Progressive Greetings December 2022

ON THE CARDS

As I write this millions of English men, women and children have a spring in their step - sorry Welsh readers! - with the 3 Lions having roared in Qatar to take the England team through to the next round of the World Cup.

It was the expected outcome, but odd things can happen on a football pitch and indeed in life that takes matters in another direction. From talking to retailers, I sense this is how many of them are feeling about Christmas trade this year. Greeting card retail stockists are most definitely ‘match fit’ (see page 11 for some twinkly proof), their displays exuding how our publisher ‘players’ have clearly put in the training, evident they know what they are doing, including some innovative moves on their Christmas ranges, both in packaging and design execution.

We now just need those goals!

It is so maddening, after so many months of talks, that Royal Mail has not been able to come to an agreement with the CWU with all the pre-Christmas postal strikes still set to go ahead.

Sir Henry Cole, who invented the Christmas card in 1843 as well as being a pioneer of the Penny Post, would share in the industry’s frustrations that at a time when our product really comes into its ownsending love and making connections with those who colour our lives - obstacles are being put in its way.

Of course Christmas cards will be bought, written and sent, but time will tell of how dampening the postal strikes will be on this important British tradition.

As an aside, a dead cert on my Christmas shopping list is a copy of actress Emma Thompson’s new book, Jim’s Spectacular Christmas, based on Sir Henry’s real life little dog, which has resulted in some unexpected PR for the industry. I loved listening to Emma making the most of her star spot on Chris Evans’ Virgin Radio Breakfast Show, especially Chris’ admittance that he thought the book’s mention of Sir Henry inventing the Christmas card was fiction but Emma exclaimed “he invented the blooming Christmas card” to which the presenter said: “Well,

somebody had to, it’s like the spoon, somebody had to invent it!”

While on the subject of inventiveness, this edition includes a special article on 3D and pop-up cards. As someone who never had the patience or the exact dexterity to crack origami, I am in awe of the paper engineering magic that greeting card publishers conjure up.

David Falkner, director of 3D card company Cardology reminded me of Henry Ford’s famous quip before he invented the Model T Ford motorcar: “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have asked me for faster horses”.

This industry has showed time and time again how inventive and resilient it is, this Christmas will be another example of this.

From all of us at PG, we hope that the nation’s festive feelings kick in, making for a very merry Christmas for you and your business.

Publishing Ltd, United House, North Road, London N7 9DP Tel: 020 7700 6740 Fax: 020 7607 6411 www.progressivegreetings.co.uk

Max

Above: Festive Friday preparations! The GCA’s Adriana Lovesy (left) and Amanda Fergusson with PG’s Jakki Brown (right) writing all the association’s Christmas cards, that this year was designed by Ricicle Cards and printed by Windles.

Left: Emma Thompson with her book based on Sir Henry Cole’s dog.

The Home Straight?

David Robertson, co-owner of JP Pozzi shares his thoughts about this year’s run up to Christmas.

20-21 Cardsharp

The Factory’s Jubilee

PG columnist considers some of the changes to Card Factory over the last two and a half decades. 22-25 Viewpoints

The Pricing Froth

Members of the greeting card community share their opinions on pricing for 2023.

26-27 In Conversation With…Stephanie Dyment Full Circle

Having forged a significant licensing agreement with Woodmansterne, Stephanie Dyment shares the full circle story.

29-33 Focus on…3D and Pop-up Cards

Off You Pop!

PG delves into the magic - and paper engineering - behind pop-ups and 3D cards.

PG taps into the vibes of the children’s greeting card genre. 49 Art Source All Mapped Out

Greeting card designer Anna Andrews shares her creative journey into cards. 51-52 What’s Hot? A quad of retailers lift the lid on their best-selling ranges. 53-63 Sources of Supply

Subscribe to Progressive Greetings from £60 (UK) to £90 (International). You can organise this quickly and easily online at our secure site: www.max-subscriptions.net For assistance, please email subscriptions@max-publishing.co.uk

Editor/Joint Owner jakkib@max-publishing.co.uk

PG is the official magazine for the Greeting Card Association GCA: Amanda Fergusson 020 7619 9266 Email: hello@gca.cards www.greetingcardassociation.org.uk

Tracey Bearton Features Editor traceyb@max-publishing.co.uk

Jakki Brown

Warren Lomax Joint Owner warren@max-publishing.co.uk

Ian Hyder Joint Owner ianh@max-publishing.co.uk

Tracey Arnaud Sales Manager traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

TOP STORY

Royal Mail’s Festive Strikes

Sadly for the greeting card industry, the “best and final offer” from Royal Mail hasn’t been enough to stop postal workers taking further industrial action, disrupting mail delivery at the busiest time, with strike days planned for 9, 11, 14, 15 and 23 December.

As PG went to press, the preChristmas strikes were confirmed as still going ahead after seven months of talks between Royal Mail and the Communication Workers’ Union ended on Tuesday 22 November.

Royal Mail said it had made its "best and final offer" and accused the union of

“We were led to believe that Royal Mail was looking for a premium weekend delivery service potentially in exchange for support for their request to relax some of their Universal Service obligations,” Amanda Fergusson, ceo of the GCA told PG. However, at a recent meeting with the GCA, Royal Mail said the huge losses felt by the company, combined with the continued reduction in letters and impact of ongoing strikesand extensions that have just been announced - left it with no option other than to ask the government to move to five days a week letter delivery.

Fiona Hamilton, head of public affairs Royal Mail Group (RMG), said it is however keen to work with the GCA “to find ways to mitigate the impact on the card sector”.

Crumpet Cello-brations

It’s cello-bration time at Toasted Crumpet as the publisher is now happily completely naked - well there’s not a shred of cellowrap on any of its cards now.

"holding Christmas to ransom", but the CWU claimed the offer would "spell the end of Royal Mail as we know it".

But adding insult to injury for the greeting card sector, is the news that Royal Mail has gone to government asking to move to a five-day delivery for cards and letters - cutting Saturdays from the schedule, while keeping the more profitable six-day parcel services.

The GCA acted swiftly to buttonhole Royal Mail about this damaging request and also issued a call to action for its members to contact their respective MPs to lobby against such a change to the Universal Service obligations of the postal operator in the UK.

Growth streak

The past few weeks has seen a flurry of garden centre acquisitive action. Blue Diamond has acquired Van Hage’s three outlets, Hillier has taken over Rosebourne’s three centres, and British Garden Centres has added Whiteleys to its portfolio, renaming it as Mirfield to recognise its location.

Following a reported £219m loss in the six months to September against a £235m profit the previous year and a warning it may need to cut up to 10,000 jobs by next August, in a press release RMG’s non-executive chairman Keith Williams said: “A sustainable future must also include urgent reform of the Universal Service obligations.”

The GCA council’s Royal Mail subcommittee is led by council member David Falkner, director of Cardology, who said: “Both the timing and content of Royal Mail’s announcement appear somewhat curious, in circumstances where Royal Mail have consistently told us they recognise customers want their greeting cards to arrive at the weekend, but Royal Mail have yet to develop the products that would meet this need.”

The GCA is also galvanising support from its membership, consumer media and other interested parties.

“Now all of our greeting cards are cello free, we’re really pleased to see an uptick in card sales,” revealed the company’s founder and creative director Jo Clarke. “Our cards are printed on a beautifully-textured uncoated and sustainably-sourced card stock and look amazing when out of their cellos - it’s no coincidence that our two best-selling card ranges have only ever been available cello-free.”

Jo estimates that going cello free equates to a saving of around 1.5 tonnes of single-use plastic going to landfill per year.

Toasted Crumpet is a paid-up member of On Product Recycling Logo (OPRL) to ensure all packaging is clearly labelled with disposal information, so going naked was a natural progression as part of its ongoing sustainability commitment.

Above: Toasted Crumpet’s new The Mulberry Collection is cello-free and comes with a redesigned eco-clasp.

Date for Dragons

The next GCA Dragons Speed Dating (DSD) will take place on the afternoon of 2 March 2023 at London’s Business Design Centre. Booking will open on the GCA site at mid-day on 12 December

There will be an early-bird booking price of £135 which will run until the 6 January after which it will be £150. There is a maximum of 72 publisher places, so booking early is advised. Each attendee will have 10 minute dates with three retail buyers as well as learning from panelists

Georgina Fihosy (Afro Touch Design), Rebecca Green (Raspberry Blossom), Sarah Jackson (Stormy Knight), Brett Smith (Emotional Rescue), Nick Carey (Abacus Cards) as well as a legal expert from Briffa who will answer questions on copyright and licensing.

A Zoom pre-meeting to help attendees prepare will take place at 11am on Tuesday 31 January 2023, headed up by award winning indie Sarah Laker of Stationery Supplies.

GCA instigates a fight to save Saturday postal deliveries

Above: Blue Diamond, Hillier and British Garden Centres have all expanded.

Above: The CWU strikes have caused upheaval for those sending greeting cards.

Countdown to Christmas

Indies pull out the stops on displays

“This is normally the home straight,” wrote David Robertson of JP Pozzi in his column in this edition of PG referring to Christmas trade (see pages 18-19).

“This is normally when we are always a little worried that the tills will ring but secretly at the back of our minds we know that it always comes… This year however it is different,” he adds, not oblivious to comments from customers

and fellow retailers that the ‘normal’ Christmas frenzy is not a given as the nation battles with a cost-ofliving crisis, Royal Mail strikes and general unrest.

That said, indies especially have pulled out the stops on their festive displays, going all out to bring Christmas cheer to the UK’s high streets. PG shares a pictorial roundup from just some of them…

Top: The Medici Gallery in South Kensington went for it on Advent calendar sales.

Above left: There is a distinctly gingerbread flavour at The Highworth Emporium, near Swindon.

Above: Maybugs’ Eastbourne store is all wrapped up in lights.

Left: There’s was a right royal flavour to the mix of Christmas and new interiors at the Solihull outlet of Bentley’s and Madison - and the card racks feature in the mirror.

Below left: Starlight star bright at Box of Delights in Flitwick.

Below: A stunning tree adds the finishing touch at In Heaven At Home in Market Harborough.

No laughing matter

Comedian Joe Lycett has turned his campaigning attentions and used his high media profile to help artists and publishers left out of pocket when Paperchase collapsed in 2021 through selling his own designs on Christmas cards.

And it has gone down so well with Joe’s fans that the £15 packs of five limited edition Christmas cards sold out - twice!

Publicising the cards via Twitter and his own website the socially-conscious comedian said: “When Paperchase went into administration in January 2021, they retained more than £7million worth of stock. Since reopening under new ownership, they have been selling that stock without the original artists recouping their costs.”

Above: Joe Lycett’s five-card packs have sold out twice.

Bigging it up at Austin & Co

Austin & Co has really ‘bigged up’ some of The Art File’s Christmas cards, literally.

“Some would relish such a large window that once belonged to a department store but, as a small independent shop, the space raises questions of whether you fill it full of stock or go big,” said Sean Austin , owner of Austin & Co in Malvern. “Given the size of our shop’s window, it would cost a small fortune just to put stock in there.”

It was when ordering Christmas cards from The Art File back at the start of the year that Sean spotted the St Nicholas Street Christmas card range. “I instantly thought it would make the ideal Christmas window - and, from a card measuring barely 7”x5", The Art File kindly produced the card images as A0 posters.”

Austin & Co’s Malvern

Cards feature in festive ads

While Christmas trees, wintry scenes, turkey, and brussels sprouts abound in this year’s festive adverts from major retailers, there’s a distinct shortage of Christmas cards!

Only Boots, M&S Gifts, Sports Direct, M&S Food, and Tesco briefly feature shots of Christmas cards, while John Lewis’ The Beginner story features a Woodmansterne’s advent calendar.

Tesco’s ad includes cards on the mantlepiece in the cheery Christmas dinner scene while M&S Food commercial features Dawn French and comedy partner Jennifer Saunders with a smattering of cards seen hanging either side of the fireplace.

In Boots Joy For All ad, It’s A Sin star Lydia West finds a pair of specs while on a bus and, when she wears them, they show her a very magical Christmas, but you have to wait for the very last shot of the ad to see a Christmas card.

There are however two sightings of greeting cards in M&S Gifts’ ad, with greeting card ‘washing lines’ on the wall.

And finally, Sports Direct has aired ads featuring Eric Cantona, Mason Mount, Thierry Henry, Emma Hayes, and Gabriel Tyldesley which incorporate glimpses of Christmas cards.

Above: Woodmansterne’s Milan Cathedral advent calendar features in the John Lewis advert.

Left:

window which features enlarged Christmas cards from The Art File.

Exceeding expectations

In the same week that Card Factory was named as one of the UK’s best employers, the retailer also revealed its trading in the second half of its financial year, has been better than expected, with its share price having jumped 45% following the announcement.

Delivering the good news, a trading update confirmed: “Trading in the second half to date has been stronger than expected, particularly across our everyday ranges. This strong performance has largely been driven by our stores, which have seen year-to-date like-for-like sales up 6.2% compared to the previous year.”

Referring to the “peak trading” Christmas period, the statement said the company was “encouraged by the start to this season with sales marginally ahead of expectations” and all internationallysourced seasonal stocks have landed in the UK, with a significant proportion already delivered to store.

With both online and commercial partnerships said to be performing in line with expectations, Card Factory is now forecasting its EBITDA for the year will be at least £96million, up from the previously predicted £88.8m, giving an expected pre-tax profit of £37.5m.

The retailer’s post-Christmas trading update is due on 17 January 2023.

It has not just been Card Factory’s financials that have sent out positive waves as the retail group has also been feted as one of the best large company employers in the UK. The Best Companies’ league table put the specialist retailer 15th in the nation’s best big companies overall, alongside businesses such as Wilmott Dixon - the building firm came top - Admiral Group, The Works, Hobbycraft, Skipton Building Society, UK Power Networks, Hotel Chocolat, and Howdens

Card Factory earned a two-star outstanding accreditation from Best Companies for its latest employee engagement survey, improving on the one-star very good status earlier in the year.

Card Factory came third in the best big retail list, behind Hobbycraft and The Works, and were 16th out of all retailers, where Beaverbrooks jewellers came top, and the best companies include online stationer Papier and Buyagift

Wrendale’s £15,000 royal tribute

A sweet drawing that went viral after the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has resulted in Wrendale Designs making a £15,000 donation to The Dogs Trust charity.

Hannah Dale, founder and creative maestro of Wrendale, drew the picture of Her Majesty, Prince Philip and a Corgi sitting on a bench, and turned it into a limited-edition print with all profits going to the animal charity which held a special place in the late Queen’s affections.

Hannah posted the drawing on social media with the message “A small tribute to our wonderful Queen who dedicated her life in service to our country. Rest in peace your Majesty” after her death was announced on 8 September. Within hours the image had caught the imagination of the public, resulting in lots of requests for the design. It was then offered as a framed print or a framed card (for pre-order only during September) to raise funds for The Dogs Trust, raising £15,000 as a result.

Opening doors

In its latest philanthropic act, as part of its ongoing programme of supporting community needs as well as charitable causes Sue Morrish and The Eco-friendly Card Company came to the rescue of a small charity with 350 chocolate advent calendars.

“We support various charities throughout the year,” Devon-based Sue told PG. “We’ve been happy to support Bromley Brighter Beginnings, a small charity that provides Christmas gift parcels for families in need.”

As a company that very much lives up to its name, with eco awareness and sustainability at its heart, the publisher has also worked with the child bereavement charity Winston’s Wish, Mary’s Meals and Toilet Twinning - “We twinned our fridge!” Sue revealed.

Above: The Eco-friendly Card Company has helped Bromley Bright Beginnings. Below: Sue Morrish with her twinned fridge.

On the move

Moving and shaking around big card retailers’ buying sections has seen Tori Heath-Smith (right) join Scribbler, while Abbie Hemsley (below) is a new face at Card Factory and Marianne Carter has joined Morleys Department Stores as card buyer.

With a buying background at House of Fraser and Cath Kidston following a first class honours degree in fashion, Tori spent 18 months as a card buyer at Paperchase before being promoted to become the retailer’s stationery buyer, before now joining Scribbler.

At Card Factory, Abbie, who has a degree in fashion buying and merchandising, joined as a buyer at the Wakefield-based greetings and gift retailer, starting last month as she moved from her previous role as a senior assistant buyer for a furniture outlet.

Meanwhile at Morleys, following former card buyer’s Kate Nelligan’s decision to relocate to Norfolk, Marianne Carter has joined the department store group to take on the role.

Left: Card Factory collected the Best Companies award.

Below: Card Factory is promoting a Click and Collect service for orders over £10.

Left: Hannah Dale’s royal tribute went viral.

Even Springier Springboard

PG Live 2023 and The Imaging Centre

To mark the 10th anniversary of its sponsorship of PG Live’s Springboard section, leading print company, The Imaging Centre is to give an attractive bonus to Springboard exhibitors of the 2023 show as well as supporting the launch of Springboard Intro, a new area for first time exhibitors which will debut at the show, which takes place June 6-7 at London’s Business Design Centre

“We have always been keen to help and support our customers as part of our commitment to encourage and nurture the greeting card industry as a whole. One of the ways we have done this has been to sponsor the Springboard area at Progressive Greetings Live, home to new and emerging publishers,” explained Adam Short, managing director of The Imaging Centre, which now has 700 greeting card publishers using its Simplicity printing portal. “With PG Live 2023 being the 10th anniversary of our Springboard sponsorship, we wanted to do something special to mark this milestone and so worked with our friends at PG Live to come up with ways to make next June’s exhibition the best yet for greeting card publishers,” added Adam.

In addition to the free promotional postcards that The Imaging Centre produces every year for all PG Live exhibitors, The Imaging Centre is increasing its commitment to the Springboard area in two additional ways.

bolster newbie section

“The Springboard area of PG Live has always been a ‘honeypot’ for buyers looking to discover fresh publishing talent, and thanks to The Imaging Centre’s generous support, the 2023 Springboard is set to be all the sweeter,” commented Warren Lomax, director and co-owner of PG Live.

All PG Live 2023 exhibitors in the main Springboard area who are publishers using The Imaging Centre’s IC Simplicity service will receive £100 credit

Poster power to give back

Giving back is a big thing for Dandelion Stationery’s founder Jo Wilson, which prompted her to design free digital downloadable posters for retailers to use to promote the importance of sending cards.

Jo got the idea from the recent GCA AGM & Conference where market research firm Kantar’s presentation included Ni Wang commenting on the power of cards, saying: “There are lots of things people will cut back on to save money before cards,” and reminding the audience, at £1.71 the average cost of a greeting card is far cheaper than a bottle of wine, bunch of flowers or cup of coffee.”

“Some things are worth more than the cost,” reinforced her colleague Alex Bandini, citing cards as one of them, “the flowers will die and the wine will be drunk, but you still have the card.”

from the digital printing company. This £100 will be applied to the exhibiting publishers’ respective IC Simplicity account on day one of the show (June 6).

Brand new for PG Live 2023 is Springboard Intro, an attractive and cost effective entry level option for new exhibitors. Located in the area adjacent to the main Springboard area, on the gallery level of the show, Springboard Intro will enable publishers who are new to exhibiting to show their designs and their company among kindred spirits. Each Springboard Intro exhibitor will be able to make use of a clothed 6’ x 2’ table. Springboard Intro exhibitors will be entitled to other benefits that come with exhibiting at the show.

Left: Roarsome Dinosaurs, RT-Bots and Cheeky Legends from Arrthi Little.

Fantastic uptake

Jo told PG: “It made me think, we should do everything we can to help small shops get people in through the doors - and, while spending on gifts may suffer over the coming months as people tighten their belts, research tells us that the card is as important as ever, perhaps even more so. Let’s go forth and send cards!”

Well-known for helping stockists with personalised posters and large cards for window displays, Jo added: “In terms of supporting other small businesses - ultimately, Dandelion would not be here without their support so we will always work hard to give a bit back.”

Top: Poster versions of some of Dandelion’s power of cards campaign.

Above: A delighted Jo Wilson with her 2022 Henries Award for Best Contemporary Words & Sentiments Range.

The launch of Springboard Intro saw an immediate uptake with publishers wanting to be involved. “We’re absolutely thrilled with the early interest, with over 75% of the stands in the initial Springboard Intro booked within a few days of the announcement by some incredibly talented creatives. We now have plans to extend the Intro area to meet the demand - PG Live 2023 is all set to be a very exciting show!” exclaimed Adam Short, md of The Imaging Centre who has worked with the PG Live team on the launch.

“I want the PG Live gang and The Imaging Centre team to know what a difference this will make for those starting out,” commented Twenty Birds’ Monica Gabb who was quick to book her slot. “I’m looking forward to planning my tabletop in a creative way to showcase my collection at its best. The package is really supportive of small businesses starting out, making it an affordable first experience of a live trade fair.”

Arrthi’s Studio founder Arrthi Little was another who booked her spot in Springboard Intro as soon as she heard about it: “It’s the perfect space that fits my needs as a first-time exhibitor. With the added support from The Imaging Centre and the fantastic greeting card community, it’s hard not to be excited!”

Above: (right-left) The Imaging Centre’s Jessica Penfold, Adam Short, Alan Miller and Simon Davis on the company’s stand in the Springboard area at this year’s PG Live show.

Paul Steele RIP

Loss of Hotchpotch’s and Saffron Cards’ former owner

Paul Steele, one of the great entrepreneurial publishers of the last 40 years, very sadly passed away recently at the age of 72 after a long illness.

His connection to the industry straddled several greeting card companies that he started, notably Hotchpotch and Saffron Cards and Gifts, but also the wide circle of industry friendships that he forged and maintained over the years.

It was back in the late 1980s that Paul set up Anything Goes, a company specialising in supplying banners and badges to card shops and newsagents. A decade later he moved into greeting card publishing, setting up Hotchpotch, a company that built a reputation for unearthing talented young greeting card artists, many of whom have gone onto greater things.

problem subsequently restricted Paul’s day to day involvement in the company, but he remained involved.

Paul was not one to drift into a comfortable retirement. After a brief sabbatical, in 2014 he acquired publisher Metropolis from the administrative receivers, later renaming it Saffron Cards and Gifts. “I really missed the trade, especially the creation of product,” he said at the time. He resurrected its fortunes before selling it to Ling Design in 2018.

Camilla extolls comfort of written word

The Queen Consort used her first speech in the role to extoll the virtues of the written word.

Speaking at a Buckingham Palace reception a few weeks ago, Camilla said she and King Charles III had "drawn immense comfort" from messages they received after the late Queen Elizabeth's death.

In her first public speech as Queen Consort, Camilla was addressing winners of the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition and said: “Over the past few months, my husband and I have drawn immense comfort from the messages of condolence that we have received, and continue to receive, from the four corners of the world.

"They have reminded us that the written word has a unique ability to connect, to heal, to reassure and to offer hope, even in the midst of grief.”

Above: The Queen Consort and young journalist Imogen Cooper (see below left) both love writing and cards.

Despite suffering bouts of serious ill health, Paul built Hotchpotch into a major publishing force. In 2011 he sold the company to Carte Blanche Greetings, where the brand and company has retained its distinct identity and gone on to achieve great success.

The negotiations for Hotchpotch sale were so amicable, that Paul built a lasting friendship with the then CBG md Roger Murphy, which a year later resulted in them joining forces, along with financial director John Coda to acquire cookware company, Eddingtons. A serious back

Younger senders

“Paul’s drive, determination and passion for the industry, and life itself knew no bounds,” commented Viv Barlow, who worked closely with Paul for several years as national accounts manager for Saffron. “I remember him spotting a young woman just off our trade show stand sketching one of our Saffron card designs. He quietly went up to her and said in his kind, but authoritative voice: “Can I give you a few words of advice… in this industry you need to do something different. Create your own original designs and you will do much better. That was Paul…a very good man to have known.”

Top: Paul Steele (left) at the Steampunk-themed memorial event for David Hicks in June with (right-left) agent Rosie Trow, MEG’s Michael Gray and John Lewis’ Branca Neto.

Left: Paul Steele (centre) in 2011 when the Hotchpotch deal was concluded with CBG (right-left) Steve Blakemore, Alister Marchant, Roger Murphy and John Coda.

Imogen Cooper, commissioning editor on the Daily Mail’s Femail Magazine recently devoted a whole article to her passion for cards, letters and stationery, explaining how she and her Gen Z pals love expressing themselves with pen and paper, with numerous comments from readers in agreement.

“My name is Imogen and I’m addicted to stationery,” she confessed. “I’m just one of a growing number of pen-and-paper traditionalists, seeing writing as an art rather than a chore.”

The article shared that almost 19% of Paperchase’s customers are aged 18-24, rising to nearly 27% for those aged 25-34, while online stationery business Papier has 1.4million customers in the UK and US, with 53% of its sales being to millennials, with GenZ users its fastest-growing segment for greeting cards, notebooks, invitations, diaries and planners.

As Imogen added: “We may not remember every casual word spoken or text sent, but we can always keep and treasure the thoughts we’ve written to each other in pen and ink.”

Sarah’s the BOSS!

With accolades like “hardworking, initiativetaking, creative, diligent, forward-thinking, positive”, it’s no wonder independent retailer Sarah Laker has another business award under her belt.

The Stationery Supplies’ owner was recently awarded the BOSS Federation’s Independent Retailer award for the second year running to add to her collection of Retas greeting card awards for her two stores in Marple and Wilmslow which sell greeting cards and gifts alongside a vast array of stationery.

“I'm stunned - what an achievement after the last turbulent couple of years,” Sarah summed up with retail having taken its fair share of knocks, in a “real rollercoaster ride full of unexpected twists and turns. We've all had to work so hard to keep reinventing ourselves and to hold the faith for better times ahead.”

Above: Sarah Laker with her two Retas awards and now two BOSS ones too!

The Home Straight?

Pride, worry, hope, uncertainty, anger, belief and tiredness are just a few of the words that come to mind as I write this. It does feel though that we are taking a bit of a kicking. Whether it be about Christmas cards being printed in China, the Royal Mail strikes or the common thread from people like Martin Lewis questioning whether folk need to buy that card or present.

This is normally the home straight. This is normally when we are always a little worried that the tills will ring, but secretly at the back of our minds we know that it always comes.

There is always that ‘switch’ when people say, “It’s Christmas” and the cards get bought, the gifts get bought and they will worry about paying for it all in the New Year. This year however it is different. I have heard lots of discussions among families, mine included, saying that we won’t do this or that. Obviously, Santa needs to come and the food needs to be bought but token gifts and more sensible purchases may be the order of the day.

We are all tired of hearing about energy costs, interest rates, recession, taxes and a million other negative things. We couldn’t even enjoy celebs in the jungle eating animal parts without being reminded of how out of touch with reality our politicians are. Yet somehow through all this mess we are supposed to run a business, pay staff, pay our suppliers and hope that there is something left for us.

Indeed, all of the above was born out by questions a new staff member asked customers in our recently opened dedicated Christmas shop this past weekend.

Off her own back she wanted to see why the spend was not as we hoped.

Some of the answers she heard were “it doesn’t feel like Christmas”, “we can’t

believe it’s November already”, “we don’t have the money this year but love looking at what you have” and “the shop is beautiful, but I wouldn’t pay £5 for a card or bauble.”

Our new building on the beach should have been built and open by now. We bought Christmas stock in January and February with the belief it would be and instead we had to do a ‘Matt Hancock Pivot’ and convert the front area of our beauty business back into a retail space, resulting in the opening of our dedicated Christmas shop.

When I look at all the stock we have selected from companies both old and new quite simply I love it. The way that we have merchandised it in all our stores is as good as we ever have done in what is our 34th year of selling Christmas. I have never been more proud of the work my mum and our team have done to get the shops looking as they do and now.

I love our Christmas windows, the sugar canes, sweet tree, the soft pastel pink and gold angels, the dark navy colourway

and of course the Gonks. I especially love the Belly Button wrap, the Five Dollar vintage range, The Art File charity collection and Woodmansterne relations cards.

We just have to hope that members of the public will venture out and spend as quite simply the High Streets across the land need it.

As well as the general economic challenges, we also have those associated with being located in the town centre with car park charges, empty buildings, business rates and even distance from car to store in bad weather all influencing resultant sales.

Destination retail, where you park for free at the door, seems to get stronger all the time and I have yet to hear any politician showing that they really understand or care

OVER THE COUNTER BY DAVID ROBERTSON OF JP POZZI, ELGIN AND BUCKIE.

Above: Bijou’s new dedicated Christmas shop.

Left: Giant candy canes add to the Christmas feeling in Bijou.

Below: The Art File’s charity Christmas boxes are a standout for David.

about the challenges that we face in the high street.

In a column written by Michael Glakin on 20 November in The Sunday Times, our First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon and her deputy John Swinney were described as ‘despising wealth creators’. Now those are strong words but in many respects that is how it feels. I am angry at politicians and the way that they constantly are changing things, leaving us to pick up the pieces. It feels that they think business can just absorb everything.

I feel like I have been on my soapbox for months now. I have almost made it a personal crusade to highlight the issues facing small business in as many ways as I can. This has included meeting with my

Below

Below

Bottom:

wanted to feed back the input I and others gave directly to the First Minister.

My fear is that she is only in post for 11 months and we will then have the previous person back, who came straight from University, to the role with little real world learning.

Louise Macdonald insisted on going out and meeting business people across Scotland, doing a mini tour of each region. This went against the grain of civil servants wanting her to simply look at questionaires/data collected. Thank goodness she realised the only way to hear the reality was to get out there.

A bit like our impromptu survey, sometimes things are difficult to hear, but hear them you must.

Pozzis, revamped the store next to Bijou Elgin to make it into our seasonal space and are steadily rebuilding the trade after Covid.

We have continued to develop our offerings and I can see clear things that need to improve next year with the website, staff training as well as purchasing and stock holding.

In Jake Humphrey’s High Performance Podcast series that I listen to as motivation, each episode always ends with the three non-negotiable things that you need for a high performance life.

I have never put mine down on paper before, but here they are…

MP, speaking to our Chamber of Commerce and a few weeks ago I got to meet Louise Macdonald OBE, the interim Director-General of Economy for the Scottish Government.

Having the opportunity to sit in a room with the main lady shaping economic development in Scotland was something I could not turn down and I found her a very engaging and understanding person. She came from a modest background like most of us and had actual real world experience, unlike the vast majority of politicians.

I asked all kinds of questions about banks, the differences in the support between Scotland and the rest of the UK, business rates, sustainability and many other things. She answered what she could and promised to go back to speak to banks about points I raised around furlough money, loans and availability of funds. She also

It is also difficult to shake the idea from friends and family that actually owning your own business does not mean you can create your own schedule, tailor work around your life and have lots of cash. Quite the opposite. Recently I have been leaving early and getting back late sometimes not seeing my six month old son. That is the reality of just now and I speak to so many business people who are simply tired. It has been a hard three years with little respite.

As small business owners we want to achieve. This year it would be easy to focus on our building project that didn’t happen, but looking to the positives, we have completed the building works in our other

My first is to be dedicated. I class this as what I do best. I turn up every day with the mindset to work hard. Sometimes this is to my detriment, but I will always lead by example, answer that message, try to help and if I have said I will do something my commitment will always be there. The problem is that I expect that from those around me as well and not everyone is as committed, as to them, it is a job whereas with mum and I these businesses are our life. I have to accept that.

Secondly, I am honest to the point that it can hurt me. I don’t shy away from saying how I feel and I would never say anything about someone that I would not say to their face. Honesty allows you to build respect, trust and it encourages people to come with you on the journey.

Thirdly, I believe I will always find a way. My mum has said I am like a dog with a bone and have been since I was a child. No matter how many times things look like they may not work, I keep going and going until I get there. It may take longer, it may be a different outcome, it may mean some hard choices, but I will always find a solution of some sort.

So, in summary hard work, honesty and resilience. If I had a fourth it would be to always listen to some Bruce Springsteen every day while walking the dog. Both of which are keeping me sane right about now…

I hope everyone has a fantastic Christmas with friends and family and that the tills ring long and loud!

To contact David email: jppozzi@btconnect.com

Left: David’s bonnie wee bairn, Hudson.

left: Louise Macdonald (second left), Director-General of Economy for the Scottish Government is keen to hear how it is.

right: Some festive messaging from Bijou.

One of the podcast series which motivates David.

The Factory’s

Jubilee

Some 25 years ago, a small greeting card shop was opened in Wakefield, West Yorkshire by husband-and-wife team, Dean and Janet Hoyle.

Who would have believed that this small event would go on to radically change the whole shape of the UK greeting card industry?

Cardsharp considers some of the changes to the UK’s largest greeting card retailer over the last two and a half decades.

Cardsharp recalls that around the same time that those first Card Factory shops made their debut in the greeting card arena with their value concept, the mantra “You can’t sell sentiment cheap!” was often spouted by the founder and chairman of Clinton Cards, Don Lewin. Back then, Clintons was on a crest of a wave as Britain’s bricks and mortar retail scene was booming. Its only real competition, the Birthdays chain, at that stage was in a period of limbo, having been sold by its founder Ron Wood. Clintons was heading towards its aim of 1,000 stores, its profits were sky high, it had just opened a greeting card superstore in London’s Oxford Street while many city centres contained not just one but two Clintons outlets.

A quarter of a century later, how things have changed, mused Cardsharp. Clintons is down to a rump of just over 200 stores, after a series of business failures and financial restructures with its commercial strategy hidden behind the most opaque of walls and its future is considered uncertain by many.

By contrast, Card Factory now boasts over 1,000 stores, is listed on the stock exchange and contrary to the experiences of many retail businesses, it recently issued a trading statement pronouncing that its performance was above expectations, such positivity resulting in a 45% rise in the share price.

Added to its own stores, Card Factory also derives revenue from supplying a number of other major retailers. And in doing all this, Card Factory has comprehensively refuted Don Lewin’s mantra by demonstrating that “You can sell sentiment cheap!”

And in its march to secure its leading market share position, to

Above:

Bottom: Darcy Willson-Rymer, ceo of Card Factory.

Cardsharp’s mind, the whole face and structure of the UK greeting card industry has undergone a revolution, affecting everybody and everything down the line.

It wasn’t really until about five years after the opening of the first little Card Factory shop, that things really started to impact.

In those intervening five years, Dean and Janet Hoyle had rapidly grown their ‘new kid on the greeting card block’ to around 100 stores, aided by a very aggressive pricing policy. They were simply offering cards far, far cheaper than everyone else on the high street. Card Factory’s supply base was a mix of traditional wholesale cards and some direct to retail publishers, but as Card Factory grew, suppliers became

Far left: Card Factory made the most of celebrating its 25th birthday.

Left: Don Lewin (right), the founder of Clintons opened his first store in 1968 and its growth saw it become the benchmark until Card Factory came along.

Dean and Janet Hoyle, the co-founders of Card Factory.

increasingly twitchy. Wholesale publishers like Simon Elvin, were coming under real pressure from their respective wholesale customers, as Card Factory was selling the cards at lower retail prices than they could sell at wholesale. And on the direct to retail side, Clintons put even more pressure on its suppliers, allegedly threatening to delist any company that was trading with Card Factory. Almost unanimously they all decided to cease supplying Card Factory, leaving Dean and Janet devastated. By then they had a hungry empire that needed feeding and feeding quick!

The phrase “Cometh the hour, cometh the man” pops into Cardsharp’s mind, recalling the famous words uttered by English bowler, Cliff Gladwin on 20 December 1948 when he became the unlikely saviour in the match against South Africa.

and then shipped into Card Factory’s stores, enabling them to take the whole margin. This meant Factory’s prices were ridiculously low, far lower than anyone in the market. This had the dual effect of decimating the traditional wholesale sector and eroding Clintons hitherto impressive market share.

And gosh, how things went crazy from there! Although Card Factory sold cards cheap, the store environments were fresh and enticing and before long, the long queues of customers at the tills said it all.

the way to recovery, even its languishing share price has moved up of late.

One supplier who had become vitally important to Card Factory was Excelsior Graphics, a Warringtonbased card publisher owned by an entrepreneur Stuart Middleton. Stuart had an eye for greeting card design and had become particularly adept at cheap sourcing in the Far East. He had become increasingly important to Card Factory and vice versa. Without a supply of stock, Dean and Janet’s emerging empire would crash and burn, but was Stuart leaving himself too exposed by putting so much reliance on one large customer?

The answer to this dilemma was not just game changing, it was industry changing. Dean and Stuart decided, with a two-way exchange of shares, to go into what in effect was a partnership. And with that one giant step, Card Factory’s unique vertical integration model was born.

Stuart’s team would design the cards, they would then be printed mainly in China,

Those 100 stores went to 200, then 300 then to 400, and then, with impeccable timing, in 2010 Dean sold out to venture capitalist group, Charterhouse for an estimated £350 million, while along with Stuart, maintaining a decent shareholding. The business model remained unchanged and the numbers kept rising. And then in 2014, Card Factory launched on the stock exchange, making multi-millionaires of both Dean and Stuart. This enabled Dean to achieve his dream of taking his beloved Huddersfield Town Football Club, which he now owned, into the Premier League. Meanwhile Stuart could concentrate on building an amazing classic car collection, become chairman and chief custodian of Warrington Wolves Rugby League club while also still retaining an active role in the creative direction of the retailer’s products.

Card Factory went on to achieve the landmark of 1,000 stores and despite the Covid crisis, the retail group seems to be well on

Meanwhile, its nemesis Clintons went in the other direction, recalls Cardsharp. A disastrous acquisition of Birthdays led first to administration and then in 2011 the whole house came crashing down with the entire Clintons business failing and American Greetings (AG), its largest creditor and supplier gaining control.

Clintons’ demise and Card Factory’s rise has had a huge effect on the supply chain. Suppliers to Clintons had prospered during the glory years. While Card Factory’s ‘Draw it, Make it, Sell it’ renaissance strategy meant so many publishers were excluded from supplying this huge chunk of the market.

And in a sign of something of a full circle mused Cardsharp, some of those publishers that supplied Clintons are now supplying Card Factory, although on a lesser scale and in some cases in an own brand format.

In what Cardsharp sees as a spooky parallel of Clintons opening of its Oxford Street store, Card Factory has recently opened its first central London store just around the corner, in Tottenham Court Road.

And there is another weird twist to this story, concludes Cardsharp. In the dying days of the Lewin era at Clintons, a certain Darcy Wilson-Rymer was appointed as a non-family CEO. It was too late for him to have much of an effect, as by that time Clintons’ demise under the Lewin’s regime was imminent.

Over a decade later, after spending that whole time outside the greeting card trade, last year saw Darcy return as CEO of Card Factory. Who would have thought that an opening of one small shop in Teall Street in Wakefield, would have changed the face of the UK greeting card industry forever, smiles Cardsharp?

Top: The unveiling of the new branded Clintons store that was to fanfare a new era for Clintons.

Left: Card Factory’s store in Tottenham Court Road that opened a few months ago was its first in central London.

Below: One of the many Clinton Cards’ orange and brown fascia-ed stores that were closed in

Froth The Pricing VIEWPOINTS

Oh, for those ‘good old days’ when the trade price of greeting cards went up by 10% every January 1 and no one batted an eyelid. This year, at a time when everyone is being hit from all sides with cost increases, there is some trepidation about the inevitable price increases in the greeting card sector, despite taking comfort in the fact that the average cost of a card is a lot less than a takeaway cappuccino, let alone a pint of beer!

PG canvassed members of the greeting card community for their opinions on pricing for 2023 and the beverage/greeting card economy.

Miles Robinson

co-owner of House of Cards, seven shops based in the Home Counties: “Everyone knows that price rises are on the cards, but it has been waiting game to see who jumps first! You cannot ignore the rising costs that are battering us all as consumers and businesses, it is a fact of life. The prices of greeting cards have to go up to reflect what is happening all through the supply chain.

While no one likes price rises, there is no sense in publishers supplying retailers and making a loss. Likewise, as retailers we have to put up our retail prices to safeguard our margin and ensure the continuity and investment in our stores and staff.

As long as we all remain competitive, we have to accept that prices will go up in 2023.

However, publishers need to think long and hard about the prices they offer to major retailers. It is wrong that some of the leading multiples, thanks to the discounts they achieve from publishers, are able to sell cards below RRP.

While I accept that members of the public will not make price comparisons on individual greeting cards in the same way they would on white goods and other branded products, as an ethical business we want to be able to give our customers the best products at a fair price. I never want us to ever be seen as inflating prices as a result of multiples having been given disproportionate levels of discount from publishers.”

Mitigating measures: “At the start of this year, to accommodate the 2022 price rises, while we stuck to the same price points, we moved cards up to the next one, so a £2.25 card became a £2.50 card and so on. Thankfully we did not receive a single customer complaint.”

The beverage/greeting card economy: “We all have to remember that the majority of greeting cards are not only cheaper than a takeaway cappuccino, but mean more, last longer and won’t give you a frothy moustache!”

managing director of Woodmansterne Publications

“We are committed to the survival of ourselves and the industry. When you combine all the cost increases since November 2021, no publisher can survive if they don’t pass on some increases to their retailers. And don’t retailers believe they can’t survive if they pass on increases to the consumer. And there you have it - a dilemma!”

Right: House of Cards’ Woodley store.

Below left: Miles Robinson with Presentation’s Andrea Pinder (left) and Sue Marks, editor of PG&H.

Inset: Price increases get everyone into a froth, but the cost of a takeaway coffee is far more than a greeting card.

Seth Woodmansterne

Below: Seth Woodmansterne with Milton Keynes mayor Andrea Marlow at Woodmansterne’s Magna Park distribution centre.

Jarle Tatt

managing director of Noel Tatt “Prices are going up everywhere. Everyone is expecting price increases. Can we buck the trend, hold back prices and still hold on to our brand values?

Every business looks to maximise efficiencies as a cornerstone of their development. Long gone are the days of carrying any excess so-called fat in the business.

As creatives, our job is to supply product to help the retailers entice customers across their thresholds. Creativity and strength of design is of the utmost importance. Catch the eye of the consumer and they will pick the product up for closer inspection. Only after having passed the initial inspection test, will the consumer then consider whether the product represents value for money to them.

Naturally, there is a ‘tipping point’ over which a retailer/consumer will deem the cost of a product too expensive. Each retailer will know their customers and where to pitch their price offering accordingly.

Card giving is a fabulous tradition. It provides pleasure to those both giving and receiving. Every card speaks volumes about all involved. Publishers and retailers are dutybound to maximise the feelgood experience of the process, all the way from the card selection, to the smile on the face of the recipient.

Input prices have risen multiple times throughout 2022. Passing on some of these increases is unavoidable moving into 2023. For Noel Tatt, particular focus has been placed on hitting key retail price points (£1.99, £2.50, £2.99 and £3.50) and designing to achieve the best possible perceived value for money. The ever-increasing cost of postage will likely see less cards sent through the mail. Perhaps it will encourage more people to give cards by hand, which has the added benefit of face-to-face contact, and a consequent reduction of loneliness in many cases.

Ultimately, the giving of greeting cards is a way of showing we care. We come into this world with nothing and we leave with nothing. What we do in between is what matters. Several small gestures are often more valuable than single large gestures. Card sending is habitual and gratifying. We are very proud to be part of an industry which fosters happiness and empathy. Sending a greeting card remains a relatively inexpensive way of connecting with people and fortunately, there is huge choice, for every budget, even in these testing economic times.

Long live our wonderful tradition of bringing smiles to our friends and family through the giving of greeting cards.”

Above left: Jarle Tatt (centre) with his father Noel (who founded the company) and his son Andreas, its operations manager.

Above: Some of the new Spritz cards that were part of the 200 new designs that Noel Tatt launched a few weeks ago.

Left: A cost of a quality golf ball is higher than a greeting card and invariably for Jarle, lasts a shorter time!

The beverage/greeting card economy: “I am not one for flavoured coffees, only taking it black and don’t enjoy shelling out several £pounds for something I can make just as well from my home machine. I might be more inclined to compare the relatively inexpensive cost of a card to a decent golf ball, which on some days last less time than a cup of coffee! These I buy a dozen at a time - fortunately, many loyal ultimate customers buy a dozen cards at a time too, to keep in their bottom drawer.”

John Procter co-founder of Scribbler

“Increasing prices is rarely easy, but sometimes you just have no choice. We bit the bullet a few months ago, due entirely to the increased costs we have incurred, and increased the retail prices of our £2.75 own brand cards by 24p, taking them up to £2.99. Thankfully we did not receive any complaints from customers, but we are going to try and hold that price point as I do believe there is a bit of £3.00 price barrier for standard cards.

To go over that, a card needs to have extras, in the way of finishes or additions, and then the market will accept cards retailing up to £5.00.”

Mitigating measures: “One way of mitigating price rises would be for us to increase the percentage of our own brand cards that we stock, but that won’t happen as we need to offer our customers a choice of looks. Branded publishers make up half of our selection and we have no plans to change that, so we will continue to work with them and navigate these choppy waters.”

The beverage/greeting card economy: “For my money, in these tricky times, a pint of Ringwood Best Bitter in a decent pub is well worth the expenditure!”

Above left: John Procter.

Above right: An A board outside a Scribbler store.

Left: While cards are worth the money, John thinks a pint of Ringwood is also worth the expenditure.

VIEWPOINTS

Mike Lammas

managing director of specialist greeting card printer, Herbert Walkers

“Over the past year, it has been board costs that have driven general print price increases across all sectors, including the greeting card industry. This time last year it was high demand and supply chain issues that were pushing up costs, and we saw prices jumping suddenly, by as much as 10-15% at a time. As a result, some customers were buying board ahead of time to lock in the price and ensure availability. Now, the supply chain issues and lead times have settled down and board prices seem to have stabilised for the time being, but they are certainly not dropping. Moreover, the energy costs which are affecting production overheads for printers like Herbert Walkers are also affecting board production, which is very energy intensive, so there is still potential for materials to increase further in price.

Although we have been asked by some customers to lock in the price we’re quoting for a specific time period, this is not a route we’ve gone down because we want to be able to offer a fair price with as much transparency as possible. If material prices go up between the time we put the quote in and the order we receive we simply provide evidence to the customer that the cost of the board has increased and revise the quote accordingly. We feel it’s the most honest way to do things and it means that our customers know they can trust us to give them the best price, based on current costs.”

Mitigating measures: “Aside from material costs, the other big factors that are affecting pricing are labour costs, energy costs and productivity. The Government’s move to abandon National Insurance rises for now and the energy cap they have put in place for businesses until next April gives us a bit of breathing space on both counts, and it means that we can avoid price rises due to energy and staffing costs over the next few months.

Top: The recent arrival of the new Bobst diecutter is part of Herbert Walkers’ £3 million investment in increasing the throughput of its factory.

Above: Mike Lammas on stage at The Henries about to present the Best Service to the Independent Retailer trophies.

Below left: A pint of Peroni, Mike’s tipple of choice, would cost more than a greeting card.

When it comes to energy, we will always be an energy intensive business, but we’re doing everything we can to reduce energy consumption and avoid waste, which delivers on our sustainability goals as well as our financial control objectives. There are two strands to that; one is our £3 million investment in new equipment and improvements to our building. Investment in new machines such as our Bobst NovaCut and Vision Foil, and our card packing equipment, mean that we have been able to increase capacity, enhance productivity and improve energy efficiency, which all helps us be a leaner business and pass on benefits to our customers by reducing our overheads.

The other area of focus for reducing energy is in behaviour change and working methods. We have been monitoring our machines to identify any unnecessary energy consumption so that we can take action. In just a few months, we have reduced our energy costs by around 20%, and that’s a significant contribution to minimising our overheads.”

The beverage/greeting card economy: “As a father of three young boys, I’m pretty busy at home, so there’s not much time for nipping out for a pint, or working my way through fancy coffee shop menus. As the md of a 75-year-old Yorkshire business, I ought to say I’d plump for a pint of traditional Yorkshire bitter, like Black Sheep or Timothy Taylor’s, but I’m actually only an honorary Yorkshireman, so I’d probably go for a fancy European lager, like Peroni!”

Rosie

Trow

independent sales agent covering the South West

“Cost increases have been incurred all down the food chain. As a small business, all costs are my own responsibility and it’s been very noticeable this year, on the cost of fuel getting around the South West visiting customers - a full tank of fuel at one point was £29 more than the same time last year, and as we are commission-based we only get a pay rise if we sell more. I can't pass any of the increases on to anyone, so they are off my bottom line. Also, it’s very noticeable how the accommodation costs for Spring Fair have increased significantly, being at the show for three days and being off the road will be an expensive luxury.

In the present climate we are all flapping around in the unknown, but working with strong ranges will help ensure that the consumer still has the pleasure of selecting a quality card (even if they choose to cut down on the value of a gift), is the most positive way forward.”

Sensitive price points: “I have suggested to some of my customers to start moving their prices up gently this side of Christmas so that their customers will be used to the new prices in the New Year. I do sense though that retailers are currently very tentative about breaking through the £4.00 price point until they know how the start of next year is going to pan out.”

The beverage/greeting card economy: “I don't think I am the only one who enjoys writing, sending and receiving cards and letters and for me there will be no cost high enough to stop me from sending a piece of card in the post with a special heartfelt message. To my mind a greeting card is so much better value than a glass of wine, better for your liver and your heart!”

Top: Rosie Trow (second right) with customers Just Cards’ Maggie Wynn (far right) and Expressions’ Chris and Tracey Bryant at June’s PG Live.

Above: A glass of wine is not as good on the liver or the heart as a card is, states Rosie.

VIEWPOINTS

Ian Braithwaite

commercial manager of paper company Fedrigoni UK

“At this stage, Fedrigoni has no intention to increase prices in the first quarter of 2023. Having said this, we must be mindful of contributing issues we’ve seen this year. Energy prices - which have been steering the ship of paper price movements for large parts of 2022 - despite stabilising recently, still remain the great unknown. So, events like an escalation in the war in Ukraine, as well as runaway inflation can be compounding factors.

Outside of this, there is good availability and supply of Fedrigoni products. Nevertheless, if other paper mills were to be placed into administration, like we have recently seen with the Arjowiggins Creative Papers Stoneywood and Chartham mills, this can cause a short-term disruption to supply which is difficult to anticipate. However, it’s worth noting, with the acquisition of the Guarro Casas paper mill in Spain, Fedrigoni has additional capacity which helps to resolve any potential supply chain disruption.”

Above:

left) ready to fly

Heidi and Dom Early co-owners of the Earlybird Designs publishing and retail business

“Speaking both as a card publisher and a retailer, it’s going to be such a fine balancing act! As a card publisher, we will swallow as much as we can on the cost increases front but unfortunately due to years of tough economic times there’s very little margin left to play with. We have had a lot of board, ink, envelope and warehouse price increases but it is getting to a stage where each part of the process needs to take a little hit. From printers to publishers to retailers. We cannot ask all our retail customers to keep upping their prices, we need to spread the burden among us all!”

Mitigating measures: “As some of our prices went up in the summer we have decided that there will only be one small increase in 2023 on one of our embossed neon lines. We hope that these costs start to level out so we can all get on with what we love doing designing and selling greeting cards!

Fiona Pitt head of commercial at Hallmark Cards UK & Ireland

“Hallmark, like most businesses is facing into significant inflationary pressures, with electricity, gas and sea freight prices in particular more than quadrupling as well as paper and road freight costs up at least 20% each. We’re working closely with our customers and supply base to mitigate these costs where we can. Inevitably, there will be some impacts on pricing to customers and consumers alike, but any price increases are always a last resort.”

Above: Fiona Pitt on stage at The Retas 2022 about to present the Hallmark-sponsored award.

From the retail perspective to help mitigate costs to our customers we will rely a lot more on our own designs so for those that we do buy in from elsewhere they absolutely have to provide something different either in the design or the finish.

We will play around with pricing and charge more for special-finished cards and take a hit on more standard offerings up to a point. Ideally, with standard cards we want to keep below £3 but some trade price increases mean some have gone up to £3.50. We’re keeping a close eye on those sales but at the moment they’re unaffected. In our shop, special cards ie letterpress, laser cut, those with decorations, patches or pins can stand going to a maximum price point of £4.99.

We have a strict base margin, as long as the cards remain within that we’ll keep ordering but if the trade price increase means we can’t get the margin then we’ll look elsewhere. The brilliant thing about this industry is that the choice is enormous!

In retail we’re going to increase our offering of smaller/mini cards and postcards so there’s always something for everyone. And for our trade customers we have the confidence of knowing how our designs are selling in our shop before we get to the trade shows, which means less risk for them.

The beverage/greeting card economy: “Working with others like the GCA to promote why greeting cards are such an important part of our culture and worth every penny is going to be a key part of our agenda. Since Pret a Manger opened up next to our shop I’ve realised the price our customers are willing to pay for something they love - £3.69 for a basic organic coffee, £5.99 for an iced latte and £6.59 for an iced chia latte. Suddenly £3.50 for a basic greeting card doesn’t seem so pricey!”

Above left: An uplifting design from Earlybird’s soon to be launched Bonbi Forest range.

Left: Heidi Early outside their shop in Stoke Newington.

Ian Braithwaite (far

paper aeroplanes with colleagues at PG Live last year in the lunchroom that was sponsored by Fedrigoni.

Left: Woodstock, is a Fedrigoni range of uncoated papers and boards, pulp-dyed in 16 colourful shades, made with 80% recycled fibres and and 20% FSC® certified ECF virgin fibres.

Full Circle

In what is a happy ‘full circle’ story for both parties, Stephanie Dyment has forged a significant licensing agreement with Woodmansterne Publications for her designs to now appear in dedicated ranges.

Having worked for the publisher before setting up her own eponymously named card company, PG caught up with the talented greeting card creative about her Woodmansterne homecoming.

“I feel rather emotional, in a good way, about my launch with Woodmansterne,” admitted Stephanie Dyment, referring to the inaugural Paper Chain by Stephanie Dyment greeting card collection. “I feel so fortunate that while we as individuals and businesses will invariably have problems to face, by looking at the bigger picture, drawing on your experiences and being true to yourself, good things can happen. This is one of those times, for me,” summed up Stephanie.

Prior to setting up her own greeting card company, Stephanie Dyment Card Company, with her husband (and popular sales agent) Ashley Leatherland in January 2015, Stephanie had worked as part of the Woodmansterne studio team for seven years.

“I loved working at Woodmansterne; I learned so much, and it was where I met

Ashley, who was then working as a rep for the company,” explained Stephanie. Joining as a junior in-house designer, it was Stephanie’s first “proper” office job. “I remember it feeling rather daunting at first, going from a handson design degree followed by a period of freelancing into a computer-based studio, designing cards featuring top brands, such as the V&A as well as all manner of special occasions designs.”

Stephanie soon got into her stride and made the most of the opportunities she was given, including being taken on inspirational trips to Paris, Barcelona, India and Japan by the publisher.

“They were amazing trips and they really did inspire me,” said Stephanie. It was following the Japan trip that she developed

the

the same year.

With a young family in daughter Ella Rose and son Freddie, Stephanie left Woodmansterne, but continued to develop

Stephanie Rose collection for Woodmansterne, which clinched the Best Trend Range award in The Henries 2005, with Stephanie winning the Most Promising Young Designer or Artist award in

Dyment

Below: The inaugural Paper Chain by Stephanie Dyment card collection from Woodmansterne spans 37 cards.

Inset: Stephanie with some of her Glick giftbags and cards she has designed.

(Photo credit: Amy Esposito)

Far left: Stephanie and husband Ashley Leatherland at The Henries 2005.

Stephanie Rose designs under licence for a time before the couple decided to start their own card publishing company.

“We launched at Top Drawer in January 2015. Despite feeling that we were winging it, Ashley and I were so excited, laughing as we wheeled our trolley of brand new card designs onto our first stand. It was when the buyer from Fortnum & Mason came on the stand and liked our cards that I thought, hey we might be onto something,” revealed Stephanie.

Onto something they most definitely were, with Stephanie’s pretty designs striking a chord with those near and far.

“We started attracting attention from the export side. I had to pinch myself that despite being a very small company, that major distributors in America and Australia were interested in taking our cards. It was so special to forge bonds with people overseas, notably Eulinid Stevenson, ceo of Henderson who has always been so supportive,” said Stephanie.

Ironically it was the success of their own card publishing business that sparked Stephanie’s decision to return to working solely on a licensing basis.

“Covid gave me time to reflect and reassess how I was spending my time - largely looking at spreadsheets, organising print runs

and being involved in the admin of a growing business, leaving me very little time for the creative side,” reflected Stephanie.

So, having always kept in touch with Ian Blake, Woodmansterne’s art director, the two met up and the working relationship was rekindled.

“I trust Ian implicitly. He is so talented with a total commitment to design and production quality,” said Stephanie. “He has taught me so much about what makes a great card and to always consider what the retailer, consumer buyer and recipient each want from that card.”

In the beginning…

While revered for her experimental colour palettes, Stephanie Dyment’s experimental bent goes right back to her early days.

“I owe a lot to the degree I took at DeMontford University. It was such a wonderful hands-on course. There were few rules, you just got creative. While my friends on other courses were busy writing dissertations, I was creating huge crazy sculptures,” recalled Stephanie.

Although she had not given much thought to working in the greeting card industry when she graduated, Stephanie did include some abstract card designs she had created as part of her display at the New Designers show in 2001. These caught the eye of the Tigerprint team, the part of Hallmark that supplied Marks & Spencer with cards and other products, which is a longtime sponsor of New Designers.

“As a result, I took up the offer of a two week placement in the Tigerprint studio, which was a terrifying experience, but it led to some freelance work afterwards. A highlight was that not only were some of my designs published on cards for Marks & Spencer, but one was even used on a flier by the retailer. What an amazing feeling that was and perhaps it was what confirmed greeting cards as a route for me.”

Above: One of Stephanie’s first card designs that was published by Tigerprint for M&S and used on a flier to promote its card selection.

Ian is equally delighted to be back working with Stephanie through the licensing relationship.

“It is so great to get the Dream Team back together, looking forwards together,” said Ian.

“I call Stephanie the Master MixologistI don’t think I have ever come across any designer who has such a talent in mixing colours and iconography in such an original way, but yet remaining true to what is needed from a greeting card,” he added.

Contrary to Woodmansterne’s usual practice of testing the water with a few designs, so assured was the publisher that Paper Chain by Stephanie Dyment will hit the spot that it launched with 37 cards (28 occasions and relations designs and nine blank and birthdays cards), all enhanced with copper foiling and accompanied by a distinctive patterned envelope.

“This is the first of many ranges with Stephanie. While I am very happy to be involved to guide and reinforce, the design drive will most definitely be coming from her,” assured Ian.

The new arrangement with Woodmansterne is in addition to an ongoing licensing relationship Stephanie has with Glick for giftwrappings.

“I am so happy that I can now concentrate my efforts on creating the best greeting card designs for Woodmansterne and giftwrap ranges for Glick,” said Stephanie. “I am also looking forward to getting messy and experimenting with new art techniques and styles.”

Having been on something of a circular journey, what advice would

Stephanie give to someone just starting out in the greeting card industry?

“Don’t be influenced by what’s going on around you, as if your designs are authentic, you can keep it going. If you are creating what comes from you, then you can sustain it. If those designs are ‘you’ then you can really enjoy the process.”

While Stephanie accepts that few publishers today would lay on inspirational trips overseas, she also highlights how much easier it is to find inspiration today.

“Thanks to social media, inspiration is there in abundance, whether it is the latest trends in flowers or interiors, your mind can go into overdrive with the imagery you can access,” relayed Stephanie. “It is then up to you how you translate all that into your designs. That is what sets us creatives apart.”

Above: A branded Smart Seal clasp, embossed copper foiling and a patterned envelope features across the Paper Chain by Stephanie Dyment card collection from Woodmansterne.

Left: Ian Blake, Woodmansterne’s art director with his favourite card in the latest range.

Focus on... 3D and pop-up cards

Off you pop!

Innovation and amazement are the key attributes on the 3D and pop-up card front as the whole point of these designs is the gasp and wonder as the design unfolds. Here, PG delves into the magic - and paper engineering - behind the pop.

There may be a cost-of-living crisis but in the greeting card world it’s actually proving the worth of offering a premium product with a wow factor. Good design is always key, and the added complexity of fabulous paper engineering in 3D and pop-up greetings has them firmly at the forefront of the card-that’s-a-gift mentality - perfect for the current economic landscape.

Sheri Safran, 2 To Tango’s creative director is also full of positivity: “Our sales to individuals increased during the pandemic because buyers saw them as special and a gift item and, with the cost-of-living crisis, this has continued.”

The motto of a card and gift in one has been the aim since The Pop Out Card Company started a decade ago, and founder and designer Jonathan Aspinall’s different take on the genre - with his hand-laser-cut pop-out selfassembly decorations - has proved very successful.

As Louisa, co-owner and wife commented: “Owing to the cost-of-living crisis, we’ve

Above: One of Alljoy’s innovative Message in a Bottle designs.

Far left: A Swing Card from Santoro.

Below: UKG’s innovative Beer Can design.

Bottom: Jonathan Aspinall designs and laser cuts everything for The Pop Out Card Company.

been seeing a tendency for people to be making more careful and considered purchases. With their 3D nature, our cards nestle nicely within the small gift category and, looking at the wider 3D card category, this likely explains their growing popularity in recent times.”

Raspberry Blossom co-owner Rebecca Green agrees with data experts Kantar’s presentation made at the recent GCA conference and AGM in Nottingham that this trend is likely to grow in the coming year or so while everyone is being more conscious of their spending.

“Being one of the original innovators of 3D/pop-up cards, we’re delighted to see renewed popularity for these of late,” says Tara Strickland, design and marketing manager of Santoro. “People recognise that sending a 3D/pop-up card is not just about a perfunctory greeting, it’s an experience for the recipient too. Many of our customers keep their cards on display for months after receiving, or even bring them out again each year for the mantelpiece!”

“In our regular conversations with our retail customers, it’s also something they’re seeing too,” said Rebecca. “It makes perfect sense - sending a statement card with a thoughtful and meaningful message leaves much more of a positive impression with the recipient than a cheap gift that’s often bought in a panic!

More than a greeting card!

Open a 2toTango greeting card and go WOW!

Our message-free pop-up cards are often given as gifts and can be collected and framed.

People tell us they’re keepers.

https://2-to-tango.com

New designs for 2023 include Flower Stalls and a much-desired Dachshund pop-up card joining the other 6 in the original range.

Our 100 plus designs feature Trees, Gardens, Flower Vases, Bouquets, Roses, Flower Fields, Countryside, Butterflies, Birds, Sea Creatures, Animals, Cats and Dogs, Dinosaurs, Christmas and more.

T: 020 8996 9970

E: sales@tangobooks.co.uk

“We’ve always consciously designed our 3D products to be more than a card, it’s a paper ornament that can be enjoyed for many days, weeks, months or even years after the celebration.”

And at Cardology, md David Falkner pointed out: “One of real strengths of our whole industry is that we supply a relatively affordable product that makes such a big difference to both recipients and purchasers for the money they spend.”

David added: “We see our pop-up paper products taking this a step further, offering premium options for customers who want to go the extra mile when they’re buying for someone extra special, who they know will treasure the card they’ve selected.”

me the opportunity to get my paints out, and it’s occupied me for the last two weeks!”

2 To Tango’s creative directors David Fielder and Sheri Safran work with paper engineers, who send several samples based on the pair’s initial ideas for the handassembled cards.

months in development, from initial concept to launching on the shelves: “Our in-house team of talented illustrators and paper engineers work on bringing sketched concepts to life through a series of blank mock-ups, as every effort is made to include as much detail as possible from an engineering perspective. Painstaking attention must be paid to the weight, balance and intricacy of each piece to ensure easy pop-up as well as smoothness of movement. On top of that, illustrating the various components on a flat sheet, while visualising the end 3D result is no easy task!”

Elod Beregszaszi is one of the world’s lead fold designers and the creator of The Art File’s licensed Form collection, each folded from a fully-recyclable single sheet that’s finely cut and shaped into intricate forms.

Explaining the process, The Art File’s James Mace added: “At our warehouse in Lincolnshire our paper-folding

Special Delivery’s founder Mark Jamieson not only comes up with the images, but also works on the engineering: “My mind is always working on new cards and I love a challenge! My 3D stand-up giraffe, Hi, made an interesting puzzle, as I wanted it to be tall, but still fit into a square format.”

Revealing his latest challenge, Mark said: “At the moment I’m working day and night on a new Royal Family card. These are among my most complex cards to work out, but have become a bit of a tradition. I’ve always loved painting portraits and this gives

Furio’s flourish

“We work very closely with everyone involved including the printing factory, to make sure the card is the best we can produce, and this may involve tweaks to the engineering - a millimetre difference can prevent a complex pop-up working,” explained Sheri.

Santoro’s Tara Strickland revealed its 3D cards can take anything from 12-24

designs include our city skylines which can take a considerable amount of time to prepare due to the complex design of multiple, uniquely-shaped buildings which require careful precision with folding.”

UK Greetings has been producing 3D and pop-up cards for many years, with a team effort between the more technicallyminded folk and the illustrators and designers necessary as the publisher

Origamo’s intricate designs take between 40 minutes and an hour to handmake each one at its own studios in Vietnam where there’s a team of six paper engineers. Company founder Furio Ceciliato believes the increase in sales is due to pop-up cards being “more and more appreciated on the market since customers are choosing more premium designs with a wow effect”.

For Furio, the engineering is paramount as the card “has to be completely flat when closed, and complicated and big when it pops up, in order to have a great wow effect”, with extra assurance given by them being made in Origamo’s Fair Trade-certified studios using Italian-made eco-friendly paper.

Above middle: Origamo’s wow factor.

Right: Origamo’s md Furio Ceciliato with the paper engineers in Vietnam who take up to an hour to assemble each card.

Above: Special Delivery has animals and royals.

Left: Keepsakes extended Raspberry Blossom’s ranges. Right: 2 To Tango’s Dachshund card is popular.

Focus on... 3D and pop-up cards

constantly pushes for exciting new concepts and more elaborate designs.

“But it’s always the quality of the idea that makes these things rather than the complexity,” explained Ben Whittington, UKG’s creative director for humour, character and licensing. “I think the best 3D/pop-up designs are those where the innovation adds to the storytelling of the designs.”

And UKG has been working hard to bring sustainability into the genre too. Having ruled out plastic protection, innovative ways to protect the cards are required, such as the 3D beer can design where there are no catch points on the lower two thirds to prevent damage when consumers put it back in the rack, and there are also paper sleeves.

features a mermaid coming through a cave.

For this, it was important to create a sense of depth, so required separating out the rocks into distinct layers.”

Raspberry Blossom pushed the 3D element after its Treasures foldout collection won a 2020 Henries award, and introduced Keepsakes at PG Live 2022.

At My Design Co, the Music Box cards have always had a 3D element with the cut-out dancing character, recently the designs were retro-engineered by the inhouse product designer to add handassembled pop-up elements.

Elaborating, creative director Jamal Merdassi said: “Most of the challenges for creating the pop-ups really came from adapting the illustrated scenes retroactively. The Mermaid Adventure card was complex to devise the pop-ups for, as the scene

Goal scoring

Having won The Henry Cole Classic award for its Pop-Ups collection back in 2013, Second Nature has continued to ensure the evolution of this enduring 3D range with innovative designs, with one of its latest cards, scoring goals with retailers as soon as it was launched.

“For a good design it needs to work!” Rebecca said. “If it’s a pop-up, it needs to have that element of wow when opening the card and, if 3D, it needs to be able to stand-up. In Keepsakes, there are two designs that are more fiddly for us to assemble. The engagement card with big pop-up ring, and the drinks cabinet birthday card have a few extra folds and slots to navigate but, when you’re in the swing of packing them, you get the hang of it.”

Cardology’s design director and co-founder Kripa Shah is the company’s doyenne of paper engineering,

“As a diehard football fan myself, it was great to see that our paper engineers had done such a fabulous job in being able to create a 3D design that actually looked like a football,” explained Chris Bryan, Second Nature’s joint general manager. “While this design was initially scheduled to launch at the start of 2023, we moved heaven and earth to bring its production forward to coincide with the World Cup,” revealed Chris.

Above: The new football Pop-up from Second Nature.

Left: The Art File has a special POS display for Form.

Below left: Paper engineering from Cardology featuring The Snowman.

Below: My Design Co’s Music Box cards combine a musical storytelling scene with the moving character as well as pop-up elements.

having swapped being a mechanical engineer road-testing gearboxes on highend Jaguars for her true calling with the publisher where she now works with her husband David Falkner and sister Dipa Shah.

Now known for both its officiallylicensed ranges, such as Battersea, Peter Rabbit, The Snowman and The Original Stormtrooper as well as generic designs, the Cardology team asks two questions of any new card - will it be kept on display way past the occasion it was bought for, and how does the customer know the card looks fantastic before they buy it - and looking at display solutions and space is David’s current focus to answer these.

“I’ve spent over 30% of my working hours this year immersed in point-of-sale solutions,” he admitted, highlighting one of the challenges with 3D cards. “And we’re increasingly selective over which customers we partner with, recognising both we and they will need to invest in display solutions and space if our range is to succeed for them in the long term.

Fortunately, there’s one thing you can say for this industry, we’re all a pretty progressive, forward-thinking multidimensional bunch!”

Floral Tribute

Fleur is a brand new range of Mother’s Day cards from Megan Claire with handwritten captions and a luxury gold foil finish. There are 12 designs in the range, all 145mm square. Each card is supplied with a a bespoke patterned envelope.

Megan Claire 01536 560345 www.meganclaire.co.uk

Shaggy Dog Story

In addition to GroovyART’s ICONIC range, featuring the faces of classical music composers is its new quirky range which stars a beardy Scots Terrier as the main character. This fun collection comprises 150mm square cards that are printed on top quality matt paper, with each accompanied by a colourful envelope.

GroovyART 07412050478 www.groovyart.co.uk

Trio Triumph

Pink Pig has another 24 brand new designs to its Three Up collection. Wild swimmers proved so popular in the first set, that a second design has been added, and there are now new ones for gardeners, netball players, majorettes, photographers and more. The cards are printed on high quality FSC 350gm board and are available naked, with a sticker closure or cellowrapped.

Pink Pig 0779 557 4548  www.pinkpigcards.co.uk

Tweet Stuff

Klara Hawkins has launched a ‘cluckin’ good Valentine’s range with each charmingly illustrated card featuring a beary cheesy animal pun and turtley amazing mating facts on the back. Did you know for instance that snails don’t need a partner to mate while seals love playing kiss chase? The cards are 150mm square and come with an eco kraft envelope.

Klara Hawkins 02082243340 www.klarahawkins.com

Small Is Beautiful

Dandelion Stationery’s brand new range of A7 mini cards has landed. Compact and fun, these sweet little cards make a big impact. With over 100 designs to choose from, each come supplied 100% plastic-free with the envelope nested inside the card. Designs can be ordered individually (in packs of six) or ordered as part of a special CDU bundle offer.

Dandelion Stationery 01332 504940 www.dandelionstationery.co.uk

Spring Chicken

The latest collection from Sunshine Llama is based on artwork by designer Lisa Chicken. These latest additions to the Lucy Maggie Designs’ sub-brand includes some fabulously vibrant and colourful thank you cards, which are bound to stand out on racks and are ideal for stocking up on for the postChristmas period. The A6 cards are printed on 350gsm textured board and are available wrapped in cello or plastic-free.

Lucy Maggie Designs 07763239731 www.lucymaggiedesigns.co.uk

A selection of delectable new launches and additions.

Fields of Dreams

Red Hare Publishing has just launched a brand new range of contemporary art cards in collaboration with the renowned landscape artist Daniel Cole. The cards are printed on art quality textured board and come with a brown Kraft envelope. They are available naked or packaged in a biodegradable cello.

Red Hare Publishing 01263 740947 www.redharepublishing.co.uk

Motherly Love

Continuing its relationship with British artist Jennifer Rose, Lesser and Pavey’s I Love You Mum range comprises a fine china mug, ceramic coaster, mug and coaster gift set, stemless wine glass and tumbler, glass vase, 3-dimensional heart plaque, fragranced diffuser and a candle. Lesser and Pavey 01322 279225 www.leonardo.co.uk

Child’s Play

Kali Stileman Publishing’s new Toy Tiddly Collection takes inspiration from popular children’s toys, from a sweet and smiley elephant to a gorgeous birthday bunny. This collection features on-trend colours and each card is printed on a linen textured board. Kali Stileman Publishing 01305 848899 www.kalistileman.co.uk

Nostalgic Jumper

Comic Heroes

Having been fans of Viz for years, the Brainbox Candy boys have recently signed a licence for a range of cards based on the comic, tapping into the hilarious readers’ letters and top tips. Viz now has around 690,000 followers on Facebook and a faithful and ever growing following. Brainbox Candy 01702 716643 www.brainboxcandy.com

Into Focus

There’s no stopping the antics of Camilla & Rose, Peartree Heybridge’s good time girls. The latest incarnation, Through the Lens, spans 16 designs, featuring a refreshing arty look for the girls with muted colours on location at the seaside. The cards measure 125 x 175mm and come with a white envelope.

Peartree Heybridge 01423 876311 www.peartreeheybridge.co.uk

You’ve Got Pen On Your Face has been in full retro mode, as evidenced by The Spacehopper range. The collection was built on the success of its other designs combining a nod to the past with an eye on today. In this range, the 80s are back! The cards are a bold take on style icons of the decade - from toy trolls to the brick phone.  They're bright, eye-popping and cover a range of occasions. You’ve Got Pen On Your Face 07958555900 www.youvegotpenonyourface.com

A selection of delectable new launches and additions.

Drink To That

Raspberry Blossom’s CHEERS collection taps into tipples of the day. This range of die cut and high gloss cards covers those who are partial to G&T, a glass of rosé, or a craft beer. The messaging on the card features playful puns to make the recipient smile. Within this collection there is a new DL size for the wine design to add to the shelf impact.

Raspberry Blossom 07730 594769 www.raspberryblossom.com

Art Of The Matter

The Eco-friendly Card Co has just launched its new 2023 art cards brochure featuring 16 different artists. Included are new releases from best-selling printmaker Manda Beeching taking the total number of her designs available to 24. The cards are printed on 100% recycled uncoated board and supplied with 100% recycled kraft envelopes, available either clasped or with a compostable bag.  Manda’s designs are also featured on notecard stationery and Christmas packs. The Eco-friendly Card Co 01626 369269 www.ecofriendly.cards

Extra Sparkles

Louise Tiler Designs’ Kids Tiny Sparkles range has just got a whole lot more sparkly, with 16 new additions joining the collection, taking it to a total of 35 cards. The hand-painted illustrations cover sea life, dinosaurs and jungle scenes, all of which are finished with gold foil.

Louise Tiler Designs 01535 957878 www.louisetiler.com

Rising To The Occasion

A whole clutch of vibrant new occasion cards has joined Paper Salad’s ever growing Hunky Dory collection. The latest additions cover occasions such as Sorry You’re Leaving, It’s Twins, New Home, and Thinking of You in the range’s vibrant artwork style using bright neon colours along with shiny coloured foil finishes and deep embossing. Each card comes with a bespoke patterned envelope, either cellowrapped or naked.

Paper Salad 0161 427 0001 www.papersalad.co.uk

Egg-celent Ideas

Animo has just unveiled its Easter Collection, all of which feature charming animal illustrations in gentle watercolours by the Swedish artist Anna Gisle. The cards measure 12x17cm, are printed on 100% recycled bright white Shiro Echo board, come with a KRAFT envelope, packaged in biodegradable, non-plastic ‘cello’ wrapping.

Animo +972 507 605 099 www.animo.design

Don’t Be Shy

Coconut is a new 3D fold-out die-cut collection from Hotchpotch with the designs featuring cats, dogs, leopards, llamas, cocktails, cake shops and more. The range continues the brand’s innovation focus on paper engineering as part of its commitment to recyclability and sustainability. Expect to see more die-cuts and dynamic folds from its upcoming ranges! Hotchpotch 01243 792600 www.hotchpotchlondon.com

A selection of delectable new launches and additions.

TheMorleys

Revolution

“As our ceo Nigel Blow summed up recently, this is a revolution, not an evolution,” stated Amanda Bell, Morley Department Stores’ buying director about the recent £multi-million revamp of the Morleys of Brixton department store.

PG hot-footed it to London’s buzzy Brixton to join in the celebrations on the grand reopening day of this historic retailing emporium.

Some things are worth waiting for, the unveiling of the reinvigorated Morleys of Brixton department store is testament to that.

‘Established in 1880, reinvented in 2022’ teased the hoarding which covered the store’s impressive windows while the finishing touches were being made behind the scenes, making the dream a reality for the privately-owned independent department store group, which now spans eight stores. While this massive refurbishment project had been planned for several years, the pandemic delayed progress, with work getting underway in earnest a few months ago.

Then, on November 11 came the big reveal, with top beauty and fragrance brands such as Jo Malone, Chanel, Kiehl’s and Nars adding the front of house glitz and glamour on the ground floor, leading down to the newly refixtured card and stationery department which shares the lower ground floor with the popular toys and luggage areas. Meanwhile, an arresting home and housewares area anchors the second floor with ladies fashion on the first floor.

A whole long weekend of instore activities - from DJs, gin, rum and craft beer tasting, beauty masterclasses, fashion illustrator Scott Mason in action - put Morleys back on the map as a modern retailer which is in tune with the changing dynamics of its customer base.

“The store was bought by our chairman’s grandfather in 1927, and almost a century on, the customer profile has completely changed, especially in the last ten years,” explained Amanda Bell, who is the retail group’s buying director responsible for the broad ‘Home’ area, which includes greeting cards and stationery.

“Originally Morleys of Brixton was a very traditional store, but now the area is younger, wealthier, trendier and ethnically diverse. It also has a big advantage in that it is on the high street directly opposite the busy tube station,” elaborated Amanda.

Above: Morleys of Brixton has just had a radical overhaul.

Right: Buying director Amanda Bell’s responsibility extends into covering the greeting card department.

Below: The new fixtures in Morleys’ card department, echo the industrial feel of the lower ground floor.

Greeting cards are a “really important” product area for the whole Morley group, assured Amanda. Although the reconfiguration has seen the card and wrappings department move from the ground floor down a few steps in order to accommodate the high profile beauty brands, Amanda is confident customers will find it.

“We are seen as something of a destination for cards in the area with customers coming in specifically to buy them,” explained Amanda.

In common with the other stores in the group, the greeting card display in the Brixton store is managed by Woodmansterne as part of its W Select programme, with input from the Morleys’ team. As well as a fair showing of Woodmansterne brands, the current department incorporates designs from publishers such as

The Group’s Growth

The Morley Department Stores group now comprises eight stores, seven in greater London and Camp Hopson in Newbury. Here is the retail group’s acquisition timeline.

l 1927: Morley and Lanceley, Brixton was acquired. (Now Morleys).

l 1955: Smith Bros, Tooting was acquired. (Now Morleys).

l 1959: Bodgers, Ilford was acquired. (This closed in 2018).

l 1968: James Selby, Holloway was acquired. (Now Selbys).

l 1996: Elys, Wimbledon was acquired.

l 2009: Roomes, Upminster was acquired.

l 2010: Pearsons, Enfield was acquired.

l 2014: Camp Hopson, Newbury was acquired.

l 2017: Morleys, Bexleyheath was acquired.

“You will definitely start to see more diversity reflected in our card selection and we are also hoping to utilise the gallery space adjacent to the department to showcase local artists’ work,” elaborated Amanda.

Adding extra interest and generating footfall, adjacent to the greeting cards is a display of products which champion the local area, not least those featuring David Bowie, who was born in Brixton. In fact, a David Bowie mural on the side wall of Morleys is something of a tourist destination, and every day there is a trail of people who make a pilgrimage to pay homage to the musical icon.

“We do really well with our selection of David Bowie, Brixton and local-based products and this is something we will be looking to build on in 2023,” explained

Amanda. Another area which is also on the agenda for next year is to expand the greeting cards which reflect diversity, something which Marianne Carter who recently joined the team as card buyer is keen to progress.

Top: The W Select display incorporates many different publishers, as well as of course designs from Woodmansterne Publications.

Above: The David Bowie mural on the side wall of Morleys is something of a tourist destination. The singer lived in Brixton until he was six years old.

Left: The display of Brixton-themed and Bowie-centric products adjacent to the greeting card department is popular with customers.

Right: Greeting cards are deemed important for the department store group, as evidenced by this Instagram post to promote thank you teacher cards.

Below: The revamp marks a new chapter in Morleys’ retailing journey.

Ringing The Bell

Amanda Bell, began her retail career as a graduate trainee with Fenwick in Newcastle. She joined Morleys in 2019, having previously been the cookware buyer at Bentalls, and subsequently head of home. “We had an extremely strong homewares business here at Morleys, prior to my arriving, with all our stores very diverse, based on their different locations and demographics,” she states. “Elys in Wimbledon, for example, is a high-end premium store, across all categories, whereas our Tooting, Holloway and Enfield stores are more promotionally driven. It’s therefore been about getting a balance across different mechanics.”

Amanda sees great merit in focusing on the individual outlets. “For example, there has definitely been a trading up at Elys and Camp Hopson [based in Newbury], while at other stores in the Group we are continuing to be more promotionally aggressive. Important though all the stores have kept their original names, enabling them to retain their heritage and their engagement with local shoppers.”

Sustainability is another area high on the agenda at Morleys. “This is not just in the products we stock, be it vegan stationery, unwrapped cards, locally produced candles or environmentally-friendly cookware, but how we approach the whole running of the business,” explained Amanda.

However, for a retailer whose origins go back to 1880, Morleys of Brixton is surely the epitome of sustainability, and its recent ‘Chch-ch-ch-changes’ would definitely have impressed David Bowie.

Molly Mae, Paper Salad, Five Dollar Shake, Wendy Jones-Blackett, Rosie Made a Thing, Pigment, Rachel Ellen, Abacus, Paper Rose and Emotional Rescue.

Youth action

Below left:

abundance of designs marking the age. With gender neutral and added value also extremely relevant trends, PG taps into the vibes in this important greeting card genre.

Winnie The Pooh creator AA Milne had it right back in 1927 with his children’s poem The End in the Now We Are Six anthology, where the bear of very little brain, Piglet, and Christopher Robin are dancing about as the verse describes how age matters to youngsters.

On the greeting card front, though, this does seem to be a peculiarly British phenomenon with countries such as Germany really not getting the whole thing about having a design featuring an age.

“I think we sell more children’s cards with numbers than without,” kids’ card specialist Kali Stileman said, “ours are really popular - but we have a German distributor who takes them without numbers!”

At Raspberry Blossom, co-owner Rebecca Green agreed: “We have distributors around the world who will take our children’s collections but steer away from the ones with an age incorporated into the design. This applies for adult ages too.

“With UK retailers we find it mixed, that’s why I’m always mindful to include designs that don’t have ages on. It may be solely preference-based but can be a slight issue if you can’t remember the age of the child!”

Below right: The age and characters match in Hole in my Pocket’s Zoo Numbers range.

Bottom: Numbers matter at Raspberry Blossom.

With 12 children’s ranges, Rachel Ellen Designs has sold a huge amount of age cards since the business started 25 years ago, and sales director Paul Roberts explained: “They've been much more popular than open birthday and it’s one of the things for which we’re best known.

Almost all our children’s ranges include age cards. Our independent retailers love the age cards and always want to offer up to age six where they can. More recently, we’re getting asked to expand our age card range beyond age seven and up to the teenage years.”

Danilo licensing director Dan Grant added: “We find age cards are still hugely popular, especially in the preschool and younger kids’ market. While older kids age cards don’t have as much success, gaming brands like Xbox allow us to create on-trend age cards for them as long as they fall within the target age for the brand.”

Of his designed and made in Scotland ranges, Hole in my Pocket founder Allistair Burt added: “It’s funny, we do actually sell quite a few age cards to our other European customers though generally only ages one to three. In the UK those for ages one to five are the main focus, though we do receive requests for all ages up to 10 and recently had to modify one of our kids’ age

Kali Stileman’s German distributor takes designs without numbers.

Focus on...Kids Cards

cards for a customer desperately looking for an unusual line of ages 70 and 80 cards.”

For UK Greetings, age cards continue to be really popular, although Ben Whittington, the publisher’s creative director, humour, character and licensing, acknowledges that there was a dip in the sector throughout the lockdowns: “But then I guess there weren’t any kids’ parties happening whereas now they’re certainly back on the agenda - I seem to be taking one of my kids to a party almost every other week!”

Numbers are big at Bexy Boo too, where owner Bex Hassett is finalising her brand-new children’s range with 10 age cards from one to five for both boys and girls based on her Henries-nominated This Card Is For You Because… collection.

It’s only Bex’s second set of designs specifically with youngsters in mind: “My other children’s collection, The Amelie Zoodles’ is named after my daughter Amelie, and was predominately designed by her when she about 10 - unfortunately for me, she’s now at university so I’ve had to come up with my second children's range on my own!”

Having launched Cheeky Chops in January this year, Rosie Made A Thing already has plans for a linked age range. As founder Rosie Harrison explained: “We noticed a bit of a gap in the teen card market so wanted to offer something aimed at making them smile. I use this term loosely as I have a couple of teenage boys at home and they find nothing I say

Left:

Far

Below:

Below middle: Cheeky Chops humour is Rosie Made A Thing’s style.

funny so this was quite a challenge. However, we’ve been so pleased that our teen cards are right up there at the top of our sales.”

Ricicle Cards’ founder David Nichols-Rice commented: “I’ve noticed age cards have done particularly well in Britain but not necessarily in my next biggest market, the USA. I’ve also noticed first birthday cards fly out, and fifth birthdays are slower - do we stop keeping track of kids ages as they get older I wonder?”

Another point that David considers when designing his cards is around gender neutrality: “I've heard a lot of chatter about gender-neutral designs. I completely agree - pink and blue shouldn't be associated with gender in 2022 so I've kept this in mind. My kids’ age cards have a gender-neutral colour palette and lots of customers have praised them for this.”

The upcoming Stormy Knight collection with children’s illustrator Grace Habib has the same ethos, with cute critters in submarines, hot

Man(tons) and boy!

Children’s cards are a staple on the greetings retail front with almost every card stockists including at least a few among its offer. However, at Mantons Cards, in Port Erin on the Isle of Man, they take it a stage further, with a dedicated children’s area and a sizeable card fixture anchoring the selection of toys and children’s gifts.

“It’s always great to get a card with your age on - at least while you’re young!” summed up Chris Beards, who co-owns the popular store with his wife Debbie.

On the subject matter front for children’s cards, Chris said: “The classics are still popular - dinosaurs, princesses, etc,” but he highlighted how “football cards have increased in popularity, especially for girls.”

Its children’s card selection is just one reason why Mantons is something of a destination card shop on the island. “We continue to stock a large range of children’s cards, all of which are exclusive to us on the Isle of Man. Our selection is so large we have pretty much everything covered but we’re always happy to look at new ranges or companies that don't currently supply us.”

When asked to highlight which publishers score on the kids’ card front, Chris cited Rachel Ellen Designs and Jonny Javelin” as the shop’s “bestsellers” in this area.

Left and right: A snapshot of the extensive kids’ cards selection at Mantons, and co-owner Chris Beards.

Ricicle Cards’ small numbers do well.

left: Cute cards from Bexy Boo.

Bright non-gendered designs from Heyyy Cards.

Finger on the pulse

With 60 licensing agreements for properties targeted at kids, Danilo has its finger on the pulse of what programmes and brands are chiming in this area from baby through to teens.

“As you can imagine, greeting cards for kids is a big part of what we do!” stated Dan Grant, licensing director of Danilo who navigates the minefield of what is piquing the interest of the youth of today. “The biggest part of our kids’ card business is preschool and younger kids, where evergreen brands such as Peppa Pig, PAW Patrol and Thomas & Friends drive the majority of sales. However, in recent times, we’ve seen new preschool brands entering the market with the likes of Hey Duggee, Baby Shark and CoComelon. More recently we have launched Bluey cards into the market due to the big impact this brand has had on consumers in a very short space of time.”

Looking outside of preschool, Dan cited growth “in genres such as gaming and anime. The demand for gaming titles has led to us to create a number of kids’ cards ranges across brands such as Xbox, Minecraft and Super Mario, plus new titles like Fall Guys are on their way.

Anime is also a trend that continues to grow, especially in the UK, and we’ve published cards for Hatsune Miku, Naruto Shippuden, My Hero Academia and Dragonball and plan to further expand the range with additional brands in the future.”

The different ways of how the younger population is now viewing content also has a significant bearing on the brands Danilo backs, especially with the growth of streaming platforms. So, what does Dan deem will be the next biggest thing? “Unfortunately, there’s no crystal ball, it is just a case of working hard to understand the marketplace, listening to retailers, licensors and consumers and keeping a close eye on upcoming trends,” he said.

Top right: Hands up from Dan Grant with the Bluey costume character and team mates on the Danilo stand at PG Live in June.

Above: Xbox is among Danilo’s licensed gaming brands.

Right: Anime, such as Hatsune Miku, is proving popular for Danilo.

air balloons and hotdog cars in a genderneutral zingy colour palette covering ages one to five and general birthdays.

And, having lots of friends with young children, the publisher’s director Sarah Jackson said: “Age cards remain as popular as ever with preschoolers - every age feels like a significant milestone during the early years and it's great to be able to send a card that celebrates that.”

Left: Stormy Knight offers Grace Habib’s cute characters.

Far left: Paper Salad is known for neon.

Below: Stripey Cats’ Wobbly Eyed designs are popular.

Bottom: UKG’s Ben Whittington’s son with a slide and reveal gaming design from UKG.

At Heyyy Cards, coowner Yvette Clarkson sought feedback from developing its kids’ were asked repeatedly for children’s age cards which were gender neutral, reducing the space a retailer needs to dedicate by not having a boy and girl option. There seems to be a shift towards bright, neon, fun designs which can suit all genders.”

Having just earned the Best Children’s Range in The Henries Awards for the fifth year running, Paper is pretty hot on the genre and owners Karen Wilson and Claire Williams have seen an increased interest in age-specific cards particularly from Europe. “In Holland especially, there’s a high demand for the numbers,” they confirmed.

Welcome home.

The industry is undergoing radical change. Consumer goods fairs are reshaping themselves. The three successful events Ambiente, Christmasworld and Creativeworld are being held concurrently for the first time in 2023. Experience this innovative concept with the world’s most comprehensive product range and a diverse array of synergies – also for the stationery industry – live in Frankfurt. Discover the trade fairs of the future: ambiente.messefrankfurt.com christmasworld.messefrankfurt.com creativeworld.messefrankfurt.com info@uk.messefrankfurt.com Tel. +44 (0) 14 83 48 39 84

The Paper Salad duo also design younger ages “with non-gender specific icons” and their signature bright neon colours work naturally for children’s cards - Paper Salad definitely believes “the brighter the better” whatever their gender!

At Hallmark, the gender-neutral theme has been expanded, as the company’s head of brand marketing Jess Lovelace explained: “Of paramount importance is ensuring inclusivity and diversity in kids’ cards. Authentic representation of the child is vital so, whether we’re featuring characters with different skin tones or ensuring that icons, themes, colours and words on cards avoid gender stereotypes, it’s addressed as a key part of the product development process.”

While various publishers champion dinosaurs, space, mermaids and sea creatures as current popular design themes, along with animals in general, one trend gaining particular traction is cards with added value.

Kali Stileman’s double Henries-nominated Mouthie designs each have a laser cut-out mouth which adds a bit of fun, while Stripey Cats founder Jonathan Crosby is looking at including a

game or activity: “Our Wobbly Eyed animal cards get framed and put up in the child’s room which is great - it’s nice to know they’re not being thrown away.”

Stormy Knight is working on expanding its Bloom seedsticks collection for children as planting seeds would be a great activity, while at PG Live 2023 Raspberry Blossom is set to relaunch its 2015 Crafties range with a sticker sheet.

For UKG , gaming continues to be a prevalent trend, and Ben Whittington commented: “My son has just turned seven and he and his friends are super into Nintendo Switch - it was perfect timing as we recently launched an awesome gaming-inspired innovation design that has a slide and reveal mechanism on the screen that he loved!”

The sustainability element is really important at Danilo right across the business, including the product design. Dan Grant, the publisher’s licensing directo,r told PG: “As part of our strategy we’re creating designs that aim to increase the longevity of the product, and allow the end user to gain a second

life from it. In our children’s designs, we often incorporate colouring-in and other activities into the inside page of the card, for brands such as Peppa Pig, PAW Patrol, and My-Little Pony.”

Hallmark understands activities can add a lot of value so each of its licensed kids’ designs features an activity, such as word searches and spot-the-differences, and Jess Lovelace added: “Higher-value price codes include stickers for that added personalisation. Our writing team finds a way to tie the activity into the editorial - we like to tell a story across the pages.

“With sustainability being more important than ever, not only are all Hallmark cards recyclable, but we also offer a variety of cards that have paper-based keepsake elements and interactive fun. Children can wear paper badges, make a 3D model of a beloved character, take part in a nature trail activity or even write about their special day in their birthday journal.”

Rachel Ellen’s Paul Roberts makes the point that, while there may be some price sensitivity in children’s cards, adding extra elements also adds value. He said: “Children's cards ultimately have a price cap. We've had great success with our Jigsaw cards over the years which do have a higher price point, but the novelty of the puzzle gives the card a gift-like quality.”

Predominantly known for cheeky humour, Redback also produces some rather marvellous kids’ cards which take longevity to the nth degree its award-winning Shine range include reversible, removable sequin patches which catch the light and draw the eye, and can be used afterwards to brighten clothes, shoes, bags and even furniture.

And md Chris Stanley revealed that more in this vein is in the pipeline with its new Moji range that is launching in January. “It features adorable, plushie patches that can be removed and reused to add cuteness to kids’ furniture and bags. The menagerie of smiling foodstuffs and animal characters is inspired by the soft toy trend which is more prevalent than ever in the kids’ toys market,” said Chris, adding, “While adults rely mostly on sight as our primary way of processing information, children rely much more on touch - what better way to tap into their sweet, sensorily understood worldview than through delightfully fluffy cards!”

Left: Space fun from Hallmark. Below left: Colouring-in activities from Danilo. Below right: Redback’s latest sweet and sensory Moji range.

Bottom: Rachel Ellen’s successful Jigsaw cards.

Art Source

All Mapped Out

There cannot be many artist’s journeys into greeting cards that started with an actual map, but that really is the case with Anna Andrews.

PG shares more about the life and inspirations of this talented Devon-based illustrator.

“My journey into greeting card design started with a map. Having a lifelong love of the outdoors and a fascination with the grid-like patterns in street maps, I embarked on illustrating a design-led map of my adopted hometown, Seaton in Devon. This was received very well, and I soon expanded my range to include other towns and villages along the Jurassic Coast, which are sold in art and gift shops under Anna Andrews Art, as well as through my online Etsy shop.

It was while I was promoting my Exmouth and Devon maps via Instagram that I made contact with Soula Zavacopoulos, the founder of The London Studio (TLS). Soula runs a design studio and art licensing agency, representing a community of emerging and award-winning artists.

Soula offered me the opportunity to create illustrated map cards of Perth and Adelaide for Moonpig Australia and I jumped at it! I always try to capture the flavour of a place I am illustrating as well as include the familiar landmarks, so I relished the chance to capture the vibrancy and culture of these dynamic cities - from the festivals, to local cuisine, to the diverse and unique flora and fauna.

Since this initial greeting card commission, things have moved fast. New designs have been approved and sold by Funky Pigeon and Moonpig, and I am working hard to expand the range of work I offer. I have also received my first licensing deal outside of greeting cards, again through The London Studio, and this time it’s illustrating and designing a family organiser for RSPB, the UK's largest nature conservation charity. The planner/calendar focuses on coastal wildlife and reflections.

Right:

Top left: Anna Andrews in her studio.

Above: Festive styling from Anna.

Left: The Exmouth map that started it all for Anna.

Because I started in traditional art, my designs still begin their journey as hand drawn line work, which I then scan and take over into digital manipulation. I also like to use traditional paint, which I import into the work as textures. Although this is a slightly slower process than using solely digital brushwork, I sense that it gives my art an individual, organic quality.

Below: One of the pages in the RSPB calendar and organiser Anna has designed.

I feel very lucky to live by the sea in South Devon. I can see its evolution from my studio window. It has a heavy influence on my work - my colour palette is always rich in the colour blue in all its hues, and I use a lot of nautical subjects, be they boats, lighthouses, coastal birds or swimmers.

My natural style tends to be fairly precise. My art influences probably come most from the lean lines of the 1920s, including fashion, interior design, and artists such as Erté. Iconic period travel posters and Japanese Art also have a strong influence. I like the meticulous graphic precision, the contrasting use of tranquil space, and the distinctive pattern repetition found in origami.

I am very proud to be a member of The London Studio artist community and am excited and hopeful to see what future opportunities that brings.”

l Anna Andrews Art is represented by TheLondonStudio.com

If you are an artist, photographer or verse writer and would like to be considered to appear in Art Source, please contact PG’s Jakki Brown on jakkib@max-publishing.co.uk. This is an editorial feature and as such is free of charge.

Above: Seabirds, such as Puffins feature in Anna’s work.

Easy to see the Erté influence in this design.

PG ASKED A SELECTION OF RETAILERS FOR THEIR BEST SELLERS.

Category Name of Publisher Product/Name Range Comments

Belly Button Designs

Wrendale

Woodmansterne

Cinnamon Aitch Rosie Made a Thing

Toasted Crumpet Woodmansterne

The Art File

Cinnamon Aitch Portfolio The Art File Rosie Made a Thing Woodmansterne

Rachel Ellen Designs Rosanna Rossi

Toasted Crumpet Gift Republic Legami Jellycat

Elle

Generally Charity

Margot Gin & Frolics Mini Moments Generally Snap to Grid Margot Jaz & Baz Sakura Heights Gin & Frolics

Framed, Loose Leashes, Cattitude

Jigsaw cards Confetti Sprinkle Generally Generally Generally Amuseables

“Just beautiful.”

“The favourite so far is Jolly Robin.” “RSPB is coming out tops.”

“Truly excellent.” “Sums up the festive season!”

“Totally gorgeous.”

“Our Woodmansterne brokerage selection includes many amazing publishers.”

“Our outright winner year on year.”

“Woodmansterne covers this area well.”

“Always a firm favourite.” “A PG Live discovery that is doing well.”

“The designs are stunning.” “Both companies’ quirky gifts are perfect for this time of year.”

“A character for everyone, regardless of age.”

Right: A festive design from Alljoy’s Message in a Bottle range.

Right: Sarah Entwistle’s distinctive pointillist art style.

“Beautiful Christmas scenes which are full of detail.”

“We were drawn to the almost watercolour look.”

“We love the classic finish and wide range of subjects covered.”

“So funny. Customers love the play on words.”

“Beautiful artwork of gardens, landscapes and close ups.”

“The cheerful designs work for any age group.”

“Bold seaside-inspired designs. What child doesn't love the beach?”

“We love the detail and the finish.”

Olivia Reilly, owner of Little Boat Gifts, Brightlingsea. A popular card and gift shop in a coastal Essex town.

Sarah Crees, buyer of Garsons, Esher and Titchfield. An award-winning duo of garden centres in Surrey and Hampshire with sizeable card departments.

Above: A card from Rosanna Rossi’s Confetti Sprinkles collection.

Right: A design in The Art File’s Japanese-inspired Sakura Heights range.

Premium Boxes

Comments

“The wildlife photographic box has been especially popular.”

“A top performer, offering a wide variety for all budgets.” “This a key seller for us.”

“The biggest selling age is 70.” “Sterling silver jewellery and a boxed card in one.”

“Amazing array of bright, colourful designs.”

Essentials and Deluxe Generally Men’s gifts Generally Jigsaws Framed art Chocolate

“These cover the value and premium options.”

“Our own range of candles, melts and diffusers.”

“Durable, responsibly-sourced products for men.”

“Fresh, modern gifts using modern technology.”

“Jigsaws are selling well for us.”

“Beautiful handmade framed art with pebbles that can be personalised.”

“A very interesting, yummy, delectable chocolate range.”

Top:

“The designs and presentation are second to none."

“We do well with this local maker."

“Contemporary, relevant and stand out on the display."

“The designs just suit the occasions so well."

“This range continues to evolve and sell well."

“Classy and modern."

“Something a bit different."

“Great sentiments at good price points."

Right: A design from Hutch Cassidy.

Alan McCracken, director of Cloud 9, Edinburgh. A treasure trove of all things cards and gifts in the Scottish capital.

Sharon Green, retail director of Henry & Co. A group of 15 card, gift and fragranced shops in the Midlands.

Below: A design by Edinburghbased illustrator, Liana Moran.

A personalised White Cotton Cards design. Above: One of the products from the Henry & Co collection.