Stationery Matters Spring/Summer 2019

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BEATING BREXIT WHY INTERNATIONAL BRANDS LOVE THE UK

CLEAR CONSCIENCE THE RISE OF PURPOSE-LED STATIONERY KIDS STATIONERY MEET THE MAKERS

PROFILE KERRI MIDDLETON OF BUSY B LET’S GET PHYSICAL CLICKS TO BRICKS

PLAN YOUR VISIT TO STATIONERY SHOW LONDON

DISCOVER OUR NEW PREMIUM WRITING RANGE Fountain, Rollerball and Ballpoint pens

Come and visit our stand at the Stationery Show London on the 30th April – 1st May

Stand M506

CONTENTS

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7 NEWS All the latest news from the stationery industry, including WHSmith, Studio Pens and Derwent 13 LAUNCHPAD WINNERS The judges announce the eight winners of this year’s LaunchPad competition

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16 STATIONERY WITH A CONSCIENCE Julia Faiers interviews the founders of four ethical and purpose-led stationery brands 21 ICONS OF STATIONERY Chris Leonard Morgan on the Helix Oxford Maths Set 22 UNZIPPED The second in our show-and-tell series that reveals the contents of a stationery professional’s pencil case.

Fox + Star founder Ariane Holford opens up 25 KIDS’ STATIONERY: MEET THE MAKERS Julia Faiers talks to three brands making a splash in the booming children’s stationery sector 31 STATIONERY SHOW LONDON: SHOW PREVIEW

Editor’s Letter

There’s no escaping the Brexit-shaped elephant in the room as this issue of Stationery Matters goes to press. By the time you read it perhaps we will have more clarity on this tumultuous political event. Perhaps not. Instead of focusing on uncertainty and disorder, let’s instead look forwards to every positive thing our industry hopes to achieve beyond Brexit. For this reason our Spring/Summer issue is a celebration – of forward-thinking companies, of exciting new tech, of brands on a mission to create stationery that brings joy and helps to save the planet. In Stationery with a Conscience we speak to four brands paving the way for a brighter future. The judges’ Star Choices of our Thirty Under 30 Class of 2018 are the ones to watch for a sneak peak at how this future might look. In Meet the Makers we interview three brands designing delightful products for children. So with Brexit an unknown quantity, we look to the future of stationery and those who will make it.

It’s time to Keep Calm and Write On.

Cover image: All pens from the Kaweco AL Sport range. From top to bottom: Anthracite rollerball, Silver fountain pen, Rose Gold ballpoint.

32 WORKSHOPS AND TRENDS We reveal Stationery Show London’s extensive programme of live talks, workshops and trend tours 33 STATIONERY SHOW LONDON FLOOR PLAN 34 FULL LIST OF SHOW EXHIBITORS, BRANDS & LICENCES 36 EXHIBITOR NEWS

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g n i s i r p S u r elf. s y m e v e n s e I ca n .

B e ca u

Be amazed by your own creativity – with edding as your companion!

No matter what material or application, our huge variety of highly reliable products lets you shine with the brightest ideas, in the brightest colours.

So, what’s your next idea?

Come and visit us at stand M540

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Creative Life

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CONTENTS STATIONERY BIZ 54 SMART PACKAGING Chris Partridge demonstrates how NFC labels are set to revolutionise how we package and display goods 58 THE APPEAL OF THE UK MARKET Henri Davis explores why international brands love the UK 61 THIRTY UNDER 30: AT WORK WITH… The Judges’ Star Choices of the Class of 2018 share their joy of the daily grind 68 SMALL BUSINESS FOCUS Little Paperie, Ashbourne, Derbyshire

OUR CONTRIBUTORS Chris Leonard-Morgan Chris is the founder of the London Stationery Show, National Stationery Week,World Stationery Day and the ‘Writing Matters’ campaign. He is a Liveryman of The Stationers’ Company. He also founded the London DIY Show and was one of the founders of Exclusively Housewares of which he is still a director.

Henri Davis In 2019 Henri celebrates 30 years in the stationery industry. Now an independent retail advisor in the cards, gifts, stationery and heritage industries, she works with many small and medium-sized businesses. She is currently Deputy Chair of The Giftware Association.

Chris Partridge Chris started writing about technology when phones were wired to the wall, research involved long hours in the library and tweets were strictly for the birds. He edited the technology supplements of the Sunday Times and the Daily Telegraph and now works freelance covering technology trends for The Times and Woman’s Weekly.

Rebecca Saunders Rebecca is an independent retail and ecommerce consultant, having recently run Stationery,Weddings and Christmas at Notonthehighstreet.com. She is a former John Lewis buyer and has worked across Food, Technology, Jewellery, Beauty and Baby & Child. She started her career in finance and strategy.

While every care has been taken for accuracy in the contents of this magazine, the publisher accepts no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions. No part of this publication may be copied or stored in a retrieval system without the express permission of the publisher.

Views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. Copyright: Ocean Media Exhibitions Ltd 2017. Stationery Matters is available free of charge to directors, buyers, merchandise managers, store managers and department managers of retailers and suppliers of stationery products in the UK. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publishers.

72 CLICKS TO BRICKS Rebecca Saunders shows how brands are making a success of moving from online to offline 74 LAST WORD We interview Kerri Middleton, founder of Busy B

Editor: Julia Faiers editor@stationerymatters.news Sales & circulation manager: Hazel Fieldwick hazel.fieldwick@oceanmedia.co.uk Art director: Jon Wainwright Marketing manager: Vanessa Fortnam info@stationerymatters.news Publisher: Tim Willoughby tim.willoughby@oceanmedia.co.uk Stationery Matters is published

by Ocean Media Exhibitions Ltd 4 Harbour Exchange 3rd Floor Isle of Dogs London E14 9GE Tel: +44 (0) 20 7772 8461 email: info@stationerymatters.news

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Twitter: @StatMatters Web: www.stationerymatters.news

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Come and visit us at the 2019 Stationery Show Stand M616 30th April – 1st May 2019 For more details contact us on: t: 01892 612 236 e: retail@castelli.co.uk or visit our website www.castelliitaly.com

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07/03/2019 16:58

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NEWS

WHSmith doubles number of women receiving bonuses

WHSmith’s latest gender pay gap report reveals it has no median gender pay gap for the second year running and has doubled the number of women receiving bonuses.The median gender pay gap (the difference in pay between the middle-ranking man and the middle-ranking woman) is 0% for the second year in a row, performing far better than the UK national average gender pay gap of 17.9%. According to the latest data submitted to the government ahead of the 4th April deadline, its mean gender pay gap narrowed from 20% in 2017 to 19.7% in 2018.The median bonus gap between genders narrowed from 48.7% in 2017 to 0% in 2018.

Stephen Clarke, CEO of WHSmith, said: “The Group Board is committed to improving the gender balance across the business. We are making progress, however we know that improving gender balance will take time and require sustained focus over the long term.”

Within the retail arm of WHSmith, the number of women receiving bonuses has doubled from 15% to 30%, although this still represents a gap between the number of women taking home bonuses and men receiving bonuses. The report shows that the number of men receiving bonuses has also increased, with 35% of men taking home bonus pay in 2018 compared to 19% of men in 2017. The gap has narrowed for women’s median bonus pay, which is now 0% lower than men’s compared to 51% lower last year. In 2018, women’s mean bonus pay is 88.5% lower than men’s, compared to 87.9% last year.

Anthony Lawrence, Group HR director, said: “From our analysis we know that the biggest contributing factor to our mean gender pay gap and mean bonus pay gap is the number of executive positions held by men. At WHSmith, women make up 65% of the workforce and 27% of the senior management team. We know that our gender pay gap will only disappear when we have more women participating in senior management and leadership roles, and at WHSmith we are on a pathway to make this happen.”

This pathway to gender pay equality involves key initiatives including developing a pipeline of women primed for promotion, internal networking and development programmes, learning and development weeks, and using gender balance shortlists for external recruitment at senior executive level. www.whsmithplc.co.uk

Kaweco celebrates milestone with new frosted finishes

Hot on the heels of celebrating the 135th anniversary of their brand in 2018, in January this year Michael Gutberlet and his team at German pen brand Kaweco launched a brand-new series based on their iconic Sport design and introduced new colours to another of their iconic pens, the Perkeo.

Kaweco has combined modern materials and contemporary colours with its classic design heritage to produce a new Sport series in a frosted finish – the Kaweco Frosted Sport. Despite its chilly-sounding name, the light pastel colours and slightly opaque, milky plastic (which reveals a glimpse of the inner workings of the pen), make the Frosted series equally on trend for summer.

The Kaweco Frosted Sport is available as a fountain pen in five nib sizes, a rollerball, a ballpoint, a 0.7mm click-action pencil or a 3.2mm clutch pencil. Colours include the delectable-sounding Natural Coconut, Soft Mandarin, Blush Pitaya (a.k.a dragon fruit), Sweet Banana, Light Blueberry or Fine Lime. Kaweco has also launched a Frosted calligraphy range in Natural Coconut alongside its Sport line.

The Perkeo fountain pen, which first appeared around 1900 in the catalogue of the Heidelberg dip pen factory (later named Kaweco), was described as a convertible fountain pen. Today’s version of the Perkeo is designed to be an ink cartridge fountain pen and a convertible fountain pen. The matt octagonal cap and sixteen-edged barrel design stems from classic Kaweco tradition.

Perkeo is an entry-level fountain pen with an ergonomic grip section designed for effortless writing. The brand has added three new colours to the existing two-tone range of colours: Light Spring, All Black and Retro Block. Kaweco is distributed in the UK exclusively by Studio Pens. www.kaweco.com

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NEWS All new Stationery Show

Maped calls time on plastic packaging

Maped Helix has pledged to reduce single-use plastic in its packaging as part of an ongoing commitment to education and the environment. The company produces over 25 million units of home, school and office stationery each year, which it distributes in more than 80 countries worldwide. Top-selling product, the Oxford Maths Set (see our Icons of Stationery feature on page 21), has for many years been packaged in a plastic-free sleeve and the company is now working towards ensuring all ten of its bestselling Oxford products are in plastic-free packaging by 2020.

Gray Richmond, UK managing director at Maped Helix, explains: “It’s really important for us to create packaging that does not use single-use plastic and is recyclable, whilst still properly protecting and displaying our products during the distribution and sales process.

“Our short-term aim is to remove single-use plastics from at least 50% of our products by 2021. Our new Oxford pen range has been carefully designed to feature only plastic-free packaging, and includes ballpoint pens, fountain pens, gel pens, rollerball pens and ink cartridges.”

Richmond continues: “Many of our office products and colouring packs are also in 100% cardboard packaging, but it’s a trickier task for multipack stationery sets, erasers and pencil sharpeners, which are currently in blister and clamshell packaging for display purposes. The industry as a whole must embrace change in the way we package products.

Over many years, infrastructure has been developed that is focused towards using plastic in packaging. This will need to be revolutionised at great pace to hit our short and long term targets, but we are very much committed to doing so.

Gray concludes: “Our role in plastic reduction is not only environmental but educational. It’s important for us to inspire our customers and communicate the importance of being environmentally conscious and socially responsible purchasers. We want to lead the way in eradicating single-use plastic packaging and it’s essential to garner the support of manufacturers and retailers to do this.” www.mapedhelix.co.uk

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The annual stationery show in London Islington’s Business Design Centre enjoys a fresh new look this spring, with a full re-brand, a new name, and an expanded awards which, for the first time, includes retailer categories.

Now called Stationery Show London, the specialist trade-only show’s brand-new look reflects the design-led character for which the show is becoming known in the industry. Bold colours and black replace the muted pastels of the show’s previous branding as it moves into an exciting new phase. This year sees the prestigious Stationery Awards receive their own standalone event while still taking place on the first evening of the show. The show’s organisers are especially excited to introduce retailer categories, which include Best Specialist Stationery Retailer, and New Store of the Year. www.stationeryshowlondon.co.uk

ARTIST

M U S E U M

A Q U A R E L L E

With MUSEUM AQUARELLE, Caran d’Ache offers an innovative approach to the art of watercolour in the form of a pencil. A high concentration of pigments and excellent solubility ensure that MUSEUM AQUARELLE pencils are perfectly suited to both watercolour painting and artistic design.

Made in Geneva, they are available in collections of 12, 20, 40 and 76 pencils and are also sold individually.

Caran d’Ache. Swiss Made excellence since 1915.

For addi onal informa on and stockists please contact: JAKAR INTERNATIONAL Ltd

410 Centennial Avenue, Centennial Park Els ee WD6 3TJ • Tel: 020 8381 7000 • Email: info@jakar.co.uk carandache.com

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NEWS Obituary: Len Webster

Len Webster, of Websters Pen Shops, died suddenly on 5 November 2018, aged 74.

Len and his wife Jacqui bought the Parade of Cards in Petts Wood, Kent, in 1972, selling top-brand pens and a range of stationery.This business grew into Websters Stationers and they were later joined by their son Andrew and daughter Joanne, expanding to become Websters Pen Shops, with six stores, including one for Montblanc in Bluewater. Len was an early adopter of ecommerce, launching an online shop in 2000.

“Len was a great character and always looking for a better deal!” says Simon Stone of Stone Marketing. “He always had good stories to tell, and will be sadly missed.”

Chris Leonard-Morgan, founder of the London Stationery Show, comments: “I first met Len in the early 1970s as a customer of the Petts Wood store, long before I launched the exhibition. The shop was very much part of, and popular with the local community. Len was incredibly full of life, and knowledgeable about the stationery and greetings card business. Len was a great sounding board for the Stationery Show in the early days in particular.

Both Len and Jacqui were judges one year for the Stationery Awards.”

Len Webster, stationer, born 5 August 1944; died 5 November 2018.

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MODERN LUXE CROSS CLASSIC CENTURY® SPRING 2019

OUR BEST-SELLING WRITING INSTRUMENT NOW COMES IN THREE URBAN-INSPIRED FINISHES FEATURING PRECISION, ENGINE-TURNED DIAMOND ENGRAVINGS FOR A LOOK THAT IS EDGY, YET SOPHISTICATED.

SEE US AT STATIONERY SHOW LONDON

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NEWS Bastet & Bee on Brexit ‘entente cordiale’

National Stationery Week gathers momentum

Brand new partners and the campaign’s first ever retail sponsor, Ryman, means National Stationery Week is gearing up to be bigger and better than ever for 2019. Now in its eighth year, the initiative looks set to inspire even more stationery fans to write cards and letters and share images of their favourite stationery on social media. Key to the week’s success are its supplier sponsors. Derwent, the British heritage brand founded back in 1832, will embrace its role in the #natstatweek consumer campaign, offering tips to get creative with drawing and writing, and put its name to a day in the week’s beloved ‘Seven Days of Stationery.’

Derwent’s marketing director Nicola Shepherd told Stationery Matters: “We’ve chosen to be a Partner of National Stationery Week because we feel very strongly about keeping the stationery sector alive and kicking in the UK. Derwent needs to be a part of this, and involved in engaging young people about the benefits of writing, drawing and crafting.

“We’re particularly interested in the link between craft, wellbeing and mental health.

We’ve sponsored Friday during the campaign’s Seven Days of Stationery with the hashtag #FeelgoodFriday as we want to give our customers a compelling reason to engage with arts and crafts and to feel the positive benefits,” Shepherd concluded. www.nationalstationeryweek.com www.derwentart.com

Sakina and Andrew Robinson, the couple behind Anglo-French stationery brand Bastet & Bee, live in France and sell their bright graphic notepads on both sides of the Channel. After Brexit, the success of their small start-up will rely on more than just ‘l’entente cordiale’, the historic goodwill between France and Britain. So what do they make of the Brexit-related chaos unfolding in the Commons? Sakina Robinson says: “We’re going through a nail-biting period as we’re unsure of the impact a No-Deal Brexit will have on us. The three of us keep calm and carry on ticking things off our preBrexit to-do list, such as taking French classes and addressing potential residency issues.

“The UK and France are both our target markets. With our biggest community of buyers but also a couple of suppliers based in the UK, we are left with many questions but few answers, for example on import fees,VAT, additional loss and visa requirements for business travel.

The strategy is to hope for the best and plan for the worst. We are in the process of getting as much information as possible in order to limit the risks and costs – packages being held up at customs for example, and to reassure our British stockists and resellers.” www.bastetandbee.com

We Are In Good Company totes positive messages about sobriety Lucy Wilkins and Sara Bender, two senior strategic marketing leaders who met while working in the advertising industry, founded We Are In Good Company having been affected by alcoholism hurting their loved ones. The UK card and gift industry often celebrates British drinking culture yet fails to support those who need or want to stop drinking. The pair admit: “Right now, giving up drinking is hard. Alcohol is perceived as the fun best friend; the life and soul of the party. Sober is seen as the boring loser hiding in a church basement… Remember, giving up alcohol doesn’t mean you lose your sense of humour. Let’s celebrate all the good stuff being sober brings to our lives.”

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Challenging a card industry that has been known to call wine ‘Mummy Juice’, the young brand offers a trendy, design-led range toting alternative, positive messages. Enter the company’s first non-paper product, the ‘Tee Tote al’ tote bag, plus new cards especially for Mother’s Day that celebrate sobriety rather than inebriation. For stockists who claim that alcohol-related goods sell, Wilkins and Bender are keen to point out that statistics from the ONS show that one in five adults – that’s around 10.4 million people – now abstain from booze altogether. That’s food (not drink) for thought. www.weareingoodcompany.com

THE JUDGES OF LAUNCHPAD 2019 Sarah Sibley of Got2Jot Penny Green of Kikki.K Jamie Mitchell of Ohh Deer Michael Owen of Lime Stationery & Art

INTRODUCING OUR LAUNCHPAD 2019 WINNERS… For the third LaunchPad competition our judges have chosen eight winners from more than 40 entries which came in from all over the world. The winners will receive a free exhibition stand at Stationery Show London 2019 – a chance to show their exciting new products to key visiting buyers. The LaunchPad stands are the place to see the next big thing in stationery before the word gets out!

The eight LaunchPad winners are also eligible to enter the show’s Supplier Stationery Awards.

Stib Pencils

Stib Pencils is a purpose-led stationery brand set up to help young people ‘feel good on the inside and do good on the outside.’ Stib gives 10% of profits to we.org. It has two products: Stib Jumbo Pencils and Stib Mini Colouring Pencils, both of which come with on-the-go colouring sheets and a series of ‘Stibler’ characters, which match key ‘Spark’ words embossed on each pencil. These Spark words include Peacekeeper, Storyteller and Problem Solver, helping children to face ‘life’s lumps and bumps.’

The judges were impressed with the quality of the pencils and their presentation, saying they would make a great gift or parent purchase.

(L to R) Penny Green, Michael Owen, Jamie Mitchell

Vent for Change

Vent for Change is a new eco-friendly and ethical stationery range. All items are made with both people and planet in mind, with proceeds from sales going towards education projects worldwide. The collection includes pocket books made using reclaimed coffee cups, notebooks and sketchbooks made from sustainable paper, and pencils produced in the UK from recycled CD cases. The collection is beautifully designed to appeal to retailers and customers alike. The judges felt that the designs, materials and pricing were well thought through, with a strong ethical back story that would appeal to consumers. www.ventforchange.co.uk

www.stibpencils.com

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CardsHit

The team behind CardsHit are ‘on a mission to combine our great passion for design with our inability to stop swearing’. They have already had some success selling online. Their greeting cards range from cheeky to super rude, and the collections include Simply Rude, Graphic

by Design, Cats are Tw@ts, In the Doghouse and Santa’s Grotty. The judges’ reaction was that whilst the range wasn’t going to suit everyone, they were certainly memorable! www.cardshit.com

Brahman Design

Dutch start-up Bloom your message have developed a range of ‘Growing Greeting Cards’, which are made from sustainably produced recycled paper with seeds inside. Placed under soil, this paper will allow the embedded seeds to grow into flowers, herbs or vegetables. The judges liked the range of seeds on offer, and the design and presentation of the cards.

Brahman Design design, manufacture and retail analogue stationery products ‘aimed to last a lifetime.’ The young team crowdfunded their first product and tested customer reaction via their own market stall and a few small stores. ‘Høvel’ is a pencil sharpener made of highly polished brass which planes layers of wood and graphite to a perfectly crafted point. The team will be launching a second product on their stand at Stationery Show London. The judges unanimously described Høvel as ‘beautiful,’ and ‘the perfect gift for any stationery fan.’ They are already looking forward to seeing Brahman’s brand new product.

www.bloom-yourmessage.nl

www.brahmandesign.com

Bloom your message

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J+A London

J+A London are designers James Retief and Addison Soeder, who aim ‘to pair a refined graphic language with the sculptural, expressive potential of paper.’

Their cards are beautiful and mesmerizing. They design their cards to be displayed in a variety of ways by using a unique tab system that allows fixing in multiple configurations.

The judges immediately envisaged commercial interest in these cards from design-savvy customers looking for something contemporary and timeless.

Instagram: @j_a_ldn

Handy Spelling

Handy was designed by educational experts to support the National Curriculum. To date they have taken five products for younger children to prototype stage, with plans for more than 20 more products across different price points. Each product is designed to bolster the confidence of children who find spelling and literacy difficult. Handy puts the most frequently mistaken spellings and parts of speech at children’s fingertips. The judges liked the combination of visual humour, quirky style and functionality, which they felt would be popular with children and parents.

Boss Bird

From designer and founder Michelle Wilson-Stimson, Boss Bird creates and offers a range of original desk and book planners to help you ‘plan like a boss.’ The planners include sections for wellbeing, reflection, brainstorming, goals and organisational categories. The judges liked the stand-out designs and the range of sizes on offer, identifying that the range worked equally well for gifts or ‘self-gifting.’ www.bossbird.co.uk

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Stationery with a conscience

From sustainably produced notebooks to brands that give something back, JULIA FAIERS interviews the founders of four stationery brands making a difference.

100% recycled range from FA VO

Tell us about the sustainable design and manufacture of your notebooks.

Ivo Silva and Liana Magalhães, co-founders, FA VO Ivo and Liana successfully Kickstarted their way into production in 2017 with their range of 100% recycled notebooks.

What does FA VO make and why did you set up the business?

FA VO is a brand of high-quality design products that focuses on the use of environmentally sustainable materials throughout the entire creative process. Since we launched two years ago, we’ve been selling our 100% recycled notebooks online and in shops. The original business idea is linked with our passion for sustainable design and an environmental ethos.

As two young architects we’ve always wanted to design, produce and make our products available to the public.

The 100% recycled notebook seemed like a very good way to start.

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At the heart of our creative design process is the basic principle of creating products that are environmentally sustainable and that seek to make Earth a better place. We genuinely believe that this is the way forward. To this end, it is essential for us to use materials produced with the highest-quality standards and recycled raw materials that avoid aggressive processes with nature.

Manufacturing is for us the most important agent of the creative process, as in most cases it’s the biggest environmental polluter when making a product. We are very concerned about relationships with all our suppliers and we responsibly evaluate the environmental impact of the production, transportation and packaging of our products.

How important are ethical and environmental practices for stationery buyers in 2019?

‘Environmental ethos’ should be the most important point when buyers look to purchase stationery for home use, or companies search for a branded bulk order, or shops buy in wholesale, or distributers, etc. Choosing the ‘environmentally friendly’ tag is no longer an option,

it’s truly a worldwide requirement for both clients and companies that buy or produce stationery products.

If you could wave a magic wand to transform the eco credentials of the stationery industry, what would you wish for, and why?

This is difficult and it has been in the back of our minds for a while now. If we had a magic wand we’d wish for a change, not on the eco credentials of the stationery industry, but instead we’d target all the credentials related with the manufacturing processes that can truly produce an ecofriendly product.

Our idea is quite simple. Imagine that you use the best available ecofriendly materials for a product, but that you put it together in a bad factory, with poor environmental and sustainable values, or even in a country that doesn’t follow most environmental policies. It’s easy to understand that although this would be considered eco-friendly by the market, in its essence, it is probably doing much more bad than the ‘apparent’ good. At FA VO we believe a true eco-friendly product is one that responds to a social necessity, and that it’s coherent in its values from start to finish. www.fa-vo.com

It’s at the heart of our DNA. Every item we produce is designed with the environment in mind from the outset. Every item sold supports global education. Ethical practice is the brand philosophy and identity, its soul and its strength.

a network of volunteers and NGOs. Closer to home we run a Global Education Awareness Day every May, teaching UK school children the importance of going to school and why so many kids around the world still miss out. In 2018 more than 80,000 children signed up to take part.

Tell us about the sustainable design and manufacture of VENT’s Ideas range.

How important are ethical and environmental practices for stationery buyers in 2019?

The Ideas range is an extension of my background in environmental product design. Produced entirely using recycled and sustainable materials, such as books made from reclaimed coffee-cup fibres and pencils made in the UK from recycled CD cases, every item has its own story to tell.

I think for gift-led stationery it will be hugely important in 2019 that ranges have an ethical and/or environmental story to tell. Both is even better. Buyers are becoming more discerning when buying for themselves and for others.

How does ethical practice shape your business model?

Evan Lewis, environmental entrepreneur and founder of Bristol-based VENT for Change, launched his ethical stationery range of notebooks and recycled pencils to retailers at Top Drawer in January 2019.

What does VENT for Change make, and what drove you to set up the business?

VENT for Change is an ethical stationery brand. I created it specifically to support children’s education projects worldwide. The collection also has impeccable eco credentials. VENT was created to help some of the millions of children worldwide still unable to access the education they desperately want and deserve.

What projects are you involved with around the world?

Our Bright Futures campaign is currently supporting education projects worldwide run by Plan International UK, one of the UK’s leading children’s charities. Plan has been supporting children for more than 75 years. In addition, we run our own Ambassador for Change programme, distributing thousands of free pencils to schools and communities worldwide through

Do you think we’re going to see more purpose-led start-ups in the stationery industry?

I hope so. Part of what we want to achieve is to demonstrate that a brand can successfully put purpose before profit while not actually being a charity. Putting a sense of soul into a range that buyers can connect with will become increasingly important.

I think it will shake up the industry and big brands will struggle to make themselves look ethical without being seen cynically. Small brands that really mean it can start to make an impact. Take a look at Toms shoes, for example.

If you could wave a magic wand to transform the eco credentials of the stationery industry, what would you wish for, and why?

I think it’s as much about making useful and functional items as it is eco and ethical. Poor quality for the sake of piling high cheap stock is hugely detrimental to the environment.

The resources spent and the waste generated is shocking. Stockists and retailers should think before piling cheap plastic products upon more of the same. My wish would be buy ethical and buy environmental.’ www.VENTforchange.co.uk

Ideas range from VENT for Change

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Odin Ardagh, designer and director, Brahman Design Odin Ardagh is one of the founding directors of Brahman Design, which makes the brass and wood Høvel pencil sharpener. He was a Star Choice in the Thirty Under 30 Class of 2018.

Describe what Brahman makes, and what drove you to develop these products.

At Brahman Design we make beautiful analogue drawing tools designed to last a lifetime or more.

We are three young product designers who all have a strong passion for creating that translates directly to our drive to create original drawing tools that inspire our users.

Why should Brahman be considered a stationery brand ‘with a conscience’?

As designers and business owners in the 21st century we feel a strong sense of responsibility to design and produce products that don’t harm our environment, especially focusing on the lifecycle of a product by prolonging its life and using ‘honest’ materials. Having all grown up in the shadow of the rather terrifying

prospect of climate change, we feel a responsibility to enact positive change through what we design and produce. Care for our environment and a shared moral duty to do no harm is as important to us as our ability to manufacture and sell. This informs all the decisions we make as a company. For now this means using entirely recyclable materials for our products, finishes and packaging, and translates to our philosophy of making durable products built to last forever, combating the practice of planned obsolescence that permeates every industry.

Tell us about the design process behind Høvel.

The idea for our first product Høvel, came from a strong dissatisfaction with your average pencil sharpener.

Having just started a degree in product design I was drawing more, and was reminded of childhood frustrations of breaking pencil leads using a twist sharpener. A seed of an idea was planted, to design a pencil sharpener I would aspire to own.

Drawing from my love of carpentry and woodworking tools, I settled on a design which functions like a traditional block plane. A tool used for cabinet making. After numerous prototypes made using 3D printing, I settled on the design we now sell.

The Høvel (meaning hand plane in Norwegian, my native language) gives you more precise control over how you sharpen your pencil than a scalpel or traditional sharpener and doesn’t break the pencil lead or pastel as it sharpens along the grain of the wood and doesn’t twist. Using Høvel offers a pleasant break in a fast-paced digital working day.

The Høvel pencil sharpener by Brahman Design

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Is ‘built-to-last’ going to enter the mainstream or do you think this isn’t viable for big business?

Consumers are becoming increasingly savvy, researching products and the companies behind them before making a buying decision. I see a clear opportunity, but also a need for businesses to make and sell products that last. As customers seek to connect directly with the companies they purchase from through platforms such as Instagram, an opportunity arises to explain the sometimesincreased price tag that comes with making high-quality products that stand the test of time. As a small company it can sometimes be hard to do the right thing, as making something of quality does come with an increased cost, however this can be mitigated by economies of scale.

I see no reason why larger companies couldn’t be doing more to create products that last and thereby foster lasting relationships with customers instead of placing too much emphasis on the short term value of the bottom line. It’s my view that as a majority of the tools we use become digital, it leaves an opportunity for investing in quality when we make purchasing decisions for the few analogue tools we choose to buy.

Are startups and college graduates driving the current trend in ethical and sustainable products and purpose-led business practices?

Working within the London startup ecosystem, we see many of the companies around us working on products and business models that are rooted in sustainable practices.

As young individuals whose lives will be affected by climate change, it is imperative that change is made swiftly and definitively. My generation has had environmentalism as a core part of our curriculum since primary school. As we mature we are seeing people starting businesses that are aiming to change the world with care for the environment as their focus. I would say that start-ups and graduates are definitely striving for change and are setting a new gold standard for entrepreneurship in the 21st century. www.brahmandesign.com

How important are ethical practices and sustainably produced stationery to Batch.works?

Former architect Julien Vaissieres founded Londonbased start-up Batch.works in 2016. He was a Star Choice in Stationery Matters’ Thirty Under 30 Class of 2018, and Batch.works was a LaunchPad London winner in 2018 for its Hex range of 3D-printed desk accessories.

Describe what Batch.works makes, and why it should be considered a stationery brand ‘with a conscience’.

Batch.works makes affordable and eco-friendly products that make the most of 3D printing’s speed and efficiency. We recently partnered with Paperchase to design and produce a collection of 3D-printed biodegradable stationery. The range comprises giant paperclips, pen pots and ballpoint pens, all made using bioplastic. All of Batch. works’ stationery is completely biodegradable, and made using PLA plastic, which is produced using sugar cane.

It’s part of Batch.works’ mission to unite 3D printing and sustainability, which has included using recycled plastic bottles to produce lamps.

I hope with Batch.works we can help revive the possibilities of local manufacturing. One of our longterm goals is to replicate this in other cities, so global designers can produce locally at a fraction of the cost of traditional manufacturing, drastically reducing supply-chain waste.

Is sustainability going to become increasingly mainstream? Your partnership with Paperchase shows they take it seriously and that their customers expect it.

The collaboration with Paperchase was a world first. There’s never been any 3D-printed collection in the world distributed across more than a hundred stores. It’s a challenge and that’s where 3D printing is going to go in the next few years. It was a proof of concept, not just an order.

It was a huge challenge, and so to find that we did it, we now know it’s possible. Therefore we can move on with new designers, new machines, bring new products to the market.

Do your sustainable and ethical practices extend beyond the stationery you produce?

produce a very low amount of waste.

The tiny remainder is melted back either into raw material or new products! The fact that we control the whole process from design to manufacturing means our waste is very limited. We also make sure our suppliers follow our ethos regarding sustainability.

Do you think that startups and college graduates are driving the current trend in ethical and sustainable products and purposeled business practices?

For sure! Young brains bring fresh and innovative ideas to tackle today’s biggest challenges, including global warming. Partnering and collaborating with large companies like Paperchase allow these seeds to grow into businesses, and potentially change the way things are traditionally made. I believe this trend will become a new normal.

If you could wave a magic wand to transform the eco credentials of the stationery industry as a whole, what would you wish for, and why?

Batch production to local demand by using sustainable resources is all I can wish for! I believe we have the tools, the technology and resources to make those changes happen now. www.batch.works

We use an innovative technique of 3D printing with bio-based or recycled plastic which already

3D-printed desk accessories by Batch.works for Paperchase

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.uk

NEW

#STABILO HappyMail

NEW STABILO® Pen 68 Metallic Metallic Felt-tip pens

The STABILO Pen 68 metallic is available in 8 metal colours that add that special shimmer to all of your creations from Birthday cards, Invitations, or Creative Hand Lettering.

Stand M738 at Stationery Show London

ICONS OF STATIONERY

Helix Oxford Maths Set

Founder of the London Stationery Show CHRIS LEONARD-MORGAN looks at why children and adults everywhere still love the Helix Oxford Maths Set.

GENERATIONS of children have grown up with the iconic Helix Oxford Maths Set – or ‘set of mathematical instruments complete and accurate,’ to provide its full name on today’s packaging. Since its launch in 1935 this instantly recognisable silver pencil tin has been a feature of school classrooms in the UK and around the world.

Based in the West Midlands and since 2012 part of the Maped Helix Group, the company that was to become Helix was established in 1887 by 27-year-old Frank Shaw. This young man was one of two brothers from Birmingham who, early in his life, gained considerable experience in the manufacture of small items in wood and brass.

Shaw initially started producing brass and steel sheeting and wire and extruded delta-metal, and then highquality metal laboratory items, before identifying a growing demand for school drawing instruments. He began making brass compasses and dividers.

He soon saw in his dealings with educational suppliers that there was an increasing call for other schoolroom items such as rulers, set

squares and drawing boards made of wood, and these were the first items to be produced by the company he established in 1887. His was the first company to do so. It was also the first to mass produce school rulers. He then invented the modern drawing compass in 1894 and produced the first maths set under the Universal name in 1912.

The Helix Oxford brand was launched with the maths set alone in 1935, and remained a stand-alone product until the 1990s. Today the brand covers a comprehensive range of school stationery which includes such items as pens, pencils, erasers, pencil cases and calculators.

The Maths Set has evolved to meet modern-day curriculum requirements, keeping the same selection of contents but without the divider. It is the UK’s number-one maths set and more recently has tapped into present-day consumer trends and deliberately sets out to appeal directly to the younger market.

It is now also available in eyecatching colour editions, and four further limited-edition, fashion-led designs are being launched in 2019.

It has come a long way since 1935, combining tradition with innovation, and is sold into forty different countries. Maped Helix’s continuing popularity and engagement with consumers is only underlined by having 487,000+ followers on Facebook, making it an excellent example of a stationery brand using digital media.

In 2015 Maped Helix held a press campaign during National Stationery Week to find the UK’s oldest Oxford Maths Set. The winner was a lady from Stourbridge, who owned a maths set dating back to when she was at school in the 1950s (pictured here.) Her set still had most of its contents and the owner’s name was etched on using the set’s compass. Maped Helix displayed this iconic object on its stand at the London Stationery Show in 2015.

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Unzipped In the second of our new series of stationery exposés, Stationery Matters editor JULIA FAIERS asks Fox + Star founder/owner Ariane Holford to lay bare the contents of her pencil case, and to explain why each item has earned its place.

ARIANE HOLFORD set up Fox + Star online in 2013 from her base in Birmingham. She moved herself and her stationery stash to Edinburgh in 2016, and has run Fox + Star with her small team of dedicated stationery addicts from her Scottish headquarters ever since.

Fox + Star offers a wide range of design-led stationery from around the world, and has recently added kikki.K to its portfolio of cool brands. It specialises in unique planners, notebooks and pens, and has a soft spot for Korean and Japanese stationery. The name of the brand was inspired by the classic French novel by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Le Petit Prince.

1. Pencil Case by Livework

This pretty pencil case sits flat on the desk for easy access to your writing tools. It also has a handy front pocket.

me a set, I instantly understood the appeal. They’re bright, colourful and capture the nostalgic fun of playing with stationery.

2. Mild Gel Pen by Iconic

7. Juliet Rose Pen by Rifle Paper Co.

3. Pencil by Katie Leamon

8. Pattern Sharp Pencil by Livework

4. American Scientific Pencil

9. Writeable Washi Tape by Masté

Like most stationery fans, I have far too many gel pens, but this simple one by Iconic is my current favourite.

I’m often extolling the virtues of the humble pencil.

This classic colour-block pencil by Katie Leamon is great for scribbling to-do lists.

This vintage pencil is from a pack that I found in a Chicago antiques shop. I debated keeping the pack sealed so that I could simply admire them from time to time, but the curiosity got the better of me.

They’re dreamy to write with.

5. Eraser / Sharpener by Milan

The prettiness of Rifle Paper Co. florals in a pen. This is the one that gets all the compliments when I’m out and about.

Mechanical pencils are a must-have in my kit. I use this one daily in my planner as it’s great for tiny writing in small planner layouts.

I have at least one washi tape in every bag, pouch and case that I own. They’re unendingly useful for all sorts of handy purposes. This is a fairly new one by the Japanese brand Masté. It’s super easy to write on, so it’s great for labelling.

10. Sticky Notes by Mark’s Tokyo Edge

You can’t get very far without the basics, right? This dual function eraser/sharpener is great for small pencil cases.

Most of the surfaces around my desk have at least one sticky note attached to them. These zakka cat sticky notes are so much fun to use.

6. Woody Pencil by Stabilo

11. Ballpoint pen by Livework

This is my most beloved stationery item. I have these chunky pencils in each colour. A teacher friend in Korea would constantly use these giant crayons to circle and underline sections in her paperwork. When she gifted

The hero of every pencil case is the ballpoint pen. This one by Livework has the added bonus of being completely adorable.

Are the contents of your pencil case worthy of scrutiny in Unzipped? Share the stories behind your favourite stationery with the readers of Stationery Matters. Email Julia at editor@stationerymatters.news

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COME AND JOIN US S TAND M 5 2 9 TUESDAY 30 APRIL - WEDNESDAY 1 MAY 2019

Come and join us at Stationery Show London, where we will be excited to talk to you about opportunities for sales growth with our new Gifting Ranges for artists, hobbyists and journaling.

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www.DerwentArt.com

Kids’ Stationery: Meet the Makers

JULIA FAIERS talks to three brands helping to stimulate the booming children’s stationery market.

Set of four dinosaur erasers by Rex London

Candy Smith, head buyer, Rex London Originally trading as dotcomgiftshop, and rebranding in 2018, Rex London is an online gift shop selling stationery, gifts and homeware.

What got you started in children’s stationery and gifts?

Our company was launched in the early 80s by two hippies who’d done the whole hippy trail of India, the Far East and South America. On their travels they’d come across beautiful, artisanal items which they’d then have shipped over to the UK. Amongst these would be treasures such as hand-printed Indian notebooks and jewelled pens – years before they were commonplace on the high street – and which seemed so wonderfully exotic at the time.

Tell us how your in-house design team develops stationery for kids.

Who’s involved from idea through to finished product?

In an incredibly tough retail climate, kids’ stationery is a growing sector.

Why do you think this market is so resistant?

Our ideas always start as a hand-drawn sketch. For our designers, pen and paper is the quickest way to get ideas down quickly. The drawings will then be rendered on computer and presented to our development team for consideration.

If there’s a consensus (from an artistic and commercial point of view) that we have a design that ticks all the boxes, we decide on a range of products to put the design on, which might be notebooks, colouring pencils or even washi tape.

Despite this being very much the age of digital learning and pursuits, we are of the opinion that parents will always want there to be in a child’s learning an element of analogue pleasure and discovery. Simple pleasures, just pen and paper – getting away from the screen and helping to create an atmosphere of calmness and creativity.

What makes Rex London kids’ stationery special?

It would have to be our new range of cute animal rulers – they’re gorgeous.

The beautiful, attractive designs that convey fun and positivity.

www.rexlondon.com

If you were still a kid, which Rex London stationery item would you spend your pocket money on?

How big a part in your business does children’s stationery and gift play?

At the moment, the children’s market is huge for us, and our latest collection reflects this. Stationery is a big part of that offering, along with toys, games, kids’ dinner and drinkware.

What proportion of your kids’ offer is designed in-house?

It is all designed and developed in-house.

Our small, London-based product development team comprises illustrators, textile and graphic designers, who work with our buying team and CEO.

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Marcin Swigon, director, Fringoo Fringoo launched less than two years ago. Its range of funky school supplies is targeted at children who love fashionable, affordable and practical stationery.

Tell us about your role at Fringoo

I am a director at Fringoo. This sounds good and easy, but in fact it is a lot of hard work involving overtime and a lot of problem solving. I love what I do. I love creating new and exciting products, but it can be stressful, too.

I do everything from designing to dealing with manufacturers, stockists, marketing, even packing orders.

I like to keep an eye on everything and there is no decision I am not involved in.

How long has Fringoo been making products for children? What got you started?

The company has operated for only 1.5 years, and I am really proud of the range of products we have created in such a short period.

Initially, I spotted a huge niche in the market. In recent times of excessive consumption, the kids’ market has been relatively forgotten.

Instagram, YouTubers and bloggers are playing a huge role in the kids’ fashion sector. The ‘unboxing’ trend creates a desire for commodities with kids. Parents don’t realise that giving children an iPad even for 15 minutes will create a desire for the products they see there for a lot longer than the time they’ve spent on the iPad. Fringoo makes exactly what they need. New, trendy colourful and playful accessories they always dreamed about.

FASHION IS A FORM OF SELF EXPRESSION, AND ACCESSORIES ARE OFTEN THE ONLY WAY FOR YOUNGSTERS IN SCHOOL UNIFORM TO DO THIS. Why do you think the children’s stationery market is so resistant to the challenges of high-street retail?

The market for kids’ school accessories and stationery is growing because parents would rather spend money on practical gifts than toys. Fringoo delivers both. Kids are excited to have a beautifully designed backpack that’s essential for school, too. This is how we make children and parents happy.

What makes your kids’ stationery special?

We are different! Cute colourful flowers is not what we do. Fringoo is fashion, style and identity. We listen to our customers. We take the trendiest characters, such as llamas, sloths, unicorns and we place them in a fun narrative that kids can relate to. We design to create an experience. Our accessories are interactive – basketball lunch bags and collapsible bottles for example. They’re not only school essentials, they also make great practical gifts.

How do you tap into the minds of the kids you design for?

We always think about our audience.

My daughters are my primary research sources – they are essential to my work! They teach me trends.

Instagram and YouTube are the platforms where I find inspiration.

Keeping up with trends is essential in my job. I feel guilty spending so much time on my phone, but this is where the ideas are coming from.

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What are your bestselling products?

Multi-compartment lunch bags have been very successful. Junior backpacks were a hit, as well as 3-zipper pencil cases and eye poppers pencil cases. It’s really hard to choose because each collection has a winning model, and this changes according to trends.

How do you market your products?

Online presence is very important for us. Lifestyle photography plays a big part in our sales. The Instagram and Pinterest platforms are where we get an idea of how to style our accessories in everyday use. Fashion is a form of self expression, and accessories are often the only way for youngsters in school uniform to do this. Our sales are online only at the moment. However, we have stockists around the world and are open to collaborations. 2019 is all about growing and building a stockist’s portfolio. We want to become a wellknown international brand.

What age group is your stationery aimed at?

At the moment our age group starts with toddlers and goes right up to 12 years old. However, we’re working on a teen collection which is going to be released soon.

What are your thoughts on Brexit?

Brexit is an unknown. It’s really difficult to say exactly how it is going to affect companies like us. Nothing good or beneficial can come out of it.

We think it’s unnecessary. www.fringoo.co.uk

bone. We hope this feel-good feeling trickles down into our product and that kids find them funny and love them as much as we do.

What are your bestselling products?

We think the squishy pens are attracting the most interest, but the range is so new to the market at this stage it’s hard to gauge.

How do you market your products?

What works best?

We found the Spring Fair in Birmingham a good platform for the launch of new products in hitting a wider national and international audience. We are also placing more prominence on promoting our ranges online through social media.

What age group is your stationery aimed at? Who buys it, and where?

Cindy Pang, co-founder Pango Productions Pango Productions is an independent publishing studio based in Dalton, East London. It creates ‘products for a cute life’ and its new stationery collection has been stocked at Paperchase since February 2019.

What are your roles/job titles at Pango?

We are a small team here at Pango.

I founded the business together with my partner David Wigley and we have poured our heart and soul into Pango over the years.

I am the creative director and David takes care of sourcing, sales and telling jokes that only he laughs at. Rosie is the studio manager who works closely with me to put together amazing ranges of cards and stationery. Xing is the team’s marketing person and social media guru.

How long has Pango been making cool stationery for children? What got you started?

We have always wanted to branch out from greeting cards, but only started the conversation of creating our first stationery range early last year. Though I’ve been a stationery addict since I’ve known how to hold a pencil!

Sarah Fletcher of Maximum Licensing then worked closely with

Pango to refine our range, and this is our first ever stationery collection!

It is really exciting for us, especially as Paperchase greatly supported our launch and we cannot wait to see what lies ahead for us.

Why do you think kids’ stationery is a growing sector?

It might be because the price points are accessible and they fall within the range of pocket money. More importantly, stationery items promote and encourage kids’ learning, and so might be more recession-proof than other items which are seen as less of a necessity.

What makes your kids’ stationery special?

We took our favourite Jelly magnet icons which have been our bestselling greetings card range over the years and made them XL, translating them into stationery that is both tactile and super cute! The result is a distinctive squishable, die-cut range that offers a point of difference in the crowded marketplace. Our mission is to create happy products, hence our hashtag #wemakehappy. We enjoy seeing how kids react to our products as it’s refreshingly spontaneous.

We tend not to define an age category for our products as we think it has a wide appeal. It’s a feel-good purchase driven by the love of an icon and the happy feeling it generates.

Online we do find that parents tend to purchase on behalf of children, but in shops it is definitely an end customer’s first purchase!

What are your plans for 2019?

We want to continue creating more fun stationery with expanded characters and product categories, as we have so many ideas trapped in our sketch books that need to come to life!

What are your thoughts about Brexit?

The lack of clarity on how Brexit will play out doesn’t add to consumer confidence in the retail market, but I think being in business you are used to riding the highs and lows of external factors beyond your control! www.pangoproductions.com

How do you tap into the minds of the kids you design for?

As self-proclaimed ‘young-at-hearts’ ourselves, we are big kids who design what inspires us or tickles our funny

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SEE US AT STATIONERY SHOW LONDON, STAND M330

ART AND COLOUR PRODUCTS

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WWW.SPECTRUMNOIR.COM

www.artcoe.co.uk

Visit us at Stand M303 Fine Art, Craft, Graphic & Stationery Materials

VISIT US! Stand M303

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www.artcoe.co.uk sales@artcoe.co.uk

SHOW PREVIEW

WELCOME TO OUR 2019 SHOW PREVIEW It’s always nice to be able to take the credit for other people’s hard work, so it’s with great pleasure that we can share all the hard work and dedication of our exhibitors as they prepare for the ninth stationery spectacular at the Business Design Centre in London.

In a year dogged by economic uncertainty and caution, we’re delighted to host some fantastic brands at this year’s show. All come with new products and ideas to support their retailers. We also welcome eight stationery startups – our 2019 LaunchPad winners. You’ll find a full list of all the companies, brands and licences at the show on pages 33 and 34.

So, before you arrive at the show, take a few moments to look through some of the stationery delights that await you – Live Talks and Retailer Workshops, the Stationery Trends Hub and Trend Tours offered by trend forecasters Scarlet Opus, and the opportunity to get hands on with some great new product in the Creative Stationery Workshops.

Remember too, that the Stationery Show London plays host to the annual Stationery Awards, which have been expanded this year to include categories for retailers and stationery designers, as well as the alwaysfascinating new product awards.

Our thanks and appreciation go to all the judges involved in this year’s Stationery Awards for their time and dedication, with a special thank you to Henri Davis, independent retail advisor and deputy chair of The Giftware Association, who has overseen our product judging panel for the eighth time.

We look forward to welcoming you to the show!

Follow us @StationeryBytes Follow us @StationeryShowsUK Follow us @StationeryShowsUK www.stationeryshow.co.uk

CREATIVE STATIONERY WORKSHOPS Time to open packets and put some new products through their paces…

Our Creative Stationery Workshops are a fantastic way to engage with customers, and many exhibitors support their retailers with work sheets, free demo product and ideas to help you turn customers into serious stationery-buying fans!

Manuscript Pens is working with lettering sensation James Lewis, who will show you how to create 3D letters with Manuscript markers. Royal Talens will be running four different workshops on glass, ceramics and stone, hand-lettering and bullet journaling.Visual artist Christine Nicholls’ simple workshops use easy-to-obtain items with which to get creative!

Shachihata’s workshops use its new Artline Decorite pens to decorate a ceramic coaster with modern metallic hand lettering, and use the XStamper Quix stamps and Artline Supreme brush pens to create silhouette-effect greeting cards to take away!

Derwent will showcase its new, updated range of Metallic Pencils to help you create your own botanical bunting.They’re throwing in a goody bag, too.Try your hand at fabric screen printing with the new Marabu kit from West Design. Create super-cool designs in minutes to personalise t-shirts, cushions and more!

New exhibitor Chameleon Art will be showing its innovative Fineliners, which instantly blend colours. Each Fineliner has a patented dual ink system, with ink in the pen and in the cap! To blend colours you switch the cap or change it to another pen – from 48 pens you can create an astounding 1,128 colour combinations!

Don’t forget to book a space at these workshops (retailers and buyers only) via registration. If you’ve already registered, follow the link on the What’s On section of our website to reach the booking page.

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LIVE TALKS AND RETAILER WORKSHOPS Hone in on trends, hear how the stationery sector and Britain’s high streets are really faring, and listen to an intriguing offer from retail entrepreneurs NearSt, who make retailers’ stock easily searchable on Google!

Trend analyst Phil Pond, of Scarlet Opus, a speaker well-known to Stationery Show visitors, will share a key trend for Christmas sales called ‘The Traveller.’ He will also reveal a longer view of global consumer and design trends – The Game Changer, Satori and Fellowship – that will influence customers through Spring/Summer 2020.

NearSt is a retail technology company getting people back into high-street shops.

Their platform drives in-store footfall by connecting the products currently hidden on shop shelves to the millions of local shoppers searching online for them nearby. In 2018 NearSt partnered with Google to enable shoppers to search live in-store products directly in the Google search function. CEO Nick Brackenbury says: “Retailers are

currently missing out on a whole segment of shoppers who want to buy local.” Come to Nick’s talk and find out how they do it!

‘What’s really happening on the UK’s High Streets’ is a review by leading retail commentator and head of retail policy for the Federation of Small Business, Michael Weedon of exp2, which proves you shouldn’t always believe all the ‘doom and gloom’ headlines!

Rebecca Saunders, a retail and ecommerce independent consultant, returns to deliver her ‘State of Stationery’ industry update and run a hands-on workshop entitled ‘What can indies learn from retail buyers.’

Rebecca, (previously a buyer and category manager at Not on the High Street and John Lewis Partners) will share tips on how retail buyers manage stock and suppliers to help independent retailers carry out their own negotiations. Independent retailers should come prepared to share their experiences and learn from others – this is a pre-bookable workshop with limited places.

There are an additional two retailer workshops, one led by Catherine Erdly of Future Retail: ‘Five key figures you need

to know to boost your sales’, which can also be pre-booked. Finally, founder of Specialist Retailers, Ian Retallick, will present ‘How soft assets can attract more customers to your store’.

For more information on the programme, please visit the ‘What’s On’ section of the Stationery Show London’s website at www.stationeryshowlondon.co.uk

TAKE A TREND TOUR Back due to popular demand, visitors will be able to join a show ‘Trend Tour’ to see specific products which epitomise one of the key consumer and design trends for the stationery sector in 2020.

Each tour, which takes around 40 minutes, will be led either by futurist Victoria Redshaw or trend forecaster Laura Greenwood, both from trend forecasting agency Scarlet Opus.

“By using products available now, we can illustrate the types of ideas, items, colours and textures of each trend, and give buyers specific examples of how each trend will manifest itself, what their customers will be drawn to, and how to attract new customers,” explains Victoria.

Four tours, each catering up to eight visitors, will run on both show days.

They also offer team tours for individual companies which can be booked outside the standard times.

The Scarlet Opus team, who will create a Stationery Trends Hub display at the show, have identified four global consumer and design trends to focus on this year.

The Traveller – a key trend for Christmas 2019. It is a future-thinking yet traditional trend, reflecting consumers’ desires to look ahead to calmer, more stable times.The idea of establishing fairness, transparency in all things and restoring balance and order is key.

The Game Changer – a trend that sees consumer interest in strengthening the connection between sustainability and technology to achieve environmental

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improvements. A desire for clean air, clean oceans, clean energy and clean living will drive how products and services are developed.

Satori – next summer’s Olympics in Japan will boost worldwide interest in Japanese culture and influences. Satori, or ‘the experience of seeing into one’s true nature’ encourages consumers to find a natural rhythm and balance in order to cope with the complexities of modern life and the distractions of the online world.

Fellowship – promotes the power of the collective. It has a global outlook and celebrates cultural diversity and places ethics at the centre of decision making.

It is experimental, colourful and joyous, showcasing a cultural mix of ideas.

To find out more about these consumer and design trends and how they will play out in the Stationery sector, visitors can either join a Trend Tour, visit the Trends Hub or sit in on one of Phil Pond’s Trends Talks.

For the full trends programme, visit the ‘What’s On’ section of the Stationery Show London’s website at www.stationeryshowlondon.co.uk

SHOW PREVIEW: FLOOR PLAN M350

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G222

G219

Ground Floor G124 G121 G116 G118

G117

G113 G112

G221 G212

G220 G214

G216

Designer Area

G109

G107

G119

G115

Live Talks Theatre

G114

G120

G111

G110

G211

G103

G203

G205

G102 G104 G100

G200

G204

G206

G108

G106 G105

Jack’s Restaurant

ENTRANCE S TAT I O N E R Y S H O W L O N D O N P R E V I E W 3 3

EXHIBITORS, BRANDS AND LICENCES BRANDS AND LICENCES

EXHIBITORS

3M G222 A GIFT FROM THE GODS M610A/B ADVANCE TAPES G222 ALASSIO M406 ALICE SCOTT M615 ALJAVA PEN HOLDERS M617 ALLSORTED M510 AMODEX INK & STAIN REMOVER M617 AMODEX PRODUCTS INC M720 ANNOUNCE M642 ARCHIVE M615 ARK COLOUR DESIGN G105 ARTCOE M303 ARTGECKO SKETCHBOOKS M408 ARTISTE M530 ARTLINE M709 ASTRA S A M632 AT CROSS M730 AVENUE MANDARINE M501 BACK POCKET NOTEBOOKS M447 BAUHAUS M400 BBC EARTH M516 BI-SILQUE SA M344 BLACKWING M528 BOBINO M521 BOOKSPEED M329 BRAUSE M501 BRENOCO G108 BRIGHT CONCEPT PTE. LTD. M312 BRITISH LIBRARY M516 BROWNTROUT PUBLISHERS LTD M605 BRUCE DOUGLAS MARKETING T/A ULTRATAPE M640 B-SIDE LABEL M528 BUG ART M629 BULLET JOURNAL MODIMÒ M444 BUNNY SUICIDES M416 BUSY B M631 CALLICREATIVE M315 CALLIGRAPHY COLES M700 CAMBRIDGE IMPRINT G107 CARAN D’ACHE M521/M620 CAROLINE GARDNER M615 CASTELLI MILANO M616 CATHEDRAL PRODUCTS (UK) LTD M415 CHAMELEON ART PRODUCTS LTD M320 CHARFLEET BOOK BINDERY M305 CHILTERN PUBLISHING G110 CLAIREFONTAINE M501 CLARENDON GAMES M329 CLARIANA ENVELOPES G122 CLEVER KIDZ G211 CLIPMATIC G124 CODE NATUREL SCOTLAND LTD G109 COLES PEN COMPANY M700

COLLINS DEBDEN M722 COLOP UK LTD G200 COLOURWORLD G203 CONCEPT G211 CONKLIN M421 CONTOUR M642 COPIC M530 CRAFTY BITZ G211 CRAYOLA M618 CRAZY AARON’S THINKING PUTTY G120 CRE8 TAPES G222 CREATIV COMPANY M538 CREATIVITY FOR KIDS M530 CRESSIDA BELL M516 CROWN G203 DALER ROWNEY LTD M618 DATADAY M305 DÉCOPATCH M501 DECORITE M709 DEE HARDWICKE M516 DERWENT M529 DIARPELL S P A M212 DIPLOMAT M421 DKL MARKETING LTD G221 DR SEUSS M615 EASTWEST M629 ECCOLO M510 ECO-ECO STATIONERY LTD M650 EDDING UK LTD M540 ELVIRA VAN VREDENBURGH DESIGNS G117 EMOTIONERY G211 ENERGEL M507 ENVELOPES LTD G122 ERGO-BRITE M642 ESSDEE M303 EXACLAIR LIMITED M501 EXACOMPTA M501 EXCEL BLADES M303 FABER-CASTELL M521/M530 FABOOKS M339 FEEL-IT! M507 FELINE M505 FERRARI M421/M730 FIRST CLASS LOUNGE M505 FISHER SPACE PEN M617 FLAME TREE M510 FLAME TREE PUBLISHING M531 FLUID WATER COLOUR PADS M441 FORBES - FOREVER ON PAPER M422 FORGET ME NOT BOOKS M721 FRINGOO M622 FRISK M303 FROM YOU TO ME M721 G.LALO M501 GBA PEN CO LTD M617

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GENIE M405 GEO M416 GHIANT M303 GIUSEPPE DI NATALE S P A M444 GIVI ITALIA M629 GLOBAL HAND BOOK JOURNALS M441 GLOBE ENTERPRISE G121 GO EUROPE M405 GO STATIONERY LTD M401 GOLDEX M644 GORJUSS M505 GOSECURE M642 GRAFFICO M642 GRANDLUXE OFFICE STATIONERY M446 GRANDLUXE PTD LTD, SINGAPORE M446 GRAPHIQUE DE FRANCE M605 GREEN ELEPHANT TRADING LTD G120 GROWING GREETING G448 GRUFFALO M416 HAGARMAN M629 HAINENKO LTD G203 HARDIE GRANT UK LTD G100 HARU STUCK-ON DESIGN; G222 HAYNES M416 HEATHER MARTEN LTD ENGLISH GRAPHICS G106 HELIX OXFORD M506 HERBIN M501 HIGGINS M303 HIGHTIDE M528 HURRAH FOR GIN M615 I LOVE STATIONERY G211 ICON G211 INDEUTSCH INDUSTRIES PRIVATE LIMITED M729 INSTANT STATIONERY TRADERS M644 ISOSKETCH M303 JACK VETTRIANO M416 JAKAR INTERNATIONAL LTD M620 JOULES M615 JOURNALS OF A LIFETIME M721 JPT EUROPE LTD M510 JUST ADD STAMP M401 KACHIRI M507 KARTOS - TOSCANA CARTE PREGIATE M321 KARTOTEK COPENHAGEN G118 KAWECO (STUDIO PENS LTD UK DISTRIBUTOR) M520 KIKKI.K M432 KIOKU M422 KOH I NOOR M303/M421 KURETAKE M528 L S LOWRY M516 LABAN PENS M700

EXHIBITORS, BRANDS AND LICENCES BRANDS AND LICENCES

EXHIBITORS

LAURA STODDART M635 LAURIGE M322 LEATHER JOURNALS COLES M700 LEATHERSMITH OF LONDON M305 LEGAMASTER M540 LEGAMI M421 LETTS OF LONDON M322 LETTS OF LONDON/LAURIGE M322 LEUCHTTURM1917 UK M400 LEXON M521 LIME STATIONERY & ART M421 LIONHEART COLLECTION M315 LOQI M521 LSM CONSUMER & OFFICE PRODUCTS M406 LUXE DIARY & PLANNER M446 LUXOR INTERNATIONAL PVT. LTD. M407 LUXPAD M408 MANUSCRIPT PEN CO LTD M315 MAPED CREATIV/PICNIK M506 MAPED HELIX M506 MARABU M530 MATILDA MOO M422 MATILDA MYRES M422 MATTHEW WILLIAMSON M516 MAX STAPLERS M421 MAXEMA G203 MAXIFLO M507 MICRO CORRECT M507 MIDORI M528 MILAN M528 MILFORD M422 MODERN TOSS M416 MOKOH M629 MONOLOGUE NOTEBOOK & LEATHER GIFT M446 MONTEVERDE M421 MT MASKING TAPE M521 MUSEUMS & GALLERIES MARKETING M516 MUSTARD M420 NATIONAL GALLERY M629 NATIONAL HISTORY MUSEUM M516 NIKKI STRANGE M401 NOTABLE DESIGNS LTD M528 NOTEWORTHY M530 NUCO INTERNATIONAL LIMITED M701 NUUNA M521 OHTO PENS M700 OLA G119 OLYMPIA M405 OPUS UK M424 ORCHARD & DUNNE M422 ORIENTAL PAPER PRODUCTS M324 ORIGINAL CROWN MILL M421 OSCO EUROPE LTD M539

OTIMA GRAFICA OTTO HUTT PENS PADDINGTON PANART PANTONE PAPER LOUNGE PAPER MIRCHI PAPER NINJA PAPERLUXE LIFESTYLE STATIONERY PEN AGAIN PENCIL PALS PENTEL (STATIONERY) LTD PENTEL ARTS PETER PAUPER PRESS PETRA BOASE LTD PIERRE CARDIN PININFARINA PIXIE CREW POMEGRANATE EUROPE POPPI LOVES PORTICO DESIGNS LTD PREMIER OFFICE PREMIER STATIONERY PRODUCTS PRIDE & SOUL PRO TAPES & SPECIALITIES PRO-FROM PRO-SCRIBE PRUE LEITH PUKKA PADS QUATTRO PADS QUILLING QUIX RECYCOLOGY RELIABLE SOURCE LTD REVIVA RHODIA RNLI ROALD DAHL ROYAL TALENS UK RYSTOR SAKURA SANTORO LONDON SCHNEIDER SECURIT BY VERMES BV SEMIKOLON SHACHIHATA (EUROPE) LTD SHEAFFER SILK HAT GREETINGS SILVINE SILVINE ORIGINALS SIMPLY MAKE SINCLAIRS SKY + MILLER SPECTRUM NOIR SPEEDBALL

M331 M700 M516 M729 M605 G204 G115 M615 M446 M617 M629 M507 M507 G103 G116 M314 M421 G120 M648 M505 M615 G211 G211 M406 G222 G211 G211 M615 M316 M441 M629 M709 M507 G222 M642 M501 M401 M615 M629 M340 M629 M505 M521 G205 M300 M709 M730 M630 M408 M408 M530 M408 M615 M330 M303

STABILO INTERNATIONAL GMBH M738 STAEDTLER (UK) LTD M541 STALOGY M302 STAR WARS M730 STEWART SUPERIOR EUROPE LTD G101 STICK IT! M530 STICK MAN M416 STIKKY TAPE M406 STILOLINEA G203 STONE MARKETING LTD M521 STOREPAK LTD G214 STORESTACK M642 STRAWBERRY DESIGN & MARKETING LTD M350 STYLEFILE M303 SUPERB M507 SUPREME M709 SWING CARD M505 TALLON INTERNATIONAL LTD M434 TANGIBLE STATIONERY COMPANY LTD M422 TATE M516 TELOMAN PRODUCTS LTD M441 TENEUES CALENDARS & STATIONERY M416 TESA TAPES G222 THE BOTANICAL ABC G114 THE BRITISH MUSEUM M516 THE CHARFLEET BOOK BINDERY M305 TOKIDOKI G120 TOMBOW M521 TOOLS TO LIVEBY M528 TRANSPORT FOR LONDON M516 TRAVELER’S COMPANY M528 TROIKA M421 TURNOWSKY M629 UHU M540 UNI-BALL M710 USUS M700 V&A M516 VOW M642 WB G203 WEST DESIGN PRODUCTS LTD M530 WHAT DO YOU MEME M329 WHITE NIGHTS M303 WOODHI M528 WOODLAND TRUST M401 WORLD OF COLOUR G211 WORTHER M700 XCUT M530 XSTAMPER M709 YOLO M312 YOROPEN M700 YSTUDIO M528 ZEBRA PEN (UK) LTD M601 ZOG M416

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SHOW PREVIEW

Allsorted M510 Allsorted - for all your gift stationery and gift books.Visit us at M510 to see exciting new product we’ve added to our range!

This includes beautiful gift stationery from Eccolo - right on trend and set to fly! We hope to see you very soon!

A Gift From the Gods M610a/b An exciting lifestyle brand of fashion stationery and accessories, developed by one of Stationery Matters Thirty under 30 Star Choices, Chloe Bayles. Launched in 2016 this fashion-led social stationery collection has successfully grown to offer A5 Journals, Weekly Planners and Pocket Notebooks over four distinct design stories. Launching at London Stationery Show, new products for 2019 are metallic hardback notebooks, ringbound planners and sets of 2 A5 notebooks adding depth and texture to the range.

Amodex Products M720 Don’t go back to school without Amodex Ink and Stain Remover.

Available in pocket /travel size or handy towelette in individual sachets -Stain Swipes. Removes all inks: Ballpoint, Permanent and Whiteboard marker (Sharpie etc), Felt tip pen, Gel ink, Fountain Pen ink etc. Recommended by Crayola, Parker, Sanford, Bic and many more.

Non-toxic, eco-friendly, safe to use on all fabrics surfaces and skin. Also removes all food stains, blood, grass, grease make up and much more. And it REALLY works.

ARK Colour Design G105 We will be exhibiting our ‘lift the flap’ Adam and Eve leather journals, our rainbow boob and willy midi books and our best-selling naked bookmarks.To complement our stationery, we will also be showing our full range of leather keyrings and bag tags.We offer a full bespoke option to work with our creative team and have something unique designed for your company.

ACCO Brands – Derwent M529 Set to shine on stand M529, Derwent is back for a second year at the show and will be taking the wraps off its revamped Metallic range, celebrating two decades of the popular pencil collection. More products, including new Wooden Boxes portable art materials and fashion-led art material collections, will be on show, designed to appeal to a broader array of creatives worldwide. Derwent will also be expanding its gift offering, providing a greater selection of all-year-round gifting at a range of price points. Derwent will be joined by artist Judith Selcuk, who is known for her mixed-media artwork. Judith will be running a workshop at the Show for buyers to attend.

Artcoe M303 Artcoe, your go-to trade supplier of over 20,000 art, craft, graphic & stationery materials. Talk to us about our Frisk brand, a comprehensive range of over 500 creative materials, including our best seller Tracedown, the must have artist tool. We will be showcasing and presenting our huge range of artist surfaces, including the NEW Frisk watercolour, acrylic & mixed media pads! Also, our NEW Frisk watercolour, acrylic & mixed media artboards! We also look forward to presenting to you our distributed brands, including: Speedball, Essdee, Excel, IsoSketch, Koh-I-Noor, Jacquard, Higgins, White Nights, Ghiant, Stylefile Markers and much more! CREATIVE TOOLS FOR ALL ARTISTS.

Astra M632 First time exhibitor ASTRA S.A. is one of the top Polish producers of office, school and art accessories and has operated across Europe for 90 years.We have a wide range of products dedicated to children and youth as well as professional artists and use several brands; ASTRA – for children and youth, Zenith – the highest quality writing instruments, Creativo – creative products, Artea – product for artists and finally private label goods produced for retailers like Tesco, Auchan and Carrefour.We also offer also a range of the highest quality backpacks, bags, pouches and pencil cases under the brands Hash, Head, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.

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AT Cross M730 A vibrant aquatic colour story brings fresh finishes to two of A.T Cross best loved ranges. Classic Century Collection makes a splash with bright metallic colours that add an element of modern sophistication to the iconic American design.While the three beautiful glossy metallic lacquers add fashion forward style and feminine sophistication to the Beverly Collection. Sheaffer will preview two new finishes with vertical line engravings that add sophistication to the Sagaris slim and comfortable profile. Suited perfectly to the urban chic and style conscious professional while representing the timeless style of vintage Sheaffer writing instruments.

SHOW PREVIEW Bi-silque M344 Bi-silque is going to show the latest trends in colours and textures for small and home office decoration and organisation, through the new visual communication solutions in the Meaningful Spaces collection.The 2019 office trends are all about pastel colours to transform the workspace into a more cosy and comfy environment.Visitors will also have the opportunity to see the upgrades in Bi-silque’s Educational range to optimise communication in classes and to enhance the desire for learning in every age.

Back Pocket Notebooks M447 We’re excited to launch a range of new products at the show this year, along with showcasing our best sellers like our Recycled Coffee Cup set of notebooks which won the Good Design award at the show last year.We have a box set of 9 Solar System Notebooks, with the Sun and planets on the covers printed to scale, and all packaged up in a gift box.This set comes with a set of Augmented Reality cards so you can also see the planets in the palm of your hand! We also have a set of Illusion Notebooks, and a “27 Club” set featuring Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Amy Winehouse and Robert Johnson.

Bright Concept M312 Bright Concept, the company which envisioned and brought Yolo to life, was established in 2013 with an inspiring vision:To color kids’ lives all over the globe We wanted kids to experience this brand in a fun, unique and colorful shopping experience, designed especially for kids, a “candy store” for stationery and gifting.Yolo is the new “Carpe Diem” expression for teens,THE word to summarize all the fun in this world.

YOLO offers you a full range of bright colors, trendy designs for kids. Holistic solution for your stationery category.

From donut shaped erasers, a gum ball eraser machine, milk carton shaped pencil cases, to trendy unicorns and mermaids pencil cases.

Bookspeed M329 Established in 1986, Bookspeed is a market-leading supplier of books, stationery and games to all types of retailers and we are excited to be exhibiting at The Stationery Show for the first time.With our unique industry insights, we are always one step ahead when it comes to curating on-trend, customised product ranges that will complement the style, colour and theme of your store throughout the seasons.

Pop along and see us on stand S6 where we will showcase some of the thousands of products that we carefully source from hundreds of producers, saving you a lot of legwork!

Bruce Douglas Marketing M640 The Ultratape Range just gets bigger and bigger! If you are not a stockist already come and see why our customers rely on us for quality and service. On time in full deliveries and every product fit for purpose. Ultratape is the one company that can meet every tape and adhesives requirement in the Home, Office and Mailing Department.

Busy B M631 Want to feel fabulous at home and look great on the go? Then pop by the Busy B stand to see our striking new Safari Nights & Notebook collections, which are full of clever ways to stay beautifully organised.There will also be a chance to see a sneak peek of our exciting Dated & Stationery collections launching for AW19.

Brenoco G108 BRENOCO is delighted to be showing for the first time at Stationery Show London.We will be showcasing a range of award-winning, contemporary, versatile designs applicable for all things stationery.

BrownTrout Publishers M605 NEW! @ BrownTrout Publishers Ltd. Designs have been added to our evergrowing stylish range of Graphique de France Stationery. Pantone & BrownTrout are together again with a bold range of academic diaries & planners. Look no further for fashionable must haves and bang on trend handbag essentials. The Pantone COY19 Living Coral features throughout, alongside other trending colours in the range; we show just how influential the world’s most powerful brand in colour can be! Staying on point and on schedule, our academic diaries & planners from Graphique de France are styled for busy professionals turning organisational aspirations into a reality – it’s never been easier!

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SHOW PREVIEW

Cambridge Imprint G107

Castelli M616 Visit Castelli Milano on Stand M616 at the 2019 London Stationery Show and experience for yourself the difference of a hand crafted, Italian designed and manufactured collection of notebooks and accessories. On the stand we will be running a special show only offer and will be offering a free monogramming service on Castelli Milano notebooks that will be given out to every visitor.We look forward to seeing you at the show.

Cambridge Imprint designs beautiful, patterned paper and cards printed in gorgeous colours. Its products have a lively hand-printed feel, with joyful illustration and typography. Its fine matte papers have been used to create a collection of patterned notebooks, sketchbooks and journaling inserts, as well as a set of exquisitely produced origami craft kits. More recently, it has launched a range of ivory selfadhesive labels with decorative borders and special occasion concertina cards. All Cambridge Imprint’s products are made in the UK using FSC paper of archiving quality and vegetable oil-based inks that are kind to the environment.

Cathedral Products M415 Once again Cathedral Products will be exhibiting at the Stationery Show London, this year we will show new products together with the established lines i.e. paper trimmers, laminators & pouches, shredders, foamboard, wallboards, cash boxes and the NEW LOOK Home File Box with secure lock. The new products include the ‘Craft for Kids’ range, which was well received at Paperworld Frankfurt, and has tremendous potential, chair mats, and a range of peg boards and accessories. All products are of the upmost quality synonymous with the Cathedral brand and at competitive prices.

Please come and see us on STAND M415.

Clipmatic G124

Chiltern Publishing G110

Clipmatic is a Bristol, UK based company, and a LaunchPad 2018 winner, that specialises in spiral notebook accessories.

We currently have four main products stickers, reminders, ruler+ compasses and dividers; with patent and registered design coverage.We are currently looking for exclusive distributors for the UK, European, and US market.

The most beautiful classics ever published.

Chameleon Art Products M320 Chameleon Art Products are launching their innovative new Fineliners that allow you to instantly blend colour for all your writing, journaling, drawing, and colouring. Chameleon Fineliners have a patented dual ink system, with ink in the pen and in the cap! To instantly blend colours all you have to do is switch the cap, or hop the top to another pen, leave it a few seconds and make vibrant colour to colour blends! Come to stand M320 to change colour.

Code Naturel Scotland G109

Coles Pen Company M700

Code Naturel is a lifestyle business based in North-East of Scotland and during this show will be showcasing top quality design stationery collections by the design stationery brand Purpurs as well as their own. We will be presenting high quality stationery collections with vintage, Skandi, trendy tactile designs and made from eco-friendly or 100% recycled paper. Additionally, Code Naturel will be showcasing its own The Scottish Notebook collection and high-end hand-made Harris Tweed guest books and notebooks.

Coles Pen Company specialise in supplying Museums, Tourist attractions and top end independent retailers.

We have a team dedicated to corporate sales, supplying bespoke and personalised pens and journals.

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Creativ Company M538

Collins Debden M722 Join Collins Debden at Stationery Show London as we celebrate 200 years of the Collins brand. Since William Collins set up his printing press in Glasgow in 1819, Collins has grown to become of the most respected and well know stationery brands in the market.We are marking the occasion with a celebration of our Scottish heritage and the launch of an exciting new range of diary, notebook and stationery products. Join us to toast 200 years and open the next chapter with us with exclusive show only deals!

Creativ Company is a family run arts and craft company established in 2008. Our head office is based in Denmark, and our customers range from individual crafters, to large craft superstores.We stock over 12,000 products across a vast crafting sector with everything from clay to canvases and stickers to stencils.We are based entirely online, but we also offer catalogues for our wholesale customers. Customers enjoying our products is at the heart of our business, and online we offer inspiration for our crafting customers, with projects for children and adults, so the whole family can get Creativ together.

Colop G200

SHOW PREVIEW

COLOP UK Ltd presents the UK launch of the first electronic marking device of its kind.The e-mark allows you to create, change and transfer full colour prints using an app and mark directly on various surfaces. Much more than a stamp.The e-mark is designed to be the perfect accessory for multi-taskers and people who like to keep things organised and simple. One device for multiple uses and configurable for your needs.Whether you’re working at your desk or on the move this is the ideal durable mobile companion. For any product, performance is key. And this is where e-mark shines - in full colour!

Daler Rowney M618 Acquired by the FILA group in June 2018, Creativity International, now sister company to Daler Rowney, brings an exciting extension of products suited to the education and retail markets alike.The company’s strength in the education sector lies with its stunning range of Fadeless® display papers and Bordette® border rolls, supported by a plethora of creative papers and art and craft essentials.The retail portfolio is dominated by the brand-new Crayola Craft range exclusive to CI - together with a host of other licensed craft offerings.

Cherry pick from a vast selection to suit your business!

Diarpell M212 Thanks to its experience and professionalism, new exhibitor this year Diarpell, has come to specialize in the creation of diaries, agendas, notebooks and office accessories, launching numerous innovative and highquality product lines over the years. As direct heirs of the Florentine artisan tradition, prime example of highquality production, capable of withstanding the tests of both time and fashion Diarpell has opted to manufacture its products locally and to maintain direct control over all the processing stages.The company believes that this is the only way to guarantee the excellence of its products, while at the same time constantly striving to improve them.

DKL Marketing G221 Scentco Scented Stationery offers total range is so many scents: Hama Beads is a great Craft Pick up Line with fun 3D Models: Plus-Plus Models come in fun tubes to make many animals and characters; Playmais craft made from rice and maize makes amazing models with water. DKL Marketing distributes many ranges and will have these and more on display all linked to special show offers.

eco-eco Stationery M650 eco-eco Stationery goes into its fourth year of trading as customers’ appetite for recycled and recyclable products is growing - its planet friendly price friendly ethos means environmentally friendly stationery products can easily become the ‘norm’ and not the ‘exception’. The company has now expanded its range to 66 products; the latest lines include double stud wallets, additions to the premier punch pockets range, twin pocket strong bags and 80 and 100 pocket presentation display books. And there are some exciting new products waiting in the wings for release later this year. Why not visit eco-eco’s stand, M650 and find out more about this forward-thinking company?

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SHOW PREVIEW

Envelopes G122 edding UK M540 Following their highly successful (and award winning) ‘Creative Life’ target group approach; edding will be launching some exciting new line extensions to their ever-popular colour pen and gloss paint marker lines. Based around the themes of ‘Pastel Power’ and ‘Space’ these new product developments are designed to further empower creative individuals to succeed - where others let them down. And thinking big is not only limited to edding, as Legamaster will be showcasing their innovative ‘Space Up’ writing collection… These XL whiteboard solutions, offer you an unlimited writing surface – so you can ‘Think Big’ and do big!

Elvira van Vredenburgh Designs G117 I will be launching my new ‘Woof’ collection of illustrated dog print cards, notecards and notebooks at the 2019 Stationery show.Visitors will also be able to view my collection of greetings cards, notecards, notebooks and wrapping paper in Bird,Tropical and Abstract themes with lots of wonderful colour.

A global supplier of Postal Packaging products with the largest stock range in the market, we will showcase our Paper Carrier Bags and Flutelopes at the Stationery Show. Our ribbed carrier bags come in 3 sizes in White or Manilla. Our protective Flutelopes are an eco-friendly paper alternative to the Bubble bag, available in 5 sizes. Easily recyclable, the corrugated inner is complemented by a durable paper outer. Brand your bags using our in-house digital press, giving your packaging added impact. Min order is 1 box of product.We also overprint Book Wraps, Board Backed Envelopes, Pizza Boxes and lots more. Overprint subject to artwork.

ExaClair M501 ExaClair Limited, the UK supplier of the Exacompta®, Clairefontaine® and Rhodia® brands is showcasing an exciting range of new products. Made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic, the Forever® range will be displayed on a quirky tree-shaped stand.The colourful and stylish Rhodiarama® range of business books, calendars and sticky notes will be on show alongside the hardbacked version of the Goalbook®. From Décopatch®, a selection of new kits, papers and maché objects will be featured in an attention-grabbing rabbit-shaped stand.The Exacompta® 1928 anniversary range will also be profiled with the highly innovative Koverbook®; the colourful PP notebook with 2 filing flaps.

FAbooks M339 We, as stationary addicts, are producing agendas, notebooks, journals, planners, gift books, notepads etc. to make our dreams come true.Through our journey, with our fan customers increasing each year, we grew into a large family. Our products differ in the way that the design, colours and patterns are developed through awareness of our life coaching experiences. Our products which are mainly produced by women workforce are at World Class, stylish and of good quality.With our stocks based both in Turkey and London, we can provide a fast delivery service to our customers in both countries and Europe.

Flame Tree Publishing M531 It’s another strong year for Flame Tree’s foiled notebook and jigsaw ranges and we will be delighted to be showcasing them at London Stationery Show! There are many new titles being added to our ever-expanding collection, including beautiful Frida Kahlo designs, Jasmine Becket-Griffith and the ever-popular Bodleian Library Bookshelves! We will also be showing our beautiful 2020 Calendar and diary range, with some exciting new licenses including the Frida Kahlo Corporation, Jasmine BecketGriffith and Historic Royal Palaces, as well as bestsellers Moomin, Angela Harding and many more!

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FLB Group M322 For more than 200 years, global generations of people, including royalty & key historical figures have used a Letts product to plan and journal their lives.Through dedication & commitment, we have proudly maintained a manufacturing plant in Great Britain for the entirety of our Heritage.We bring all of this to a new collection of undated products, crafted using original 200-year-old constructions, which truly stand the test of time. Laurige is a company of French craftsmanship in making leather articles since 1950. Our workshop is renowned for its skill & follows in the footsteps of traditional French leatherwork.The quality & colours of Laurige’s products make ‘la vie belle’!

SHOW PREVIEW

Fringoo M622 Fringoo is buzzing with new exciting products this year.We are taking school accessories to another level. Interactive basketball lunch bags and collapsible bottle have been a total hit.They are not only functional but interactive and playful too. Our products are much more than colourful patterns, we design to create an experience.Youngsters can now enjoy their accessories in a new fun way. Another range we are currently expanding is personalised products.We have created very successful collection of drawstring bags and lunch bags that can be customised to the customer’s needs.

Come to see us to experience our innovative and fun products first hand.

GBA Pen M617

from you to me M721 from you to me are back at the Stationery Show to exhibit their award-winning journals and books. New titles for adults and children as well as a new personalisation offering for trade customers. Some language license deals still available.

2019 sees the 50th anniversary of the July 1969 lunar moon landing. Fisher Space Pens will be celebrating this momentous event with a limited-edition Astronaut Space Pen. Also new for 2019 Bullet Space Pen in Tahitian Blue, and a limited-edition Mountaineer Space Pen in Metallic Green.

GO Europe M405 Following the recent merger of GENIE and OLYMPIA, two of Europe’s biggest office product brands, the new combined company will be featuring the best-selling items from the two programmes highlighting calculators, shredders, laminators, trimmers and desk accessories. Significant new product launches under the GENIE Brand will be a great range of LED Lamps whilst under the OLYMPIA Badge, the new range of Safes in seven colours and two sizes will be displayed. All these items are designed equally for home or office use.

Globe Enterprise G121

Giuseppe Di Natale M444 Bullet Journal Modimo’ is your brand-new refillable notebook. Its soft regenerated leather cover contains two refillable journals that will help you plan your everyday activities easily, whether for business or leisure. Choose from nine available journals (White, Ivory, My plan,Week, Diary, Food, Travel, Colours, Books) and mix and match them anytime you want to make your Bullet Journal Modimò shaped on you.Thanks to the functional elastic band binding, you can easily replace the inner journals once they are over and start a new one keeping the same cover. Bullet Journal Modimò is a registered trademark and design, 100% made in Italy and environmentally friendly.

Globe Enterprise offers over 25 years of experience in designing, sourcing and producing the finest handmade wrapping papers. Our papers are environmentally friendly, as we take left over cotton, a byproduct of India’s huge garment industry and recycle it into something beautiful, resulting in presents that are enhanced beyond compare.We also transform our papers into gift boxes, bags, and beautiful stationery. Our products offer an innovative blend of rich Indian style and modern design, giving a unique marriage of culture and trends. Our papers grace some of the most prestigious department stores in the UK and are sold worldwide.

GO Stationery M401 Go Stationery is delighted to kick off 2019 with the launch of several new collections, including our collaboration with London based designer Nikki Strange in the form of leopard, cheetah and tiger prints, supplemented by a widening range of products, such as scented candles and diffusers. Other new ranges include Baroque and Neon, as well as Colourblock personalisation and bespoke designs. We are excited to announce the launch of our trade website and are pleased to offer 10% off first orders placed online. We can’t wait to see you all at the Show. 10% off all orders placed on stand!

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Green Elephant Trading G120 Green Elephant Trading will be launching Pixie Crew in the UK and Ireland at Stationery Fair - a fantastic range of pixel art stationery and bags.We will also be showing the everpopular Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty and our Tokidoki blind boxes.There will be a 5% discount on all orders taken at the fair.

growing greeting G448 Grandluxe M446 First time exhibitor GRANDLUXE pays tribute to its bookbinding heritage of over 70 years with timeless design and inimitable quality. From superior quality notebooks, sketchbooks, diary/agenda, premium leather/ accessory and customised corporate gift. Grandluxe offers four successful brand portfolios distributing to the Asia Pacific region, the Middle East and other overseas markets: GRANDLUXE Office Stationery, MONOLOGUE Journal & Leather Gift, LUXE Diary & Planner and PAPERLUXE Lifestyle Stationery.

Growing Greeting is on a mission of innovating the way greeting cards are designed combined with nature.

Our cards let your wishes grow in front of your loved ones. Edible sprouts will grow from the card and they can be used in delicious recipes, providing a lasting effect of your wishes. At Growing Greeting not only our cards are green and natural, we are also pushing for sustainability in every aspect of our business. Now, with more than 20 cards Growing Greeting has the perfect designs for the special people in your life.

Hainenko G203 Hainenko are the UK’s leading manufacturer and distributor of low-cost, high-volume stationery lines specialising in writing instruments and glue sticks. We will feature our all new highquality, low-priced Crown® range of pens in packs of 12 - also some of our top-selling WB® range and some of our best-sellers for schools. On view is our brand-new Elis Pen is a stylish, twist ball pen manufactured in Italy by Stilolinea - available in an extensive colour range with a quality refill providing a writing length of over 2,000m - it is a stylishly modern ball pen with large print areas to the barrel and clip for wide brand exposure.

Hardie Grant G100 Collaborating with some of the world’s leading brands and designers, our awardwinning stationery ranges continue to break new ground. From traditional to contemporary designs with products such as diaries, journals, boxed notecards, pencils, gift wrap, pens, address books and jotter pads, we have something to delight every stationery fan. Our partners include internationally renowned designers like Cath Kidston and Lulu Guinness, I Like Birds with a passion for aerial wildlife and brilliant design, worldfamous museum V&A and English Heritage.

Indeutsch Industries M729 PANART, with its deep domain knowledge and vast manufacturing experience in the art industry, has created and curated a repertoire of premium artistry tools and mediums, that help create something really special. Lovingly handcrafted and finished to perfection, each product is an amalgamation of aesthetics, functionality, skill and precision. ARTIST BRUSHES. ARTIST CANVAS. PAINTING KNIVES. BRUSH BAGS/PENCIL CASES. HANDMADE PAPERS/SKETCH PADS

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Heather Marten G106 English Graphics are making their debut at Stationery Show London.... well having won Best Diary Generic at the recent Calies, the company felt it was the right time to be more pro-active in promoting their stationery and diaries [they exhibit their extensive range of greeting cards at Top Drawer and Spring Fair each year]. Known for their hand glittered cards and stationery, the company’s big news this Spring is the fact that now ALL their products are now made with Biodegradable Eco-Glitter.

Instant Stationery Traders M644 Instant Stationery Traders are first time exhibitors but have many years’ experience in the industry as they already sell well over 10 million private label pens a year in the UK! As a family owned company, they felt the time had come to develop and showcase their own brand, which they are calling ‘Goldex’.

Using only the best raw materials including international standard inks and premium tips the family is confident visitors will notice a real ‘Wow’ factor once they’ve tried the new range at the show. Goldex will be available in a range of different packaging.

Go for GOLDex!

SHOW PREVIEW

Jakar International M620 Jakar International Limited is celebrating 70 Years (1949 - 2019). Come and visit us on Stand M620 where we will be exhibiting many new products together with our existing ranges in both, our own branded Jakar Artist Materials, Craft & Stationery products and the 100% Swiss made Caran d’Ache Artists’ Materials, Colouring Products and Writing Instruments which we have been distributing in the UK and Ireland for nearly 60 years.We are Suppliers to Retail,Wholesale, Internet and Educational Trades.

Kartos - Toscana Carte Pregiate M321

JPT Europe M510 Discover something new and interesting yet practical as stationery should be. Perfect for presents and your own everyday use. We are introducing trendy, well designed and good quality Japanese stationery. KITTA washi tapes, SIERRA pens and COMPACK clear files are very popular now. We also have many selections of Japanese notebooks using high quality paper.

Kartos presents its new “Romantica” collection, ennobled with gold powder, as part of the Stationery 2019 collection, in which you can see, in addition to the traditional products of our collections, also two interesting news: “Set of 3 boxes” and “Photo Album”. “Set of 3 boxes” is a precious box that is designed as a compendium of furniture, both for decorating a refined home and for staging an elegant shop. The Kartos Photo Album of the Romantica collection is intended to collect the experiences and the emotions of a lifetime, it is made from high-quality paper that provides to this compilation of memories, remarkable durability and a lovely elegance rigorously made in Italy.

Kartotek Copenhagen G118 Kartotek Copenhagen offers a wide range of paper goods, such as notebooks, planners, guided journals, calendars and greeting cards. All products are made with the finest Scandinavian paper qualities in Europe. We design for the small everyday moments where we are at peace with ourselves or share time with those we care for. We search for ways to slow the pace of everyday life and make these small moments feel special. Our vision is to create a Danish design brand that reflects the Scandinavian simplicity with a modern and yet classical graphic touch. This is our first show in the UK, and we look very much forward to spreading the paper love at Stationery Show London!

kikki.K M432

Kaweco | Studio Pens M520 Discover the new Kaweco FROSTED range, as well as new colours in the PERKEO, AL Sport, CLASSIC Sport and SKYLINE Sport ranges. Have a go at making your very own Kaweco SKYLINE Sport fountain pen. And, of course we’ll have the full Kaweco range on display for you to see on our stand.

This is the first time global Swedish design and stationery business kikki-K has taken part in Stationery Show London. The brand inspires and empowers people the world over to live their best life every day.We embrace form and function to create seasonal collections of delicious stationery, gorgeous gifts and organisation solutions. Come and talk to us about our wholesale offer.

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Lime Stationery & Art M421 Leuchtturm1917 M400

Laura Stoddart M635 Laura Stoddart is launching two new ranges at this year’s Stationery Show London - “Cakes” and “Wild Flowers”.

They are also expanding their existing ranges with new products - Greetings Cards, A4 folders, Hardback notebooks, Flat Notes, wrap and paper napkins.

100 YEARS BAUHAUS - NOTEBOOKS. To Celebrate the 100 years of the Bauhaus movement.The Official Collaborative Notebook. Clean reduced forms, functional details and colours are core components and form the basic principles of the Bauhaus movement. A characteristic feature is the quote embossed on the front cover.

These books contain all the well-known LEUCHTTURM1917 details, such as Index, Page Numbers, 2 Bookmarks and a sticker set for archiving.

Manuscript Pen M315

LSM Consumer & Office Products M406 LSM will be displaying several interesting new items across the product ranges we supply. Featuring this year will be new products in the ALASSIO and PRIDE & SOUL Portfolio and Bag Ranges, and additions to our popular STIKKY TAPE Adhesive Tape Range. There will also be further developments in our growing range of adhesive labels and Office Essential products.These will be backed up by the GENIE and OLYMPIA brands which are now both stocked in the UK

by LSM.

Lime Stationery & Art will be showing a small selection from several brands, including: Legami, Troika, Koh I Noor, Pininfarina plus many more. We will have a variety of award-winning products on show and lots of special offers.

Luxor International M407 Luxor, synonymous for exciting writing for over 55 years, has followed lasting values such as business integrity, consumer understanding, quality and innovation.This year Luxor has brought to you new products and new designs keeping in mind the convenience and style for the customers.Try all our range of products for something new this year.

Drop by stand M315 and check out Manuscript’s new products including a brandnew range of 22 bold ShimmerInks which span across multiple markets due to their use with traditional dip pens, fountain pens and even airbrushes. Our new 12 pack Aquabrush Markers suitable for blending and ideal for brush calligraphy, lettering and fine art.We will also be showcasing a brand-new children’s range, the Lionheart Collection which is made up of 10 fun characters and a selection of writing tools designed to aid a child’s creative development at different stages of their early years. Find out more at our stand and see lettering sensation, James Lewis in action.

Maped Helix M506 Maped Helix will be showcasing a range of brand-new products for 2019 at the London Stationery Show. New to the bestselling Oxford range are the premium writing pens – an elegant new collection that writes like no other and comes in 100% plastic free, environmentally friendly packaging.The range includes rollerballs, ballpoints and fountain pens in a range of bright colours. Also new for 2019 is Maped Creativ, a range of fun craft activities and toys for children. Each one contains a different, fun activity for little ones to enjoy and comes complete with a themed activity, high quality stationery and simple instructions.

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SHOW PREVIEW Museums & Galleries Marketing M516 Museums & Galleries will be showing several exciting new developments at the Stationery Show, not least a chance to view its major new greetings card and gift stationery license:TATE, featuring stunning classic and contemporary art from across its collections. Other new products include a range of newly launched Pencil Sets, and Bamboo Travel Mugs featuring licensed imagery from the V&A, Lowry, Natural History Museum, Cressida Bell, Hokusai and The British Library. New examples from M&G’s ‘Gift Packaging’ collection which includes Gift Bags,Tissue Paper and Gift Wraps from Matthew Williamson, BBC Earth, Paddington and more.

Notable Designs M528 Mustard M420 Mustard brings their unique brand of quirky, fun stationery to Stationery Show London 2019. From fried eggs for the foodies, to googly eyes and hanging cats and dogs our new range of products will continue to brighten up even the most mundane of Mondays. Our mission is to brighten up every desk and workspace and turn it into a little haven of happiness. Come and say hello, stand M420.

We will be showing newness from Blackwing, Hightide,Traveler’s Company, and Ystudio.We’re also excited to be showing new brands at the Stationery Show including Kuretake’s superb brush pens, Japanese sticker brand, B-Side Label and the French wooden-postcard brand, WOODHI! More newness to come, please stay tuned and we hope to see you at the Stationery Show this April!

Nuco International M701 Nu: Notebooks have just launched our 2019 catalogue, showcasing our new ranges for this year.This year we are expanding our ever-popular Cloud range by adding some great new products.The new Cloud range of pressboard journals are available in six bold colours.We have also added refill pads and things to do pads to complement this recognised range.We are also proud to launch our Nu: Stone Range, featuring journals made from Stone paper, 100% tree free! These journals are eco-friendly, and the paper is totally waterproof. A must see so please visit us on the stand!

Oriental Papers M324

Ola G119 We’re very excited to introduce our new Everyday Objects collection, a range of thoughtfully made everyday items designed to inspire creativity and good work.The first edition features new minimal Layflat Notebooks and wooden Colourblock Pencils. Each item designed as the perfect tool, with careful attention paid to even the smallest of details.The collection is a testament to our belief that good work takes time to produce, and often starts by going right back to basics.This ethos is illustrated by the simple shape motif you’ll find on each piece in the collection.

Opus UK M424

Oriental Paper Products (OPP) was established in the business as traders of paper and stationery products in 1885, manufacturing and trading all sorts of paper stationery. It is one of the first plants in the Middle East manufacturing all sorts of copybooks and paper stationery.We pride ourselves with having superior quality products produced in Lebanon with international standards and produce a variety of items including A4 photocopy paper, lever arch box files, bloc notes, continuous paper ( invoices/ receipts…), Snap out for commercial printing, executive notebooks and ‘PaperConcept’ for special events, meetings and year-end gifting to your valued customers.

Discover the wonderful opportunities and results that can be achieved with Traditional Foiling, Digital Foiling,Toner Foiling and Ribbon transfer foiling from Opus UK – binding and foiling specialists. See how easy it is to foil wedding invitations, wedding planners, guest books, notebooks and much more while we demonstrate all our different foiling types on Stand M424. Foil initials with our simple NamePress on Diaries, Notebooks and bookmarks, or consider digital foiling and toner foiling for more complex personalisation opportunities - and why not wrap them all up with personalised or branded ribbon?

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Paper Lounge G204 OSCO Europe M539 Celebrating our 21st year in 2019, OSCO has established itself as a market leader in the design and supply of stylish desktop stationery and storage accessories. This year we will be offering two new colours in our ever popular Wiremesh range of forty different products. Our Faux leather collection will feature exciting new designs and on-trend colours for 2020. In the Acrylic series we will see range expansion of the classic glass-effect products and the fun neon items.

Otima Grafica M331 We bring a ‘Taste of Brazil’ to the show, with all the style, colour and energy associated with our beautiful country. On stand M331, you will see a defining selection of planners, journals, notebooks, sticky notes, clipboards, notepads, pencil cases, boxes and desktop accessories in a variety of collections, including the brand new ‘Riccio’ assortment - a cool porcupine in a colourful and delicate universe, which promises to surprise. All available in Otima or own-brand presentations. Come and meet Erasto Farias (owner), Fernanda Farias (COO) and Derek Burles (UK representative).

Inspired by design, functionality, practicality, sustainability and fun; Paper Lounge delivers beautifully crafted Kraft fully recyclable paper furniture to complement any setting. Paper Lounge has created exceptional products combining timeless design and natural materials. The range of contemporary concertina furniture has real life functional and practical applications.

Perfect for gifting, extra seating, shop displays, exhibitions and events. The products have a unique ‘honeycomb’ structure, which lends itself to its strength and durability. Paper Lounge is designed and developed with purpose, convenience, flexibility and importantly sustainability in mind.

Paper Mirchi G115

Pentel M507

It’s not every day that you get to touch, feel and experience a story. A tale told by artisans from India, of handcrafted gift-wrapping paper that is not just visually enticing, but planet-friendly too.

A lot of love and craftsmanship has gone into producing our multi award-winning collection.

Handmade using recycled cotton rags, our papers are created utilising a range of ancient textile processes such as hand block printing, tie dye, batik and techniques such as hand marbling and every sheet is individually crafted, making it one-of-a-kind.This year we have also introduced a range of hand stitched notebooks and handcrafted boxed notecard sets.

Pentel offers an exciting range of pens, pencils, markers and art materials in a range of colours, styles and pack sizes. From everyday writing and revision to journaling and creating original design work, Pentel products provide inspiration and ideas.

Quick-drying EnerGel pens are available to try, along with four new limited-edition colours in the unique Hybrid Dual Metallic range. Pentel will also be unveiling new additions to the Pentel Arts family, which offer brilliant opportunities for customers.

Supported by an excellent range of merchandising, from floor-standing units to counter displays, tubs and blister cards Pentel products offer customers fantastic opportunities in 2019.

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Peter Pauper Press G103 Peter Pauper Press, founded in 1928, is a leading publisher of fine gift books, art products, travel guides, unique journals, quality stationery, Christmas cards, and innovative children’s activity books.

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Pomegranate Europe M648 Pomegranate is a publisher of books and gift products for all ages.We collaborate with museums, artists, and writers to create art books, children’s books, calendars, puzzles, stationery, colouring books, and games.While our primary focus is art, we also publish in the fields of nature, history, science, and popular culture. Our products are available online and in stores all over the world.

Pierre Cardin M341 The Pierre Cardin Gift Collection will be exhibiting a new range of travel accessories and business gifts, each incorporating the latest technology and cutting-edge design.

These are exclusive licensed products, each available with personalisation options for stunning executive gifts.The range also includes premium-quality writing instruments and high-end notebooks. Retailers can expect generous margins on these premiumpositioned lines. Stockists will be supported by a free point-of-sale package and a sale or return option is available.

Petra Boase G116 Established in 1999 we are a small eclectic stationery and gift brand based in Norfolk.

Petra’s love for quirky ephemera, colour and vintage textiles are key to inspiring the brand’s colour popping and playful ranges.We are passionate about what we do and being small allows us to keep playing and evolving and developing new ideas.

Pukka Pads M316 The Pukka Pad group is a leading global manufacturer and supplier of high quality branded and own label paper pads and notebooks, filing and divider items, post and packaging and art and activity products.

Portico Designs M615 Established over 30 years ago and based in Bath, Portico are independent publishers of quality design-led stationery, gifts, calendars & greeting cards.We are happy to work to brief, offering bespoke development for retailer ‘own brand’ and exclusive ranges, in addition to supplying general trade lines to our independents.We pride ourselves on our long-standing relationships with our retail clients, licensing partners and suppliers; working hard to ensure that the products we supply are the highest quality and come from proven sustainable sources that are ethically and responsibly managed.

Premier Stationery Products G211 Premier Stationery will be exhibiting once again at Stationery Show London in 2019 to showcase its new ranges of products including Blingtastic, Emotionery & I Love Stationery on stand G211.

Reliable Source G222 Tape is the NEW paint! Our brand CRE8 holds an extensive range of tapes for all your creative requirements in an array of colours to satisfy any palette! Reliable Source are super excited to be adding ‘HARU stuck-on design’ to our range of decorative tapes - bringing colour into your life and adding life to a space. Be impressed by the new lines added to our ever expanding CRE8 brand. Be inspired by the tape CRE8tions on display and tape art in action! CRE8 - PLAY - DECORATE. Let your imagination unwind...

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Rystor Spółka z o.o. Spółka komandytowa M340

Royal Talens M629 Royal Talens and parent company Sakura International will be exhibiting a range of artists materials and writing instruments for artists, creative hobbyists, designers, children and educational institutes.

The Rystor® company was founded in 1968 by Mr Ryszard Stachowicz. It was the first and only company in Poland that started to produce technical pens, thanks to which it holds a significant status and has built its own brand.The company has always tried to attach great importance to maintaining technical parameters and very precise manufacturing. Due to those actions Rystor® products are characterised by their very high quality.

Currently, Rystor® is one of the biggest producers in Europe in the writing materials sector and holds a significant status on the Polish market.

Santoro London M505 Santoro Ltd have recently launched an exciting mix of new stationery pieces! Find adorable additions to the Gorjuss and Poppi Loves collections, including pencil shaped erasers, carrot shaped sharpeners and novelty mini stationery kits, whilst a stylish and sophisticated selection of notebooks and writing accessories have launched in the Felines and First-Class Lounge ranges.

Shachihata M709

Securit by Vermes G205 Securit® was the first lifestyle chalk brand and a market leader in the segment we’ve created. Building on decades of supply to the restaurant industry, Securit offers professional-grade chalkmarkers and chalk boards with a fun twist for the home or office. Come see us in Stand G205 to be inspired by our collection of products designed to Colour Your Life.

Semikolon M300 The basic idea behind Semikolon is to create a series of stationery products with a minimalist design in modern colours.

Semikolon and its principle are now over 30 years old.The colours and products have changed and evolved over the course of time, but many Semikolon products are still made the same way as they always have been – by hand and to the highest quality standards.

This clearly illustrates the brand’s timeless approach to design which is not subject to fleeting fashion trends. Semikolon has now become a modern classic.

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Shachihata (Europe) Ltd is excited to announce that it will be showcasing the fantastic new Artline Decorite markers at this year’s London Stationery Show.

The range, which comes in three nib styles (bullet, chisel and brush) and 20 colours in various standard, pastel and metallic shades, will also feature in live demonstrations with renowned U.K artist Judith Selcuk. Also, making a welcome return to the show is the popular Xstamper Quix stamp making system, which now has a new range of mounts and quick drying inks.

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Sinclairs M408 Silk Hat Greetings M630 Silk Hat Greetings manufactures a premium quality range of fantastic gift wrap, gift bags, gift tags, greeting cards and luxury tissue paper to sell direct to retail. Specialists in creating tactile and eye-catching coatings with velvet textures, raised and shiny finishes, foils and touch-proof glitter, our products are unique, innovative and luxurious. With new premises and new ranges for this year, we will be showcasing some stunning age and everyday wrap and cards at this year’s Stationery Show. We look forward to seeing you!

This year Sinclairs are bringing to the table the high quality, new for 2019 brand - Luxpad by Silvine, A full range of revision and study products with a complimenting range of notebooks. Luxpad boasts both quality and fashionability for the modern stationery user, from students to office professionals.There is something for everyone in the Luxpad range.We have also updated the designs on our fashion notebook range, student range ‘daze’ and our everyday environmental and FSC products - come and see us for more information.

Spectrum Noir M330 Spectrum Noir offers a range of affordable yet high quality art materials, including markers, pens and pencils, for all kinds of colouring, drawing and design projects.The company is pleased to showcase its latest range of innovative new TriBlend markers at the Stationery Show London.These stunning ‘blend in a pen’ markers unveil a unique 3-in-1 design, delivering separate colours through three ink chambers and fine-bullet nibs.The three colours inside each TriBlend marker are numbered light to dark and have been hand-picked so that each colour produces a smooth gradation when combined.

Staedtler M541 STABILO M738 STABILO may be best known for the STABILO BOSS highlighter which has been highlighting since 1971. STABILO Pen 68 which is now available in a range of metallic colours, our STABILO EASYoriginal and STABILO EASYoriginal pens and pencils are both approved by teacher and loved by children and are designed to improve your handwriting, we’ve just launched a new gel pen STABILO Gel Exxx which has 20% more ink than the leading brand. Come and see all the new product range on the STABILO stand M738.

Colour, creativity and innovation are at the heart of STAEDTLER’s stand with an unprecedented number of new products and range extensions in every sector.

Highlights include Design Journey, a new collection of premium products for the hobby artist; a ground breaking new FIMO modelling clay; a newly extended collection of perfect pastels, now featuring colouring pencils and highlighters; new Comic range, a fun stationery collection designed to motivate children, and strategic extensions to the popular triplus range of triangular shaped writing instruments including three new ‘trend’ sets joining the ‘My Colours’ series of colour-themed packs.

STALOGY M302 STALOGY, a new Japanese stationery brand, will debut at Stationery Show London 2019.The UK public appreciate quality, good design and craftsmanship in stationery - STALOGY embodies these traits effortlessly.The fascination with Japanese lifestyles brands in the UK has created an appealing and promising market to expand into. Come and explore the whole STALOGY range from colourful film sticky notes to gold foiled notebooks using beautiful, light weight paper.

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Stone Marketing M521

Stewart Superior G101 Stewart Superior are showing their new smart box range, the easy pick up and go box for iPads, phones and folders. ideal for meetings and general storage.

Pop along and see us at stand M521 to discover the exciting new launch from Tombow and join our creative workshop, led by illustrator Nina Fuga. Caran d’ache is celebrating 50 years of the iconic 849 ballpoint pen and we will be revealing the latest finishes from the collection alongside stationery essentials from Schneider. Explore the world of creativity and colour with Faber-Castell’s Playing & Learning range and discover new patterns and designs from mt Masking Tape, nuuna and LOQI. Also on show will be a range of innovative products from lifestyle brands, Lexon and Bobino.

StorePAK G214 StorePAK Ltd create innovative retail packaging products that deliver real value. With a ‘can do’ attitude and our attention to detail we make an excellent partner to any business.

Come and see a small selection of our products on Stand G214 and explore our special offers.

Tallon International M434 Showing our latest range of essential stationery, creative play and art materials,Tallon have every single area of stationery covered for this year’s show! We offer our wholesale and retail customers exceptional quality product at extremely competitive prices. Our creative team are available for all types of bespoke and own label projects.

Tangible Stationery Company M422 Exhibiting for the first time, Tangible Stationery Co. Ltd will be showcasing our full portfolio of brands including; Matilda Myres, Matilda MOO and FORBES Forever on Paper. All the way from Glasgow, please feel free to visit our stand to see our latest Diary & Stationery Collections.

Strawberry Design & Marketing M350 Unicorns, Mermaids, Baby Dragons, Woodland, Dinosaurs....What more could you want from the No 1 Kids Stationery suppliers? If there is, I bet we have it too.

Teloman Products M441 Teloman will be showing the full range of highquality sketching books and journals from Global HB Journals, a Speedball company.There are journals, water colour pads and sketch pads, all available with promotional options on displays and cross promotions with certain Sakura pens. Do not miss the opportunity to see these fabulous high-quality products which offer exceptional value.

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The Botanical ABC G114

teNeues Calendars & Stationery M416 teNeues are presenting its 2019 collections for the first time at the London Stationery show! For an ecofriendly choice, view our GreenLine range, with new designs joining classic bestsellers. Feel tropical vibes with ‘Floral’, the calming tones of ‘Namaste’ and the zesty zip of ‘Lemons’! All FCS Certified, made with paper from responsible forestry and printed with oil free mineral inks.We will also be displaying new additions to our Midi Flexi craft journal range. Metallic finishes, ontrend colours and simplistic Earth Tones make these journals and booklets a must.

All ranges are complimented by matching Calendars and Diaries.

VOW M642 VOW is the UK and Ireland’s leading wholesaler of business products.This is our first year at The Stationery Show and we are excited to introduce 7 of our exclusive brands to you – Announce, Contour Ergonomics, ergo-brite, GoSecure, graffico, Reviva and StoreStack. From pens and notebooks to storage boxes and phone chargers, these quality brands feature across many product categories and offer additional growth opportunities that cannot be acquired elsewhere. Please come and visit stand M642 to find out more!

The Botanical ABC is a floral stationary and giftware company.We have a blossoming catalogue of uniquely beautiful products, designed from original paintings in modern botanical style.We’re pleased to be a fresh brand in the stationery marketplace. Our goods have been described as ‘English Eccentric’ and have wide appeal.We offer cards and decorations for every season and occasion.We have new products ranges including Relations Cards and Message Cards.

SPECIAL STATIONERY SHOW LONDON 2019 OFFER: 10% Discount on orders placed at the show.

The Charfleet Book Bindery M305 Our new Botanical Collection of A5 journals features four eye-catching cover designs that celebrate nature’s beauty and the richness of its colour palette.The all-new Palm and Pineapple designs evoke the tropics in vivid citrus hues and bold graphics while the Hawaii and Fern are inspired by lush foliage.

uni-ball M710 The uni-ball brand is one of the biggest players in the UK Rollerball Pen market. Our exclusive product variety developed by innovation and technology since 1887, is indicative of our desire to create products that uniquely match the needs of the individual user.With best-selling ranges such as the iconic uni-ball eye and the uni Pin Fine Line. Discover the versatility of POSCA - the water-based paint marker, which can be used on almost any surface.We look forward to showing the uni-ball and Posca range at Stationery Show London.

West Design Products M530 West Design is your destination for the best brands in art, craft and stationery.

Noteworthy – our coordinating stationery collections welcome a starry-eyed addition in the celestial themed Constellations, offering diaries, planners. notebooks and accessories inspired by the night sky.

Marabu – see live demonstrations of the new Marabu Textil Screen Printing Kit. Create super-cool designs in minutes, personalising T-shirts, cushions, etc. with unique creations. Have a go yourself!

Faber-Castell – the amazing Albrecht Durer Watercolour Markers offer a vibrant range of dual-tipped watercolour joy. Copic – check out some brand-new additions to the world’s leading Sketch and Ciao ranges.

Zebra Pen M601 This year, the ZEBRA PEN stand will be showcasing a range of new products! There are two STAND OUT products that we can’t wait to show you. The first product is called the mighty X-701. Our X-701 Retractable Black Matte Ballpoint pen is the toughest and most sturdy pen around!

The second is called the MILDLINER. After huge success overseas, we have decided to include it in our range here in the UK! The Mildliner highlighter comes in five beautiful pastel colours, encouraging fabulously colourful and trendy note-taking! Please come and visit out stand at the show and try them out for yourself!

S TAT I O N E R Y S H SO PR WI NLG O//NSDUOMNMPERRE 2 V0 I E1W 9 51

VISIT VISIT USUS ATAT THE THE STATIONERY STATIONERY SHOW SHOW LONDON LONDON STAND STAND NUMBER NUMBER M601 M601

SCENTED STATIONERY DON’T MISS THE SHOW DEALS!

VISIT US AT STATIONERY SHOW LONDON

STAND G221

DKL MARKETING LTD 11 Deer Park Road, Northampton, NN3 6QD, UK tel. 01604 678780 email. sales@dkl.co.uk web. www.dkl.co.uk 5 2 S P R I N G // S U M M E R 2 0 1 9

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CREATING MOMENTS

As a gift for others, a treat for ourselves or a workplace essential, stationery is a striking and personal way for people to express themselves.

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Register now to discover the ultimate gift.

stationeryshowlondon.co.uk

@stationeryshowsuk

S P R I N G // S U M M E R 2 0 1 9 5 3

Smart Packaging CHRIS PARTRIDGE gives the lowdown on the smart product packaging set to hit the high street.

ELECTRONIC SHELF LABELS WILL MAKE LIFE EASIER FOR SHOPPERS AND SUPERMARKET WORKERS, BY AUTOMATICALLY UPDATING ITS PRICE TO REFLECT PRICE RISES OR SALES OFFERS. 5 4 S P R I N G // S U M M E R 2 0 1 9

PRODUCT packaging that can interact with shoppers’ smartphones to display individual greetings and tailored offers based on previous purchases are going to be big news on the high street before too long.

The trend will be driven by the arrival of very low cost ‘near field communications’ (NFC) labels that communicate with smartphones automatically when the phone is passed over the package. It is the same system that enables contactless payments. NFC labels ‘point’ the phone to the retailer’s website where the customer information is held, or to the product supplier’s site for things like marketing information and technical support.

Of course, this sort of system has been available for some years with QR codes (those square blocky graphics), but they have been held back by the need for the customer to fire up the phone’s camera and take a picture. NFC makes the whole process automatic. QR codes have the advantage of costing nothing to print, though they don’t look pretty and can disrupt an attractive design scheme. Now, on the other hand, NFC electronics can be printed

Photo by Bruce Mars from Pexels

entirely on plastic underpays costing a penny or two, making them a far more affordable option.

The potential of NFC tags is only just being appreciated. If the application warrants it, sophisticated sensors can be included. A thermal tracking sensor, for example, can record the temperature history of a package containing heat-sensitive loads such as drugs or perishable food, so the consumer can be assured it will arrive in prime condition. Last year, at American Football’s championship game, the Super Bowl, fans could buy special-edition Tostito tortilla chips with an alcohol sensor in the label.

Firing up the app (available on the ground’s Wifi system) enabled them to test themselves for alcohol, and to order an Uber automatically if they felt unsure about driving.

Smart packaging also enables manufacturers to eliminate some of the small print by putting technical support in all languages and for all regions online, accessible simply by placing the smartphone close to the package. Speaking as a long-time bifocals wearer, I can’t wait for all that stuff to appear in big print on my smartphone screen.

SMART PACKAGING GETS CUSTOMERS COMMUNICATING, SO IT IS A HUGELY VALUABLE OPPORTUNITY TO INVOLVE THEM IN YOUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY WITH A HIGHLY PERSONAL AREA LIKE PAPER AND STATIONERY. The information that can be accessed via the NFC chip is limitless.

In the stationery industry, fans of personal organisers shopping for refills could pass their phone over the package to make absolutely sure the pages will fit their particular folder, and can receive suggestions for new refills at the same time. Products needing assembly at home would no longer require printed instructions in the box – the NFC tag can send the buyer to a YouTube demo online. And there is a world of information related to the product – some bottles of Johnny Walker whisky, for example, have an NFC tag under the back label that brings up tasting advice and cocktail recipes.

Smart packaging gets customers communicating, so it is a hugely valuable opportunity to involve them in your community, especially with a highly personal area like paper and stationery. Links to forums where customers can discuss products, their likes and peeves, can help establish a ‘club’ atmosphere that will encourage them to return. David Jinks, head of consumer research at international courier company ParcelCompare, says the time is now right for smart packaging: “We are seeing the introduction of smart packaging that will let you know where your favourite product is in the store.”

Once smart packaging becomes ubiquitous, it has the potential to eliminate prices printed on the product itself, the price being shown on an electronic display on the shelf edge.

“Electronic shelf labels will make life easier for shoppers and supermarket workers, by automatically updating its price to reflect price rises or sales offers,” Jinks believes. “Those annoying paper shelf labels that usually end up on the floor or moved, so you have no idea how much an

Photo by mentatdgt from Pexels

KEEP IT SIMPLE

Smart packaging will be unfamiliar to customers so it needs to be introduced with care. Here are some do’s and don’ts.

• Avoid apps that need to be downloaded, or cumbersome registration procedures. Make sure all mobiles can use the system without difficulty, on both iOS and Android. item is, will be replaced by informative electronic labels. These labels will communicate with smart packaging to automatically show when an item is out of stock in real time – saving us from scrabbling through the shelves hunting for items that aren’t there.”

The medium-term aim is to be able to change prices in a store instantly in response to market conditions.

“Sainsbury’s, Tesco’s and Morrisons are all testing electronic shelf edge labels and they could enable the introduction of surge pricing, meaning your ice-creams go up on a hot summer afternoon or down when it rains, for example,” Jinks explains. Ultimately, smart packaging could be the technology that powers open shopping, where shoppers just load what they need onto a trolley and leave the store, the bill being totted up automatically as they go round and charged to their bank account electronically. “The electronic shelf labels will instantly adjust price at cashier-less stores that mean an end to queuing at the till, or those dreaded automated tills with their ‘unexpected item in bagging area’ warnings,” he concludes.

• Provide free Wifi so shoppers don’t have to use their expensive mobile data, and make sure all data is delivered instantly.

• Make it interactive, fun and educational, with videos, animations and, yes, emojis.

Consumers also want authenticity, so include links to the manufacture, especially for craft items such as handmade, acid-free paper.

• Make sure the information is up-to-date and relevant.

• Include ‘whole life’ information such as recycling guides.

S P R I N G // S U M M E R 2 0 1 9 5 5

Eugene Prevost: Roses, Grapes, and Vines 500-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle AA1040

John Singer Sargent: The Sketchers 1000-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle AA1047

Cannabis: A Quiz Deck on Marijuana Knowledge Cards K384

Claude Monet: Water Lilies 1000-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle AA1035

Gustav Klimt: The Kiss 1000-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle AA1036

Anton Seder: Art Nouveau Colouring Book CB203

5 6 S P R I N G // S U M M E R 2 0 1 9

Knock on Wood: A Quiz Deck of Common Customs Knowledge Cards K385

Hokusai: Views of Mt. Fuji Colouring Book WARNING: Choking hazard—small parts.

CBK025 Not suitable for children under 3 years.

The home of the finest arts brands

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Design © Museums & Galleries Ltd 2019 Design © Museums & Galleries Ltd 2018 Email: sales@mgml.co.uk Email: sales@mgml.co.uk Tel: 165 01373 462 165 Tel: 01373 462 www.museumsgalleries.co.uk www.museumsgalleries.co.uk

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Find us at the Stationery Show London 30th April–1st May: STAND NO. M516 Alternatively contact your local agent, register online or call our sales team for more information about our latest collection.

Tel: 01373 462165

www.museumsgalleries.co.uk

Email: sales@mgml.co.uk

S P R I N G // S U M M E R 2 0 1 9 5 7

STATIONERY BIZ

THE APPEAL OF THE UK MARKET

Pens from Stone Marketing

Stationery by Brazilian manufacturer Otima

With B-Day just around the corner, HENRI DAVIS explores why Britain remains irresistible to international stationery brands.

IN THE LAST 10 YEARS WE HAVE SEEN SEVERAL NEW INTERNATIONAL ENTRANTS TO THE UK STATIONERY MARKET, AND THEY ARE A REALLY INTERESTING MIX.

WE HAVE been a nation of stationery lovers for generations. The Stationers’ Company, established in 1403, is testament to this. Mike James, who works in the office supplies sector and who is Court Assistant and Chair of Stationers’ Livery Committee, confirms the Stationers’ Company has around 1000 members. He reveals that some 3% are from outside the UK, and that the number is growing year on year. They join because they don’t have anything like this in their own countries. Today, individuals from organisations such as Jalema, Tombow and H.P. have joined for the obvious business benefits, but also to be part of a Livery Company that celebrates a long history of relevance to its industries.

Why are we so unusual in having this history and what makes the UK such an attractive market for foreign businesses in the wholesale, commercial and retail sectors? Well, it started with the establishment of the medieval guilds

Troika pens from Lime Stationery and Art 5 8 S P R I N G // S U M M E R 2 0 1 9

in the City of London which controlled who could do business within the city walls, and which ensured that standards were maintained. And the other major influence was the commonality of language, with English being spoken in so many countries around the world.

Why the UK is such an attractive market Today our retail structure is still unique, even if it is going through a period of difficulty and change. The relatively small size of the UK, the fact that a lot of retailers have multiple outlets around the country, and the concentration of retail activity into vibrant shopping centres, mean it is easy to get brand coverage quickly and cost effectively if you can get your product listed by one or two key retailers in your sector. Compare this with the fragmented retail structure and size of countries like France.

The multiple retailer type model means there is a ‘good, better, best’ structure to our retail market that allows brands to position themselves versus one another. Consumers understand this and choose where to shop accordingly, knowing the quality and type of products available to them.

International players In the last 10 years we have seen several new international entrants to the UK stationery market, and they are a really interesting mix. We have the Italian heritage brand Fabriano, kikki.K from Sweden, and Australian brands Typo and Smiggle all targeting different categories within the stationery market.

STATIONERY BIZ

Washi tape from Stone Marketing

Pineider, from Lime Stationery and Art

Legami, from Lime Stationery and Art

It’s fascinating to see the different ways each has established itself in the UK. Take Fabriano for example, who I first remember seeing at Paperworld in Frankfurt back in 2007. From memory I believe they entered the UK by being stocked in Paperchase, by online retailer Bureau Direct, and by high-end independents, all of whom were happy to bring the stock across from Europe. Obtaining significant distribution in the UK requires stock to be held and managed by a UK distributor, as most British retailers do not have the infrastructure to deal with stock coming from abroad.

Fabriano felt so positive about its UK experience it opened a shop in Covent Garden!

Kikki.K developed as a result of the growing trend in journalling, personal development and work/ life balance. The Swedish brand launched in the UK initially for topend retailers to stock, opening two dedicated shops in 2015. At Top Drawer this year, kikki.K launched its wholesale business to allow smaller UK retailers with a similar ethos and market position to share in the brand’s popularity.

beyond. The stock is held in the UK and the cohesion between the brands provides retail customers with a onestop shop. Its recent introduction of an online trade-ordering system allows retailers to access international brands via the click of a button.

I was fascinated by the views of Michael Owen of Lime Stationery and Art, who explained that the UK is considered a great market for premium stationery by almost all manufacturers globally. However, the brands that will succeed here are those prepared to be flexible with the rules.

They need to adapt, and if necessary change to fit in with the British, because the British won’t conform to international brands’ rules. Owen admits even big international brands find this out the hard way.

UK distributors Smaller retailers can also access international brands affordably through distributors. We are very lucky to have a number of experienced and knowledgable companies sourcing and bringing great international brands to the UK. Stone Marketing, for example, specialises in gift, stationery and fine writing brands, many of which come from Japan, Europe, America and

Wholesale and manufacturing It’s not only in retail that the UK attracts international brands. We have seen the same developments in wholesaling and manufacturing, too.

Otima, a very successful Brazilian stationery manufacturer, introduced itself to the UK last year at the London Stationery Show. Because of the positive reaction, it is now launching in 2019, creating a USP with unusual formats, interesting designs and to a high specification. The challenges are many for any brand launching in a different country, with most relating to logistics and the management of stock, though compatible formats, language and designs must all be relevant to the new market, too.

When I first started working in stationery in the late 1980s, most

products stocked in WHSmith were made here in the UK, whether paper based, pens, filing or plastics.

Many of these companies were bought by foreign businesses who wanted their expertise or additional production capacity, or as a way of getting a foothold in the UK market.

For many UK businesses, these deals led to significant investment and development. But like any market, stationery is anything but stationary, and over time market dynamics necessitated the movement of production to China, India and other countries, where materials and labour were cheaper. Often, though not always, those previously acquired sites were closed, and the businesses consolidated back to their home countries.

THEY NEED TO ADAPT, AND IF NECESSARY CHANGE TO FIT IN WITH THE BRITISH, BECAUSE THE BRITISH WON’T CONFORM TO INTERNATIONAL BRANDS’ RULES. S P R I N G // S U M M E R 2 0 1 9 5 9

FIND US: STATIONERY SHOW LONDON STAND NO M622

– the green brand of teNeues creative joyful eco-friendly and experience the natural haptic of GreenLine Journals, Calendar & Diaries

Meet us at Stationery Show London on stand M416

6 0 S P R I N G // S U M M E R 2 0 1 9

For full programme details contact Claire Trigger at ctrigger@teneues-calendars.com, tel +44 (0)203 542 8997

SPECIAL FOCUS

AT WORK WITH...

THE THIRTY UNDER 30 STARS Stationery Matters launched Thirty Under 30 in 2017 to identify and acknowledge the rising stars of stationery, and to recognise the vital role young professionals play in upholding innovation and dynamism in the stationery industry. For the Class of 2018, the award judges selected 30 candidates they felt demonstrated clear knowledge of the wider industry, drive and passion for their role, and a desire to innovate.

The award judges Dominic Irons, director of Bureau Direct, Julia Faiers, editor of Stationery Matters and Simon Stone, managing director of Stone Marketing Ltd, were asked to pick a select number of candidates for special recognition for their exceptional talent and significant contribution to the stationery industry. The judges chose six people who possessed these rare qualities and demonstrated outstanding achievement. In this Special Focus these standout stars share their daily working lives, revealing how they are making waves in the industry.

The judges’ six Star Choices for the Thirty Under 30 Class of 2018: Cherelle Brown, Founder, Kitsch Noir Cherelle set up and runs a card and gifts company to ‘celebrate the love and enjoyment of the black British experience.’

Gemma Bassett, Marketing Manager, Sinclairs

Gemma steered Sinclairs through exhibiting at Paperworld for the first time and has transformed the company’s social media marketing strategy.

Jamie Mitchell, Co-founder and Creative Director, Ohh Deer

Jamie has built quirky stationery brand Ohh Deer into a thriving online and bricks-andmortar business.

Julien Vaissieres, Founder, Batch.works Julien created and oversees every element of his 3D-printing business, from design through to manufacture and distribution.

Kaushal Shah, Founder, Paper Plus Europe

Kaushal is the brainchild of EnvoPap, environmentally friendly paper and packaging made from sugarcane fibre, a waste agricultural product.

Odin Adargh, Designer and Director, Brahman Design

Odin crowdfunded the initial investment needed to manufacture his prototype for an ergonomically designed, high-quality pencil sharpener.

S P R I N G // S U M M E R 2 0 1 9 6 1

AT WORK WITH… Cherelle Brown, Founder, Kitsch Noir In an ideal world, where all runs smoothly, I attend that 6am gym class I have booked and I actually have a lunch break away from my desk. However it doesn’t always work out that way. I illustrate and design the cards for my business, Kitsch Noir, so I tend to draw according to the season. When I am creating those designs, I go into hibernation and focus on them for roughly two weeks, day in day out. As it’s the beginning of the year I have just finished creating my Mother’s Day cards for 2019, so I am ecstatic! It is such a great feeling to have completed a new collection.

Depending on the day, I use the mornings to contact or respond to emails from suppliers, stockists and customers. Throughout the day I reply to comments and questions from customers on social media platforms. I find it easier to respond straight away rather than let them all pile up. That’s how some convos get missed and every single one is important to me. This is one of my favourite perks of the job, as I love hearing feedback from customers who feel empowered or inspired by the brand. This is such great motivation, and is the fuel that I run off.

I usually use my lunch break to send out orders from the day before, so I take off before 12 to avoid the lunchtime rush at the post office. It’s also the perfect chance to ditch the desk and laptop for some fresh air.

I might also grab something to eat on the walk back and have a chinwag with my best friend on the phone. When I reach home I spend the next four to five hours creating invoices for stockists, organising card printing or planning and ordering essentials for upcoming events, such as markets or trade shows. Recently I’ve had the pleasure of being interviewed by two of our stockists, Paperchase and Papersmiths, so a couple of afternoons have involved answering the interesting questions they have asked. I was delighted to see the result of the latest interview by Papersmiths and was honoured that they sent it out in their newsletter.

At about 5 or 6pm I take a longer break to take my eyes off the screen and catch up with family and friends or perhaps make some dinner. At 8pm (sometimes a lot later) I look at the orders I have received and begin to pack them up, ready to be sent off for the next day. If I have enough time, I will try my best to film some of the packing process on Instagram as I think it’s nice for customers to see the effort and fun that goes into getting their orders to them.

6 2 S P R I N G // S U M M E R 2 0 1 9

I LOVE HEARING FEEDBACK FROM CUSTOMERS WHO FEEL EMPOWERED OR INSPIRED BY THE BRAND. THIS IS SUCH GREAT MOTIVATION, AND IS THE FUEL THAT I RUN OFF.

Kitsch Noir card available at Paperchase

AT WORK WITH: Gemma Bassett, Marketing Manager, Sinclairs My story with Luxpad goes like this: “What are we going to do with these products, they’re starting to look tired?”

It was November 2017 and we (the marketing team) were sitting in the conference room in our product lifecycle meeting.With a table full of our existing products, each one of them with a longstanding sales history, it was time for a refresh.The challenge: to develop the products into something fresh for Sinclairs, something with a USP and yet we must retain the integrity and quality of these much-loved products. I’d been in the team for four months at this point and I was ready for the challenge and relished having something to get my teeth stuck into. A huge part of my job is to scrutinise a product from the inside out, making sure that it’s the best it can be and fit for purpose. So, I started to pick each product apart.What’s the paper inside? How is it bound? What extra features does it have?

I soon realised the potential of Luxpad, further opportunities that would bridge some other gaps we had in our existing ranges, and how we could create some innovative new lines to excite our customers.

And so began a month-long brand and product development exercise to form the products into the range we have today.

Up next, design. This was tough! We had such a wide variety of existing products and styles for this range. We didn’t want to move too far away from what our customers recognised, but still needed the range to feel like a family of products. The classic Silvine teal pressboard notebook was what started the initial conversation, so it seemed fitting to start with this one from an aesthetic perspective. Using the shade of green from the pressboard and reading through consumer research: green is perceived as a tranquil, relaxing and somewhat soothing colour, perfect for any student or office worker. This is where the key shade for the Luxpad range arrived from. The range design finally came together and we could see an exciting opportunity for Luxpad.

Each product boasted superb quality and was targeted to its intended demographic.

Equally we had succeeded in refreshing the existing lines into a fashionable retail range.

Now in February 2019 the range has launched in multiple channels through distributors and retailers, and Luxpad has seen a targeted marketing campaign across printed, social and digital media. Luxpad was my first main project at Sinclairs and I’m proud to say it’s delivering against its key objectives for the business. Since launch

we’ve been receiving positive feedback through customer meetings and social media. It’s so rewarding to see your products being presented to customers, sold on retailers’ shelves and then snapped on social media and shared with the world!

AT WORK WITH: Jamie Mitchell, Co-founder and Creative Director, Ohh Deer What I love about my job is that it’s so varied I never really have the opportunity to be bored...

When I started work on Ohh Deer it was with the sole intention of paying my rent, allowing me some much wanted freedom both professionally and creatively.

In hindsight that was never going to happen.

Apparently my ambition was always going to lead me down a more extreme path! Seven years later Ohh Deer is a team of between 40 and 50 marvellous people, with myself and co-founder Mark at the helm.

I have an interest in both creative and operational elements of the business and get about the same level of fulfilment from both.

There’s nothing quite like receiving a finished product, and also the implementation of a new set of shipping prices for the website to see what the impact is. I find both equally satisfying, as sad as that may sound.

I’m not an early riser, unless there’s something I definitely have to be up for, so I tend to get to work between 9 and 10am.

Mark and I will walk our two sausage dogs (Finley and Scout) into work via the park,

grab a cuppa and then crack through our emails, which I’ve probably started on earlier in the day. The great thing about Ohh Deer at this stage is that we’ve worked a lot on sculpting the teams to be as robust as possible, so Mark and I only really have to weigh in on projects with a larger impact.

The head of the creative team will normally want to discuss strategic developments and run through the work that has been completed within each project to get opinions. I have a great working relationship with all involved, so my critiques aren’t difficult to give. We’re working on a hell of a lot below the surface, the largest being a sub brand we’re launching called ‘Off Centre’ to cater to a slightly different audience from a design point of view.

At the moment the bulk of the work is about sourcing the right artists for the ranges and collaborating with them to hit key greeting card occasions.We’ve done a lot of the heavy lifting at this point and have around 12 new card ranges to launch very soon!

I often art direct photo shoots, have to go into meetings about cash flow, order

fulfilment and we’re working on rebooting our websites, so there are always lots of phone calls with the relevant parties for that project! All in all, I enjoy what I do thoroughly, even though I’ve probably suffered some hair loss over the years.

Jamie and lead designer Jade Walsh

S P R I N G // S U M M E R 2 0 1 9 6 3

AT WORK WITH: Julien Vaissieres, Founder, Batch.works Batch.works has been trading since January 2018. As the founder, I was selected as a winner in February 2018 of the LaunchPad competition, which meant I received a free stand at the London Stationery Show in April 2018. LaunchPad provides opportunities for innovative young businesses to enter the stationery industry.

As a result of this, I was motivated to enter the Stationery Matters Thirty Under 30 competition, and was delighted to be named one of the judges’ Star Choices.

LaunchPad is where it all started for Batch.works, and this initial opportunity has brought us to where we are today.The London Stationery Show in 2018 was my first ever trade show, even though I had already tried quite a few local and craft markets. Going for a professional show was such a different and new world.You are not trying to sell to individuals, but to large corporations where cost and volume are the main focus. This was quite intimidating at the time. To make the most out of this trade show, our strategy was to 3D print our product live on site, so that visitors to the stand could instantly understand our vision of local and sustainable manufacturing at a batch volume.

I was fortunate enough to have the Paperchase crew pass by my stand and exchange a few words about what I was doing. At this time they where looking for products for their SS19 sustainable collection called Conscious Living. The whole collection comprises product made from recycled or sustainable materials.

Our products are entirely made in London, using recycled or bio-based plastic – the perfect fit for Paperchase’s

Conscious Living collection. We worked together over five months to select the right product and colours to match their artworks/requirements. Over this period, we moved our new facility to Containerville along the canal in East London – a village of shipping containers repurposed into small business spaces, occupied by all manner of businesses, from people making food to architects and start-ups.

While working on the first prototypes we developed our unique smart factories composed of 12 machines that can run 24/7 in order to fulfil future orders. In October 2018, after all the green lights on production samples, we agreed an initial order for over 160 Paperchase stores and concessions across the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, France, Canada and the Middle East. This order has been a huge challenge for us as we had to make sure everything was in place from quantity control, packing and labelling, to be ready to ship in December to their distribution centre. Being a LaunchPad winner and a Star Choice in the Thirty Under 30 Awards helped us to have more credibility among our new clients and partners.

AT WORK WITH: Kaushal Shah, Founder, Paper Plus Europe April 2019 marks four years of my journey with envoPAP. It all started as an endeavour to introduce paper made from agricultural waste to the European markets. The vision, to make sustainability the new normal through products made from agricultural waste materials. We have gone far beyond just being a paper supplier.

Support and motivation from consumers and organisations have helped us to transition into a company now researching and innovating sustainable products with a vision to replace single-use plastic items. I guess the most important thing is to keep innovating, which can be either product or processes, and that’s what keeps me going as an entrepreneur.

Recently we launched envoPAP Research, a project which I am super passionate about. After seeing the amount of plastic being used globally, I felt a need to find ways to use envoPaP to replace single-use plastic in commodity items. Plastic is a serious problem and finding a solution with our product and expertise would be our greatest achievement of all.

Every day is a different hustle, and tackling challenges as they arise is the way I want to shape myself. Each day presents new adventures, achievements or challenges. The day always starts with a lot of motivation, 6 4 S P R I N G // S U M M E R 2 0 1 9

followed by lows and highs throughout the day, and ending with ‘My life is great’ and gearing up for tomorrow. No single day is like another. There’s no typical working day for me.

Some days are focussed on meeting clients, some days focus on sales, and some days I wear different caps of Finance, Marketing or HR. As a young CEO, each strategy is formed through lessons from the past or just trying something completely new. One of the advantages I have is to travel the globe and meet clients from around the world. Cultures, behaviours, receptiveness to products and enthusiasm are different everywhere, and I aim to understand them all.

I try to dedicate as much time as possible to my work, but it’s never enough because of my ambition. I always start my day with prioritised tasks of the utmost importance, and then follow with more time-consuming tasks, and those which need the most concentration, like research.

However busy the day gets, I always make a point to keep myself updated on the current news, reading books and learning as much as I can. The more I know, the broader the vision I can have.

Starting and then running a business is a hustle in itself, and I certainly believe it does take a certain level of discipline,

dedication and more importantly patience.

Not everything goes according to plan, and for everything to fall in place takes time.

Evenings for me are usually talking with my partner about each other’s business and learning from our experiences. Having a partner who’s also an entrepreneur is very helpful as we have similar thought processes and we brainstorm to develop each other’s ideas and to give feedback. I love what I do and have so far always enjoyed the adventures. I look forward to the future and the impact we can create.

AT WORK WITH: Odin Adargh, Designer and Director, Brahman Design As a designer and director in a start-up that creates stationery, my tasks vary greatly from day to day. I am at my happiest when sketching and prototyping new products, yet inevitably time gets swallowed up by the responsibilities of managing a growing company. At Brahman Design we design, manufacture and retail our products directly to consumers as well as at wholesale. My cofounders Ben, who oversees our brand and marketing, and Noah who looks after sales, are crucial to the successful accomplishment of these responsibilities.

My day starts with an early commute to our office in the Central Research Laboratory (CRL) in Hayes,West London. My team and I can’t wait for the day they open the Crossrail! The CRL is where we spend our days brainstorming, designing and prototyping in an innovative co-working space. At CRL, the UK’s first hardware start-up incubator, we receive funding, mentoring and office space to assist the growth of Brahman Design.The building used to be the factory site of the EMI record label, where they manufactured and distributed vinyl records (including by the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Sex Pistols!) This is really inspiring for myself and my team, who are so fond of thinking about how analogue tools of the past can be made relevant in the modern day.

On a usual day at the office, I start with a weekly catch up, speaking to our manufacturers, keeping up to date on manufacturing and the progress of new products. Aside from this, I spend a lot of time drawing up and prototyping changes and improvements to our products using the office’s workshop, which offers a range of 3D Printers and CNC Machines. As our drawing tools are highly tactile, I dedicate a lot of my time to experimenting with the various ways that our products can be felt and held in order to be used both effectively and comfortably. The design process ends up being just as tactile as the final products themselves. This is crucial to ensure that the final outcome of the product is as close to the original vision and concept as possible, and to guarantee the quality of each and every item we create.

My afternoons are spent collaborating with my co-founders on marketing and creating content for our social media accounts @brahmandesign. As we move into spring, I am very excited to be adding the final touches to our newest product. We are thrilled to be launching our next creation on Kickstarter by the end of April!

I SPEND A LOT OF TIME DRAWING UP AND PROTOTYPING CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR PRODUCTS USING THE OFFICE’S WORKSHOP. S P R I N G // S U M M E R 2 0 1 9 6 5

COLOUR CREATIVITY INNOVATION See our range of new products at

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STATIONERY BIZ

SMALL BUSINESS FOCUS: LITTLE PAPERIE We speak to LUCY STICKA, co-founder of Little Paperie, Ashbourne, Derbyshire

Lucy (right) and Heidi (left) of Little Paperie

Describe Little Paperie to our readers

Little Paperie is our little piece of stationery heaven. It’s a quirky stationery and lifestyle boutique in Ashbourne, just on the edge of the Peak District. We stock lots of lovely brands and love supporting other independent designers and makers, too.

What did you do before Little Paperie?

Before Little Paperie I was a knitwear designer for about eight years. I have a degree in knitwear design and got to travel all over the world seeing some amazing places. Heidi owned a little craft shop in a village just outside of Ashbourne, where she held fabulous workshops and created all kinds of beautiful cards. She was even featured on some of the craft channels on TV. That’s how we really got to know one another – through her workshops – and the rest is history.

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What made you decide to set up shop, when did you open, and why Ashbourne?

This beautiful little shop came up for rent in Ashbourne at a time when Heidi was thinking about moving location. At the same time I had been working on building a wedding stationery brand from home, so after a few conversations we decided we would do it together. Ashbourne was the perfect location, being a pretty little market town full of independent businesses.

Tell us about the different parts of your business and how they work together.

It’s something that’s continually evolving and I think that’s the key to keeping people interested. If we are honest we didn’t really have a clue what we were doing when we started.

We were totally winging it, and still are! The bricks-and-mortar shop is

STATIONERY BIZ

where it all started, but we also now have an online shop, too. We became an Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Stockist in April 2015, which helped us link through to more of a lifestyle side of our business, and also started our series of workshops.

We are also a Trouva boutique, which has been a great selling platform for us, and we are really proud to be a part of it. In June 2017 we also launched our own range of greeting cards and prints, a vision we had from the start. We sell them in our shop and wholesale, too. It’s almost two separate businesses that demand our time in different ways but also fit together. Juggling the two is a bit of a challenge and we are still trying to get to grips with it. It’s just me and Heidi that do everything, with a little help from our families along the way.

Who creates your window displays?

Heidi is our chief ‘zshusher’! Previous to shop life she worked for some of the leading make-up brands such as Chanel and Dior, so has a really good eye for merchandising and display.

We totally wing our window displays and somehow seem to pull it out of the bag every time. We keep lots of styling props to hand, and keep to colour stories where we can. We love a good secret Pinterest board and use those to gather ideas. There’s normally a handmade element in there somewhere, or a a good old chalk marker for doodling on the windows.

What’s your philosophy for store layout?

Less is more. But we aren’t very good at that. We have so many lovely things and a limited space, so we try to keep things in colour or pattern stories.

Some brands look better showcased

ALWAYS STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF AND YOUR BRAND. together, some look better dotted about with other things, so it’s a bit of trial and error. We display everything on painted furniture, and so like to move things about to keep it looking fresh. But once you start, the whole shop ends up in disarray and we always say: ‘Why did we start this?’ It always looks fab eventually, but there’s always a point in the middle where you think WHY? What are the most rewarding parts of running an independent stationery store?

Going to work every day and loving opening the door, seeing all the beautiful things you have for sale and getting to meet and chat with the loveliest people. We have made some real friends through our workshops and also in the industry. It’s a 24/7 job which can be hard at times, but it’s so rewarding seeing people buy into your dream.

Do you have any advice for people thinking about starting up with either a physical store or online?

Always stay true to yourself and your brand. The minute you try and be something you’re not, you’re on a different path and it becomes confusing for your customer. It’s ok to do lots of things, but they all need to fit together somehow or the customer won’t understand.

How do you feel about the impact Brexit may have on your business?

We just wish they would get on with it. I’m sure it’s had a negative impact on retail and lots of other industries, too. The uncertainty is bound to make people more cautious with their spending habits. If as much time was spent looking after our own economy, maybe the situation would be different.

How is Little Paperie addressing the challenges facing the UK high street?

Different income streams helps. So we have the bricks and mortar, our own website, the publishing side of Little Paperie, and Trouva. They all work together and can bring in different revenue streams. We are definitely working on our online presence, as footfall is certainly not what it used to be, and if more people are purchasing online then that’s where we need to be.

It’s certainly not easy.

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STATIONERY BIZ A variety of products on display at the Oh Squirrel pop up

CLICKS TO BRICKS From online to offline, REBECCA SAUNDERS shines a light on why the future of digital brands could be physical

The digitally native era We hear a lot about digitally native brands achieving sky-high valuations and taking market share from incumbent retailers. An interesting trend is these brands are starting to open stores, particularly in flagship capital-city locations. Encompassing every sector and including every product from mattresses to razors, this appears to be more than a fad, enabling directto-consumer companies to acquire customers at rates that may even be cheaper than paid digital channels.

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Oh Squirrel’s famous pom pom wall

The importance of physical experience With approximately 80% of UK retail sales still taking place in stores, customers often want to touch and feel products. In fact, this is particularly relevant to tactile categories such as stationery, and for customers making premium purchases. Often, cards and stationery tap into a requirement for immediacy, with customers on their way to an event (greeting cards) or in need of something new (like notebooks for example).

Whilst online selling generates benefits in terms of data, offline selling offers other advantages in building customer relationships, telling brand stories and generating feedback. Katie Wagstaff, founder of Oh Squirrel, ran a pop-up shop in Muswell Hill in Autumn 2018. She says: “Any opportunity to meet customers face to face is such a privilege, so having a lovely atmosphere and location where they could hang out and spend time having a really good chat was great.”

Marby & Elm, a letterpress-focused stationery company led by Eleanor Tattersfield, has also developed a multichannel strategy. Eleanor opened her Clerkenwell store several years ago and works on site, whether printing

new cards or working behind the scenes. She says: “I love spending time with customers, hearing directly what they think of my products and building relationships,” all of which lead to increased customer loyalty.

Unexpected benefits Eleanor can also make bespoke cards and notes whilst customers wait: “They are excited to see their products being made, and it’s also a good way for me to trial new products in store. If a customer asks for specific wording on a card, I’ll often make some extra in that design and put it on the shelves.” She also finds that the store can attract retail buyers: “ It acts as a showcase for wholesale customers such as Liberty,” who are looking for something new from independent brands.

So what can a stationery brand do if they are considering launching a physical space?

Location is critical

Decide on a temporary or permanent space, and pick an area that you know well (or spend plenty of time there, speaking to nearby retailers and reviewing customer demographics).

Marby & Elm is located in an area where Eleanor was already working, one

STATIONERY BIZ

Eleanor Tattershall at Marby & Elm

that is “full of designers and architects – the natural customers for our brand,” she explains.

Customer experience is key

As well as stores affording an opportunity to deliver great service, your visual identity needs to represent your brand. At Marby & Elm much of the furniture was bought on ebay or comprises customised vintage pieces. For Katie, the clean, bright space “made merchandising products really easy. I cut vinyl for the walls, and really enjoyed creating a window display to attract attention. The pom pom window has become sightly iconic on Instagram. I ended up doing a live video of making pom poms and the number of messages I’ve had from people who were inspired to make their own pom pom walls has been incredible!”

Customers do not think in “channels”

Ensure that your website supports your store, and that your store supports your website. Katie found that “customers who follow Oh Squirrel on Instagram came from all over London” to her pop-up shop. This positive cycle worked both ways: “I found a lot of

customers wanted to come and see things in real life, which they then ordered online later.”

In fact, research by the International Council for Shopping Centres shows that the impact of an emerging retailer opening a physical store can be a boost of +45% to local ecommerce sales. Building a stronger multichannel business overall requires a cohesive customer experience, whichever channel they wish to use across their entire journey of discovery, selection and purchase. This also means that some of the historic metrics used by physical retailers can be misleading.

For example, there’s no point focusing solely on sales per square foot if your store is actually driving significant online sales.

The value of omnichannel Both Eleanor and Katie extol the virtues of physical retail alongside digital. Oh Squirrel is planning a further pop up for 2019 and Marby & Elm is firmly established in the Clerkenwell retail scene. It’s refreshing to see success in a physical environment from two very different stationery brands and it’s an optimistic illustration of the value of physical stores as part of an overall growth strategy.

I FOUND A LOT OF CUSTOMERS WANTED TO COME AND SEE THINGS IN REAL LIFE, WHICH THEY THEN ORDERED ONLINE LATER. Marby & Elm window display

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STATIONERY BIZ

THE LAST WORD with Kerri Middleton, founder of Busy B Describe Busy B in one sentence.

Cleverly crafted stationery full of useful features and stylish details to help tame the mayhem of modern life.

How did Busy B start, and how has it grown?

I studied product design at Glasgow School of Art and then worked for an entrepreneurial boss in my first job. It gave me the spark to try taking a product to market myself and I wanted those products to be genuinely useful.

Lakeland are a fantastic customer, and especially in the early days when they stocked lots of our ‘clever’ new

products. Getting our products into John Lewis seven years ago was a real milestone. When we reached £1m turnover a few years back it was a real achievement. I never thought we’d achieve that when I set out.

Our rebrand to Busy B in 2012 was a highlight and represented a big step for our growth. It put the brand in front of more customers through a variety of independent, multiple and online retailers in the UK. What has been your biggest challenge?

We have faced LOADS of challenges, but by learning from each one we’ve survived and thrived. I love the quote: ‘It’s not how far you fall, it’s how you get up that counts.’

There were a few times in the early years when it would have been easier to throw in the towel, from large orders being cancelled, to printing mistakes resulting in product recalls, to having too much money tied up in stock and nothing left to trade with!

It’s a journey and there will always be new challenges. The recession in 2008 was particularly hard, and these days the changing face of retail in the digital world and Brexit bring even more hurdles. The key thing is to face the facts, be willing to adapt, and never give up!

Who’s your core customer and why do they love Busy B?

Busy mums and busy working women are two of our biggest customer bases.

They buy from Busy B because of the combination of clever features, lovely quality and their beautiful 7 4 S P R I N G // S U M M E R 2 0 1 9

look. Our mums really value great organising tools that last, look great and that they can use for work or at home to juggle multiple ‘lives’ and schedules. Our younger group values being organised but wants more fun and fashion-led accessories. They love stationery that reflects their personal style and that helps them manage their increasingly hectic lifestyles in a modern, fast-paced world.

Any exciting plans for the next 12 months?

We have lots of newness coming for Autumn 2019 including our new 2020 diaries and calendars and a very elegant and stylish ‘Blush and Bloom’ range focused around stationery for home organising. We are also launching a vibrant younger range with great new product formats and a much brighter, more playful look than we’ve had before.

Have you made any preparations for Brexit?

We have a workgroup within our team looking at how we can prepare for Brexit but without clarity yet on trading arrangements with the EU it’s difficult to do much more than discuss the risks around additional costs and delays of distributing to Europe.

All we can do just now is try to arm ourselves with any knowledge we can get hold of and have contingency plans in mind where possible. A no-deal scenario would be very impactful, but we hope that if a deal is reached there would be a decent length of time laid down for companies to get grips with new procedures.

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