.eskids.com.au 4. Kaloo Les Amis donkey keychain, wholesales for $6.50 each. Bright Wonders, 08 7425 1400, info@brightwonders.com.au, www.brightwonders.com.au, www.facebook.com/ BrightWonders, www.instagram.com/brightwondersau 5. Tooth Fairy Buddy in a Box, wholesales for $15.25. Splosh, 07 3805 4718, sales@splosh.com.au, b2b.splosh.com.au, www.facebook.com/sploshaust 64  giftguideonline.com.au

baby & child

2 1

3 1. Hot Wheels kits, wholesale from $9.05 to $13.65. Jasnor (Australia), 03 9562 9900, sales@jasnor.com, www.jasnor.com.au, www.facebook.com.au/JasnorAUS, www.instagram.com/JasnorAUS 2. Loch Ness Toys Rainbow, wholesales for $28.50. Axis Toys, 02 9986 3456, paulaopfer@axistoys.com, www.axistoys.com, www.facebook.com/AxisToys/, www.instagram.com/axis_toys/ 3. Cool Stuff Amazing Quick Sand, retails for $9.95. TNW Australia, 02 9559 1300, sales@tnw.com.au, www.tnw.com.au, www.facebook.com/tnwaustralia, www.instagram.com/tnw_australia

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4 1. Playforever Luft Hopper, wholesales for $35.95. Bright Wonders, 08 7425 1400, info@brightwonders.com.au, www.brightwonders.com.au, www.facebook.com/BrightWonders, www.instagram.com/brightwondersau 2. i play two-piece rashguard set with snap reusable absorbent swimsuit diaper, wholesales for $30. For Baby and Up, 02 8011 3873, info@forbabyandup.com.au, www.forbabyandup.com.au, www.facebook.com/forbabyandup, www.instagram.com.au/forbabyandup 3. Cool Stuff Fantasy Buddy Bands, retail for $4.50.

TNW Australia, 02 9559 1300, sales@tnw.com.au, www.tnw.com.au, www.facebook.com/tnwaustralia, www.instagram.com/tnw_australia 4. Cool Stuff Dinosaur Excavation Kit, retails for $29.95. TNW Australia, 02 9559 1300, sales@tnw.com.au, www.tnw.com.au, www.facebook.com/tnwaustralia, www.instagram.com/tnw_australia 5. Beatrix Potter money bank, wholesales for $13.65. Jasnor (Australia), 03 9562 9900, sales@jasnor.com, www.jasnor.com.au, www.facebook.com.au/JasnorAUS, www.instagram.com/JasnorAUS 66  giftguideonline.com.au

baby & child

2

3

1 1. Me to You baby collection, wholesales from$6.80 to $15.90. Jasnor (Australia), 03 9562 9900, sales@jasnor.com, www.jasnor.com.au, www.facebook.com.au/JasnorAUS, www.instagram.com/JasnorAUS 2. Baghera white pedal car, wholesales for $215.95. Bright Wonders, 08 7425 1400, info@brightwonders.com.au, www.brightwonders.com.au, www.facebook.com/BrightWonders, www.instagram.com/brightwondersau 3. Cool Stuff Assorted Finger Board Games, retail for $5.95. TNW Australia, 02 9559 1300, sales@tnw.com.au, www.tnw.com.au, www.facebook.com/tnwaustralia, www.instagram.com/tnw_australia

IHAad_AustralianGiftguide_185X135.qxp_Layout 1 11/25/19 3:13 PM Page 1

Where the industry connec ts aro u nd

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14 - 17 March 2020 | McCormick Place, Chicago • USA For more information, please contact the IHA Australia & New Zealand representative Robert Parker, Tel: +61 419 330447, robert@rpmi.com.au

January 2020  67

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5 4 1. Lilliputiens Alex On The Go Doll, wholesales for $42.95. Bright Wonders, 08 7425 1400, info@brightwonders.com.au, www.brightwonders.com.au, www.facebook.com/BrightWonders, www.instagram.com/brightwondersau 2. Cool Stuff Colour Change Squeeze Stress Ball, retails for $5.50. TNW Australia, 02 9559 1300, sales@tnw.com.au, www.tnw.com.au, www.facebook.com/tnwaustralia, www.instagram.com/tnw_australia 3 . Fiesta Crafts Make a Stegosaurus, wholesales for $15.50. Bright Wonders, 08 7425 1400, info@brightwonders.com.au, www.brightwonders.com.au, www.facebook.com/BrightWonders, www.instagram.com/brightwondersau 4. green sprouts mini placemat, wholesales for $14. For Baby and Up, 02 8011 3873, info@forbabyandup.com.au, www.forbabyandup.com.au, www.facebook.com/forbabyandup, www.instagram.com.au/forbabyandup 5. Cool Stuff Mermaid Projector Torch, retails for $8.95. TNW Australia, 02 9559 1300, sales@tnw.com.au, www.tnw.com.au, www.facebook.com/tnwaustralia, www.instagram.com/tnw_australia 68  giftguideonline.com.au

1 2 3 A selection of products for the bedroom & bathroom

4

1. Miss Bliss microfibre range, wholesales from $5.60 to $6.40. Annabel Trends, 07 5593 4755, sales@annabeltrends.com, www.annabeltrends.com, www.facebook.com/annabeltrends, www.instagram.com/annabeltrends 2. Congrats Bath Bomb Gift Card, wholesales for $4.34. Splosh, 07 3805 4718, sales@splosh.com.au, b2b.splosh.com.au, www.facebook.com/sploshaust 3. Scented Offerings hand cream, wholesales for $11.35. Urban Rituelle, 02 9531 1244, info@urbanrituelle.com.au, www.urbanrituelle.com.au, www.facebook.com/urbanrituelle/, www.instagram.com/urbanrituelle/ 4. Hydrating face oil, retails for $58. Signature Dandelion, 0456 727 110, signaturedandelion.com.au, www.facebook.com/signaturedandelion, www.instagram.com/signaturedandelion 70  giftguideonline.com.au

bed & bath

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1. Gumleaf Essentials aromatherapy pulse point rollers, wholesale for $9.05 each. Buckley & Phillips Aromatics, 03 9735 3755, sales@buckleyandphillips.com, www.buckleyandphillips.com, www.facebook.com/BuckleyAndPhillips, www.instagram.com/buckleyandphillips 2. Trifold Vanity illuminated make up mirror, retails for $99.95. HoMedics Australia, 03 8756 6500, gary.cowan@homedics.com.au, www.homedics.com.au, www.facebook.com/homedicsaustralia, www.instagram.com/homedicsaustralia 3. Aboriginal art hand cream, set of three wholesales for $15.90. Alperstein Designs, 03 9584 5333, marc@alpersteindesigns.com.au, www.alpersteindesigns.com.au 4. Hand creams, wholesale for $11.36. Intrinsic Enterprises, 08 8232 2366, hello@intrinsiconline.com, www.intrinsiconline.com, www.facebook.com/theintrinsicway, www.instagram.com/theintrinsicway 5. Willowbrook Fresh Scents collection, wholesales from $2.25 to $65. Villa Mondo, 1300 555 150, admin@villamondo.com, www.villamondo.com, www.facebook.com/VillaMondo, www.instagram.com/Villamondogifts January 2020  71

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2 Source the perfect gift with our pick of cards, wraps and novelty items

4

3

1. Everyday cards, wholesale from$1.36 to $3.60. Candle Bark Creations, 02 9516 0926, hello@candlebark.com.au, www.candlebark.com.au, www.facebook.com/candlebarkcreations, www.instagram.com/candlebarkcreations 2. Everyday cards & wrapping paper, wholesale for $2.97.

Earth Greetings, 08 8277 2001, info@earthgreetings.com.au, www.earthgreetings.com.au, www.facebook.com/earthgreetings, www.instagram.com/earthgreetings 3. Cherish greeting cards, wholesale for $2.95. Intrinsic Enterprises, 08 8232 2366, hello@intrinsiconline.com, www.intrinsiconline.com, www.facebook.com/theintrinsicway, www.instagram.com/theintrinsicway 4. Pink/red Cranes wrapping paper & red Primo ribbon, wholesale for $45 per 60cmx60m roll and $11.50 for 15mmx50m roll respectively. Vandoros Fine Packaging, 02 9966 8868, sales@vandoros.com.au, www.vandoros.com.au, www.facebook.com/vandorosfinepackaging, www.instagram.com/vandorosfinepackaging 72  giftguideonline.com.au

cards & wrapping

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1. Washi Tape, wholesales for $3. Earth Greetings, 08 8277 2001, info@earthgreetings.com.au, www.earthgreetings.com.au, www.facebook.com/earthgreetings, www.instagram.com/earthgreetings 2. Wedding cards, wholesale for $2.97. Earth Greetings, 08 8277 2001, info@earthgreetings.com.au, www.earthgreetings.com.au, www.facebook.com/earthgreetings, www.instagram.com/earthgreetings 3. Intuition cards, wholesale for $13.63. Intrinsic Enterprises, 08 8232 2366, hello@intrinsiconline.com, www.intrinsiconline.com, www.facebook.com/theintrinsicway, www.instagram.com/theintrinsicway 4. Galaxy wrapping paper & black Stellar ribbon, wholesale for $45 per 60cmx60m roll and $12 for 15mmx25m roll respectively. Vandoros Fine Packaging, 02 9966 8868, sales@vandoros.com.au, www.vandoros.com.au, www.facebook.com/vandorosfinepackaging, www.instagram.com/vandorosfinepackaging 5. Limoncello wrapping paper & Grosgrain Stitch navy ribbon, wholesale for $45 per 60cmx60m roll and $11.80 for 10mmx50m roll respectively.

Vandoros Fine Packaging, 02 9966 8868, sales@vandoros.com.au, www.vandoros.com.au, www.facebook.com/vandorosfinepackaging, www.instagram.com/vandorosfinepackaging January 2020  73

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From pencils, notepads and stationery to phone accessories & gadgets

4

3 1. Beautiful Dreamer A5 journal, wholesales for $11.81. Intrinsic Enterprises, 08 8232 2366, hello@intrinsiconline.com, www.intrinsiconline.com, www.facebook.com/theintrinsicway, www.instagram.com/theintrinsicway 2. Lovely Paper by Djeco correspondence sets, wholesale for $7.40 each.

Kaleidoscope, 07 3375 6446, customerservice@kaleidoscope.com.au, www.kaleidoscope.com.au, www.facebook.com/kaleidoscopeaustraliapl, www.instagram.com/kaleidoscope_australasia 3. Anna Blatman journal, wholesales for $9.07. Koh Living, 1800 811 598, info@kohliving.com.au, www.kohliving.com.au, www.facebook.com/KohLiving/, www.instagram.com/kohliving/?hl=en 4. Lovely Paper by Djeco secret notebooks with magic pen, wholesale for $8.90. Kaleidoscope, 07 3375 6446, customerservice@kaleidoscope.com.au, www.kaleidoscope.com.au, www.facebook.com/kaleidoscopeaustraliapl, www.instagram.com/kaleidoscope_australasia 74  giftguideonline.com.au

desktop & tech

1

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1. Healing Thoughts guided journal, wholesales for $13.63. Intrinsic Enterprises, 08 8232 2366, hello@intrinsiconline.com, www.intrinsiconline.com, www.facebook.com/theintrinsicway, www.instagram.com/theintrinsicway 2. Dreamtime Story journal, wholesales for $9.07. Koh Living, 1800 811 598, info@kohliving.com.au, www.kohliving.com.au, www.facebook.com/KohLiving/, www.instagram.com/kohliving/?hl=en

January 2020  75

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2 Decorative, contemporary and classic homewares for all lifestyle choices

3 4

1. NF Living velvet basic cushions, wholesale from $14.95 to $17.95. Nicholas Agency, 02 9579 2200, sales@nf.net.au, www.nf.net.au, www.facebook.com/NFLiving, www.instagram.com/nf_living 2. Rachel Lee Artist Lab, retails for $69.95. Rayell, 1300 859 728, sales@rayell.com, www.rayell.com, www.facebook.com/rayellgifts, www.instagram.com/rayell_ 3. Tranquil Dipped Gold Large Vase, wholesales for $21.80.

Splosh, 07 3805 4718, sales@splosh.com.au, b2b.splosh.com.au, www.facebook.com/sploshaust 4. Waterlily small tray, wholesales for $63.

Whitelaw & Newton, 02 9489 9991, info@whitelawnewton.com, ww w.whitelawnewton.com, www.instagram.com/whitelawandnewton 76  giftguideonline.com.au

home & living

2 1

3

5

4 1. Scented Offerings fragrance diffuser set, wholesales for $19.50. Urban Rituelle, 02 9531 1244, info@urbanrituelle.com.au, www.urbanrituelle.com.au, www.facebook.com/urbanrituelle/, www.instagram.com/urbanrituelle/ 2. Disney Classic Collectable coasters & prints, wholesale from $4.55 to $22.70. Jasnor (Australia), 03 9562 9900, sales@jasnor.com, www.jasnor.com.au, www.facebook.com.au/JasnorAUS, www.instagram.com/JasnorAUS 3. T-Lab Pole Pole animals, wholesale for $18. Living and Dining, 03 8679 6419, info@livinganddining.com.au, www.livinganddining.com.au, www.instagram.com/livinganddiningaus 45. Leaves table clock, wholesales for $136.34. Royal Selangor, 03 8797 0750, sales.au@royalselangor.com, www.royalselangor.com, www.facebook.com/RoyalSelangor, www.instagram.com/royalselangor 5. Bondi beige armchair, wholesales for $563. OneWorld Collection, 02 4340 0122, sales@oneworldcollection.com, www.oneworldcollection.com, www.facebook.com/oneworldcollection, www.instagram.com/oneworldcollection January 2020  77

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4 1. Garden Trading ceramic compost crock, wholesales for $52.50. Quality Products, 02 9999 0684, info@qualityproducts.com.au, www.qualityproducts.com.au, www.facebook.com/QualityProductsDirect, www.instagram.com/qualityproductsau 2. Nova round mirror, retails for $299.95. Rayell, 1300 859 728, sales@rayell.com, www.rayell.com, www.facebook.com/rayellgifts, www.instagram.com/rayell_ 3. Designer planters, wholesale from $11.95. Rikaro, 03 9587 9554, wsales@rikaro.com.au, www.rikaro.com.au 4. Life of Trees large tray, wholesales for $115. Whitelaw & Newton, 02 9489 9991, info@whitelawnewton.com, www.whitelawnewton.com, www.instagram.com/whitelawandnewton 5. Tranquil Embroidered Feather Cushion & 3D Knotted Cushion, wholesale for $21.80 each.

Splosh, 07 3805 4718, sales@splosh.com.au, b2b.splosh.com.au, www.facebook.com/sploshaust 78  giftguideonline.com.au

home & living

2 3 1 1. Aroma humidifiers, wholesale from $29.95 to $36.50. Gibson Gifts, 03 9581 3666, enquiries@gibimp.com.au, gibsongifts.com.au 2. Zahra cushion, wholesales for $11. DWBH Homewares, 07 3907 7567, info@dwbh.com.au, www.dwbh.com.au, www.facebook.com/dwbhhomewares, www.instagram.com/dwbh_homewares 3. EnviroTrend swingSAK, wholesales for $5.91. Price Point Importers, 07 3376 4416, sales@envirotrend.com.au, www.envirotrend.com.au, www.facebook.com/envirotrendau, www.instagram.com/envirotrend

January 2020  79

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5 3 4

1. Aroma wax burner tree of life, wholesales from $17.50. Gibson Gifts, 03 9581 3666, enquiries@gibimp.com.au, gibsongifts.com.au 2. Davis & Waddell Sala insulated shopping trolley bag, wholesales for $11.34. Albi, 03 9474 1300, albi@albi.com.au, www.albi.com.au, www.instagram.com/albiaustralia 3. Waterproof Paper Pottery Valentine’s Pots, wholesale from $5.60 to $8.50. Import Ants, 02 9516 1496, info@importants.com.au, www.importants.com.au, www.facebook.com/ImportAntsFairTrade/, www.instagram.com/import.ants/ 4. Patricia 3D Pet Puzzle, wholesale for $7.40. Splosh, 07 3805 4718, sales@splosh.com.au, b2b.splosh.com.au, www.facebook.com/sploshaust 5. NF Living Faux Floral, wholesale from $2.95 to $14.95. Nicholas Agency, 02 9579 2200, sales@nf.net.au, www.nf.net.au, www.facebook.com/NFLiving, www.instagram.com/nf_living 80  giftguideonline.com.au

home & living

1

5 2

4

3 1. Shiraz range, wholesales from $17 to $25. DWBH Homewares, 07 3907 7567, info@dwbh.com.au, www.dwbh.com.au, www.facebook.com/dwbhhomewares, www.instagram.com/dwbh_homewares 2. Garden Trading hanging pot, wholesales from $11 to $14.

Quality Products, 02 9999 0684, info@qualityproducts.com.au, www.qualityproducts.com.au, www.facebook.com/QualityProductsDirect, www.instagram.com/qualityproductsau 3. Cayman bar trolley, wholesales for $450. OneWorld Collection, 02 4340 0122, sales@oneworldcollection.com, www.oneworldcollection.com, www.facebook.com/oneworldcollection, www.instagram.com/oneworldcollection 4. NF Living linen blend cushions, wholesale from $13.95 to $25.50. Nicholas Agency, 02 9579 2200, sales@nf.net.au, www.nf.net.au, www.facebook.com/NFLiving, www.instagram.com/nf_living 5. Tranquil Gold Feather Frame & Tranquil Gold Leaf Frame Wall Art, wholesale for $30.52 each. Splosh, 07 3805 4718, sales@splosh.com.au, b2b.splosh.com.au, www.facebook.com/sploshaust January 2020  81

1

5

2

3

4 1. Palm cushion, wholesales for $25. DWBH Homewares, 07 3907 7567, info@dwbh.com.au, www.dwbh.com.au, www.facebook.com/dwbhhomewares, www.instagram.com/dwbh_homewares 2. Garden Trading striped jute pot, wholesales for $8.50.

Quality Products, 02 9999 0684, info@qualityproducts.com.au, www.qualityproducts.com.au, www.facebook.com/QualityProductsDirect, www. instagram.com/qualityproductsau 3. Minimal black frame, wholesales for $13.07. Splosh, 07 3805 4718, sales@splosh.com.au, b2b.splosh.com.au, www.facebook.com/sploshaust 4. Swetha green throw blanket, retails for $89.95. Rayell, 1300 859 728, sales@rayell.com, www.rayell.com, www.facebook.com/rayellgifts, www.instagram.com/rayell_ 5. Pewter rose, wholesales for $29.52. Royal Selangor, 03 8797 0750, sales.au@royalselangor.com, www.royalselangor.com, www.facebook.com/RoyalSelangor, www.instagram.com/royalselangor 82  giftguideonline.com.au

home & living

3

1

2 1. West Beach 3 drawer console, wholesales for $598. OneWorld Collection, 02 4340 0122, sales@oneworldcollection.com, www.oneworldcollection.com, www.facebook.com/oneworldcollection, www.instagram.com/oneworldcollection 2. Glass art hearts, wholesale from $2.95. Gibson Gifts, 03 9581 3666, enquiries@gibimp.com.au, gibsongifts.com.au 3. Britto figurines, wholesale from $22.70 to $59.05. Jasnor (Australia), 03 9562 9900, sales@jasnor.com, www.jasnor.com.au, www.facebook.com.au/JasnorAUS, www.instagram.com/JasnorAUS

January 2020  83

1

2 5

4

3

1. Disney Magical Moments figurines, wholesale from $22.70 to $27.25. Jasnor (Australia), 03 9562 9900, sales@jasnor.com, www.jasnor.com.au, www.facebook.com.au/JasnorAUS, www.instagram.com/JasnorAUS 2. NF Living hand-painted canvas wall art, wholesales from $64.95 to $109.95.

Nicholas Agency, 02 9579 2200, sales@nf.net.au, www.nf.net.au, www.facebook.com/NFLiving, www.instagram.com/nf_living 3. Burgon & Ball indoor watering can, prices available on request. Quality Products, 02 9999 0684, info@qualityproducts.com.au, qualityproducts.com.au, www.facebook.com/QualityProductsDirect, www.instagram.com/qualityproductsau/ 4. Crystal silver and rainbow suncatchers, wholesale from $7.95 to $10.95. Gibson Gifts, 03 9581 3666, enquiries@gibimp.com.au, gibsongifts.com.au 5. Leopard print shopping bag, wholesales for $3.95 (min 12). Gibson Gifts, 03 9581 3666, enquiries@gibimp.com.au, gibsongifts.com.au 84  giftguideonline.com.au

home & living

2

1

3 4

1. Celestial Wisdom Confucius Replica, wholesales for $1,363.61. Royal Selangor, 03 8797 0750, sales.au@royalselangor.com, www.royalselangor.com, www.facebook.com/RoyalSelangor, www.instagram.com/royalselangor 2. Rose shopping bag, wholesales from$3.95.

Gibson Gifts, 03 9581 3666, enquiries@gibimp.com.au, gibsongifts.com.au 3. Handmade glass sculptures, wholesale from $17.95.

Rikaro, 03 9587 9554, wsales@rikaro.com.au, www.rikaro.com.au 4. Disney Music Carousel Collection, wholesales for $68.16. Royal Selangor, 03 8797 0750, sales.au@royalselangor.com, www.royalselangor.com, www.facebook.com/RoyalSelangor, www.instagram.com/royalselangor January 2020  85

1 All the latest tools for the kitchen from food preparation to table presentation

4 2 3

1. Me to You travel mug & lunch box, wholesale for $6.80 each. Jasnor (Australia), 03 9562 9900, sales@jasnor.com, www.jasnor.com.au, www.facebook.com.au/JasnorAUS, www.instagram.com/JasnorAUS 2. RetroKitchen Carry Your Cutlery, wholesales for $13.60. SteadySticks, 0400 722 443, info@steadysticks.com, retrokitchen.com.au, www.facebook.com/RetrokitchenHomewares, www.instagram.com/retrokitchenaustralia 3. Love Peekaboo Mug & Dogs Peekaboo Mug, wholesale for $8.71. Splosh, 07 3805 4718, sales@splosh.com.au, b2b.splosh.com.au, www.facebook.com/sploshaust 4. Alyssa range, wholesales for $44. DWBH Homewares, 07 3907 7567, info@dwbh.com.au, www.dwbh.com.au, www.facebook.com/dwbhhomewares, www.instagram.com/dwbh_homewares 86  giftguideonline.com.au

kitchen & dining

2

1

3 5

4

1. Davis & Waddell reusable beeswax wraps, wholesale from $4.52 to $15.89. Albi, 03 9474 1300, albi@albi.com.au, www.albi.com.au, www.instagram.com/albiaustralia 2. Australian made solid bamboo coasters & trivets, wholesale from$13.60 to $18.10. Earth Greetings, 08 8277 2001, info@earthgreetings.com.au, www.earthgreetings.com.au, www.facebook.com/earthgreetings, www.instagram.com/earthgreetings 3. Australian wildflower mugs, wholesale for $9.07. Koh Living, 1800 811 598, info@kohliving.com.au, www.kohliving.com.au, www.facebook.com/KohLiving/, www.instagram.com/kohliving/?hl=en 4. EcoSouLife Back to nature sugarcane straws, wholesale for $5.20.

Horwood Life, 03 9544 7066, info@ecosoulife.com, ecosoulife.com, www.facebook.com/EcoSouLifeR/, www.instagram.com/ecosoulifer/ 5. Ecoffee Cup ‘Porthcurno’ 14oz/400ml, wholesales for $12.45. Ibubambu, 0488 726 010, jon@ibubambu.com.au, www.ibubambu.com.au, www.facebook.com/ibubambu, www.instagram.com/ibubambu January 2020 87

1

2

3

5 4

1. Davis & Waddell EcoPocket sandwich wraps, wholesale from $4.52 to $9.07. Albi, 03 9474 1300, albi@albi.com.au, www.albi.com.au, www.instagram.com/albiaustralia 2. Aboriginal art salad servers, wholesale for $6.80. Alperstein Designs, 03 9584 5333, marc@alpersteindesigns.com.au, www.alpersteindesigns.com.au 3. Tea for One teapots, wholesale for $29.99. Intrinsic Enterprises, 08 8232 2366, hello@intrinsiconline.com, www.intrinsiconline.com, www.facebook.com/theintrinsicway, www.instagram.com/theintrinsicway 4. Anna Blatman insulated lunch bag, wholesales for $18.16. Koh Living, 1800 811 598, info@kohliving.com.au, www.kohliving.com.au, www.facebook.com/KohLiving/, www.instagram.com/kohliving/?hl=en 5. NF Living printed resin coaster sets, set of 4 wholesales for $8.65.

Nicholas Agency, 02 9579 2200, sales@nf.net.au, www.nf.net.au, www.facebook.com/NFLiving, www.instagram.com/nf_living 88  giftguideonline.com.au

kitchen & dining

1

4

2

3 1. Tranquil Feather Tray Set, wholesales for $21.80. Splosh, 07 3805 4718, sales@splosh.com.au, b2b.splosh.com.au, www.facebook.com/sploshaust 2. Australian wildflower coasters & trivets, wholesale from $2.25.

Koh Living, 1800 811 598, info@kohliving.com.au, www.kohliving.com.au, www.facebook.com/KohLiving/, www.instagram.com/kohliving/?hl=en 3. Liberty Wallingford Coffee Pot, wholesales for $272.70. Royal Selangor, 03 8797 0750, sales.au@royalselangor.com, www.royalselangor.com, www.facebook.com/RoyalSelangor, www.instagram.com/royalselangor 4. Oru range, wholesales for $51. DWBH Homewares, 07 3907 7567, info@dwbh.com.au, www.dwbh.com.au, www.facebook.com/ dwbhhomewares, www.instagram.com/dwbh_homewares January 2020  89

1

2

The latest pet and backyard products to enjoy the great outdoors

4

3 1. Flying Chook planter, wholesales for $16.50. Alfresco Gardenware, 03 9490 1575, service@alfrescogardenware.com.au, www.alfrescogardenware.com, www.facebook.com/pages/Alfresco-Gardenware, www.instagram.com/alfrescogw 2. w.p.c. Airlight umbrella, wholesales for $31.70. Living and Dining, 03 8679 6419, info@livinganddining.com.au, www.livinganddining.com.au, www.instagram.com/livinganddiningaus 3. Cool Stuff Giant Foam Glider Plane, retails for $6.95. TNW Australia, 02 9559 1300, sales@tnw.com.au, www.tnw.com.au, www.facebook.com/tnwaustralia, www.instagram.com/tnw_australia 4. Barnyard Dog Beverage Tub, wholesales for $115. Think Outside, 02 8824 4488, sales@thinkoutside.biz, www.thinkoutside.biz, www.facebook.com/thinkoutsidetos, www.instagram.com/think.outside/ 90  giftguideonline.com.au

outdoor & pet

1

2

3

5

4 1. William Morris ‘Thief’ 500ml hot/cold vacuum flask, wholesales for $29.95. Ibubambu, 0488 726 010, jon@ibubambu.com.au, www.ibubambu.com.au, www.facebook.com/ibubambu, www.instagram.com/ibubambu 2. Australian made wind spinners, prices available on request. Artwerx Australia, 02 43 23 9598, info@artwerxaustralia.com.au, www.artwerxaustralia.com.au, www.facebook.com/ArtwerxAustralia/, www.instagram.com/artwerxaust/ 3. w.p.c. water-repellent raincoats, wholesale from $50 to $70. Living and Dining, 03 8679 6419, info@livinganddining.com.au, www.livinganddining.com.au, www.instagram.com/livinganddiningaus 4. Peter Rabbit garden range, wholesales from $6 to $17.50. Products of Excellence, 02 9939 0566, sales@gardenproducts.com.au, www.gardenproducts.com.au 5. Liberty Lancaster hip flask, wholesales for $63.61. Royal Selangor, 03 8797 0750, sales.au@royalselangor.com, www.royalselangor.com, www.facebook.com/RoyalSelangor, www.instagram.com/royalselangor January 2020 91

1

2

5

3 4 1. Yellow &white ducks, set of 3 wholesales for $29.95. Alfresco Gardenware, 03 9490 1575, service@alfrescogardenware.com.au, www.alfrescogardenware.com, www.facebook.com/pages/Alfresco-Gardenware, www.instagram.com/alfrescogw 2. Plasto 19-piece coffee set, wholesales for $19.60. Axis Toys, 02 9986 3456, paulaopfer@axistoys.com, www.axistoys.com, www.facebook.com/AxisToys/, www.instagram.com/axis_toys/ 3. Bamboo Entertainers range, wholesales from $6.49 to $54.99. Lisa Pollock, 07 5576 2369, office@lisapollock.com.au, www.lisapollock.com.au, www.facebook.com/LisaPollockArtfromtheHeart, www.instagram.com/lisapollockartist 4. Cool Stuff colour water balls, retail for $7.95. TNW Australia, 02 9559 1300, sales@tnw.com.au, www.tnw.com.au, www.facebook.com/tnwaustralia, www.instagram.com/tnw_australia 5. EEIEEIO Mini Pick Up Truck Red wholesales from $159. Think Outside, 02 8824 4488, sales@thinkoutside.biz, www.thinkoutside.biz, www.facebook.com/thinkoutsidetos, www.instagram.com/think.outside/ 92  giftguideonline.com.au

outdoor & pet

1

2

3

5

4 1. Polka dot shopping bag, wholesales for $3.95. Gibson Gifts, 03 9581 3666, enquiries@gibimp.com.au, gibsongifts.com.au 2. Tropical shopping bag, wholesales for $3.95. Gibson Gifts, 03 9581 3666, enquiries@gibimp.com.au, gibsongifts.com.au 3. Earth Kool Kombi Firepit and Grill & EEIEEIO Kool Kombi ‘66 Red,, wholesale between $159 and $335. Think Outside, 02 8824 4488, sales@thinkoutside.biz, www.thinkoutside.biz, www.facebook.com/thinkoutsidetos, www.instagram.com/think.outside/ 4. Travel cup, wholesales for $14.85. Intrinsic Enterprises, 08 8232 2366, hello@intrinsiconline.com, www.intrinsiconline.com, www.facebook.com/theintrinsicway, www.instagram.com/theintrinsicway 5. Cool Stuff Hot Shot Handball, retails for $6.50. TNW Australia, 02 9559 1300, sales@tnw.com.au, www.tnw.com.au, www.facebook.com/tnwaustralia, www.instagram.com/tnw_australia January 2020  93

1

2 Lovely gifts for mum’s special day

4

3

1. Scented Offerings Scented Soy Candle, wholesales for $19.50. Urban Rituelle, 02 9531 1244, info@urbanrituelle.com.au, www.urbanrituelle.com.au, www.facebook.com/urbanrituelle/, www.instagram.com/urbanrituelle/ 2. Me to You pamper set, wholesales for $13.65.

Jasnor (Australia), 03 9562 9900, sales@jasnor.com, www.jasnor.com.au, www.facebook.com.au/JasnorAUS, www.instagram.com/JasnorAUS 3. Serengeti wrapping paper, grosgrain copper ribbon & Serengeti twisted paper handle bag, wholesale for $78 per 76cmx2.5m roll, $10.50 for 25mmx50m roll and from $0.51 for each bag. Vandoros Fine Packaging, 02 9966 8868, sales@vandoros.com.au, www.vandoros.com.au, www.facebook.com/vandorosfinepackaging, www.instagram.com/vandorosfinepackaging 4. Ohh Deer Mother’s Day cards, wholesale for $2.95 each. Vevoke, 02 9882 2278, info@vevoke.com, vevoke.com, www.facebook.com/vevoke, www.instagram.com/vevoke 94 giftguideonline.com.au

mother’s day

1 2 3

5 4

1. Aroma lamp glass glitter, wholesales from $24.50. Gibson Gifts, 03 9581 3666, enquiries@gibimp.com.au, gibsongifts.com.au 2. Mother’s Day cards, wholesale for $2.70 each. Candle Bark Creations, 02 9516 0926, hello@candlebark.com.au, www.candlebark.com.au, www.facebook.com/candlebarkcreations, www.instagram.com/candlebarkcreations 3. Mother’s Day cards, wholesale for $2.97. Earth Greetings, 08 8277 2001, info@earthgreetings.com.au, www.earthgreetings.com.au, www.facebook.com/earthgreetings, www.instagram.com/earthgreetings 4. Bridgewater Candle Company collection, wholesales from $2.25 to $65. Villa Mondo, 1300 555 150, admin@villamondo.com, www.villamondo.com, www.facebook.com/VillaMondo, www.instagram.com/Villamondogifts 5. Badger & Burke Mother’s Day cards, wholesale for $3.15 each. Vevoke, 02 9882 2278, info@vevoke.com, vevoke.com, www.facebook.com/vevoke, www.instagram.com/vevoke January 2020 95

2

1

3

5

4

1. Aroma lamp tube, wholesales from $22.50. Gibson Gifts, 03 9581 3666, enquiries@gibimp.com.au, gibsongifts.com.au 2. WoodWick candles, wholesale for $17.43 each. Splosh, 07 3805 4718, sales@splosh.com.au, b2b.splosh.com.au, www.facebook.com/sploshaust 3. Flower burst wrap, pack of 6 wholesales for $24.41. hiPP, 03 9553 3999, info@hipp.com.au, hipp.com.au, www.facebook.com/hiPP.com.au, www.instagram.com/hipp_au/ 4. Ling Design Mother’s Day cards, wholesale for $2.95 each. Vevoke, 02 9882 2278, info@vevoke.com, vevoke.com, www.facebook.com/vevoke, www.instagram.com/vevoke 5. Luxe travel collection, wholesales from $10.44 to $14.99.

Intrinsic Enterprises, 08 8232 2366, hello@intrinsiconline.com, www.intrinsiconline.com, www.facebook.com/theintrinsicway, www.instagram.com/theintrinsicway 96  giftguideonline.com.au

giftguideonline.com.au Source new products, find suppliers and read the latest news all in one place.

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FOR HOME & LIFESTYLE RETAILERS. EST.1975

trade fair diary

Following is a list of forthcoming 2020 trade fairs.

Details can change so double check dates and venues before making firm travel plans.

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND The Retail Quarter Melbourne, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1-4 February Life Instyle, ICC Sydney Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour, Sydney, 21-24 February AGHA Sydney Gift Fair, Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park, 21-24 February Reed Gift Fairs Sydney, ICC Sydney Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour, Sydney, 22-25 February Australian Toy Hobby and Licensing Fair, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1-4 March Autumn Gift & Homeware Fair, ASB Showgrounds, Greenlane, Auckland, New Zealand, 8-10 March DENFAIR, Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre (MCEC), 18-20 June Gift & Lifestyle, Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre, 4-6 July Décor + Design Melbourne, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 16-19 July The Big Design Trade, Meat Market, Melbourne North, 30 July-1 August

ASIA Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF), MITEC & PWTC, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 6-9 March China Beijing Gifts, Premium & Houseware Exhibition, China International Exhibition Centre, Beijing, China, 20-22 March Sipremium, COEX Exhibition Centre, Seoul, South Korea, 2-4 April IHGF Delhi Fair Spring, India Expo Centre Expo XXI, Noida, India, 15-19 April Hong Kong Houseware Fair, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong, 20-23 April Giftionery Taipei, Taipei World Trade Centre, Taiwan, 23-26 April China International Gifts, Handicrafts, Watches & Houseware Fair, Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Centre, Shenzhen, China, 25-28 April Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong, 27-30 April Interior Lifestyle Tokyo, Tokyo International Exhibition Centre (Tokyo Big Sight), Tokyo, Japan, 3-5 June 98 giftguideonline.com.au

GIFTEX, Tokyo International Exhibition Centre (Tokyo Big Sight), Tokyo, Japan, 8-10 July Singapore Gifts & Premiums Fair, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, 15-17 July Gifts World Expo, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India, 24-26 July

Northlands, Edmonton, Alberta, 22-26 February The Inspired Home Show, McCormick Place, Chicago, 13-17 March ASD Market Week, Las Vegas Convention Centre, Las Vegas, 21-24 March

UNITED KINGDOM

MIDDLE EAST

Spring Fair Birmingham, NEC Birmingham, 1-6 February Pulse, Olympia, London, 24-25 March

Paperworld Middle East, Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 9-11 March

EUROPE

AUSTRALIAN TRADE FAIR ORGANISATIONS

Oslo Design Fair, Norway Trade Fairs, Lillestrøm, Norway, 22-24 January HOMI Milano, Fiera Milano, Milan, Italy, 24-27 January Expohogar Primavera, Montjuic Exhibition Centre, Barcelona, Spain, 25-28 January Paperworld, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 25-28 January Spielwarenmesse, International Toy Fair, Exhibition Centre, Nuremberg, Germany, 29 January-2 February Formland, MCH Messecentre Herning, Denmark, 30 January-2 February Intergift & Giftrends Madrid, Feria de Madrid, Spain, 5-9 February Ambiente, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 7-11 February Mitteldeutsche Handwerksmesse, Exhibition Centre Leipzig, Germany, 15-23 February Interdecoracao, Porto, Portugal, 19-23 February Cadeaux Leipzig, Exhibition Centre Leipzig, Germany, 29 February-2 March Prodite Children’s Fair, Brno Exhibition Centre, Brno, Czech Republic, 5-8 March Papergift, Feira Internacional de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal, 21-24 March Tendence, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 27 June – 30 June World of Gifts, Kiev International Exhibition Centre, Kiev, Ukraine, 3-5 September

NORTH AMERICA Philadelphia Gift Show, Greater Philadelphia Expo Centre, Philadelphia, 24-28 January Toronto Gift Fair, Toronto International Centre, Toronto, 26-30 January NY NOW, Jacob K Javits Centre, New York, 1-5 February Alberta Gift Fair, Edmonton Expo Centre

Australian Gifts and Homewares Association (AGHA), 1300 441 384, email: contact@agha.com.au Reed Gift Fairs, 02 9422 2500, reedgift@infosalons.com.au Life Instyle, 02 9422 2552, info@lifeinstyle.com.au Expertise Events/Fair Events, 02 9452 7575, info@expertiseevents.com.au For more information about overseas trade fairs, contact the trade commission, consulate or embassy of the country in which you are interested or visit www.eventseye.com

advertiser index AGHA

2, 3, 30, 31

Albi 13 Annabel Trends

29

Artiwood Australia

24, 25, 35

Artwerx 89 Australian Toy Association

53

Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts

61

Gibson Gifts

cover, 22, 23, 41, 54, 55, IBC, OBC

The Inspired Home Show

67

J Style

45

Messe Frankfurt

27

Quality Products

79

Reed Gift Fairs Splosh TNW Australia Vandoros Fine Packaging

6, 7 19, 39, 51, 69 65, 75, 83 5