Progressive Gifts & Home May June 2019

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May/June 2019

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www.maxpublishing.co.uk The home of market leading trade magazines

EXHIBITIONS

THE HOME OF MARKET LEADING TRADE AWARDS

Max Publishing Ltd, United House, North Road, London N7 9DP. Tel: 020 7700 6740 Fax: 020 7607 6411 www.progressivegifts.co.uk www.thegreatsawards.co.uk Publishers Jacqueline Brown, Warren Lomax and Ian Hyder Subscribe to Progressive Gifts from £60 (UK) to £90 (International).

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This Month

@Prog_Gifts

As 2019 unfolds, I’m delighted to say that there’s plenty of good news to highlight in this issue. At the end of April, we were thrilled to discover that not one but two gift companies Wrendale Designs and Rex London had been honoured with The Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade, which is a terrific achievement for both companies and a great boost for the industry. Turn to page 7 to read the full story. A huge congratulations to both companies.

It was also great to discover that three independent gift retailers (out of 14) - Cositas, Soden Style and We Built This City - topped the list in a joint Remarkable Retailers campaign organised by the British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) and Vend.

All were highly praised for their stand out approach to retail. Read more about these successful shops on page 19.

More good news is that the majority of gift retailers seemed to have had a cracking Easter. For most, the warm, sunny Easter Bank Holiday was a very positive one, with the sunshine a bonus and a boost to sales. Turn to page 11 to read what they have to say about an occasion that’s growing year on year. And that wasn’t the only good news on the retail front. In our Feedback article on pages 23-27, eight gift retailers look back at the first quarter of the year and reveal that, for the most part, they’ve had a really encouraging start to the year, with the timing of Mother’s Day and Easter helping shops to make these two occasions work for them.

Elsewhere in this issue, and ahead of Exclusively Housewares, which opens its doors on June 11-12, we turn the spotlight on kitchen gifts with the popularity The Great British Bake Off and MasterChef helping to turn up the heat. Turn to pages 33-35. Home fragrancing too, continues to up its game, with suppliers going all out to capture the scents of summer - see pages 49-51- and our bath and body feature on pages 53-57 focusing on the trend for wellness. You’ll also find the latest wedding gifts on pages 39-43.

Plus, very importantly, make sure you turn to pages 29-31 to get a peek at our dedicated greeting card show, PG Live, which is getting ready to open its doors on June 4 and 5 at London’s Business Design Centre. If you’re a cardaholic, then this show is a ‘must visit’ as you’ll find the hottest new talent as well as much loved publishers.

Looking forward to seeing you there, and happy reading!

Above: Sue (right) is shown at last month’s STYLE Bangkok with Marion Gerritsen, editor of Australian Gift Guide (left) and STYLE’S international media liaison officer Tanabadee Naknean.

Cover: The Cello range from Xystos.

Progressive Gifts & Home is published 7 times a year.

Subscription: UK; one year £50, two years £85 or three years £110. Overseas; one year £75, two years £125 or three years £165. Please send your cheque to: Progressive Gifts & Home, Max Publishing Ltd, United House, North Road, London N7 9DP. Tel: 020 7700 6740 Fax 020 7609 4222/020 7607 6411 email: ianh@max-publishing.co.uk Copyright 2018. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the information in this magazine was correct at the time of going to press, the publishers cannot accept legal liability for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility for the standing of advertisers nor any organisation mentioned in the text. Views of contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers.

ISSN 2515-7523 PROGRESSIVE GIFTS & HOME WORLDWIDE

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M O D E R N

C L A S S I C S

A beautiful classic design in seven captivating fragrances, chosen for their unique identity and good fragrance throw. High fragrance. Fragrances include: Sea Salt & Oakmoss | Plum Blossom & Musk | Orris & Ylang Ylang Silver Birch & Black Pepper | Pink Peony & Gardenia | Grapefruit & Mimosa | Green Fig & Cedar.

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Gift Of The Gab

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Industry News

Double Honours!

Two Gift Companies Receive The Queen’s Award For Enterprise Not one but two gift companies Wrendale Designs and Rex London have been honoured with The Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade 2019, following in the footsteps of Wild & Wolf and Santoro who both received the award in 2018.

Wrendale Designs, which made its debut as a greeting card publisher at PG Live in 2012 with quirky animal designs, has seen its portfolio expand to include a wide range of gift and homewares, including tableware, stationery, fashion accessories, tinware and textiles, produced under the company’s own brand as well as through licensing agreements with other companies. Among the licensing expansions has been a continuation of the successful collaboration with Portmeirion Group, with Wrendale’s designs featuring on mugs, tableware and kitchen items as well as a recently launched dinner service.

“We’re so thrilled to receive this award,” enthused the company’s founder Hannah Dale, a former stockbroker, who runs the business with her husband Jack. “Launching our brand and seeing it so well received across the world has been incredibly exciting for us.” On a global stage, Wrendale’s export sales have grown more than 400% over the last three years following the brand’s successful launch in the US, Europe and Japan, as well as growing relationships with distributors elsewhere in the world.

Meanwhile at Rex London, following six years of outstanding, continuous growth in overseas sales, the company, which started out with a market stall in London’s Portobello Road in 1981, has seen year on year expansion, largely due to export, which has risen 250% since 2012.

Nigel Biggs, ceo, highlights: “We take a global outlook when it comes to trade. Our websites are fully translated into French and German, we attend multiple international trade shows each year, and have recently established a physical presence in the Netherlands and Belgium from which we sell direct to local retailers.”

With further plans to expand in Europe, and distribution arrangements being set up in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan, Rex London currently exports to over 70 countries.

Both companies will attend a reception with the Queen at Buckingham Palace in June, before receiving the award at their respective head offices. The Queen’s Award endorsement can be used for the next five years.

Top: Proudly holding the Queen’s Award for International Trade emblem are Rex London’s ceo Nigel Biggs, (centre), with (from left to right): John Gurney (managing director), Les Whiteman (design director), Candy Smith (head of buying) and Taig Karanjia (chief operating officer).

Above: Hannah Dale, founder of Wrendale Designs, is shown in her studio.

Mugging Up With Mclaggan Hot off the heels of a successful launch earlier this year, 18 new designs have been added to the Rosie Made A Thing mug range from Mclaggan. They include mugs for grandparents as well as four Christmas designs.

“We’re thrilled with the response and they’ve become some of our best sellers,” comments Mclaggan’s marketing manager Stuart Williams. “Rosie’s distinct style and humorous slogans really stand out on shop shelves. You can’t help but smile when you see her designs.”

Left: A ‘dad’ mug by Rosie Made A Thing from Mclaggan.

Reusable, Multi-Use Bag Collaboration With retailers looking to work with suppliers using environmentally friendly substrates, Caroline Gardner has collaborated with John Lewis & Partners and Jutexpo, a leading eco-friendly reusable bag company, to produce a new shopping bag made entirely from recycled plastic bottles.

“The bottles are recycled from postconsumer waste, putting to use plastic bottles that would have otherwise been thrown into uncontrollable waste streams,” points out Lizzie Batchelar, partner and assistant buyer for cards, gift wrap and seasonal events at John Lewis & Partners.

Adds Caroline Gardner, founder and creative supremo of her eponymous company: “We’re thrilled to be part of a bag collaboration that not only discourages single use plastic bags, but also uses an innovative, recycled fibre that could influence our reliance on plastic in the future.

The tropical pineapple print came from a greetings card in our Totally Tropical range, so they can either be used to brighten up the weekly food shop or as a beach bag.”

Above: The Caroline Gardner reusable shopping bag.

Fit For The Future Of Retail Earlier this month, independent retail advisor and deputy chairman of The Giftware Association Henri Davis presented a workshop focusing on ensuring that businesses are fit for the future.

"Although the current economic uncertainty is impacting on consumer spending, people will always want relevant, quality products that represent good value for money,” stated Henri. “To be fit for the future, I believe you need to have three key things - great products, great service and a realistic plan that gets you results."

Discussing these key elements, the workshop enabled delegates to start developing realistic plans to take them through 2019 and into 2020 and beyond.

The event was part of The Giftware Association's education seminars.

Above: Henri Davis recently held a retail workshop looking to 2019/2020.

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Industry News

‘Greats’ News!

Greats Finalists Hit The Headlines Since The Greats finalists were announced in March, the ‘great’ news has been making headlines.

Halesworth gift and lifestyle shop Huus, shortlisted in the Best Newcomer South & Wales category, received a great response to the shop’s PR campaign, with co-owner Jane Dekker explaining: “The East Anglia press responded very positively and included articles online and in print. It was great to be able to combine such a positive message about The Greats Awards, and independent retail businesses, when the high streets are being painted in such doom and gloom.”

Jane continues: “We’re hoping to get some extra coverage in the local monthlies which will help to drive footfall, and we will also be continuing to use the messages in our own social media activities running up to the Awards on May 15. The Greats are a fantastic opportunity to be recognised for our work in starting a new business and to allow us to maximise PR opportunities to strengthen our brand awareness.”

Also making the most of her success mediawise was Jo Williams, owner of Joco Interiors in Nuneaton, a finalist in the Independent Gift Retailer of the Year Midlands & Wales category. “We received substantial coverage in the Nuneaton press. Along with The Greats, we were shortlisted for five awards that week!” she highlighted.

On the social media front, Rachel and Paul Roberts, owners of Mooch on St Giles Street, and Mooch, Bell, in Northampton, received “a decent lump of love from our social media feeds,” with a bevy of customers quick to say how well deserved their accolade was. l The Greats 2019 Awards took place on Thursday May 15 at London’s Grosvenor House. Visit www.thegreatsawards.co.uk. Full details of the winners will appear in the July/August issue of Progressive Gifts & Home. The Greats are owned by Max Publishing.

Top: The Beccles and Bungay Journal was among the local East Anglia media that ran a story on Greats finalist Huus. A story also appeared in the Eastern Daily Press.

Above middle: The feature that appeared in the Nuneaton press about Joco Interiors.

Above: Among the many tweets received by Mooch on St Giles Street congratulating owners Rachel and Paul Roberts on their success.

B&LLA, B&LLA The Joules Stationery and Gifting Collection from Portico Designs won the Best Brand Licensed Gifting Product or Range at the Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards 2019 held at the end of April.

Commenting on the company’s success, Portico’s sales director Charlie Czul enthused: “We’re absolutely thrilled that our Joules collection received the B&LLA award for Best Brand Licensed Gifting Range. Joules is a thriving brand that continues to go from strength to strength and we are excited about our future collaborations.”

Also taking home a trophy was Nadiya Hussain Make Life Colourful Range from BlissHome, winner of the Best Brand Licensed Homewares Product or Range. “We were delighted that BlissHome won at The B&LLA’s with their Nadiya Hussain Make Life Colourful range,” commented Ian Downes, founder of Start Licensing. “It’s great recognition for the range and their hard work, as well as a first class example of top quality brand licensing.”

All winners were crowned at a glittering ceremony at London’s Hilton Park Lane Hotel.

Above: BlissHome’s co-owners Gabrielle and Mike Bliss (second left) collected the B&LLA’s Best Brand Licensed Homewares Product or Range award from Richard Pink, founder of Pink Key Licensing. Also shown is the event’s host, Adrian Chiles.

What A ‘Greats’ Celebration Cake Delighted to be a finalist in The Greats Awards Independent Gift Retailer of the Year Scotland category, Spirito held an events day at the store at the end of April, with giveaways, a free tombola, as well as drinks and nibbles.

“It was a thank you to our customers and to mark being a finalist in the Greats this year,” Spirito’s owner Denise Laird told Progressive Gifts & Home. “We had a fabulous cake made for the occasion which was created by Vicki Mclean, a Scottish sales agent for Pilgrim jewellery as well as various card companies. She did a fantastic job.”

Continued Denise: “The day was a great success with lots of happy customers, and the cake tasted great too!”

Above: The Greats celebration cake.

Moomin Inspired Jewellery Jewellery brand Tatty Devine and Moomin Characters - both celebrating milestone anniversaries - are collaborating on a new capsule jewellery collection featuring laser cut acrylic pieces inspired by Moomin creator Tove Jansson’s extensive catalogue of character and pattern designs.

“Tove Jansson’s Moomins have a special place in our hearts. As children we loved the stories and, as women, we are inspired by Tove’s fearlessness and creative passion,”

emphasised Tatty Devine’s founders Rosie Wolfenden MBE and Harriet Vine MBE. “The Moomins have endured for generations by staying true to their values while always remaining relevant - much like we strive to do at Tatty Devine.”

The collection, which will launch in the Autumn, ties in with Tatty Devine’s 20th anniversary this year and Moomins’ 75th anniversary in 2020.

Above: Tatty Devine’s Harriet Vine and Rosie Woldenden.

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Industry News

An Eggscellent Easter Easter Weather Boosts Sales The warm, sunny Easter weather gave UK retailers a much needed a boost over the Bank Holiday weekend, with household spending up 8.5% over the week, compared to the same week last year, according to the Centre for Economics and Business Research.

At gift and lifestyle shop Papyrus in Glasgow, owner Fiona Fabien told PG&H: “Thanks to the warm weather over the Easter weekend - Easter Saturday saw record breaking temperatures - trade continued to be good. As long as the sun shines, our customers are out in their droves. The café and leisure culture has increased over the years in the Byres Rd area where Papyrus is situated, resulting in an increase in footfall.”

At the other end of the country, Jo Webber, owner of Jo Amour in Tiverton, was rewarded for the #bunnyshopping campaign that she ran on Instagram and Facebook in the two weeks leading up to the event. It featured a wide selection of gifts, cards, books and fashion in fun and engaging ways with Jo reading children’s books to camera and posting them on Instagram.

“Our Easter trading week was very positive,” she confirmed. “The sunshine was a bonus and a great boost to our summer clothing sales.”

However, not everyone had buoyant weekend. Although Olivia Reilly, owner of Little Boat Gifts in Brightlingsea, Essex, had a good lead up to the Easter weekend, with many of the shop’s Easter decorations selling out, she explained: “a mix of sunshine and being by the coast meant that the actual Easter weekend was quieter than normal as people headed off to make the most of beach.”

Figures from Springboard confirmed that high street figures increased by 6.5% on Good Friday, going up by 1.2% on Easter Saturday, and surging by 8.4% on Easter Monday by comparison to the same week last year which was hit by storms. However, the warm sunshine had the reverse effect on shopping malls and retail parks which saw a drop in footfall over the Easter weekend.

Above: Jo Webber brought her shop Jo Amor to life in her #bunnyshopping campaign, during which she read children’s books to camera and posted them on Instagram.

Left: Papyrus in Glasgow had a cracking Easter.

What’s New At Home & Gift Just shy of its 60th edition, Home & Gift, Harrogate, will be opening its doors from July 14-17 fanfaring 800 exhibitors and three new curated sectors, revealing unseen brands and emerging talent, along with leading suppliers in the industry. Debut sectors include Design Now, Craft and Taste.

The show will also see the launch of Match, a new initiative aimed at connecting suppliers with retailers Above: Relaxing at Home & Gift in 2018. through a VIP hosting programme and a range of online tools.

“Home & Gift is unlike any other trade show and that’s why it is loved by the industry,” comments show director Louise Morris. “Not only is it the perfect time to secure orders for the most important retail season, but it is also where the industry comes together and relationships are celebrated.”

Continues Louise: “Retailers and exhibitors can do business against the beautiful backdrop of Harrogate, making it the most majestic buying experience. In this challenging climate, it’s more important to us than ever before that the 2019 show is a platform for meaningful connections, shared learnings and festivity - a truly unmissable event.”

Among the new names at the show this year will be Premier Decorations; Transomnia; Kikkerland; Le Toy Van; S’ip By S’well; Designed in Colour; Tyrrell Katz and Caspari. Returning will be suppliers including Joe Davies; Gisela Graham; Wild & Wolf; Sass & Belle by RJB Stone; Pacific Lifestyle; Nkuku; Container Group Buying; Heathcote & Ivory and Village Candle.

Also returning is ShopTalk featuring a roster of speakers from the north to include Emma Edmondson, deputy store director at Anthropologie; Matthew Galvin, co-founder of contemporary furniture creators The Galvin Brothers and Linda Burns, personal shopping manager at Selfridges Manchester Trafford. Also joining the line up will be designer Sophie Conran.

Food Initiative Launches At Exclusively Housewares A former Junior Chef of the Year, Charles Banks, now with ‘the food people’, will be presenting a food trends talk each day at Exclusively Housewares and Exclusively Electrical, which take place at London’s Business Design Centre on June 11-12.

He will be sharing the most relevant food and drink future trends which will have an impact on, for example, tableware and tabletop companies over the next two years.

“Food moves fast, and often the consumer is moving faster still,” Charles explains. “So understanding what the next vegan, the next street food or the next Korean is, is critical for business.”

The talks will take place in the Trend Hub on both days of the show. Visitors will be able to explore the online trends platform, look through the 2019/20 trends book and take away a free copy of the 2019/20 trends infographic poster.

Meanwhile, with gift suppliers getting ready to showcase their products - to include Candlelight, Creative Tops, Eddingtons, LSA International, T&G and Valerie Graham - the organisers have announced that the Brand Showcase and gifting room - aimed at the media and bloggers - is returning.

“Journalists are already reaching out and asking for details on this year’s event so we are looking forward to building on last year’s successes,” says Exclusively’s brand showcase manager Richard Watts. (See Let’s Cook on pages 33-35).

Above: A journalist is shown at last year’s Brand Showcase held at the Exclusively Shows.

Fanfaring New Designs Homewares and accessories brand Libra will be launching over 400 new lines to retailers and designers at the company’s Open Week which takes place from May 12-17 at Libra’s Newmarket HQ. Above: Libra’s Loft collection.

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Industry News

We Love You Mum! Mother’s Day Gift Sales Were Buoyant Say Gift Shops With Mother’s Day the biggest gift giving occasion after Christmas, gift shops reported that their tills were busy ringing up sales both in the run up, and on the big weekend itself.

“In the previous week, we saw stronger lifts than expected with our customers shopping across the range,” confirmed Samantha Williams, Oliver Bonas’ head of buying for Home & Gift. “As usual, categories such as hair bands, scarves, candles and bath and body ranges were incredibly popular. This year, we are also saw a strong reaction to our faux plants and plant pot ranges which we featured in our windows.”

Also hearing the tills ring was Utility which trades from four shops in Liverpool and Manchester. “This was our strongest ever Mother's Day week in 20 years of retailing,” revealed director Kate Cowie, with the shops seeing a 30% increase in sales. “We had large posters made for each of the store windows saying ‘Best Mum In Liverpool’ and the window content reflected our strongest Mother’s Day related gifts,” Kate explained. “We also did a joint promotion with Katie Loxton and Joma where we offered a gift with purchase which proved popular.”

According to Romy Abraham, owner of Loft & Spires in Bury St Edmunds, it was obvious that a card, a bunch of flowers and a box of chocolates were not going to be enough this year. “Many of our customers came in to buy items which their mothers had either put aside for them to buy, or to choose from a list that their mothers had made,” she explained. “There seemed to be a movement towards purchasing gifts for mums which would last, rather than fresh flowers and chocolates. Even our sales on artificial flowers significantly increased in the run up.”

At Williams of Audlem in Cheshire, director Judy Evans explained: “as well as female gifts for all ages in store, we also posted our top suggestions on social media, and used our local community website to promote our in store offering. The products sold extremely well, and helped to create a wider interest in our store, and our other gift ranges in general.”

In North London, Louise Rolfe, owner of The Present in Barnet, was also buoyant. “Sales gradually rose throughout the last week, with Friday and Saturday extremely busy requiring extra staff. We are also open on Sundays, so we increased sales on the actual day as well as there were lots of ‘last minuters’ popping in.”

Enesco Charity Partnership Staff at Enesco, based in Carlisle, have chosen Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw, Cumbria’s Children’s Hospice, as their charity of the year, with employees aiming to raise as much money as they can over the next 12 months.

“We’re really pleased to be able to support such a worthy cause in our local area that is close to many of our hearts,” commented Claire Binnie, human resources director at Enesco. “This year we introduced a new initiative where we asked our staff to help us choose our charity of the year, and we will be spending the next 365 days working to raise as much money as we can as well as volunteering our time.”

Fundraising activities will include raffles and bake sales in-house, and will also see employees taking part in sporting events such as The Colour Run. Members of the Enesco team will also be participating in events organised by the Hospice, and will also have the opportunity to volunteer at Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw during normal working hours, as part of Enesco’s corporate social responsibility programme.

Contact the fundraising team on 01228 817656 or Claire.binnie@enesco.co.uk or visit www.edenvalleyhospice.org/supportus/fundraise

Above right: Loft & Spires’ eye catching Mother’s Day display.

Above: Faux plants rang up sales at Oliver Bonas.

Right: Utility’s Mother’s Day Best Mum In Liverpool poster.

Celebrating 20 Years “We’ve moved three times and tweaked what we sell, but 20 years on we’re still delighted to be here!” enthuses Stephanie Morrison, owner of The Gift Box in Peebles, who is proud to be celebrating the shop’s 20th anniversary. “We’re doing a special voucher for our customers, which runs until the end of May, offering them 20% off items in the shop, and are also doing a giveaway on Facebook,” Stephanie told PG&H. She says that the biggest difference she’s seen over the past two decades is how people are shopping. “Today, people have less money to treat themselves, and when they do spend it’s on presents for other people. The best thing about being a gift retailer on Peebles high street is that the town still has a big proportion of independent shops which is a big draw for visitors.”

Above: The Gift Shop in Peebles is celebrating its 20th anniversary.

HOMI Outdoors Launches With the outdoors currently a huge trend, HOMI Outdoors is a brand new show from organisers Fiera Milano that will be dedicated to furniture, accessories and décor. The event, to be held annually in September, will represent a diverse range of products that combine design, functionality and research.

Products will range from BBQs, furniture and outdoor table accessories to garden and terrace items.

The show will take place at Fieramilano (Rho) from September 13-16.

Above: Avanti will be among the exhibitors at the inaugural HOMI Outdoors show taking place in Milan this September.

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Industry News

Brexit Knocks GA Members’ Confidence Reveals Survey Gift Companies Feel Worried About The Future Prior to a Bank of England Genesis meeting, to discuss the threats and opportunities to SMEs in today social and political environment, The Giftware Association sent out a survey to its members to collate their views. The general snapshot of the companies who participated was that there was a very real fear of how Brexit will affect them and their businesses.

According to the survey, the results painted a picture of an industry that is worried about the future, with ‘confidence being significantly lower than the previous six months’, by a massive 71%, and a similar result in ‘lower expected business growth’ at 54% than in the previous six months.

As a direct correlation to Brexit, 52% of members surveyed expected the export environment to stay flat while in the transition stage, where the government and the EU will hopefully continue to work towards a shared goal. A clear opinion that was shared by the majority is that the cost of exporting and business will rise, and the smaller the company the more they will suffer.

With SMEs regarded as the backbone of industry in the UK, discussions at a the meeting, attended by The Giftware Association’s Sarah Ward, significantly focused on Brexit and what will happen afterwards as well as how SMEs can prepare.

“It’s an incredibly proud moment when you get to stand up in front of a committee to present The Giftware Association’s members’ views,” commented Sarah. “It’s sometimes the only chance that these government initiatives get to touch upon real data and opinions from the UK’s many SMEs. They learn a huge amount from what we present, and it also gives me an opportunity to also learn what is happening in other industries that can affect the giftware world. ” To request a copy of the GA’s survey, visit www.ga-uk.org Above: The Giftware Association’s ceo Sarah Ward (right) is shown with Amanda Fergusson, ceo of the Greeting Card Association, arriving at the Bank of England.

Mugging Up On The Royal Birth Following the birth of baby Archie, born to Prince Harry and Meghan on May 6, two Stoke-on-Trent companies, Dunoon and Sophie Allport, were fast off the mark with commemorative mugs to celebrate the Royal event.

“The commemorative business has become increasingly important to Dunoon over the years, especially where the British Royal Family are concerned,” emphasised Dunoon’s sales director Peter Smith.

“We have therefore produced a commemorative mug for the Royal baby with lots of gold ornate detailing. Being a UK manufacturer, and having our own lithos printing facility, we were able to react very quickly and had the mug into production soon after the birth and the announcement of the baby’s name.”

Sophie Allport too, has launched a fine bone china mug to commemorate the baby’s birth, with the design featuring a red, white and blue theme, giving a nod to the baby’s British and American heritage.

“I’m a fan of the Royal family and really wanted to design a lovely keepsake for people to treasure,” explains Sophie. The mugs have been personalised by hand and feature the baby’s name.

Peppertrees Puts Up The ‘Closed’ Sign The owner of Peppertrees, Megan Eyles, has cited business rates, declining footfall and parking charges as among the reasons that she has taken the difficult decision to close her gift shop.

She bought the shop from the previous owner in 2016, having worked there as a sales assistant.

Peppertrees will continue to trade until May 31.

Below: Peppertrees in Northampton will be closing its doors.

Gift Multiple Utility Adds To Its Portfolio With three established gift and card stores in Liverpool, Utility has opened its first store in Manchester, situated in the heart of the city’s university district.

“Manchester has long been on our wish list, and the redeveloped Bruntwood site, with its mix of other fresh and exciting brands, was a natural fit for us,” comments one of Utility’s three co-founders, Richard Skelton. “The store has had a phenomenal start and been fantastically received by customers both those that are new, and those familiar with us from our other stores.”

To celebrate the official launch, the company offered a 15% discount on the day plus a free goody bag (worth £20) for customers spending £10 or more.

Utility was established 20 years ago by partners Richard Skelton, Dick Mawdlsey and Kate Cowie. The company’s four stores are split into two formats: gift stores and furniture, home and lighting. Utility also operates a successful online business.

Below: Utility’s brand new Manchester outlet.

Above: A mock up image of the Dunoon commemorative fine bone china Royal baby mug which has been made with 22 carat gold.

Left: Sophie Allport’s design flies both the British and the American flags.

Gift Indie Cloudnine Spearheads Local Campaign Earlier this month, independent gift retailer Alison Ireland, owner of Cloudnine in Market Deeping, spearheaded the #LoveDeepings campaign to encourage people to use their local shops and services.

The initiative is setting out to build on the Deepings sense of community, engaging with residents and visitors to boost the local economy by £3m a year through every adult spending £5 a week locally instead of online.

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Industry News

‘I’m A Card-aholic’ PG Live’s Tote Bag Says It All With less than a month to go until Progressive Greetings Live opens its doors on Tuesday June 4 and Wednesday June 5 at London’s Business Design Centre, over 230 greeting card publishers are putting the final touches to the thousands of brand new designs to be launched at the show.

“Having been treated to a sneak peek of some of the new launches being planned - revealed in the Preview publication which will be sent out to all retailers who have pre-registered for the show - it’s going to be a real feast for the eyes,” commented PG Live’s joint show director Warren Lomax.

A keepsake cloth tote bag, designed and produced by Lagom Design, will be a ‘must have’ accessory, with visitors invited to choose from five differently coloured bags featuring the statement ‘I’m A Card-aholic’.

Also upping the ante is theatrical costumier Sharon Harvey, who has been commissioned to create ‘dresses’ for the meeters and greeters, made from exhibitors’ cards and wrap.

“Inspired by nature as well as popular culture, this year I’m looking forward to creating dresses that fanfare fabulous floral blooms, amazing birds and animals as well as all the wonderful designs featuring cocktails, glasses prosecco, lemonade and cups of tea,” she highlights. “It’s wonderful that through the dresses we can bring to life the huge diversity of subject matter, design styles and colours that exude from PG Live exhibitors’ cards and wrap. Seeing the samples altogether certainly proves that the UK leads the world on greeting card design.”

To register for the show, visit www.progressivegreetingslive.com or call the PG Live show team on +44 (0)1635 297070.

Above: The striking cloth bags that Lagom Design has produced for this year’s PG Live.

Left: As with previous years, PG Live’s meeters and greeters are having bespoke ‘cardie’ dresses made.

Paladone Readies For Avengers Endgame Giftware licensee Paladone is marking the arrival of Avengers Endgame with a host of Marvel merchandise. The company has a wide range featuring all the original Avengers such as Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Hulk.

Key lines include heat changing mugs, travel mugs, shaped mugs, colour change glassware, a trivia game, breakfast sets, a Thor bottle opener, cookie jar, coasters and lenticulars.

Items available to pre-order for a June launch include Marvel comic book playing cards and a Black Panther metal water bottle.

Above: Among the Avenger Endgame mugs from Paladone.

Below: A Black Panther metal water bottle.

At Last, Some Happy News Illustrator Emily Coxhead, founder of the Happy News newspaper - whose licensees include Widdop and Co and Blueprint - is looking forward to the launch of a licensed range of confectionery from Crème D’Or. Penny Kennedy will follow in the Autumn with a range of giftwrap and bags.

“It’s a very exciting time for this inspiring property, especially with the elevation of both Emily’s and The Happy News’ profiles,” highlights Alicia Davenport, licensing director at DRi. “The Happy News brand established itself at retail during 2018, and with many new, exciting product lines coming through, 2019 certainly promises to be another exceptional year for this heart-warming and on trend brand.”

PEOPLE p Following the retirement of Dave Webb in April, after 17 years with the company, Widdop and Co. is continuing to strengthen its independent sales team with a new territory manager for the Home Counties region.

Graeme Smith (right) has joined the company, bringing with him 13 years of experience spent working in a variety of different sales and account management roles within the gift and toy industry.

Santoro’s UK Investment Santoro, winner of a 2018 Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade, has taken the decision to invest in a dedicated sales force. Despite Santoro’s gifts, cards and brands having a presence in 93 countries, the company has not had a field sales team serving UK retailers.

This decision follows the appointment of Chris Houfe, the former sales director of GBCC, who joined the company in April in the newly created position of sales manager. “Chris joining is integral to our renewed approach to better serving the UK market,” explained Meera Santoro, co-founder of Santoro.

“Given the expansion of our already huge product portfolio into Christmas and other occasions, the time is right. You could say that it is the start of our rest of our business life,” adds Meera.

Above: Meera Santoro with Charlie Houfe.

Above right: Gorjuss is Santoro’s most successful brand.

Right: Chocolates from the new Happy News Crème D’Or range.

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Industry News

Remarkable Retailers Gift Independents Top The List

Below: Carnaby Street gift shop We Built This City has been selected as one of 14 Remarkable Retailers by Bira and Vend.

Below right: Emma Bustamante, the owner of Cositas, provides retail-tainment for customers.

Three gift retailers - Cositas, Soden Style and We Built This City (a past Greats Gift Retailer Award winner in 2016) - have been recognised in a joint campaign, organised by the British Independent Retail Association (Bira) and Vend, a cloud-based point of sale and retail management software company. In total, 14 businesses were selected.

“The UK’s high streets are a vital part of the local communities they service, and it’s independent retailers who ensure that they remain places full of personality,” comments Bira’s ceo Andrew Goodacre. “The 14 Remarkable Retailers we’ve selected, in partnership with Vend, innovate to stay ahead of economic and cultural trends, whether that’s in the customer experiences they offer, the goods they sell or the way they use technology. All of the retailers are inspiring examples to the wider sector and demonstrate the amazing things that small retail businesses are capable of.”

Other Remarkable Retailers include the Isle of Sky Candle Company, founded by James Robertson, which has five stores in Scotland, and Papersmiths, co-founded by Sidonie Warren, which has retail outlets in London, Brighton and Bristol, and a concession in the Coal Drops Yard development in London’s Kings Cross.

All 14 Remarkable Retailers were handpicked from a list of over 1,000 independent retailers. Bira and Vend selected the winners for their stand-out approach to retail, to include a unique approach to the customer experience, their products and the way that they use technology.

Retail ‘Dragon’s Den’ Competition Revo, (formerly the British Council of Shopping Centres), recently launched Hatch, a new retail competition that’s part ‘Dragons’ Den’, aiming to find up and coming retail talent.

The winner, to be announced later this month, will receive business support from the British Independent Retailers Association (Bira). This includes a year’s free bira membership, a retail insurance scheme, card processing, free legal advice and preferential banking rates. All winners will also benefit from free rent, with business rates and service charges covered.

Above: intu Derby is among the latest “Small businesses are the backbone of the British shopping mall to join the Hatch competition. economy and a source of great creativity and innovation,” comments Revo’s Samantha Sen, head of policy and campaigns. “We believe that the retail success stories of tomorrow will come from today’s pop-up shops, kiosks and e-tailers.”

Current locations include Westfield Stratford City in London, St David’s Dewi Sant in Cardiff, Silverburn in Glasgow, The Galleries in Tyne & Wear, intu Derby, Parkway Shopping Centre in Limerick, Republic of Ireland and Bloomfields in County Down, Northern Ireland.

Hatch is backed by some of the biggest names in retail property, including Landsec, Hammerson, Westfield, M&G Real Estate, Harcourt, intu and Ellandi.

MR. Returns To Top Drawer Following a successful launch at Top Drawer in January, MR., a destination area for men’s fashion accessories, will be returning to the show in September along with the MR. Lifestyle trail. The trail will be helping to guide buyers through a men’s-focused edit of curated products and key exhibitors.

Comments show director Alejandra Campos: “The growing demand for men’s-focused products is undeniable. It was a thrill to see the sector be so well received in January and we look forward to presenting an even more enhanced edition of it in its new central location in September.”

Top Drawer will be taking place at London’s Olympia from September 8 - September 10.

Above: Thomas Clipper is among the companies exhibiting in the MR. sector at Top Drawer in September.

NEWS IN BRIEF p A late Easter helped to drive retail sales growth, which grew for the first time since November 2018 in the year to April. The CBI says that while it’s an encouraging sign, underlying conditions remain challenging. p A new website www.rachelellen.co.uk has been launched by Rachel Ellen Designs showcasing the company’s bright, eyecatching products.

Above: Rachel Ellen Designs’ brand new website has gone ‘live’.

p LSA International’s Canopy collection was recently honoured with an iF Design Award. p Gift and homewares stockist Dunelm (right) has launched its fourth Home of Homes campaign across multiple media channels, including TV, following a 12-month sponsorship of ITV's flagship This Morning programme in March. p Wyevale has sold a further 31 of its garden centres to Dobbies for an undisclosed sum. This marks the third tranche of Wyevale centres to be acquired by Dobbies following the sale of five centres and single site sale to the retailer last October. Wyevale is currently trading from 60 centres. p A survey carried out by digital marketing agency Marketingsignals.com, has revealed that 85% of people still prefer to physically purchase products in store as opposed to online.

Below: People still prefer to buy in stores.

p The British Craft Trade Fair (BCTF) recently announced the winners of the show’s annual awards which set out to recognise British designer-makers.

The winner of The Giftware Association’s Award for Excellence was Rachel Thornton.

Above: Rachel Thornton won The Giftware Association award for Excellence.

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Left: Nic Stone.

Below and bottom: Nic was among the visitors to Top Drawer in January and Spring Fair in February.

GIFT OF THE

GAB

Taking The Right Approach Trade shows remain the lifeblood of the gift industry, but exhibitors should give buyers plenty of space, suggests Nic Stone, owner of The Bottle Kiln in West Hallam.

“Like many of you I’m sure, I’m very ready, after the grim business of winter, for early summer inspiration and some different products to sell. We love to head off to the shows and see what new trends are bubbling under. Some years, what’s on offer there can just feel like more of the same - especially with Christmas lines where, let’s face it, there are only so many things you can do - but this year it felt like there were real changes afoot and some strong new directions.

At the start of the year we did Top Drawer in London, Maison et Objet in Paris and Spring Fair at the NEC. It was the first time we had done the January Maison, and we were struck by how very impressive it all is. It isn’t as commercial as Spring Fair, or possibly as wide-ranging product-wise (jewellery, giftware and accessories play second fiddle to décor and homewares), but boy is it stylish! For trendspotting, and for the sheer panache of it all, it is head and shoulders above any of the UK shows and worth checking out some time, just for the experience, if the budget will stretch to it.

What strikes me each time I do trade shows though, is the bizarre practice many stallholders have of jumping on potential buyers the minute they appear on a stand.

Now I know how hard it is to get the selling thing right. I have wrestled with this with my staff over many years. My own strong feeling is that customers in a shop like to be

greeted in a warm but relaxed way, and then left alone to browse. If they need additional help - and they often do - their behaviour and body language will give clear signals to that effect to the attentive and trained salesperson, at which point, a friendly enquiry should lead into a sales opportunity.

It’s really not rocket science. Like many people, I suspect, my main problem is to get staff to engage with customers. I love my staff, but they are very British and don’t like to be pushy or in any way seem to strong-arm anyone into a sale. If I’m honest, I am a bit like it myself. On the good side, our customers know they won’t be leapt on the minute they come into the shop and given a full-on sales pitch whether they are interested or not. Happily this means that they come back again and again and develop relationships with the staff which in the end leads to more sales.

In a trade show however, the companies showing have one shot to sell to people who, in one way or another, are professional buyers.

The sheer cost of being there, and the necessity of making sales, means that they very often employ the ‘straight in there’ technique of selling. I have been chased off stands many times by this approach long before I have been able to make up my mind whether I’m interested or not. Here

are the mental processes going on in my head if I see something on a stand I like: 1. I quite like the look of that!

2. Am I looking for something like this for the shop though?

3. Where would I put it/what would it go with?

4. Is there enough of it to tell the story?

5. Is it sufficiently commercial, but also of a high quality?

6. What are the prices like? …and so on. There are probably about ten more. So as you’re walking onto the stands your head is full of intense activity as you use all of your experience and gut instincts to determine whether you should buy.

These are important thought processes get it wrong and you will use up valuable space in the shop with something that isn’t selling because you didn’t consider the above questions sufficiently.

It is not good therefore, to get the hard sell five seconds after walking onto the stand. I would like to be smiled at or greeted, but then need a little time and space to work out how interested I am. At this point it very much pays the salesperson to leave me alone. I am a typically awkward British person, so if you steam right in I am likely to steam off!

My top prize for getting this right goes to the fine people at Art Marketing.

They have a spacious, attractive stand which you walk around unpestered, but once you express an interest they sit you down, ply you with coffee and Portuguese pastries and take your order.

Some buyers go back two or three times I’m told. Like it.”

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Feedback

First Quarter

T R O P RE

While the high street multiples continue to struggle, with Debenhams going into administration last month, many gift independents have reported a very encouraging start to the year.

were home fragrance, bathing and jewellery, with standout sales from Blomus candles, Bath House and Joma Jewellery.

She adds that the biggest growth sectors for the Utility stores are currently water bottles, coffee cups and lunch boxes where people are looking for a reusable option and ditching plastic. The company has also had great success with house plants, indoor plant pots and plant books.

“With the warmer weather arriving, we are also noticing that people are happier to visit the stores to make purchases,” Kate highlights. “We are also seeing a surge in the number of tourists who are visiting Liverpool at this time of year, which is also helping to boost sales in the stores, so we’re feeling very optimistic for the rest of 2019!"

Very Positive

A Great Start At Utility, which has three stores in Liverpool, along with a newly opened store in Manchester, director Kate Cowie reports that business has been buoyant, both in terms of bricks and mortar and online sales.

"We’ve had a great start to the year and seen an increase in sales in all three existing Liverpool stores,” confirms Kate. “The biggest increase has been online sales which continue to grow at a steady pace.

With the addition of our new Manchester store, which opened in March, we have seen an increase of 60% in new traffic to our website from the Manchester area, and are confident that by having a bricks and mortar presence in a new city, it will help increase brand awareness and continue to drive online sales.”

Continues Kate: “The early Spring occasions of Valentine’s and Mother's Day were great. While the highest increase in sales came from cards (up 9% year on year for Valentine’s cards, and a huge 33% up year on year for Mother’s Day cards) our other best performing departments Top: Gift multiple Utility has had an excellent start to the year.

Left: Mother’s Day was a winner for the stores.

“2019 has started very positively with strong growth year on year in both our stores,” states Jon May, coowner of mooch gifts & home in Bewdley and Stourport. “We saw an 18% increase on Valentine’s, with a huge 35% growth on Mother’s Day sales. Easter is growing each year, with our Easter ranges increasing by 50% this year as people continued to spend on Easter decorations, gifts and cards.”

Jon adds that the shops have seen growth across all sectors.

“Scented candles and diffusers seem to be strong, particularly our own mooch brand as well as St Eval, along with licensed soft toys from Rainbow Designs and traditional wooden toys from Orange Tree. “Our average spend has increased, especially with the expansion of our card ranges and the introduction of our card loyalty scheme,” he continues.

“Increasingly, people are shopping with us for their cards rather than at a specialist card store, and this has pushed our average spend up.”

The warmer than usual weather has also had a positive impact. “In our Bewdley store in particular, we have seen higher footfall with day visitors,” Jon highlights.

Looking ahead to the rest of the year, he adds: “We are always positive, as we are always excited about bringing something a bit different to the high streets where we trade. This is reflected in how people view our stores and our continued success when there is so much doom and gloom in the media about UK high streets.”

Above: mooch gifts and home in Stourport (top) and in Bewdley (left).

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Feedback A Slow Start

Sales Are Up

Above: Love It in Bury St Edmunds.

At Love It in Bury St Edmunds and Stamford, co-owner Amanda Oscroft confirms that this year so far is up by almost 10%. “Those who are coming into our shops are spending,” confirms Amanda. “In our Suffolk store, we’re seeing less people but the average spend is higher, whereas in Stamford, we’re seeing more customers but the average spend is slightly lower.”

She says that Valentine’s Day sales were very good for both stores.

“There were more people about with lots saying that they don’t normally buy anything, but that our cheeky ranges hit the spot. Mother’s Day meanwhile, was excellent, the best for us after Christmas in terms of gifts and cards. There were lots of shoppers about looking for a thank you gift. Little ceramic tokens, scarves and jewellery all did well. In the run up to Easter, we offered great gifts in a chocolate-free zone but it’s not a big event for us. Currently, jewellery across the board, along with accessories, are doing particularly well, as are fun, humorous gifts.”

As for the milder weather in the first quarter of the year, Amanda commented that it definitely brought out customers, with the warmer days resulting in better sales. “Customers were combining sightseeing with shopping in our pretty towns. Market days are always busier and more profitable when weather is good.”

Looking ahead to the next quarter, Amanda confirms that having reduced costs through negotiating rents, rate relief, utilities and banking, she and husband/co-owner Will, can be a little braver with their budget, adapting quickly to what customers are asking for. “As we know, fortune favours the brave,” she points out.

“The year started slowly and was challenging, but we are 1% up after the first quarter which isn’t bad considering Easter last year was in March,” points out Aga Gabrysiak, owner of Highworth Emporium in Highworth. “Valentine’s Day was really strong. We were 18% up on Valentine’s trade, while Mother’s Day was very last minute and, in the end, we were10% down. However, Easter was trending 15% up.”

Aga says that the biggest sector increase by far this year has been jewellery. “Joma in particular has exceeded our expectations,” she states. “We saw 24% growth compared to the first quarter of 2018, so not far behind a total of Valentine’s, Mother’s Day and Easter, along with our Christmas January sale, where the category grew by 22%.”

As for the average spend, she confirmed that it was down by 2% in terms of numbers of transactions in the first quarter of this year compared to the first quarter in 2018, but that the average transaction value grew by 3% (from £9.48 to £9.77).

Brexit however, is taking its toll. “It’s impacted big time,” confirms Aga. “People are definitely spending money more cautiously. Plus, in our area, the announcement of the Honda plant closing in Swindon has added more uncertainty.”

Looking to the rest of the year, Aga says she’s feeling confident but cautious. “It has been tough year, and it will be a hard work to achieve our goals, but, as always, we will be doing our best.”

Below: Highworth Emporium, Highworth.

Feeling Confident

Above: Between The Lines in Midhurst.

“January and February were good months, with Valentine’s cards up 7% and overall turnover up 4% compared with last year,” confirms Florian Kleinlercher, managing director, Between The Lines, which has 15 shops. “March started off really strong as well, but tailed off a little towards the end. Right up until the last two weeks we were 11% up on Mother's Day cards, but lost some of this nice advantage in the last two weeks, ending 3% up on last year (Thanks MP's!). Gift sales increased nicely though, in line with the event, and almost all stores beat last year's turnovers in that category.”

Continues Florian: “We saw a good uplift in our annual transaction value (ATV), and, in terms of popularity, there were no real surprises, with East of India ceramic hearts and Bridgewater mugs topping the list. Additionally, lots of mums will have received gin glasses to help calm the nerves!

“As for Brexit, I feel that it is not so much Brexit that is affecting business, but the uncertainty around it. Are we feeling confident about the rest of the year? Absolutely! We have some amazing teams in our stores, led by engaged and inspiring managers, and this really does make all the difference.”

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Feedback Shoppers Spending More “The average spend has been the key to our performance this year,” confirms Soni Ahmed, co-owner of Maia Gifts in Glasgow. “I would say that the overall footfall of shoppers is down on previous years, but we have worked very hard to encourage shoppers to spend more with a very well-stocked shop and good interaction with customers to help meet and maybe buy the odd thing they didn’t know they needed!”

Continues Soni: “We are marginally up on the same period last year. However, that has been disappointing as we had expected a larger increase in sales. In 2018 there was a shorter gap between Valentine’s and Mother’s Day, which meant less days of trade, and we were also hit with the Beast from the East storm just prior to Mother’s Day in 2018, so we were confident we’d see a larger uplift in 2019. However this wasn’t the case. There was a definite sense of a ‘slowing down’ in retail in general this year with the anticipation of Brexit.”

He continues: “With Valentine’s as the first real event of the year it was a good chance for us to get the shop looking really strong.

However, in terms of sales, it is generally a short-lived event with things only really picking up in the previous week. Nevertheless, Mother’s Day was good for us. We did some good work on our social media and also had a great giveaway of a Spa Day for two at a luxury 5-star Glasgow hotel. The product range was really strong and the store looked great. Therefore all in we were pleased with the sales.”

Up On Last Year “Despite having reduced opening hours due to staff shortages, our first quarter was good, with an increase on last year,” confirms Maxine Ellison, owner of Max & Melia in Clapham. “We noticed that we had more customers over Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, but there was a lower average spend, with greeting cards continuing to be our best selling category. We introduced live succulents and cacti alongside our artificial plants and they are proving to be very popular, with shoppers favouring these items over traditional gift items such as chocolate, mugs etc.”

Adds Maxine: “This year, we have seen a decrease in sales of larger items such as mirrors, lamps and small furniture suggesting that our customers are more likely to buy small gift items for others rather than large pieces for themselves.”

Top: Max & Melia in Clapham.

Right: Among the shop’s Mother’s Day displays.

Trade Is Buoyant Winners this year for Maia have been the new range of soft toys from Jellycat, which Soni confirms have been a big hit already. “Also, as the tourists start returning to the city we’re seeing good sales from our Wraptious collection of art-design products,” he adds. “In general, drier and warmer weather has definitely helped to ensure that shoppers make the trip to us rather than heading to the indoor shopping centres.”

As for the impact of Brexit, he says it’s hard to say if this is the primary contributing factor or whether there is just a low in the economy generally. “However, I do believe that there is a sense in people’s minds to sit tight with their money until we know what type of trade relationship we will have with Europe, and whether the forecasted downturn will actually happen post Brexit,” he comments. “With so many unknowns around Brexit it is hard to predict how this year will turn out but, as always, we will work hard to make sure we put ourselves in the best possible position to succeed. If tourists continue to visit the country and the summer weather is decent then I think we will be okay.”

“Year-to-date sales have been strong, and we are sitting at an increase of 5% on the year to date,” confirms Fiona Fabien, owner of Papyrus in Glasgow. “With the political uncertainly at the moment nothing is taken for granted and we have been pleasantly surprised that trade has been this buoyant. We had unexpectedly warm weather for Valentine’s week in February, and a long lead up to Mother’s Day and Easter, with all these factors working in our favour.

Thanks to the warm weather over the Easter weekend - Easter Saturday saw record breaking temperatures - trade continued to be good. As long as the sun shines, our customers are out in their droves. The café and leisure culture has increased over the years in the Byres Rd area where Papyrus is situated, resulting in an increase in footfall.”

Left: Papyrus, Glasgow.

Above: Maia Gifts in Glasgow.

PROGRESSIVE GIFTS & HOME WORLDWIDE

27

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Feel The

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‘Buzz’!

With greeting cards becoming increasingly important for more and more gift retailers, dedicated greeting card show PG Live 2019, taking place at London’s Business Design Centre from Tuesday June 4 to Wednesday June 5, has an impressive line-up for this year's show.

An enviable exhibitor list features over 230 established publishers, renowned artists and up-andcoming designers from around the globe.

Dedicated greeting card show PG Live 2019, well known for its lively atmosphere and unrivalled 'buzz', is excited to be presenting arguably the greatest collection of greeting cards in the world. The two-day show sits at the heart of the vibrant and creative greeting card community and gives major buyers, independent retailers and international distributors the ideal opportunity to bolster their portfolios for the coming year.

“We’re really looking forward to this year's PG Live,” enthuses joint show director Warren Lomax. “The bar has been raised following last year's incredible 10th anniversary show and we know our exhibitors will rise to the occasion.” Adds Warren: “as always, we love being able to work with so many talented people and

we can't wait to see buyers’ reactions to their amazing new ranges!”

Adding extra sparkle, the compact, focused show has attracted many exclusive exhibitors, such as UKG, Hallmark, Paperlink, Wendy Jones-Blackett and ICG, who won’t be showing anywhere else on dedictated trade show stands throughout 2019.

Other leading names exhibiting include Five Dollar Shake, Paper Salad, The Art

Show Essentials DATE: Tuesday June 4 and Wednesday June 5, 2019 VENUE: Business Design Centre, London TEL: +44 (0)1635 297070 E-MAIL: warren@progressivegreetingslive.com WEB: www.progressivegreetingslive.com VISITOR REGISTRATION: www.progressivegreetingslive.com Follow us on Twitter @PGLiveLondon Follow us on Instagram @PGLiveLondon

Top: Welcome to PG Live 2019 which takes place at the Business Design Centre in London on June 4 and 5.

Above left: Busy aisles at last year's show.

Above: A retailer spends her golden ticket at the show.

Above right: Having a bit of fun!

File, Woodmansterne, Belly Button Designs, Carte Blanche and Danilo, who will all be presenting fresh product and inspiring portfolios covering all occasions.

Brand new publishers, such as Crumble and Core, Purple Tree Designs and Some Ink Nice, will be making their show debut in the ‘must visit’ Springboard section, while up-andcoming names, to include Deckled Edge, Pabuku and Toasted Crumpet, will be among those making a welcome return to the show.

In addition, a host of attention grabbing highlights, competitions and special offers will also be ensuring that PG Live is the most exciting trade show to visit this year.

The show attracts card buyers and distributors from over 40 countries, with both Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide

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Spotlight On... PG Live 2019

What gift retailers say about PG Live...

“What isn’t to like? PG Live is one of our firm favourites at MiMi. The variety of card suppliers under one roof is fabulous and we always pick up one or two new companies at each show. We have 30+ active card companies now, with ten new ones becoming stockists as a result of the show. Plus, the lunch is always great too!“ Julianne Moore, owner of Mimi (hw), Hartley Wintney “I tend to leave card buying until the last day of trade shows, but at PG Live I can really get stuck into something I truly relish. We've established a real troop of customers who appreciate and travel for our card offering, all thanks to PG Live. Meeting fresh new designers at Springboard is always the highlight and where I head to first.”

Lesley Dunne, owner of Feathering Your Nest, Rayleigh Above: Lunch is a great time to network with industry friends and colleagues.

leading independents and major UK retail multiples agreeing that PG Live helps to make their buying selections for the next 12 months as easy and enjoyable as possible.

To register to book your free ticket, and to receive your copy of the Show Preview, visit www.progressivegreetingslive.com.

You’re Invited To A Party!

Everyone who attends PG Live on Tuesday June 4 - either as an exhibitor or as a visitor - is invited to the fabulous PG Live after show party, which this year is sponsored

by Louise Tiler Designs and Tache. The drinks are free, and, as always, it’s the ideal opportunity to enjoy the company of industry friends and contacts in a relaxed social setting.

“It’s one of the highlights of the show, with hundreds of people from right across the greetings industry coming together to enjoy some serious networking,” underlines joint show director Jakki Brown. l The party takes place on Tuesday June 4 in the Gallery Hall from 5.45 - 7.45pm.

“PG Live is a great space to catch up with all our current suppliers. It’s one of my favourite shows as it’s so easy to navigate and you’re always guaranteed to bump into a friendly face.”

Natalia Kosterska, assistant buyer, home and gift, Oliver Bonas

Bring On The Bubbles As in previous years, a champagne reception will be held for Greats and Retas finalists and winners on both days of the show, where retailers will be able to see their store’s name on the prestigious Wall of Fame.

Once again, this year’s finalists will have a £50 PG Live voucher to spend with the publisher of their choice.

Below: Greats - and Retas - winners and finalists, both past and present, are shown enjoying a glass of champagne at the Wall of Fame pre-lunch drinks party.

Card Sharp l The latest GCA Market Report 2018 shows that the UK public spends £1.7bn a l l l

l

l l l l

year on greeting cards.

Everyday cards are now worth £1.163bn.

Nearly 100 million Christmas single cards were sold, bringing the total for the Christmas card market to 1bn cards sold in the UK. Additionally, an estimated 900m Christmas cards were sold in boxes and packs worth around £230m, as well as millions of cards bought from online operators such as Moonpig.

The vast majority of greeting cards are still bought in bricks and mortar stores, rather than online, and they remain an important, highly profitable product for all types of retailers. In fact, one in six retailers stocks greeting cards.

No other country has such a tradition of card sending or card display in the home, with the sending and receiving of cards an important part of the UK’s culture.

We buy more cards per person than any other nation - 33 each a year.

The industry's rule of thumb is that 85% of all cards are bought by women.

The UK card industry is acknowledged to be ten years ahead of the rest of the world in terms of design.

‘Must Visit’ Springboard For many visitors, including gift retailers, the Springboard section of PG Live is a first port of call. This ‘honeypot’ section features an eclectic mix of brand new start-ups, dedicated artists and up-andcoming publishers.

Combined with the Village Green, which features many emerging publishers in the greeting card world, more than 50 will be making their respective debuts at the show.

Above: This way to the Springboard Lounge.

It’s A Free For All

l Enjoy a free lunch in the Gallery Hall, between 1-3pm, on both days of the show, sponsored by Louise Tiler Designs and Tache who have teamed up to celebrate their individual fifth anniversaries. Choose from delicious hot and cold dishes. l Pick up a strikingly designed free cloth tote bag (designed and produced by Lagom Design) that will include a free full colour catalogue inside. l Keep energy levels up with free refreshments throughout the day, thanks to tea trolleys, sponsored by Fedrigoni, regularly doing the rounds. There are free water stations too. l Take a moment out to relax, network, or catch up with emails, in the Springboard Lounge, sponsored by the Imaging Centre.

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Let’s

Spotlight On... Kitchen Gifts Right: Home cooks and MasterChef 2019 finalists, from left to right: Delia, Jilly and Irini, with Irini crowned this year’s winner.

Cook

With an endless stream of cookery programmes - from The Great British Bake Off and MasterChef to the Great British Menu - there’s always something on TV to inspire viewers to put on an apron and find their oven gloves.

But thanks to the high standard of amateur cooks nowadays, the prosaic will no longer do when it comes to kitchen tools and gadgets.

In advance of Exclusively Housewares/Exclusively Electricals, which will be welcoming buyers to the show at the beginning of June, PG&H took a peek at what’s trending in gift-led kitchen products.

Not everyone can be a Mary Berry or a Jamie Oliver, but for many people nowadays, cooking and/or baking is an opportunity to relax and engage with making healthy food from scratch for friends and family. It therefore creates an opportunity for suppliers to make cooking and baking tools more giftled; and if the substrates are kind to the environment then that’s an added bonus.

As Jenny Handley head of marketing at T&G explains: “the trend for good quality, environmental and natural products, with the influence of rustic styling, has led to wood becoming fashionable especially with the more casual approach to dining and eating which has been a great influence. It’s man’s oldest resource and has certainly stood the test of time as it is so versatile and practical.”

Adds Jenny: “additionally, we are finding that a product with a story is a great trend.

An example is our recent launch of Ocean, which is supporting the charity www.plasticoceansuk. The link for T&G is the importance of design, quality and developing new and on trend items for key markets. The influence of environmental issues is a global trend and not one which is going to go away, so it is important to share consumers’ views in this

area and offer a range of products that meet this rising demand.”

Staying with environmentally friendly substrates, bamboo too, is a popular material for kitchenware. David Cree, sales manager at Joe Davies, highlights that following current fashion trends, the ‘70s are making a return in interiors this year, with natural materials such as rattan, wicker and bamboo key to the look. The company has therefore added to its white bamboo range which incorporates simple classic white ceramic with bamboo making a trendy kitchenware gift. (The range includes, serving dishes, cruets and coasters).

“With men in mind, we also offer novelty and gadget gifts, with our bottle openers starting at £4.99,” says David.

Below: T&G’s FSC accredited beech range.

Below right: The Space Age design from Rex London, made from bamboo, commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 13 moon landings.

Bottom: Joe Davies’ white bamboo collection.

Also looking to adding more bamboo to its collections is Rex London. Candy Smith, head buyer, says: “With the use of sustainable and recycled materials in products continuing, we will be launching new bamboo dinner and drinkware collections this summer.

Featuring a selection of our most popular prints, they include our new collections Sydney the Sloth, plus the vintage sci-fi inspired Space Age designs which will be

taking off just in time to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 13 moon landings in 1969.”

With summer festivals on the horizon, Ian Snow is finding that its hand painted stainless steel kitchenware items are very much on trend. “It’s definitely a gift item as well as being practical,” says director Jakki Boase. “It epitomises us as a brand as it is hand-painted, fair trade and bohemian. The products can be merchandised for indoor and outdoor use too, which makes them very Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide

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Spotlight On... Kitchen Gifts versatile, picking up on the glamping theme which is great for this time of year.”

Looking to the autumn and winter season Parlane has mainly focused on serveware, “and the more glamorous the better,” says managing director Mike Burgess. “However, things still have to be practical.

We’ve stuck to glasses, wine coolers, trays and serving dishes, which are perfect for special occasions over the winter and the seasonal period. Metallic finishes have been a strong trend in the market for a while, so we have introduced this to a range of cocktail and champagne glasses, with glass hearts with a glittery metallic finish. Our metallic wine coolers, with handles shaped as horns, make a quirky statement gift too.”

Mike highlights that colours for the coming season are spicy. “When

they’re mixed with metallic Exclusively Housewares/Exclusively shades, they have a warm Electrical: Show Essentials and inviting effect, creating DATES: June 11-12, 2019 the right mood for VENUE: Business Design Centre, London, entertaining,” he highlights.

TEL: 0121 237 1130 At KitchenCraft, Katrina EMAIL: info@exclusivelyhousewares.co.uk WEB: www.exclusivelyhousewares.co.uk Lawton, marketing and PR manager of the company’s Dine division, says that there has boxing, it makes the brand very giftable,” been a good response to the says Kitchen Craft’s marketing director collectable Peter Cromer mugs from Clare Budgen.

Maxwell & Williams, as well as to the As gift shops are discovering, with kitchen decorative pieces from London gifts one of the fastest growing gift sectors, Pottery. “The teapots are the smart money is on being bought for products that are functional display purposes, fashionable and sustainable. such as holding flowers, making them both collectable and giftable,” says Katrina.

Looking to kitchenware, Chef’n is aimed at home cooks.

“They will spend less time prepping, and with a selection of packaging options, including gift Above left: A Gypsy Floral stainless steel canister from Ian Snow.

Above right: A collectable teapot from London Pottery.

Left: Glass heart plates from Parlane.

Right: Chef’n citrus press from KitchenCraft.

New On The Licensing Front Licensed giftware continues to drive sales across the board, with kitchen giftware no exception. “Elite’s products have always crossed from home to gift and back again, with many of our gift retailers stocking homeware lines and vice versa,” explains the company’s owner James Brierley. “This year has seen the return to warm, neutral colours for the home which were inspirational when curating the Fat Face range of homewares tins. The matt finish gives a gentle feel to these products.”

At Paladone, sales manager Alex Ryan says that the Asian ‘cuteness’ trend is continuing. “The rise of bands such as BTS are driving forwards Kawaii in fashion, combined with the tropical trends that have become a high street staple in the last few seasons, hopping, skipping and jumping between one animal oddity to the next each year. This year is no exception, with llamas and sloths currently leading the way.”

Continues Alex: “We have fused these themes and trends into a unique, playful kitchen novelty offering with a snoozing sloth, playful panda straws, a tuneful Fa La La Llama mug and an Avocardio water bottle.

“Mug technology too, continues to give us more and more exciting options and finishes, and includes Grow Your Own Way and a Tea-Ki mug with a biscuit pocket.” Meanwhile, the company’s partyware collection sees the

addition of reusable straw glasses to include dress-up straws, along with The Last Drop drinking game/bottle opener and a hip flask bracelet.

Also highlighting licensed product is Lesser & Pavey.

“What better gift to receive than something that enhances a kitchen setting or coffee table as well as being a quality vessel to drink from or to store perishables foods in, with canisters that have seals, and teapots that have lids that fit?” says Lesser & Pavey’s managing director Julian Hunt. “It has taken us years of working with designers and craftsman to ensure that products are not only attractive but user friendly as well.”

A new Lesser & Pavey range of William Morris designs will be featuring on houseware gift products this year. “William Morris designs are very much in vogue and can be seen on soft furnishing and clothing,” highlights Julian. “Brought together, the range makes a perfect wedding gift or a gift for the new home. The new range covers three designs Seaweed, Snakeshead and Pimpernel - each making a statement in something very new in housewares gifts.”

Above: Paladone’s sloth straws.

Far left: Among the new Fat Face tins from Elite.

Left: A new William Morris collection from Lesser & Pavey.

Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide

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opening showroom 3 rd of June 2019

Flowers & plants | Furniture | Table & Kitchenware | Home & garden Deco

Come see what’s new! www. ka e mi ng k .co m

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What’s New Progressive Gifts & Home highlights some of the latest products for the Kitchen Gifts market to be showcased this month

OINKtastic A brand new collection of Peppa Pig licensed products are set to make little ones’ mealtimes more fun. The Peppa Pig bamboo dinner set includes a tray plate, bowl, a beaker, a mug, a fork and a spoon made from natural material.

Available to buy from www.enesco.co.uk along with other items in the new mealtimes collection, including individual items from the dinner set and a self-contained Snack Box too.

SRP between £15-£22.

Ladies That Lunch

Enesco Tel: 01228 404022 Email: uksales@enesco.co.uk www.enesco.co.uk

Groovy UK Tel: 0844 372 7820 Email: hello@groovyuk.com www.groovyuk.com

Groovy’s stylish, practical Frida Kahlo quality lunch bag is made from Neoprene, with a zip closure and custom zip pull, helping keep food fresh and cool for longer. It is small enough to fold away but large enough to fit a healthy lunch and water bottle inside. With the iconic artist Frida so on trend it could be mistaken for a handbag!

RRP £15.

Cool Kitchenware Groovy have created a collection with Brandalised, an urban graffiti licence with high visibility and recognition with a collection of artworks and photographs of Banksy graffiti. Ranges feature iconic images such as ‘Lizzie’ The Queen and The Guard Dog (a balloon dog). All ranges have unique features that sit perfectly with the Brandalised brand.

The ranges include: bags, purses, keyrings, mugs, tea towels, aprons, oven gloves, coasters, placemats and stationery.

Groovy UK Tel: 0844 372 7820 Email: hello@groovyuk.com www.groovyuk.com

Calling All Aladdin Fans Half Moon Bay has added Disney’s Aladdin to its portfolio of classic licenses this Spring/Summer. The Aladdin collection from Half Moon Bay uses classic artwork which will be instantly recognisable to any Disney fan, featuring deep blues and purples with metallic gold accents. Formats include 3D shaped, heat changing and bamboo travel mugs; a bamboo lunch box; coin purse; notebook and a Magic Carpet cross body bag.

Buzzing About Bees Bees are becoming endangered, and, at this time of year, Lesser & Pavey want to shout about a new range encompassing fine chinaware and homewares accessories.

The Busy Bee range is something Lesser and Pavey invite buyers to become excited about as it is beautifully illustrated with delicate colouring, capturing a busy bee as it flies around nature on quality products.

The range offers homewares accessories in the form of tea, coffee and sugar canisters; fine china mugs in a number of shapes, sizes and packs; a lunch bag; shopper bag, glass cutting board; tea for one; butter dish and jug as well as trays of various sizes. The range also includes a Busy Bee cushion; reading glasses case; penny purse; clutch bag; travel mug and luggage tag.

Half Moon Bay Tel: 01225 473873 Email: sales@halfmoonbay.co.uk www.halfmoonbay.co.uk

Lesser & Pavey Tel: 01322 279225 Email: sales@leonardo.co.uk www.leonardo.co.uk PROGRESSIVE GIFTS & HOME WORLDWIDE

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Love & Marriage Although wedding lists have changed over the past decade contributions towards the honeymoon, gift ‘experiences’ and social gifting are all currently leading the way - there’s still a big demand for more traditional gifting say gift suppliers.

With a flurry of summer weddings in the offing, gift suppliers are getting ready to help the bride and groom and their guests to celebrate the big day.

With most couples living together before they get married, the traditional wedding list gifts glassware, china and kitchenware items - are almost a thing of the past, with the growth for the sector in gifts for the bridal party per se, not just for the bride and groom.

At Dartington, the company’s commercial director Richard Halliday says: "bridal gift lists may have changed over the years, but weddings celebrations still require a host of quality gifts. Showing thanks and appreciation to bridesmaids, the best man, as well as parents of the bride and groom, are all part of the wedding day. Also, guest ‘favours’ gifts are now a big feature as they can add a significant

element to the event’s gifting budget, with personalised gifts too, also very popular. Our crystal and glass can easily be customised with a specially engraved message making it a unique gift,” he highlights.

Staying with engraving, at Joe Davies, personalisation is a growing trend. “People look to capture their memories with the wedding or occasion gift that they purchase, and engravable items are a great way to do this. Our new collection of engravable wedding frames can be personalised with either a date or unique message making the gift even more special.”

The company is also seeing a growing trend towards modern classics in both wedding as well as occasion products. “Our silver event frames encapsulate the trend,” says David, “combining an elegant frame with an understated, simple message.”

Spotlight On... Wedding Gifts

Above: Dartington celebration glassware.

Left: Joe Davies’ engravable wedding photo frames.

Below: With honeymoons in mind, personalised passport holders from PMC. Bottom left: East of India’s porcelain products continue to be popular for weddings, say

PMC’s new product manager Cara Beech concurs. “Personalisation has become increasingly popular for weddings, with gifts now available not only for the bride and groom, but also for the whole wedding party. With this popularity comes the demand for unique, original personalised gifts that really stand out from the crowd.”

The company’s newest range of personalised wedding gifts have been

designed to appeal to a wide audience by catering to the trend for gold design elements. The gifts can be personalised with names, initials or message in gold lettering, in a variety of styles for both him and her. To appeal to a wider audience, the company has teamed gold personalisation with a variety of its top wedding gifts.

Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide

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Spotlight On... Wedding Gifts Left: Widdop and Co’s new Always & Forever wedding collection.

Below left: Among Soul’s Imagine wedding coasters.

Below right: Boxer Gifts’ Letter candles add personalisation to the wedding table.

Bottom right: Part of the wedding collection from Transomnia.

Explains Cara: “With more and more of us sharing all aspects of our lives on social media, particularly using services such as Instagram, we feel that personalised gifts need to have the ‘wow’ factor, which inevitably encourages consumers to share our products online as part of their wedding celebrations.”

At Widdop and Co., the company’s marketing manager Sue Grant says that the comparative refinement of the bridal shower is now a well established and often preferable alternative to a raucous hen do.

“Our Amore bridal shower collection features glassware, luggage tags and party games in soft blush and white designs embellished with luxurious gold foiled engagement ring decals and our #TeamBride title.”

Additionally, embracing the trend for indulgent bridal ware, Widdop’s trend-led wedding collection, Always & Forever, brings

a touch of glamour to the celebrations with his and her glass pairs featuring gold electroplated stem fades, cursive titles and matching golden gift boxes. Gold glitter embellished bridal supplies, such as cosmetic bags and pamper hampers, are also featured in the range.

Of course, wedding stationery is a must, with Really Good/Soul’s sales manager, Fiona Burge, highlighting the company’s Imagine wedding collection.

“Building on the range we have launched six new wedding coasters that each come in their own gifting sleeve and are finished with foil. They make a little token that can be popped into a card,” Fiona highlights. (Also included in the range is a hen party memories journal, a wedding planner book, a photo album, ‘happily ever after’ sign, and Mr & Mrs mugs presented in a gift box).

Top Tips For Retailers “For retailers displaying multiple different wedding collections, brands or looks, keeping a clear distinction between them is essential to avoid confusion or clashing. Products in clean groups will sell far better.” Sue Grant, marketing manager, Widdop and Co. “People like to see a themed story when making their choices and the use of related gift items that enhance the display undoubtedly increases sales.” David Cree, sales manager, Joe Davies

Table decorations too, are big business. Boxer Gifts’ managing director Thomas O’Brien points out that long gone are the days of candle and name pieces as the only table décor at weddings, with many couples opting for more eye catching centre pieces. “Our Starlight bottles and Stars in jars feature lines that include ‘All Because Two People Fell in Love’ and ‘Here’s To Love and Laughter Happily Ever After’,” he highlights.

As for wedding gifts, he says that they are a followed tradition. “No matter how big or small, a gift is always appreciated,” he

Cheers To The Happy Couple

Social Gifting

A new range of coloured glassware by Lesser and Pavey has been aimed at Spring/Summer weddings. “These quality, practical, affordable wedding additions are part of our brand new Let’s Party range which include blue and pink Mr and Mrs wine glasses, flutes, gin glasses, coupes and stemless glasses,” comments managing director Julian Hunt.

Additional glassware features crystal clear diamante glasses with wording in silver and gold, and a set of two wedding ring mugs. “It’s a novel gift for the happy couple to receive as the handles of the mugs represent wedding rings, one displaying the wording in diamante,” says Julian.

Also wedding related from the company are fine china mugs featuring the wording Mr and Mrs, Hubby and Wifey, The Boss and The Real Boss, Mr Right and Mrs Always Right, Lordship and Ladyship and Handsome and Gorgeous.

Additional wedding occasion items this year include the new Mad Dot wedding ranges that include gifts for the bridesmaid, mother of the bride and mother of the groom.

Instead of a material gift for the happy couple, the emerging trend is for the bride and bridegroom, usually in their early 30s, to ask their friends and family to do something kind for the planet or for another human being.

The trend prompted wedding list company Prezola to become among the first to offer social gifting in response to requests from couples.

Left: Lesser & Pavey’s Let’s Party glassware.

Continued on page 43 Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide

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Spotlight On... Wedding Gifts states. “We’re seeing glassware becoming a more popular choice of wedding gift especially our lustre prosecco glasses.”

Of course, no wedding celebration would be complete without bubbles, as David Morris, copywriter & PR executive at Signature Gifts points out, with an example being the company’s personalised bottles of champagne. “The bottles of bubbly are perfect wedding gifts as the bottle’s personalised label can be kept as a souvenir of the day,” David comments.

Let’s drink to a toast to the happy couple, their friends and their families!

Below: With weddings in mind, a personalised bottle of champagne from Signature Gifts.

All Lit Up Candle light always adds a touch of romance, with the wedding season opening up great opportunities for retailers, says Debbie Isles, sales director at Candlelight.

“We offer a large number of gifts and homewares which are suitable as wedding presents, as well as an extensive range of candles that complement the current trend towards metallics.”

Among the company’s wedding-themed giftware is Mr & Mrs bunting in white and silver, a white framed chalkboard saying ‘Instagram Our Wedding’, plus a Mr & Mrs word block in white, which has been designed to sit on a table at the wedding breakfast or be displayed in the home.

At Gisela Graham, sales director Piers Croke adds: “White’s still the wedding winner, but there’s a tendency to add accents of pastels, especially in accessories - pistachio greens and blush pinks - plus, quite strongly now, the addition of metallics which are possibly symbolic of wealth. With that in mind, we’ve designed a range of mini-favour candles in gold-foiled boxes, along with gold-foiled boxed Mr & Mrs mugs. We’ve also added laser-cut stakes for personalising floral displays, cakes and wedding table tops.

Above: Candlelight’s own brand Rose Gold candles.

Right: A wedding candle from Gisela Graham’s wedding collection.

Best Face Forward All brides and their entourage want to look radiant both pre and on the big day itself, and with this in mind, La De Da! Living, has launched Fresh Faced For All Occasions.

“It’s a range of best selling, on trend beautifully packaged face sheet masks,” explains director Rita Davanzo. “We’ve created 40 different designs to suit all occasions including those for the ‘bride tribe’ of course. With a retail price of just £6.99 they make the perfect accessory or gift for the hen weekend, or for the night before the big day. We wanted to focus on the gift element within this range and have therefore created a gift tag on the reverse making the product vibe like having a card and present all in one.”

As previous retailers, the company know how important it is to present product types in the best possible way. “With this is mind, we have had a counter top display spinner made to showcase 24 of the 40 designs for smaller independent shops and a double sided floor stand for larger retailers,” confirms Rita.

Right: La De Da! Living’s new face masks and display unit.

“The bottles of bubbly are perfect wedding gifts as the bottle’s personalised label can be kept as a souvenir of the day.”

Did You Know...?

The average Brit should spend £108.11 on a wedding present when a close friend gets married, according to the Personalised Gifts Shop. The company has come up with the figure by using a fun formula which allows Brits to accurately work out the exact amount of money they should spend on a wedding gift.

It takes into account factors such as a wedding guest’s income, the quality of the day and the size of their own party, as well as their relationship with the couple.

Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide

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ARD HA ES AT S TWO THE B THE OT THE C TLE HE PR OLLAR ODU CT GH T HE ND T CARD HE RT O F THE SED IN A

Serenade your sparkle and impress your friends with this hilarious bottle collar.

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What’s New Progressive Gifts and Home highlights some of the latest products for the Wedding Gifts market to be showcased this month

Sea Glass-inspired Building on the success of its ever-popular subcollection in the Demdaco range, Enesco has announced new items to the Sharon Nowlan Collection. In Your Arms is one of the hero pieces and depicts a bride and groom embracing under a tree, sharing a tender moment together as newlyweds. Measuring 25.0cm x 20.0cm, it is presented in a dark wooden frame retailing with a SRP of £39.95, In Your Arms, along with other items in the Sharon Nowlan Collection, are available to order via the website.

Enesco Tel: 01228 404022 Email: uksales@enesco.co.uk www.enesco.co.uk

Personalised Wedding Planner The Personalised Memento Company’s wedding planner is the number one gifts for brides to be. Shortlisted for the Giftware Association Gift of the Year 2019, this product is perfect for any wedding, with hints, suggestions and plenty of space for notes.This timeless design is available on a range of PMC’s bestselling wedding items, see their website for more details.

PMC Tel: 01782 744900 Email: sales@personalisedmemento.co.uk www.personalisedmemento.co.uk

A Burst Of Confetti Wild Things Gifts is ready for the wedding season with its pastelthemed confetti colourway. Swarovski crystals in soft pink, purple, yellow, blue and green hues add a touch of romance to the everpopular Heart of Hearts design and the Angel Wing Heart Crystal Fantasy. These delicate hues, which still cast beautiful colours when caught in the sunlight, make a perfect gift or a dazzling way to add some colour to a wedding venue. The Heart of Hearts design is also available in rose and chakra colourways. As well as confetti, you can order the Angel Wing Heart in two different sizes in rose, purple and chakra.

Elegant Magnolias Hamptons, one of eight new Splosh ranges from Xystos, features the Magnolia homewares collection, bringing the simplistic elegance of magnolias into the home mixed with organic textures and trending tones of off-white and olive green. There is also a variety of coastal homewares that incorporate soft white washed wood and deep blue coral reefs that capture the essence of beachside living; plus, new mini change boxes for savers and hanging loving hearts with sentimental sayings. Message boxes enable well-wishers to leave their kind thoughts on special occasions such as birthdays and weddings

Wild Things Tel: 01392 211268 Email: sales@wildthingsgifts.com www.wildthingsgifts.com

Xystos Tel: 0191 499 1570 Email sales@xystos.co.uk www.xystostrade.co.uk

Feminine Sophistication With the wedding season fast approaching, brides are on the search for the perfect scent to make their wedding day memorable. Sandy Bay London has the ideal fragrance, Persian Rose, a stunning scent for the ultimate in feminine sophistication. The scent is full of Parisian splendour with a touch of oudh and raspberry that has a feminine dewiness yet adored by men, so a perfect choice to help create the most magical of days.

Sandy Bay London Tel: +44 (0) 1992 579 949 Email: enquiries@sandybaylondon.com www.sandybaylondon.com

All About Weddings This new range of coloured glassware by Lesser &Pavey is perfect for Spring/Summer weddings. They are part of the brand new Let’s Party range which include blue and pink Mr and Mrs wine glasses, flutes, gin glasses, coupes and stemless glasses. Additional glassware features crystal clear diamante glasses with wording in silver and gold. Also making a perfect gift is this set of two wedding ring mugs. The handles of the mugs represent wedding rings.

Other fine china mugs by Lesser and Pavey feature Mr and Mrs, Hubby and Wifey, The Boss and The Real Boss, Mr Right and Mrs Always Right, Lordship and Ladyship and Handsome and Gorgeous.

Lesser & Pavey Tel: 01322 279 225 Email: sales@leonardo.co.uk www.leonardo.co.uk PROGRESSIVE GIFTS & HOME WORLDWIDE

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A Global Perspective: STYLE Bangkok

Totally Thai

Clocks created from paper made from elephant poo; personal care products made from Thai rice varieties; air fresheners manufactured from charcoal extracted from the branches of the Dipterocarpus Alatus tree, and bags and jewellery made from dry leaves and water hyacinth... these were some of the many unusual and creative products spotted at last month’s STYLE Bangkok show, the biggest lifestyle trade show in South East Asia.

PG&H was among the international journalists invited to take a look at what Thailand has to offer, with the three-in-one exhibition shining a spotlight on ‘crenovation’ - creativity, innovation and Thai origins.

STYLE Bangkok was launched in 2017, a merging of three individual, international shows covering gift and homewares/housewares (BIG&BIH); fashion (BIFF&BIL) and furniture(BIFF). “The merger of these three mega fairs has made it convenient for buyers to have access to a wide range of products under one roof,” explained Vannapora Ketudat, deputy director general of the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) which organises the event.

A major trend at last month’s show was sustainability, with Thailand rich in reeds, bamboo, water hyacinth, tree bark, mulberry paper, rubber, cotton, silk and elephant droppings, which are combined with local craftsmanship and contemporary design aimed at the international export market.

“The global interest in sustainable materials has meant that there is increased interest in Thai products such as bamboo, which grows everywhere in Bangkok and is pesticide free,” Vannapora told Progressive Gifts & Home. “Nothing goes to waste in Thailand. We use pineapple fibres to make clothes, and, at the show, there was giftware made from cow droppings and clocks made from elephant poo paper. We are constantly looking to bring out something new that helps the environment. To guide buyers we have a logo, the Thailand Trust Mark, which signifies that products are eco friendly. In fact, next year’s STYLE Bangkok will be based around this theme. The goal of the show is to provide a trade platform for Above: Wood Hourz on trend sunglasses.

Right: A Mr Leaf bag made from tong tung leaves.

Far right: Casual bags that have been manufactured from water hyacinth.

the development and export promotion of Thai lifestyle products, with a large area at the fair also devoted to OTOP for Export showcasing entrepreneurs from the provinces. Our aim is to promote local talent, as well as internationally recognised Thai brands, to global buyers.”

Other examples of sustainability at STYLE Bangkok included handbags and jewellery made from dry leaves, biodegradable planters, and bee’s wax wraps for everyday use, not just for food.

Elsewhere, Repleat showed its eco friendly credentials with a range of colourful casual bags made from re-used polyester. In fashion, tie dyed textiles – woven fabrics, as well as cotton and silk were ubiquitous at the show, produced in Thai provinces such as Sakon Nakhon, which is also a source of indigo.

Among the British VIPs attending STYLE was the creative director of Eponine London, Jet Shenkman, a fashion house which created a one off, Thai embroidered dress for a guest at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding. “The fabrics we use include some from the Hmong hill tribe in Chaiangmai, a community that makes fabulous embroidered materials,” Jet told Progressive Gifts & Home. “We visited STYLE Bangkok to find beautiful fabrics and to be inspired.”

Lifestyle products are predicted to expand by 2% in terms of export, with the UK, along with Germany and Australia, seen as potential and emerging markets. Visit www.style bangkokfair.com Above: STYLE Bangkok took place in April.

Left: Hyperdesign Lab’s contemporary clock is made from elephant poo paper.

Below: Sabanga scented air fresheners which are made out of charcoal.

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Spotlight On... Home Fragrance

A Sensory Summer From the fruity and the foodie to florals and the funky, home fragrancing products are all set to bring the scents of summer into the home.

This year, holiday destinations too, are at the top of the fragrance list, along with products that can demonstrate their sustainability credentials, giving consumers - and retailers – a myriad of choice.

For many of us, the smell of freshly mown grass heralds the start of summer, with trees overflowing with blossom helping to define the transition from spring to summer. But summer is also about trips to exotic destinations with more and more home fragrance suppliers tapping into the trend.

At Candlelight for example, favourite holiday locations have inspired the new Destinations range, one of the company’s latest additions to its own brand candle collection, with fragrances featuring Kashmir Pear & Fig, Moroccan Red Cinnamon,

Japanese Wild Summer Cherry, Nantucket Bay Seasalt, Savannah White Poppy and Thai Flower Market.

“Our designers have captured some of the most vivid and memorable fragrances from across the globe, and have also taken inspiration from the fabrics and textures of the Middle East, New England and Africa to create the stand out packaging,” explains Candlelight’s sales director Debbie Isles.

“In addition, our sophisticated Blush range of candles and reed diffusers is already proving to be one of our most popular ranges this season. Presented in peach and teal packaging, the products have a fruity pineapple fragrance, with names that include Siesta, Paradise and Tropic.”

At Stoneglow, summer fragrances have been given a tropical fiesta theme - summer lush green foliage, natural woods and modern palm patterns - with two collections that celebrate the trend: Urban Botanics and Infusion. The company’s head of design Winnie Wong explains: “Urban Botanics brings the outdoors indoors, with exotic aromas packaged in fun vibrant vessels.

Infusion meanwhile, is contemporary and trend led. The fragrances boost wellbeing, with a soft crackle that promotes relaxation.”

Anna Borrett, new product development manager at Ashleigh & Burwood, says that given the current uncertainty in the UK, escapism has never been more appealing.

“Whether or not people have the chance to get away to sunnier climes, fragrance offers a great way to transport the mind, to take them to happier places and remind them of the good times. Tapping into this trend is our new Orange Grove fragrance in The Scented Home collection which was inspired

by Tuscan orange fields.”

When it comes to ‘foodie’ fragrances, “citrus and fresh is always a tried and true trend that continues to sell well for the brand, globally,” says Village Candle’s UK country manager Suzanne Chapman. “Our newest addition, Grapefruit Turmeric Tonic, offers a bright, new, trendy, colourful option, with the living coral trend also tying into this fragrance.”

Top: Papaya and Watermelon from Stoneglow’s Urban Botanics range.

Above left: Candlelight’s Destination collection.

Above right: The Presence Collection is new from Village Candle.

Right: A trio of new Cello fragrances from Xystos.

Below: Orange Grove from Ashleigh & Burwood’s The Scented Home collection.

She adds that the big news for Village this summer is that the company has introduced The Presence Collection that offers consumers a more natural candle choice using a blend of soy and essential oils. “This has been well received at trade sell-in and is now just hitting the market,” explains Suzanne. “The collection also ties into the trend of mindfulness, relaxation and therapeutic.” (Fragrances have also been numbered to give consumers a collectable option).

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Best Kept Secrets Ltd Morpeth, NE61 6JT Tel: 01670 512222 Email: sales@bestkeptsecrets.co.uk Web: www.bestkeptsecrets.co.uk

Just Because Candles

P.S. We can customise our labels to display any message!

Trade Price £3.75 + vat

RRP £8.99

Different fun messages for friends, family and special occasions Classic Cotton fragrance with a multi coloured topping and plenty of glitter!!

Harrogate Home & Gift 14th—17th July 2019 Hall Q Stand A7

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Spotlight On... Home Fragrance Xystos meanwhile, has added three new spring/summer fragrances to its own brand range of Cello candles and reed diffusers.

The new arrivals - Ginger Fizz, Cucumber Spritz and Poppy Blush are available in different sized jars, as well as wax medallions, scent cups, standard and hourglass reed diffusers and essential oils. The company says that the dark and light reeds are thicker than average, ensuring that they retain their fragrance better.

“In the crowded flame and fragrance market it’s important to be different if you are to gain market share,” comments Xystos’ director Tom Sykes. “We launched Cello last summer and it has already managed to secure strong orders from across the retail spectrum offering fine fragrances and keen price points.”

At Best Kept Secrets, managing director Vanessa Curry says that key summer favourites in home fragrance remain fresh, floral and fruity scents.

“Bearing this in mind, we have introduced four new fragranced candle tins for the coming season each with new and interesting fragrance combinations - Pink Pepper and Patchouli, Lemon Sugar, Ruby Stars and Forbidden Sapphire.”

Adds Vanessa: “Reed diffusers are staying popular for summer too, so we have given our rattan diffusers a facelift by adding a good sprinkling of glitter. When it comes to customers choosing a scent for the home, aesthetics can be as important as fragrance.”

Also highlighting floral fragrances is Price’s Candles UK sales manager Lisa Fuller, with the company offering a wide range of scents to capitalise on this. “Our latest offerings to the market are two brand

Left: New from Best Kept Secret’s this summer is Forbidden Sapphire.

Below: Wax Lyrical’s Lakes collection.

Bottom left: Price’s Candles’ Heritage range.

new fragrances for summer in the company’s Heritage range, which is also inspired by archives of historic packaging. Summer Bouquet is a fresh, floral blend of irises and freesias while Lemon Zest is a refreshing mix of fruity lemon infused with hints of creamy vanilla.”

Pintail’s director James Long concurs that the popularity of light, fresh, invigorating fragrances is continuing to grow as thoughts turn to enjoying time outdoors. “We have introduced two new fragrances into our Paint Pot candle range - a fresh

Lakeland Spring, with notes of marine, citrus and cedarwood, and Elderflower Pressé with notes of freesia and elderflower blooms on a base of orchid and ripe plum,” he highlights.

At Wax Lyrical, sales and marketing director Warren Gell says that the company is seeing a significant increase in customers looking for points of difference, both in design and how the products are manufactured and perform. “This is primarily about the product itself, the

Natural Fragrance According to the company’s UK sales director Paul Travis, Luminara continues to maintain its brand leadership in the LED living flame wax candle market, “the only brand offering a fragrance diffusing living flame LED candle with ‘all of the romance and fragrance of real candles without the risk or worry’,” highlights Paul. New fragrances from the company this summer include Jasmin & Neroli, Island Gardenia and Sea Mineral Mist.

“The driving force behind the market is safety and quality with a special focus on natural oil fragrances,” explains Paul.

Left: Among the new fragrance diffusing candles from Luminara.

packaging and design standing out from rest of the market as well as new and exciting scent combinations,” he explains.

“Additionally, the market is really engaging with UK made products and the quality and performance that is delivered as a result.

Sales in the UK and our developing export markets are both trending upwards on these two themes.”

As for sustainability, Warren adds that customers are more conscious than ever on the environmental impact of their purchases and the products they use, which is something Wax Lyrical has taken on board.

“We pride ourselves on having an exceptionally low carbon footprint and are continually monitoring the environmental impact of the business,” he points out.

With suppliers not only focusing on new fragrances and formats, but also on the environment, for gift retailers, it’s all to play for in the scent stakes.

Making A Statement In recent years, both candle and reed diffuser vessels have upped the ante, becoming decorative and fashion-led as well as functional. Comments Sandy Bay, director of her eponymous home fragrancing company Sandy Bay. “Our Retreat Collection continues to be a huge success for us, featuring a range of four fragrances targeted to help us find the time to relax and unwind.”

Also looking to make a statement in the home is Heart & Home. “2019 not only heralds new fragrances for Heart & Home but also the launch of fresh formats, featuring on trend designs in the shape of our Artisan range which reflects the industrial design look seen in so many other key areas - simple lines, back-to-basics vessels and bold colourways,” says marketing manager Jacquie Russo.

Above: Artisan from Heart & Home.

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Spotlight On... Bath & Body

Well, Well Driven by an increasing demand for wellness products, the current trend, which spans all age groups, has created huge opportunities within the bath and body sector.

With allergies very much a part of modern day living, and vegan and vegetarian a growing trend in the food arena, people across the generations are enthusiastically looking to buy into a passion for products that will do good rather than harm, wanting to use only the purest products on their face and body, especially if they are kind to the environment.

So who is doing what?

One driver that’s guaranteed to appeal to millennials is ensuring that the products and services that they buy into nourish their bodies as well as their minds. It’s about eating healthy food, drinking health giving juices, nourishing their minds through what they’re reading, and using products on their bodies that are pure and made from the finest ingredients, especially if they have other major benefits too.

“Are your products good for the planet?

That’s the question that’s being asked more frequently, particularly by millennials,” says Eloise Hall, founder of her eponymous

company, which recently saw three products triumph in the Beauty Shortlist Awards. (The brand’s Optimism hand wash was crowned the winner of the Hand Wash category, and both the company’s Optimism hand cream and Pause candle scooped an Editor’s Choice Award).

Top: Bathing Beauty’s Craft Your Own Herbal Handsalve won the GOTY Beauty, Bath & Spa category.

Above: The Morpheus Sleep Enhancing range was highly commended.

Left: Betty Hula Dusting Powder includes a soft brush to apply the powder with.

Below: The Eloise Hall collection.

“Consumers are also becoming increasingly conscious of the ingredients in products and, along with the rising trend of veganism in food, are looking for this within their bath and body products,” continues Eloise. “Our new hand range, launched in April, has been created to be vegan-friendly.

Unisex fragrances too, are experiencing growth, and with this in mind, our Contentment hand wash and hand cream have been developed for use by both sexes.”

With a growing trend for ‘make your own’, Bathing Beauty’s Craft Your Own Herbal Handsalve beat off tough competition in a very competitive category to be crowned the winner of the Gift of the Year’s Beauty, Bath & Spa category earlier this year (sponsored by Progressive Gifts & Home).

Using the company’s award winning recipe, customers are able to experience the Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide

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Spotlight On... Bath & Body

Left: Heathcote & Ivory’s new Tender Palm RHS Daisy Garland hand cream collection.

Below left: A raft of new products from The Naked Bee, distributed by Xystos, includes an everyday facial cleansing gel and a moisturiser with Vitamin C. Below right: A brand new fragrance from Charlotte Rhyss which is distributed by Virtual Candles.

manufacturing process to create five, full size herbal hand salves for themselves. “It’s effective, affordable, natural bath and body care,” explains founder George Jones.

In the same category, Bathing Beauty was also highly commended for its Morpheus Sleep Enhancing range, a trio of soporific bath and body care products that help to induce sleep, with the company also the winner of the Ethical Gift category for its soaps which are palm, nut and fragrance oil free. “They’re all vegan, except for Miracle soap which is vegetarian, with each soap hand packaged in fully compostable wooden boxes,” highlights George.

Also highly commended in the same category was Betty Hula Delicate Dusting Powder, an alternative to talc. “Being a small company, we were able to react quickly to

the media news about ’talc’,” explains Betty Hula’s director Lisa Swaine. “We created a solution for a product that’s no longer safe, and brought the vintage grooming habit bang upto-date in the process. The packaging, the price point, and the ’something a bit different’ has made it one of our best sellers.”

As other suppliers concur, the wellness trend is thankfully putting an end to harmful

A Soap For All Occasions Soaps too, are becoming purer and more innovative. Explains Vanessa Curry, managing director of Best Kept Secrets: “Classic floral fragrances will always remain on trend, so this coming season we have focused on our best selling soap Rosey Geranium and Ylang Ylang.

To showcase it, we have developed a Just Because collection of occasion soaps featuring various sentiments such as Happy Birthday, You Are My Sunshine and Thank You So Much among others. As with all of our soaps, it is made by hand with essential oils, blended with shea butter for extra luxury.”

The company also have men in mind on the soap front. “For a more Above: New to the collection, I Love You invigorating boost, our Doublemint and Poppyseed soap remains popular from Best Kept Secrets’ with the male market, as it’s a super fresh choice when taking a morning Just Because range. shower,” continues Vanessa, “with Patchouli too, very popular.”

A bonus is that the soaps have permeable packaging, which means that retailer doesn’t have to open stock to turn them into testers. “With plastic pollution currently at the very forefront of all of our minds, sales of hand wrapped bars of soap are very much on the increase,” adds Vanessa.

ingredients. At Heathcote & Ivory, the company’s marketing, PR and business development manager Amanda Pullen highlights: “Ingredients are key, without the use of harmful parabens and sulphates.

The demand for vegetarian and veganfriendly formulations has increased dramatically, and we’ve been working closely with the RHS on new licenced ranges to reflect these demands.”

Xystos director Tom Sykes agrees that manufacturers of pampering products - who are continuing to turn to nature for inspiration - should ensure that products are free from parabens and harsh chemicals, “Those from Di Palomo and The Naked Bee, which promotes itself under the banner, ‘All the good stuff, none of the bad stuff’, meet this criteria,” he states. “Consumers are not only increasingly conscious about caring for

the environment but also about what they put on their bodies. It therefore makes sense for retailers to be mindful of this when considering their purchasing decisions.” (Xystos bought the Di Palomo brand last December).

Also emphasising that its products are made from natural ingredients is the South African brand Charlotte Rhyss. (The company’s European distribution was taken over by Virtual Candles at the beginning of this year). Explains Virtual Candles’ sales director Paul Travis: “Charlotte Rhyss offers ‘Beauty without Cruelty’ and is approved by the Vegan Society. The company’s home and body products use 100% natural ingredients, with new fragrances for 2019 including Pure Charcoal and Patchouli and Bergamot & Lime.”

Rex London too, has developed a new skincare range of natural, toxic free Korean Continued on page 57 Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide

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Spotlight On... Bath & Body

Getting Personal

face masks. “Designed with cuteness in mind, each mask is contoured to rest on the face for superior delivery of active ingredients, while also absorbing excess oil and impurities from the skin,” explains the company’s head buyer Candy Smith.

With special occasions and seasons in mind, The Somerset Toiletries Company, suppliers of body care and home fragrance, has launched a new All Year Round gift collection. The company highlights that the collection has been designed to appeal to a mix of age groups, with the new range including luxury soap on a rope, scented bath salts, hand and body care sets, bath fizzer bars and boxed greetings cards with a heart-shaped soap.

Packaging varies from traditional to contemporary.

On trend packaging too, is ringing up sales. As Mad Beauty’s creative director Julia Cash highlights: “the trend now is towards simple packaging incorporating bold colours. One of

Above: Korean face masks from Rex London were launched earlier this year.

Below: Mad Beauty’s single tube hand cream and lip balm.

Personalisation, of course, is continuing to dominate all sectors, with bath and body no exception. “Consumers are continuing to demand a more personalised, unique approach from brands when it comes to their favourite products, and our range from Yes Studio celebrates self care while also reflecting an individual’s unique personality,” says Wild & Wolf’s senior marketing executive Joelle Engolia.

“We’ve tapped into this trend by offering a ‘make it your own’ experience that allows consumers to tailor it to their needs, tastes or mood. This can be seen with our three bath fizzers: More Self Love (rose), Just Chill (jasmine) and Zen Out (bergamot) as well as a Nail Salon Pick n’ Mix including a buffer, emery boards, nail scissors, tweezers and clippers.” The personalisation continues with double-ended nail varnishes in vibrant shades such as Hot Date vs Stay In, Pool Party vs Ocean Dip and Duvet Day vs Out Out. Below: Wild & Wolf’s Pick ‘N’ Mix Nail Bar.

our biggest hits this year has been the Neon range which is specifically aimed at this eyecatching trend. An example is our ‘all in one’ hand cream and lip balm, which comes in a single tube, combining bold colours with value, fragrance and quality ingredients.”

With a strong focus on self-purchase as well as gifting, non-toxic bath and products - especially those that stand out on the shelf - are continuing to be an all year round winner for gift retailers and gift departments.

Left and above left: The All Year Round gift collection from The Somerset Toiletries Company.

“Ingredients are key, without the use of harmful parabens and sulphates. The demand for vegetarian and veganfriendly formulations has increased dramatically.”

Top Display Tips l

“Merchandising with props, to enhance the presence of a collection, can really add value for retailers offering a lifestyle rather than just a product.”

Amanda Pullen, marketing, PR and business development manager, Heathcote & Ivory

l

“When thinking about displays, colour is always a purchasing influencer with pinks and purples constantly in high demand. It is also very important for the customer to be able to experience the scent.” Vanessa Curry, managing director, Best Kept Secrets

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”The ability to interact with and test bath and body products is key. Displays which include samples of the products lead to far better sales.”

Eloise Hall, founder of Eloise Hall

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What’s New 'Progressive Gifts & Home highlights some of the latest products for the Bath & Body market to be showcased this month'

Decadent Hand Butters This gorgeous collection of decadent Winter in Venice hand butters comes nestled in a beautiful reusable storage tin. This delightful gift contains 12 individually fragranced 25g hand butter tubes made using 10% shea butter, almond oil, vitamin E, and natural fruit and plant extracts - ideal to sooth dry and chapped hands in need of intense moisturising and care. Our award winning British brand is free from parabens, paraffins, sulphates, minerals, DEA and are not tested on animals.

Bath & Body Beautiful Bath & body products complement the Xystos candle offering, with the company’s recently acquired Di Palomo brand – inspired by fond memories of Italy – continuing to win admirers with a range of appealingly presented products such as Black Cherry and Wild Fig & Grape. The Naked Bee – slogan, ‘All of the good stuff, none of the bad stuff’ – is also a firm favourite with UK buyers. its Orange Blossom Honey personal care range includes everything from shampoo to restoration foot balm.

Winter in Venice Tel: 0845 652 1223 Email: sales@winterinvenice.co.uk www.winterinvenice.co.uk

New For Autumn Baylis & Harding has personal care covered from head to toe and includes products that range from a bar of soap to a luxury wicker hamper that includes bath and shower crème, body cleanser, bath soak crystals and even a wash mitt.

Spearheading the nine new autumn/winter bath & body introductions from Xystos is the Sweet Mandarin & Grapefruit Collection, which sees the return of the best-selling fragrance. The stylish geometric print cleverly incorporates presents of all shapes and sizes.

Xystos Tel: 0191 499 1570 Email sales@xystos.co.uk www.xystostrade.co.uk

Xystos Tel: 0191 499 1570 Email sales@xystos.co.uk www.xystostrade.co.uk

Fresh Faced

Bathing Treats

Our gift packaged face mask sheets are made in the UK and exclusively designed by La de da! Living. They’re the new ‘must have’ pick-up line for 2019, made fashionable by the likes of Victoria Beckham and the Kardashians. Rita and Dominique have brought the on trend gifts to trade, and have tried to incorporate a card and gift element rolled into one. There are 40 different designs covering all occasions.

Counter top display and free point of sale are provided with an RRP only £6.99. Contact us for a full brochure.

The Naked Bee is a firm favourite with those who love its Orange Blossom Honey range.

It is now introducing a raft of new products, available from Xystos, including an everyday facial cleansing gel and a moisturiser with Vitamin C; foaming hand soaps – one with coconut and honey; hand sanitiser; hand repair cream; foot balm, and a lip balm trio – orange blossom honey, coconut & honey, and citron & honey. Look out too, for Di Palomo pampering products such as Black Cherry, Wild Fig & Grape, Orange Blossom with Wild Honey & Olive, and White Grape with Aloe.

La De Da! Living Email:enquiries@ladedaliving.co.uk www.trade.ladedaliving.co.uk

Xystos Tel: 0191 499 1570 Email sales@xystos.co.uk www.xystostrade.co.uk

Memories Of Italy Bath and body products complement the Xystos candle offering, with the company’s newly acquired Di Palomo brand – inspired by fond memories of Italy – continuing to win admirers with a range of appealingly presented products such as Black Cherry and Wild Fig & Grape.

The Naked Bee – slogan, ‘All of the good stuff, none of the bad stuff’ – is also a firm favourite with UK buyers: its Orange Blossom Honey personal care range includes everything from shampoo to restoration foot balm.

Xystos Tel: 0191 499 1570 Email: sales@xystos.co.uk www.xystostrade.co.uk

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What’s New Progressive Gifts & Home highlights some of the latest products for the Home Fragrance market to be showcased this month

Sweet Treat With Spring having sprung, Best Kept Secrets are delighted to announce the addition of their new Lemon Sugar candle tin to the award winning Seriously Scented candle range. Fresh and fizzy like lemon sherbet sweeties, it brings a feisty touch of fruitiness to the range which is already in great demand. Of course, like all of the candles in the range, it is topped with sparkles and plenty of glitter.

Scented & Sparkly Best Kept Secrets have had great success with their reed diffuser collection and have now added a sprinkle of glitter to make them as good to look at as they are to smell. Originally comprising of 12 top selling fragrances, three new additions - Pink Pomegranate, Caspian Silk and Plum Champagne - complete the range. Available in 100ml and 50ml.

Best Kept Secrets Tel: 01670 512222 Email: sales@bestkeptsecrets.co.uk www.bestkeptsecrets.co.uk

Best Kept Secrets Tel: 01670 512222 Email: sales@bestkeptsecrets.co.uk www.bestkeptsecrets.co.uk

On The Go Fragrances Adding to the success of the Luna collection, new for 2019 is the indulgent aroma Papyrus Woods & Jasmine fragrance, presented in a stunning interior Teal & Gold. Additionally, all seven fragrances from Luna are now available in perfume cards, so you can take your favourite fragrance with you in your car and handbag. Made in the UK.

Urban Oasis

Stoneglow Candles Tel: 020 8595 8878 Email: sales@stoneglowcandles.co.uk www.stoneglowcandles.co.uk

Urban Botanicals is a range that aims to bring the outdoors to the indoors. The exotic aromas, packaged in fun vibrant vessels, will transport you to a relaxing urban oasis. The stunning collection of ceramic diffusers and candles are available in four punchy scents and tropical colourways. These are sure to make a ‘wow’ statement.

Stoneglow Candles Tel: 020 8595 8878 Email: sales@stoneglowcandles.co.uk www.stoneglowcandles.co.uk

Natural Choice Introducing Presence, a new collection featuring a blend of soy and essential oils, presenting the sustainable consumer with a more natural candle choice. The Presence Collection reminds our consumers to be present and feel natural beauty in each moment, tying into the trend of mindfulness, relaxation, and self-care. A numbered collection of seven fragrances brings a collectable opportunity to the consumer that is highly giftable year-round, with a range that offers something for everyone.

Village Candle Email: enquiry@villagecandle.com

Making Memories Sea Salt Surf is a fresh new fragrance from Village Candle’s Spring/Summer Limited Edition Collection that will transport you to waves crashing along a sandy beach along with notes of water florals, marine, moss, and cedarwood. Suzanne Chapman, Village Candle’s country manager says: “This is one of my Village favourites as it promises a superior fragrance experience that will take many of our customers on a journey, evoking memories of beach walks and holidays.”

Village Candle Email: enquiry@villagecandle.com www.villagecandle.co.uk www.villagecandle.co.uk

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What’s New Progressive Gifts & Home highlights some of the latest products for the Home Fragrance market to be showcased this month

Wax Lyrical Tel: 01229 461166 Email: info@waxlyricaltrade.com www.waxlyricaltrade.com

Limited Edition Design Ashleigh & Burwood introduces Pandamonium, matching an adorable panda design with the aromatic fragrance of tea leaves and white flowers. It is one of three new limited edition designs for 2019 to be added to the Wild Things collection of bright, animal-inspired designs and evocative fragrances. The new design is available as a luxury scented candle and luxury reed diffuser, with refills available for both. Vessels featuring this season’s designs carry a unique edition number to highlight their collectability.

Ashleigh & Burwood Tel: +44 (0) 1932 267060 Email: info@ashleigh-burwood.co.uk www.ashleigh-burwood-trade.co.uk Home & Gift: Stand B65

New Floral Fragrance Adding to their highly successful RHS home fragrance collection, Wax Lyrical welcomes Hydrangea as a new floral fragrance for 2019. Available in a variety of candles, reed diffusers, room mists and more, this delightful fragrance opens with a bouquet of rose and white flowers enhanced with a touch of fresh green leaves on a warming base of amber.

Fragranced Gift Cards In addition to seven brand new occasions in the successful GiftScents collection of reed diffuser cards, Wax Lyrical have also developed new fragranced cards in their pun-inspired range which are ideal for fragrancing smaller spaces such as cars, wardrobes or small rooms.

Simply pick your occasion, write your message and make someone’s day with these quirky fragrance gifts.

Wax Lyrical Tel: 01229 461166 Email: info@waxlyricaltrade.com www.waxlyricaltrade.com

Fresh Citrus Fragrance Uplifting new scent Orange Grove joins Ashleigh & Burwood’s popular collection The Scented Home as a reed diffuser and diffuser refill.

Orange Grove is the verdant citrus scent of orange trees and their ripe fruit. Uplifting mandarin and sunny bergamot are brightened by a warm base of amber and sweet vanilla.

Revitalising and fresh citrus scents are an ideal accompaniment for the Spring/Summer season’s sunny and energised vibe.

Ashleigh & Burwood Tel: +44 (0) 1932 267060 Email: info@ashleigh-burwood.co.uk www.ashleigh-burwood-trade.co.uk Home & Gift: Stand B65

New Outdoor Candles New for 2019, a comprehensive range of Outdoor Luminara Soft Touch Living Flame Candles, weather resistant to IPX5 compliance for genuine outdoor use. The range includes ivory pillars and giant ivory pillars, both available in three heights.

Metal decorative lanterns in Vintage Bronze & Antique White, in both 12” and 16”, complete with Luminara Living Flame Candles. All Luminara candles offer a massive 500 hours burn time from two D batteries, included. They come with a 5 hour security timer and are infra-red enabled.

Luminara Tel: 01622 845995 Email: info@luminaracandles.co.uk or call www.luminaracandles.co.uk

Ultrasonic Style Cello has recently unveiled ultrasonic diffusers from Xystos which come in three different styles with colours to suit any décor. These are spearheaded by six decanters – Exotic Scales, Ocean Floor, Golden Rays, Galaxy Swirl, Nebular and Marble – while the Signature ultrasonic diffusers use fragrance burst colours and red and blue. There is also a simple dream catcher design. Essential oils have also been launched for the ultrasonic diffusers, comprising the UK’s 12 best-selling fragrances, as well as five unique, exclusive scents and the three new Spring/Summer fragrances.

Xystos Tel: 0191 499 1570 Email sales@xystos.co.uk www.xystostrade.co.uk

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What’s New

Inca Vases In stock now is this stunning collection of ceramic vases inspired by tribal, geometric shapes fusing Inca design with a contemporary look. Finished in a crisp, neutral grey and white wash, they look great in any room in the house. There are nine attractive shapes to choose from, including a tea light ball, urns and vases of various sizes. Click here to see the range.

Progressive Gifts & Home highlights some of the latest gift products to be showcased this month

Joe Davies Tel: 0161 975 6300, Email sales@joedavies.co.uk www.joedavies.co.uk Home & Gift: Stand Q-E18

Iconic Fridge Magnets 2019 marks the release of the final season of Game of Thrones, meaning that there is a new range of merchandise arriving from Nemesis Now. Continuing to expand their already successful collection of officially licensed products, they have now included a range of resin fridge magnets to pay homage to the iconic images, oaths and symbols of Westeros!

Released alongside their new Sigil goblet, Iron Throne chalice and House shot glasses, these magnets will give you the finest kitchen in the realm!

Nemesis Now Tel: 01782 596660 Email: sales@nemesisnow.com www.nemesisnow.com

All Of A Buzz Wild by name and wild by nature: Wild Things Gifts have always been passionate about conserving the British countryside, with regular donations to Devon Wildlife Trust, the Woodland Trust and Bees Abroad. Wild Things customers can now do their bit by creating a bee-friendly garden. Anyone who purchases the bee Crystal Fantasy will receive a free packet of seed sticks to let them sow a bee and butterfly flowerbed. Contact us for a new catalogue.

Wild Things Gifts Tel: 01392 211268 Email: sales@wildthingsgifts.com www.wildthingsgifts.com

Hard Rock Collectables Proudly display your love of AC/DC with Nemesis Now’s brand new and exclusive range of hard rocking collectables! Featuring resin tankards and shot glasses, as well as practical wallets and hip flasks - all emblazoned with the vibrant red and yellow AC/DC logo on a plain black background -these pieces are perfect for showing your allegiance to Australia’s rock and roll titans! Take a ride down the Highway to Hell with Nemesis Now today! All hail ACDC!

Nemesis Now Tel: 01782 596660 Email: sales@nemesisnow.com www.nemesisnow.com

Tote-ally Fabulous Equilibrium rattan and woven straw handbags with pom poms charms and beads are a key trend this season, adding colour and interest to any outfit, as do Equilibrium lightweight summer scarves. With colourful glitter and metallic fabrics in designs which reflect this season’s most coveted trends, these 'tote-ally' fabulous beach bags by Equilibrium make an eye-catching display. Joe Davies specialise in supplying to the independent retailer in their trademark ‘little and often’ quantities with carriage paid orders of just £100 for free nationwide delivery.

Hot Tomato Tel: 01225 422188 Email: sales@hot-tom.com www.hot-tom.com

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What’s New Progressive Gifts & Home highlights some of the latest gift products to be showcased this month

Festive Coupe Glassware Building on the successful launch of its Coupe glass collection from Lolita, Enesco is proud to present a new festive-themed champagne glass. Complementing the existing four glasses in the collection, the new Snowflake Coupe glass is the same champagne saucer-shape, featuring a long stem and broad shallow bowl.

Standing at 18.5cm tall and presented in a gift box, the new Snowflake Coupe glass retails with a SRP of £18.00.

Enesco Tel: 01228 404022 Email: uksales@enesco.co.uk www.enesco.co.uk

Faux Leather Purses We are loving these new Metallica purses just launched from Hot Tomato. Crafted in faux leather with an aged, vintage look, they cover all bases colourwise and further complement their growing range in this category. The smaller size (RRP: £14) has one side in silver and the other in gold. The larger design (RRP: £17) features a 50/50 colour match to both sides – win, win we say!

Hot Tomato Tel: 01225 422188 Email: sales@hot-tom.com www.hot-tom.com

Delightfully Doubled Double wraps, double whammy - Hot Tomato has been at it again with these gorgeous sparkly bracelets. Designed to be worn on their own or mixed and matched in with other favourites, these little lovelies are guaranteed to lift and brighten up any day. The double whammy part comes when you open them out and they transform into a sophisticated and understated necklace – what’s not to love!

Hot Tomato Tel: 01225 422188 Email: sales@hot-tom.com www.hot-tom.com

Spirit Of Summer Our gorgeous new high summer collections were designed to encompass summer spirit that can be worn at home or on holiday. Inspired by palm trees and ocean breeze our new straw pieces are perfect for channelling a chic summer style. Choose between our natural straw woven bags and pouches or our Callie beach bags, finished with a sunny metallic touch.

Katie Loxton Tel: 01295 250 879 www.katieloxton.com

Summer Sparkle Our high summer collections were inspired by chic summer moments, from golden days in the city to shimmering silver poolside reflections. Sure to give you a touch of summer sparkle our brand new summer ‘A Littles’ make the perfect gifts for every occasion. Finished with glimmering golden charms and lovely sentiments including Adventure Awaits and Happy Hour.

Joma Jewellery Tel: 01295 250 879 www.jomajewellery.com

Great Gift Books Planet Cat: Cat Wisdom from Ice House Books publishes this May. The gift book features colourful illustrations by Planet Cat alongside famous quotes and poetry about cats. The May The Thoughts Be With You Truth Journal, written and illustrated by Charlotte Reed, creator of May The Thoughts Be With You, also launches. With space to jot down your own thoughts and make a note of why you're feeling grateful, this journal is the positivity motivator we've all been looking for.

Ice House Books, Half Moon Bay’s Publishing Imprint Tel: 01225 473873 Email: sales@halfmoonbay.co.uk www.halfmoonbay.co.uk

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What’s New Progressive Gifts & Home highlights some of the latest gift products to be showcased this month

Gryffindor Mug Many Harry Potter fans have a kinship to the Gryffindor House, whether it is because it is the house of the Boy Who Lived or because it represents courage, bravery and determination. For those whose colours are that of red and gold, this Harry Potter Gryffindor style mug is the perfect gift to show their allegiance over a coffee break and maybe a pumpkin pasty or cauldron cake.

BB Designs Tel: 01923 804 805 Email: customerservices@bbdesignsonline.com www.bbdesignsonline.com

Unique Keyrings Groovy UK’s unique keyrings include the artist Frida Kahlo, Brandalised Bansky (the world’s most famous graffiti artist) - and Harry Potter.

Keyrings and charms are on trend and great for special occasion allowing you to buy a statement gift without breaking the bank. RRP:£6-£10. Groovy UK design and manufacture many unique gift lines including bathrobes, slippers, lighting, bags and ceramics. Licenses include Star Wars, Marvel, DC Comics, Fantastic Beasts, Mr. Men & Gudetama.

Groovy UK Tel: 0844 372 7820 Email: hello@groovyuk.co www.groovyuk.com

Statement Vases Add a touch of elegance to any home with these stunning Tree of Life vases. Available in two finishes, Gunmetal and Champagne, in various trendy vase shapes. The Tree of Life symbolises a fresh start, positive energy, good health and a bright future making these vases outstanding statement pieces. Joe Davies specialise in supplying to the independent retailer in their trademark ‘little and often’ quantities with carriage paid orders of just £100 for free nationwide delivery.

Groovy UK Tel: 0844 372 7820 Email: hello@groovyuk.co www.groovyuk.com

Floral Jewellery Pansies symbolise friendship, loyalty and remembrance making this brand new Equilibrium Pansy collection from Joe Davies (Home & Gift, Harrogate Stand Q-E18) a perfect gift for lovers of floral jewellery. Exquisitely detailed necklaces, bracelets, earrings and brooches, all in velvety violet tones, make up this pretty new range. Joe Davies specialise in supplying to the independent retailer in their trademark ‘little and often’ quantities with carriage paid orders of just £100 for free nationwide delivery.

Joe Davies Tel: 0161 975 6300, Email sales@joedavies.co.uk www.joedavies.co.uk Home & Gift: Stand Q-E18

Platform 9 ¾ Duffle Bag Most people were jealous of Hermione Granger's beaded handbag spelled with an undetectable extension charm. Well now, fans can have their own magical bag with this Harry Potter Platform 9 ¾ pack away duffle bag. Opening up the pouch to reveal a duffle bag triple the size, fans can have their own bit of extension magic. Great for weekends away or a quick get away from those pesky Death Eaters.

BB Designs Tel: 01923 804 805 Email: customerservices@bbdesignsonline.com www.bbdesignsonline.com

Brighten Your Day Brighten your day with Groovy’s instantly recognisable Harry Potter Kawaii character mood and string lights. These stylish decorations are great for those all-important Harry Potter themed bedrooms, game nights or party time. A great gift for any geek in the Harry Potter fandom, kids, tweens, teens and adults. Perfect for stocking stuffers, birthday presents or an incentive gift for passing exams or just for being fabulous!

RRP: String Lights: £10, Mood Light: £12.

Groovy UK Tel: 0844 372 7820 Email: hello@groovyuk.co www.groovyuk.com PROGRESSIVE GIFTS & HOME WORLDWIDE 6

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What’s New Progressive Gifts & Home highlights some of the latest gift products to be showcased this month

Genie Egg Cup Your morning wish is granted with a generous helping of fun and magic thanks to Paladone’s Genie egg cup. Designed like the popular Genie from the iconic Disney animation, Aladdin, your morning egg fits snugly into the Genie sitting imperiously upon the ever-reliable flying carpet. The Genie Egg Cup is an egg cup like no other, with a floating effect making it appear as if your breakfast is levitating!

Celebrating ‘Angels’ Travelling through the journey of life we are all touched by individuals who significantly shape our future in extraordinary ways. You Are An Angel has been inspired to recognise these special people with meaningful words of appreciation, gratitude and humble acknowledgement. In this context, You Are An Angel provides a selection of appealing gift products to present to the people who have significantly and positively affected the lives of those around them.

You Are An Angel honours those people who manifest goodness, purity and selflessness; a living soul that brightens the earth and all those around them. They are people one can truly love and trust due to their supportive and compassionate actions. In addition to the figurines, there are wish bottles and keyrings in the current You Are An Angel range. Gaeltag Keltika has added six beautifully packaged wine glasses along with a range of trinket dishes each bearing an inspirational message for the angel of your choice.

Gaeltag Keltika Tel: 0208 998 1781 Email: sales@gaeltag.com w.gaeltagkeltika.com

Paladone Tel: 01273 230037 Email: info@paladone.com paladone.com

Alien Shaped Mug Just in time for latest instalment of a truly iconic saga, enjoy a galactic cup of tea with everyone’s favourite alien in a super-fun Toy Story Alien Shaped Mug, designed by Paladone. This oversized mug is in the shape and design of one of the iconic aliens from the Toy Story movies and is a fantastic piece of Toy Story memorabilia, a great gift for fans of all ages.

Paladone Tel: 01273 230037 Email: info@paladone.com paladone.com

Food for Gifting WBM’s Himalayan Chef food products line being distributed by Xystos is ideal for gifting and self-purchase, perfect for foodies and those who want to display their kitchenware. There is a range of salt and pepper grinders – the salt is revealed in its natural pink – as well as a gift set featuring a cooking plate made of Himalayan Salt.

After being heated in the oven, it can be brought to the table for food to be cooked healthily – without the use of fat or oil – in front of guests.

Xystos Tel: 0191 499 1570 Email sales@xystos.co.uk www.xystostrade.co.uk

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Colourful Childhood Give the gift of happy memories with a bright, beautiful childhood record book from Colour Chronicles. Deemed as the continuation of the baby book, this stylish childhood memory book is to be filled out once a year from age one through to 16. It prompts delightful answers from the child and their grown up, preserving the years, building into a lasting treasury to be looked back on and jog happy memories of childhood. Available in six rainbow colours, there’s a book for everyone.

Colour Chronicles Tel: 07880 558888 Email: hello@colourchronicles.com www.colourchronicles.com

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What’s New Progressive Gifts & Home highlights some of the latest gift products to be showcased this month

Jazzy Journals Bright, fun journals are always a huge hit within the gift market, and this vibrant collection from Joe Davies is both eye-catching and practical.

The journals come in an array of finishes including metallic inks, spot gloss varnish and feature current on trend design and patterns.

They are made with high quality paper and supplied in a stylish counter display unit for easy display.Everything is available in ‘little and often’ quantities with carriage paid orders of just £100 and free nationwide delivery.

Irises & Hellebores Collaborating with the Royal Horticultural Society, Shruti’s brand new Irises and Hellebores collection is set to bring a touch of floral elegance to Spring. Trend-led inspirations give the collection a soft, oriental feel with rich navy backgrounds interspersed with pops of coral and mint, with beautiful gold foil detailing. Formats include scarves, bags, cosmetic bags and a glasses case, stainless steel water bottle and a gorgeous range of stationery items.

Shruti Tel: 01225 473873 Email: sales@halfmoonbay.co.uk www.halfmoonbay.co.uk

Joe Davies Tel: 0161 975 6300 Email: sales@joedavies.co.uk www.joedavies.co.uk

No More Twiddling Thumbs Fantastic Frida Frida Kahlo was a uniquely talented artist and activist, renowned for her self-portraits and works inspired by the nature and artefacts of Mexico, with Groovy UK very excited at having just signed the Frida Kahlo licence, boosting the creativity and unique style of Groovy, alongside growing new product areas within their licences. Beautiful print and pattern come together on a collection of apparel, accessories, bags, ceramics and stationery to create homage to one of the 20th century's most iconic women.

Groovy UK Tel: 0844 372 7820 Email: hello@groovyuk.com www.groovyuk.com

Our magnetic Twiddle pen makes the perfect gift for anyone that can’t sit still. The unique design gives its users multiple twiddle features that are guaranteed to keep any fidgeting needs fulfilled.

Perfect for relieving the boredom of mindless meetings or lectures!

Boxer Gifts Tel: 01133 955 595 Email: sales@boxergifts.com www.boxergifts.com

Inspired By Amalfi’s Coastline

Making Waves Equilibrium jewellery is truly making waves with this fun, summery range. This oceaninspired collection incorporates pearls, shells, seahorses and starfish to create delicate and pretty unique pieces.

Presented in beautiful gift boxes, each stunning piece is plated in either silver or rose gold. Joe Davies specialise in supplying to the independent retailer in their trademark ‘little and often’ quantities with carriage paid orders of just £100 for free nationwide delivery.

Dolce Vita is inspired by the beauty and vibrancy of Italy’s Amalfi coast portrayed in the cult 1960’s film by Federico Fellini. This citrusy, woody fragrance opens with fresh vibrant, bergamot, lemon, mandarin and orange, leading to a floral, aromatic heart of jasmine, rose, rosemary and sage. A base of patchouli, vetiver, amber and musk, lies beneath adding the perfect end to this fragrant journey along this picturesque Italian coastline.

Sandy Bay London Tel: +44 (0) 1992 579 949 Email: enquiries@sandybaylondon.com www.sandybaylondon.com

Joe Davies Tel: 0161 975 6300, Email sales@joedavies.co.uk www.joedavies.co.uk Home & Gift: Stand Q-E18 PROGRESSIVE GIFTS & HOME WORLDWIDE

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Online Retailer Face To Face: Trouva

Championing Independents For independent bricks and mortar retailers, ambitious online marketplace Trouva is creating a digital opportunity for shop owners to connect with customers on a global stage through expanding their presence online.

PG&H caught up with founder and ceo Mandeep Singh at the recent Retail Week Live conference to discover more about a company described as “the web equivalent of those cool, curated shops you find off the beaten track.”

Prior to starting Trouva, Mandeep Singh was a retail consultant and retail investor. “I spent a lot of time working with the large multiples and it got frustrating,” he explains.

“They can’t see the future that’s coming, that technology is changing retail, and that retail itself is changing. Before we started Trouva I lived around the corner from London’s Oxo Tower, and had always thought that the independent stores not only had beautiful products but also offered a great customer experience,” he continues. “However, these shops were only known to their local customers. When we launched Trouva, it was very important to us that every boutique had its own page and location map, so that people who couldn’t get to their store physically could still shop with them but online.”

So exactly what does Trouva offer to independent retailers? “We started out in 2013 with the aim of building an independent community, enabling the very best independent retailers to expand their reach,” explains Mandeep. “We went out on the streets, meeting people and talking about what we wanted to do. In fact, many of our key independents have been with us since the very beginning, joining the Trouva ‘community’ before we’d officially started.

The aim has always been to find customers for our boutiques, both in the UK and internationally, who would otherwise shop with the multiples.”

Above: Mandeep (left) was recently among the Retail Week Live conference panellists.

The company, which officially launched three-and-a-half years ago, currently employs over 80 people and is based in London on the edge of trendy Shoreditch. It is split into four teams: technical, which builds software for boutiques; operations, which deals with customer queries on behalf of Trouva registered boutiques; logistics and liaison, which sends out the products, and marketing, which focuses on finding new customers for the boutique owners consumers who would not necessarily be aware of them. (All boutiques are also given Trouva stickers saying, ‘I am a Trouva boutique’).

Right: Mandeep Singh, founder and ceo of Trouva.

“We take great pride in the back stories of our amazing boutique owners,” Mandeep states. An example is Rigby & Mac, the online store for the award winning gift, home and fashion outlet The Dulwich Trader in South London. “It was started by Penny Tomlinson in 1989, the mother of Dan Rigby, who now co-owns the business with his wife Katharine Maclaverty. “It’s a really interesting back story, and it’s these type of stories that really resonate with Trouva customers, equating to walking into a bricks and mortar store and chatting to the staff.”

On the technical side, the company has also invested hugely in digital marketeers. “We are getting our message out through social media channels such as Facebook and Google, as well through coverage in the national and international press and consumer magazines. In this way, people are finding out about our beautiful independent boutiques and their unique products.”

Trends are seen as very important to the success of Trouva. “When we see a trend explode it immediately attracts thousands of customers from around the world who want to buy into it,” says Mandeep. “Obviously, the more the boutiques sell, the more stock they can buy. In fact, we can now offer a deal where we can give our retailers loans and credit to help them increase their stock levels.”

Summing up, Mandeep says, “we can only take revenue if our boutiques are doing well, so If we make them successful then we are successful too.”

Trouva: The Lowdown l Trouva, a collective of successful independent retailers, officially launched in 2015. l Currently, it has signed 450 of the best boutiques and is seeing rapid growth. l In the past year, the company has expanded into Europe, to include Berlin and Paris,

and also sells products from independents in cities such as Amsterdam, Madrid and Copenhagen. l In 2019, Trouva won the Retail Week Emerging Retailer award.

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This GIN-sperational range of exquisite bloom gin glasses is perfect for even the most discerning of gin snobs!

Beautifully Foiled Packaging

I’ll I’ll TO THAT! TO THAT!

GIN GIN

£9.99 RRP

www.boxerwholesale.com

Mother’s

LET THE GOOD TIMES

Be LET THE GOOD TIMES Be

GIN GIN

GIN SNOB

Age Range 18-70 Sales Telephone: +44 (0)1133 955 595

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Email: sales@boxergifts.com

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LESLEY DUNNE

SOUNDING OFF Right and below: Mother’s Day was a hit for Feathering Your Nest.

Mum’s The Word

Feathering Your Nest in Rayleigh had a cracking Mother’s Day this year, but Father’s Day is proving more a of a challenge, explains owner Lesley Dunne. Also, what’s made Lesley take a leaner attitude to holding stock?

“This Mother’s Day, I gave thanks to St Homobonus, patron saint of business owners - an Italian merchant from the 12th century who was canonised by Pope Innocent III for his hard work, honesty, charity, integrity and humility in his trade as a merchant and shop owner.

Seriously, I'm not overly religious, but I do have my own beliefs and respect yours too, whatever they are. Anyway, one reason I was thankful was that it was a late Mother's Day. Hooray! I truly hate the retail calendar when Mother’s Day is early as I need to draw breath between Christmas, Valentine's Day and Mother’s Day. For one thing, it gives me time for stock to arrive, and also for suppliers to replenish their goods. The windows get a full glorious display of tempting treats, instead of being cramped in alongside Valentine’s and even Easter, which has been the case in previous years.

So for me, the season was beautifully timed at the end of the month and not a snowflake to be seen from the heavens above. Yay! It was a stark comparison to the previous year when we suffered heavy snow the week before Mother’s Day, hampering shopping trips. For Feathering Your Nest, it was completely and utterly crammed into a one week frenzy which was not good for the faint hearted! This year saw a slower build up for the shop, which helped keep the palpitations at bay, with fears of being left overstocked. Thankfully, (I'm sure the prayers helped), the day was, as always,

super fun. We loved seeing our loyal troop of men. and it was a pleasant surprise to see how much their children had grown.

The sales were very good, just under last year - which was our best day ever in 14 years - but the month was comfortably up. (My heart much prefers the spread out version).

I have been cautiously ordering so far this year, taking heed from last year, which, for many retailers, wasn’t the best. Last year's retail difficulties - freezing winter, heatwave summer, Brexit uncertainty and continuous gloomy news on the state of the high streets - has made me revisit how much stock I carry. Our large stock room has some empty shelves, which feels somewhat uncomfortable for someone who finds it hard to resist the allure of trade show displays.

Some suppliers are bemused. Many have enjoyed my large orders for the last 14 years. However, my accountant is a very happy man. We have made more profit this year and bought less stock. Or perhaps I’ve just bought better. You can't please all of the people all of the time.

Meanwhile, seeking out Father’s Day gifts is always a trial. Why are men so difficult to buy for? In all fairness, we are known as the ‘go to’ girlie shop. We've tried lots of men's ranges and trends, but maybe it's just me wanting them to fly out of the door as fast as the pretty girlie goodies.

Alas, they struggle. This year though, we have tried the Scottish Fine Soaps men's collection which smells divine and has gone well, along with plaques, whisky and gin glasses, stones, cufflinks for city gents, photo frames (Joe Davies’ white with grey script are the best sellers at £9.99), water bottles and some delightful pens. However, I'm afraid that unless it's ‘techie’ it just goes in the drawer never to be seen again!

At Feathering Your Nest, we don't expect anything like Mother’s Day sales, but it will give a decent boost to the figures for a couple of weeks. You can't have everything in life, so I'm more than happy with our reputation as a ‘girlie’ shop.

With half the year sailing right past in the blink of an eye, my sights are now firmly set on Home & Gift in Harrogate.

Don't look now but Christmas is coming!

Happy sales retailers!”

PROGRESSIVE GIFTS & HOME WORLDWIDE

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Best Sellers Progressive Gifts & Home asked a selection of retailers about the products which have been flying off their shelves this month.

Stephanie Morrison, owner, The Gift Box, Peebles A small to medium gift and card shop on the high street.

CATEGORY

SUPPLIERS/RANGES

COMMENT

Decorative Home Accessories

Rader: white ceramics

Minimalistic statement pieces, such as a vase with a gold heart. Well priced and well packaged.

Fragranced Giftware

Lily Flame: candles in a tin

A constant best seller. The candles burn true to their fragrance and the quality is great. Fairy Dust remains a best seller.

The colourful wax melts continue to sell well, with the burner an add on sale.

Bomb Cosmetics: Little Hotties

Jewellery

One Button: across the board;

Bright bold jewellery that’s very design led.

Fashion Accessories

Peace of Mind: across the board

Everything sells through. We sells lots of scarves. Products are well priced and well packaged.

Greeting Cards

Belly Button: Elle

These cards sell and sell. The company keep updating and bringing out new designs that cover all occasions.

Giftwrap

Glick

Trend driven, good quality wrap.

Other Hot Hits

Rachel Ellen: children’s gifts

Fabulous designs, very colourful. Ideal for children.

Caroline Boydell, owner, Hugs & Kisses, Wolverhampton (2 shops) Both gift shops are small to medium – one in a village and the other on a secondary site.

CATEGORY

SUPPLIERS/RANGES

COMMENT

Decorative Home Accessories

Richard Lang: across the board;

Well priced design-led home accessories. Lots of lovely girlie items.

A huge choice of home accessories to include a wide range of photo frames.

Joe Davies: across the board

Fragranced Giftware

Marmalade: candles and diffusers; Lily Flame: candles in a tin

Beautiful fragrances.

Jewellery

Life Charms: bracelets

The Just Because bracelets, which come boxed, are very popular with customers.

Fashion Accessories

Peace Of Mind: across the board

We stock scarves, jewellery, ponchos and pashminas. Everything is great quality and design-led.

Greeting Cards

Wendy Jones-Blackett

Both Cloud Nine and Quicksilver are great ranges for us. There are always new designs and the cards sell through very quickly.

Giftwrap

Glick

Bright colourful wrap in trendy designs. The rollwrap is beautiful too.

Other Hot Hits

House of Sarunds: Belgian chocolates

These Belgian chocolates are incredibly popular with our customers.

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PROGRESSIVE GIFTS & HOME WORLDWIDE

Our best seller by far is Fairy Dust.

78-79.qxp_72-73 30/04/2019 12:41 Page 79

Sarah Barrington, owner, Blue Dog, Clare, Suffolk A small to medium gift shop on the high street.

CATEGORY

SUPPLIERS/RANGES

COMMENT

Decorative Home Accessories

LSA: Flower range;

Lovely, quality glassware at a reasonable price.

A super range of small rugs in muted shades.

Walton & Co: rugs

Fragranced Giftware

St Eval: candle tins

Wild & Wolf: Folklore

These are such an excellent seller that I struggle to keep them in stock.

Hand creams and lip balms come in very appealing packaging.

Jewellery

White Leaf: brass range

Silver and gold plated brass necklaces and earrings. Simple designs with a broad appeal.

Fashion Accessories

Quintessential: silk scarves;

Very reasonably priced and the designs are always being updated. A great seller for us.

Bamboo socks with fun designs for men and women.

Thought: socks Greeting Cards

Art Angels

Lovely art cards. We have stocked them from day one and wouldn’t want to be without them.

Giftwrap

Penny Kennedy

Excellent quality wrap and tissue with some top licensed designs.

Other Hot Hits

Bob & Blossom: children’s ‘age’ T shirts

Lovely quality and a perfect birthday present.

Sarah Marshall, owner, The Dotty House, Tyne and Wear A small gift shop on a secondary high street.

CATEGORY

SUPPLIERS/RANGES

COMMENT

Decorative Home Accessories

Betsy Benn: cushions;

Good quality cushions that we get personalised to reflect our geographical area.

Fun, funky bang-on-trend homewares.

Quail: ceramic collectables

Fragranced Giftware

Thomas Street: candles; Hammond & Gower: candles

Jewellery

Christian Ranger: silver;

Peace of Mind: across the board

Fabulous fragrances that sell really well.

Lovely candles that have family captions on them.

Great packaging too.

Gorgeous rings, earrings and necklaces based around flowers such as lilies and orchids.

The spinning rings are very popular as are the silver earrings and bracelets.

Fashion Accessories

Hot Tomato: across the board

Scarves, jewellery and bags are affordable and good quality.

Greeting Cards

Lines Behind

This is a North East company who do humorous cards which are based around e.g. Greggs and Nando’s.

Giftwrap

Glick

Good variety and high quality wrap for all occasions.

Other Hot Hits

Jola Designs

Jola’s babygros, cushions, blankets and muslins make great gifts and can be personalised too.

PROGRESSIVE GIFTS & HOME WORLDWIDE

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Best Sellers

What better testimonial for products than those of your fellow retailers. Here's all the information you need to get in touch and start stocking!

QUAIL CERAMICS T: 01304 379901 E: info@quailceramics.co.uk W: www.quailceramics.co.uk

WENDY JONES-BLACKETT T: 0113 2888468 E: info@wendyjonesblackett.co.uk W: www.wendyjonesblackett.co.uk

HOT TOMATO T: 01225 422188 E: www.hot-tom.com W: sales@hot-tom.com

JOE DAVIES T: 0161 975 6300 E: sales@joedavies.co.uk W: www.joedavies.co.uk

GLICK T: 01274 655980 E: info@glick.co.uk W: www.glick.co.uk

LILY FLAME T: 01963 240 463 E: info@lily-flame.co.uk W: www.lily-flame.co.uk

WILD & WOLF T: 01225 789909 E: sales@wildandwolf.co.uk W: www.wildandwolf.co.uk

LANGS T: 01332 340927 E: sales@richardlang.co.uk W: www.richardlang.co.uk

BELLY BUTTON DESIGNS T: 0161 902 0200 E: sales@bellybuttondesigns.com W: www.bellybuttontradeshop.co.uk Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide

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BEHIND THE COUNTER

Alex Kirkham Having originally trained in pharmacy, Alex Kirkham changed career three years ago. She joined The Barn At The Hollies in Little Budworth as a retail assistant and hasn’t looked back.

Above: Alex Kirkham at The Greats Awards in 2018.

Right: The Barn at The Hollies.

“I came to The Hollies with my CV wanting a change of scene,” explains Alex. “After spending three months in Africa, I decided I wanted to try something a little more light-hearted than pharmacy, which I am trained in. Originally this was a short-term plan, but here I am, three years later. I remember my first shift with The Barn manager Angie, explaining the importance of titivating, and sharing with me her favourite saying “you don’t have to be crazy to work here, we’ll train you.” At the end of the shift we had a little hug and that has become a habit between all of us.”

She continues: “When you think ‘retail assistant’ you think of the stereotypical

role, but, in reality, no day is the same.

Days range from meeting new suppliers to creating displays, pricing and ordering.

Sometimes it’s nice just to pick up a brush and sweep the floor!”

Alex says that what she loves most about being in retail is interacting with

LAST WORD

Petah Marian

Above: Petah Marian.

Right: Disneyworld Florida.

Petah Marian has been a senior editor at international trend forecasters WGSN Insight for three and a half years.

Her role follows a decade of experience in retail and business journalism, where she wrote for publications such as Drapers, Retail Week and Just-style. Petah was also editor of Menswear Insight.

Which three words best describe you?

“Curious, optimistic, adventurous.”

no dial-up internet, no smart phones, no Amazon.”

What was your first job?

“I worked as a dance teacher.”

What advice would you would give to someone else?

“Try new things, you never know where they might lead.”

How did you get into trend forecasting?

“I started out as a trade journalist and from there I fell into trend forecasting.”

What was the best piece of business advice you’ve ever been given?

“Remember when to stop. It’s just work.”

What’s your favourite film?

“You’ve Got Mail, or anything else created

by Nora Ephron. It’s so of its era. There’s 74

Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide

Tell us a quirky fact we don’t know about you?

“When I was 15 I was a dancer at Disneyworld in Florida.”

Where’s your favourite place to go on holiday?

“My next destination - wherever that might be!”

people. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet people from all walks of life. I love building relationships with customers and being able to give my customer service a personal touch. It’s always nice when customers share a little bit about themselves, and it also brightens up my day when a customer pops in that I have met through The Hollies, or from previous employment, and we have a mini reunion.”

She adds that working for an independent, especially one as loved as The Hollies, is underrated. “Little things perk up your day, such as a coffee in the morning and saying ‘hello’ to Richard (the owner, Ed Cowap’s dad). I love getting involved in new tasks. When we have events, or new stock arrives, we are able to get creative, and it’s a little pat on the back when a wholesaler uses your displays on their website/ trade brochures. Buying trips are especially fun, being let loose to be a bit adventurous!”

Concludes Alex: “I think my time here is so enjoyable as it happened unexpectedly, not what I had ever planned, and it’s the love for it that has turned it from a few months into a few years.”

What’s your favourite TV show?

“The Good Place.”

How do you start and end your day?

“Meditation, meditation.”

What’s your home like given your role as a trend forecaster?

“Full of bits and pieces that I’ve collected on my travels.”

Which one - OK, two - things you would take to a desert island?

“A notepad and pen.”

000_GH_May June 2019_rev.qxp_Layout 1 13/05/2019 13:47 Page 91

BESPOKE

GIFT IMPORTERS & DISTRIBUTORS

Manufacturer & distributor at your door.

Your one stop shop for bespoke photo frames.

It costs as little as £250 per annum to advertise in the Product Directory.

Contact Angie Bryant on 01993 212 994 for further information.

Just a few reasons to buy from Joe Davies

Wood, plastic, metal & glass frames.

Over 8000 gift items Low £100 minimum order ‘Little & Often’ order system Free carriage

T: 01908976443 E: sales@homsquare.co.uk www.homsquare.co.uk

Please contact our Award Winning sales staff for further details.

Tel: l 0161 975 6300 Email sales@joedavies

www.joedavies.co.uk

GIFTS & GREETINGS

TRADE ASSOCIATION

The Giftware Association is at the heart of the UK’s gift and home industry with 70 years unique experience listening to your needs and finding solutions to your problems. We can help you make money, save money and save time with or knowledge and contacts within the industry.

on to Su lin the bs c e at new rib PG s e Bu flas zz h .n et

Website: www.ga-uk.org Email: enquiries@ga-uk.org Tel: 0121 237 1104 10 Vyse St, Birmingham B18 6LT

Giftsandhome.net - launching May 3, 2018 Launching on 3 May 2018, GiftsandHome.net will be the new online resource for the entire gifts and home sector. From the publishers of Progressive Gifts & Home, and the organisers of The Greats gift retailer awards, this new e-newsflash portal and website will deliver and be the hub of the very latest news, views, and analysis from across the gifts arena, covering both the supplier and retailer aspects of the trade.

Launching with an unrivalled email subscriber base of over 8,000 readers, a twice-weekly newsflash (sent every Monday and Thursday) will land directly in the inboxes of everyone in this fast-paced sector.

A modern, easy to navigate website will provide a central resource for the trade too, offering pithy news, indepth articles, an industry jobs board, retail analysis, digital issues of Progressive Gifts & Home, and much, much more.

All advertising on the website is duplicated to each and every newsflash, giving advertisers huge visibility and a direct connection with retail buyers for a whole calendar month.

GiftsandHome.net is published by gift sector experts, for gift trade experts.

We’d love you to be part of it!

Advertising and Commercial Opportunities:

Advertisement Manager - Angie Bryant angieb@max-publishing.co.uk

From the team behind Progressive Greetings Worldwide, PG Live, The Retas and The Henries, PGBuzz.net has launched as the new online central resource for the greeting card sector online...

News, Editorial and Content Opportunities:

Editorial and Content Opportunities:

Jakki Brown Joint md & editorial director jakkib@max-publishing.co.uk

Editor - Sue Marks sue@suemarks.co.uk

●

Twice weekly newsflash delivered to over 9000 inboxes

●

Regularly updated jobs-board

●

The very latest news, views, articles and analysis

●

Digital issues of Progressive Greetings Worldwide

●

Dedicated pages for the GCA and The Ladder Club

Warren Lomax warren@max-publishing.co.uk

●

Up to date information on PG Live, The Retas, and The Henries

Tracey Arnaud traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

Michelle Board News editor michelleb@max-publishing.co.uk

Advertising, Recruitment and Sponsorship Opportunities:

@Prog_Gifts

News • PG Worldwide • Interviews • PG Live • Newsflash • Events Gallery • Jobs • Ladder Club • GCA

75 24_PG_June 2017.indd 1

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Recycled, Plastic Free, Handmade & Fair Trade A Beautiful British Designed Eco Friendly Gift

The Meg Hawkins Collection combines Tilnar Art’s signature range of recycled food safe aluminium bowls, coasters and dishes with Meg Hawkins stunning wildlife paintings.

They are Fair Trade and hand made by Indian artisans.

The products are cast, then rough polished and enamelled before being beautifully finished with a smooth polish.

Every one of these items is individually made to the very highest quality. Each product is not only recycled but is completely recyclable and comes in a superb plastic free presentation box making a perfect eco-friendly gift.

Meg Hawkins is a licensed, award winning British watercolour artist. Meg works from her studio in Shropshire, from where she sells her work all over the world. Now you have the chance to own a Meg Hawkins piece of artwork on a handmade, Fair Trade and Recycled Aluminium bowl, coaster or dish.

COLLECTION

by Tilnar Art

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