Greetings Today November / December 2021

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The finest art cards and great British brands.

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November/December 2021

contents the team

Editor Naomi MacKay naomi@lemapublishing.co.uk

REGULARS 05 Leader

Publisher Mark Horsnell markh@lemapublishing.co.uk

24 Ward’s Words

Looking forward to the new year with a new team and plenty of new product to get excited about!

Sarah Ward celebrates the return of trade shows

01442 289940

Ad manager Marian McNamara marian@lemapublishing.co.uk

34 John Ryan Hybrid shopping is the catchword of the moment - but is it viable for greeting card retail, our columnist asks

06 News Rounding up what’s been happening,, including a report from the GCA conference. Find more online at www. greetingstoday.co.uk

01442 289940

Managing Director Mark Naish mark@lemapublishing.co.uk

35 Shop Talk Retailers from around the country tell us what’s happening in their stores

20 Spotlight

Production Director Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk

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42 Retail Advice

A selection of new products and fresh ideas for spring

Chairman Malcolm Naish malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk

Retail guru Henri Davis discusses the value of industry awards

Circulation Manager Robert Thomas robert@lemapublishing.co.uk

FEATURES Shows roundup: We preview upcoming trade exhibitions: 08 Spring Fair

17 Profile: Nethertons - proud to support UK artists

16 Scotland Trade Fair Preview 22 Harrogate Christmas & Gift Fair Preview

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@greetingstoday

18 Cover Story: Museums & Galleries brings fine art and fashion to the high street

12 Top Drawer Preview 14 Paperworld Preview

Keep in touch follow us:

26 Sneak peek at 2022 We’ve gathered some of the best products that will be flying off your shelves next year

38 Retail Interview:

greetingstoday greetings-today

Dee’s Cards - the shop where nothing is too much trouble

40 Retail Interview: Meet Sarah Laker, owner of two Cheshire stationery stores

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www.facebook.com/ greetingstodaymag

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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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17 17

leader Editor Naomi MacKay

T

his is my first issue of Greetings Today as editor and in just a few short weeks I have spoken to some wonderful, enthusiastic retailers; amazingly talented and creative designers; and a wealth of card publishers - all with new and exciting ideas to share.

The greeting card industry is certainly a warm, friendly and inspiring place to be, and I’m looking forward to connecting with more of you as the months go on.

I’ve joined at what can only be described as an interesting time in greeting card retail. I know that the past couple of years have been challenging to retailers, with lockdowns and last-minute closures, but from what I’ve learned so far, you are an incredibly resilient bunch.

Take Sarah Laker, the owner of two Cheshire stationery shops, and the subject of one of two retail interviews in this issue. Not only did she take advantage of lockdown to revamp and reorganise her newlyacquired second shop, but she also became something of an industry spokeswoman too, appearing in print, radio and TV. And then there’s Hannah Rudd and Paul Mordecai at Dee’s Cards in Bedfordshire, who also took the time to rebrand their shop to ensure they appealed to the ‘shop local’ crowd. And their efforts have been rewarded - they and Sarah both made it to the finalists list in the RETA retail awards, and as we went to press, we learned that Sarah had won the Best Non-Specialist Independent Retailer North category. Turn to page 42

to discover why our retail expert Henri David believes there is a real value in entering industry awards.

I’m delighted that Greetings Today has become a member of the Greeting Cards Association (GCA).

You’ll find a report of the recent conference held in Manchester in the news pages, and we look forward to working with CEO Amanda Fergusson and president Chris Bryan as time goes on.

As Chris told me, this is an exciting time for the industry. It appears that more people than ever are endeavouring to keep in touch by sending cards.

And recent consumer market research from the GCA revealed that 80% of card buyers said they were now purchasing as many - or more - cards than they did before Covid, and the majority of them believe they will continue the same pattern going forward.

Events that encourage the public to send greeting cards are really important - and I’m looking forward to my first Festive Friday on 26 November. Do get in touch to let me know about your own events. And of course there’s a whole raft of trade shows to visit in the next couple of months - you’ll find previews for Scotland’s Trade Fair, Harrogate Christmas & Gift, Top Drawer, Paperworld and Spring Fair within the following pages. So you should find plenty of inspiration to fill your shelves going into 2022.

I hope to meet many of you at the shows, and of course you can connect with me on LinkedIn too.

I look forward to meeting/emeeting you soon!

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

38

In the News GCA CEO Amanda Fergusson (left) and Karen Wilson

Keynote speakers – L-R Amanda Fergusson; David Greaves; outgoing president Rachel Hare, Belly Button; David Robinson; Jo Bennett, Card Factory GCA president Chris Bryan, Second Nature

GCA conference heads north October’s GCA conference saw the most attendees in its history (barring its 100th anniversary event in 2019).

Leading the organisation of the event was Karen Wilson, director at Paper Salad, who told Greetings Today: “The conference was held in Manchester for the first time in its history. A lot of the attendees said they enjoyed Manchester so much they were going to bring their partners back for a weekend.’’

The venue was Bridgewater Hall, home of the Hallé Orchestra and host to the BBC Philharmonic.“We themed the event around Manchester and its music,’’ Karen explained “and we were so pleased that a lot of the speakers followed the theme too.

“It was just good to see that a conference held up north worked so well.

Many of those who came arrived the night before and we held a drinks party, which was great for networking - and we know how people love to network!’’

Karen added that she hoped the AGM could be held at other northern locations such as Leeds and Liverpool in the future.

GCA CEO Amanda Fergusson opened the conference. She spoke about how the GCA has been providing information, support and an industry voice on issues that affect its members, such as Covid, Brexit and supply chain problems. She highlighted some of the key themes for this year, including sustainability and the rise in online sales, and stressed how vital it is for the industry to be engaging the next generation of card senders.

She noted that another key area for the GCA this year has been diversity and inclusion - the organisation sponsored the new Diversity & Inclusion Henries award, and worked with supermarket giant Sainsbury’s on a project for Black History Month.

Incoming president Chris Bryan, who is general manager at Second Nature, took attendees on a whistlestop tour of the past 18 months or so, highlighting how the greeting card industry had responded so quickly to events. He said: “A senior industry figure once said to me ‘greetings cards - apart from being a way of conveying sentiment and sharing warm wishes - are actually a strong record of society at any given point in time, often reflecting changes in attitudes, key events in history and bookmarking notable figures of the time’.’’ And with cards reflecting everything from Brexit and the MeToo campaign, to lockdowns, clapping for the NHS, Captain Tom and Covid jabs, he showed just how true that is.

Chris shared the good news that the GCA’s recent consumer market research discovered that “80% of card buyers said they were now purchasing as many cards, or higher, than they were pre Covid, and the majority of those believe they will continue the same pattern going forward – with more than one in 10 intending to send more greeting cards in the future.’’

He concluded: “The British public has not lost their appreciation for the humble greeting card, if anything, they’ve rediscovered their appetite for our most wonderful way of communicating sentiment.’’

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Danilo gets green light for Squid Game The past couple of years has seen a rapid increase in viewing figures for streaming platforms such as Netflix, and the most recent show to capture the public’s imagination is Squid Game, which has become Netflix’s most-watched series to date, with more than 100 million viewers since September. It remains in the top 10 Netflix chart of shows to watch.

Danilo has worked quickly with the support of CAA-GBG and Netflix to secure licence rights for the official calendar, diary and greeting cards in order to meet the rapidly growing demand for Squid Game themed merchandise.

“We have been very lucky to have got the officially licensed calendar approved and manufactured within a few weeks, and the product is now available to buy at retailers such as Calendar Club, Amazon and HMV as well as our own Danilo.com web store,’’ said Dan Grant, licensing director, Danilo. “The show has become an overnight success and we hope that the product sales will reflect this too, and that the calendar could even become a best seller this year. We have also developed Squid Game greeting cards as well as a number of personalised items, which will launch very soon.”

Last chance to enter Gift of the Year There’s not long left to get your entries in for the largest competition in the gift and homeware world.

Gift of the Year (which includes Card & Wrap and Stationery categories) gives companies a chance to enter their products and get them seen by buyers and retailers who judge the competition, as well as raising their profile.

Previous winners have described the effect it has had on them and their businesses: “Winning Gift of the Year has been a huge help to my business. I received a lot of publicity at the time and it gave the products and myself as a designer a level of credibility and reliability that I did not have before.” Victoria Eggs, winner 2012.

“The awards have really supported us with industry-wide awareness as we’ve moved more into gifting over the years. Being recognised in a category helps us to reach new buyers.’’ Burgon & Ball, winners 2015 & 2016.

“We would definitely recommend that other businesses enter the Gift of the Year. It is a great platform for meeting new customers, raising the profile of your business and receiving the acknowledgement of the hard work that goes into producing great quality products.”

Wrendale, winner, 2016 For your chance to be one of the 22 category winners, or take home the judges’ choice or peoples’ choice crown, go to www.giftoftheyear. co.uk and enter your products now. Closing date is 30 November.

The Henries winners list Congratulations to the winners of the 2021 The Henries 2021 greeting card industry awards, presented at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London in October: The Lynn Tait Most Promising Young Designer or Artist Charlotte Mason, senior designer: Woodmansterne Publications Best Diversity and Inclusion Range Fierce & Fabulous: The Art File Best Contemporary Trend Range Hunky Dory: Paper Salad Best Art Range Artisan Days: Pigment Best Wholesale Range Shimmer: Kingfisher Cards Best Humorous Range Gin & Frolics: Rosie Made a Thing

Retailer invests in personalised products tech Love Layla, a Yorkshire-based card and gift retailer, has invested a six-figure sum in new printing technology to allow it to meet demand for personalised products.

The company has seen sales for personalised cards grow 300% over the past year. The new equipment will allow the personalisation of a wide range of products from mugs and pet bowls to cards, bar mats and Christmas sacks.

Stacey Dennis (pictured), founder of Love Layla, said: “People have embraced the ability to personalise cards, and we’ve seen some hilarious jokes over the years. Our investment in the latest printing technology means that we can continue to grow this part of the business and give our customers even more choice in creating the card and gift for every occasion.”

Love Layla recently announced it had seen sales of stationery double in the past 12 months as more people worked from home. It is on track to see stationery sales top £1m in 2021, with notebooks, pens and personalised mugs proving best sellers. It expects personalisation to account for 25% of sales in the upcoming year.

Stacey Dennis, who runs Love Layla, started her business with £30 cash by printing her designs at home after being made redundant as a graphic designer - and now has a multimillion-pound business, a production warehouse, and a franchise in Australia.

Best Children’s Range

Vent for Change shares awareness day date

Hoopla: Paper Salad Best Licensed Card Range Explore and Treasure with National Trust: Toasted Crumpet Best Traditional Words and Sentiments Range Helen Steiner Rice: UK Greetings Best Contemporary Words and Sentiments Range Senti: Emotional Rescue in collaboration with Paper Salad Best Relations and/or Occasions Range Words of Wisdom: Dandelion Stationery Best Handmade or Hand-finished Range California Dreaming: Five Dollar Shake Best Photographic Range Loose Leashes: Woodmansterne Publications Best Male Range Gin & Frolics: Rosie Made a Thing Best Christmas Counter Range Rainbow Drops: Wendy Jones-Blackett Best Christmas Box or Pack Luxury Christmas Boxed Collection: The Art File Best Cute Range Owl’s Nest: Ginger Betty Best Spring Seasons Range Rainbow Drops Valentine’s: Wendy Jones-Blackett Best Giftwrappings Range Paper Salad: Glick The Henry Cole Classic Award The Country Set: Wrendale Designs Sponsored by The Sherwood Group Best Service to the Independent Retailer Gold: IC&G Silver: Woodmansterne Publications Bronze Winner: UK Greetings Honorary Achievement Award Paul Taylor, Cardzone

Riou retires after 44 years Why Management has announced the retirement of Riou Baxter after 44 years in the greeting card industry.

For the past 16 years, Riou, who will retire on 31 December, has been a director of Why Management, a leading specialist sales consultancy within the sector, which he co-founded with Mike Broad.

Riou said: “The past 16 years, in partnership with Mike and with our clients, has been a real highlight of my working life; also the years with Accord Publications and Hanson & White. I will miss this wonderful business and the people I have come to know as good friends, but with today’s fast-changing industry I know it’s time to retire gracefully and spend some quality time with my supportive wife Laura, family and friends.’’

Mike said: “Riou will be missed, not just by me, but by all those who have worked with him. I echo his comments about the past 16 years. We have had some great times, and worked hard to enjoy significant success with our clients. However, our industry and retailing in general faces a period of significant change, I fully understand and support Riou’s decision.

Why Management Ltd will continue, and I look forward to working closely with our clients on the exciting projects we have planned.’’

Vent for Change, the sustainable stationery brand that aims to protect the planet and support children’s education projects worldwide, has announced the date for its next Share a Pencil Day. Since 2017 more than 200,000 UK primary and secondary school pupils have signed up to take part in the special event.

The UK’s largest free-to-participate global education awareness day of its sort, Share a Pencil Day teaches UK schoolchildren some of the reasons why millions of children worldwide are still missing out on the education they deserve.

Evan Lewis, founder of Vent for Change and Share a Pencil Day, said: “Extreme poverty, teenage marriage, war and conflict and natural disasters are just some of the reasons for millions of children’s education to be affected. Highlighting these issues through a soft touch interactive school day is a wonderful way for UK youngsters to engage with such an important issue”.

On the day, during specially designed classes, pupils are asked to work with their friends sharing one pencil between two, an interactive way for them to understand what it’s like to go to school without all the resources we take for granted.

www.greetingstoday.media 7

Preview

Top Drawer SPRING FAIR 2022

The inspiration station The inspiring marketplace for greetings and giftware returns for 2022 offering newness alongside much-loved favourites Spring Fair is the UK’s largest marketplace for the home, gift and fashion retail industry. As it returns for its first live event since 2020, the reaction so far from brands and buyers is resoundingly positive. Following on from the success of Autumn Fair, Spring Fair looks set to be bigger and better. With floor space almost sold out across every sector, Spring Fair at the NEC Birmingham runs from 6 to 9 February 2022.

There are four key buying destinations to get excited about - Home, Gift (incorporating

8 www.greetingstoday.co.uk

Greetings, Floral, Party and Christmas), Fashion and Design & Source – all offering a treasure trove of much-loved and established favourites as well as an array of new brands showing for the first time.

Daniel Mayhew, event director of Spring Fair says: “Visitors will discover the most inspirational and exciting brand line-up and stock-rich exhibitors, as well as the newness, cross-buying opportunities, and sustainable products that are so key to buyers and their customers now.”

Spring Fair - which also now incorporates fashion destination Moda with a dedicated Jewellery & Watch edit - is known as a nucleus for creativity, inspiration, trends, and order writing, as well as bringing the industry together, building communities, nurturing collaboration, and facilitating relationships that last.

Stand space in the Greetings sector in Hall 3 is nearly sold out. Greetings card and gift companies showcasing their new Christmas, everyday occasions and birthday collections include Ling Design, The Great British Card Co, Cardgains, Wrendale, Paper Salad, The Seed Card Company, The Art File, Rachel Ellen, Otter House, Louise Tiler, Museums and Galleries, and Noel Tatt.

GCA Debut, which showcases new brands to the market and is an integral area to source new publishers, will once again be bringing more than 15 new brands. The big trends coming through within the greetings sector are in diversity and sustainability.

The Party sector is full of new finds for every occasion. From decorations and balloons to fireworks, visitors will discover the big party players including Pioneer Qualatex, Unique Party, Gemar, I.T.I Balloons, Rubies, Gemar and Grabo balloons and partyware. Celebration suppliers include Ginger Ray, Allandra, and Hootybaloo. There’s wrapping paper and gift bags from Glick,

“We have spent many, many months researching the market, talking to our customers, listening, and learning, and feel confident that Spring Fair will deliver the best possible experience across its four days’’ Daniel Mayhew, event director, Spring Fair

“Stand space in the Greetings sector in Hall 3 is nearly sold out. Greetings card and gift companies showcasing their new Christmas, everyday occasions and birthday collections include Ling Design, The Great British Card Co, Cardgains, Wrendale, Paper Salad, The Seed Card Company, The Art File, Rachel Ellen, Otter House, Louise Tiler, Museums and Galleries, and Noel Tatt”

Eurowrap, Partisan Products, and Unique Paper, and crackers from Robin Reed, Eco Cracker Company, Glenart and Eurowrap.

Bringing the festive season to life, from small seasonal decorations to life-size Santas and show-stopping trees, Christmas will sparkle with Swift Imports, Festive Productions, Shatchi, Festive Lights Ltd (Twinkly), and Mercer Agencies, to name just a few.

The Floral sector, encompassing floral décor for every season including Christmas sees all the main players return to Spring Fair with new displays expected from FloralSilk, Treelocate, Swift Imports, CB Imports, HS Williams (Sage Décor), Lotus Imports, Florists Supplies, Sincere, and Jeno Floral.

Sustainability continues to be top of the agenda with 82% of visitors stating their interest in sustainable and ethical brands. Existing initiatives such as the Sustainability Trail continue to highlight and champion sustainable brands. Finally, the Inspiring Retail Stage takes on the theme of empowering change and will feature inspiring and innovative retailers who are changing their business with a positive impact.

For further information please visit www.springfair.com.

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Advertorial

OKI NW Europe

Better together:

How in-house printing technology empowers independent wedding stationers to cater for the big day

By Michelle Joseph, Marketing Communications Manager, OKI NW Europe From save-the-date cards and seating charts to envelopes and invitations, personalised wedding stationery is an important element of every couple’s big day. For small independent wedding stationers and card providers this means there is a great deal of pressure to deliver the highest-quality, stunning artwork that will add a special sprinkle of joy to the festivities.

More often than not, however, independent stationers are reliant on third-party printing suppliers to deliver larger runs, creasing and guillotining to meet the couple’s unique finishing requirements.

The need to outsource services in today’s world of logistical and supply chain disruptions can significantly impact the turnaround time on tight deadlines and, as a result, the ability to add value to the most important day in their customers’ lives.

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“It is, therefore, time to empower small wedding stationers and bespoke greeting card providers to take back control of the whole creative process and operations with a true breakthrough in printing technology”

It is, therefore, time to empower small wedding stationers and bespoke greeting card providers to take back control of the whole creative process and operations with a true breakthrough in printing technology. Especially designed to help independent creatives bring printing, creasing and guillotining in-house, the full package of OKI’s Pro9000 Series gives complete flexibility to deliver wedding stationery excellence, every time.

On-demand personalisation No two weddings are ever the same so the ability to deliver oneof-a-kind personalised stationery is important to attract engaged couples and stand out among larger, well-established rivals. From intricate designs and colour saturation to the shape and lamination, there are plenty of stationery elements that the bridal party wants to customise

to match their wedding theme, without any compromise.

With OKI’s Pro9000 Series, small stationery providers gain the ability to personalise and print short runs of high-quality items, benefiting from the popular trend and turning it into profit. Whether the wedding is an intimate celebration or a big event, OKI’s wedding package guarantees media-handling flexibility like no other printing technology to deliver exactly what the happy couple envisioned for the big day.

Maximise profitability Historically, smaller card and stationery providers have struggled with making personalisation and short run printing profitable. However, the innovations of OKI’s Pro9000 Series technology now allow for smaller orders to be delivered cost efficiently, driving up basket value, customer satisfaction and advocacy.

The Pro9000 Series brings significant cost savings from the start against comparative printers, all while improving energy efficiency.

The combination of a highly competitive capital cost and ultrahighcapacity toner cartridges provides a considerably reduced total cost of ownership, essential where quality is of the utmost importance. There is also the added bonus of further savings because there is no specialist training or set-up cost required.

With high print speeds of up to 50ppm, wedding stationers and card providers can cater to a larger number of customers, including those lastminute, spontaneous wedding parties.

The perfect partnership of on-demand inhouse printing, creasing and guillotining can increase margins while growing their business through new service offerings.

Wow with the classic whites and colour With weddings usually being associated with the colour white, you must be able to print solid, crisp whites on a range of backgrounds and media. The Pro9000 Series is built using OKI’s award-winning digital LED technology, which produces the sharpest and most vibrant print output available with CMYK and CMYK+1. The Pro9541dn printer provides a unique opportunity to print solid or spot white

and clear gloss, creating an instant visual impact. On the other hand, the Pro9542dn printer is perfect for high density white on coloured and transparent media, harnessing the power to print the whitest whites.

Unlock your creativity and make the most elegant wedding stationery that will never go unnoticed by guests.

T. 01784 274300 Web: www.oki.com/uk/printing

Pushing the boundaries with pioneering technology

Not only can small independent wedding stationers now overcome their outsourcing and delivery challenges but they can also broaden their service portfolios with on-demand, short-run personalised printing. Taking full control of their offering and operations, independents can give their business a competitive edge and delight more happy couples with unique stationery for their most important celebration.

OKI’s Pro9000 Series improves cost-efficiency from the start, maximising profitability of every beautifully designed order. No longer will any customers have to be turned away or kept waiting until more orders are placed to balance the costs. Offering print quality that is brilliant by design, the Pro9000 Series provides the opportunity to create stunning graphics and unparalleled finish quality. From vibrant colours to the crispest whites, wedding stationery will wow with depth and definition, helping independents meet their client’s high expectations and encourage repeat custom.

www.greetingstoday.media 11

Preview

Top DDRAWER TOP rawer

On top of the world

Top Drawer welcomes trade visitors back to Olympia, London from 16-18 January to see the best from design-led brands Each season Top Drawer welcomes a community of creative buyers through the doors of Olympia, London to source the newest products from design-led lifestyle brands from around the globe.

This January is no different, as you can find new collections from the likes of Alljoy Design, Belly Button Designs, Cath Tate Cards, Crispin Finn, Dandelion Stationery, East End Prints, English Graphics, Joy Jen Studio, Kinshipped, Ohh Deer, Ola, Pavilon,

Raspberry Blossom and The Art File to mention just a few.

Alongside established brands there is a handpicked selection of up-andcoming names that you may not have seen elsewhere; and that are sure to inject something refreshing into your edit. These names include Sister Paper Co., Wildflower Cards, Portland Paper Company, The Grey Earl, Fanny’s Your Aunt, Coffeenotes, Harriet Watson and Visual Happiness. The full lineup of brands can be found at www.topdrawer.co.uk/s-s-2-2edition-exhibiting-brands.

With a focus on the freshest design in the market, Top Drawer welcomes a mix of styles from bright slogan prints and bold graphic shapes to more refined illustrations. There is a design, print and pattern to suit all tastes and buying needs.

Top Drawer enables you to browse thousands of products under one curated roof. This, combined with industry insight from keynote speakers from across the industry, plus interactive demos from designer makers and much more, means a visit to Top Drawer this January is sure to inspire you for the season ahead.

RetailFest returns for another season and the line-up is full of inspiring brand owners, industry favourites and experts from the social media and marketing worlds.

The programme is yet to be announced but visit www. topdrawer.co.uk to see who you can hear from across the threeday show.

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PaperAwards celebrate design and creativity Designed to showcase the very best in greetings and stationery, Top Drawer welcomes back the PaperAwards for the S/S22 edition. Celebrating design and creativity, the PaperAwards champion the most innovative designs across four categories: Engaging Print, Exciting Use of Colour, Emotive Design, and Best Stationery Design. Judged by a line-up of prestigious names, all winning designs and runners-up will be showcased on-site at Top Drawer.

Once the shortlist is announced you are invited to cast your vote to decide on the winners: more information on this can be found at www.topdrawer. co.uk/paperawards-applications-2022.

EFIN ING TRENDS

BREAKING B O U N

E I S R , A D D

S/S 16-18 January 2022 topdrawer.co.uk

Olympia, London

Phow S review Preview

Top Drawer PAPERWORLD 2022

A focus on sustainability Paperworld 2022 shines the spotlight on eco issues, and brings the latest trends and digital networking to the fore Paperworld is the international trade fair for stationery, office supplies and writing instruments, held in Frankfurt, from 29 January until 1 February 2022.

Sustainability is becoming a key focus across industries, and has played an important role at Paperworld for years. With the introduction of the Special Interest Sustainability, the 2022 show will focus even more specifically on sustainabilityoriented exhibitors and their products.

“Customers increasingly prefer durable products and stationery articles produced in an environmentally friendly way,’’ says Eva Olbrich, director of Paperworld, Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH. Visitors will be able to look out for the sustainability marking on the awardwinning stands and find suppliers who are doing remarkable things in the field. All sustainability-oriented exhibitors are also highlighted online, so that trade buyers can easily filter their searches.

Visitors will also find topics relating to sustainability integrated into the supporting programme, with presentations on eco-fair purchasing and environmentally friendly solutions for the modern office, along with lectures on environmentally conscious purchasing.

New ideas The first port of call for the latest innovations is Paperworld Trends, in Hall 3.1. Here, three trend worlds for the coming season will be presented, combining modern working with hip lifestyle trends.

On behalf of Messe Frankfurt, the designers of the bora.herke.palmisano style

agency are taking trends from fashion, architecture and art and adapting them to the world of stationery products.

Also in Hall 3.1 is the BMWi area, where young start-ups present fresh ideas and unconventional products under the motto Innovation made in Germany - a great place to learn about forward-looking product ideas.

The Association of Greeting Card Manufacturers and Publishers will again have its own area for its member companies in Hall 3.1 in 2022 - the exhibition for the Golden Greeting Card competition will also be located there.

Trends

“Customers increasingly prefer durable products and stationery articles produced in an environmentally friendly way’’

Each year Christmasworld and Paperworld present the latest trends.

This year the motto of the shows is Facing Forward.

Three trends provide inspiration for the trade, and this year a new feature is Eva Olbrich, director a broader colour spectrum per trend of Paperworld, Messe - for even easier colour combinations Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH. in the presentation of goods. The trends are: Hearted & Minimal.This style combines the cosy with the minimalist.

Mystic & Originate. This enigmatic and nature-loving style combines reality and imagination.

Local & Vital. The aim is to promote cheerfulness and creativity as well as to create a sense of commitment and closeness to the places we love.

Going digital An online platform for Paperworld will increase the international reach for exhibiting companies and trade visitors and promote new contacts, networking opportunities and knowledge transfer.

14 www.greetingstoday.co.uk

Digital exchange via chat or video is already possible one week before and two weeks after the event, so that highlights can be experienced by visitors who are not able to travel to the fair. The videos will be made available afterwards on the Conzoom Solutions knowledge platform.

Tickets Only online tickets can be purchased all are personalised and only valid for a specific date. You will also need to show a Covid vaccination certificate, convalescent certificate or valid test certificate, plus photo ID. Tickets are available at paperworld.messefrankfurt.com/tickets.

Did you know?

Creativeworld has been running the Kreativ hilft fund-raising campaign for many years. Exhibiting companies are asked to donate their creative products to Frankfurt children’s and youth facilities for a good cause after the trade show. More than 3,000 Frankfurt children and young people benefit from these donations every year.

EN

LET’S GET BACK TOGETHER! The industry is meeting up again live and in person – here you’ll find a wealth of inspiration for tomorrow’s business.

The visionary office. The stationery trends.

BOOK YOUR TICKET NOW: paperworld.messefrankfurt.com An array of new digital features – including informative live streams and networking with business partners – help ensure a successful start to the new season. info@uk.messefrankfurt.com Tel. +44 (0) 14 83 48 39 84

DU: 09.11.2021

FRANKFURT / MAIN

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29. 1. – 1. 2. 2022

Preview

Top Drawer TRADE SHOW NEWS

British Craft Trade Fair returns for birthday celebration The British Craft Trade Fair (BCTF) is set to return to Harrogate in April 2022, as it celebrates its 45th birthday Planning for BCTF is in full swing as the new owner, Kerrison Exhibitions, invests in the show’s return to the Yorkshire Event Centre (YEC) for the first time since 2019, for what is set to be its biggest show yet.

Taking place from 10 to 12 April 2022, the fair will welcome thousands of trade buyers looking for the latest collections for their stores from more than 300 carefully vetted designer makers showcasing the very best of British handmade craft and giftware.

Uptake for the show has been strong, with spaces in both the Newcomers Gallery and Post Newcomers Gallery being limited due to high demand.

Makers participating in the show can also take advantage of additional benefits such as inclusion in the online trade catalogue; online mentoring sessions to help prepare them for the show; and access to newcomers’ guides and help audios.

Matt Miller, owner of Kerrison Exhibitions, said: “BCTF has a fantastic following of thousands of UK buyers and galleries already, and we’ll be supplementing direct mail and email invitations to these regular visitors with promotional campaigns on social media and across all key press titles. We’re committed to making BCTF 2022 a great success for all our designer makers.”

*Noted opens for exhibitors “All-in-one tactile boutique setting to meet buyers and celebrate creativity’’

This event will take place (along with SF NOW) at the Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, located between Aquatic Park and Marine Green, in San Francisco, California, on 28 and 29 April, 2022. *Noted has quickly become the event for the greeting card community, including makers, retailers, and sales reps,” said GCA (Greeting Card Association) president George White. “NY NOW has a well-earned reputation for providing a curated selection of specialty gift suppliers that gift retailers need to attend each year to stay on trend.

“A co-located *NOTED/SF NOW show will bring the best of greeting card, gift, and lifestyle makers into one hall, providing a unique, must-attend solution for retailers of all sizes seeking the best offerings for their customers. “*Noted co-located with SF NOW will offer brands, makers, and artisans an all-in-one tactile boutique setting to meet buyers, celebrate creativity, and tell their stories. The event will be a prime opportunity to see what’s trending, show what’s new, and take orders in a location convenient for West Coast retailers and designers.’’

Find out more at www.greetingcard.org/noted.

16 www.greetingstoday.co.uk

Scotland’s Trade Fair Spring returns “Emerging producers will showcase their products to the ‘Nessies’ – well respected retailers - in the style of the BBC’s Dragon’s Den’’ Scotland’s Trade Fair returns to the SEC, Glasgow, from 23-25 January 2022 and is looking forward to bringing suppliers and buyers back together. As the only trade gift Show in Scotland with a wide range of card, stationery and book exhibitors, it is not to be missed.

Around 500 exhibitors will showcase their products across the gift, craft, homeware, jewellery and textiles sectors. With about 50 card, stationery and book producers, this show should offer something for most retailers.

Be inspired with new products from the Launch Gallery with young, companies (less than two years old) such as By Anna, Edinburgh Illustrations, Scribe & Grow, Silver Animal Art and St Mango.

Newcomers to the show in the greetings category include Catherine Kleeli Cards and Prints, and Wishstrings. These complement established exhibitors such as Pink Pig, Lomond Books, Cardology, F&B Cards, Hole in my Pocket, Emma Ball, Pigment and The Grey Earl.

The show’s Talking Shop zone will provide visitors with insight into topics such as targeting influencers, social media, doing your own PR, customer buying habits, retail trends and attracting back tourists. There will also be a range of informal talks, panel discussions and workshops.

Nessie’s Den is also returning. Here, emerging producers will showcase their products to the ‘Nessies’ - well respected retailers - in the style of the BBC’s Dragon’s Den in an entertaining and exciting session.

Best Product Awards will be judged on the opening day with the resulting winners’ products on display in the centre of the show.

EcoBags is the official supplier of carrier bags to Scotland’s Trade Fair and is providing bags made from recycled plastic bottles, which are themselves recyclable.

Mark Saunders, Scotland’s Trade Fair show director, added: “We are excited that Scotland’s Trade Fair Spring is back as it is the place where many new products are unveiled and 2022 ranges will be launched, orders are placed and friendships made and sealed. The card and stationery sector held up well during the pandemic and it’s exciting to see so many new designs emerging which will appeal to all types of retailers.”

• Springboard Events, organisers of Scotland’s Trade Fairs, has just appointed a new sales manager. Jak Kelly-O’Donnell will manage the sales and bookings for the 500-plus exhibitors who are taking stands at this show.

With a background in exhibition sales, most notably eight years in sales for The Wedding Show at the SEC, Jak brings a wealth of experience in selling stands and organising shows. She has also worked on the Baby Show and is well versed in events at the SEC in Glasgow.

Focus on

Netherton’s

Coastal dreams Nikki Warren talks to Greetings Today about Netherton’s, the Cornwall-based company that supports a host of UK artists Tell us the background of Netherton’s.

Netherton’s was established in 2010 in the heart of Cornwall by Robin and Shirley Netherton - Robin a keen photographer, and Shirley, an artist in her own right (their cards are, of course, available on the website). Starting with a handful of customers, we now have hundreds of retailers across the UK on our books. I came on board in 2018 and was given the wonderful opportunity of taking over the business when Robin and Shirley retired in 2020.

It is clear you are proud of being a British company...

All our artists are based in the UK, which is a great selling point for retailers. Since the arrival of Covid, people have changed how they live, work and shop. Everything is more localised, with people supporting local businesses and a clear commitment to buy British where possible.

We love the fact that we can help to support these fantastic artists.

Tell us about your commitment to the environment.

As we are situated in Cornwall, where the focus on maintaining and protecting our rugged coastline and beautiful sandy beaches is always top of the agenda. It’s a constant reminder to ensure Netherton’s is doing its very best to uphold our part of the bargain. All our card stock is responsibly sourced, our cello packaging is biodegradable, and all cards have a ‘naked’ (no cello) option. We are constantly striving towards a greener future without compromising the quality of our services and the needs of our customers.

How has the past 18 months or so been for you - and have you adapted any of your products because of our unusual circumstances?

My husband and I took over Netherton’s just as lockdown came into force. Being predominantly a wholesaler, all of our customers being closed for the foreseeable future was a grim prospect. We focused hard on our online retail presence and getting our name out there, and the response was excellent. Out the other side, our priority is doing what we can to help our customers get back on their feet and stay that way.

What about new ranges?

We released our newest artist, Carolyn Tyrer, back in July. Her bright, fun and bold take on village scenes and the wildness of her coastal images translate fantastically into greeting cards. They also cater well to the male recipient in a largely female market.

2022 will see two new artists join us, and there will be new images from existing artist

Diane Demirci.

How many ranges do you offer?

We currently play host to 17 artists across our Netherton’s and Netherton’s Christian cards ranges, each with their own unique style. All are available to purchase online.

What are your best-selling ranges?

We are lucky that all our artists sell very well, but our strongest sellers are Jo Grundy, Diane

“We love the fact that we can help to support these fantastic artists’’

Demirci and Shirley Netherton. These three lovely ladies have very different styles, ranging from Jo’s cheerful cottage style scenes, to Diane’s more pastel countrysides, and Shirley’s bright and bold ‘naive art’ depicting Cornwall at its most vivid.

Tell us a little about some of your artists.

Our artists are a mix of art and photographic, each different but incredibly talented; people bringing their individual personalities to Netherton’s.

The more whimsical George Gale and Maria Moss, the magic of Angie Livingstone, the bright florals of Amanda Dagg to the thought-provoking and emotive Paul Burgess. There is certainly something for everyone.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Being a small, family-run business affords us the luxury of providing personal, one-on-one customer service across the board. We very much enjoy talking with customers, finding out about them, and their wants/needs, and genuinely welcome any feedback they have to give. It is always a pleasure.

Our art cards are 150 x 150mm or 107 x 217mm (panoramic). Our Christian cards are a mix of 150 x 150mm and 120 x 170mm, biodegradable cello wrapped or ‘naked’. All our cards are printed in the UK and on FSC board and are sold in packs of six.

01872 496078 info@nethertons.com www.nethertons.com/wholesale www.greetingstoday.media 17

Cover Story

Museums & Galleries

Museums & Galleries was born in the 1980s, bringing the best of the world’s museums to the high street. Its portfolio has expanded to include old masters, contemporary art - and even modern fashion design Museums & Galleries Ltd (M&G) launched in the 1980s with the aim of bringing the gems of the world’s museums to beautifully made and produced cards and stationery for the high street.

It remains true to this mission today, but over the years the company has expanded both its product portfolio and the variety of art it publishes, so today has an outstanding retail offer covering a wide spectrum from heritage fine art to contemporary fashion design, old masters to contemporary artists and illustrators, anonymous archival discoveries to the most prestigious of fine art museum brands.

The company’s core collection of

“Strongly individual artists with powerful stories to tell and strong commercial appeal are given their own personal ranges”

greetings cards branded ‘Classics’ is a heady mix of styles curated from a variety of sources. Every image is chosen for its quality and timeless style.

The range is infinitely adaptable to the changing consumer moods, and M&G carefully balances some endearingly quirky designs against classics by the likes of Monet, Van Gogh, and LS Lowry.

Asian art is a striking trend here, as well as cards aimed at masculine interests. Animals, florals and landscapes are hugely popular. ‘Classics’ comes in a square format as well as a traditional rectangular format, all blank for the sender’s own message.

The next own-brand the company developed was ‘The Illustrators’; all

Did you know?

Museums and Galleries has worked with renowned institutions including the V&A, the British Library, the British Museum, Natural History Museum, BBC Earth and Transport for London.

18 www.greetingstoday.media

square cards printed on textured board and originally featuring classic illustration from children’s books. Over time this range has blossomed into a showcase for iconic, slightly nostalgic, British character illustration – Peggy Fortnum’s classic Paddington Bear illustrations; Quentin Blake’s work for Roald Dahl’s books; Judith Kerr’s ‘The Tiger Who Came To Tea’ illustrations, Anita Jeram’s illustrations to ‘Guess How Much I Love You’, among others. New this year are Jill Barklem’s gloriously detailed and much- loved ‘Brambly Hedge’ illustrations.

M&G has continued to innovate with new own-brand ranges, and in recent years has launched two contemporary art strands, which have quickly established themselves as retailer favourites: ‘Mezzanine’ and ‘Art of Print’. ‘Art of Print’ is a collection of contemporary printmaking across all disciplines, printed on textured board and rectangular in format. Wildlife and especially birds are very strong in this range, but landscapes also feature.

‘Mezzanine’ focuses on bright, bold

and refreshing modern art sourced fresh from contemporary galleries, agencies, and direct from artists. Printed on highquality textured art board, all the cards are square with white borders.

Strongly individual artists with powerful stories to tell and strong commercial appeal are given their own personal ranges: from Alison Fennel’s charming animal watercolours (‘Alison’s Ark’) to veteran illustrator Lucy Grossmith’s atmospheric, lushly coloured and finely detailed ‘Coast and Country’, M&G aims to feature each individual artist’s unique strengths. Developed over the past couple of years have been new ranges showcasing the strikingly unique style of Liberty Prize-winning designer Catherine Rowe and Helen Ahpornsiri’s jaw-droppingly intricate wildflower collages (‘Wild Press’).

While all the above is richly diverse in itself, M&G today is possibly best known for its prestigious branded ranges – starting with the national collections based in London. In one way or another, M&G has worked with both the V&A and the British Library since its inception as a publisher, and today both museums have licensed branded card, stationery and gift collections in M&G’s portfolio.

The V&A is the world’s leading museum of art, design and performance, and M&G’s V&A greeting cards offer the ultimate range of decorative art and

“M&G launched star designer Matthew Williamson’s first dazzling stationery collection five years ago”

design. Drawing from wallpaper patterns, textiles and exquisite laquerwork, the collection comes in multiple formats, including a luxury range featuring gold-foil stamp detail and embossing.

The British Museum offers a world of striking imagery, which M&G publishes on gift packaging, stationery, journals and gifts. M&G’s Tate range explores this world-famous gallery’s collection of British art from the 16th century to the present and of international modern and contemporary art.

M&G’s art studio collaborated with the Natural History Museum to develop a design-led and inspired NHM range, and M&G has also published imagery from BBC Earth, and Transport for London’s classic posters.

An important and growing interest is in fashion design – M&G launched star designer Matthew Williamson’s first dazzling stationery collection five years ago, and this hugely successful range has been joined by collections by such luminaries as Zandra Rhodes, Cressida Bell, and, launching this year, Sarah Campbell. Each designer has their own utterly distinctive style and approach which M&G translates with sensitivity and aplomb to cards and stationery products.

T: 01373 462165 | E: sales@mgml.co.uk | wwwmuseumsgalleries.co.uk www.greetingstoday.media 19

Popping with colour Cinnamon Aitch has produced a range of Spring designs for 2022 that have seamlessly evolved from its bestselling range, ‘Margo’.

Popping with colour and pattern, the beautiful illustrations are all printed on heavyweight 350g FSC board, supplied with a punchy FSC envelope and wrapped in a recyclable cello. Designs are available for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Easter, and are all 140mm square. A selection of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day designs have also been translated into designs for the company’s handmade eco soaps, providing a perfect accompanying gift. All cards and gifts are made entirely in the UK.

Tel: 0121 773 6833 Email: hello@cinnamonaitch.co.uk Web: www.cinnamonaitch.co.uk

spotlight

A selection of the latest greetings, and gifts ready to adorn your shelves

Mug shots Bold and bright This exciting new collaboration is based on exclusive designs from Bold & Bright’s Jeffrey & Janice brand featuring across everyday and occasions greeting cards, mugs, coasters, notebooks, bookmarks and a calendar.

The range is being produced under a licensing agreement with Thea Musselwhite, founder of Bold & Bright, and has a slightly different look to the publisher’s own greeting card collection, which Thea will continue to sell.

Mark Williams, co-owner of the company, said: “We have always loved the range and felt it would be a great addition to our product offering.’’

The collaboration with Thea joins Brainbox’s other successful partnerships with David Shrigley and Modern Toss.

Tel: 01702 716643 Web: www.brainboxcandytrade.com 20 www.greetingstoday.co.uk

Mclaggan has introduced a new range from award-winning greetings brand Dandelion Stationery. Featuring designs to appeal to both men and women, the range comprises eight screen-printed bone china mugs.

Stuart Williams, Mclaggan marketing manager, said: “Dandelion’s fun and quirky greetings cards first caught our eye at Harrogate Home & Gift in July and we knew instantly we had to work with them on a range of mugs. Bright, colourful and humorous, we hope customers love them as much as we do. They launched at the autumn trade shows and feedback has been brilliant so far!”

Tel: 01389 755655 Email: stuart@msmugs.com

Stuff for chaps...

Gifts for men are difficult to find but Joe Davies has this covered with its new exciting Chaps Stuff collection. This tongue-in-cheek range features graphic humour with a pop of bright colour that will appeal perfectly to all dads, grandads and superheroes on Father’s Day. Exceptional quality water bottles that are double-walled keep drinks cold for 24 hours; travel mugs are also double-walled, keeping drinks hot for 12 hours. Beer glass and coaster sets and hip flasks make up this stylish range, which has something to offer for men of all tastes.

Tel: 0161 975 6300 Web: www.joedavies.co.uk

Illustrating iconic Culture PresentingT.Crowe’s catalogue of colourful greetings cards. A brand dedicated to putting a graphic spin on music, film and sport culture, and offering a card for everybody, from your football-crazed brother who’s a Man Utd fanatic, to the cousin who’s obsessed with Harry Styles and your son who is a bitcoin connoisseur…whatever that means!

Beginning as a wall art brand in 2016, T.Crowe has focused on making its footprint in the independent e-com game and now is ready to hit the shelves. The launch of the greetings card collection and the company’s appearance at the London Stationery Show this September has given it the confidence to believe that this brand is set to make big waves in 2022.

Seeds save bees

Tel: 07554530601 Email: contact@tcrowe.co.uk Web: tcrowe.co.uk

Save the Bees! Love Country has extended its plantable seed card range following overwhelming demand for this collection. The seed cards can be planted in the spring to support bees and wildlife.

With 10p going towards the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, this is a product that offers a green solution to paper waste, with the entire packaging being 100% compostable and the added fun of being able to plant the card and watch flowers grow from it.

The range now features 20 designs, 10 of which are new winter illustrations, making them a popular choice as Christmas cards.

A free display stand is offered on first initial orders of 120 cards. Each card is printed on quality 225gsm and competitively priced.

Tel: 01502 507352 Web: www.lovecountrybysarahreilly.co.uk/trade www.greetingstoday.co.uk 21

Preview

Top Drawer CHRISTMAS & GIFT HARROGATE

Christmas is coming – in January!

Planning for the 2022 festive season?

Harrogate Christmas & Gift is a must in every retailer’s diary The festive industry is gearing up for Harrogate Christmas & Gift, its most important trade event of the year, from 16-19 January 2022 at the Harrogate Convention Centre.

Seeing, feeling and often smelling gifttype products first-hand is imperative for gauging how consumers will react to stock on the shelves – and this is the first opportunity for many industry buyers to do this in over two years.

As well as numerous favourite festive brands attending, the 2022 show welcomes some new names to the table, including one of the UK’s leading textile suppliers, Portfolio Home. This company is ready to bring its range of festive throws, cushions, bed linen and more to Harrogate for the very first time in its 50-year history.

Paul Callan, managing director, says: “We’re really looking forward to Harrogate Christmas & Gift Fair. We have a wide range of products to showcase retailers, which includes Christmas-specific products but also autumnal and year-round products for increased sales. It will be wonderful to be out and about again, mixing, networking and connecting with so many buyers.”

Portfolio Home will be showcasing a range of goods that add additional basket-value for retailers - all geared towards

22 www.greetingstoday.co.uk

the ‘golden quarter’ of retail Christmas sales where traditionally, demand is high. The products on display feature familiar faces for Christmas such as Santa Claus, Rudolf, gingerbread men but also some new trends such as Gonks and Snowy Penguins.

Other new names for 2022 include Arora Design with distinctly different giftware designed and created in the UK by talented British artists; Gibson Plus with a range of signs, badges and decorations; Wikholmform – one of Scandinavia’s leading wholesalers to florist and interior design stores; and The English Soap Company with finely fragranced gift sets and gift boxes.

Visitors and buyers really will be spoiled for choice at the show, with many returning exhibitors launching interesting new product ranges designed to lure consumers in-store. One such company is importer of artificial flowers, potted arrangements, trees and Christmas decorations for over 30 years – Florelle. The company has worked hard to bring fresh ideas and value for money to the show, which the team believes is more important now than ever before. It will be showing its new range of flower bunches, focusing firmly on price points and a Christmas 2022

display of wreaths, garlands and Christmas flowers. In addition, its burgeoning autumn range for September has been extended.

If you haven’t already done so, don’t forget to register to attend (it’s free!) at www.harrogatefair.com. In doing so you will receive regular show newsletters with information about new products and special offers.

Manufacturers and suppliers who would like to participate in this trade event, can book online or contact Simon Anslow at simon@harrogatefair.com.

Full exhibitors list at www.harrogatefair.com

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Ward’s Words GIFTWARE ASSOCIATION CEO SARAH WARD

Sarah Ward chats to Julie Driscoll on The Inspiring Retail Stage at Autumn Fair

Sarah Ward and new Giftware Association head of membership Victoria Louise

PR & Marketing Manager Chris Workman taking The Gift Stop on the road at The London Stationery Show

Trade shows are finally back in business!

With trade show season back to a new normal, Giftware Association CEO Sarah Ward reports on very positive experiences from exhibitors and buyers alike - as well as a noticeable move towards sustainability during her time visiting recent events Here at The Giftware Association “Trade shows we have experienced a very have never felt successful trade show season over the past few months, where as connected to we saw trade show organisers stepping up to the mark to open their audience their doors to exhibitors and with the launch of buyers to really kickstart our industry back into business.

24/7 marketplaces We have thoroughly enjoyed visiting all the shows - starting off connecting at Harrogate Home & Gift, then exhibitors with Autumn Fair and The Scotland Show, through to Top Drawer and finally The London Stationery Show the audience at the start of October. that matters It was great to meet members most - buyers and face to face after so much time apart, and to talk to them about retailers” their trials and tribulations over the past year and a half, and also to hear their success stories from being back out there exhibiting again, as some reported to us that they have had some of their best shows ever.

It was equally as encouraging to hear

how a lot of brands have pivoted during lockdown and proven that we belong to a very resilient and creative industry that is open to change and quick to adapt with creative solutions.

It was also great to catch up with trade show organisers to see where they have also diversified and created a safe space for visitors, launching partner apps and digital offerings so that visitors, or exhibitors, can catch seminars which they might not previously have been able to attend.

Trade Shows have also never felt as connected to their audience with the launch of 24/7 marketplaces connecting exhibitors with the audience that matters most - buyers and retailers.

What was physically noticeable around the shows were the wider aisles and the spacing out of exhibitors, which allowed the shows to breathe more. Buyers and retailers that we spoke to said they had a more natural shopping experience with smaller brands allowed to breathe and be discovered rather than hidden away. Credit also goes to the show organisers for the

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

24 www.greetingstoday.media

edit of the events and how well they have pieced together the different categories in our industry to make it a far more natural shopping experience.

Another difference we noted - from exhibitors’ products to show organisers - was the increased presence of sustainability, which is something we have talked about a lot in our seminars as well as at The Gift Stop.

For example, at The London Stationery show in October a lot of the products available had some level of sustainability - either being recycled or having minimal packaging. But sustainability was also present in elements of the show such as the seating in the seminar areas, which was made from recycled cardboard, and the cardboard bins dotted round the show.

We know from speaking to organisers that they are taking big steps to ensure shows are environmentally friendly and have less impact both on the local environment and the environment as a whole. And we look forward to what shows have to offer us in the future.

As we find ourselves in the last quarter of the year and peak season with Black Friday and Christmas, our industry has some hurdles to overcome, such as the shipping crisis and the impacts of Brexit.

We hope we can impart some useful knowledge at our upcoming webinars and informal chat sessions.

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Aneak S utumn Peaks Fair 2022

New year, new ranges Joe Davies We round up some of the new offerings you can look forward to stocking towards the beginning of 2022

Wendy JonesBlackett

Gelato is the new card range from Wendy JonesBlackett - think ice cream colours and sorbet hues for a delicious collection of tempting new designs. Each card features a carefully illustrated pattern, embossed and foiled using the cold foiling technique for a curated array of beautiful shiny colours. The mouth-watering new cards feature penguins, cheetahs, hummingbirds, gin, beer, dalmatians, dinosaurs, cakes, gifts, pastel balloons and interwoven floral patterns, each with special text embossed onto a ‘calling card’ shape, which nestles within the design.

There are 58 designs in the Gelato range encompassing Birthdays, Relation Birthdays, Occasions, Weddings, Baby and Milestone Ages. Cards are 155x155mm and come with a scrumptious textured envelope the shade of pale vanilla ice-cream.

Also new are 72 hot-foiled, handmade, letterpressed Quicksilver titles - a total range refresh with all-new fonts, imagery and ideas, from hot JamesBond-alike tuxedos to bright champagne flutes; delicate leaves and cupcakes to cut-glass whiskey tumblers and bottled beers. Cards are 130x130mm with magnolia-coloured board and envelopes from paper manufactured in the Lake District.

T: 0113 2888468 E: info@wendyjonesblackett.co.uk 26 www.greetingstoday.co.uk

Thoughtful Words is a beautiful range of ceramic sentiment gifts and is one of the company’s best-selling collections. New items have been added such as money boxes, oil burners for oils or wax melts, house-shaped tea light holders, trinket boxes and trays.

The simple and classic cream colour and metallic gold and black design along with heartfelt messages for friends, family, Mum and so on make this the perfect collection to display in store as well as being the ideal gift for family and friends.

The popular Equilibrium Sentiment Collection from Joe Davies never fails to disappoint. This stylish range of necklaces, bracelets and bangles features heartfelt messages and provides the perfect way to express our feelings to those who matter most.

Specific sentiments for Mum, Nan, Sister, Daughter and Granddaughter are also available and make ideal Christmas stocking fillers. This pretty collection is plated with real silver, rose gold and gold and comes complete with luxury Equilibrium branded packaging.

Joe Davies offers its signature ‘little and often’ ordering system with a low minimum order value of £100 for free nationwide delivery.

T: 0161 975 6300 W: www. joedavies.co.uk

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F Peature review

S Peaks Aneak utumn Fair 2022

Jonny Javelin Jonny Javelin has made some additions to ‘Twingles’, its established fun juvenile range. The latest additions include Age Cards for Son and Daughter, ages one to 10. The Granddaughter and Grandson versions were introduced at the beginning of the year and proved popular - hence the request to expand into the Son and Daughter lines. Bright, colourful and fun, with all the young topics… oh to be young again!

The next extension is in the Signature range, with Male Age Birthday cards to mirror the Female versions that came out earlier in the year. There are 24 titles in total in a slim 9x5 format, with plenty of additional finishes as ever.

Finally there’s a series of new Velvet code 75 titles in main relations and relation ages. Velvet is Jonny Javelin’s mainstay range in the traditional marketplace. The cards feature longer verses and the finishes and the quality make this a standout range. Look out for 38 new captions in January.

T: 01423 563740 W: www.jonnyjavelin.co.uk

The Art File The Art File regularly takes inspiration from the animal kingdom in its designs.

The ‘Natural History’ collection consists of detailed animal illustrations each set within a contemporary background, making the collection feel modern compared with more traditional ranges. Ben Rothery is one of the most talented illustrators and these are seriously beautiful greeting cards. The squirrel, a popular design for the range, took Ben more than 30 hours to draw!

Stuart Cox’s desire to combine his love of nature with a love for design is reflected perfectly in the striking I Like Birds card collection. The simple yet beautiful bold graphics and use of a strong colour palette give these cards a real presence. I like Birds captures the mannerisms of the birds effortlessly, resulting in a clever collection full of personality and fun.

New for this year, Book & Botanics is a new collection of 20 designs that celebrate British plants and wildlife. Each design has been drawn and painted by in-house designer Lucie with extraordinary detail, and reflects the growing awareness and appreciation of all things natural. Lucie says: “I was inspired to create this range when I found myself out in nature in the summer and had a peaceful day drawing in my sketchbook the flowers and animals that I came

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across.” The vintage style of this collection is a big current trend; these cards are reminiscent of museum posters or etymology wall décor from the past.

Everything comes back into fashion eventually, and right now it’s the turn of vintage botanicals!

Diversity cards

The Art File won the very first Henry Award for the Best Diversity and Inclusion Range for its new collection Fierce & Fabulous.

This collection is aimed at celebrating diversity and all-round female empowerment. Taking influences from the current trend of bohemian and minimal aesthetics, combined with inspirations from colour blocking and modern art, Fierce & Fabulous has a truly contemporary feel. The cards are tied up in a warm and inviting colour palette, the perfect send for any time of year. Fierce & Fabulous comprises 16 designs and is finished with debossed lines and hot foils.

The collection also captures a broad spectrum of ethnic and cultural diversity.

Beth, the in-house designer who created this collection, wanted to encapsulate positivity and evoke a smile. She says: “It’s all about embracing imperfection, owning our identities, and celebrating diversity and what it means to be female in today’s society.” Celebrating diversity and positivity, fiercely and fabulously!

T: 0115 850 7490 W: www.theartfile.com

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Feature

Sneak Peaks 2022

Love Country Suffolk artist Sarah Reilly brings her characters to life, not only through her artwork, but through the charming stories she includes with all her products Love Country offers a wide range of British-made products featuring the country-style artwork of Suffolk-based artist Sarah Reilly.

Her work is fresh and colourful, bringing to life characters that customers fall in love with. Each design also has a charming story (see bottom right) written to bring each character to life, giving this range a depth of emotion, which is quickly growing in popularity. Customers have a connection with the stories as much as the artwork, and have followed Sarah’s journey with interest.

The stories, written by Sarah, are printed on the back of all her cards, notebooks, and art prints and feature on many other products, which she has carefully developed over the years. Recently she added a Fine Bone China Collection and a Fine Home Fragrance range, which are all highly illustrated. Her china mugs come with a story wrapped up inside; a special touch also added to the diffuser range of fragrances, which stands out on shop shelves thanks to its packaging.

Lines of poetry also run across her chopping boards and stationery items, intertwined with the artwork, giving it that extra special touch that makes this brand so collectable.

“It’s about bringing a smile to people’s faces,” says Sarah. “I love seeing customers laugh and occasionally get quite emotional when reading the poems and stories. It’s such a wonderful feeling that my artwork makes people laugh aloud and really feel the love that goes into it.” Each story has a theme of friendship and kindness - and often takes you into another world, if only for a few moments of escapism. “I particularly like to write the Christmas stories, adding a touch of magic and adventure,’’ Sarah adds.

This year saw Love Country take on a warehouse and staff to handle the growing stockists as well employ a network of agents across the UK to offer a personal service to customers. Sarah is thrilled to see her greeting card range expanding through a licensing deal with Tracks Publishing (www.tracksltd.com), which now offers all of Sarah’s greeting cards, with stories included on the reverse, to its customers. This means the range is reaching many new outlets for people to discover her work and enjoy her stories.

As the snow gently fell Squirrel and Hare pulled up their hoods, Knowing the greeting cards are in good hands allows Sarah to focus on They merrily made their way skipping through the woods developing new products and designs to offer to her stockists. “We are all For this is the night they look forward to each year, particularly excited about the Christmas Bauble Cards and have already had a It’s Mr Stag’s famous festive feast of good cheer! fantastic amount of interest in them,’’ says Sarah.

The smell of spices and joyful carols they could hear, The Christmas Bauble Cards feature 20 beautiful watercolour festive designs.

And also see fairy light lanterns flickering as they drew near Each card has a wooden bauble attached with ribbon, so it can be hung on the Garlands of bells and mistletoe hanging from every tree, Christmas tree. These make a charming keepsake card and in true Sarah style, they Such delights through the windows they could now see all feature a magical Christmas story on the back of each card for that extra special Badger and Fox were handing out wooden toys, touch. The wooden baubles are all produced in her small studio in Suffolk and the To the children running around with such festive joy cards are printed on textured board, in England. The cards are all hand assembled Gleaming baubles and gingerbread, fir cones and stars,

by Sarah and her team, offering a friendly and personal service to her stockists.

Christmas Cuddles

T: 01502 507352 E: support@lovecountryuk.co.uk.

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Tawny Owl handing out jellied sweets from frosted jars The table was bursting with juicy berries and golden pies, Oh, I hope our bellies will be bigger than our eyes!

And even though its chaos and the place will be in a muddle, The evening always ends with cosy fireside Christmas Cuddles xx

Feature

Sneak Peaks 2022

M!NT M!NT has a spring in its step with a raft of new designs for the 2022 Spring Seasons.

The Spring Seasons collection has been refreshed and expanded to include new and best-selling ranges, from the ever-popular Knit & Purl to recent new licence Stoopid Factory and Bow Wow Meow.

Knit & Purl, a 2021 Henries nominated range for the Henry Cole Award, has undergone a generation change re-style in both Everyday and Spring Seasons. The range builds on its much-loved ‘knitted character’ DNA, but with updated styling and tactile knit-texture embossing. Knit & Purl finds the sweet spot between contemporary craft, humour, and all-age appeal: fun, funny cards that everyone can enjoy.

M!NT is also delivering on in its mission to offer something ‘refreshingly different’ with more niche captions and sends. Bow Wow Meow (part of the Stoopid Factory licence) and Modern Life Illustrated both offer cards to Cat Mums/Dads and Dog Mums/Dads – with quirky illustrations and wording to match this growing trend for more niche sends. Knit & Purl also scores on this front with a delightful Pear-based ‘Pearent’ card – a great, fun nongendered option.

Two other house ranges – Venn Diagrams and Doodle Showcase – are also well-represented. They build on proven success in Spring Seasons where Venn’s off-beat puns and Doodle Showcase’s sassy humour have proved to offer a stand-out point of difference.

Finally, M!NT has extended its original line of Gift Card/Wallet cards with several new designs including Knit & Purl. This simple format is a great alternative to chocolates or expensive packages in the post, and is growing in popularity year on year.

All M!NT cards are available packaged with ecoBands as an entirely plastic-free greetings card product, or cellowrapped if required.

T: 0116 230 4197 W: www.mint-publishing.co.uk

Janice Daughters Something new for Spring is a selection of pretty floral designs in the Panache range of greetings cards for birthdays. These fresh florals designed by Janice Daughters can be found under the Bouquet Collection on the website Art By Janice. They offer appealing soft pastel colours with an ultra feminine feel.

For Father’s Day there are new garden-themed cards for both Dad and Granddad. With more of us getting into gardening and appreciating how being in contact with the earth and wildlife brings with it such wellbeing, isn’t it nice to say how much Dad means to us with a card depicting this rewarding pastime?

E: janice@arrbyjance.co.uk W: www.artbyjanice.co.uk

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Feature

Sneak Peaks 2022

Nigel Quiney The Occasions and Relations section is an important part of Nigel Quiney’s product portfolio, with regular updates and additions to the range to keep product fresh and up to date.

The latest release of 60 new designs includes a selection of contemporary female Pizazz, with beautiful scrolls and elegant flowers, plus the introduction of new male relations taking a design from the popular ‘Doodle’ range, and more contemporary approaches for the younger captions.

Nigel Quiney has also released a selection of super bright and zingy die-cut designs for ages one through to eight male and female, nursery rhyme-inspired for the younger ages and offer fun jokes for the older ages… They offer value at C50 with a full colour reverse.

There’s a stylish selection of teen ages, while male designs are iconic and graphic, and female designs are contemporary and floral - all of which should prove to be popular.

If 60 new occasions and relations isn’t enough, there’s plenty of new open designs too - 12 new Pizazz Classic, eight elegant new Pizazz Ltd Edition, 12 Funky What a Picture, and a new male range, Drift Away with 12 beautifully illustrated coastal scenes, British pubs and amazing scenery.

This release of designs has the environment at heart, with vegetable inks used to print, responsibly sourced board and all product finished with foil, making these cards fully recyclable.

All designs are being launched in November for a January 2022 delivery.

Nigel Quiney has big plans for lots more new and exciting products in the New Year, so keep your eye out for lots more lovely new product!

T: 01799 520200 | W: www.nigelquiney.com

Kali Stileman Kali Stileman Publishing specialises in luxury greetings cards, wrapping papers and homeware for children and the young at heart.

Following the success of its best-selling floral collection, it has brought out even more fab floral cards… in mini form! A paint pot of floral loveliness, these tiddly widdlies are perfect for all manner of occasions and feature delicate floral designs against soft muted colours.

These mini cards are all printed on linen textured board and are perfect either alone or as an upmarket gift card.

T: 01305 848899 W: www.kalistileman.co.uk

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In Focus

Keeping

Simon Elvin

things fresh Renowned for its quality and value for money, Simon Elvin was set up over 40 years ago by Simon and Janet Elvin Today, the Simon Elvin name is recognised as one of the leading greeting card brands in the country and has also developed an outstanding collection of gift wrap gift bags, social stationery and partyware to complement its original greeting card offering.

Well known for the high quality of its products and the extra finishes it adds to its cards. In addition, Simon Elvin’s large print runs, combined with low overheads, enable the company to offer those products at excellent value to retailers of every type – from those selling cards as part of a wider, more general range, right through to specialist card shops.

With its own highly-talented studio teams, as well as top freelance contributors, Simon Elvin designs range right across the spectrum: from cute to traditional, contemporary to classical, photographic to humour, and cover virtually every sending occasion. All are aimed squarely at offering a very wide appeal to consumers who, more than ever, are looking for high-quality cards at affordable prices.

In these days of increased consumer expectations, Simon Elvin’s sales are driven forward by the publisher’s frequent release of new designs, meaning that every couple of months a fresh collection is released to retail, featuring all new designs, to bring excitement to retailers’ card racks.

Simon and Janet pledged 40 years ago to supply high-quality, popular, affordable cards, and this has been achieved in part by exclusively using a network of approved wholesale distributors to handle their products. Many of these wholesalers now have their own specialist websites, enabling them to supply customers in every corner of the country with the minimum of fuss and maximum efficiency.

While times are undeniably tough in the retail sector, with publishers such as Simon Elvin working to keep retailers’ displays exciting, fresh and affordable, both for retailers and their customers, the future looks assured.

Simon Elvin designs range right across the spectrum: from cute to traditional, contemporary to classical, photographic to humour and cover virtually every sending occasion

Verse and Sentiment cards

Simon Elvin’s In Touch range features around 100 designs covering all relations and occasions. Featuring heartfelt sentiments designed to tug at the heartstrings, they are all available in a Code 75 size on stock control.

Children’s cards

Simon Elvin regularly releases new juvenile cards covering ages from one to 16. Designs are bright, colourful and always perfectly suit the age bracket.

Children’s gift wrap

This includes 18 juvenile gift wrap designs produced on high-quality FSC approved paper, which enable retailers to offer a great selection of juvenile gift wrap at appealing prices.

Male cards

The male cards selection covers every possible sending situation, with designs ranging from traditional to contemporary. All beautifully produced and finished, as with every Simon Elvin offering they deliver outstanding value for money.

T: 01628 526711 W: www.simonelvin.com www.greetingstoday.co.uk www.greetingstoday.co.uk 20 33

John Ryan

RETAIL ENVIRONMENT

Hybrid stores: not for everyone

The hybrid shopping model is gaining pace in the retail world, but John Ryan questions whether it’s a suitable option for greeting card shops

“It is the nature of the beast that an awful lot of in-store purchases are made on the spur of the moment.

Impulse plays a pretty major part in selection”

For those of you who attended, Autumn Fair is already a memory and thoughts are now, presumably, turning to Christmas.

But it’s worth reflecting on the musings of Theo Paphitis, the man behind stationery chain Ryman and a dragon on the wannabe entrepreneur series Dragons’ Den, who said at the gathering in his keynote speech that ‘hybrid stores’ are already here and they’re here to stay.

By this, he meant that the digital and physical sides of the retail equation no longer exist, and that today’s shopper is confronted by both elements when walking into a shop.

Practically, this means that the shopper buying an item in a store is as likely to end up doing so having left the premises, to pay using a digital wallet and perhaps to consider other items when browsing (in the store) online.

Or put another way, today’s shopper is a little like an indecisive government minister, flip-flopping from one thing to another and equally at home with what might seem like two almost mutually exclusive ideas.

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

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And yet is this really the case? If shops really are hybrid and if we are as at home with the virtual as the physical, then why bother going into a store?

Your correspondent is old enough to entertain the old-fashioned view that the greatest ‘experience’ to be had in a physical store is the notion of walking in, selecting something and then emerging with the object of desire. This also happens to concur with the idea of what shops are about – places where things are shown that can be purchased, for the most part, there and then.

All good, and a supplementary point perhaps is that if shopping involves endless gazing at a handset, then why bother going into a store at all? The answer, it would seem, is that a lot of us still regard shopping as an activity that means looking, touching, feeling and assessing products in situ; something that any amount of online activity won’t actually be an adequate substitute for.

As far as greeting card shops are concerned, there would seem to be two things to be considered. First, it is the nature of the beast that an awful lot of in-store purchases are made on the spur of the moment.

Impulse plays a pretty major part in selection. This is straightforward if there’s a lot of cards and you can

flick through hundreds of items, visually, in a couple of minutes. Now try doing the same online and it’s a pretty time-consuming business that requires you to click through page after page.

Life is short and if you are prepared to spend time doing this on your phone while in a store, instead of taking the visual shortcut prepared by the shopkeeper, then you might want to take a bit of a look at how you are using your time. There are certainly categories in retail in which the shopper will benefit from some additional knowledge - white goods and sofas spring to mind and perhaps the ‘bigger’ the ticket, the more this is likely to be the case.

But when it comes to items where the top end is around the £5 mark, then being ‘hybrid’ might seem to be a waste of the shopper’s time and of the retailer’s money. Hybrid stores, in the terms referred to by Paphitis, are confined to specific retail types.

Greetings cards may be pretty low down the hybrid list and, for the moment, given the rapidity of the transaction involved and the ticket price, it would seem as if things might stay that way. Call me a Luddite if you like, but hybrid may not be for everybody, at least for the time being.

Shop Talk Greetings card retailers tell it how it is during the Golden Quarter, with Christmas round the corner...

Name Sally Wilde Shop Planet Sal Address Honiton, Devon How did you get into greetings card retail?

My first ‘proper’ job was in a fantastic cookshop in Bristol. I loved it and went on to be a rep, staying within the housewares industry for many years.

After a redundancy, I decided to move on to being self-employed and met up with an established card agent, who was interested in taking on a sub-agent.

She was so helpful and suggested I set up on my own instead. She was also really enthusiastic about the greetings industry and how friendly everyone was.

I had been to art college and liked the creative side of cards, so went for it!

What a great move that was for me. I just love everything about the world of cards.

My first visit to find agencies was Spring Fair 2009 and I was really taken with the brightness all around me. Housewares is also a great industry, but quite traditional. They always put grey carpet down in that hall at the NEC and suits were the order of the day. Here was the card hall with a bright pink carpet and everyone in jeans! Far more my style.

I had many happy years as an agent and worked for some fantastic people, including lovely Avanti in their UK distribution days.

Opening Planet Sal was a natural move when I decided to settle a bit and work nearer to home, just over three years ago. I am proud to be the winner of the Prestige Awards Card and Gift Shop of 2020 in the South West.

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

The best is, of course, the customers, bless them. I am in Honiton, which is a smallish market town. The locals are very supportive of their independent businesses, so I have lots of regulars here.

Another great thing is that I have a ‘naughty corner’ with all the cheeky cards and gifts. Customers love them and all I hear are gales of laughter (it’s happening as we speak, coincidentally!). This tends to set off other visitors in the shop and everyone else starts to giggle. We all so need this at the moment.

I like to think I have created a bright and welcoming little oasis from all the daily worries.

Not many negatives, but I suppose that more gift shops opening in the town recently and the budgeting at seasonal times can be very stressful, plus I don’t enjoy the admin!

Sometimes I do miss the open road and am quite tempted to just keep driving on a lovely, sunny morning, but am fine once I open the shop doors and realise how much I love it all over again.

What cards are selling well?

Always the humour for me. So many publishers get that just right now. I sell Rosie Made A Thing and she has a huge following, so they fly out. Also, Dean Morris, Brainbox Candy, Bold & Bright, and Whale & Bird all do well for me.

I have had customers in daily waiting for my rude Christmas offer - which is now unpacked at last!

I like to work with small, independent companies, especially for my Occasion cards. Cinnamon Aitch, Art File, Louise Mulgrew and Jelly Armchair are all go-to’s for me, but there are too many others, who are just as important, to list.

I also do like Woodmansterne for humour and all across the board, especially for Christmas.

What card range or category do you always ensure you keep in stock because of its popularity?

Always humour and cheeky: by far my best categories.

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What’s in your window?

At the moment Christmas is sneaking in more and more, obviously! I am aware that birthday shoppers do get a bit miffed about lack of choice about now, so I introduce it as gradually as I can until the second week of November.

I have about half Advent calendars and charity cards in the window, and the other half general cards and gifts.

What’s by your till?

Sadly, Covid safety measures have meant that most of my till display area is now given over to a clear screen. I do have a jewellery cabinet and my gift wrap by the till, but the cards are all around the walls of the shop and on spinners at the front and outside. I always sell more cards than anything else in the shop every day.

“I have a ‘naughty corner’ with all the cheeky cards and gifts.

Customers love them and all I hear are gales of laughter’’

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

With cards, it always surprises me how many customers want relation cards without ‘special, loved, wonderful’ etc on them, because they don’t really get on!

They are quite hard to source, too. In-laws are the usual suspects….

If you could send anyone a card from the past or present, who would it be and why?

I know it sounds a bit sentimental but it would be a Thank You card to my Dad. He died when I was in my 20s and just starting out in my career. He had a great sense of adventure and was not afraid to take risks, which he encouraged me to do, too. He also had an artistic side and taught me to love cars and the sea - both passions of mine ever since. He would have been proud to see the shop.

How do trade magazines like Greetings Today help you?

I do love a trade magazine! Apart from at show times, it’s not easy to find out what’s coming up as a trend or find small publishers to support. Greetings Today is a great source of information. The agents and reps are also vital but, of course, we have had all these months with fewer visits, understandably. With no reps and no trade fairs, I have really relied on you!

Shop Talk Name Hana Garrett Shop Expressions Address Calne, Wiltshire

Name Fiona Thorn Shop Cool! Cards and Gifts Address Skipton, North Yorkshire

How did you get into greetings card retail?

I had the opportunity as I left university to go into business with my auntie and to take over two cards shops - and here we are 13 years later!

How did you get into greetings card retail?

My first job was at the National Maritime Museum gift shop, where I have many fond memories. After a while I fell into an administration job and continued in that line for many years. About 15 years ago my partner and I came to Skipton and the Yorkshire Dales on holiday and fell in love with the place. When we returned home, we packed up and relocated to the area. Two children later I was looking to get back into full time work. I remembered my happy times working in retail and looked for an opportunity, so when Cool! Cards and Gifts came up for sale it was perfect.

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

The best thing is the customers. We are very lucky to have many lovely loyal customers, who we have had coming to us for years and can have a good laugh with. The worst thing is the short time off over Christmas and having to plan so far in advance!

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

I love meeting people; many customers who come in for a card have a little story or life event to share and I love being a part of that. Dealing with supply problems at the moment is the worst! It can be difficult when your suppliers are unsure of when things are going to arrive, although the advantage of being a small shop is that you can just turn around and change tack at a moment’s notice.

What cards are selling well?

I’ve recently brought in a larger range of Umbellifer Cards, a local Skipton company who produce the most vibrantly beautiful botanical cards. They are selling really well. They also have fantastic charity Christmas packs.

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

Rosie Made a Thing is always popular. I love Redback Cards’ Shine range for recommending to tweenie/teenage years.

Lastly, Cherry Orchard – Down Memory Lane cards are a go-to for age cards.

“We are in a tourist spot so I often get treated as an information point’’

What’s in your window?

Humorous cards. They draw people to the window and I love hearing people reading them out and chuckling! And Second Nature 3D Pop Up cards. A bit more expensive than most but perfect if you want something special - and they catch people’s attention in the window.

What’s by your till?

I’ve recently launched an online store: https://coolcardsandgifts.co.uk, so by the till are some promotional coupons for 10% off any online purchases.

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

Mmm, nothing really unusual. We are in a tourist spot so I often get treated as an information point. Best place to eat, that takes dogs, and is open on a Monday. That kind of thing!

If you could send anyone a card from the past or present, who would it be and why?

Without a doubt it would be a Thank You card for my Mum. She passed away a few years ago but I would love to thank her for her love and support over the years and always being there for me, good and bad. I would send her this Rosie Made a Thing Card (pictured above) as she loved Elvis and it would have made her laugh.

How do trade magazines like Greetings Today help you?

I love reading through Greetings Today to make sure I’m keeping up with the latest trends and see how other shops are handling similar problems to mine.

20 36 www.greetingstoday.co.uk

What cards are selling well?

We sell a large variety of cards but Words ‘n’ Wishes, ICG and Noel Tatt are continuing to sell well for us.

What card range or category do you always ensure you keep in stock because of its popularity?

Special Friend is always a popular title and one of our best selling ranges is Whimsicals by Desito.

What’s in your window at the moment?

Due to the time of year, mainly Christmas boxed cards and a selection of gifts.

What’s by your till at the moment?

Some lovely local scene Christmas cards. For the first time we have managed to get a local photographer (Laura Anne Photography) to produce some cards of local scenes and they are proving very popular.

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

I once had a customer complain about a card that had an obviously Photoshopped image of a hedgehog hanging on a washing line. They felt it was inappropriate as people may start trying to hang their pets out to dry!

If you could send anyone a card from the past or present, who would it be and why?

It would be my Auntie Pauline who sadly passed away in 2000; she would have loved the new Winnie the Pooh range from UKG. How do trade magazines like Greetings Today help you?

They help me keep up to date with the industry and are always helpful when looking for new ranges/suppliers.

Name Chris Beards Shop Manton’s Gifts & Cards Address Port Erin, Isle of Man How did you get into greetings card retail?

After selling our previous business, we brought Mantons just over 13 years ago to save it from closing, and with the aim of helping to keep local independent retail alive. Since then, we have won 19 major awards including British Independent Retailer of the Year.

Name Karen Nolan Shop Maddy Moos Address West Totton, Southampton How did you get into greetings card retail?

I first got into the industry when I became a merchandiser for UK Greetings and then left that position to open Maddy Moos with my husband Kevin in 2011. Sadly Kevin passed away in 2017 and our daughter Hayleigh wonderfully stepped into her Dad’s shoes to run the business with me.

We were unable to think of a name that identified us as a card and gift shop but that also involved an element of humour in the title, so we turned to the one thing that never fails to bring a smile to the face of everyone she meets - our Cocker Spaniel Maddy, affectionately named Maddy Moo. She is known as ‘the boss’, although she doesn’t do much work!

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

The best things are seeing all our lovely regular customers and unpacking fab new products.

The worst thing about currently working in retail is delayed deliveries and so many out-of-stock items; although a lot of it can’t be helped, it sure has affected many businesses, us included.

Also for us as a card shop the worst thing is missing envelopes… where do they go? They seem to disappear!

“For us as a card shop the worst thing is missing envelopes… where do they go?’’

What cards are selling well?

Cards that consistently sell well for us are Jonny Javelin - velvet range; UKG - Into the Meadow; ICG relation age combinations; Nigel Quiney - Pizazz ; Noel Tatt - decoupage, and Paperlink humour (among many others).

What card range or category do you always ensure you keep in stock because of its popularity?

The card range that we sell most of and we always make sure we have in stock is Nigel Quiney - Pizazz, and the overall most popular category is new home.

What’s in your window?

We have open Christmas cards on spinners.

What’s the best thing about working in retail?

I love working with fantastic team members, customers and of course our amazing suppliers.

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

We are known for stocking quality cards for all occasions, so we’ve had lots of people coming in for our Diwali cards recently.

What card range or category do you always ensure you keep in stock because of its popularity?

Again, because we are known for our range of cards, it’s vital that we keep every category in stock. Fortunately, we have lots of storage space, otherwise it just wouldn’t be possible.

What’s in your window?

We have three windows, all with an autumn theme.

What’s by your till?

We have just started stocking bamboo socks, so they are currently by the till.

If you could send anyone a card from the past or present, who would it be and why?

My late Gran. I remember sending her a card as a little boy and seeing her delighted reaction. I have always wanted to be part of the greeting card business since then.

How do trade magazines like Greetings Today help you?

They play an important role in keeping us in touch with industry news.

After featuring in Greetings Today in the past we have been contacted by some fantastic publishers and have started stocking their cards.

What’s by your till?

We have the popular Cocoba hot chocolate spoons by the till, which sold out last year - so we ordered extra this time. Along with charity pack Christmas cards.

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

A customer once asked for an ordination card because her sister was becoming a nun and much to our delight… we had one!

If you could send anyone a card from the past or present, who would it be and why?

If I could send a card to anyone past or present it would be to my husband Kev to let him know that we miss him and that the business that he helped us establish is still going strong.

“After featuring in Greetings Today in the past we have been contacted by some fantastic publishers’’ www.greetingstoday.co.uk www.greetingstoday.co.uk 20 37

Retail Interview Dee’s Cards

Hannah Rudder and Paul Mordecai

‘Nothing is too much trouble’

Greetings Today caught up with Hannah Rudder and Paul Mordecai as they were waiting to hear if Dee’s Cards had won a coveted RETAS retail award Can you tell us a little about your background before you owned the shop?

Paul opened Dee’s cards in Leighton Buzzard, Beds in August 1992. His first taste of retail started with his dad on Essex Road, Islington in the early 1970s where they had a familyrun newsagents. They were both quick to realise that cards sold really well, so a few years later they opened their first greeting card shop further down the road. He much preferred the card shop to the newsagents because of less punishing hours (no more 5am starts!). Hannah has been with Dee’s Cards for the past eight years but prior to that she had always been in retail.

Tell us a little about the shop and its location.

Leighton Buzzard is a market town, and we are situated at the top end of the high street opposite the town’s Market Cross monument so we are in a very prominent

38 www.greetingstoday.co.uk

position. The shop is 1,000sq ft and made up of 70% cards and 30% gifts and gift wrap. During lockdown our local council decided to pedestrianise the high street to help with social distancing. This means that buses and cars are not permitted on the main high street. Unfortunately this has negatively affected many small businesses’ footfall. However, during the past 12 months the town has lost an independent gift shop and an independent card shop so our footfall has actually increased.

How do you source your products?

We source products from networking with other retailers to see what’s on trend. Also, we like going to trade shows and finding new brands that we wouldn’t normally come across. It’s good to socialise with people in the

same industry as, you can compare what’s going well and what’s not.

What is your selection criteria?

“We love interacting with our customers, having banter and just having a good time”

We try to source the best products available on the market in terms of price and quality. We find customers will buy at a cheaper price point but the second card they buy tends to be a more luxury or hand-finished card, so you need the right balance of products.

How is trading for you at the moment?

Trading is really good. Our trading months this year are up compared with 2019. We haven’t taken into account 2020 because we were shut for most of it!

During the last lockdown we changed the front of our store. We went back to our original trading name of Dee’s Cards and gave the front a new lick of paint. I think this has made a massive difference as

people’s spending habits have changed.

They want to support a small business and they definitely want to shop local.

When speaking to customers when we returned, they thought we were a big chain as we had a well-known brand on our sign instead of our own, so they were put off coming in. Although we are more expensive than another wellknown chain, they want a nice shopping experience and they want decent service.

Nothing is too much trouble in our store and I think that goes a long way.

What’s your demographic?

Mainly the older generation. This is because they like to send a good-quality card. A lot are retired so they have the time to browse through our selection and also they tend to have more of a disposable income, so they are happy to spend money on a decent card.

In addition they are from that generation

where you always send a card whether it’s a congratulations for a new job or a new baby - you always receive a card from your grandparents.

How do you get word out there about your business?

Paul has been in the town for a very long time so we have a very loyal customer base.

Some even come weekly to get their cards.

We go the extra mile for our customers. If there is something not in stock or something we tend to not carry, we will try our utmost to source it for them in time for when they need it. A lot of our card companies have a quick turnaround so they come the next day, which is fantastic! This means a lot to people, so they tell their friends about how helpful we are.

We post weekly on Facebook about what’s new in and our customers see it and then they come in the following week. We post videos and photos and just make it fun and enjoyable for people entering our store.

Our last attempt to get the word out there is through a company called Local

Insights, which works with Google. If you search ‘card’, ‘gift’ or ‘gift wrap’ our store comes up as one of the first searches in the local area, which makes a huge difference.

Compared with September 2020, September 2021 searches were up 200%.

Do you sell online?

No, we solely rely on people coming through the front door. Our feedback after the lockdowns about using online to buy greeting cards was really negative. As our customers are mainly older they do struggle with technology, so scrolling through pages and pages of cards was really frustrating. Customers like to come in and feel the quality. They want to read what’s inside. We know what a 5 x 7 card looks like but our customers don’t. We had a number say we sent a card that was A3 or A4 size so they had to buy a large letter stamp so it ended up being quite expensive.

Have you seen the average cost of your products go up?

We have. We have just absorbed it into our card prices and kept prices the same.

However, our gift costs have gone up, so our retail prices there have marginally increased.

Do customers ask for ecofriendly product?

We rarely get asked for eco-friendly products and we’re not sure why but most of our cards are unwrapped. Now some brands have biodegradable glitter. Wrendale Designs has a cornstarch plastic-free bag, which is brilliant! They are compostable so we are moving in the right direction.

What brands have been particularly popular?

All our brands are very popular including: Paperlink, Paper Rose, Noel Tatt, Cherry Orchard, IC&G, Second Nature, Five Dollar Shake, Words ‘n’ Wishes, and Jonny Javelin.Local smaller brands such as Buddy Fernandez and Papershed are selling well too.

“During the last lockdown we changed the front of our store.

We went back to our original trading name of Dee’s Cards and gave the front a new lick of paint.

I think this has made a massive difference as people’s spending habits have changed’’

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

We would like to find more sustainablysourced products in the future. Some of the companies we use now are already making that change and we’re here for it!

What challenges have you faced over the past few months?

People are still afraid to come out and be in crowds so as we’re approaching our busiest months we have to have that balance of wanting to be really busy, and making our customers feel safe. While we were shut we were still posting on our social media so people wouldn’t forget about us and we assured them we would be back.

Which cards would you choose to receive for a special occasion?

Hannah’s choice (I have two because I’m greedy): IC&G because I love a card with

sentimental words and a nice design on the front. And Buddy Fernandez because who doesn’t love a close-to-the-mark humour card?

Paul’s choice is a Paperlink card because he likes a modern, contemporary design.

Finally, you have reached the finals of the RETAS. What do you think makes you stand out?

We are absolutely over the moon that we are a RETAS finalist! I think it’s not so much standing out, it’s just that we’ve really put the effort into our store over the past year or so by listening to what our customers want and bringing new stock in every week. Hannah calls the shop her little baby and you constantly need to work at keeping the store well maintained. We love interacting with our customers, having banter and just having a good time. We enjoy coming to work and I think our customers can see that, which makes their experience more pleasurable.

www.greetingstoday.co.uk 39

Retail Interview Sarah Laker

‘Our customers are fabulous’ Stationery Supplies owner Sarah Laker talks to Naomi MacKay about her two Cheshire shops, her social media strategy and waiting for awards results!

W

e spoke to Sarah at a busy time, when she had just taken part in Small Business Saturday, and was looking forward to two awards ceremonies.

Just as we went to press, Sarah bagged the RETA retail award for Best Non-Specialist Independent Retailer North. She is also nominated for a Boss Federation Award.

Sarah owns Stationery Supplies; two shops in Marple and Wilmslow in Cheshire.

She explains: “I’ve had the Marple shop for 16 years and the Wilmslow shop has been open [on and off through lockdown] for a year and a month.’’

So how did she get into retail in the first place? “I was a nurse, and did my training straight out of school. I loved looking after people but the other bits of the job really started to bog me down. I knew I wanted to run my own business, and we looked at a few different shops. I helped in my friend’s

40 www.greetingstoday.co.uk

sandwich shop and knew that wasn’t for me. Then the stationery shop in Marple came up for sale, but by the time my husband and I got to look at it it was already under offer and someone else bought it.

“So we spent two years looking around different businesses. Then one day my friend rang me and said that the stationery shop was back up for sale. But it was under offer again! We were on holiday in Wales, and my phone started ringing with messages from the estate agent saying the sale had fallen through and were we still interested.

We bought it, I left work on the Friday and walked in the shop on the Monday.

“I didn’t know anything about running a business, but I loved stationery and cards. I had a two-year window until my nurse registration ran out, so I thought

“People have really gone back to sending cards and keeping in touch with people over the past couple of years’’

I’d have two years to make it work, or go back into nursing.

“I knew about the Wilmslow shop through the Office Club - a stationery dealership group I belong to. It does conferences, training and so on - it’s a great thing to belong to. So I’d known the shop owner for 10 years, and he kept saying he was coming up to retirement and did I want to buy the shop? We did just that in the summer after the first lockdown in 2020.

Our daughter Molly hadn’t been working due to an anxiety disorder and we thought if we bought that business, she could come and work for us, with the aim that eventually I would retire and she could take over.

“The Wilmslow shop was more traditional.

We’d only been open three weeks when we went into another lockdown [it was only open for six weeks between January and April 2021]. However it gave us time to revamp,

Top brands Dandelion Redback Two Little Monkeys Sussex Stills Alex Clark Art File Early Birds Paper Salad Ginger Betty Megan Claire

repaint, and put in the card section - which measures around 5m and includes stock from around 14 different suppliers. So when customers came back in April, it was to a completely different kind of shop.’’

It was during lockdown that Sarah also began to find herself using social media more - and attracting attention from the media. “I was on a mission! I felt really strongly about the fact that stationery wasn’t classed as essential. We had all those parents at home trying to homeschool their children, and people working from home. My customers needed stationery and they needed support. The supermarkets were able to sell stationery - as were garden centres and the bigger shops like Ryman, who ran Western Union money transfer and parcel collection services. I went off trying to highlight the issue and have since appeared in the Metro, Mail on Sunday, BBC News and lots more!’’

She’s now found herself to be something of an industry spokesperson - and was recently approached to talk about price rises by various sections of the media. “It’s across the board - paper, envelopes, and cardboard, The problems with transport, Covid and Brexit have just compounded everything - there’s not just one price rise, there have been several - and we’ve had to pass it on to the customer, Otherwise the margin will be squeezed and it would just not be viable.

“Luckily, because everywhere is subject to price rises, people are being far more understanding.

“Plus, we’ve struggled to get some products in - but because customers see empty shelves in the supermarkets, they are far more understanding about it all. And the benefit of having the two stores now is that I can swap stock between shops if I need to.’’

Shopping local became far more popular over lockdown - has that continued since restrictions ended? “There’s a good proportion of people shopping locally still. We were really active on social media - especially in Marple where we are well established.

We had window displays just to brighten people’s days - we had a tree with handprints and inspiring quotes; it was called the tree of positivity. I shaved my head at the start of lockdown and raised thousands for a local charity that was struggling - people really remember these things. I even had a lady come in from Wigan [a 55-minute drive away] who has been following us on social media - and she brought her mum to do some Christmas shopping. Our customers are fabulous - one lady came in the other day, asked how we all were, and gave us a box of chocolates to ‘help keep you going’!’’

Sarah says social media has been key in building up that community feeling and gaining support. She posts on all the local groups - and sees plenty of results: “I started buying from Megan Claire cards and posted one of them on Saturday morning. All six were sold on the same day. I also posted about Ginger Betty - they are the cutest cards ever and just won a Henries award [Best Cute Range for Owl’s Nest]. People were coming in looking for that card.’’

While not all trading is back to normal levels, Sarah’s card sales are 40% up on the same period in 2019. She says: “People have really gone back to sending cards and keeping in touch with people over the past couple of years.’’

She adds that October has also been the first month where general sales are picking up, so she hopes that it is a good sign. “I do think that people will go all out for Christmas this year. Also we have been selling a lot of notebooks. People have been buying them and writing down their memories, for mindfulness; and undated diaries for journalling have been really strong too. Of course people working from home can’t access their company stationery cupboard, so they have been coming in for notebooks and if you’re buying it yourself you want it to give you a bit of joy, don’t you?’’

In Wilmslow, card sales are about 50% more than in Marple. “There’s no indie card

“I was on a mission!

I felt really strongly about the fact that stationery wasn’t classed as ‘essential’’’

shop in the town, although there are the chains. People come in and buy a handful of cards at a time,’’ says Sarah. It’s Marple, however, where her customers are more eco-minded: “Most of them know that I do eco stationery and there’s a core group of customers who look for that.’’

And when it comes to diversity, Sarah says she caters for it, “but in a more general way. I have gender-neutral baby cards, and we steer away from ‘Mr and Mrs’ wedding cards.The same with birthday cards - many of them are pink and blue, so I always make sure we have some more neutral ones. I do find it hard to find that Holy Grail of male ranges that aren’t football or alcohol related, especially for young adult males.’’

So what brands are selling well? “I’ve only just started with Paper Salad and have already put a second order in. Dandelion Stationery also does lovely gifts such as tea towels and soaps. And Redback has also brought out notebooks. I love it when a card company branches out into stationery!

“Sussex Stills is a small company that I found on Instagram over lockdown. I sent her a message, said I loved her cards [photographic images of Sussex] and asked if she could send me a selection to put on the website. She even sent the images for the website, and when I asked for more, she took the time to look on the site, see what had been selling and then send me a suitable selection, all with images ready to be uploaded. It’s that kind of service that makes you want to go back.’’

So where does Sarah find her suppliers?

“This year I went to every show I could, as I was so desperate to get out and see people!

I loved it. But normally my top three are Harrogate Home & Gift, the Stationery Show and PG Live. I also like Top Drawer as it is more design-led so you see different things there.’’

Finally, if she could choose which card would be sent to her for a birthday or Christmas, which would she opt for? “I’m a bit of a giraffe fan - that’s why our website is called Giraffe Gifts. I’m always happy to receive a card with a nice giraffe on. One of my customers even made me a giraffe pencil case!’’ www.greetingstoday.co.uk 41

Henri Davis

RETAIL ADVICE

The value

of awards The Art File

Is it worth taking the time to enter industry awards? Henri Davis thinks so. She looks at how awards can help to raise your profile and get you in front of the right greeting card buyers Vent for Change founder Evan Lewis

“Entering awards is a great way to get the press and buyers’ attention”

42 www.greetingstoday.media

We often hear about companies and individuals winning awards. This raising of their profile is likely to have a really positive impact for them… so how can you use this type of PR to your advantage?

I have worked as a retail advisor for almost 20 years and nearly all the businesses I work with want to be stocked by ‘big retailers’ in their sector. But getting their products in front of the relevant buyer can be a challenge. Entering awards is a great way to get the press and buyers’ attention.

Most industry sectors have product awards - take the time to find out about them, know the timetable they work to, and the categories that are relevant for your products. You never want to be ‘just too late’.

New market entrants can benefit significantly; their products will be reviewed by industry experts at least once, and several times if they are lucky enough to be a finalist.

Papermirchi was one such business and its founder Rani Moochhala comments: “Winning the Gift of the Year Award for two consecutive years has been one of my biggest early achievements and put my small business on the map of the greeting

card industry. It is a great opportunity to showcase your products in front of a range of buyers from small independents to high street retailers.

And, even if you don’t win, you know that they’ve seen your products in detail as part of the judging process, which is fantastic!’’

Well-established players in a sector understand the benefit of winning awards too. Ged Mace, managing director of Artfile, explains: “I have always believed in the value of awards. In the beginning, when The Art File operated from my back bedroom, awards were about inspiring us as a tiny publisher to do better. Now, as an established publisher, they are still about inspiration. We are only as good as our next collection and being judged by an array of professional retailers at awards such as The Henries gives us vital feedback and a strong measure of where we are getting things right. This year we were nominated for 10 Henries awards and came fourth in the ‘Best Service to the Independent Market’ category - all of which was a huge boost for our entire team. I’d urge all publishers both big and small - to enter their collections at The Henries.

And there are wider society awards too. Vent for Change has a strong ethical focus. Its founder Evan Lewis says: “It’s hard to know specifically what awards bring, but cumulatively they add to the overall message that supports a company’s credibility and bolsters its profile. When starting out it is exactly this sort of recognition that a company needs to give others the confidence to work with them, and this brings further PR as editors and journalists start to hear the same names being mentioned regularly.’’

So far I have focused on PR, but entering awards can bring so much more. Wragwrap’s prize for winning The London Stationery Show’s Launchpad competition in 2019 was a stand at 2021 The London Stationery Show; something usually beyond the budget of a new business. The company’s co- founder Nicky Rajska believes the power of this industry endorsement of their product is invaluable.

Whether you are a large or small business, never overlook the opportunity to enter your industry sector awards.

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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