Greetings Today May June 2022

May/June 2022 Issue 5 Volume 23

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May/June 2022

contents the team

REGULARS 05 Leader

Looking forward to summer shows

06 News

Rounding up what’s been happening, with more online at www.greetingstoday.co.uk

08 Eco news

Stories about sustainability

12 Spotlight

37 48 John Ryan

John Ryan talks signage

49 Shop Talk

The latest from the UK Greeting Card Association

Publisher Mark Horsnell markh@lemapublishing.co.uk 01442 289940

Advertising Manager

Retailers from around the country tell us Marian McNamara what’s happening in their stores. marian@lemapublishing.co.uk

54 Retail Advice

Retail guru Henri Davis considers how her own customers have changed over the past two years

A selection of new products and fresh ideas

31 GCA news

Editor Naomi MacKay naomi@lemapublishing.co.uk

49

01442 289940

Managing Director Mark Naish mark@lemapublishing.co.uk Production Director Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk

32 Ward’s Words

Design Rick Vickers rick@lemapublishing.co.uk

42 Retail100

Chairman Malcolm Naish malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk

FEATURES

Circulation Manager Robert Thomas robert@lemapublishing.co.uk

Sarah Ward reflects on a busy first quarter New columnists Retail100 introduce themselves

14 Cover Story:

38 Feature:

16 PG Live preview 31 Focus on…

43 Focus on…

@greetingstoday

44 Feature:

www.facebook.com/ greetingstodaymag

Bluey’s popular pups

Laura Sherratt

33 Focus on…

Belly Button Designs

33

Thinking of You and Wellbeing cards Cute cards Plush toys

47 Focus on…

Paperlink

51 Focus on…

Dinosaurs

35 Focus on…

Kingfisher Cards

36 Looking for…

Hand-finished cards

37 Focus on…

Paper Salad

greetingstoday

Rachel Ellen Designs

52 Retail Interview:

Michael Apter, owner of Paper Tiger

34 Trends…

Keep in touch follow us:

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greetings-today

Lema Media Ltd 1 Church Gates, Wilderness, Berkhamsted, Herts HP4 2UB Telephone: 01442 289930 www.greetingstoday.media Greetings Today has a circulation of 6,076 Subscription per annum: UK £60 (free for people in the greetings industry), Europe £80, ROTW £100

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leader Editor Naomi MacKay

44 34

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s I write this, the greeting card industry is busily preparing for another round of shows - from the London Stationery Show, to PG Live and then looking forward to Harrogate Home & Gift in July.

And as I talk to more and more suppliers and retailers during my time on the magazine, it’s clear that this is a true people-focused industry. The retailers just love chatting to their customers, hearing their tales and - as Roy and Julia Beswick at Surrey’s The Card Collection say in the Shop Talk section - they become friends who happen to buy cards from you.

And the publishers and designers are the same they all say they are looking forward to catching up with people at the upcoming shows, meeting old and new friends and customers, and seeing how their creative work resonates with them.

Because of course, without people who want to connect with others, no one would ever sell any cards! And the past two years have shown us that human connection is so important - and when you can’t be with someone, showing them that you are

45

thinking about them can make a massive difference.

And that’s why we have put together our feature on Thinking of You and Wellbeing cards. Publishers such as Rosanna Rossi, Paperlink and Dyson Design have all noticed that the uptake in cards which simply say ‘thinking of you’, or ‘sending you a hug’, is palpable.

Helping that sentiment along is the Greeting Card Association (GCA)’s Thinking of You Week, which runs from 1925 September. This campaign, which encourages the public to send cards to loved ones, just to let them know they are appreciated, is great to take part in - both for retailers and publishers.

And now’s the time to get ordering, so take a moment to look at what’s on offer. By the way, do take the chance to catch up on other GCA news on page 31.

It’s also time for another round of awards, and I’m delighted that our Retail Interview in this issue is with Michael Apter of Edinburghbased retailer Paper Tiger, which won the Best Retailer Initiative category of The Greats Awards 2022 for its Chinese Year Of The Tiger fundraising campaign. You can find out more about how the company works with the community on page 52.

Outside the industry, there are also major events that will have an impact on card sales. The imminent release of the latest Jurassic World movie is creating excitement among film fans, so we thought it apt to focus

52

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

on dino cards in our Trends page. But don’t worry, many of them are more cute and cuddly than fierce and ferocious!

Talking of cute and cuddly, with many card shops making an effort to diversify to encourage more footfall and add-on sales, we’ve also focused on plush toys for this issue. You can read how both Sarah Laker at Wilmslow store Stationery Supplies, and Christina Kenchington at Buckinghamshire store MOOCH, have found their foray into the world of soft toys.

I’m always delighted when retailers are keen to take part in a feature within the magazine.

You are the people on the ground, as it were, so hearing how you are doing, what initiatives are working for you, and finding out your opinions, is vital to making the magazine useful for our band of readers.

I’m always happy to hear from you, so if you’d like to take part in our Shop Talk feature, have an idea for our ‘Looking for…’ page, or have a news story to share, do please get in touch at naomi@lemapublishing.co.uk, or connect with me on LinkedIn.

in the news New addition to GCA team

Adriana Lovesey has taken on the part-time role of membership marketing co-ordinator at the Greeting Card Association (GCA). She is also one of its council members.

Adriana is the founder and creative talent behind luxury handmade greeting card brand Mrs Lovesy. She has a Fine Art degree from the prestigious Slade School of Fine Art, London, and launched her greeting card business in 2015.

GCA CEO Amanda Fergusson said: “It’s perfect having somebody with the knowledge of our industry - and the passion for it. Adriana is just such a good fit for us.’’

Adriana Livesy, holding her daughter, with GCA member Sarah Jackson from Stormy Knight

Gift of the Year winners announced Congratulations to the card, wrap and stationery companies that picked up awards at the inaugural Gift of the Year Awards event in May. Among the prizewinners were: ■ Shroot with its Greens & Greetings (greeting cards and plant pots in one) in the Cards & Wrap category.

■ Merry and Bright Village Advent Calendar DIY Craft Kit, from Two for Joy in the Festive Occasions category.

■ SUCSEED notebooks from VENT for Change in the Stationery category.

■ Willsow’s The Plantable Children’s Book won a number of awards, including The Judges’ Choice.

The black tie awards event was attended by suppliers and retailers, and celebrated 22 category winners from Gift of the Year, as well as the 11 winners of The Greats Retail Awards.

Sarah Ward, CEO Of the Giftware Association, said: “The two award programmes have seen both gift product excellence and retail prowess recognised and rewarded, and I can safely say that all the finalists here have made our whole industry proud.

I am excited to see how the awards now shape the future of the finalists and winners, as they deserve every success coming their way. After such a tough few years, these awards have shown how resilient and creative our industry is.”

You can read the full list of winners at www.giftoftheyear.co.uk/2022-category.

Cards fit for a Queen!

The GCA is linking up with PG Live to collect and deliver greeting cards for HM The Queen for the Platinum Jubilee. Pictured is the card designed and made by GCA member Jane Buurman Handmade. GCA members are asked to design and write a card for The Queen, and send in an unsealed, addressed envelope. The cards will be on display at PG LIve, before being delivered to Buckingham Palace. Visitors to PG Live will be able to write their own cards, too. Cards should be sent by 30 May to Cards for the Queen, GCA/PGLive, United House, North Rd, London N7 9DP.

Stationery Matters winners The Stationery Matters Awards celebrate the greatest products in the industry. This year’s winners and finalists include: Gift Packaging & Wrap of the Year: • WINNER: Storigraphic - Op Art 3 — Op Art Series • Reliable Source Ltd - CRE8 Iridescent tapes box • Okey Dokey Design - Bold floral wrapping paper • Paperfields - Gift Envelopes with Stick on Labels • Sylvia Prince - ‘Family’ Gift Wrap • Wrapuccino - Reusable fabric gift wrap (furoshiki) made from recycled plastic Diary-Organiser-Calendar of the Year: • WINNER: HELLO TIME - HELLO TIME Planner • BLOX Stationery - The BLOX Academic Planner • Exacompta Clairefontaine (ExaClair Ltd) - Rhodia Weekly Desk Pads • Nikki Strange Ltd - Lunar moon diary Notebook – Journal of the Year: • WINNER: Stone Marketing - MD Paper Notebook Journal Codex 1 Day 1 Page • Amaretti Design - Fold Notebooks • Coffeenotes - Stitched Notebook Gift Pack • Exacompta Clairefontaine (ExaClair Ltd) - Rhodia Creation Goalbook • Manuscript Pen Company - Lego Locking Notebook red • West Design Products - Linen Watercolour Journal Social Stationery Product of the Year: • WINNER: Sun Star Stationer - Piri It Sticky Memo • Exacompta Clairefontaine (ExaClair Ltd) - Clairefontaine Triomphe Notebooks • She Said It - Nothing Is Impossible Greeting Card Also a finalist in the Sustainable Stationery Product category is Ellie Good Illustration’s ‘Beautiful’ Modern Florals greeting card.

Blake sends aid to children in Ukraine Envelope specialist Blake joined forces with School In A Bag and Rapid Relief Team (RRT) to deliver aid to children at the heart of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

Blake’s involvement saw enough funds raised to package 352 School Bags with essential learning resources for a child to learn for a year, as well as a hygiene kit, face cloth, water bottle, lunch box and spork.

The bags have since been sent to a team at Te Aud Romaina, a charity Blake partnered with two years ago, while distributing School Bags to children orphaned at Guru Humorului. Te Aud Romania’s location borders Ukraine and they are currently being inundated with families fleeing the fighting.

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Henry Smith, Conservative MP for Crawley, joined Blake as the trucks left Kent

In recent weeks, Blake partnered with RRT, who recently launched Operation 322 to deliver emergency food and personal care supplies to those displaced.

With essential food and personal care products in high demand, RRT loaded trucks with food boxes filled with non-perishable food items, care kits and baby care kits.

So far 28 truckloads of emergency aid have now reached displaced Ukrainians, and Blake has donated seven pallets of food parcels, totalling 5,292 meals.

eco news in the news

The Art File focuses on gift wrap and bags Belly Button dreams of an eco-friendly Xmas Over the past 10 years, since Belly Button Designs’ collections have incorporated ‘planet friendly’ as they like to call it, the quality of recycled board has improved incredibly. Belly Button says it was the first greeting card manufacturer to use board made from recycled coffee cups and make it an affordable proposition by working with the supplier. This year, all collections will be available either nested or card clasped. For Christmas, Electric Dreams is packed in a specially-designed paper jacket, and Mobius comes in a luxury box.

Both of these initiatives replace the need for plastic bags or over-packaging.

Pictured is the new luxury Meadow collection, which is made from 100% postconsumer waste.

The Art File has been making headway into eco-friendly card production for some time - in 2019 it introduced naked cards, then in 2020 and 2021, it completely redesigned its Christmas product packaging.

The newest update comes in the form of gift wrap and gift bags, which have apparently proved more of a challenge than cards in terms of improving sustainability. The new bags will all be laminate-free, meaning the product will be able to be recycled fully alongside other paper products. One of the biggest challenges has been the cello that surrounds roll wraps, but after much trialling with key retailers, the roll wrap is now cello free.

And for Christmas, a fully recyclable glassine band has been added to the Art File’s Christmas charity packs. It goes around the pack of six cards and envelopes to keep the product together, with the charity logos featured on the glassine. This means that all of The Art File’s Christmas boxed and packaged product will be plastic-free, sustainable, and environmentally-friendly.

Glitter goes eco Northwest-based Ronald Britton continues to develop and expand its range of Bioglitter products.

Dubbed the world’s only certified fresh water biodegradable glitter brand, Bioglitter is designed to biodegrade quickly and safely in the natural environment. Made from ethically and sustainably sourced natural raw materials, it also has additional benefits when used in packaging and print. As a result, Deco Bioglitter products are now starting to be used on paper and board products, packaging and other materials.

Being cellulose based, Ronald Britton says the product is chemically like paper. This, coupled with its other eco credentials, increases the number of benefits when used in print:

BEAUTIFUL GREETING CARDS

For samples and our catalogue, email helen @ dysondesign.com

www.dysondesign.com 20www.greetingstoday.media 8 www.greetingstoday.media

• Improved compatibility with recycling equipment: unlike plastic glitter, which melts, Bioglitter burns like paper to ash.

• Reduced print waste: Bioglitter is applied as a pigment either within an ink or onto an adhesive ink, so it‘s only printed where needed.

• It also allows for alternative paper recovery methods: • De-inking: removed along with de-inking compatible inks.

• Biomass Incineration: it’s a renewable source of energy.

• Composting: Bioglitter is certified freshwater biodegradable, a performance level significantly higher that composting, and will therefore quickly degrade.

• Re-use & re-purpose: Products printed with Bioglitter can be re-used or re-purposed, for example in crafting.

To provide end-users with a clear differentiator, Ronald Britton gives printers permission to use its registered Bioglitter logos on product, packaging, gift wrap or other materials.

Lydia Scamponi of the Unique Paper Company, said: “Christmas is a time to have fun and celebrate, and it would be such a shame to do so without sparkly glitter! We are delighted to be working with Bioglitter, a truly environmentally friendly alternative to traditional plastic glitter, to create a fabulous set of wrapping paper, which is bringing the glamour back for Christmas and beyond.”

eco news in the news

Danilo helps plant 55,000 trees Danilo and its customers have now helped to plant 55,000 trees!

Danilo teamed up with Ecologi in the autumn of 2020, for a scheme that sees a tree planted for every £5 spent at danilo.com.

Find the virtual Danilo forest at ecologi.com/danilopromotionsltd

Paperlink saves forests Paperlink is helping to save critically-endangered tropical forests across the world by teaming up with the World Land Trust. Already this year, it has helped to protect 4,942m2 of irreplaceable forest.

Paperlink is taking a firm stance on climate change and constantly looking to innovate and help make the world a better place for the future.

Every card it produces is 100% recyclable.

“We’re on the hunt for new innovations in the market. The card industry is here to help people celebrate, and it’s our responsibility to help them do that guilt-free and with a clear conscience. We believe in a world where celebrations should help, not damage the earth,’’ said MD Emma Young.

Cutting back on cello Protection of the environment and reducing single-use cello in the product chain is a continued goal for Caroline Gardner Publishing.

Over the past couple of years, a transition from individually cello wrapped cards to naked cards using the InFold Card Corner and the use of the Eco Bag (made from recycled bottles) for Christmas card packs are just a few of the measures implemented as part of the company’s environmental pledge.

Both solutions were designed in house. As part of the continued eco initiatives, roll wrap from Christmas 2022 will be cello free, with new rolls boasting 5m length and an extra 10cm added on for trimming. Further trials to expand cello free within other categories are also being explored for S/S22.

M&G targets single-use plastic Every Museums & Galleries’ (M&G) card range is available in the company’s clever ecoband, a recyclable folded paper strip that securely locks card and envelope together while giving branding prominence. The bands have had five years’ exposure in highimpact retail environments and have proved their reliability.

M&G is committed to eradicating single-use plastics from its entire product chain, right down to the glues used on notecard boxes. Last year the company introduced plastic-free calendars and this year gift packaging products are receiving the plasticfree makeover, with gift tissue boxes being phased in. M&G uses recycled materials for packaging, and the company’s new headquarters in Corby runs on green power.

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Plantable card collection expands Love Country has expanded its Plantable Seed card collection (a finalist in the Gift of the Year Awards). The new range consists of 24 colourful designs including new dogs, flowers and a host of other animals painted

by Sarah Reilly. They are larger in size and are now completely plastic free.

Each card will have its own paper belly wrap to show customers these are a special type of card. Full planting instructions will be printed on the reverse.

The seeds will grow into beautiful flowers that will support bees and pollinating insects.

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The fab five!

Brighten your displays in time for summer with Caroline Gardner’s new release featuring five new card ranges. The Hands Up! and Little Pleasures ranges provide a plentiful selection of new and colourful icons. Add in some of the Meadow cards for essential summer blooms, while Pen and Ink adds fun illustrations based on line drawing designs. Complete your displays with The Write Words - a celebration of text that will be sure to stand out with its monochrome striped envelopes. Additions to best-selling ranges are plentiful too, with a host of new wedding, baby, sympathy and new home designs. All newness is available to order now and will be on display at PG live. Go and say hello at stand 404.

020 8288 9696 | info@carolinegardner.com | trade.carolinegardner.com

spotlight

Festive splendour Cinnamon Aitch has just launched its biggest festive splendour for Christmas 2022. Newness includes two new card ranges building on the success of everyday ranges Gypsy and She, as well as many gorgeous new designs adeded to the popular Cranberry Sauce and Margo Loves Christmas successes. From gorgeous foiling, embossing and die-cutting of the colour-popping Gypsy range, to the fun and frolics of Margo, Cinnamon Aitch has got it covered. Look out for the loveliness translating into festive gifts including candles, soaps and lip balms, beautifully extending the story, all made in the UK and sprinkled with love.

0121 773 6833 | hello@cinnamonaitch.co.uk www.cinnamonaitch.co.uk

Wonderfully whimsical

Hot foils Hot off the press! A fabulously foiled new range from Cath Tate.

These 12 vibrant cards are by designer Jess Watson, whose prints have adorned Strictly dressing rooms and Scary Spice’s home!

Everyone needs a bit of shimmer in their life. Printed on high-quality 100% recycled board and come with a kraft envelope.

0208 671 2166 | orders@cathtatecards.com www.cathtatecards.com

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Contemporary gift retailer Enesco has announced a new and exclusive range of ladies’ accessories featuring the wonderfully whimsical works of American artist, Michelle Allen, into its ever-growing Allen Designs collection.

The Black Moth Trinket Box is an ideal way to store small valuables at home, or while out and about. It features a highlystylish moth with its wings in soft shades of oranges and pinks set against a jet-black backdrop, surrounded by delicate and pretty florals.

Other gift ideas in the range include the Fox and Flowers Zipped Pouch and the Boldly Grow Compact Mirror.

01228 404022 | www.enesco.co.uk

Eco cuddles!

New this June will be the Eco Wilberry Cuddlies made from recycled plastic bottles! Plus The Puppet Company’s new Wilberry Knitted Dinosaurs, which include the Brontosaurus and larger T-Rex and Triceratops.

01462 446040 info@thepuppetcompany.com www.thepuppetcompany.com

Sweet scents ExaClair Limited, the UK supplier of Jacques Herbin fine inks, has launched a new addition to its scented range.

The new ‘verte parfum citron’ is a green ink delicately scented with a fresh and natural lemon essence, giving fragrance to the written word. There are five other scented colours in the range: blue with a lavender scent, brown with a cocoa scent, red with a rose scent, amber with an orange scent and purple with a violet scent. These are all available in both 10ml and 30ml bottles.

01553 696600 | sales@exaclair.co.uk. www.exaclairlimited.com

Delicious daisies Laura Sherratt Designs is launching a new card collection at PG Live. Daisy Deliciousness is a scalloped card collection, printed in ice cream sundae colours. All cards are handfinished with a daisy and illustration, and feature striped or checked backdrops. There will be 42 new cards on display on Stand 173. Cards include occasions, female birthday and spring 2023. They measure 15cm square and come complete with a bright envelope.

01538 384566 hello@laurasherrattdesigns.co.uk www.laurasherrattdesigns.co.uk

One for the boys Legend is a striking new male contemporary range covering general birthday, relations and age cards. Bold graphic imagery is paired with a zesty colour palette and luxurious gold foil for a truly eye-catching look. Supplied with bespoke black-andwhite patterned envelopes.

Also introducing Mika - a name of Japanese origin that means beautiful, fragrant and good. This pretty and playful range of 34 birthday and occasion cards from Rachel Ellen Designs, with a fabulous colour palette, inspired by spring blooms.

Finished with deep embossing and touches of gold foil and supplied with soft pink envelopes.

0115 970 0321 sales@rachelellen.co.uk

Glow up!

Redback is launching new designs from its award-winning, reversible sequin range, Shine, but there’s a twist… they glow in the dark! With a brilliant, luminescent glow, these fun new designs give the patches a whole new life after use.

Decorate a bedroom or accessorise a notebook or bag with these reusable patches; the gift that keeps on giving. With an animal print smiley face, fun neon birthday candles and space planet patch that’s out of this world, they are perfect for all ages.

These beaming cards are 160mm square and are paired with a premium white envelope and are blank inside for your own message.

01752 830482 | www.redbackcards.com

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Cover Story Danilo

Popular pups to pop in to PG Live!

The sun is out and summer is on its way - but Danilo is feeling a bit blue. Happily, it’s because the team is bringing a special licence, in the shape of preschool favourite Bluey, to this year’s PG Live

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e’re all excited to see the return of PG Live, but it seems publisher Danilo is feeling a bit blue. Fortunately, not in the sad sense, but because the team is bringing Bluey, the lovable and inexhaustible Blue Heeler puppy, to the show this year.

Not only will Danilo be launching the new official BBC show’s card and wrap range, but it will also be bringing along special guests Bluey and her sister Bingo to meet and greet people on Tuesday 7 June.

In addition, Danilo is looking forward to showcasing its other exciting greetings card and gift wrap ranges from its largerthan-ever product portfolio. Retailers and distributors will be able to see a variety of popular designs, from movie brands such as Jurassic World: Dominion and Minions 2: The Rise of Gru, to gaming titles Xbox, and Minecraft, Anime ranges such as Naruto and

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Danilo is looking forward to showcasing its other exciting greetings card and gift wrap ranges from its larger-thanever product portfolio

Hatsune Miku, through to juvenile licences such as Nerf and Peppa Pig. So pop along and say hi to the Danilo team (as well as their extra special guests) on stand 513 to see all this and much more.

Movies

This year sees some much-anticipated movies coming to our screens, for which Danilo is creating fantastic card and wrap ranges. The recent action-packed movie The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson, launched in March and will tie in with an update of the official greetings card and calendar range.

DC League of Superpets comes out in July, and follows Krypto the super-dog and Superman as inseparable best friends; there will be a new card and wrap range to accompany this. The fourth biggest movie franchise of all time is bringing its next instalment - Jurassic World: Dominion

- to cinemas in June, and a new greetings card and gift wrap style will be launched in line with the movie release.

Next up is Minions: The Rise of Gru, in July, which will also see a new vibrant and colourful style of greetings card, gift wrap and calendars being launched to match the feel of the film.

Gaming

Over the past few years we have seen a huge increase in popularity in gaming. Total global spending on gaming is now expected to exceed $200bn by 2023, according to Newzoo, so consumer appetite looks set to continue growing. In line with this trend, Danilo has added new gaming titles to the portfolio each year, with the 2022 card collection featuring Minecraft, Super Mario, Animal Crossing, Xbox and many more.

Kids

Preschool still remains a strong genre and as mentioned above, Danilo

Danilo will be bringing along special guests Bluey and her sister Bingo to meet and greet people at PG Live on Tuesday 7 June

is delighted to welcome the Bluey licence to further enhance the preschool offering.

Other great Danilo preschool brand ranges that will be available to view at the show include Peppa Pig, Paw Patrol, Thomas & Friends Hey Duggee, Peter Rabbit, The Gruffalo, CoCo Melon, Elmer the Patchwork Elephant, and Guess How Much I Love You. For older kids, a fantastic new addition is Nerf. Synonymous with active play since 1969, Nerf is the number one best-selling property in outdoor and sports toys and is sold in more than 120 countries. Danilo’s new card range will focus on reflecting the active, fun play aspect of Nerf, while incorporating the brand’s ability to connect generations.

Anime Danilo is introducing anime brands into the greetings card domain this year with the likes of Naruto, Dragon Ball Super and My Hero Academia. All are hugely popular Animé series, whose calendars perform very well for Danilo in this increasingly popular genre. With a name that means ‘the first sound of the future’ in Japanese, Hatsune Miku is another new addition to the portfolio. She has become one of the most popular synthetic voice programs and is a virtual pop idol, performing songs for her audiences both on screen and as a holographic image at live concerts. Danilo’s new card range will incorporate her iconic image and famous catchphrases.

Adult

Danilo will also be showcasing a great variety of brands targeted towards a more adult audience. From the likes of popular TV shows Peaky Blinders, Stranger Things and Friends through to lifestyle licences including The Van Gogh Museum, as well as feel-good brands such as The Bright Side. Created by Rachel Bright, The Bright Side, with its distinctive ‘voice’ has enjoyed a huge amount of success since it was first created over 10 years ago. This fun range includes positive captions, which aim to encourage, inspire, indulge and uplift.

Danilo’s new updates to this greetings card range aims to reflect these sentiments, helping people to send happy thoughts around the globe.

Danilo Ltd 01992 702 900 sales@danilo.com www.danilo.com www.greetingstoday.media 15

Focus PG Live

The Art File

Museums & Galleries

Live and kicking!

The greeting card industry will get together at the Business Design Centre for the 2022 PG Live trade show in June. We catch up with some of the exhibitors…

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very show has something special about it, and for Michelle Hindle, head of sales at Belly Button Designs, she likes the fact that PG Live allows her quality time with customers: “PG Live is such a lovely intimate show - as exhibitors we love the opportunity it gives us to spend quality time with our customers - and as a destination show for greetings, we can guarantee to meet new customers too!

‘‘We love sharing our latest designs when our team has been hard at work on a new range, and the customers love it too… there’s no better feeling’’ Emma Young, Managing Director, Paperlink “For buyers visiting, especially if they haven’t been to the show before, they will get real value out of their time there. It is a very focused event so you will spend more time looking at product and having useful conversations than you will walking from hall to hall like some of the other shows.

What: PG Live When: 7-8 June Where: Business Design Centre, Islington, London Web: www.progressivegreetingslive.com

Paperlink

“If you’re not based in the south or are not a frequent visitor to the capital (and I guess that goes for a lot of us over the past two years!) then the show also gives you a chance to come and shop (check out card-selling) or just enjoy a little retail and culinary therapy in general!’’

It’s the connection with others that is important to Paperlink MD Emma Young, too: “As a family business we love connection; it’s great to be back among old friends and welcome in some fresh new faces. We love sharing our latest designs when our team has been hard at work on a new range, and the customers love it too… there’s no better feeling. It’s a great chance to really get to know the needs of the buyers and help them stand out from their competition! We’re always looking for ideas and innovation, and the show offers us the chance to showcase our latest designs with buyers from around the world.’’

Helen Dyson at Dyson Design agrees. She loves, “meeting our lovely customers and getting to know new people, which is even more special after the experience of the past couple of years.’’

We wondered if our exhibitors had any tips for anyone visiting for the first time. Emma Young at Paperlink has this advice: “Take information home, make notes. I use OneNote on my phone so I can search back through my notes to find information. It also backs up the data to my computer for easy access.’’

Helen Dyson at Dyson Design adds: “Give yourself plenty of time to see everything and to chat with exhibitors, especially if you want to order on the stand to take advantage of show offers - for example, we’ll be giving 10% off for orders placed on the stand.’’

Paperlink

‘‘Give yourself plenty of time to see everything and to chat with exhibitors’’ Helen Dyson, Dyson Design And if you’re debating whether to make the trip, Paperlink’s Emma Young might help you make up your mind… “Every show is different and has its place in our hearts… but last year made us realise just how much we love being a part of the greeting card sector.

With the past cancellations and disruptions it was so nice to be able to see everyone again in the flesh.

With working from home, our designers had tapped into new-found inspiration and it was fantastic to be able to show off the new designs and see visitors’ reactions on the stand. Nothing satisfies our creative itch like seeing our designs draw a genuine smile. It inspired us to work even harder this year and we’re coming back with so much more to showcase. We can’t wait to see those smiles once again!’’

And finally…

However enjoyable they are, shows can be hard on buyers and exhibitors alike. To keep you refreshed, look out for the tea trolleys - where you can get a real cuppa in a proper cup! And make sure you enjoy your free lunch (provided for exhibitors and buyers alike), and pop a note in the diary - the first day features an opening night drinks party!

Oh - and don’t miss the display of cards, which will be winging their way to HM The Queen from Greeting Card Association members and PG Live exhibitors.

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Focus PG Live

The Art File is working with acclaimed artist Emma Turner, whose beautiful art range is heavily inspired by the lovely Richmond Park and its nature

The Art File

Stand: 200 0115 850 7490 ǀ www.theartfile.com The Art File is exhibiting at PG Live at its usual spot, Stand 200. Acting as a perfect launch pad for its mid-year product launches, the company has designed and published three new greeting card ranges, as well as several range extensions of current popular and high-performing collections.

Among the new collections being launched, The Art File is working with acclaimed artist Emma Turner, whose beautiful art range is called Richmond Park. The collection of 12 large blank cards is heavily inspired by the lovely Richmond Park and its nature. These cards are finished with tasteful embossing, and use a bright, summery colour palette, which the folk at The Art File are confident their customers will love just as much as they do!

After being asked on numerous occasions by both trade and members of the public for a music-inspired range, Maestro has been launched.

Designed by the multi award-winning in-house design team, this musical collection contains eight designs that celebrate all things music, instruments, and their talented players. Each design is finished

18 www.greetingstoday.co.uk

with tasteful embossing and gold foiling, with a mustard envelope to differentiate the range further.

Finally, The Art File will be launching Pollen, a delightful range of 12 designs inspired by both the animals and insects that carry pollen, as well as the aromatic plants and flowers that create it. This intricately-designed collection is finished with debossing.

Alongside these three new collections are range extensions, including nine new designs from the wonderful Snowtap (whose range was launched only last year), alongside popular collections such as Natural Phenomenon, Soul Mates, Bear, Peace & Blessings (the Art File’s religious card collection), Nature Trail by Kate Heiss, and so much more! Make sure you visit the show stand to be among the first to see these fantastic new cards.

As always, the multi-award-winning Christmas 2022 collection will be on display and available to order at the show too. Be sure to place your orders and reserve stock before it’s too late!

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Focus PG Live

Belly Button

Designs

Stand: 316 0161 902 0200 enquiries@bellybuttondesigns.com www.bellybutton.cards Belly Button Designs’ cards are designed in Manchester and printed in the UK. Offering a wide range of greeting cards and giftware for every occasion, the team has been on a journey together to spread joy, share love, and create smiles through connecting people via the simple act of designing greetings for over 25 years. In the pursuit of quality and beauty, the Elle range encapsulates luxury, with all its intricate style, delicate details of foil, and emboss.

Also launching at the show will be Luxe - a new larger size everyday range of 56 designs, covering very special birthdays and occasion sends. Luxe features delicate gold foiling and embossing, co-ordinating with the lovely new Meadow range. This is printed on both sides, on beautiful, uncoated board and supplied with a co-ordinated printed envelope. Both are made from 100% recycled post-consumer waste. New discoveries await you on the Belly Button Designs’ stand at PG Live!

Cinnamon Aitch Stand: 231 0121 773 6833 hello@cinnamonaitch.co.uk www.cinnamonaitch.co.uk

Cinnamon Aitch is launching 17 glorious additions to its bestselling She range at PG Live. Bold, graphic and popping with colour, the range continues to celebrate female faces bespectacled with words of positivity. Spanning across ages and skin tones, the contemporary designs are bang on trend and now with 27 gorgeous little squares of loveliness, there’s lots to choose from. Printed on generous heavyweight, fsc board, all are beautifully designed, environmentally kind and proudly made in the UK with love.

If you can’t make the show visit the website to take a peek at all the lovely newness!

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www.mint-publishing.co.uk Tel: 0116 230 4197 Email: sales@mint-publishing.co.uk

Focus PG Live

Dyson Design

Stand: 339 0116 2855725 Ӏ www.dysondesign.com Dyson Design’s new Nectar range was only introduced in February but is already turning out to be a huge hit. At PG Live, the publisher will be unveiling new cards to add to the collection, which features zingy colour illustrations of flowers and insects.

Spectacular watercolour illustrations of much-loved British garden birds will be on display in the Laura Andrew Splash Birds collection. Each image starts life as a random dash of

paint from which the finished picture finally emerges.

There will also be beautiful new blooms on show added to Dyson’s Flower Garden range, one of a series of best-selling floral collections in the publisher’s catalogue.

Following a successful trip to Glasgow for Scotland’s Trade Fair, Dyson will again be offering a 10% discount for orders placed on the stand.

Jonny Javelin Stand: 526 01423 563740 www.jonnyjavelin.co.uk

The Jonny Javelin team is looking forward to PG Live, and having the chance to meet up again with customers old and new. New products include five exciting Christmas ranges for 2022. Jonny believes it’s the best-ever Christmas collection, and it’s available to order now.

In January, Jonny Javelin launched lots of new everyday in Velvet, Signature and Twingles, including ages and relations/ occasions. June brings an additional 18 Signature juvenile ages one to nine for boys and girls to complete the full age span across this fabulous and diverse range. Bold, bright, sparkly and fun, these new Signature cards are code 45, 5x8in, and feature colourful fun-loving foils and flitters.

Although Spring Fair was very busy, the team noticed that quite a few of their regular visitors never made it, so hopefully, a few more months down the line, those customers will be able to venture to London to sample the delights, or even better… delight in Jonny’s samples!

22 www.greetingstoday.co.uk

Focus PG Live

Kingfisher Cards Stand: 420 01803 431515 sales@kingfishercards.co.uk www.kingfishercards.co.uk

The Kingfisher Cards stand’s highlights will include the wonderful Calypso range, which is full of bright summer colours; the gorgeous Julie Dodsworth range of cards and gifts - plus the launch of the awesome Beers & Cheers male range of relations and occasions.

Paperlink Stand: 201 020 7582 8244 info@paperlink.co.uk www.paperlink.co.uk Paperlink is hitting PG Live with refreshed vigour this year, with more than 75 new cards brought to life with fresh designs from its illustrators.

This year the focus is on fun and celebrations - and there will be bottles of bubbly on the stand for visitors while they peruse Paperlink’s new lines.

Paperlink has something for everyone, with new ranges landing at the show and card additions to many of its most popular and sought-after ranges. The publisher will be able to offer stockists a full range this year and can provide a comprehensive planning service, using data-tested planning to really help retailers get a financial boost from their shelf space.

Greetings Today readers can also get in touch and pre-book slots to speak with the Paperlink experts. You’ll get 10% off orders at the stand (201), a free glass of fizz and their undivided attention to help you find the perfect range for your store and answer any questions. Simply book online at bit.ly/Paperlink-PGL.

24 www.greetingstoday.co.uk

Focus PG Live

Museums & Galleries “A separate card range explores nature art from the NHM’s archives - bringing the work right up to date with stylishly adapted animal illustration collages with foliage motifs against luminescent backgrounds’’

26 www.greetingstoday.co.uk

Stand: 218 01373 461455 sales@mgml.co.uk www.museumsgalleries.co.uk

Museums & Galleries will bring to PG Live the world’s finest art and design brands translated onto beautifully designed and constructed products.

On show will be a wealth of greeting card ranges, notelets and card wallets, social stationery, gift stationery, gifts, and gift packaging.

Museums & Galleries is showing two new card ranges from the Natural History Museum (NHM). The first is a range of breathtaking wildlife photography showcasing winning imagery from the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. This is an international showcase of the very best in nature photography and one of the Natural History Museum’s most successful, long-running exhibitions. Today more than a million visitors visit the touring exhibition across the UK and internationally.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year celebrates and amplifies the power of photography to move hearts and minds, sparking change. There are 31 stunning cards in the launch collection, with more to follow.

A separate card range explores nature art from the NHM’s archives bringing the work right up to date with stylishly adapted animal illustration collages with foliage motifs against luminescent backgrounds that pop. A total of 12 new designs join this range.

Another new licence on display is Percy the Park Keeper, a new addition to M&G’s popular The Illustrators card range. Percy the Park Keeper was a 1996-1999 British animated children’s television series based on the popular books by British author Nick Butterworth. It stars Percy, and many wild animals, including the Badger, the Owl, the Fox, the Mice, the Mole, and the Robin. Percy the Park Keeper books have sold more than 10 million copies in more than 35 languages. Six everyday designs join the Illustrators collection, and four designs have been added to the Christmas selection.

UK Greetings Stand: 400 01924 230 4197 www.ukgreetings.co.uk

Cath Tate Cards

UK Greetings’ Eco range is 100% recyclable and is just one of the many fabulous ranges of gift wrap the company will be showcasing at PG Live. From the fashionable plant design to handles that are 100% paper, it’s the perfect gift-wrapping solution for anyone looking towards a more sustainable future. The stand will also feature the latest products from Collage, and a hand-selected range of greeting cards featuring new collaborations.

Stand: 307 0208 671 2166 ǀ orders@cathtatecards.com www.cathtatecards.com Cath Tate Cards is 40 years strong this year! From the very beginning - starting off on Cath’s kitchen table with her two-year-old daughter crawling around her ankles - to today with daughter Rosie Tate now co-director. In recent years, Cath Tate has expanded the bestselling humour ranges and broadened the offering to include a wide range of art cards, working with brilliantly talented artists and designers.

Cath Tate is celebrating with a special show offer – customers who visit the stand will be entered into a raffle to win 40% off their next order. There will also be party bags and bubbly.

New for the show are hilarious additions to bestselling ranges including 21st Century Disasters: funny modern problems matched with 19th century colourised images. New designs in the Modern Icons range include Abba and Johnny Rotten. Plus, there will be new floral cards from Charlotte Day, that come with seed stick packs - plant and they will grow into a variety of bee-friendly UK native wildflowers.

www.greetingstoday.co.uk 27

Focus PG Live

Rosanna Rossi

Stand: 520 07900698522 ǀ info@rosanna-rossi.co.uk ǀ www.rosanna-rossi.co.uk The Rosanna Rossi studio has been a hive of creativity in readiness for PG Live.

The Odyssey collection, known for its beautiful, detailed illustrations, has been extended to include Graduation, Pet Sympathy, Birthday Relations and more. There are also gorgeous new additions within the Fiori Rosa collection

with its vivid pops of colour and gloss black detail.

The stunning Christmas collection Winter Moon is the most festive range to date. All designs are enhanced with shimmering gold foil and snow-white texture detail.

Wendy Jones-Blackett

Stand: 235 0113 2888468 www.wendyjonesblackett.co.uk

Wendy Jones-Blackett is launching not one but TWO new ranges at PG Live in London. Building on the success of the bestselling Rainbow Drops range, Wendy has added fluorescent inks to cold foiling and new imagery - imaginatively called Acid Drops as the colours are day-glo bright! There are new patterns featuring cocktails, paisley, musical notes and elephants - just some of the gorgeous new cards that will be on show. Bright, young-at-heart, fresh and fun is the order of the day wth these birthday designs.

Also at PG Live will be the new large-sized handmade cards called Special Days, a soft, romantic range of occasions inspired by Wendy’s love of paper and specifically a papercutting workshop, which she attended a few years ago at local shop Chirpy in Chapel Allerton. “I loved the method and the beautiful results so much that I wanted to emulate the look - but without all the tiny scalpel cuts on the tips of my fingers! So I found a way of reproducing the technique in a less painful fashion and we’ll be revealing the resulting Wedding and Baby designs at the show,’’ she says. The cards feature nature, meadows, trees and lovely silhouettes of newlyweds, all hand-finished with a variety of sparkling gems.

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Focus PG Live

Earlybird Designs Stand: 162 01227765372 dom@earlybirddesigns.co.uk www.earlybirddesigns.co.uk

Earlybird is launching six more of its super-popular thank you packs - eye-catching neon designs printed on 300gsm FSC board using Neon inks and carbon balanced printing.

These designs come with eight cards in a pack, size 102mm x 78mm, and supplied with a craft fleck envelope in eco-friendly recycled card boxes.

Earlyird is also extending its cute AMY card range, which features positive sentiments.

The popular illustrative range now has added slogans such as Awesome, Fab and Super cool, to complement Amy Hodkin’s fun and fabulous artwork.

All cards are FSC, carbon balanced and supplied with a recycled craft fleck envelope.

Redback Cards Stand: 421 01752 830482 www.redbackcards.com

It’s been a busy start to the year at Redback HQ and the company is thrilled to be bringing more than 60 new designs to PG Live this year. From colourful age cards to new humour from the hilarious Zeppelinmoon, Redback has got every occasion covered. The team is excited to be launching lots of new designs from the popular reversible sequin range Shine! These include three brilliant new designs that use reversible Glow in the Dark sequins! Redback also has exciting new additions to Piñata, Good Things, Wulffmorgenthaler, Liz Climo, Cloud Nine and Holy Flaps.

Kali Stileman

Stand: 107 01305 848899 ǀ info@kalistileman.co.uk www.kalistileman.co.uk Expect to see a kaleidoscope of colours, luxurious textures and Kali’s latest and loveliest designs at PG LIve. Keep an eye out for the launch of the tiddly widdly Christmas range, children’s cards and a number set.

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Focus Laura Sherratt

Laura Sherratt returns to shows Established greeting card publisher Laura Sherratt Designs is exhibiting for the first time since 2020 The super-trendy card collection Daisy Deliciousness will launch at PG Live this June.

Handmade in the UK, this fashionable new collection of scalloped greeting cards is inspired by the current design trends of gingham, checks, pastels, and Pantone Colour of the Year Very Peri.

All designs are illustrated in Laura’s signature style and are printed in ice cream sundae colours that pop! The card backgrounds are printed in subtle gingham, checks and stripe prints. Cards have fashionable scalloped edges and are handfinished with an on-trend daisy embellishment.

The cardsards measure 15cm square and come complete with bright eye-catching envelopes.

Pg Live visitors will see lots of new hand-

Bristol

finished cards from Laura, including the super summery collection of approximately 42 cards, which is made up of female birthday and occasion cards, as well as Easter and Mother’s Day 2023.

See these scrumptious new designs in London, where Laura will be offering 12 cards free with all orders placed at the show.

Laura Sherratt will also be exhibiting Christmas 2022 cards, and additions to the popular existing ranges Pots of Love and Bee Happy.

Stand 173 01538 384566 hello@laurasherrattdesigns.co.uk www.laurasherrattdesigns.co.uk

London

GCA News Annual Market Report

Local meet-ups The GCA local meet-ups are proving popular. Members met up in North London and Bristol recently. The next event for the Midlands will be held in Melbourne, South Derbyshire, on 30 June.

Details at: www.gca.cards/gca-local-time-to-meetup

GCA Conference date revealed The annual Greeting Card Association Conference AGM will take place in Nottingham on 29 September at Nottingham Trent University. The event will focus on hot topics affecting the industry, and will also offer GCA members the opportunity to find out about the latest consumer market research, and meet other people within the sector.

One of the latest speakers to be revealed is Ged Mace from The Art File.

GCA CEO Amanda Fergusson said: “We’re also talking to a number of other exciting speakers, who will offer interesting insight into our industry and the future. Watch this space!’’

The questionnaire for this year’s Annual Market Report should have been received by GCA members. This year, the GCA is asking about environmental activity, such as making your cards recyclable and removing cello and plastic packaging. It will also be differentiating between online sales via retailers and thirdparty sites, and online sales via the consumer.

GCA CEO Amanda Fergusson is urging everyone to take part in the questionnaire, and asks that you email Ruth at ruth.david@echoresearchinsights.com if you have yet to receive your email questionnaire.

Thinking of You Week A reminder for retailers and publishers about Thinking of You Week, which runs from 19-25 September. More than 1,000 retailers across the UK, plus many others in the US, Australia and New Zealand got involved last year. The GCA is already making plans with the Royal Mail, which has again pledged its support for 2022. (For inspiration, turn to our Thinking of You feature on page 38.)

Great invites!

GCA member The Seed Card Company designed these fabulous invites for the combined Gift of the Year Awards and The Greats gift retailer awards, held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in May.

www.greetingstoday.media 31

Ward’s Words

GIFTWARE ASSOCIATION CEO SARAH WARD

Reflections on a busy first quarter

As well as a whirlwind tour of trade shows, Giftware Association CEO Sarah Ward has been ensuring the industry’s voice is being heard at the top - this time, by the Bank of England

I

n January, we thought we would “It cannot be have another major disruption to underestimated the much-needed return to the full trade show calendar. Yet despite how important it is Omicron’s best efforts, by the end that the Giftware of the first quarter, I had visited 15 (yes, 15!) trade shows: 13 in the UK, Association is able one in Milan and one in Las Vegas. to have a direct I am exhausted but buoyed by the experience of having so many line to the policy meaningful conversations with members on my tour of our industry’s makers who have trade show representation. such an impact on There has been so much eagerness our industry, and it from buyers and manufacturers to return to UK trade shows, and is an honour to be I’m happy to report that, despite your voice’’ all the challenges besetting our industry from all directions, there is more of a vibrant ecosystem than ever before. New supply chains are being sought, interesting collaborations are being negotiated, and businesses are continuing to grow as a result.

We are better placed than ever as an association to advise our members on the very best trade shows to visit in the coming

year, advice that will be tailored to each individual member and based on a clear understanding of what they are seeking to achieve and what the different trade shows can offer them to enable them to achieve these goals.

This is not a sweetened-up vision of the here and now, however. Things are tough – more so than at any point in the past five years. This is why the GA’s place at the top tables in the Bank of England, Genesis and government is so important. In March, I was one of seven trade leaders invited to join the Bank of England to discuss the economy. Asked to speak first, I was able to get transparency on what the immediate future holds, and demand greater support for our industry. It cannot be underestimated how important it is that the Giftware Association is able to have a direct line to the policy makers who have such an impact on our industry, and it is an honour to be your voice.

Those of you who are members will have received an email from Chris Workman, asking for your feedback – your issues, questions, and observations – for me to

Sarah Ward is chief executive of the Giftware Association, which is at the heart of the gift industry supporting members by offering invaluable advice and assistance. Coming originally from a retail background, she then worked at Penny Kennedy gaining extensive knowledge in the card, wrap and stationery sector, and now uses these skills across a broader environment.

Tel: 0121 236 2657 Web: www.ga-uk.org

32 www.greetingstoday.media

take to the Bank of England. If you usually file those emails, I urge you not to. Be assured that I take our members’ feedback direct to those at the top, and only by us all working together as one community, can we demand real change and be sure our voices are heard.

This is just one of many reasons why being part of your industry’s trade body is so vital. We exist to represent, serve, educate, support and connect our members.

I must pause my reflections at this point as we are into May and so much is about to happen this quarter. We have a new website launching, the prestigious Gift of the Year Awards and, yes you’ve guessed it, more trade shows to visit!

Please email me if you have any questions about the Giftware Association:

‘Putting a heart into our art’

Focus On...

Belly Button Designs

Rachel Hare, creative director and boss lady at publisher Belly Button Designs, takes us on a tour of her business I set up Belly Button Designs over 25 years ago, working from home (before WFH was a thing!). I do have my own office, but mainly as a place to shut the doors and focus.

Plate spinning - a skill everyone who runs their own business needs to have! But it can only work if you have a really great team around you. I try as much as possible to be fully immersed in every aspect of the business, but I also recognise that I can’t (and shouldn’t!) do everything.

It is important to have an overall strategic view, but one you can share with others in the team. They’re the ones who will help you achieve it.

Lucy, Kimberley and Michelle, lead the team in Belly Button HQ in Manchester. Their organisational, financial and sales skills are second to none! We are all part of the team with a simple goal, which we say is at the heart of our Art! Creating smiles, great partnerships and products, while aiming to help preserve our planet, our people and our brand for the next generation.

The first two Henries Awards we won were very special - we now have nine! That first win really made me stop and think. It was humbling and gratifying that we had created something judged to be a winner. But we never take it for granted.

Sustainability is a key part of who we are at Belly Button. We believe we were the first greeting card manufacturer to use board made from recycled coffee cups, making it an affordable proposition by working with the supplier.

We have come such a long way from our early years of focusing solely on cards, and now our portfolio covers wrap, gift bags, stationery and giftware. The overriding element though is it all has to complement. I didn’t want us to expand into product areas without a real reason. It has been such fun watching the business - and the categories we are involved in - grow. I’m so excited about future plans too - there’s a lot in the pipeline and I can’t wait to show you.

0161 902 0200 enquiries@bellybuttondesigns.com www.bellybutton.cards www.bellybutton.gifts www.greetingstoday.co.uk 33

James Ellis James Ellis has always had a soft spot for dinosaur images on its cards. This dinosaur birthday card is a clear winner with little ones and adults alike, but can you spot the subtle changes that have transformed it into a dinosaur Christmas mini pack of five?

Danilo The fourth biggest movie franchise of all time is bringing its next instalment - Jurassic World: Dominion - to cinemas soon. This film is expected to be the number one movie of the year and is the climax of 25 years of Jurassic movies. A new greeting card and gift wrap style is being developed by Danilo in line with the movie, which focuses on a softer, illustrative style – appealing to both younger and adult audiences.

01992 702 900 sales@danilo.com | www.danilo.com

Trends: Dinos With Jurassic World: Dominion coming to a big screen near you this summer, dinosaurs are going to be more popular than ever. Here’s some of our favourites…

Paperlink What four-year-old doesn’t dream of a truly Roar-some birthday?

Beautifully illustrated by hand, these colourful party dinos know how to have a good time. Part of the First Chapter range available from Paperlink.

0117 9277667 www.jamesellis.com

Rosanna Rossi With their powerful roar and fierce looks (though this dino from Rosanna Rossi looks very friendly!), it’s so appealing for kids to let their imagination run wild.

From an educational angle, it’s also a great way to delve into history.

Visiting a museum that features life-scale dinosaurs surrounded by tropical vegetation and hearing their loud roar must be so exciting for them!

07900 698522 www.rosanna-rossi.co.uk

020 7582 8244 info@paperlink.co.uk www.paperlink.co.uk

Kali Stileman Roar! This dinosaur wrap is a bestseller and firm favourite in the studio and with customers alike… including Waterstones! The bold design is wonderful alone, or even better with the dinosaur mini tag and gift card.

01305 848899 info@kalistileman.co.uk www.kalistileman.co.uk

Pearl & Black These delightful dinosaur collage designs use Liberty’s finest fabrics.

Using stitching and ribbons, these cards are elegant and chic. Dinosaurs hand-torn shapes, which are painted by hand, are also a new line. All Pearl & Black’s cards are sourced and made by hand in the UK, with materials eco-certified and FSC from the Lake District.

07976 953457 | info@pearlandblack.com www.pearlandblack.com

34 www.greetingstoday.co.uk

Rachel Ellen Designs Rachel Ellen has featured dinos on numerous card and gift ranges for many years; they appeal to all genders and ages and never seem to go extinct! The popular Jigsaw card range is perhaps comparable (as far as greetings cards go!). A card and a gift all in one, it was launched in 2008 and is still going strong. Designs are refreshed twice a year and have had several dinosaur designs along the way – pictured is the latest addition.

0115 970 0321 ǀ sales@rachelellen.co.uk www.rachelellen.co.uk

Focus On...

Kingfisher Cards

Ever-expanding Paul Urban, MD of Kingfisher Cards, talks to Greetings Today about the fantastic growth of the company, its best sellers and his biggest bugbear!

It’s been a few years now since Kingfisher Cards made its debut at the Spring Fair showing a small range.

How much has that range grown?

We now have more than 1,500 card designs covering all the occasions and relations along with a good range of open birthday. We also ventured into gifts for the first time with the Julie Dodsworth range from Broughton & Beech.

That’s some range growth! Is that what the plan always was?

No, absolutely not! It’s really just snowballed.

We concentrated on the task of producing good-value cards that were really high quality and as commercial as I could possibly make them. I guess it’s worked.

What’s your focus?

I’m not sure we really have one and maybe that’s the appeal. We do plenty of the obvious captions but we also do a huge amount of special captions covering at least 300 unusual titles. We needed a separate brochure just for those!

Where on earth do you put all that as a small business?

Not so small now! We started off with a small business unit on a self-storage complex, ended up with five, and now we’re in the process of moving out to a new 4,000sq ft warehouse of our own.

So is your distribution done in-house?

Yes, definitely. I’m a bit of a control freak and I wanted to know that we could get orders out as quickly as possible with as few mistakes as possible. We get a few wrong but we do try to learn from every mistake. The warehouse team is really dedicated.

What’s your most popular range?

That’s really difficult. Caboodles, our cute

range, has been phenomenal and exceeded my expectations because I’m not a big fan of cute myself. Sealed with a Loving Wish is very wordy and has a big following, and Calypso, which we launched recently, is very bright and different for us. The Special titles are important to us too.

Quickfire round

I understand you had shops when you were young. Does Kingfisher Cards fancy a High Street presence?

Hardest thing about the industry?

Suppliers who use Covid as an excuse for poor service and continue to do so.

No, I’ll leave that to others. I consider our job is to be the supporter of retailers, not a competitor to them. We won’t sell direct to the public with our own website, either.

You still exhibit at both Spring Fair and PG Live. Are they worth it?

Yes, absolutely, although they are pretty expensive. Spring Fair this year was excellent, we were swamped - and PG Live is just a fantastically focused greeting card show that I know the retailers love.

Do you enjoy the challenge of running your own company?

What’s not to love? You never really switch off when it’s yours, you work crazy hours and the different commitments stretch you to the limit. But when it works, you feel great. Every retailer reading this will feel the same way.

Your biggest bugbear?

Seasonal sale or return. As an industry we effectively produce millions of seasonal cards and then throw a large percentage of perfectly good ones into a bin. If we really cared about environmental matters we should really do something about that, but it would need to be industry-wide.

01803 431515 sales@kingfishercards.co.uk www.kingfishercards.co.uk

Best thing about the industry?

The passion. Everyone I meet is passionate about greetings cards Biggest challenge the industry faces?

Footfall on the high street.

We need retailers to sell to and retailers need footfall to sell cards. Unfortunately, successive governments don’t appear to care.

Where will you be in five years?

I’d like to think I’d be sunning myself on a tropical island but it’s more likely that I’ll be down at the warehouse keeping on top of it all!

www.greetingstoday.co.uk 35

UK Greetings UK Greetings is not only proud of its intricately hand-finished cards but also that they’re made from sustainable materials. From raffia ribbons to pulp tip-ons, your customers can mark those special occasions and look after the planet.

01924 230 4197 www.ukgreetings.co.uk

The Art File Having hand-finished cards in your portfolio most certainly adds ‘wow factor’, and the 3D Pop-Up collection FORM has plenty of that. This award-winning collection from world-leading paper engineer Elod Beregszaszi consists of both Everyday and Christmas card designs, which are all engineered out of a single piece of paper: die-cut (not laser cut) and then folded by hand, all here in the UK. The collection contains iconic skylines such as London and New York, the timeless birthday cake and candle design, stunning occasion cards, and a show-stopping Christmas collection. These cards and their packaging are completely plasticfree and come with multiple display options. Be sure to take a look at this collection on the Art File stand at PG Live and Harrogate Home & Gift during the summer period.

0115 8507490 | sales@theartfile.com | www.theartfile.com

Dyson Design Each card in Dyson Design’s Out Loud collection is hand-printed using a rubber stamp. The cards feature iconic images such as love hearts and the numerals of significant birthdays. Meanwhile, the David Austin Roses range featuring beautiful blooms from the legendary grower, are hand scented with a lovely rose fragrance.

0116 285 5725 www.dysondesign.com

Looking for...

hand-finished cards We know many retailers, including Michael Apter, owner of Paper Tiger in Edinburgh, who features in our retail interview in this issue, find it tricky to find a handmade or hand-finished card. Here, we’ve selected a few to choose from…

Rachel Ellen Designs Rachel Ellen Designs is well known for its innovative formats, die-cuts and high level of added detail throughout its numerous card ranges - but this is only made possible by the expert in-house team of hand finishers. From hand-applying crystal jewels to ranges such as Wild Flower, a beautiful gold foil embellished floral range inspired by pressed flowers, to adding die-cut T shirts to characters featured in the fun and funky T-Party range of children’s cards to name but two, kids and adults alike can enjoy these beautiful unique creations.

0115 970 0321 sales@rachelellen.co.uk | www.rachelellen.co.uk

Laura Sherratt Designs Laura Sherratt continues to create hand-finished cards that are designed, printed and hand-finished in the UK. All cards in the range of 300-plus designs are hand-finished with some kind of embellishment, including gems, plant pots, wooden bees, flowers and birds.

Laura offers two sizes of greeting card; 12cm and 15cm, including a new scalloped range. All seasonal cards are offered, including Mother’s Day and Christmas, as well as relation and occasion designs. Laura continues to stock beautiful stores in the UK and abroad. The company is also a stockist to Waitrose and John Lewis.

01538 384 566 ǀ 0784 101 3491 www.laurasherrattdesigns.co.uk

James Ellis James Ellis has recently released two new sets of age ranges within its hand-finished Paper Shakies range, both designed by the talented artist Kate Mainard. The first is a child/tween/ teenage age range covering those tricky ages from seven to 17. Framed with bold, colourful borders, the cards have striking numbers and stars in the centre that are laid over neon confetti. The second is a luxury adult age range covering ages 18 to 100. The indulgent, gold-foiled star Paper Shakies adult range has tasteful dark blue borders and coloured confetti. All cards are 100% recyclable and plastic-free.

0117 9277 667 www.jamesellis.com

Pearl & Black Pearl & Black is a charming co-operative of British artists. Each greeting card is an original design handmade by the artist.

The artists are inquisitive, imaginative and enthusiastic about their craft. All Pearl & Black’s cards are sourced and made by hand in the UK, with all their materials eco-certified and FSC from the Lake District.

07976953 457 info@pearlandblack.com www.pearlandblack.com

Focus On...

Paper Salad

Contemporary by design Jack Wilson, Paper Salad’s Operations Director, talks to Greetings Today about the card publisher, its history, designs and its latest creations Tell us a little about Paper Salad.

Paper Salad was set up by Karen and Claire, two surface pattern design and textiles students who graduated in 2000. The next five years were spent designing wallpaper, textiles and other paper products while regularly exhibiting at trade shows in New York. It was after working on a greeting card project for a British company that the idea of becoming publishers themselves was formed… Now 17 years-old, we have a well-established business supplying greeting cards across the globe.

Does Paper Salad have a particular style when it comes to design?

Our designs fall into the contemporary category and are still created in our studio. Starting from hand-drawn paintings, illustrations and always using hand-drawn fonts created by ourselves, this puts the wheels in motion for new design ideas to come to fruition.

Tell us about your artists.

While concentrating on the design work, Karen and Claire are currently training two in-house junior designers, Rosie and Helena. They both had previously worked in other departments for Paper Salad and so are familiar with different aspects of the company’s operations. Rosie and Helena had always shown an interest in the design side of things and understand the style and branding of our products. We saw their potential and decided to offer them the opportunity to form a design team, to take the workload off Karen and Claire. Ultimately, this has enabled us to offer more newness to our customers, while giving us enough time to also concentrate on work for our collaborations with Glick and Emotional Rescue.

Tell us about your partnership with Glick.

Twelve years and numerous Henries later, we continue to launch new product with

Glick. Currently on a streak with four of those awards coming consecutively, why change a winning formula? It was in 2009 when we attended The RETAS that we first met Becky Dobson (Glick director) and struck up conversation around the dinner table. At the time we had six gift wrap designs, which were selling well, but we had issues coping with the high demand, as our main priority was greeting cards. After forming our relationship

How many ranges do you offer?

“We have a new children’s range launching at PG Live called Are We Nearly There Yet?. To bring something new to the table these cards are tri-folded and die-cut’’

Do you have any eco-friendly credentials you would like to mention?

with Becky and discussing the possibility of a collaboration, we became Glick’s first licensed brand. Glick had all of the manufacturing expertise - which we didn’t have - along with proven credentials to make the opportunity in front of us an easy decision.

Since then we’ve experienced many triumphs together and we hope that the success continues.

What about new ranges?

We have a new children’s range launching at PG Live called Are We Nearly There Yet?.

To bring something new to the table, these cards are tri-folded and die-cut, accompanied by a new 125x175 envelope design. We’re also launching additional designs into our ever-popular Jamboree range. These will cover general birthday captions.

There are 15 ranges for our customers to select from, which are all showcased in our 2022 brochure.

What are your best selling ranges?

Our best selling range is definitely Hunky Dory, followed by Jamboree and Jumbo Jamboree.

The bright neon colours, foil finishes and embossing help these designs stand out and catch the eye of the consumer.

Having launched our new mini-card range, Dinkies, at Spring Fair in February, these have been extremely popular. Five cards and five envelopes presented in a brown fleck box, are 100% recyclable and free from any plastic packaging.

We offer all of our ranges unwrapped should the customer request it. There are two ways we can do this; envelope nested inside the card or card clasps can be applied.

Are you planning to exhibit at any shows this year?

After a successful Spring Fair, we are hoping for more of the same at PG Live in June and Autumn Fair in September.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Venturing into the Humour and Sentiment market thanks to our collaboration with Emotional Rescue has been fun, while gaining new experiences within the industry due to the different target audiences. The collections we have created have been a great success, winning our first Henry award together last year for best Contemporary Words and sentiments range, as we continue to add to the portfolio. So be on the lookout for more newness coming very soon!

0161 427 0001 admin@papersalad.co.uk www.papersalad.com www.greetingstoday.co.uk 37

Feature

Danilo

Rachel Ellen

Thinking of You/Wellbeing

Thank you for being a friend nd

Kali Stileman

The past couple of years have made many people appreciate the people in their lives more than ever, and that is reflected in cards that focus on friendship and thoughtfulness

T

he Greeting Card Association’s Thinking of You Week, which encourages consumers to send cards to friends and family, runs from 19-25 September, something for retailers to bear in mind when ordering at the summer trade shows.

We spoke to card publishers about this sector, its increase in popularity, and what you can expect from it in the future.

It’s certainly a catgeory that has received plenty of interest from publishers, as Helen Dyson, director at Dyson Design, explains: “We’ve added cards to our existing ranges with friendship and thoughtful messages, and they are an integral part of our Petals collection. We think we’re helping people to express themselves beyond the confines of a traditional sympathy or get well card, not just to help friends and relatives through difficult times but to accentuate the positive aspects of friendships and relationships.’’

We’ve all been through some tough times recently, so the category is more relevant than ever, as Emma Young, MD at Paperlink, points out: “There has been a lot of negativity in the world, but our data paints a much more positive picture. There’s been a real increase in the number of non-occasion card sales. After a hard few years, people are looking for any excuse to show they care and to be supportive. It’s a fantastic thing and we’re happy to be a part of it. It’s a more positive and supportive culture post-Covid. As a society, there is much more awareness around mental health and the difference friendship and connection can make.

“Everyone seems to be making a real effort to reconnect and support each other, and nothing brightens up the day and says ‘I’m thinking of you’ quite

38 www.greetingstoday.co.uk

like a well-chosen card. We’ve worked hard to design cards that resonate with this positivity, bringing bright, cheerful designs, and light-hearted humour to hit the right note, whatever the reason.’’

The pandemic prompted an increase in designs in this category for both Rachel Ellen Designs and Rosanna Rossi. Rachel Church at Rachel Ellen says: “Although we’d had card ranges featuring positive and uplifting captions for many years, the Covid pandemic created an environment where inspirational messages and those giving hope and a sense of connection and caring were much more necessary and at the forefront of people’s thinking. We now have a number of card ranges catering for this, as well as a crossover into our gifting and stationery ranges with products such as mindfulness and wellbeing journals.’’

Rosanna Rossi owner and designer Anna Nelson adds: “We have always found thinking of you and wellbeing popular card titles, but since the start of the pandemic these titles have increased in popularity. Each collection we release will include a number of sentimental titles that are devoted to positivity and thoughtful words.’’

And consumer attitude is really driving the change, as Helen Dyson points out: “People have become more willing to talk about their feelings as society has become less formal, and the isolation of the pandemic has accelerated that trend.’’

Emma Young at Paperlink adds: “Customer demand and sales data has a huge impact, but honestly it just feels the right thing to do; to help people connect via more traditional methods. Video calls, instant messaging... there’s more ways than ever to get in touch. But with the new technology, comes fatigue. People long for the simple, unexpected excitement of receiving a card from a loved one. It’s such a refreshing change of pace to see people making time to celebrate the little things in life.’’

Anna Nelson at Rosanna Rossi agrees: “With everything that’s going

Rosanna Rossi

“After a hard few years, people are looking for any excuse to show they care and to be supportive’ Emma Young, Managing Director, Paperlink on in the world, it’s even more imperative to look after your mental health and wellbeing. Sending a heartfelt card to wish someone well or ‘a little ray of sunshine’ can make a huge difference to someone who’s going through a hard time.’’

So finally, what can we expect from this category in the future? Emma Young at Paperlink says: “It’s not about waiting for the big milestones any longer, but appreciating the here and now, those who matter most, and celebrating each and every moment.’’

Rachel Church thinks that recent events have left a lasting legacy: “Although Covid is still there, much has returned to normal in our everyday lives. But while other world events have taken the headlines, they’ve also reiterated that the need for unity, harmony, positivity and hope is more important now than ever. This is especially the case for children and young adults as it’s hard to say what long-term effects the past few years have had on them, and this is in part why we included uplifting messages and captions within our beautiful Moondance range at the start of the year.’’

The last word goes to Rosanna Rossi’s Anna Nelson: “I can only see this category growing and continuing its positive message.’’

The Art File

Wellbeing is a trend that The Art File’s designers have often been inspired to include in their ranges. The newest of these is Soulmates, launched in 2021. Designer Beth was inspired by spiritual wellbeing and mindfulness connecting mind, body, and soul.

Finished with hot foils and embossed lines, these cards are simply striking.

Named aptly, another of The Art File’s collections celebrating wellbeing is called Tranquillity. This majestic collection was again inspired by mindfulness and mental wellbeing, but has both Indian and Japanese influences. The handpainted artwork has been designed specifically to instil peace and tranquillity, with deep, soothing colours and calming illustrations such as snoozing tigers and gentle elephants.

The long-running and popular card collection Balance was inspired primarily by the art movements of Bauhaus and Modernism. In such a busy world, this minimalist collection offers mindfulness, simplicity, and a space to breathe. The use of colour combines beautifully with textured hot foils and debossed lines to make this a unique collection of cards.

0115 850 7490 www.theartfile.com

Danilo

The pandemic, and especially during lockdowns, was a key time for reaching out to one another and offering support.

This positive sentiment has continued, and Danilo has grown its Thinking of You and Friendship categories in line with this.

For example, the official Bright Side range now features a range of positive caption cards including Thank You Muchly and Completely Totally Proud of You.

01992 702 900 sales@danilo.com | www.danilo.com

Dyson Designs

The pastel colours and gentle flower photography in Dyson Design’s Petals collection lend themselves perfectly to the theme of thoughtful friendship.

Alongside blank cards are messages such as Stay Sparkling, You Are Simply Wonderful, and Thank You For Being You. “These particularly lovely close-ups of flowers are simply stunning,” says director Helen Dyson. “I have teamed the gentle soft-focus photography with understated typography to create a range of cards that I hope will be treasured.”

Dyson Design’s charming Simple Pleasures collection features nostalgic illustrations of children from 1930s annuals alongside feel-good messages such as With Love From Me To You and Just To Say I’m Thinking Of You. Two of the cards prompt the sender to write down their feelings by starting them off with the messages Thank You, and Just To Say… .

0116 285 5725 dysondesign.com www.greetingstoday.co.uk 39

Feature

Thinking of You/Wellbeing

Paperlink

True friends may be hard to find, but cards to celebrate them shouldn’t be. We’ve all felt thankful for our friends over these past few years. Those that have stood by us through thick and thin, good and bad, deserve to be celebrated. It takes both sunshine and rain for the true beauty of friendship to flower, and Paperlink’s gorgeous new floral cards represent that in style… and well, if all else fails, and today it’s raining… perhaps it’s the perfect day to stay in with a good friend and an even better, a glass of wine! Find the new Paperlink designs and ranges at PG Live, Stand 201.

020 7582 8244 info@paperlink.co.uk www.paperlink.co.uk

UK Greetings

Kali Stileman

Kali Stileman Publishing specialises in luxury design-led greetings cards and wrapping papers for children and the young at heart. The expansive card collection includes the perfect designs to let someone know you care. The designs range from best-selling floral motifs against muted colours to Kali’s trademark blocky collage effect on lovely linen weave textured board. The perfect card to send a paper hug in the post!

info@kalistileman.co.uk 01305 848899 www.kalistileman.co.uk 40 www.greetingstoday.co.uk

From get well wishes to healing vibes, the team at UK Greetings has made it easier to reach out to those we love. They’ve also made it easier to find a card your customers will love with a mix of fun, colourful designs and positive messages.

01924 230 4197 www.ukgreetings.co.uk

Preview O pinion

T op Drawer RETAIL100

L-R: Sara Allbright, Anna Berry, Neil Amer and Elaine Hooper

Turning traditional consultancy on its head Retail100 is a new retail consultancy with a difference. Greetings Today finds out more from the four founders What are your backgrounds?

With 100 years of retail experience between them, Retail100 founders Neil Amer, Sara Allbright, Elaine Hooper and Anna Berry have a wide range and depth of knowledge.

Neil spent 17 years at John Lewis & Partners, working as a senior merchandiser across a multitude of categories. He is driven by people: leadership, trust and coaching are at the heart of his approach to unlock potential.

Sara, a senior buyer, spent 18 years in Home covering many accessories areas before focusing on

private label product development, sourcing and maximising brand potential.

Anna was head of buying for Gifts, Cook and Dine at John Lewis with a team of 60-plus and sales of close to £400 million. With more than 33 years of retail experience - both shop floor and head office - she has covered many buying categories in Menswear, Sport, Fashion and Beauty. A driven leader, Anna is strategically agile and known for her passion for people and product, with trust and mentoring at the heart of her leadership style.

“We have a passion for helping others learn and grow effectively within the retail world”

Why did you decide to launch a consultancy?

Following the recent restructure at John Lewis, we felt the time was right to use our collective experience and go out on our own. At John Lewis we spent much of our time working collaboratively with suppliers and advising them on their assortments and how we could work well together. We felt there was a gap in the market to provide advice across a wide range of categories, given our experience.

Seasonal and Gifting. She has specialised in brand relationships and growing small emerging brands into market leaders. Sara is also experienced in own label sourcing across multiple categories and countries.

Elaine, a senior buyer, has 36 years of retail experience including 32 years at John Lewis. As a result, she has exceptional customer-facing skills. Categories and roles covered include space planning, project proposition lead, and senior buyer in Seasonal, Toys, Beauty and Home categories.

Elaine is skilled in end-to-end strategy, licence and

Tell us a bit about Retail100.

The Retail100 brand is an approachable and very ‘human’ company. We seek to make our clients feel involved in the process of growing and bettering their own businesses, while offering expert and professional guidance. We take a very hands-on approach with all matters, working to ensure that clients are given the personal attention and consideration required to make meaningful change.

One size does not fit all; every solution is handcrafted and uniquely tailored for each different case.

42 www.greetingstoday.co.uk

What services do you offer?

Retail100’s approach is to focus on six key areas within a retail business - strategy; buying; merchandising; retailer insight and retail navigation; coaching, training and culture; and tools and toolkits - and each of the founders brings their key skills to the mix.

What sets you apart from other consultancy businesses?

We have a passion for helping others learn and grow effectively within the retail world. We strive to work with - and alongside - our clientele, offering meaningful and relevant strategy and advice through clear communication and tailored solutions.

As consultants, judgement is never clouded by subjectivity, which in turn allows for more effective, innovative solutions.

Our purpose is to drive sustainable and profitable growth. Our approach is based on the belief that there is a better way to do business. Our aim is to make you look good. Retail100 is the consultancy that cares. That’s what makes us different.

How can readers contact you to find out more?

They can contact us through our website at www.retail100consulting.co.uk or via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/retail100-consulting or email us at Hello@retail100consulting.co.uk.

Cherry Orchard Having launched two fantastic cute ranges over the past year Daisy & Clover, and Buttercup & Friends - Cherry Orchard is continuing with the succession of Buttercup & Friends into a juvenile age range, which is available to pre-order now ready for delivery in June.

The cutest of little characters including a bunny and squirrel bring the designs to life by interacting with each birthday number If they’re not standing on the Age 1, you’ll find them sitting on an Age 4! Each number has their very own little story going on to bring delight and a ray of sunshine to each birthday design.

This new launch is available in ages one to 12 in female and one to six in male, priced at code 55, along with relation ages one to three in Son/Daughter/Grandson/ Granddaughter.

The cards are finished with intricate details of foil and a coloured envelope to set off this exciting new range.

And to top it all off – Cherry Orchard is still holding out with no price increase. What’s not to like?

01684 295500 | info@cherryorchardpublishing.co.uk

Super Cute!

Just adorable! That’s this sweet selection of the cutest cards around…

Kingfisher Cards They’re cute, they’re lovable, they’re Caboodles! The adorable new range from Kingfisher Cards has been a runaway success. Covering relations and ages as well as open birthday, this bright and bouncy range has exquisite, fluted-foil finishes on sumptuous soft-touch super white board with full colour insert.

01803 431515 | sales@kingfishercards.co.uk | www.kingfishercards.co.uk

Jonny Javelin

UK Greetings Over the years, Boofle has charmed consumers with his cuddly character and adorable antics. Made from Granddad’s old woolly cardigan, he loves to find, make and reuse things!

UK Greetings has announced that its Boofle cards are now fully sustainable, letting fans continue to enjoy his craft-inspired stylings and know they’re shopping responsibly.

The UK Greetings designers have now incorporated that sustainability into his new standalone collection – Boofle’s Make It Mend It! From towering birthday cakes to colourful rainbows, it’s time to celebrate those special people and special birthdays!

01924 2304197 | www.ukgreetings.co.uk

The ever-popular cute range Fudge and Friends includes several friendship-themed cards from Sending a Hug to a friend, to Someone Special, and even a Happy Birthday from your Dog. Jonny has noticed these ‘warm and friendly’ titles have been selling especially well over the past couple of years due to the movement restrictions that have been in place, and of course the health issues we’ve all been through. The Sending You a Hug card has been a real hit as people just haven’t been able to hug in person.

01423 563740 | www.jonnyjavelin.co.uk

www.greetingstoday.co.uk 43

Focus Plush

The soft sell Demand for plush toys is growing among greeting card shops, according to suppliers. We find out more about the category...

W

Wilberry Toys

ith high street retailers having to work harder to attract customers, it’s probably no surprise that plush toys are in demand, as many retailers seek to diversify and create add-on sales from their customers.

In fact, The Puppet Company has taken on more accounts than ever before, says sales director Sam Lockey: “We have opened more new accounts this year than in any other year. Our Wilberry Toys range has been part of that growth but our core puppets capture the imagination of consumers.‘’ Rainbow Designs’ sales and marketing director Zara Grindrod agrees: “The greeting card industry is tightly coupled with gifting; we buy cards to mark occasions and are often looking for a suitable present to enhance and celebrate with. With greeting cards now also readily available online, in gift stores and supermarkets, dedicated card shops Rainbow Designs need to offer more than

just greeting cards. We have seen a general increase in demand for plush gifts in this category; they offer great added value and make both a visual, tactile and sentimental gift.”

So what can this category offer to the greetings retailer? Sam at The Puppet Company says: “Our plush and puppet ranges offer the opportunity to upsell with visually creative displays in certain parts of the store. For example, our knitted dinosaur range looks amazing as a feature with a few plants in the window. That will attract kids, parents and grandparents!’’

Rainbow Designs’ Zara agrees that plush toys add more visual appeal: “Products that complement and enhance the purchase of a greeting card will always prove popular. For the consumer, they offer added sentimental value, and being available in the same location as the greeting cards, makes this an easy purchase. For retailers, eye-catching, cute plush toys help create visual in-store theatre or great online content, providing a smart opportunity to increase sales.”

If you are sold on adding plush to your in-store offering, what can you expect to see from this category in the near future?

Zara says: “Rainbow Designs is constantly developing new products, and has plenty of

Keeping it in the family Sales Director Sam Lockey introduces readers to The Puppet Company and sister company Wilberry Toys “A family business started in 2001, we are now the world’s leading supplier of beautifully made and well-functioning puppets. Our puppets capture the essence of what makes a really fine toy - allowing the user to be creative, to entertain and have fun!

We have a sister company - Wilberry Toys - that specialises in gorgeous soft toys. From our ever-popular Minis, to our stunning knitted and petite Collectables, there really is something for everyone. We have a new Eco range made from recycled plastic bottles. The Eco Cuddlies will feature 16 designs including animals, pets, and even a dragon!

Our Wilberry plush range is spectacular and very different, from plush dolls, dressed animals, feathery owls, mini plush, large bears, Highland cows and a very traditional knitted plush range, which includes dinosaurs - something retail will be getting behind this summer!

Stand-out ranges for card shop retailers would be impulse buys that include our finger puppets and Wilberry Minis; great gifts would be Baby Monsters and Wilberry Favourites and definitely Sockettes, which are very popular with adults! I could easily carry on as our dressed animals are great wedding gifts, with Feathery Birds Owls being completely gorgeous… I’ll stop now!

This year’s new releases include Knitted Dinosaurs, Puppet Monsters, New Baby Monsters, our new Eco ranges and new Wilberry Minis to complement the range, which now has more than 40 designs. We will also have a new additional mini Eco plush range launching around Q3 or Q4.

With more than 70 ranges across The Puppet Company and Wilberry Toys, and more than 600 product lines, there truly is something for everyone. Our customer service team is happy to talk ranges with

44 www.greetingstoday.co.uk

retailers, what works, what is currently hot, and display options.

We pride ourselves on quality, innovation and consumer friendly price points. We do not have quantity minimums and offer carriage paid orders for over £250 with regular promotions especially at trade shows.

The Puppet Company has Blue Angel accreditation and is the only soft toy and plush manufacturer to receive this high standard of environmentally friendly excellence.

Exhibitions and trade shows are really important to us.

We have a very tactile range of products so the website or catalogue do not do justice to the toys. Spring Fair 2022 was our busiest year to date; all of our staff were busy during the first few days, which demonstrates that retail want to talk to us and place orders for great products. We are at eight to 10 trade shows every year; that is a significant investment to support our retailers across the UK. ‘‘

01462 446040 info@thepuppetcompany.com www.thepuppetcompany.com info@wilberrytoys.com www.wilberrytoys.com

Wilberry Toys

launches to celebrate this year including additions to our Peter Rabbit Signature collection; the super-soft Mr Toad and Jeremy Fisher will be joining Peter Rabbit and Flopsy Bunny this summer. New for 2022 is the exquisite Classic Pooh Always and Forever collection, a range of heirloom toys that has been designed to last a lifetime, with a focus on sustainability. The reusable packaging for both the Comfort Blanket and adorable Large Soft Toy make beautiful memory boxes, making them a unique and extra special gift for a special occasion.”

Over at The Puppet Company, Sam’s answer is intriguing: “Plush is an exciting category.

We will have more exciting news over the year and at the moment all we can say is watch this space!’’

The Puppet Company

Ask the retailer Sarah Laker, owner of two Stationery Supplies shops in Cheshire, has just started stocking Jellycat toys. We asked her about her plush offering.

“Our new shop in Wilmslow has a primary school right behind it, so we have families walking past on the school run. They were calling in looking for birthday and party presents, so we introduced some toy ranges, which are going well. Adding plush toys seemed a natural progression to this and all my research into it (being a stationer this is out of my area of expertise) led to Jellycats - it has always been my go-to brand for presents. I was delighted when they accepted me as a stockist and am loving having them in the shop. It’s giving me endless opportunities for cute social media photos too. Sales so far have been good.’’

www.greetingstoday.co.uk 45

Focus Plush

Basic Fun!

Care Bears celebrate their 40th birthday this year, and master toy partner Basic Fun! is to launch a host of new characters and adorable lines.

Fans can get their arms around some new very special Care Bears. Dream Bright Bear is the most optimistic Care Bear of all! Made from recycled materials, I Care Bear is designed to resemble the earth - green for the land, blue for the water.

The sparkly Care-a-Lot is a special commemorative bear who comes with an authenticity certificate, and complements the new 35cm Care Bears that are also launching this A/W: Superstar Bear, True Heart Bear and Daydream Bear.

0118 925 3270 Tim.Ives@basicfun.com www.BasicFun.com

Flair GP

The Magic Dreamlight is a beautiful plush unicorn toy, which babies can snuggle up to. This super-soft sleeping companion is ideal for bedtime and playtime.

Children can cuddle this adorable unicorn toy ahead of bedtime to help them relax, preparing them for a sound night’s sleep! Simply turn on the Dreamlight and a piece of soothing music will be played. There are also soft colour-changing lights that will illuminate the unicorn’s chest.

0208 643 0320 ǀ sales@flairplc.co.uk

Posh Paws

The newest dinosaur that makes his debut in the Jurassic World: Dominion movie is the giant Giganotosaurus, and Posh Paws has brought this new dinosaur to life in a super-soft and chunky 10in soft toy. He joins the existing T-Rex, Blue the Velociraptor, Indominous Rex and a growing favourite, Bumpy Ankylosaurus (from Camp Cretaceous). Posh Paws will also be releasing new Dino Eggs, so that kids can collect their favourite dinosaurs in small, super-cute and detailed 7in sizes.

Golden Bear

Golden Bear’s interactive plush Curlimals are cute woodland creatures that respond to touch with more than 50 sounds and reactions.The range launches with three colourful characters, each with its unique sounds and phrases reflecting their individual personalities. Higgle the hedgehog, Bibi the bunny, and badger, Blue, all awaken from slumber once they receive a gentle stroke on their head. Each of the characters giggles, sneezes and talks, and some even sing or burp, until they tire and curl up into a sleepy ball and softly snore.

01952 608 308 ǀ customerservices@goldenbeartoys.co.uk

Keel Toys

Keel Toys is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2022 and its ongoing commitment to creating a sustainable future has never been more important. Keeleco is a 100% recycled range of soft toys. Keeleco Adoptable World is the newest part of the range and the first fashion eco soft toy. The collection now features 14 adorable animals that are waiting to be adopted by a loving new owner. New characters for the later part of 2022 are a Dinosaur and the cutest Red Panda!

01233 506363 sales@keeltoys.com www.keeltoys.com 46 www.greetingstoday.co.uk

01268 567317 sales@poshpawsinternational.co.uk www.poshpawsinternational.co.uk

Rainbow Designs

Even big kids enjoy soft toys, and June will see the celebration of Father’s Day, the perfect time to spoil Dad or any father figure. Charles Schultz’s iconic pup Snoopy brings back fond childhood memories and Rainbow’s Everyone Loves Snoopy collection, including The Snoopy and Woodstock soft toy, is the perfect way to show you care.

The Guess How Much I Love You collection offers a range of gifts for newborns and young children including comforters, rattles and baby gift sets.There are also soft toys and gifts available in Paddington Bear, Peter Rabbit, Disney’s Winnie the Pooh bear, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Elmer, Spot the Dog, Miffy, That’s Not My..., We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, and The Snowman and The Snowdog ranges.

01329 227300 www.rainbowdesigns.co.uk

Focus On...

Paperlink

Refreshingly cheerful Playful, bold, light-hearted - after a tough couple of years, Paperlink is ensuring it brings some cheer to the card racks with its latest releases…

C

atching a glimpse of the latest headlines these days is enough to make anyone feel old. It used to be that age was just a number, but it’s been a heavy few years…

But not to fear, there is a new message, a vision for the future, of a simpler, more carefree world. One that Paperlink’s team of designers have truly embraced this season with their latest range of birthday celebration cards. Bold pastels, playful yet grown-up imagery; the Calypso range provides a refreshing new style for 2022 and beyond. Offering ‘colourful backgrounds that stand out from a sea of white’, they draw the eye to make any birthday truly feel like a celebration.

As summer fast approaches and the unfamiliar feeling of normality returns to our daily lives, customers are looking to celebrate with passion this year; to throw open their doors, and embrace family and friends as they reunite stronger than ever.

Paperlink’s cards feature champers, flowers, cake, and balloons - all the favourites for a wide market appeal, but with a playful new twist with a sprinkle of confetti, and lavish foil highlights to make each feel like a true celebration.

But they haven’t stopped there. Paperlink’s team has been working around the clock to bring us even more designs.

The new additions to the popular Pick ‘N’ Mix and Tutti Fruitti collections bring the same bold yet lighthearted cheer to every occasion. This is a stand-out range including a number of hand-illustrated designs to capture the mood of the moment.

There are new additions to Paperlink’s specialist male cards, too, with new captions added to the Fever Pitch range, artfully capturing current interests with a fresh modern aesthetic and luxurious foil finish.

Paperlink has also added a plethora of new designs to its successful core ranges, with more than 75 exciting new designs set to be revealed at PG Live in June (find them at stand 201).

At the Paperlink stand you’ll find refreshing new designs joining the moreish Lemon Sorbet range. They’ve hit a strike once again with Bowling for Soup, and the Fields of Gold

Show offer

Readers of Greetings Today can get 10% off all Paperlink trade prices at PG Live, simply visit bit.ly/Paperlink-PGL to book your VIP slot and get a free glass of fizz!

range has, unsurprisingly, struck gold.

Although the Paperlink artists have their sights set firmly on the future, the past has a certain allure too. Their latest card in the Love Train line has seamlessly bridged the gap, combining vintage with the modern-day perils of returning to the office in their latest Working From Home design. A feeling many of us can truly relate to.

“We’ve shared a real journey with our customers over the past few years,’’ says Emma Young, Paperlink’s managing director. “It’s been a challenging time for everyone, especially retailers, who have faced such hardship. Our new ranges are packed with positivity, but as a motherdaughter run business, we wanted to do more to help our customers. We’ve analysed the data, crunched the numbers, and worked with real passion to deliver a range of cards that we know will sell well, delivering a solid margin for our customers. With more than 35 years of experience, we’ve gone further than ever before to ensure each card works hard to earn its space on the shelf.

“National and independent shops alike have seen the power of cards to drive regular visits to their stores. With data, we’re able to deliver the perfect selections to meet the unique demographics and interests of their customers, to really make the most of that prime shelf space. Our extensive range now offers something for everyone and means we can provide shops with fully planned displays with our comprehensive new planning service. Cards to suit every need, catching the eye and securing those sales.

“Existing customers know our team is on hand to showcase the full selection to you in person, but for those not yet stocking our range, our friendly team are here to answer any and all your questions. So give us a call, send us an email, or pop over to our stand at PG Live, we’re here to help!”

Paperlink

020 7582 8244 info@paperlink.co.uk www.paperlink.co.uk www.greetingstoday.co.uk 47

John Ryan

RETAIL ENVIRONMENT

Signs of the

times

Getting your point of sale signage right can make a massive difference to how you market your goods to the consumer, says John Ryan

“Less really is more when it comes to getting people to look at what you have lovingly visually merchandised, as the product will do a lot of the talking’’

48 www.greetingstoday.media

I

walked into a supermarket recently - it was one of the big four. It would be churlish to name names as all are as guilty as each other, but the party in question had a long aisle devoted to ‘Greeting Cards’.

And how, you may be inclined to ask, did your correspondent come to the conclusion that this was what was on display? Well, probably because there were a lot of cards grouped together on a tiered display.

But in case there was any doubt, for most of the length of this aisle there were bus stop-style shelf-edge signs stating, ahem, ‘Greeting Cards’.

Now, perhaps there are a few unlucky people who have never received a greeting card before, but for the most part it seems safe to assume that shoppers walking this aisle might actually have worked out what they were looking at. Welcome to the world of superfluous point-of-sale signage.

At the far end of this aisle there was a sector reserved for ‘Adult’ cards. There is more ambiguity here for the simple reason that Adult means different things to different people. For some, it will mean smut-laden missives of the kind that are meant to be funny. This was a family supermarket however, so it turned out to mean cards that were aimed at those who were, say 18, 30, 40, 50, and suchlike.

So here’s the other point. Inaccurate signage can lead the reader to jump to a whole series of pretty inappropriate conclusions: precision is all if this is to be avoided. Yet, perhaps by being less than focused in this respect, shoppers might cast an eye over an offer that might otherwise be ignored.

Whether this is the case or not, consider what might happen if there were no signage. Would the cards speak for themselves? To a considerable degree the answer to this will be yes, but even allowing for savvy shoppers, guidance of some kind is required. The finer point that has to be wrestled with is; how much?

Stating the obvious is broadly unhelpful, expensive and a waste of the retailer’s time and the supermarket customer’s limited attention span. Like everywhere else, in an environment of this kind, a simple overhead sign informing shoppers where the cards are to be found is all that’s needed, and endless repetition of the same message will do little to persuade a reluctant shopper to scrutinise what’s on the piece of equipment involved.

The same supermarket, by the way, had a perimeter module filled

with different sorts of potatoes and above this a sign that announced, predictably, ‘Potatoes’. Does nobody think that products are in themselves self-advertising and that visual pollution is the curse of many retail environments of varying types? Less really is more when it comes to getting people to look at what you have lovingly visually merchandised, as the product will do a lot of the talking.

And card retailers are high among the culpable when it comes to behaving like this – there frequently seems to be no end to the subcategories that have been dreamt up, from ‘Art’ to ‘It’s a boy/girl’. Yes, your shoppers do need a gentle prod, but it is in the nature of greeting cards that they are like books - with a general pointer, a lot of browsing will be done, even if this takes place at speed.

As an exercise therefore, it is worth taking a good look at your shop’s greeting card selling space and seeing what might be done to reduce the visual burden that you have imposed on those giving your offer the once-over. Your customers will thank you and they might even buy.

John Ryan is Stores Editor of Retail Week, a position he has held for more than two decades, and managing director of Newstores, a daily information service on what’s new in retail across the world. @newstores | www.newstores.co.uk | 07710 429926

Shop Talk Name: Christina Kenchington, Store Manager.

Shop: MOOCH Address: Market Place, Olney, Bucks

Please describe your shop.

MOOCH is on the Market Place in the centre of Olney; an idyllic market town known for being the home of the hymn Amazing Grace, plus it’s where the pancake race originated. The store is a fair size with its own Card Room. It’s an old building (previously the post office). However, it has been split in two, MOOCH on the left and Out of Office Coffee on the right (best coffee in town!).

How did you get into the greeting card industry or retail?

Purely by chance. I worked in London within the insurance sector, but years of long hours and travelling began to take its toll. I decided I needed a change of pace. MOOCH was a new shop coming to the town and I jumped at the chance of working where I live - I’ve not looked back.

What are the best and worst things about working in retail?

The best thing about working in retail is the customers. We have a wide range of ages that visit us and we love to chat and assist each one of them. As we are a fairly small town we have lots of regulars that we are on first-name terms with; some of the stories we are told are so interesting. We also get huge pleasure from assisting customers with their purchases as we also wrap every gift and dress gift bags if purchased. It’s small details like this that keep our customers coming back time after time.

The worst thing I’d say is unpacking boxes; but it’s always worth it when we display the gorgeous gifts.

What cards are selling well in your store at the moment?

Lagom; these are simple sentiment cards, but they are so popular. Customers buy handfuls of these at a time, especially during the pandemic as they were a lovely way to communicate with friends and relatives.

What card range or category do you always keep in stock?

Woodmansterne cards are always in my Card Room. Their variety and designs cover every occasion with well-known names such as Sanderson, Quentin Blake, Emma Bridgewater and The National Trust. They are very popular, good quality and plastic-free packaging.

What’s in your window at the moment?

There are three windows. I dedicate one to children’s gifts, another howcases artwork, and the middle one is seasonal. I am currently prepping to dress that window for the Jubilee plus incorporate Father’s Day. What’s by your till at the moment?

At the till I currently have Oli Olsen Metalmorphose bookmarks and lipbalms.

What plush toys do you stock in your shop?

The Puppet Company, Wilberry, Kaloo, and Best Years.

What are your best selling plush toys?

Definitely the puppets, especially the Finger puppets and Sockettes (see above).

What advantages are there to selling plush toys in the shop?

I soon realised that plush toys appeal to the young and old, and everyone in between. I ensure I have a variety in the children’s window and often get asked for help with finding something they have seen while outside, either for gifts or themselves.

What’s the most surprising thing a customer has done?

I think the most surprising thing we have had at MOOCH are customers coming back and giving us thank you cards /chocolates / flowers. We are always so humbled that they want to show their appreciation for our help and service.

Best Selling Greeting Cards

e n Fo r e v e r qu e s Wood C a rd s / P l a

www.lovecountryuk.co.uk support@lovecountryuk.co.uk Tel: 01502 507352

Shop Talk Name: Roy and Julia Beswick Shop: The Card Collection Address: East Molesey, Surrey Tell us a little about your shop.

Our shop is based in the busy commuter village of East Molesey, which is situated on the River Thames and has a railway station on the mainline directly into London located next door to Hampton Court Palace, one of the top tourist attractions in the UK. We have been based here for 24 years in May and most of our customers are now ‘friends’ who buy cards from us.

We are regarded as a massive part of the community and are really well supported.

How did you get into the greeting card industry or retail?

We got into the greeting card industry because Julia was a real cardy person who loved to send cards for any reason ( and still does) and then our friends started a business selling cards at markets in Norfolk and eventually opened a shop up there, and kept saying to Julia how good she would be at doing the same thing.

After a change in our circumstances we decided to give it a go and found the empty shop in East Molesey with the plan of me being in the shop for the first six months to get it going, while Julia kept her full-time job. Then she would leave and run the shop and I would get a ‘proper job. Anyway, 10 years later Julia did leave her job and join me in the business!

What are the best and worst things about working in retail?

The best thing is meeting our customers every day who love to have a chat and a laugh and tell us all about what’s happening in their lives… it’s a really social atmosphere and our customers really enjoy their shopping experience.

Another area of the shop that brings joy is our wide selection of pick n pix sweets; we have all the old-style sweets that we remember from our childhoods and the customers are more than happy to share their memories.

We also have a huge selection of Belgian chocolates in a cabinet; a lot of fun is had when customers are choosing the best flavours for their friends and family.

The worst thing is how much time it consumes to run a really busy shop. We used to open seven days a week but since lockdown we have managed to restrict opening to six days, but parties are now beginning to be held again on Sundays, so we may have to have a rethink!

We don’t lock up at 5.30pm and forget about it until 9am the following morning, we have to sort out the ordering of stock, the paperwork, and answer online enquiries, etc.

20 www.greetingstoday.co.uk

What card range or category do you always ensure you keep in stock?

We always make sure we have full stock of new home cards and also the first to 10th birthday aged cards, as we have five local primary schools.

What’s the most surprising thing a customer has asked for?

Last week we had to deliver a large balloon structure to a customer who, on the day of delivery, phoned to say she would be out when we had arranged to deliver the structure so she was going to leave the front door key to her multi-million pound home under the front door mat! Would we let ourselves in and put the balloons in the room, lock the door and put the key back under the mat?! We messaged her when we had done that so she could shut the front gate. We waited in the road until the gate closed and went home.

The following day she brought a massive bunch of flowers into the shop for Julia as she was so grateful and pleased with what we had done, and her son was very happy to receive balloons for his birthday. That’s why we love running the shop, and that’s why we are successful - because we care about our customers and we are passionate about the business.

If you could send a card to anyone, who would it be?

I would send a card to George Best, telling him how much I enjoyed watching him play football when I was a kid and how unbelievable he would have been playing football today on beautiful grass surfaces with the lightweight balls and defenders not being allowed to kick him 6ft up in the air!

How do magazines like Greetings Today help you?

Trade magazines are informative on what trends are popular and what’s next. Also we like to see how other retailers are managing the different problems and situations we all find ourselves in.

50 www.greetingstoday.co.uk

Focus On...

Rachel Ellen

‘A lot of plates to spin!’

As Rachel Ellen Designs celebrates its first quarter-century, MD Rachel Church reflects on the journey to becoming a leading supplier of children’s greeting cards, stationery and gift lines

A

bout to celebrate the milestone of 25 years in business, Rachel Ellen Designs has forged a special place within the greeting card and gift industry. Founded in 1997 by MD and creative powerhouse Rachel Church, the company is now recognised as a leading supplier of children’s greeting cards and co-ordinated stationery and gift lines.

Without a background in business or any formal art training, Rachel has relied not only on her obvious creative talent, but also on her gut instinct, absolute determination to both keep going and not run with the crowd, as well as a lot of help from some great people along the way, none more so than her parents.

“So much has changed in the last quarter of a century,” says Rachel. “I didn’t really have a business plan - I didn’t even have an email account for many years. I’ve had to learn along the way and it’s certainly been an amazing journey - some of which I wouldn’t really wish to repeat!” Now exporting to more than 30 countries and selling to many leading independent retailers throughout the UK, the company also has successful licensing agreements such as the one recently publicised with Thermos.

Rachel’s unique and quirky style is unmistakable and features across the children’s card ranges - for which the company is probably best known, but Rachel and her team of artists also have many beautiful ranges for adults. “Designing children’s cards is more by accident than design,” says Rachel. “My first card range reproduced a stained-glass look. I have a lot to thank that range for as its popularity was a real springboard in those early days.

It was a real labour of love, screen printed on acetate with each sheet fed through the machine nine times! The scrap rate was enormous too, as print register was

technically so difficult on an unstable material, but it was innovative and unique for the time.’’

As well as having to juggle greeting cards, a broad range of stationery for both children and adults and a wide selection of gift lines, Rachel Ellen is a design studio, a manufacturer (all cards, social stationery and notecards are made in-house), a wholesaler, a retailer through its own website, and an exporter – an awful lot of plates to keep spinning!

“The past few years haven’t been without their fair share of challenges, and despite the continued uncertainty we’re looking forward positively. We’ll just continue to do what we do best; after all, it’s all I really know!’’ Rachel adds.

As well as Rachel’s unique artwork, the company is renowned for that point of difference, be that through multi-fold formats, the extensive use of die-cutting, going the extra mile to achieve the brightest colours, use of emboss, flitter and foil and the many hand-finished elements that the company’s in-house team of print finishers allow. “Having a great team around me means everything,” says Rachel. “I appreciate them more than ever, as I do our suppliers and, of course, our customers, without whom we wouldn’t have a business”.

To celebrate the milestone, the staff have plans for a high tea afternoon in a grand setting near Nottingham; an opportunity to reflect, reminisce and celebrate together.

“A number of staff and agents have been with me for around two decades now,’’ says Rachel. “It’s incredible when I think about it, and I wonder where that time has gone!’’

“My first card range reproduced a stained-glass look. I have a lot to thank that range for as its popularity was a real springboard in those early days’’

0115 970 0321 sales@rachelellen.uk www.rachelellen.co.uk www.greetingstoday.co.uk 51

Retail Interview Paper Tiger

‘A never-ending journey of discovery’ Greetings Today talks to Michael Apter, owner and MD of Paper Tiger, which trades from two stores in Edinburgh Can you tell us a little about the history of Paper Tiger?

Paper Tiger was founded in 1981 as part of the Studio One group of companies, owned

by John Johnson. I began working with John and Paper Tiger in 1997, and I took over the business in 2016.

Tell us about the shops.

Our stores are in the western side of Edinburgh city centre, in busy areas, surrounded by other businesses, hospitality and hotels. Our Stafford Street shop is located in the West End, part of the Georgian New Town, and the Lothian Road shop is on a main road in the centre, surrounded by some of the key cultural venues in the city, and just a stone’s throw from Edinburgh Castle and the Old Town.

We have a supportive and helpful staff in a welcoming and attractive environment, selling well-designed, meaningful products that are made by authentic designers, illustrators and makers, for discerning shoppers for the significant moments and significant people in their lives.

Your stores ‘tell the stories of our products, makers, illustrators and designers’. Please explain!

We find really interesting suppliers who make really great things, and then we ask them

52 www.greetingstoday.co.uk

“Sourcing is a neverending, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, multiplatform, multisensory, embodied and virtual experiential journey of discovery!’’

about themselves and their products! We run regular Q&A features on our Jungle Blog, which we share on social media, on the website and in the stores. Pre-pandemic we were running events and meet-ups, which we hope to reintroduce in the coming months.

You have a strong community focus as well as supporting charities - can you tell us more about this?

Over the course of more than 40 years, Paper Tiger has become a well-known brand in Edinburgh, Scotland and beyond. We are approached regularly by local charities and organisations to help them with fundraising activities, and we try to help as many as possible when they align with our values or when team members have a particular affinity.

This year - the Chinese Year Of The Tiger - we are working with the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation to raise £10,000 for tiger conservation projects.

Tell us about how you support the customer journey - both in-store and online.

I have been in retail all my working life and I implicitly understand the importance of consistently good customer service. It builds your reputation and your relationships with your customers. We employ colleagues who understand the importance of customer

service, and we work on it on a daily basis. It is measured in-store and online, and we aim to delight our customers. Occasionally we will get it wrong, and we take the right steps to try and make things better. That customer journey is mapped out in documents, training, and so on, and is part of our company culture and our daily operations so that consistently high customer service is absolutely embedded in what we do.

It is obvious you take great care in choosing your cards and wrap for the stores - can you tell us more about your criteria?

We are clear on what we want to have on our shelves and when we want to have it in the stores, and we know where we can source that product. We have specific metrics across a number of different criteria for ranges, themes and product selection, and we use those criteria to manage our stock at a macro and micro level. We also closely monitor our customers and our sales to ensure that our ranges are working in the stores and online.

How do you source products?

Sourcing is a never-ending, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, multi-platform, multi-sensory, embodied and virtual experiential journey of discovery! We see so much stuff, all the time.

I am approaching 25 years in the business,

and I have seen literally millions of products.

Before my time with Paper Tiger I worked for HMV, where I saw millions of record sleeves, CD covers, video, DVD and computer game covers, so I know about what works in terms of visual presentation of words, images, and colour. We are good at the perspiration bit so we can seek out the inspiration.

How is trading for you at the moment?

Trade is improving and is beginning to shape up in quite an exciting way as we navigate out of the pandemic. Edinburgh was hit hard by the absence of tourists, and the office sector is still in a state of flux, but the city centre is a hugely appealing place to live and work, and to come and stay and experience, and we are here to serve those customers. I checked in on Edinburgh Castle earlier and it is still absolutely, ridiculously stunning. I have taken more photos of the castle than I have taken of my dog. Which is really saying something…

What’s your demographic like?

Discerning shoppers of all ages who are looking for quality and something a few steps away from the High Street.

How do you get word out there to potential customers?

First, we make sure we have striking window displays that capture the attention of passersby, and that high level of visual merchandising is carried through into the stores. We use that in our social media, and we specifically create visual merchandising and physical displays with the intention of using images of them as paid posts on various social media. We run keyword advertising around specific occasions. I also write a regular newsletter.

Tell us more about your online presence.

We have traded online for just over five years, with the intention that whatever we sell in-store is also available online. The proportion of overall digital sales fluctuates through the year, but

is around 20-something per cent of our annual turnover. My ambition is to grow that further in the years ahead.

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

Everything is becoming more expensive, and we have reluctantly raised retail prices to accommodate that. We have introduced more price breaks on our products to remain competitive.

Tell us more about your commitment to being eco-friendly.

“We specifically create visual merchandising and physical displays with the intention of using images of them as paid posts on various social media’’

Sustainability is a key criteria in our buying decisions and that feeds through every element, from the materials, to the production process and how it gets to us. All of our own cards and wraps are recycled/FSC papers, and we try to use local suppliers whenever possible to reduce carbon footprint. Any waste generated in our processes is recycled; our recycling partner has a ‘zero waste to landfill’ policy. We also offset our business travel by planting native tree species in the Scottish Highlands.

What brands have been particularly popular with your customers?

We have stocked some brands for decades - Caroline Gardner, Roger La Borde, and Archivist Cards immediately spring to mind, but alongside these established companies we offer hundreds of designs from dozens of other publishers.

Is there anything you haven’t been able to source?

There is a real lack of high-end, high-quality,

well-designed handmade cards. There are probably some compelling reasons for that, but the market 25 years ago had many makers and designers offering unique pieces of art on a greeting card. I miss it as a consumer as well as a retailer.

What challenges have you faced over the past few months and how have you dealt with them?

The pandemic! Brexit? 2019 had been a bumper year for Paper Tiger, and 2020 began well for us. We were preparing for our 40th anniversary in 2021, and sadly we were unable to run the events and activities that we had planned.

As I said earlier, Edinburgh is still a beautiful city, and it is filling up again with locals and visitors who are discovering - and rediscovering - the pleasure of city centre retail and leisure.

Anything else you’d like to add?

If you would like to keep in touch with what we are doing, please sign up for my newsletter at www.papertiger.co.uk/pages/paper-tigernewsletter.

Finally - what are your five best sellers?

Caroline Gardner designs are a perennial bestseller for us, we like selling Quentin Blake cards from Woodmansterne, Letterpress from Archivist Cards alongside our own Paper Tiger Letterpress range, and our friends at The Art File consistently offer us a fantastic choice of contemporary designs that our customers love.

www.greetingstoday.co.uk 53

John Dyer

Henri Davis RETAIL ADVICE

Jenny Field

The way ahead Henri Davis considers how her card-buying clientele has changed in her Cornish village shop, as Covid has brought more people to live permanently by the sea

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The Heart of The Garden

“Christmas is a big purchasing opportunity, but in my village it’s all about cards that support the RNLI. Our local RNLI shop closes in October, so we sell the cards on their behalf’’ 54 www.greetingstoday.media

have been thinking about my customers and the ranges they want to buy. What has changed over the past two Covid years and what has stayed the same?

My shop is in a very small Cornish village [Coverack] by the sea; we are at the end of the Lizard, 10 miles from the nearest town and supermarket. We have a significant number of visitors in the village each day, either on a day out, passing through as they walk the coast path, or staying a bit longer.

I still have two very distinct groups of shoppers - village residents and visitors - and two very different types of cards; ‘safe’ imagery with captions and art-based cards by local artists or with imagery relevant to the area. It would be tempting to think that nothing has changed, but the boundaries of the two groups are definitely merging.

Local residents, many of whom are older and still really value sending and receiving cards, like cards to have messages; price is very relevant to them; Get Well and Sympathy cards are good sellers and variety is important. They like to buy safe images that they feel comfortable with - but that doesn’t mean they have to be boring.

I have been really lucky to re-establish a connection with Martin Gaunt at The Heart of the Garden, a publisher based in Cornwall who I worked with for many years

when I was the card buyer at the National Trust. It has a really diverse range of cards that suit my customers wonderfully.

But this group of ‘residents’ has broadened, thanks to Covid. We have a lot of new people arriving in the village who are in their mid-50s and have moved to Cornwall earlier than they expected because they can now work from anywhere. They want more contemporary cards and love blank cards by local artists such as those by Jenny Field, who lives in Coverack.

The second group is our visitors.

They buy mainly from the more arty range of blank cards; like the stunning image by Manda Beeching (above right) published by the Eco Friendly Card Company, which is also based in the West Country. I have worked with the founder Sue Morrish for more than 15 years now! For this group, cards are bought often as a memory of their visit or to send to someone special. John Dyer is a Cornish artist whose work is popular, so the fact that he has created a number of images of Coverack is a real bonus.

If visitors need an occasion card, particularly for children, they tend to shop from our captioned range.

What has changed with this group is that they are in the village all year round, whereas five years ago it would only have been from April to the end of September.

There is also a limited seasonal

Manda Beeching

opportunity with Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter and Father’s Day. However, Christmas is a big purchasing opportunity, but in Coverack it’s all about cards that support the RNLI. Our local RNLI shop closes in October, so we sell the cards on their behalf with all proceeds going back to the RNLI. To supplement, we stock a small range of Christmas card packs at key price points, which offer more traditional imagery and therefore choice.

But remember I run a food shop, so the majority of my customers are not coming in to buy cards; they are very much a sideline in terms of space. I have 28 pockets for captioned cards and 36 pockets for local/blank cards so the space works incredibly hard to deliver the choice I feel I need to offer my customers.

Henri Davis is an independent retail advisor to businesses in the cards, gifts, stationery and heritage industries with more than 35 years of retail experience. She worked for Habitat, Next, WHSmith and the National Trust and now advises retailers, visitor attractions, manufacturers and suppliers. A past chairman of the Giftware Association, during lockdown she has taken over a village stores and moved to Cornwall. For more information visit www.henridavis.co.uk

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