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From The Editor
ON THE CARDS Right: Cards definitely do make Don’t be fooled by his youthful people happy! (Left-right) Tim demeanour, Rod Brown, co-owner of Reynolds (Medici Gallery), Sally Matson (Red Card), Kaye Thurgood Words ‘n’ Wishes is clocking up his (Sincerely Yours), Charlie Wheatley (Medici Gallery) and Jakki Brown 40th anniversary of working in the (PG) at the GCA/PG Retailer greeting card industry this year. Forum that took place just after The Henries’ judging. And how better to mark this Below right: Although now retired, former Clintons’ buyer Ruth Young milestone than by acquiring two loves cards so much, as ever she heritage brands, Nigel Quiney was more than happy to help with The Henries judging preparation Publications and Paper Rose (see with PG’s Warren Lomax. pages 50-51). Rod shunned a professional football career in favour of greeting cards, though as his recent trip to the US to watch the Scotland team play in the World Cup testifies his passion for the beautiful game still runs deep. When I put him on the spot with the $million question of: ‘What’s more difficult, football or greeting cards?’ he didn’t hesitate. “They are both pretty difficult to do well. The advantage of being involved in greeting cards is that you are dealing with a very special tactile emotional product, which makes me feel very fortunate that I chose this field for my career.” While my footballing skills are non-existent, it would appear I share more than just a surname and Scottish heritage with Rod! Although greeting cards are indeed “pretty difficult to do well” as The Henries judging testified, the industry does have some star players right across the pitch – with the talented retailers who formed the judging panel as well as the 86 publishers whose ranges, designers and sales teams are feted in the resultant finalists’ line-up.
@Prog_Greetings
As the judging only took place shortly before this edition of PG went to press all will be revealing in the next edition, with The Henries’ Surf’s Up Good Cardbrations ‘victory parade’ set for October 1. In the meantime, I had better get practising my ‘on your bonce’ and ‘keepy uppies’ for when I see Rod next!
Left: Industry stalwart Tracy Robinson, md of Woodvale Studios with PG’s Jakki Brown at the recent Harrogate Home & Gift show where it debuted JOY, its first general retail collection.
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HERE’S TO ANOTHER 50 YEARS OF WHOLESALE TRADING
WINNER BEST GREETING CARD WHOLESALER RETAS 2026
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CONTENTS 29
18
56
53
9-17 News All the latest happenings and developments in the greeting card community.
What’s Inside?
32-44 The Retas 2026 Winners True Retailing Wizards The Retas 2026 winners in all their glory.
18-19 Talking Shop Smart People, Stupid Decisions
Publishers’ new ranges and designs.
Indie David Robertson discusses how success in retail rarely comes from one brilliant decision, it comes from making fewer bad ones than everyone else!
50-51 In Conversation with… Rod Brown The Flying Scotsman
20-21 Cardsharp Not All Cod’s Wallop Cardsharp learns how the private equity business model was pioneered in the US by Gibson Greetings and also goes supermarket shopping.
23-25 Viewpoints Burnham’s Burning Questions The sun wasn’t the only thing that was hot up at the Harrogate Home & Gift show the day Andy Burnham became Prime Minister, as exhibitors and visitors were full of burning questions for the UK’s new head of government.
29-31 The Retas In Pics A Spellbinding Potion PG shares some of the magical moments from The Retas 2026 event.
45-49 Innovations
Rod Brown, co-owner of Words ‘n’ Wishes reveals why its recent acquisition of Paper Rose and Nigel Quiney Publications was a wish that came true.
53-55 Retailer Revelations Top Picks From the wealth of newness at PG Live, in the second of a series, retailers reveal what ranges stood out from the crowd.
56-57 Retailer In Profile A Six Sense Fresh from her win at The Retas, Kate Hodgson, owner of indie card and gift shop Design@six in Wetherby demonstrates the lengths she goes to for her customers.
58-59 What’s Hot? A trio of retailers reveal their best-selling ranges.
60-67 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
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Copyright© 2026. While every effort has been made to ensure the information in this magazine was correct at the time of publication, the publishers cannot accept legal liability for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility for the standing of advertisers nor any organisation mentioned in the text. Views of contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers.
Ian Hyder
PG is the official magazine for the Greeting Card Association GCA: Amanda Fergusson 020 7619 9266 Email: hello@gca.cards www.greetingcardassociation.org.uk
PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 07
Collections inspired by the diverse landscapes and fleeting moments of beauty found across the globe, Sarah Epsom translates the essence of nature into a refined, hand-painted reality.
24
designs
Created by hand. Inspired by life.
birthday & blank
Noel Tatt Group - Barton Business Park - New Dover Road - Canterbury - CT1 3TE
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NEWS TOP STORY
Cardzone Group Acquires Gift Company 29-store group joins Taylor family business
Above: Gift Company’s 29 outlets are now part of the Cardzone retail group.
Cardzone has acquired the 29-store Gift Company retail group and also appointed ex WHSmith and TGJones’ CEO Sean Toal as a nonexecutive director. Following the acquisition of Gift Company, Cardzone and Clintons now operate a combined portfolio of around 280 stores across the UK and Ireland, with the business continuing to be led by founder Paul Taylor and his son James as they drive the company's long-term growth strategy. "Gift Company is a much-welcomed latest acquisition to join the Cardzone portfolio,” James told PG. He explained that the family-run Gift Company’s brand’s journey started in 1993 in Llandudno and now has a head office in Chester with the business covering many different gifting product opportunities, growing predominantly through designer outlets as well as High Streets and major shopping centres, as well as a few Garden World Centres. He added: “We are very excited to learn a lot from Gift
Company’s operating model and product proposition, which will without doubt strengthen our existing store estate in the future. This opportunity will be revealed into selected Cardzone and Clintons stores within the first month of the acquisition to test and learn, with full benefits to all the estate expected by early 2027.” On the personnel front, joining the group as a non-exec director, Sean Toal has more than 40 years of retail experience, serving most recently as CEO of the High Street arm of WHSmith and moving with the business when it was acquired by
Above: Cardzone’s Paul Taylor (second left) and James Taylor (far right) with House of Cards’ cofounders Miles Robinson (far left) and Nigel Williamson at The Retas. Below: Sean Toal has joined Cardzone as a non-exec.
Modella Capital last spring and rebranded as TGJones. “We are delighted to welcome both Gift Company and Sean Toal to the Cardzone business,” Paul said. “The acquisition strengthens our position as a leading specialist retailer in cards and gifts, while Sean's exceptional retail experience will be invaluable as we continue to invest in our stores, our people and our long-term growth.”
Woodvale Studios’ expansion Well known for its prowess in developing bespoke collections for retailers and other companies, Woodvale Studios is celebrating its 10th anniversary by making its debut into Above: (left-right) general retail with JOY, a Woodvale Studios’ national accounts collection of stationery manager Michaela Ward, and gifting products. This md Tracy Robinson, sales will be in addition to manager Vicki Prince and creative manager Serena continuing its private Wigglesworth-Littlewood label work. on its stand at the recent Harrogate Home & Brighouse-based Gift show. Woodvale Studios, which Below: The inaugural JOY is headed up by Tracy collection spans stationery, lifestyle Robinson as managing products and gifts, all director, whose vast based on artwork by industry experience spans Catherine Lewis Design. retail and bespoke manufacturing, has worked with many top retailers and key brands to facilitate wrappings, gifts and other products. The decision to expand from working ‘under cover’ only supplying retailers or brands with products under their respective brands was something of a eureka moment at the start of the year. “I walked into the office in January and said to Serena, our creative manager: “I think we should develop our own range and launch it at Harrogate Home & Gift in July.” Thankfully she agreed and we set about thinking what it would look like.” said Tracy. “We knew the level of detail consumers now expect and the key retail price points so have put those into action.” Featuring the artwork of Catherine Lewis Design, the inaugural JOY collection of 26 items, spanning stationery, tote bags, scarves, mugs make-up bags and water bottles was unveiled at the recent Harrogate Home & Gift show. “Working with Catherine Lewis Design we have created a look that straddles the traditional with the contemporary, with accents of gold adding more extra luxury and even more joy!” says Serena Wigglesworth-Littlewood, creative manager.
£100k fuels East End Prints’ growth A £100,000 investment is on the cards at East End Prints which will allow the expansion of the design-led wall art and greeting card business. Founded by Helen Edwards in 2010, the London-based company that champions independent artists to provide affordable art through prints and greeting cards has secured the funding from Creative UK and Creative Growth Finance Prints to upgrade the systems behind its growing operation, building the technical infrastructure that will support the next stage of growth. “For years, like many founders, I believed growth had to be funded from retained profits,” Helen said. “But preserving cash to keep your business resilient is just as important as investing for the future. “There are funding opportunities out there for ambitious businesses, and it's worth exploring them. The right investment can Above: Helen (far left) and the team are looking to the accelerate projects that might otherwise take years to deliver. future thanks to Creative “For us, this investment will help build the systems behind the scenes that allow us to scale, support more independent UK’s investment artists, and continue making great art accessible to more people.” Creative UK is an organisation which champions the power of Britain’s creativity and creative industries, and investment manager Tom Sweetsur commented: “Helen has grown East End Prints steadily over the past decade through a clear understanding of their customer base and a real commitment to quality.”
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Good Vibes For The Henries 2026 Some 86 publishers feted as finalists The heat was definitely on for The Henries product judging, which took place on 29 July, as it was not only the temperatures outside that were high, the competition was hot! With all the votes tallied up the finalists in the product, Young Designer and now also Best Service to the Independent Retailer for The Henries 2026 have now been announced. From tiny newbies up to major brands are all feted in the greeting card industry Oscars, along with eight under 35 year old creatives for The Lynn Tait Most Promising Young Designer Or Artist category. From the 1,993 product entries submitted by 284 publishers, each finalist has made it through a twostage judging process, having been scrutinised by almost 100 retail buyers, first online and then at the inperson judging. Buyers from Waterstones, Cardzone, Cardfactory, Ryman, Marks & Spencer, Scribbler, Tesco, Moonpig, House of Cards, Postmark, Barkers, and a raft of leading indie retailers including Red Card/Little Red, Cardies, Stationery Supplies, Little Boat Gifts, Medici Gallery, Hugs & Kisses, Presentation, In Heaven At Home, George’s, Creative Cove, Daisy
Daisy, Inklings, Celebrations, Sewsilver, A Stone’s Throw, Sincerely Yours, and many more formed the panel at the live judging for the product and young designer categories. “It’s always a tough job for our incredible retail judges, and they had the heatwave to contend with too getting to London for the live event,” said Jakki Brown, coowner of Progressive Greetings which owns and organises The Henries. “But their efforts were worth it – as they got to see the fabulous display of designs, creative talent, innovative production techniques and beautiful substrates. They really do know their stuff and the
Above: A big cheers from the retail judges at the live judging of The Henries 2026.
buyers’ collective experience and nous for fabulous design resulted a very strong finalists’ list!” she added. The finalists in the Best Service to the Independent Retailer were arrived at as a result of a wide canvas of 1,750
Idleness gets Paula Reece into the RA Woodmansterne’s senior designer Paula pick the 1,851 pieces to display on the 2026 Reece has proved her art reaches far beyond theme of Interconnectedness. greeting cards as her mixed-media piece The Having worked with several greeting card Importance Of Being Idle is on display in the companies before joining Woodmansterne in Royal Academy Of Arts. 2020, Paula was determined to get back And, not only was Below: Paula Reece and her The Importance into doing her own artwork in her Of Being Idle piece. her art picked for spare time and decided to go the annual Summer back to her artistic roots and Exhibition, which focus on figurative illustrations. runs through to 23 Of her sell out RA piece, Paula August at the RA’s is happy “people really connect Burlington House with it, life today is so busy and base in London’s the idea of sitting and being idle Piccadilly, but her run of 50 limited edition is one everyone can relate to and prints sold out immediately. understand, it’s a subtle nod to social And it all came about thanks to Paula’s commentary. People also love the colours New Year’s resolution to submit her creation and subtle oriental patterns.” for the world’s oldest open submission art Woodmansterne’s art director Ian Blake event, where anyone can enter their work to commented: “What an incredible be considered for inclusion. achievement for Paula! Watching her artistic Of the 18,000 works submitted to the RA journey has been such a privilege and seeing for the Summer Exhibition only 4,000 are her work selected for the Royal Academy’s shortlisted before this year’s coordinator, Summer Exhibition is a testament to her British artist Ryan Gander, and the committee exceptional talent.”
independent retailers who were asked to name their top three card or wrap suppliers on the service front over the last year. Full details of all finalists will appear in all their glory in the September edition of PG which is published in a few weeks. The winners of all The Henries 2026 awards will remain a closely guarded secret until Thursday 1 October, at The Royal Lancaster Hotel in London which will take on a retro Surf’s Up Good Cardbrations ride on the crest of a wave theme. The sponsors for this year’s Henries include Alpha Colour Printers, Cardfactory, CardGains, Cardzone Group, Fedrigoni, GF Smith, Graphite Creative, Gould Paper, Herbert Walkers, House of Cards, Hugo Blue, The Imaging Centre, Loxleys, McDaniels Law, Postmark, Progressive Greetings Live, Scribbler, The Sherwood Group, Skeet Print, Skylight Media, Spring & Autumn Fairs, UK Envelope Centre, and Windles. To book tickets and see the full finalists list,head to www.thehenriesawards.co.uk
Let there be light Two months of working late nights and early mornings have resulted in Megan Hicklin’s 8ft lighthouse joining the 15-strong trail around North Berwick. The artist and co-owner of card and gift company Neon Magpie, and longtime buyer at the Paper Tiger group of stores in Edinburgh, picked puffins and Above: Megan a seascape for her work, which Hicklin (second left) and family with her has been put on display in the installed painted Scottish coastal town. lighthouse. From the rugby ground to the train station the trail of 15 lighthouse sculptures has been lighting up the streets, parks and open spaces of the home town of national respite organisation Leuchie, celebrating its 15th anniversary as an independent charity. Each lighthouse has been individually painted by an artist and matched with a business forming a free, fun, family-friendly trail of discovery for local people and visitors to enjoy, after which there will be a grand auction where each sculpture will be sold off to the highest bidder.
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cards with
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brand new designs now available www.abacuscards.co.uk
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NEWS TOP STORY
Green Pebble Acquired By Page Bros Group Art card publisher joins Art Angels to expand print group’s stable Art card publisher Green Pebble has been acquired by Page Bros Group, further bolstering the print and fulfilment business’ position in the greeting card and creative industries. Having acquired art card business Art Angels Publishing in March 2024, the addition of Green Pebble to its stable adds depth and breadth in its artistic sphere. Norfolk-based Page Bros is an established print businesses while Green Pebble, based nearby in Suffolk, has long been an artist-led publisher renowned for its distinctive greeting cards, stationery and commitment to supporting creative talent through its Artisan Marketplace, which offers a wide range of products made by creatives. “We chose to acquire Green Pebble because it operates in a sector we
know well and is a business we've admired for some time,” said Alex Tuya, ceo of the Norwichheadquartered Page Bros, whose heritage spans over 200 years. “Being a local company added to its appeal, but what really stood out was the energy, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit that founders Michael Charles and Ruby Ormerod have brought to the business over the years.”
Cardies are among The Licensing Awards 2026 finalists Danilo, UKG, Hallmark, Thortful, Toasted Crumpet, IG Design Group, Moonpig and Cardzone are among the greeting card names feted in the finalists list for The Licensing Awards 2026. “An overwhelming number of entries has led to a Above: The Licensing Awards winners will be announced on 8 finalists’ list which reflects the success, trends, September. innovation, joy, passion and creativity of the UK Below left: UKG’s Smiley licensing business,” commented Ian Hyder, ceo of partyware is in the finals in two categories. Max Publishing, which owns and organises The Licensing Awards. The finalists in The Best Licensed Paper Products or Stationery Range category are Care Bears Stationery Collection from Smiggle; Flower Fairies Stationery Collection from Paperblanks; Fourth Wing, Shadows Of Navarre Range from Paperblanks; Fuggler Stationery Collection from Hunter Price International; KPop Demon Hunters Calendar, Card & Gift Wrap Range from Danilo Promotions; KPop Demon Hunters Huntrix Stationery Range from Pyramid International; KPop Demon Hunters Stationery Range from Blue Sky Studios; Miffy Buttercup Stationery Range from Blueprint Collections; Moomin Stationery Collection for Waterstones from Flame Tree Publishing; Moomin Father’s Day Range from Thortful; Mr Bean Greeting Card Collection from UK Greetings; Original Stormtrooper Pop Art Stationery from Puckator; Peanuts Greeting Cards Collection from Hallmark Cards; Peanuts Stamps & Gifting Collection from Royal Mail; Stitch Christmas Activity Range from IG Design Group and Toy Story Adult Greeting Card Range from Moonpig. UKG’s SmileyWorld partyware and Toasted Crumpet’s National Trust range also appear in other categories while Cardzone is up for The Radar Award, for retailers who have upped their licensing activities in the last year. The Licensing Awards 2026 event takes place on Tuesday, 8 September, at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel.
Left: Page’s ceo Alex Tuya (left) with Green Pebble co-founders Ruby Ormerod and Michael Charles. Below: EB Watts, Chris Williamson, and Hayley Noakes are just three artists Green Pebble publishes.
Founded in Beccles, Green Pebble evolved from its initial life as a magazine celebrating East Anglian artists in 2007 into publishing art greeting cards and stationery. After a successful career in finance, Michael and experienced magazine editor Ruby launched the mag, and he added: “By 2011 we realised it was the pictures people wanted to see, not the words so we evolved into publishing art on the small screen of greeting cards.” Sustainability, supporting the local economy and helping to progress artists’ incomes have been three pillars of Green Pebble.
Noel Tatt embraces the sunshine Energy security and getting enough power for a new foiler were the prompts for Noel Tatt Group to upgrade its electricity supply and have solar panels installed. Following the 3½ year project, the family-owned publisher has already seen Above: Noel Tatt is harnessing reductions in energy bills and sun power from its roof. been able to commission the brand-new machine at its offices, print plant and warehouses in Canterbury. “This investment gives us energy security for the future and enables us to continue to grow as a family business,” explained Andreas Tatt, whose grandfather Noel founded the business in 1953. Stage one of the project was to upgrade the site’s power supply from the National Grid, which meant the digital foiling machine could be catered for as well as giving the company flexibility with its own supply as well as greater heating capacity for the winter. Stage two has been the installation of PV solar panels on our office/warehouse roof where 264 panels give an installed capacity of 150kWp. “In the spring and summer months, excess power generation is exported back to the grid, and we’ve already seen a huge reduction in our electricity bills as a result. This project has boosted our sustainability credentials substantially as we’re now consistently powering our whole site from our own solar power through the summer months,” said Andreas. Left: (left - right) Andreas Tatt with dad Jarle and grandfather Noel.
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NEWS TOP STORY
Happiness Is… Making Cards Retailers embrace Happy Card Project for Thinking Of You Week Happiness is coming to the card world with customers voting for their favourites. again as the Happy Card Project launches Once the winner is chosen, it’s printed for the third year running in time for the by Windles with envelopes provided by “Hearing why they chose their charities GCA’s Thinking Of You Week. Enveco, then the packs of cards are sold was really moving, and customers loved The idea is spreading beyond through the shop and all profits go to a supporting the project.” originators Earlybird Cards & Gifts, with charity chosen by the winning artist. At Objectables in Folkestone, co-owner Objectables and Hand Picked by Heidi said of the project: “It brings new Tim Gould is putting his own twist on the Henrietta already signed up to run their families into the shop, builds relationships idea by running a competition, own versions getting their local with schools and open to all ages over the summer community involved in designing cards for charities, gets children holidays through the shop for this year’s initiative. excited about greeting customers to join in. Spearheaded by Heidi Early, who cards, generates positive “We’ll pick a shortlist then ask launched the concept in her Stoke local press and social our customers to vote. The Newington shop Earlybird Cards & Gifts media coverage, and winners will receive a pack of back in 2024 with the then manager positions the shop at the their cards and the rest will be Hannah Sharman (who now owns the heart of the community.” given away during TOYW every store), the idea is to partner with a local Having joined in the time someone buys a card in the primary school, Below: Hand Picked by Henrietta’s Sarah Halsall initiative last shop,” said Tim. inviting the pupils is supporting the initiative. year Sarah Above: Heidi with Earlybird’s first Happy Card winner. There is a step-by-step guide to submit their Halsall, of hosted on the GCA’s Thinking of Week card designs. Hand Picked by Henrietta in website so retailers can run their own All designs are Poynton, is embracing the initiatives. For £20 Windles will print 50 then displayed in idea again, and has also been cards and deliver them with envelopes. the shop invited to talk to youngsters Windles’ creative director Ian Keir-Bertie window during at a local school about said: “The Happy Card Project perfectly Thinking Of You TOYW, the Happy Card Week, which this Project, and the production of reflects the kindness and creativity of the greeting card industry. It’s a brilliant way year runs over greeting cards. 21-27 “It was fantastic getting local to inspire young designers while supporting local charities.” September, children involved,” Sarah said.
Windles’ Formula for kindness Known as a very friendly and caring industry, greeting card folk prove it time and again in a myriad of quiet and kind ways – and Wendy Jones-Blackett is one of the latest to be incredibly grateful for her cardie pals’ formula for kindness for her F1 superfan son Sam. “I’d mentioned to Nicky Marshall of Windles that I was going to get Sam some F1 McLaren merch for his 22nd birthday as he’s a Lando Norris fan and she told me to hold on.” Just a week later Nicky and Windles’ md Andrea Norcott arrived at Wendy’s Leeds base with an official McLaren T-shirt and hat which a delighted Sam has worn constantly. It all came about because Bruce Podmore, Windles’ chairman and the man behind the company’s innovative print innovations, passed on his engineering knowhow to daughter Ella, who works for the McLaren team where her skills have already earned her an MBE despite still being in her 20s. As Wendy explained: “Sam is autistic/ADHD/nonverbal so his possessions carry huge importance to him and he knows these came from within the Above: Lando Norris fan Sam McLaren official camp, making them extra special.” Jones-Bennett in his favourite t-shirt Sam wore his beloved t shirt to the recent British and hat with mum Wendy at the British Grand Prix. Grand Prix at Silverstone. “I can’t thank the Windles team enough, what a thoughtful company they are. We do all our printing with them and this gesture just epitomises the personal touch that we get in all our business dealings,” said Wendy.
Pushing the boat out The Light Fund truly has pushed the boat out for the Wakefield Sea Cadets as the newlynamed Edison Beacon has recently taken to the water, thanks to a grant from the industry charity and Pigment’s national accounts manager Sally Hudson, who is also involved with the Sea Cadets. As Sally commented: Below: The sea cadets with Edison Beacon. “Huge thanks to The Light Fund. The unit does so much for our local community with fundraising bag packs, leaflet drops and taking part in community events. The kids love boating season as they have fun, grow their skills and get qualifications.” The Light Fund’s call for 2026 applications from charities will open in October.
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Hanging Up Her PG DMs
GCA conference’s selling out fast
Tracey Bearton heads to retirement The days of Tracey Bearton galumphing around trade shows in her studded and be-ribboned Dr Martens and badgering greeting card folk for quotes are about to end. After 14 years of covering the industry’s happenings journalistically, the past 4½ as news and features editor of Progressive Greetings and PG Buzz, she’s taking her Pitman 2000 shorthand, tons of silver jewellery, and love of lined hardback notebooks spiral-bound at the top into retirement. As PG’s editor Jakki Brown asked: “Is there anyone out there who can fill Tracey’s DMs? We need someone to join PG who’s willing to learn all about the greeting card industry, keep tabs on what’s going on, write great articles, and work with me on the PG Buzz blasts – email me ASAP on jakkib@max-publishing.co.uk!” Paying tribute to her ‘write hand woman’, Jakki added: “I will really miss not having Tracey on the PG team. She is an absolute delight to work with, incredibly good at anything she turns her heavily bejewelled hands to and just never seems to get flustered.” Sharing her thoughts Tracey said: “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed meeting all the people on all sides of the industry. The generosity and kindness of greetings folk have been mind-blowing, the incredible support for the
various charity projects I’m involved in with gifts of cards, stationery and giftwrap, and the donations when I had my hair cut for the Above: Tracey Bearton (right) with George’s Lucy Eason and The Little Princess Letter Arty’s Matt Simpson at The Henries 2026 judging. Trust earlier Below: Tracey’s Docs have this year.” become a well-known sight around trade shows. As well as looking forward to spending more time with her lurcher Collin and grandson Haydn, Tracey will be continuing with her job as a parish clerk in the next village. “Between PG and my parish council job, the two have become more than a full-time role so I need to step back from one! It’s been a very hard decision and I shall miss everyone but the clerk’s job is near home – although the paperwork side can be tedious I also go from searching for a homeless man on the allotments to organising a public meeting because someone’s approved putting a bridleway across the top of graves in the churchyard – and yes, I do it all wearing my DMs too!” Tracey’s final PG day will be the end of August, although she will maybe put in a guest appearance at the GCA conference in Milton Keynes in September.
Lonely monkey received 2,500 greeting cards Life is looking up for cute monkey Punch after fans from all over the world sent over 2,500 greeting cards for the macaque’s first birthday. Punch became a social media star last year after Ichikawa Zoo & Botanical Gardens, where he was born in Japan, released videos showing how the youngster had bonded with a stuffed orangutang toy when he was abandoned by his mother. And when he turned one a few weeks ago there were plenty of birthday cards to help celebrate, which have been put on display at the
Left: Punch with his plush friend. Below: Zoo visitors will see the cards until 30 August (images courtesy of @ichikawa_zoo).
zoo in an Everyone’s Messages exhibition. “They are wonderful cards from Punch’s fans,” the zoo’s director Takashi Yasunaga told Canadian news site CTVNews in an email sent in Japanese and translated into English, “Punch is very healthy and we are happy he now one year old.”
Above: Tickets are selling fast for this year’s GCA conference. Below: Dean Morris will be sharing his story at the Sept meet up.
Things are hotting up on the GCA Conference & AGM front as well over 70% of tickets are now sold for the annual event, which will take place at Unity Place, Milton Keynes, this year on Thursday, 24 September. Hazel Walker, buying manager at Waterstones, has agreed to join the retail panel, which is being chaired by vicepresident Mark Callaby, co-founder of Ohh Deer, with Jo Barber of No14 Ampthill, Tesco’s Ross Lasseter and Tanya Rounding, plus Louise Cambridge, of UOE Stores/Stamp, in a Q&A covering insights into trends, opportunities and what retailers are looking for from publishers. The day’s line-up of speakers includes Cydney Ball, buying manager of John Lewis on how its card department is evolving and what the team is looking for; Dean Morris, will give a candid look at his eponymous and recognisable brand; and Woodmansterne’s Seth Woodmansterne covering 75 years of the third-generation family publishing business. There will also be Moonpig’s SarahJane Porter how greeting card messages are evolving and launching the new GCA Care & Compassion initiative. Kantar’s Jon Hendy will be back by popular demand to reveal the latest consumer insights and trends, and GCA CEO Amanda Fergusson will be reflecting on her 40 years in the greeting card industry as she prepares to step down from the role at the end of the year. The Conference officially starts on Thursday, but the networking begins the night before when Woodmansterne is sponsoring the preConference drinks reception on Wednesday 23 September at The Residence Bar at The Hub, from 5.45pm– 7.45pm for a relaxed evening of catching up with industry friends, networking, and making new connections The Conference programme starts at 10am and will finish around 4.30pm. Tickets are £130 for GCA members, or £200 for non-members, available from www.gca.cards.
FOR THE LATEST NEWS VISIT PGBUZZ.net PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 17
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OVER THE
COUNTER
BY DAVID ROBERTSON OF JP POZZI, ELGIN AND BUCKIE.
Inset: Christopher Nolan's modern epic The Odyssey, which was partly filmed in Cullen has aided the coastal town’s reinvigoration.
Smart People, Stupid Decisions Driving home this morning after my paper round, it dawned on me that I hadn't missed that opportunity because someone else was smarter than me, I'd missed it because I was too busy dealing with the small things to stop and see the bigger picture. My life is littered with those sorts of mistakes and missed opportunities. Thankfully, I've also managed to take a few opportunities that turned out OK as well. Of course, every minute spent looking backwards stops us moving forwards. We can't change the past and we certainly can't predict the future. All we can do is make the best decisions we can with the information we have today. Ironically, this train of thought and life’s algorithm led me to a YouTube video entitled The Stupid Mistake Costing Smart People £1000s. It wasn't really about money, it was about decision-making. It asked one simple question: How can so many intelligent people make such expensive mistakes? 18 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
After nearly four decades in retail, I've come to the conclusion that intelligence has very little to do with it. Every independent retailer I know is smart. You don't survive changing high streets, recessions, online competition, rising costs, staffing issues and constantly changing customer habits without being resilient, adaptable and capable. Yet
Above: One of David’s many good decisions is to sponsor his local football team, Buckie Rovers.
I'm writing this on a Sunday morning after delivering newspapers in Cullen, a small town that has been completely reinvigorated over the last few years, helped by gaining national attention when Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey was filmed there last summer. A few years ago, I was offered a very run-down old newsagent there. I barely gave it a second thought. A good friend of mine bought it instead and today it has a thriving commercial unit, a flat and a house built on the land that came with it. My mistake wasn't turning down buying another newsagent, my mistake was not looking at the bigger opportunity. I saw the business, I didn't see the property. smart people make stupid decisions every single day. I know because I've made plenty of them myself. The good news is that most businesses don't fail because of one catastrophic mistake. They struggle because of dozens of small decisions that quietly chip away at profits, confidence and momentum. So, I thought I'd share some of the biggest ones I've encountered. Hopefully they'll help you avoid one or two of them. And if nothing else, they'll reassure you that you're certainly not the only one who's ever made them. 1. Don't Wait Too Long To Make A Decision Retailers are eternal optimists. "We'll see what Christmas brings...", "Mother's Day is always great...", "That range has slowed down... but it always comes back." Sometimes we're right, but sometimes we're simply delaying the difficult decision we already know we need to make. Whether it’s cutting stock, changing suppliers, raising prices or adjusting staffing, waiting can feel safest, but it is often the costliest choice. 2. Falling In Love With A Brand This one can really hurt. We've all got a range we've stocked for years or a company we admire. Perhaps it’s even something
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OVER THE COUNTER we've seen another retailer selling brilliantly and convinced ourselves we simply have to stock. The problem is that customers don't buy products because we like them, they buy them because they like them. One of the hardest disciplines in retail is separating emotion from performance. Your shelves aren't a showroom and every square foot has to earn its keep. A retailer friend recently photographed every section of her shop and worked out roughly what each space cost versus what it actually sold each week. It forced her to become far more ruthless. Sometimes we also hang on because of the relationship with a supplier or agent. 3. I've Never Been Busier... So I Must Be More Productive I've lost count of the number of retailers who tell me they've never worked harder and I believe every one of them. I'm one of them. The problem is that being busy doesn't automatically mean you're moving the Above: David’s mum business forward. We Lynda has been instrumental in ensuring answer emails, unpack that the shops’ displays deliveries, serve customers, move with the times. Right: As a former solve problems and we teacher himself, David is committed in his belief react. But if every day is that we all need to keep spent reacting, when do we on learning. actually improve the business? Sometimes the most productive hour of the week is the one spent with a coffee, a notebook and absolutely no interruptions. Working on the business is every bit as important as working in it. 4. Turnover Is Vanity... Profit Pays The Bills It's an old cliché but it's also true. When I first came into the business, turnover was almost the only number I looked at. Turnover creates excitement, but it can also create a false sense that everything is heading in the right direction. Profit creates sustainability which creates cash which then gives you options. Cash pays wages, pays suppliers and lets you sleep at night. I've seen businesses with an impressive turnover struggle to pay their bills, while others with lower sales quietly build fantastic businesses. 5. "We've Always Done It That Way..." This is probably the most dangerous sentence in a retailing business. Retail is changing faster than ever. Customers shop
differently, they discover products differently, they're better travelled and expect different experiences. Change is a good thing. That doesn't mean abandoning everything that has made your business successful, it simply means accepting that yesterday's winning formula won't automatically win tomorrow. Without cakes and coffee, would we even have the business we have today? Some 38 years ago my mum decided she didn’t want to sell Woodbines and she started doing cards properly. Newspapers and home deliveries, once the very heart of what we did, now account for less than a quarter of our business. 6. Every “Yes” Costs You Something Independent retailers are generally nice people, sometimes too nice. We say “yes” far too easily. Why? Because we genuinely want to help. We don't like disappointing suppliers, we don't like saying “no” to
customers and we don't like upsetting staff. But here's the question: Does that “yes” actually pay you? Every single “yes” costs you something, it might be another supplier you didn't need, it might be another slow-moving range tying up valuable cash, it might simply be another favour that costs you time, space or energy. Eventually, your business becomes a collection of compromises instead of a business with a clear direction. 7. Never Stop Learning One of the easiest ways to stop learning is to start comparing yourself with everyone else. We all spend far too much time looking at social media…"That shop looks amazing", “They've got a bigger Jellycat allocation", "They're opening another branch." Comparing yourself with others is one of the quickest ways to sow doubt in your own mind and lose confidence in the business you've worked so hard to build. After nearly 40 years in retail, perhaps the
Above: The James Stack YouTube about smart people making stupid mistakes has already gained a lot of viewers.
biggest lesson of all is that experience should never stop you learning. Every day, every conversation, every customer, every supplier, every mistake and every success, there's always something to learn. That doesn't make me an expert, it simply means I've had 40 years of making mistakes... and hopefully learning from most of them. The best lessons don't always come from our own industry either, they can come from younger retailers, from suppliers, from customers or even from completely different sectors. I believe curiosity is one of the most valuable business skills you can have and today what is crystal clear in my mind is not how much money the mistakes have cost me, it’s the fact that the mistakes don’t define me. In fact the mistakes have forced me to adapt and believe in myself even more. What will define you is if you continue to repeat the mistakes. That is the real definition of stupidity. It is not about getting things wrong, backing the wrong product, trusting the wrong person or employing the wrong team member, it is paying for that same lesson twice. If experience teaches us anything, it should be realising that tomorrow's mistake will become the next invoice we have to pay. So maybe success is not about doing one thing brilliantly, it is about quietly stopping ourselves doing the stupid things more than once. Success in retail rarely comes from one brilliant decision, it comes from making fewer bad ones than everyone else! l To contact David email: jppozzi@btconnect.com
Inset: We all need to learn from our mistakes!
PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 19
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cardsharp Cardsharp has aimed a fair few barbs at the private equity business models that are now prevalent in the UK economy and in particular, bricks and mortar retailing. This has included his views on Modella, the ‘delightful’ company that liquidated Paperchase and is now in the process of dismantling TGJones. But Cardsharp is indebted to The Times’ business columnist Harry Wallop for highlighting the fascinating fact that the private equity business model was pioneered in the United States by a greeting card publisher - Gibson Greetings which is still a strong brand in the UK to this very day.
NOT ALL COD’S WALLOP
Inset: Journalist Harry Wallop writes good sense, not cod’s wallop!
Older readers and indeed many who were employed by Gibson are still involved in the trade now, will remember the UK subsidiary, Gibson Greetings (UK). Woodmansterne’s sales director, Andy Paterson, for one, cut his teeth with the publisher in the 1990s. For the benefit of younger readers, Below: Peter Osman (front left), who launched Gibson Greetings in the UK in 1991, with its headquarters being in Telford. Berlow inset: The Gibson logo lives on as part of UK Greetings.
20 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
Cardsharp should explain how significant Gibson was in the 1990s. In 1991 Hallmark and Carlton Cards (owned by American Greetings, that became known as UK Greetings) dominated the market, but as well as their publishing business, both owned chains of bricks and mortar specialist card chains. Hallmark owned Hall of Cards, among others,
while one of Carlton Cards’ main retail trading names were Forget Me Not, Someone Somewhere. There was a feeling though among the then growing band of independent specialist card shops that they suffered in terms of service from the two big boys, because of the priority given to these chains by their principals. And perhaps more crucially that, in effect, they were buying from their competitors. When the Gibson first launched its UK operation in 1991, under the charismatic leadership of ex-Hallmark director, Peter Osman, it made huge gains by stressing that it owned no shops and that its whole raison d’être was offering a first class service. And in this it was remarkably successful, going from nothing to a £25 million business in a matter of a few years. Unfortunately, troubles in its US market meant the whole Gibson operation was swallowed up by American Greetings around the turn of the century, but still today the Gibson Greetings brand is very much a part of the UK Greetings stable. But what has this to do with the rise of
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Right: Harry Wallop’s views and investigations are far ranging, including a recent one which delved into the now ubiquitous ‘meal deal’.
private equity you may well ask? Well, the original Gibson Greeting Card Company, a privately-owned company, was bought for $80 million in 1982 by a company called Wesray, owned by a former US treasury secretary and his friend. At that time Gibson owned the rights to the lasagne eating cartoon cat Garfield which was very popular at the time. So, on the surface nothing very odd about that. Except the two Westray directors only put around $1 million of their own money in for the purchase. The rest, uniquely at that time, was financed by debt. Then a mere 16
months later Wesray floated the company for a massive $290 million, and the Wesray owners pocketed $70 million each. Not
bad for not even a year and a half’s work! So, the very business model that has done so much to damage to the greeting card industry in recent years was inspired by a greeting card publisher over 40 years ago. How strange and ironic! The very business model that seems to make money for investors, has wrecked the lives of workers, suppliers and landlords. Incidentally Cardsharp was intrigued to see the Modella company mission statement blatantly shared on its website: “We deliver the results that we have agreed with no nasty surprises.” Tell that to suppliers, landlords and workers of Paperchase, TG Jones, Original Factory shop and Clare’s Accessories, concludes Cardsharp.
Not Such A ‘Super’ Market The news that Asda, one of the so-called big four supermarket chains is facing difficulties, cutting jobs and trying to reverse falls in sales and market share set Cardsharp thinking about the whole supermarket sector on the greeting card front. From commanding little over 4% of the greeting card market 30 years ago, it is conservatively estimated that the supermarket sector now accounts for around 50% of the value of all greeting card sales. So, when the grocery sector sneezes, the industry feels it. And Cardsharp reflects that things are not looking too rosy for Asda. Having been purchased from US giant Walmart by a combination of the Issa brothers and private equity, it is saddled with servicing a huge debt which is even worse now interest rates have soared. In an industry where food margins are wafer thin, it makes it near impossible for Asda to compete with the likes of Tesco and Sainsbury’s, let alone the two German discount chains Aldi and Lidl. In fact, many retail experts predict that Aldi will overtake Asda in terms of grocery market share before too long. And with Asda posting a pre-tax loss of around a £billion for 2025, it is clear something has to give soon. Morrisons has a similar problem. It, like Asda, is attempting a big turnaround but again is hampered by its private equity ownership model where financing debt makes it less competitive with the German chains and the big two of Sainsbury’s and Tesco. To Cardsharp's mind there seems little way out of this conundrum for either of them. Morrisons did indeed attempt a merger with Sainsbury’s in 2019, but it was blocked by the competition watchdog in 2019. So, it would look likely that neither chain could be purchased by Tesco or Sainsbury’s. Waitrose? That would be like a fly swallowing a frog. Perhaps Aldi or Lidl could purchase it or merge with Asda or Morrisons, but would not that disturb their respective unique business models? So, what does this all mean for greeting card industry? Well at the Right: Aldi is mighty in many product areas, but not in greeting cards.
moment, greeting cards have a very visible presence with large displays in all of what were the traditional big four grocers, namely Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Asda. All four are brokered by UKG, but each with a varied offering, Above: Asda’s fate is being decided by the so each grocer has a machinations of private equity expectations. different look. Aldi and Lidl by comparison have historically put less emphasis on greeting cards. After double dating IG Design Group and Cardfactory, for the last couple of years Aldi has stayed loyal to Cardfactory who supplies its greeting cards. That said, they are hardly a destination site for cards, perhaps a reflection that card sending in Germany is not as strong as in the UK. If Aldi and Lidl do continue to steadily increase their share of the grocery market, will greeting cards will get more or less of a look in? Certainly as head office numbers get reduced in an effort to trim costs, buyers will be given wider or wider areas of responsibility. This has already happened to a certain extent at Morrisons and Asda meaning greeting cards receive less dedicated attention from the buying team which is likely to reduce the potency of the offering. Or it may mean that the buyer is less invested in the category and not so willing to fight for its space in store in terms of size and positioning. Cardsharp hopes this is not the case as looking holistically, for greeting cards to maintain their widespread consumer adoption, we all need healthy and expansive card displays in the supermarket sector to give the product visibility and availability.
PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 21
This new range of licensed greetings cards offers a fresh take on the incredible flora and fauna illustrations in the Natural History Museum’s archives. Featuring British and exotic wildlife, a trend-led palette and contemporary styling (a smaller rectangle size and branded kraft envelope) the result is a naturally compelling collection.
E: sales@mgml.co.uk PG Greetings Aug 26_FP_297x210_NHM V3.indd 1 22_PG August 2026.indd 1
museumsgalleries.co.uk
Tel: 01373 462165 27/07/2026 12:30 06/08/2026 16:06
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VIEWPOINTS
Burnham’s Burning Questions
Inset: There are high hopes for our new PM.
The sun wasn’t the only thing that was hot up at the Harrogate Home & Gift show the day Andy Burnham became Prime Minister, as exhibitors and visitors were full of burning questions for the UK’s new head of government. Proving that a week is indeed a long time in politics, PG canvassed opinions before the first raft of changes were announced to gauge what is on the card community’s wishlist.
Sarah Kelleher, founder of Sarah Kelleher “I would question our new Prime Minister about what he really is going to do about improving the communication from central Government to local levels to improve the disheartened feeling many people have about politics in general at the moment. Andy Burnham says he is all about the people, he needs this to put this into Above right: Sarah Kelleher is hoping our new ‘top dog’ is going to action to lift the spirits of encourage engaging with local communities more. the nation. Below: Sarah has ideas of how Andy I feel lucky that we have a Burnham can change the UK. young MP in our area whose positive engagement has been welcomed by constituents, we need to see more of this, coming from the top down.”
Sandra O'Connell and Evelyn O'Flaherty, co-owners of Mooch London “We would like to question our PM about what exactly he is going to do about looking after and regenerating UK High Streets. The conversation would start off asking him about rates, which are ridiculously high in the areas of London where our shops are based. We were talking to a fellow independent based in the north of England and her rent is lower than the Above: Mooch’s Sandra O’Connell (left) and Evelyn O'Flaherty are ‘up rates we pay, and what are we paying for, we in arms’ about the amount they don’t even get our rubbish picked up included! have to pay in rates for their trio of shops. He needs to seriously consider giving incentives Right: Not having rubbish collection included in their high rates bill irks for indies to provide Mooch’s Evelyn and Sandra. local employment which in turn generates income for the local economy. It has saddened us to see the number of empty shop units, that were once filled with great independents, here in Harrogate, we have to urge Andy Burnham to act quickly to safeguard our nation’s shopkeepers.”
PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 23
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VIEWPOINTS Carl Stirk, of Carl Victor
Adam Lawrance, sales agent for the South
Agencies, for the North East “I would be asking PM Andy Burnham about what he plans to do to really help the British High Streets, which is at the centre of communities and local economies. Anything he can instigate to curb spending online and take that back into bricks and mortar has to be a good thing, for my retailer customers, their suppliers and communities at large.”
Below: Adam sees merit is pushing for nationalisation on all of life’s essentials!
Above: Double agents! Carl Stirk (left) and Adam Lawrance at the show.
“I would ask Prime Minister Andy Burnham to nationalise everything that we need to survive, such as water, trains, beer, crisps and chocolate. I would also put forward a strong case for the retirement age to be changed to 59, as I am about to embrace that milestone! Most of all, we need him to be a Prime Minister that people can trust to stay in office, do a good job and stabilise the nation.”
James Ward, owner of Quite Good Cards “I would be up for asking Andy Burnham questions about what he can do to help small businesses, who are the backbone of UK enterprise. He needs to introduce measures, initiatives and incentives to make it not only easier to borrow, but less scary. He needs to encourage a feeling that people with good ideas want to invest in them. Far left: Quite Good Cards’ James Ward Having started Quite Good Cards on a market stall, with his Rear Starmer and Nigel Farage I would love to collaborate with others on creating a designs… the Andy ‘hub’ which combines retailing with hospitality and Burnham one is in the pipeline! entertainment, but there is currently not that vision or Left: It is not just UK politicians who receive support for this to happen, which is such a missed the Quite Good Cards opportunity as it would bring personality to areas.” treatment.
Marion and Mark Flaherty,
Georgi Doig,
Best Wishes, Garstang “While we accept the new PM is going to have a tough job balancing the books, we would ask him to seriously think about the implications of taxing everything we and our customers touch. We want our staff to earn a decent wage, but it does make it difficult for independent retailers such as us, when we have to absorb wage increases on top of all the other cost rises. There really needs to be more help for small businesses. We would also press him on what really can be done to improve the shoplifting epidemic which costs retailers dearly and cannot be recouped. We do however welcome a PM who has more of an understanding of the north of England!” Above: Best Wishes’ Marion and Mark Flaherty do welcome that concerns of the north of England will be taken on board by the new Prime Minister. Right: With their shop located in Garstang, a Lancashire market town, Marion and Mark are glad that Andy Burnham has made much noise about ensuring the north of England receives due attention.
24 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
director of Happiness of Lil Wabbit “I would kick off my questioning of the Prime Minister with ensuring that he is going to hold Royal Mail accountable for playing havoc with letter and card sending. Price is the issue for me, it needs to be kept affordable. My other area of questioning concerns dog legislation. I believe the UK’s breed-specific legislation and the banning of certain dog breeds is both ineffective and cruel, and I would like to see the Government replace this approach with meaningful legislation focused on responsible dog ownership, including robust dog licensing, stronger regulation of breeders, and genuine penalties for irresponsible and unethical breeding practices that put both dogs and the public at risk.” Above: Lil Wabbit’s Georgi Doig with one of her cards that features a bulldog, one of the dog breeds that has suffered under the current breedspecific legislation. Right: Capping the cost of Second Class post is one of Georgi’s big beefs for the new PM.
23-25_Viewpoints.qxp_Grid 05/08/2026 11:30 Page 20
VIEWPOINTS Rachel Hart-Phillips, co-founder of
Adam Short,
LoveLossDiscoballs
md of The Imaging Centre
“I would question the Prime Minister about what measures he is going to bring in that will improve the mental health of the nation. There needs to be more education on mental health for younger people and to improve everyone’s understanding of this crucial issue and in turn eradicate the stigma attached to it. I will also make the point that greeting cards do play a part in this.”
“As well as putting forward a strong case for our postal service to be nationalised and urging him to make Trump see sense and reduce tariffs which are such barriers to trade, my main questions would be around instigating measures to help recruit younger people into trades, such as printing as well as more support for SMEs. We are actively recruiting for our business, but there is little incentive for us to do so and neither is there any provision being made to help or reassure our publishing customers to grow their business. Encouraging trade will bring benefits to the UK economy as a whole, our new PM needs to take this fully on board.”
Above: Rachel Hart-Phillips wants Andy Burnham to have his finger of the pulse of mental health issues. Left: One of the LoveLossDiscoballs designs that is being sold in aid of the CALM charity.
Jo Denning, co-owner of Lovely Paper Stuff “I would start off my PM Question Time by putting forward a very strong argument about the importance of safeguarding both the service and pricing for Royal Mail as having a reliable and affordable postal service is part of the fabric of our society, as well as being important for our wonderful greeting card industry and businesses in general.
Above: Adam Short (left) and colleague Mark Jessett would love to put the Prime Minister ‘in the frame’ about encouraging younger people into trades as well as help for SMEs. Below: Adam Short (front left) with some of the IC team inside its premises near Tonbridge in Kent.
The Second Class postal service levels from have just not been good enough and must improve for sake of everyone. My wild card would be for be for Andy Burnham to grant everyone two birthdays which would double the joy and improve card sending!” Above: Lovely Paper Stuff’s Jo Denning feels Andy Burnham needs to harness the power of all the good luck cards he will have received. Above right: Knowing that something you have posted will arrive in good time is imperative.
Mark Jessett, The Imaging Centre and Field System, Ashburton
Above: Mark Jessett (fourth left) outside his Field System gallery with some people who were involved with the recent Dartmoor Festival. Right: Can Andy Burnham make people happy?
“Wearing two hats, one representing SME publishers and the other as a retailer cum artist, I am full of questions for our new Prime Minister, but they are variations on a couple of themes. Firstly, he needs to really think about how he can help SMEs, but not by thinking they want the same measures as larger businesses. Secondly, as a gallery owner/retailer, the best thing Andy Burnham can do is keep austerity away and make people feel more confident that they can go out and visit shops, restaurants, cultural places etc. It means everyone is a bit happier and the economy keeps turning.”
PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 25
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Christmas Starts Here
Our new Christmas Card collection has arrived. Beat the rush and choose from the full range while every design is still available.
Award Winning Greeting Card Supplier to Businesses in the UK & Internationally
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THE RETAS 2026 IN PICS
A SPELLBINDING POTION Gather some wonderful card retailers, stir in some great publishers, add in some super shiny trophies, an entertaining host and a generous dose of comestibles and hey presto, you have a splendiferous Retas awards potion! PG shares a flavour of the magical moments of the event, which took place in London’s Grosvenor House Hotel.
Top: N Smith worked its magic to create some great props and photo ops for The Retas. Above: Staff training?! Rosie Made A Thing’s Rosie Harrison (left) and Faye Richardson.
Above: The Emotional Rescue table getting into the spirit of the event. Left: Some lovely added extras for the table… a popup teacup card from Alljoy Design acted as the placecard while an Ohh Deer notebook hosted the menu. Right: Cardzone’s Paul Taylor (second left) and James Taylor (far right) with House of Cards’ co-founders Miles Robinson (far left) and Nigel Williamson.
PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 29
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THE RETAS 2026 IN PICS
Inset: PG’s Jakki Brown waves the magic wand to get proceedings off to a good start. Above right: (left-right) Crystal ball gazing for Heyyy’s Dan and Yvette Clarkson with &Quirky’s Paul Cheshire. Left: “Izzy wizzy let’s get busy” says Sooty fan, agent (right) Nigel Spensley (who is more Jack Daniels than Paul Daniels) to The Indigo Tree’s Adam de Wolff. Right: The PG witches and wizards (leftright) Ian Hyder, Tracey Bearton, Jakki Brown, Tracey Arnaud, Warren Lomax and Rob Willis.
Below: Agent Rosie Trow (right) who sponsored the magical hats for the charity raffle masters on each table helped Highworth Emporium’s Ele Spreckley make her 24th birthday all the more memorable by drawing the winning raffle tickets.
Below: Bernaville Nurseries’ Karen Halliday was delighted to win the Lotions & Potions raffle prize of £250 worth of Jo Malone goodies donated by Alljoy Design that was presented to her by Method UK’s Gary Freeman.
Above: The Ohh Deer ‘fan zone’. (Left-right) Stuart Delahoy (Set), Harry Ferrin, Beka Jones (Mettle & Wishbone), Edd Hamp, Jamie Mitchell and Mark Callaby (all Ohh Deer) with Fortnum & Mason’s Emma Hawkins and Tahnee Depraetere.
Left: Bookended by wizardry! (Right-left) Simon Bailey (Baileys), Laura Joel (Daniels), Tracy McMinn (UKG), Penny Bailey (Baileys), Andrew Holdsworth, Carl Dunn (both of Cards & Gifts) and PG’s Tracey Bearton. Below right: (left) Sarah Jackson, founder of Stormy Knight sponsored the Higher or Lower? elimination game that was won by Ade Longe, owner of Sensations, who took home a magic potions box as well as champagne as his prizes. Bottom left: The Highworth Emporium fairies flew in. (Left-right) Amy Searis-Bishop, Loraine Haines, Aga Marsden and Ele Spreckley.
30 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
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THE RETAS 2026 IN PICS Right: Th
Inset: Ear ear! (Left-right) Mia Crowther (The Hollies Farm Shop), Kate Hodgson (Design@six), Karen Wilson, Ellie Woodcock (both of Paper Salad) and Lauren Bale (The Hollies Farm Shop). Top right: George’s Lucy Eason galloped into The Retas in her pet unicorn! Right: (left-right) A cloaked Ricicle’s David Nichols-Rice in his Sabrina the Teenage Witch tshirt with Stormy Knight’s Sarah Jackson and The Letter Arty’s Matt Simpson. Below right: All smiles from the Abacus team.
Above: It was a Highland fling for Alchemist Gallery’s (centre) Hazel and Alan Gordon who chanced upon fairy agent Maria McKenna in the drinks reception. Right: Waterstones’ Hazel Walker (right) and Megan Douglas. Below: The Little Shop’s Neil Hutchings and Daniel Austin cross wizard’s staffs.
Below left: Tesco’s Tanya Rounding (left) and Nicola Roberts-Eagles (right) with Paper Salad’s Karen Wilson. Below right: The witch is dead! PG’s Tracey Bearton was discovered under the table by Wendy Jones-Blackett (right).
PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 31
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The Retas 2026 Winners
Above: All The Retas’ winners on stage with host Luke Kempner and the PG team.
TRUE RETAILING WIZARDS In keeping with the theme, The Retas awards event was a truly magical afternoon, with 400 cardies there to see the UK’s greeting card retailing ‘wizards’ being recognised and rewarded. Here we showcase all the winners with the sponsors and host Luke Kempner. BEST INDEPENDENT GREETING CARD RETAILER
LONDON (INSIDE THE M25) 2026 WINNER: Medici Gallery, South Kensington Initial Reaction: “Total euphoria and joy! It was so great to return to the stage and to receive the award just as we had done once before from Mark Callaby in 2019. And what a wonderful event… the entertainment, impressions from the host Luke Kempner, the amazing master of ceremonies and of course the hospitality we received as guests of Ling on the Alljoy table. We also met some lovely fellow guests from around the country.”
Tim Reynolds and Charlie Wheatle, Medici Gallery Above: Medici’s retail manager Tim Reynolds (second right) and assistant manager, Charlie Wheatley (second left) were delighted to be presented the trophy by Ohh Deer’s md and co-founder, Mark Callaby. Left: Tim shares the jubilant moment with Jacqui Godlove of Wendy Jones-Blackett. Right: Mark Callaby, managing director and co-founder of Ohh Deer, sponsor of this award category announced the winner.
32 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
SPONSOR
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BEST INDEPENDENT GREETING CARD RETAILER
HOME COUNTIES & SOUTH EAST 2026 WINNER: George's, Whitstable
SPONSOR
Initial Reaction: “What a day! It was such a magical event. After attending for the first time last year, my excited anticipation for this year’s Retas was brilliant. In addition to this I was thrilled to be bring my manager Chloe along who has been instigative in the changes and improvements in the shop. I wish I could have brought the whole team as I have reminded them though that this is not ‘my’ trophy it’s ‘our’ trophy as I couldn’t do any of this without them! Being at The Retas reminded of what an absolutely gorgeous bunch of people our industry has. Rosie Tate of Cath Tate was very generous to invite us and hosted the table with great humour and joyfulness. I had already felt like I’d won by just being at the event, however having received the trophy, the exhilaration and jubilation is a wonderful uplifting feeling which has shone positive light into our team, customers and the town. So, this trophy touches a lot of people and the effects will be long felt.”
Lucy Eason, owner of George’s
Above: If you win an award at a magicalthemed event, you should go on stage riding a unicorn! Beaming smiles from George’s owner Lucy Eason (second left) and manager Chloe Osborne, who were presented with the trophy by Chris Thiede, commercial director of Hallmark. Left: Chris Thiede, commercial director of Hallmark, sponsor of this award category getting ready to announce the winner.
BEST INDEPENDENT GREETING CARD RETAILER
EAST ANGLIA
SPONSOR
2026 WINNER: Downstairs, Cromer Right: Upstairs Downstairs partners Emma Dent and Max Murphy were presented with the trophy by Abacus Cards’ md Nick Carey (right). Below right: Embracing the Magical mystical theme, Nick Carey, managing director of Abacus Cards, sponsor of this award, announced the winner.
Above: Emma (left) shared the joy with colleagues.
Initial Reaction: “We were honoured and proud just to be nominated and were really looking forward to the big day. We did not expect anything, but our team had everything crossed. When our category came up and we were called as winners we were completely shocked and could not believe it! We were over the moon and bursting with pride. The team at home did a little happy dance for us while Max and I proudly danced around with our beautiful 'Reta' as she is now named, for the rest of the day. Reta is now pride of place in the shop window for all to see. It was such a magical day, and honoured to have been part of it.”
Emma Dent, partner of Upstairs Downstairs PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 33
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BEST INDEPENDENT GREETING CARD RETAILER
SOUTH WEST 2026 WINNER: Sky, Clifton
Above: Rosie Harrison, founder of Rosie Made A Thing, at the lectern about to announce the winner.
Initial Reaction: “We were full of excitement at hearing that Sky had won the Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer for the South West. Having just celebrated our 50th year, we feel a real sense of pride for our shop and it was a delight to have all our efforts recognised with this award.”
Colette Foster, owner of Sky
Above: (second right) Colette Foster, owner of Sky and colleague Romalie Rees (second left) were delighted to be presented with the winning trophy by Rosie Harrison, founder of Rosie Made A Thing, sponsor of this award.
SPONSOR
BEST INDEPENDENT GREETING CARD RETAILER
WALES
SPONSOR
2026 WINNER: WhimWham, Cardiff Initial Reaction: “What exciting news and a true honour.”
Jan Williams, owner of WhimWham
Above: Max Publishing’s Samantha Loveday did the
honours in collecting the trophy on behalf of WhimWham owner, Jan Williams, who was unable to attend the event, from PG Live’s show manager Tracey Arnaud. Right: Tracey Arnaud, show manager of PG Live, sponsor of this award category announced the winner.
34 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
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BEST INDEPENDENT GREETING CARD RETAILER
THE MIDLANDS 2026 WINNER: Set, Leicester
Initial Reaction: “We had a wonderful day... so pleased with our award... the whole event was just amazing.” Stuart and Lisa Delahoy, owners of Set Above right: Set’s owners Lisa and Stuart Delahoy (second and third right) were very happy to be presented with the shiny trophy by Paper Salad’s sales manager, Ellie Woodcock. Right: Lisa and stuart Delahoy share a hug. Right: Ear ear… Ellie Woodcock, sales manager of Paper Salad, sponsor of this award category announced the winner.
SPONSOR
SPONSOR
BEST INDEPENDENT GREETING CARD RETAILER
NORTH WEST ENGLAND 2026 WINNER: Lollypop, Holcombe Brook Left: It was a happy day for Lollypop owner Jayne Leggat. Below: A jubilant moment for Jayne. Bottom left: John Egan, field sales director of UK Greetings, sponsor of the award category announced the winner.
Initial Reaction: “I was absolutely thrilled and overwhelmed by my win… I started crying! I was videoing the announcement and then just had to throw my phone down! Thank you so much for a fantastic afternoon.”
Jayne Leggat, owner of Lollypop
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BEST INDEPENDENT GREETING CARD RETAILER
NORTH EAST ENGLAND 2026 WINNER: Design@six, Wetherby
Right: Having been the ‘bridesmaid’ several times in The Retas, Kate Hodgson, owner of Design@six was defo the bride this year! She was presented with the trophy by Wendy Jones-Blackett, sponsor of this award category. Right: Wendy Jones-Blackett, creative director and coowner of the Wendy Jones-Blackett publishing business, the sponsor of this award ready to announce the winner. Below right: Kate Hodgson (right) letting the good news sink in with Paper Salad’s Ellie Woodcock.
Initial Reaction: “What a fantastic day it was! I’m absolutely thrilled and very proud to have won. Paper Salad were fabulous hosts; they were so generous and lovely company. It made winning while being their guest even more special. Such a memorable and enjoyable occasion lives on as my trophy is displayed in its glory, on the shop counter for everyone to see.”
SPONSOR
Kate Hodgson, owner of Design@six
BEST INDEPENDENT GREETING CARD RETAILER
SCOTLAND 2026 WINNER: Bearing Gifts, Troon Below: A shiny moment for Pamela. Right: Belly Button Designs’ owner and creative maestro Rachel Hare opened the gold envelope and announced the winner. Left: It was worth the long trip down from the Scottish Highlands for Pamela Foster, Bearing Gifts’ assistant manager, who was presented with the trophy by Rachel Hare, founder and creative director of Belly Button Designs, sponsor of this award category.
SPONSOR
Initial Reaction: “Winning a Retas award is incredibly special for everyone at Bearing Gifts. Pamela [Foster, assistant manager], who attended the ceremony, said there was a split second of complete disbelief when Bearing Gifts was announced as the winner, followed by overwhelming excitement and a real sense of achievement. To be recognised among so many outstanding independent retailers is a huge honour and reflects the hard work and dedication that has gone into developing Bearing Gifts over the past three years. During that time, one of our key ambitions has been to ensure that as many independent UK greeting card publishers as possible are represented within our shop, championing the creativity, quality, and personality that makes the greeting card industry so special.”
Gayle Henderson, owner of Bearing Gifts 36 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
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BEST GREETING CARD RETAILER NEWCOMER (opened since Jan 2022 or are under new ownership) SPONSOR
ROSIE TROW
2026 WINNER: Moments, Gillingham Left: A winning sister act! Lisa Discombe (second
left) and Tracy Vincent (second right), co-owners of Moments were delighted to be presented with the trophy by SW agent, Rosie Trow. Bottom left: Rosie Trow, SW agent, sponsor of this category announced the winner. Below: One of those wonderful moments for Tracy (right) and Lisa.
Initial Reaction: “We were very nervous when our category came up on the screen and at one point I thought Lisa was going to sit on my lap! Once our name was read out as the winners we couldn't believe it, we were in shock and I had to encourage Lisa to get up to receive it. We were thrilled to win and are still talking about how much we enjoyed the day. We have had a fantastic reaction from our customers who were all rooting for us and many have popped in to see the trophy and to congratulate us. We were so impressed with the effort that was put into making this an amazing day.”
Tracy Vincent, co-owner of Moments
BEST INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE RETAILER OF GREETING CARDS 2026 WINNER: The Hedgehog Bookshop, Penrith Initial Reaction: “We were absolutely blown away when we heard we had won. Having won in the past I didn't expect it again! The whole day was brilliant and the atmosphere was great, we had two wins on our table so double celebrations! We contacted our children and the shop after our win and were told a few customers had already been in to see if there was any news! Having had a recent birthday this was the icing on the cake!”
Evonne Pearson, owner of The Hedgehog Bookshop
SPONSOR
Above: Evonne Pearson, owner of The Hedgehog Bookshop was so happy to have the winning trophy in her hands, that was presented to her by Woodmansterne’s sales director, Andy Paterson. Centre left: Andy Paterson, sales director of Woodmansterne Publications, sponsor of this award announced the winner. Centre left: Evonne shares the glory with her husband, Irving.
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BEST NON-SPECIALIST INDEPENDENT RETAILER OF GREETING CARDS - NORTH 2026 WINNER: A Stone's Throw, Sherwood
SPONSOR
Above right: Darren Ingram, the newly appointed business development manager of CardGains sponsor of this category, greatly enjoyed his first Retas awards event.
Initial Reaction: “The whole thing still feels a bit surreal! We were
Above left: It wasn’t just their cravats that made for a golden moment for A Stone’s Throw’s co-owners (second and third left) Pete and Rob Sampson, who were presented with the trophy by Darren Ingram, business development manager of CardGains, sponsor of this category. Left: Pete and Rob are so full of joy by their win.
thrilled to have been nominated for a Reta, but actually winning our category and the walk up to the stage to collect the trophy was off the scale! We're still beaming from ear to ear and have been truly humbled by all the congratulations, cards and messages we have received. We've worked hard over the last year so to have that recognised by others in the industry is such a great feeling - thank you so much. The trophy has taken pride of place on our shop counter and has already provided a great talking point with our customers!”
Rob and Pete Sampson, owners of A Stone’s Throw
BEST NON-SPECIALIST INDEPENDENT RETAILER OF GREETING CARDS - SOUTH
SPONSOR
2026 WINNER: Sewsilver, Worthing Initial Reaction: “I’m not sure that my
Above: Sewsilver’s Sam (second left) and Gary Whittington were very happy to be presented with the trophy by Pigment’s managing director Lynsey Burbidge. Right: A congratulatory kiss from hubby Gary!
feet have quite hit the ground yet – I have been walking on air since the win! What a truly magical event that was. I was so excited to be attending this year, and almost didn’t dare dream I’d win, but what an absolute thrill to hear Sewsilver named as the winner! My immediate reaction was total amazement, I sat for a second stunned, unable to move – my husband broke me from my reverie with whoops of joy and shouts of “you did it!”, then I realised we were seated at the back of the room and so I’d better get up quick and get to the stage! I’ve always followed The Retas awards and now Team Sewsilver has one of those incredible shiny statuettes of our own – a huge work-life goal achieved! It’s proudly on display in the shop window for all our customers to see – we’ve had a great response already with loads of kind words and messages of congratulations.”
Samantha Whittington, owner of Sewsilver 38 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
Above: Lynsey Burbidge, managing director of Pigment, sponsor of this award did the honours in announcing the winner.
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BEST GREETING CARD SMALL MULTIPLE (4-20 stores) 2026 WINNER: Expressions, Polka Dot, Cat's Whiskers, The Card Shop SPONSOR
Left: Enjoying the top spot! (second and third right) Expressions’ Tracey and (second right) Chris Bryant were presented with the trophy by Ling Design’s ceo David Byk.
Initial Reaction: “We were surprised to be nominated in the Best Above far right: If you want to get ahead, get a hat! The Greatest Showman, David Byk, ceo of Ling Design, sponsor of this award category did the honours at the lectern. Right: Tracey and Chris enjoying that winning feeling.
Greeting Card Small Multiple category as we never think of ourselves as a multiple group but as four individual shops that are well-known in their communities. Hence never being able to think of a suitable group name. It was a very strong category with many larger operators, so we were shocked and surprised when our name was called. We are so pleased for all our store teams, who really deserve the praise for all their hard work and dedication.”
Chris and Tracey Bryant, co-owners of Expressions, The Cats Whiskers, Polkadot and The Card Shop
BEST DEPARTMENT STORE RETAILER OF GREETING CARDS SPONSOR
2026 WINNER: Fortnum & Mason Right: Fortnum & Mason’s buyer Emma Watkins (second right) and assistant buyer Tahnee Depraetere were presented with the trophy by Autumn Fair and Glee’s event director, Matthew Mein. Bottom right: Matthew Mein, event director of Autumn Fair and Glee, sponsor of this award category, had the pleasure of announcing the winner. Below: Emma (left) and Tahnee enjoy holding the trophy.
Initial Reaction: “Although we’ve been lucky enough to be nominated a handful of times in the past five years, I had a good feeling about this year. This is fantastic recognition of the work of our stationery team and our supplier partners in building a distinctive and premium greeting card offer for our customers. It is a really proud moment for the team to receive such an accolade and this kind of industry recognition. The award feels substantial, not least because it's a weighty 3.2kg!! We’re definitely hoping to showcase the trophy in the department in the coming months.” Emma Watkins, buyer of Fortnum & Mason PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 39
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BEST SUPERMARKET RETAILER OF GREETING CARDS 2026 WINNER: Marks & Spencer
Above: M&S’ buyer Gabbie Peters was so delighted by the win. Right: (second left-right) M&S’ trading manager Martyn Doble, product developer, Lisa Read and buyer Gabbie Peters went on stage to be presented with the trophy by Danilo’s managing director, Daniel Prince, sponsor of this category. Far right: Daniel Prince, managing director of Danilo Promotions, sponsor of this award category did the honours in announcing the winner. Right: At his first Retas event, M&S’ trading manager Martyn Doble was delighted to get his hands on some silverware!
Initial Reaction: “My first thoughts were how great it was that all of our hard work as a team, both M&S and Hallmark, was recognised and that all the changes we’ve made over the last two years had made a difference. It was made even more special as it was our first time of receiving the award.”
SPONSOR
Gabbie Peters, card buyer of M&S
BEST NON-SPECIALIST MULTIPLE RETAILER OF GREETING CARDS SPONSOR
2026 WINNER: UOE/Stamp Left: (second right-left) UOE’s product category lead Louise Cambridge lifts the trophy aloft, having gone on stage with colleagues Joshua Astor, head of retail and Emma Wallington, head of buying who were all delighted to hear the good news from Rosie Tate, director of Cath Tate Cards, sponsor of this category. Bottom left: (left-right) UOE’s Joshua, Emma and Louise made a happy trio. Below: Rosie Tate, director of Cath Tate Cards, sponsor of this award category was all smiles as she prepares to announce the winner.
Initial Reaction: “Stamp was entered into Best Non-Specialist Multiple Retailer of Greeting Cards this year and the competition was really strong. So, when we were announced as winners I felt an overwhelming sense of pride. To be able to receive the award with the incredible Stamp team behind the transformation of our offering, particularly Emma Wallington (head of buying) and Joshua Astor (head of retail), made it even more special. Both our head office and in-branch teams at UOE are working incredibly hard on a programme of investment into the great British High Street and this recognition of our efforts is a huge achievement for us all." Louise Cambridge, product category lead of UOE/Stamp 40 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
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BEST SPECIALIST MULTIPLE RETAILER OF GREETING CARDS (20+ STORES) 2026 WINNER: Cards Direct SPONSOR
Right: Method UK Gary Freeman accepted the trophy on behalf of Cards Direct by Paperlink managing director, Emma Young.
Initial Reaction: “This award is deserved recognition for the passion and commitment of
Above: Emma Young, managing director of Paperlink, sponsor of this award category announced the winner.
our colleagues, who bring our purpose of Making People Smile to life every day. We're proud that our cards are made in Britain, supporting UK manufacturing, and that our stores continue to invest in high streets and shopping centres at the heart of communities across the UK. We're also proud of our partnership with Cancer Research UK, through which we've raised almost half a million £pounds to help fund life-saving research. This award belongs to our amazing colleagues, loyal customers and partners who have supported us on the journey.”
The Cards Direct team
BEST GARDEN CENTRE RETAILER OF GREETING CARDS INDEPENDENT 2026 WINNER: Perrywood Garden Centres, Buckhatch, Sudbury and Tiptree Left: Sophie Bylina, relationship manager of Museums & Galleries, sponsor of this award category did the honours with the gold envelope. Right: Sarah Jaques, buyer of Perrywood Garden Centres was presented with the trophy by Sophie Bylina, relationship manager of Museums & Galleries, sponsor of this category. Below: A very happy Sarah.
Initial Reaction: "We're absolutely delighted to have won this award. When we first heard the news, it came as a real surprise! It's fantastic to see our commitment to helping customers celebrate life's special moments recognised. We're passionate about offering an inspiring range of greeting cards for every occasion, and we'll continue to help our customers find the perfect card to make every celebration even more memorable."
SPONSOR
Sarah Jaques, senior buyer of Perrywood Garden Centres PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 41
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BEST GARDEN CENTRE RETAILER OF GREETING CARDS MULTIPLE OR GROUP (5 or more centres) 2026 WINNER: Blue Diamond
Above: Seth Woodmansterne, managing director of Woodmansterne Publications, sponsor of this award category under its W Select arm, announced the winner. Right: Blue Diamond’s category operations - paper products and children’s toys, Nick Dale (centre) was very happy to be presented with the award by Seth Woodmansterne, managing director of Woodmansterne Publications. Left: A triumphant Nick.
Initial Reaction: “It was such a great afternoon – the atmosphere was amazing, and it was brilliant to celebrate alongside so many friends from across the card industry. Hearing our name announced was a complete shock. Winning a Retas award is a huge honour because it recognises the hard work, our teams put into creating inspiring displays in the stores for our customers to visit. We're absolutely thrilled. It's a real boost for everyone and inspires us to keep raising the bar.”
SPONSOR
Nick Dale, category operations - paper products and children’s toys of Blue Diamond
BEST INDEPENDENT GREETING CARD RETAILER INITIATIVE (for a specific project or initiative undertaken by a retailer since 15 April, 2024)
2026 WINNER: Sincerely Yours and The Cardmitments for the Cards Make People Happy Paper Bags Initiative nt
Initial Reaction: “The finalists for the Best Retailer Initiative award are all amazing projects and demonstrate the level of independents talent we have in this industry. With this in mind I really wasn’t expecting The Cardmitments to win the category. When the winner was announced I just grabbed Sally [Matson, Red Card] and hugged her. It was a very special moment to stand beside her on the stage with the trophy, two strong willed characters who want to make a difference for this industry!!” Kaye Thurgood, owner of Sincerely Yours Left: A hug of joy for Kaye and Sally. Centre: Lingxiao Ji, director of Alljoy Design enjoyed his first Retas as a sponsor, including announcing the winner.
SPONSOR Above: Sincerely Yours’ Kaye Thurgood (second right) and Red Cards’ Sally Matson shared the glory on behalf of all The Cardmitments, having been presented with the shiny trophy by Ling Ji, director of Alljoy Design, sponsor of this category.
42 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
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BEST GREETING CARD WHOLESALER 2026 WINNER: Jackson’s CRS
SPONSOR
Above right: (second and third right) Mark Molloy, greeting card buyer and Greg Jackson, IT and marketing manager of Jackson’s were delighted to be presented with the winning trophy by Sensations’ managing director, Ade Longe. Below: Ade Longe, managing director of Sensations, sponsor of this award category opened the gold envelope to announce the winner. Right: A thumbs up from Greg and Mark.
Initial Reaction: “Being at The Retas is always a special occasion for us, but it's even more special when you're fortunate enough to win one of these coveted awards. To receive our 7th Retas award for Best Greeting Card Wholesaler in our 50th year of trading is a milestone we'll never forget. We would like to thank all of our suppliers and customers for their support over the past 50 years. Your loyalty, partnership and trust have played a huge part in helping us achieve this award. We'll continue to work hard to maintain the high standards of service we're known for, offering carefully curated product ranges and the personal service our customers value. Finally, I'd like to pay tribute to our incredible team. I've thanked them personally, but they deserve to be recognised here too. They are the beating heart of Jackson's, from our warehouse and office teams in Sheffield, to our sales representatives out on the road. This award belongs to every one of them. Thank you all for being part of our journey.”
Greg Jackson, IT and marketing, Jackson’s
OTHER TRIUMPHANT WINNERS… It wasn’t just those who went home with shiny trophies who were winners at The Retas as The Light Fund charity raffle saw some lucky people blessed with some wonderful treats thanks to the generous donators. The prizes included a stay in a magical Alistair Sawday’s Treehouse or Magic Mushroom cabin (thanks to Hallmark), an array of Jo Malone lotions and potions (thanks to Alljoy Design), Eurostar vouchers (thanks to The Art File), a spa break (thanks to Danilo), theatre tickets (thanks to Woodmansterne), gastronomic delights at The Ivy (thanks to UKG), drinks cabinet treats (thanks to Rosie Made A Thing), gardening goodies galore (thanks to Paperlink), a shopping splurge (thanks to GBCC) and even a £250 ‘your wish is our command’ (thanks to Paper Salad).
Right A selection of prizes and lucky raffle prize winners!
PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 43
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OVERALL WINNER THE RETAS 2026 2025 WINNER: Sincerely Yours, Shenfield and Hornchurch and the Cardmitments for the Cards Make People Happy Paper Bags Initiative As Ged said: “All of today’s winners are truly
Above: Ged Mace, managing director of The Art File, sponsor of this prestigious category said a few words before announcing the winner. Below: A show of camaraderie from many in the audience.
magical retailers which makes deciding who the ultimate award goes to a difficult one. This year we wave the wand and break the mould. This industry is blessed with innovators and doers, people who make things happen for the greater good. Having a great idea is one thing, bringing it to life is quite another. Today we honour a truly collaborative effort, spearheaded by a group of indies, supported by publishers to get the positive greeting card effort out into the wider world. The idea was sparked by Sally Matson of Red Card at The Henries/GCA Retailer Forum in 2025 and grasped by Kaye Thurgood of Sincerely Yours who used her persuasive ways to see that the Cards Make People Happy paper bags became a reality with UKG now having printed over two and half million of them. I am delighted to announce that the Overall Winner Retas award 2026 goes to Kaye Thurgood and all of The Cardmitments crew.”
SPONSOR
Above: Sincerely Yours’ Kaye Thurgood held the trophy, having gone on stage with Red Card’s Sally Matson (third left) and joined by fellow Cardmitments members Presentation’s Andrea Pinder (second left) and Hugs & Kisses’ Caroline and Jon Ranwell (second right), with the winner having been announced by Ged Mace, managing director of The Art File, sponsor of this category. Below: Red Card’s Sally Matson highlighted what can be achieved if people pull together.
Initial Reaction: “When it comes to the final award, the biggest one of the day, I think every award-winning indie sitting at The Retas thinks to themself ‘well it won’t be me, it will be one of the big guys’. This award was a real triumph for us indies because it shows what we can do when we work together. It started with a forum of motivated retailers, all Henries’ judges sitting around ‘a table’ and talking about what we could do as a collective to support the industry, and at its most basic level; to encourage people to buy more cards. From this grew a whole range of discussion points, followed up by the Cardmitments WhatsApp group and then a simple idea that was grasped by Kaye and made into reality. But this idea, and the huge amount of work Kaye put in to make it happen, has become something much bigger - it has become a symbol of what we can do for each other and for the industry when the indies and the publishers work together.” Sally Matson, owner of Red Card and Little Red and Cardmitments member Below: Sincerely Yours’ Kaye Thurgood gave an impromptu acceptance speech.
Initial Reaction: “When Ged started to announce the overall award, I had goosebumps when he said: “This industry is blessed with innovators and doers, people who make things happen for the greater good” because that sums up Sally and I. This project was not easy to execute and there were many times when it nearly didn’t happen because I couldn’t put all the pieces of the puzzle together. We had a fantastic design for the bags, but needed to get them printed at a high quality and in volume at a price retailers would be prepared to pay and then work out how to get them into distribution nationally. The project truly was a collaborative effort, publishers working with indies to achieve something with national coverage, and for this to be honoured is very special. Sally was in tears and I was in shock, this means so much to us. My customers have been responding to the news, recognising the achievement and congratulating us with a real buzz of pure joy. Thank you to everyone who made this happen, it was unexpected and that made it truly magical.”
Kaye Thurgood, owner of Sincerely Yours
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A selection of new ranges and designs that have recently launched.
What a Disgrace?! Luxury meets unapologetic humour in Disgraceful, a bold new collection from Grace Jackson Design that proves beautifully crafted greeting cards don't always have to mind their manners. Combining elegant hot foiled calligraphy with rich, muted colour palettes, the range delivers a striking contrast between sophisticated design and inappropriate sentiments. Grace Jackson Design 07902 875014 www.gjdesignwholesale.co.uk
Don’t Be Shellfish
Bottled Joy
Scallop is a sweet and playful range of greeting cards from Lucy Maggie Designs featuring charming, characterled illustrations framed within soft scalloped shapes. Set against pastel backgrounds with bright, joyful colour pops, each design pairs simple, feelgood messaging with adorable, expressive characters that bring a sense of warmth and personality. Lucy Maggie Designs www.lucymaggiedesigns.co.uk
Alljoy Design has expanded its awardwinning Message in a Bottle collection with a selection of beautiful new designs. Featuring intricate 3D paper engineering enclosed within a distinctive bottle-shaped format, the range combines contemporary illustration with a heartfelt message panel on the reverse. Alljoy Design www.alljoydesign.com
Sporting Trios Camera Action Ornament Art has launched its first ever giftwrap collection. Complementing its greeting cards, the wrap designs are based on photographs of retro treasures the publisher’s owners collect. The inaugural collection contains options for cat, dog and dinosaur lovers, flamboyant classical statues as well as decadent tea party scenes. Ornament Art 07971704650 www.ornament.art
Pink Pig Cards has continued to add to its popular Three Up greeting cards collection, meaning it now spans 58 designs, all 150mm square. A fun new female cyclists design (pictured) features among the latest additions which cover niche sports, such as paddleboarding, basketball, with male and female versions of most of the designs. They’re all complemented with a recycled kraft envelope. Pink Pig Cards 07795574548 www.pinkpigcards.co.uk
Berry Christmas Sabivo Design has expanded its Elderflower Christmas with another 24 captions. This contemporary range is based on handillustrations featuring an abundance of winter foliage, berries and cute playful woodland animals and pets, covered in dusting of snow and twinkling stars. The cards are hand-glittered with biodegradable glitter for that extra sparkle. The 145mm square designs are supplied with festive red envelopes and come cellowrapped. Sabivo Design 01858 683 278 www.sabivo.co.uk PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
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CHRISTMAS IS COMING! Order your UK-produced General and Captioned Christmas cards today!
(t) 0116 230 4197 (w) www.mint-publishing.co.uk (e) sales@mint-publishing.co.uk
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A selection of new ranges and designs that have recently launched.
Strutting Attitude Bold, contemporary and quirky, Bexy Boo’s latest Fashionistas collection features characters that are full of attitude and style. There are 10 Boss Babes in this new collection, with titles such as Total Baddie, Soul Sister and Absolute Queen. Printed on 350gsm recycled board, they come with a white envelope and eco stickered as standard. Bexy Boo enquiries@bexyboo.co.uk www.bexyboo.co.uk
Open Windows
Small But Mighty
As bright and colourful as you’d expect from Rachel Ellen Designs, Peep is a fun range of 24 birthday and occasion cards that feature die-cut windows as part of the artwork, allowing a peep through to the rest of the design inside. Printed on textured board and finished with sparkling gold foil, the 170mm x 120mm cards are supplied with coordinated coloured envelopes. Rachel Ellen Designs 0115 970 0115 www.rachelellen.co.uk
James Ellis has welcomed some colourful additions to its Minnows mini card range. Printed on high quality card with elements of the designs foiled in gold, they may be small, but they pack a mighty punch. All are blank inside and come with a white laid envelope. James Ellis 0117 9277667 www.jamesellis.com
Summer Flavours Natural World
Watermelon, ice cream, cherries, sunshine and lemons are perfect inclusions in White Cotton Cards’ Summer Doodlebugs collection. These super cute characters, with signature eyes and feet are set against brightly coloured stripy backgrounds, enhanced by sparkly gems. Each comes with a pearl white envelope. White Cotton Cards 01932 589989 www.whitecottoncards.co.uk
More delights from the natural world have been introduced into Penguin Ink’s Flora & Fauna collection, which was shortlisted for The Henry Cole Classic Award and now comprises 150 bright designs. The latest additions range from an octopus to a dusky pink rose, appealing to nature lovers and art lovers alike. Penguin Ink 07525 497122 www.penguinink.co.uk
Minding Ps and Qs The ever surprising Brilliantly Brave has recently launched The General Correspondence Unit collection of warmly sentimental designs with a stiff upper lip. Hailing from The Department of Good Things, the designs counter that modern times may be lacking in civility, politeness and good manners! Brilliantly Brave info@brilliantlybrave.co.uk www.brilliantlybrave.co.uk PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
47
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A selection of new ranges and designs that have recently launched.
Well Baked Kali Stileman Publishing has extended its Cupcake Numbers range meaning it is now serving up designs spanning from 16 to 80. All feature delectable fairy cakes and colourful candles against a chalk white background. Each card, printed on a linen textured board, comes with an antique gold envelope. Kali Stileman Publishing 07344 707167 www.kalistileman.co.uk
In Bloom Bloom is Hotchpotch London’s latest floral age range. Hand-painted with fun, yet sophisticated abstract florals and mixed with popular birthday icons, this versatile range has been designed to appeal to ages 18 to 90. These bright, pretty cards are finished with fluted silver foil, signature neon pink accents, and are paired with a classic, crisp white envelope. Hotchpotch London 01243 792600 www.hotchpotchlondon.com
Marking Moments Just Words is a new humorous collection from Rainee Collections. The cards cover life’s milestone adult ages and more. They feature witty quotes and foiled finishes. The inaugural range comprises 12 designs spanning ages as well as some for loved ones. Rainee Collections info@raineecollections.com www.raineecollections.com
Fishing For Fortunes Happy Vibes
On the back of the popularity of its promotional PG Live goodie bag item, Stormy Knight has introduced some fortune fish card designs into its Pressed & Posted Letterpress collection, complete with a fortune fish inside. They come packed in bio cellos with a label on the front that states there's a fortune fish inside. Stormy Knight 0117 9098684 www.stormyknight.orderspace.com
The Art File’s new Autumn/Winter 2026 and Spring Seasons 2027 collections includes over 165 brand-new designs, across 14 new card ranges and 32 range extensions. An abundance of new wrap designs, stationery and gifts also feature. Among the newness is Happy Things, a range of contemporary, fun designs across cards, notebooks and a sticker roll. The Art File 0115 850 7490 www.theartfiletrade.com
It’s Storytime Alongside seven new everyday collections, In Real Life has launched seven Christmas collections, boxed Christmas cards and a stationery range. These include two new Paper Stories collections from designer, Vicky Philips, the creative force behind Lightship Print Shop. These seasonal ranges combine hand-painted textures with rich colour and playful, considered details. In Real Life 07731851731 ww.inreallifestore.com PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 49
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IN CONVERSATION WITH… ROD BROWN
THE FLYING SCOTSMAN Rod Brown, co-owner of Words ‘n’ Wishes is not only a fast talker, he’s a fast doer too. With the support and knowledge of his business partner Carl Salt on the operations front, they clinched the deal to acquire Nigel Quiney Publications and Paper Rose earlier this Summer, which almost triples the size of the business. It is now full steam ahead to create a combined Nigel Quiney/Paper Rose sales team by the start of October while nurturing the creative distinction of the different brands. While his trip to the US to support his beloved Scotland football team in the World Cup ended in disappointment, Rod, a former professional footballer himself, is on target to score goals in the greeting card ‘net’. Rod Brown is about to celebrate his 40th anniversary of working in the greeting card industry. Rather than sitting back and reflecting on his tenure with various leading brands before setting up Words ‘n’ Wishes with operations maestro Carl Salt 15 years go, Rod is well underway with a grand plan Below: The Words ‘n’ Wishes ‘family’ has vastly expanded with the addition of Nigel Quiney Publications and Paper Rose.
50 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
which will involve the creation of a single sales team to represent Nigel Quiney and Paper Rose. (The Words ‘n’ Wishes sales team will continue as is). Rod has set his sights on having the new sales structure in place by October 1 which he says will bring together “the best of the best” while remains steadfast that the three brands will each retain their own studio teams.
Top: Words ‘n Wishes’ co-owner Rod Brown (second left) on the Paper Rose stand at PG Live with (leftright), Perlina Pierre-Davis, who heads up the licensing and export, agent Steve Duncombe, studio manager Sarah Tanser-Frain and Words ‘n’ Wishes’ sales coordinator, Alison Traynor. Above: Rod sees great potential in further expanding Nigel Quiney’s Pizazz brand working with the original artist, Tina Ramsbottom.
It is a big job that Rod and Carl have taken on with the double acquisition of these two heritage publishing companies on top of what they already have on their plate with Words ‘n’ Wishes, but their appetite for the challenge was whetted when an anticipated acquisition didn’t come to fruition at the end of last year. “Carl and I are happy with the way Words ‘n’ Wishes has grown over the years, but with all the changes in the retail landscape and the world in general, collaborations (hence our relationships with Emotional Rescue and Danilo) and acquisitions give us an opportunity to be ever more relevant and important to our retail customers,” explained Rod. In the middle of last year, Rod and Carl “pursued a possible acquisition,
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IN CONVERSATION WITH… ROD BROWN
which involved a conversation with Paul Taylor. We were hopeful that it would have been concluded by the end of the year, but we couldn’t agree a price so the deal fell through,” revealed Rod. Knowing they were in the market to acquire, when financial obligations were not being met on the Paper Rose and Nigel Quiney front by the MBO team who had acquired the publishers from Paul Taylor in the Spring, he contacted Rod and Carl. “It wasn’t a difficult decision for us to make,” admitted Rod. “They are two great brands, and we could immediately see the advantages. Words ‘n’ Wishes turns over £3.5 million, Nigel Quiney Publications £2.7 million and Paper Rose does £2.9 million. Together we make a £9 million collective that that is stronger together, but we know that we need to keep each identifiable.” While there will inevitably be synergies, Rod is more than willing to invest on the
Above: Spirit is just one of Paper Rose’s contemporary ranges. Above right: A design from Words ‘n’ Wishes’ Serenade range. Below: (second right and second left) Words ‘n’ Wishes’ co-owners Carl Salt and Rod Brown were delighted to win The Henries 2025 award for Best Traditional Words & Sentiments Range for its Flourish collection with the trophy presented to them by Skylight Media’s md Simon Pryce (far right).
product front, both on the ‘crown jewels’, including Nigel Quiney’s Pizazz as well as new ranges. “Pizazz is a cornerstone brand, which would benefit from some refreshment to luxe it up, and we have already had meetings with Tina the artist to instigate this,” revealed Rod. While Words ‘n’ Wishes’ creative thrust under Tony Cotterill will continue to be more ‘versey’, the plan is for Nigel Quiney, under the creative steer of Carl Pledger will continue along
a more premium path. Paper Rose, of which Sarah Tanser-Frain is the creative custodian will continue to develop more contemporary looks, without losing its appeal to its export and multiple customers, of which Perlina Pierre-Davis remains responsible. Going into his fifth decade working in the industry, Rod is very much the excitable new father with two ’new’ babies. “It really has given me a new lease of life,” reveals Rod. When put on the spot as to what lessons he is drawing on, in true fashion there is no hesitation. “Trust your own beliefs, be brave and fully embrace the opportunities that are still out there, and to enjoy it!” Below: Sassy Paws is a recent launch from Nigel Quiney.
UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL PG put Rod Brown in the hot seat with some personal questions… Having worked with Paper House, Hallmark, Second Nature, Rainbow, Wishing Well Studios and now Words ‘n’ Wishes, this year marks your 40th anniversary in the card trade, who were your early influencers? “I don’t know where has that time gone?! I was very fortunate in my early years in this industry to have Peter Reichwald and David Baker of Paper House as my mentors. From my time with Hallmark, Harry Birtley was a huge character, I still remember feeling so nervous when I first met him, but went on to learn a lot from him. I was lucky to work alongside Trevor Schragger at Second Nature when the business was really going places. I also looked up to Andy Milne, who died recently, as he was such a good operator.”
What three words would your best friend use to describe you? “Loyal, headstrong and talkative.” What is your guilty pleasure? “A Galloway chunky steak pie – Wigan’s finest! I always stop and buy one on my way home. Who would you invite to your ideal industry dinner party? “Carl Salt as he’s my mate as well as my business partner; Paul Taylor (Cardzone), we go back such a long way; David Greaves (Emotional Rescue) as he talks as much as I do; Paul Slater and Brian Murtagh (Watermark Cards), I just love their company and Daniel Prince (Danilo) who is such a gentleman and so good at what he does.”
Other than Scotland’s national football team, what are your other big loves? “That would have to be my two granddaughters!” There is a magic carpet waiting, where would you go? “I love Cyprus, so I definitely always love to fly off there.” Below: A Galloways chunky steak pie is a Rod fave.
PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 51
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RETAILER REVELATIONS Below: Retailers were wowed by the abundance of new designs at PG Live.
Top Picks
With the vast array product newness at the recent PG Live show, retailers were spoilt for choice as to which launches to rave about. Following on from last month’s Viewpoints, the good news keeps flowing as PG shares more buyers’ top picks that are now pepping up the product selection in their stores.
Paul Cheshire, co-owner of &Quirky, Berkhamsted “PG Live is a fantastic show. Some of the companies and ranges that caught our eye were… Ricicle – The Cerealously Good cereal box range stood out for its fun, bright, and distinctive designs, offering something completely different from the other card Above: (left-right) &Quirky’s Laura Faulkner collections we saw. and Paul Cheshire with Ornament Art’s Jo and David Short. Ornament Art – A kitsch, quirky, Below: A design from Ricicle’s Cerealously Good range that launched at PG Live. and vibrant neon card range featuring nostalgic vintage knick-knacks, full of personality and colour. We chose to spend our Sunshine Ticket with Ornament Art, as its distinctive card range was one of the standout collections of the day and remained a talking point long after we had left the stand. Heyyy – Its Japanese-inspired cards caught our attention, particularly as Japanese design influences are becoming an increasingly popular trend in homeware. Studio Boketto – The Richard Scarry card collection was wonderfully nostalgic, instantly transporting my sister and I back to our childhood. Pear Tree Press – Its anniversary card range was particularly impressive, with milestone designs covering every year from the 1st through to the 60th anniversary – a level of choice we hadn't seen elsewhere. We placed orders with a number of suppliers, including Pickled Prints, Hype, Ricicle, Penguin Ink, Raspberry Blossom, Ohh Deer and Earlybird and are reviewing several other ranges we discovered at the show and expect to place further orders with additional suppliers.”
Pete Sampson, co-owner of A Stone’s Throw, Sherwood “There is no substitute for seeing the products in the flesh and being able to have a proper conversation with the designers. Lots of things caught my eye at PG Live! The striking colour palette of Pink & Mint, the new Sunpatch Cats and Birdsong ranges from The Art File, the moody scenes of Sara Willia (with whom we spent our Sunshine Ticket), the cute illustrations of Feather & Hare, and the Attirely Good and Time for Tea ranges by Grace Jackson Design too. I placed 11 orders placed at the show (seven of which were brand new suppliers to us) and a couple more since the show with further conversations about some bespoke cards which we're sure will convert into orders in due course.” Above: Pete Sampson. Left: Die-cut teacup cards from Grace Jackson Design.
Matt Simpson, owner of The Letter Arty, Manchester “What I loved about PG Live was the sheer amount of fantastic new cards. Ricicle's two new ranges – Cerealously Good and Greek Gods truly stood out for their originality and joy, I ordered them all! I loved Stormy Knight's expanded Pressed & Posted letterpress range, including beautiful Christmas cards, I'm going to have to extend the shop just to fit it all in! The Studio Boketto Richard Scarry range was definitely a highlight, his books were a big part of my childhood and it's great to see that it's not just the large publishers who secure the big licensing deals. Micky and Olivia's take on it has given the range a character that you just wouldn't get from anyone else. In addition, Earlybird's quacking additions to its Quackers range as well as the bold collab with Rude Studio will be adding to the colour in the shop. I also placed my first order with Ornament Art, who I've had my eye on for while. In a world full of AI slop, it's refreshing that David and Jo's cards all start life with a real life photoshoot of their huge collection of ceramic ornaments, curiosities, glassware and other vintage objects. Add to that their innovative colour choices and use of lighting and you have a truly unique range of cards and wrap. The fact that they're also based in Manchester and hand-delivered my order with a fresh coffee was a bonus!” Above: The Letter Arty’s Matt Simpson (right) with Earlybird’s Dom Early. Right: One of the Christmas Pressed & Posted letterpress designs from Stormy Knight. PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 53
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RETAILER REVELATIONS
Hazel Gordon,
Jo Marwaha, product manager, Penny Black, three stores in Glasgow “We love PG Live for the relaxed pace and curation of brands! Some things that caught our eye were brands giving back through business brands like Miss You Mail, Eleos House, Another Use and Remail. We were also drawn to a lot of excellent letterpress designs being shown by several brands including lovely fellow Scot, Little Paper Soul! We were excited to place first orders with Stormy Knight, Ricicle, Earlybird Designs, Heyyy and In Real Life. Our hit list also included seeing some newness in the flesh from current suppliers that we've ordered from since the show, particularly
Left: As the company name suggests, all cards from Another Use can live on in another guise, such as being sent as a postcard. Below: (left-right) Penny Black’s Jo Marwaha with Stormy Knight’s Sarah Jackson and Kelly Knight.
Ohh Deer (I adore its new mini cards and mini puzzles), Woodmansterne, Penguin Ink, Sanders De Roeper, Cath Tate Cards and Running With Scissors. Some cheeky festive bits also snuck in!”
Sonya Haandrikman-Sibald and Tanya Haandrikman, co-owners of Celebrations, Carlisle “We just love the buzz, banter, warmth and friendliness of PG Live. There were so many companies that caught our eye at PG Live and we placed a good number of orders. Louise Tiler with its gold foiling really stood out for us, and Catherine Rayner's cards and children’s books Above: (far right and far left) were beautifully illustrated. Celebrations’ Sonya and Tanya with Louise Tiler (second right) and her Pigment and Noel Tatt had colleague Lisa Moore. Left: One of the new Bubblegum some good lines while Rush designs from UKG. Design’s products were as good as always and they are such lovely people to do business with. We couldn't possibly have got away without doing a substantial order with GBCC and Ling after David Byk physically dragged us off the Wendy Jones-Blackett stand onto his - all in good fun! And I have to give UKG a mention for the really good job it’s done in re-vamping the Bubblegum brand, particularly in relations cards, and we were thrilled to spend our Golden Ticket with the publisher to support them with this exciting new launch.”
Deborah Tingay, owner of Southbourne Cards, Bournemouth “My favourite trade show over my entire buying career is PG Live. I placed eight orders at Above: Deb Tingay (left) with Dandelion’s founder, Jo the show and among my Wilson. Right: A Christmas Little highlights were… Puds design from Bexy Boo. • Bexy Boo - Little Puds just made me smile and that’s the best part of giving cards, to made people happier. • Dandelion - new dog range, such lovely illustrations especially the Jack Russell. • Coach House – great men’s gifts. • Pigment - Kitchen is a great addition to its portfolio.”
54 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
owner of Alchemist Gallery, Dingwall “Attending PG Live has played a big role in building our greeting card sales to be a significant part of Alchemist Gallery’s offer over the last few years. I loved the new designs from Above: Alchemist Gallery’s Hazel Gordon (centre) was delighted to discover Sara Emeline Watchorn, Willia Landscapes in the Upper Village and Kathryn from section of the show. Below: A design from Pickled Prints’ Words KDee Designs had range. also been busy on that front. Pickled Prints also had an extended range of amusement and improved board quality. I think all of these had previously exhibited on the upper level at PG Live, so it’s great to see them growing and developing as we do. The Porch Fairies were tempting for a bit of Christmas nostalgia, and Origamo’s designs are always special, as are their values. As a genuine believer in the power of shopping small, I really wanted to spend my Sunshine Ticket with a new exhibitor, to echo the same encouragement our customers did for us in the early days. I went for Sara Willia Landscapes, who had designs featuring a landmark less than 10 miles from our shop; I had to travel to the other end of the UK to find it, but I look forward to bringing that range ‘home’. I placed lots of orders as I go to buy; it’s the most efficient use of my time to do it there and then. It was great to stock up with Kali Stileman, Bewilderbeest, Earlybird Designs, Paper Bird, Dandelion Stationery, Catherine Rayner and several others.”
Philip and Maxine Nield, co-owners of Reflections in Nantwich and Rugeley “We really enjoyed our visit to PG Live. Many companies caught our eye, including Bewilderbeest, Running with Scissors and several others in the Above: Reflections’ Village Green area. Philip (centre) and We were also particularly impressed Maxine Nield with Running with with the displays Scissors’ Steven McFee. from Hallmark Left: A Cards, Danilo, Bewilderbeest design. Carte Blanche among many others. We placed several orders, particularly with smaller publishers.”
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RETAILER REVELATIONS
Andrea Pinder,
Sarah Lishman,
owner of Presentation, Barrowford
buyer of Barkers, North Allerton
“Wow, what a show. I always save my ordering for PG Live as you can see everything in the flesh – meaning you can get so much Above: Presentation’s Andrea Pinder (centre) with Hotchpotch’s work done under head of design Anna Price and one roof as well as CBG’s Bill Greeno. having a great time. Below right: A Telegram design from Sprinkled with Magic. The product highlights for me included Wendy JonesBlackett’s beautiful Touch of Glass range, Rush Design’s seasonal sparkle; Paper Salad’s Sunshine and Say It Bright designs; Bexy Boo’s new Christmas ranges; Hotchpotch London’s new everyday and Christmas collections; Carte Blanche’s All Creatures plush; UKG’s Bubblegum; Ling Design’s Sophie Allport; Hallmark’s Peter Rabbit; Emotional Rescue’s hilarious new humour; Sprinkled with Magic’s Telegram designs and White Cotton Cards new collections… I could go on!”
Paddy Morton, manager of Strickland and Holt, Yarm “A great show with such a good relaxed, friendly and positive vibe. It was a real joy to be there and a fantastic showcase for the industry. Above: Strickland & Holt’s Paddy Morton and buying colleague We particularly liked Sophie Wilson. Below left: A badge card from Oh Squirrel’s funky Oh Squirrel. and eye-catching cards with birthday badges that anyone would be happy to pin on! We loved Feather & Hare’s cards with beautiful illustrations that will melt many a heart, and Bird & Co Studio’s bright and vibrant card ranges with modern themes and ecofriendly design and production at their heart. We placed five orders at the show, mostly with new-to-us companies and expect to place more after doing a bit of planning on our card department.”
“I thoroughly enjoyed PG Live. As always it had such a warm and friendly atmosphere with so many beautiful card companies all under one roof. Companies that really caught my eye include… Heyyy for its strong designs, good quality board and an eye-catching colour pallet as well as Megan Claire which had some lovely new designs as did Poet and Painter. Lil Wabbit and Emeline Watchorn are two lovely companies that I came across at this year’s PG Live that I hope to work with in the future. I placed lots of orders and am looking forward to them arriving in store.” Above: Barker’s Sarah Lishman (left) with Heyyy’s Dan and Yvette Clarkson. Right: A selection of Emeline Watchorn designs.
Caroline Ranwell, owner of Hugs & Kisses, Tettenhall “I absolutely loved PG Live as always. It’s wonderful to see so many amazing card companies old and new all under the same roof. I saw so many amazing card ranges, among Above: Hugs & Kisses’ which were Cinnamon Aitch’s Primrose Hill Caroline Ranwell (left) with Wendy Jones-Blackett. Christmas. We already stock Primrose Hill but I Left: A Paper Salad Gold absolutely loved the Christmas range. Rush design. GBCC’s Cath Kidston collection. Beautiful designs that are perfect for my customer base. Rush Design’s Dreamscape. Gorgeous designs for relations and milestone ages. Paper Salad’s Gold Rush, which is a really fabulous male range.”
Hannah Sharman, owner of Earlybird Cards & Gifts, Stoke Newington “PG Live is the perfect show for me as a card shop because it has more greeting card exhibitors than any other show. Among the many ranges that particularly caught my eye were Stormy Knight's new range, iej.studio; the matchbox Above: Earlybird’s Hannah puzzles from Ohh Deer, and the Wallace Sharman (centre) with Penguin Ink’s Lizzie Parker and the Gromit mini cards from (right) and Liza Smith. Right: Matchbox puzzles Hype. One of the new suppliers I met from Ohh Deer. and ordered from was MsGonzalez, whose retro, collage cards are right up my street. I placed 14 orders at the show. I spent my Golden Ticket with Penguin Ink which had a bunch of really lovely new designs.”
Charlie Wheatley,
Below: Medici’s Charlie Wheatley (right) with Alljoy director Ling Xiao Ji.
assistant manager of Medici Gallery, South Kensington “PG Live has always been our favourite trade show. Among all the chatting and laughing, we have a purpose and that is to check out what everyone is doing and more importantly, what’s new. East End Prints’ was witty and fun and Below: The Trafalgar Square design from would appeal to the less pretentious art lovers. Little London Cards. We were delighted to discover Little London Cards in the Springboard section whose non-souvenir London art with broad appeal is just right for our shop. We especially liked the theatre themed wrap. We spent our Golden Ticket with Alljoy Designs on its brandnew collection. The attention to detail with all the precise laser cutting is so impressive. We also loved the quality of Paper Mirchi’s beautifu products, all made by artisans using traditional wood block printing and hand marbling.” PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 55
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RETAILER IN PROFILE
The saying “Always the bridesmaid, never the bride” was proved wrong at The Retas awards last month when Kate Hodgson, was indeed a radiant ‘bride’ when her shop, Design@six in Wetherby was proclaimed Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – North East, after being in running several times before. PG ‘clocked’ that there is no limit to the lengths Kate will go to for her customers. Left: Kate Hodgson in the doorway of her shop. Below: While greeting cards are the footfall driver for Design@six, it also offers an array of plush, homewares, jewellery, accessories and general gifts.
SIXTH SENSE Talk about doing your research. Kate Hodgson had spent a decade visiting more card and gift shops than most people eat Yorkshire puddings before she opened the doors of Design@six, her now awardwinning card and gift shop in the heart of the Yorkshire market town of Wetherby. “I had been an agent/rep for 10 years during which time I had loved seeing the relationships my retailer customers had forged with their customers on a daily basis through selling great cards and gifts, so when one the
retailers I called on mentioned they were thinking of selling their shop, I grasped the opportunity,” said the ever-effusive Kate. “On top of that my two children were babies at the time and while I was under no illusion that being an independent retailer is not easy, I felt it offered me the chance to be a bit closer to home. Here we are 15 years on and my sons are not babies any more, but Design@six now has a Retas’ trophy. I am delighted on both counts!” The central counter area in the shop authenticates the latter, with the shiny Retas trophy now flanked by an impressive array of congratulatory cards from customers and suppliers, while the impeccable displays of Left: Having been the ‘bridesmaid’ several times in The Retas, Kate Hodgson, owner of Design@six was defo the bride this year! She was presented with the trophy by Wendy JonesBlackett, sponsor of this award category.
56 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
greeting cards, gifts and homewares products, coupled with Kate’s natural affinity with her customers being living proof as to the reasons for the shop’s recent triumph. Within the space of an hour, a regular customer had dashed in to collect a gift that Kate had put aside, two young chaps engaged her in banter before plumping for a Jellycat croissant, a great number of greeting cards were purchased by a stream of others and many jewellery items were selected. Going the extra yard, overcoming the quandaries of a sight-deprived wheelchair customer over what clock face would be easier to see in the dark, Kate dimmed the lights of the stockroom and the wheelchair was duly wheeled in so the final selection could be made. “You cannot take any customer or sale for granted,” believes Kate. “Our customer base is a mix of regulars and tourists, but every one is important.”
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RETAILER IN PROFILE
The product selection caters for both with a healthy smattering of Yorkshire-orientated cards and mugs acknowledging the store’s location. “Wetherby is a traditional, fairly affluent market town, with a well-supported market that takes place every Thursday which brings a lot of people in. Added to that it is somewhere that people aspire to live with a good mix of retailers and lots of parking,” elaborates Kate. Being able to “select every single product” for the shop is one of major “upsides” for Kate of being an independent retailer, which more than counters the main downside, of “never being able to switch off”. This is not made any easier by the fact that Kate’s sister also owns a few gift shops so ‘talking shop’ can sometimes be a family matter! While an eternal optimist, Kate is not immune to the recent scourge of shoplifting, acknowledging that it is very much a modern day bane that she had not foreseen ever becoming the issue for card and gift retailers that is now is. “Probably because of the nature of the product, I don’t think greeting cards are
Right: Design@six does well with cards and gifts with a Yorkshire slant.
Jones-Blackett, Paperlink, Rosie Made A Thing, Cinnamon Aitch, Rachel Ellen, Tracks and Caroline Gardner, but I am always on the lookout for newer, smaller companies that can add something different,” reveals Kate. “Being in a rural area we do well with animal, bird and countryside designs so have added a few new publishers to further bolster our offer on this front.” Of card buying tastes Kate has noticed the upturn in sales of mini cards as well as die-cuts, though senses that going over a £3.50 price point, unless it is for a “special card”, is a sticking point. Giftwrappings too are integral to the shop’s offer, for which Kate has nothing but praise for Glick. “Absolutely brilliant at what they do,” she enthuses. “They create lots of Left: A very happy customer who Kate wheeled into the stockroom so she could see what the clock dial looked like in the dark! Below: Well-lit compartment units are put to good use to create mini ‘stories’ of products.
shoplifted, but being Jellycat stockist, theft has become something myself and my team have to be on the alert for, though I rarely hesitate to act, firmly and fairly asking the thief to pay for the item or put it back!” said Kate. Greeting cards however are very much the footfall driver of the business and as such Kate ensures she caters for a wide variety of tastes. “We are so lucky that we can select from so many wonderful greeting card publisher in the UK, just look at the choice that was at PG Live! My current favourites include Woodmansterne, Paper Salad, Wendy
distinct ranges for you to choose from, enable you to order little and often and the service means it is delivered almost straight away. I wish all companies were like Glick!” On the gifts front, as well as Jellycat, Kate’s other mainstay brands include Joma and Stoneglow, but she is always on the look out for new product ‘stories’ to present in the shop’s well-lit cubby hole display units to attract customers’ attention. “You don’t need that many products to create a themed display which then hopefully encourages customers to buy something that they like and hopefully encourages them to come back, which is key for any retailer,” says Kate. On cue, having made a last peruse of the shop before finalising their clock selection as a result of their try out in the stock room, the customer spotted The Retas trophy on the counter and asked Kate about it. “Well, you have every right to be an awardwinning shop… beautiful products and wonderful service,” came their extra endorsement! PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 57
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PG ASKED A TRIO OF RETAILERS FOR THEIR BEST SELLERS
Sam Whittington, owner of Sewsilver, Worthing This Retas 2026 winner in a seaside town has evolved from being a jewellery shop to one that sells an awful lot of cards.
Category
Name of Publisher
Product/Name Range
Comments
Everyday
Marina B
Pretty Lilly
Right: Sam has expanded her card offer.
The Art File
Storybook
Citrus Bunn
General
“Lovely designs given an extra dimension with the multicolour foil.” “I loved this range the moment I saw it, and my customers love it too… who doesn’t love a book?” “Light-hearted, cute, with beautiful artwork that’s guaranteed to bring a smile.”
Tracks
Sparkle Fluff
“The pretty Sparkle collection has words inside, which certain customers want. The Fluff collection is great for male and female sends.”
Pickled Prints
General
Bewilderbeest
Heard They’re Absurd
“We spent our Sunshine Ticket at PG Live on these and as soon as the collection arrived, it started flying out the door! Totally relatable and very funny.” “A favourite with our customers who love the silly puns and humorous captions alongside great artwork.”
Children’s
Heyyy
Taking Shape
Right: Alljoy’s different kids’ design.
Alljoy Design
Ages
Adult Ages
Alljoy Design
Blossom
“Absolutely beautiful paper cut art, just perfect for any milestone female birthday.”
Art
Birchwood
General
“Lovely cards that consistently hit the spot with our customers.”
Cute
Ginger Betty
Purrfectly Yappy
“Irresistible cuteness!”
3D/Pop-Ups
Alljoy Design
Message In A Bottle
“The designs just keep getting better and better!”
Relations & Occasions
Right: Customers like the pretty designs on Tracks’ Sparkle.
Humour
“The unisex age cards are just lovely.” “Aww, so cute. These bright age cards with jiggly eyes have proved really popular.”
Right: Ginger Betty cuteness.
58 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
58-59_What's Hot.qxp_Grid 05/08/2026 11:34 Page 4
Kerry Ashby, owner of Rebel & Ashby’s, St Neots International Focus A bijou shop in a quaint market town which makes the most of its space, stocking products that really stand out. Category
Name of Publisher
Product/Name Range
Comments
Everyday
Arthouse Unlimited
General
“I want to sell cards that can’t be bought elsewhere. The cards make me laugh, can be used for multiple occasions and the money goes back to the charity.”
Gift Wrappings
Eleanor Bowmer Ohh Deer
General General
“I only stock gift bags. The Eleanor Bowman ones are bright and patterned, while the Ohh Deer ones have slogans on them so they can be for anybody.”
Gifts
Brownstone London The Flora Lab Mischief Flamingo Eleanor Bowmer
Candles
“Candles are my biggest sellers. These are all handmade, and we’ve got our own candle range as well which is made for us.”
Mugs
Lucy Maggie Designs
Coasters
“I sell lots of these mugs, they’re bright and colourful.” “Love her coasters, great fun.”
Right: Arthouse artist Laura Cordwell.
Right: Parenting advice from artist Karen Brown.
Right: Naughty coasters from Lucy Maggie.
Far right: Eleanor Bowmer’s bright mugs.
Steve Pugh, owner of I Love Sally, Haverfordwest Having set up I Love Sally to sell his own works in 2012, naming the business after his grandmother, artist Steve Pugh opened his store in Haverfordwest two years ago and operates it as a gallery and card shop. Category
Name of Publisher
Product/Name Range
Comments
Everyday
Dandelion Stationery
Words Of Wisdom
“People pick up these the most often. They’re gentle, attractive, simple and to the point.”
Relations & Occasions
Driftwood Designs
General
“I have some with wording on which sell well.”
Humour
U Studio
Scrawl
“These have gentle humour.”
Adult Ages
The Paintbox
General
“I stock these mainly for the ages, just for the numbers.”
Art
Steve Pugh
General
Right: Ages from The Paintbox.
Cardiau Nico
General
“That’s me! I publish a range of art cards because I’m a painter. The paintings get made into cards if I like the image.” “These are a popular range of fine art cards.”
Gift Wrappings
Hallmark
General
“I have it rolled up in a basket.”
Gifts
Hannah Turner Best Kept Secrets Local artists & designers
Ceramics Candles
“We focus on locally-made gift items. Candles, coasters, crocheted items, fine art, socks, glass – all sell well.”
Above: A Dandelion design.
Above: Ages from The Paintbox.
Right: (left-right) Hannah Turner Ceramics; a Best Kept Secrets Candle; a Cardiau Nico and just one example of Steve’s own artwork.
22 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
PROGRESSIVE PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS GREETINGS WORLDWIDE WORLDWIDE 2159
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60 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
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PRODUCT DIRECTORY
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Enquiries: warren@max-publishing.co.uk
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CHARITY GREETING CARDS One of the UK’s leading publishers of Charity Greeting Cards. Impress offers a wide collection of images, including fine art, graphic, photographic and cute. We also offer a bespoke design service for bulk orders and/or mail order fulfilment.
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Impress Publishing Appledown House Barton Business Park New Dover Road Canterbury, Kent CT1 3TE Tel: 01227 811 611 Fax: 01227 811 618 email: info@impresspublishing.co.uk
Including firm favourites and brand new designs
Polissh Po h
Te T el: 0161 1 64 641 0 06 655 Email: m sales@daav sales@d avora.co.uk
Brands include: Keepsakes, Words of Love, Jelly Beans, Bella Rose, Champagne and many more
135 Hea 13 135 eaton Moorr Rd | Stockp ock kpor port ort SK4 4HY 4 4H HY
To appear in the Product Directories contact Warren Lomax T: 020 7700 6740 warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact Tracey Arnaud T: 07957 212 062 traceya@max-publishing.co.uk
Award winning designers and manufacturers of luxury gift wrappings and accessories
THE GREA AT TEST COLLECTION OF GREETING CARDS IN THE WORLD
Tel: +44 (0)115 986 0115 customerservices@paperrose.co.uk www.writefromtheheart.co.uk
Quality & Seerr vice you y can depe de pen ndd on
01274 655980 sales@glick.co.uk glick.co.uk trade.glick.co.uk @glickgiftwrap
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PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 61
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PRODUCT DIRECTORY
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Send Love ( ll year round) (al d)
paperbirdpu blishing.co.uk
Great brands, Great service Bespoke planning We can help with all your planning requirements. From smaller displays to redeveloping complete card departments
CARDS THA T MAKE Y OU FEEL
T HIS H HAPPPY
help 020 7582 8244 @NoelTattGroup 01227 811 600 sales@noeltatt.co.uk www.noeltatt.co.uk
info@paperlink.co.uk p a p e r l i n kc a rd s www.paperlink.co.uk
info@papersheddesign.com www.papersheddesign.com tel: 0118 9744283
To appear in the Product Directories contact Warren Lomax T: 020 7700 6740 email: warren@max-publishing.co.uk
Te l : + 4 4 ( 0 ) 1 1 5 9 8 6 0 1 1 5 customer ser vices@paper rose .co.uk w w w. p a p e r r o s e . c o . u k
62 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
or contact Tracey Arnaud T: 07957 212 062 email: traceya@max-publishing.co.uk
60-67_Classified New 2026.qxp 05/08/2026 11:27 Page 51
PRODUCT DIRECTORY
l PRODUCT DIRECTORY
l PRODUCT DIRECTORY
Market Leaders in
Verse &
6 Heron Trading Estate Alliance Road, Park Royal, London W3 0RA T: 0208 385 4474 F: 0208 385 4471 E: info@Xpressyourselfcards.co.uk
entimen
WWW.XXPRESSYOURSELFCARDS.CO.UK
an extensive range of superior quality,
PRODUCTS: World’s leading publisher of high quality plastic greeting cards. Also an extensive range of quality greeting cards covering Everyday, Occasions, Christmas and Spring seasons.
design-led Greeting Cards
BRANDS: Cherished Thoughts, Sweet Sentiments, Buddies Always, Symphony, Thinking of You, Style, Special Wishes, Special Times, Young Editions, Groove Sensations, Forever Blessed, Grey Skies, Classics.
for all occasions, Spring Seasons & Christmas.
METHOD OF SALE: SENSATIONS – Direct to retail XPRESS YOURSELF – Now one of the leading wholesale publisher suppliers in the UK
Method of Sale: Direct to Retail Orders can be placed on our trader site
www.cbgtrader.co.uk or call our customer services team on
+44(0)1243 792600
We offer a
COMPREHENSI collection of moder n high quality Greeting Cards for
THE GREA AT TEST COLLECTION OF GREETING CARDS IN THE WORLD
ALL Occasions, CHRISTMAS and
Spring Seasons.
Method of Sale: Direc
greeting card association
Email: info@words-n-wishes.co.uk Web: www.words-n-wishes.cco.uk
Tel: 01942 233201
PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 63
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DIRECTORY OF WHOLESALE l DIRECTORY OF WHOLESALE
EUROPE’S LEADING GREETINGS CARDS, PARTY PRODUCTS, GIFTS, CANDLES, TOYS, STATIONERY AND FLORIST SUNDRIES DISTRIBUTION CENTRE 75000 SQ FT BESCOT CRESCENT, WALSALL, WEST MIDLANDS. WS1 4NG 01922-646666 www.greetingshouse.co.uk info@greetingshouse.co.uk MON,WED,FRI 8.00am-4.45pm TUES,THURS 8.00am-7.45pm SAT,SUN 8.00am-1.45pm
BAGS
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Polypropylene & biodegradable bag specialists
GREETING CARD
ĎĶġƕbĄËƅ|İĎĞƕ|âĎĞ ʼnū͗ƤưŶƜĠ͗ŶƜ͗ŶūŠʼnūĠ͗òư İæÛËġÚËËİŰ¾Ďă Over 40 years quality service to the trade Hotfoiling also available
T 01206 396209 E sales@badgerconverters.co.uk www.badgerconverters.co.uk
BAGS
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01773 537 7810
30 YEARS EXPERIENCE - QUA ALITY SERVICE EXTENSIVE STOCK RANGE - QUICK K DELIVERY Y ASSURED
64 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
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W W W. EN VE CO .CO .U K
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www.hellocards.co.uk
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Manuffa acturers off high quality envelopes 10 popular greetings card sizes in stock recycled & kraft envelopes in stock
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RECYCLED PA P APER
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PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 65
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PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 67
CoLo Ad 210x297.pdf
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The pairing that always belonged together Autumn Fair and Glee come together for 2 days on the 8th & 9th September 2026.
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