Progressive Greetings September 2025

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Best Humorous Range

Best Contemporary Trend

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From The Editor

ON THE CARDS As indie retailer David Robertson Right: Lynn Tait’s legacy will live with The Ladder Club 2025. knows only too well, so much of the Thisonphoto, taken at PG Live 2017, greeting card industry revolves around shortly after Lynn’s death, shows just some of the publishers who milestone moments, the start of life have attended The Ladder Club over the years. and the end of life as well as all the Below: This edition marks the 18th anniversary of David notable stepping stones along the way.

Robertson’s PG column. David With this edition marking the 18th (centre) caught up at Harrogate Home & Gift with PG’s Warren anniversary since he started penning a Lomax and Jakki Brown. column for PG, this month’s missive (see pages 16-17) justifiably prompted him to look back at some of the industry’s changes over that time. However, even more importantly he touches on what is sustaining the interest and passion for those within it, ensuring the legacy continues.

Staying in that vein, this was amplified loud and clear at the recent GCA/PG Retailer Forum, which took place immediately after a wonderful Henries 2025 live judging event.

The whole day was synergy in motion. The morning saw over 40 retail buyers, who really know their stuff, scrutinise the rich array of shortlisted ranges as well as the inspiring mood boards submitted for The Lynn Tait Most Promising Young Designer Below: 1973’s co-founders, Emma category, with their votes deciding (second left) and James Emmerson and the worthy finalists. (See pages sales director Louisa Sharman (far right) in the 1973 and Rifle Paper showroom 26-69). with PG’s Jakki Brown. (See pages 82-83) Right: A cheers from The Henries 2025 judges.

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And then in the afternoon it was a truly energising meeting of minds as ideas backed up by real examples flowed as to how collectively we as an industry can continue to further engage the consumer of today and tomorrow in the joys of sending and receiving cards. The icing on the cake was 16 year old Amelia Early (daughter of Earlybird’s Heidi and Dom) putting herself forward to head up a new GCA/Cardmitment youth team… the clock is TikTok-ing as to what they come up with! (See pages 73 and 75) Someone who would have absolutely loved all of this is Lynn Tait, a very special friend who I co-founded The Ladder Club with, well over 25 years ago and the namesake of the Young Designer Henries award. Lynn sadly left this world in 2017, but as we prepare for this year’s Ladder Club (to take place on November 19) for would-be, newbie and emerging publishers and Amelia and chums come up with new ways of promoting greeting cards to Gen Z, her legacy as well as the industry’s lives on.

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CONTENTS 20

18

84

7-13 News

What’s Inside?

91

73-75 Industry Issue Indies Ideas In Action

All the latest happenings and developments in the trade.

Retailers pool ideas and share initiatives at the GCA /PG Retailer Forum.

16-17 Over The Counter Coming Of Age

77-81 Innovations

David Robertson, co-owner of JP Pozzi celebrates his PG column’s 18th ‘birthday’ with some salient observations.

A host of new ranges and designs, including many launching at the Autumn Fair and Top Drawer trade shows.

18-19 Cardsharp The Serious (Not Silly) Season

82-83 In Conversation with… 1973 Summer of Contact

Cardsharp considers Cardfactory’s acquisition of Funkypigeon and other card retailer expansions, plus the US closing the de minimus loophole.

PG checks in with 1973 to find more about the company’s retailer engagement activity as well as its UK launch of All The Ways To Say.

20-23 Viewpoints Knowing Me, Knowing You

84-89 Licensing Focus Grow Your Brand

Retail buyers who formed The Henries’ live judging panel channel their ABBA selves and sing the industry’s praise and yell about the woes.

In the run-up to the fast-approaching Brand Licensing Europe show, PG looks at some of the licensing action in the greeting card field.

25 The Henries’ Judging Process Mamma Mia!

91 Art Source Wild At Art

Arriving at the finalists and winners for The Henries 2025 product categories.

Artist Jacqueline Wild shares her creative story.

92-93 What’s Hot? 26-71 The Henries 2025 Finalists See which ranges, designers and companies have made it into The Henries 2025 finals.

A trio of retailers lift the lid on their best-selling ranges.

94-100 Sources of Supply Subscribe to Progressive Greetings from £60 (UK) to £90 (International).

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Jakki Brown

Warren Lomax

Tracey Arnaud

Tracey Bearton

Editor/Joint Owner

Joint Owner

Sales Manager

Features Editor

Joint Owner

jakkib@max-publishing.co.uk

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Copyright© 2025. 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

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NEWS TOP STORY

Cardfactory Acquires Funkypigeon.com for £24m Greetings giant is now UK’s second-largest online card and gift operator Cardfactory has expanded its industry reach through acquiring the Funkypigeon.com online personalised card and gift platform from WHSmith for £24million.

The acquisition means the company is now the second-largest online card and gift retailer in the UK market as well as the largest bricks and mortar greeting card specialist, having recently opened its 1,100th UK store.

"This acquisition marks a significant step forward in Cardfactory's strategy to build a scaled, competitive digital presence in the celebration occasions market, so supporting our ambition to become the leading omnichannel retailer in our sector,” said ceo Darcy Willson-Rymer of the Funkypigeon deal to buy the entire issued share capital of the business which has been run by a standalone team in Bristol and Guernsey.

The move comes following WHS’ decision to concentrate on its Travel arm, selling the High Street side to Modella Capital for £76m – the stores are being rebranded as TG Jones as the name wasn’t included in the deal. At the time, in March, the group said it will “explore strategic options” for Funkypigeon, including a possible sale.

Over the past two financial years, Funkypigeon.com on average generated around £32m in revenue per annum and £5m EBITDA and the £24m cash consideration is based on an enterprise

Above: Theo cutting the cake that Woodmansterne sent for Ryman Design’s Cheapside store’s first birthday.

Ryman Design aiming for 30 stores Above: The Funkypigeon.com platform has been acquired by Cardfactory.

Below: Cardfactory’s opened its 1,100th store recently.

Ceo Darcy Willson-Rymer (third right) was on hand for the milestone opening in Cheshunt.

value of £26m for the platform.

Cardfactory’s plan is to unlock “operational synergies” by utilising Funkypigeon.com’s existing order fulfilment capability in Guernsey for personalised cards and Cardfactory's in-house manufacturing and fulfilment facility in Baildon in Yorkshire for greeting cards and attached gifting orders.

In a trading update, Cardfactory said group sales for the five months to 30 June increased by “mid-single digits” year-onyear, while the decision to bring forward investment in an upgraded store point-ofsale till system will contribute to an adjusted profit-before-tax being “slightly behind last year”.

The board’s expectations of mid-to-high single-digit sales and adjusted pre-tax profit growth in FY26 remain unchanged, and the update added: “With the strong H2 trading calendar ahead including Back To School, Halloween and the important Christmas season, we remain confident in our ability to deliver on full-year expectations, underpinned by additional efficiencies from the PoS upgrade and our Simplify & Scale efficiency programme in H2.”

(See Cardsharp pages 18-19)

UOE’s recruitment drive UOE Stores is all set to expand its greeting card footprint, on course to be trading from 40 stores in the coming few months, by taking on another 30 post offices into the business, following the shake-up of the UK’s Crown Post Offices network.

Having won The Retas 2025 award for Best Non-Specialist Independent Retailer Of Greeting Cards - South, UOE’s ceo Elliot Jacobs said: “We’re serious about reinventing High Street Above: Elliot (back far retail and the Post Office experience but we don't right) and the UOE team showing they’re not take ourselves too seriously! too serious.

“Two weeks ago we hired 40 new team

Retail entrepreneur Theo Paphitis is planning to expand Ryman Design into a 30-outlet portfolio.

In addition to the 198-store Ryman stationery and office equipment brand, Theo launched Ryman Design in 2023 which now has five branches in London, Edinburgh and Birmingham, stocking a large range of greeting cards alongside the stationery and gifts.

“I think there’s 30 places it would work well in,” Theo told Retail Week. “It won’t work everywhere, that’s fine, I’ve got other stores that will be hybrids of Design.”

He’s hoping landlords will work with the brand to launch more Ryman Design stores and improve the business’ general estate which is benefiting from innovations including an app which allows personalised greeting card printing from store, which is boosting footfall.

And products from the Design arm are being taken into its original Ryman stores where appropriate, with Theo adding: “As we do that, it upgrades and elevates the existing stores, because they become more interesting and drive people over the threshold.”

Having owned Ryman for almost 30 years, Theo got back involved with the running of the business in October 2022, and the development of the Ryman Design retail concept was his first step on the greeting card and design-led stationery front.

Below: The Ryman Design store in London’s St Paul’s.

members – and we’re not stopping there! As our High Street network continues to grow, we’ve got some brilliant new roles open.”

The UOE website shows a further 60 jobs available, from part-time retail and PO assistants through to manager level team leads, across the locations including London, Reigate, St Albans, Leighton Buzzard, Potters Bar, Northolt, Harrow, Milton Keynes, Windsor, Cambridge, Oxford and Chipping Barnet.

“Over the coming weeks and months we’ll be transforming the existing Post Offices, onboarding and building out our teams and capability with the best talent around and creating something that has never been done before.

“This is one of the biggest and most exciting chapters in UOE’s journey – and we’re so thrilled to be expanding our footprint across the country.”

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FINALIST

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen

Best Licensed Heritage, Lifestyle, Art or Design Card Range

Word For Word

Best Traditional Words & Sentiments Range

Luxury Open Window Box Best Christmas Box or Pack

Weʼre thrilled to be finalists for this yearʼs Henries awards. A huge thank you to everyone that voted.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL THE FINALISTS. Please get in touch to order from any of our beautiful ranges. www.greatbritishcards.co.uk · 01452 888999 · hello@greatbritishcards.co.uk · @greatbritishcards

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NEWS TOP STORY

F-ABBA-ulous Henries Finalists Some 92 publishers’ ranges are up for UK greeting card awards From tiny newbies up to major brands, ranges from 92 different publishers have made it into the finals of The Henries 2025 greeting card product awards.

Each and every one made it through a two-stage judging process to make it into the finals, having been scrutinised by almost 100 retail buyers, first online and then at an in-person judging event.

Below: Postmark’s Shannon Fisher (right) and Mark Janson-Smith with WHS Travel’s Amy Stephenson considering the Best Art Range contenders.

Below right: (right- left) Scribbler’s Laura Clarke and Tori Heath-Smith with Barker’s Sarah Lishman scrutinising some of the licensed cards.

Buyers from Waterstones, Cardfactory, Cardzone, Scribbler, WHSmith. Postmark, RHS, Tesco, TGJones, Fortnum & Mason, House of Cards, Lark, UOE, The Jumping Bean and Barkers were joined by leading indies, such as Red Card/Little Red, Cardies, Highworth Emporium, Pretty Shiny Shop, Cards & Moor, Paperweight, Stationery Supplies, Little Boat Gifts, Medici Gallery, Hugs & Kisses, The Card Centre, Presentation, In Heaven At Home and many more to form the 40+ judging panel at the live judging event which involved scrutinising all the shortlisted

ranges (arrived at from the first round of online voting) with their collective votes deciding the lineup of finalists.

This year, to better reflect the wealth of talent in each category there are eight finalists for each of the product awards.

In addition to the product categories, the judging panel also had the treat of considering all the entries in The Lynn Tait Most Promising Young Designer Or Artist award.

“As The Henries 2025 finalists’ line-up testifies the UK greeting card industry is abundant in creative talent, innovative production techniques and beautiful substrates. It proved a tough job for The Judging Panel to decide where to cast their votes, but their collective experience and astute buying eyes ensured that the integrity of these important accolades are being upheld,” commented Jakki Brown, co-owner of Progressive Greetings, which owns and organises The Henries.

All the finalists are featured on pages 26-71. The ultimate winners will be revealed at a glamorous ABBA-esque themed event on October 2 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel. To book your ticket, head to www.maxsubscriptions.net/tickets/

“Mamma Mia, we’re in the finals!”

PG shares just a few pics of the many happy Henries finalists…

Above: Roger la Borde Super Troupers (left-right) Sarah Smith, Jenni Barnett and Mark Hutchinson.

Above: “Oh my Good, we’ve been nominated in The Henries. Hurrah!” said David Byk, channelling his inner ABBA self.

Above right: Bewilderbeest’s Iain Hamilton sharing the joy with his pet banana.

Above: Jessie Wood of Jessie Maeve Studio luckily had some cards from her finalist range with her on holiday in Gozo.

Above right: Surf was up for Tim and Hatty of Sanders De Roeper when they heard the news.

Strong sponsor support The generous 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 and Autumn Fairs, UK Envelope Centre, Watermark Cards and Windles.

Above: Corks were popped at Paper Salad by (leftright) by Helena Woollam, Karen Wilson and Ashley Rowe.

Service with a smile Indie retailers voted in droves for which publishers they consider are the tops on service front, resulting in the finalists in the hotly contested Best Service to the Independent Retailer category in The Henries.

Some 1,750 indies were invited to submit their votes in a confidential online survey for the three card publishers they feel have provided them with the best service over the past 12 months.

The companies in the finals for this award are Abacus Cards, The Art File, Dandelion Stationery, IC&G, Jonny Javelin, Noel Tatt, Ohh Deer, Paperlink, Pigment, UK Greetings, Woodmansterne and Words ‘n’ Wishes.

Above: It was a big day in the Five Dollar Shake offices when the news broke.

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NEWS TOP STORY

Youthful Engagement 72% of Gen Z and Y bought into Spring Seasons this year UK Greetings’ age groups are more research findings likely to have the reveal promising relationships you would insights as younger typically associate with generations commit to each season. card sending, most “However, they are notably for Spring the driving force for Seasons. broadening the scope UKG’s Global Data of each season, Occasion Series celebrating more than Reporting for 2025 just their mum on and its work with the Mother’s Day, dad on OnePulse survey Father’s Day and a platform this year saw Above: Gen Y and Z are broadening romantic partner during the publisher observe Spring Seasons card giving. the Valentine’s season,” Below: For the love of Dads! “sustained high levels reads the report. “This of greeting card engagement”. change in behaviour highlights how the And it reported: “With the exception younger generations are committed to of chocolate at Easter, greeting cards supporting the tradition of celebrating are the number one items purchased occasions with a greeting card but across all of the Spring Seasons. This tailoring it in a way that suits their reinforces the fact that a card is often personal dynamic, such as Valentine’s the driving factor encouraging Day growing into a celebration of all participation in these events.” love, not just romance.

Data from the UKG Incidence Check Similarly, the research highlighted the 2025 confirms 62% of the UK early Gen Y cohort are more likely than population purchased at least one card any other generation to purchase more across the four Spring Season events, than one card for both Mother’s Day with the figure representing “a and Father’s Day, fuelling their significant uplift in overall market development into celebrations of all engagement since 2018”. Moreover, positive role models. encouraging insights emerge from Alex Kennedy, UKG’s customer and younger demographics as 72% of Gen channel insight manager, commented: Z’s 15 to 29 year olds and the 30 to “The fact these events continue to be 46 year olds from Gen embraced by Y bought into greeting younger consumers cards for Spring reinforces the Seasons. sentiment and value While the publisher of sending a card accepts that this may with the next be expected, generations, who are considering that very much the future individuals within these of our category!"

Tiger Feet changes afoot There are changes afoot at Tiger Feet as Akhtar Zahid has stepped down from day-to-day operations after nearly three years as ceo and will be leaving the greeting Above: Akhtar Zahid (right) Paul White card, gift and party sealing the acquisition wholesaler business on deal last year.

29 August.

Paying tribute, Tiger Feet’s head of product Joanna Formby said: “We are grateful for Akhtar’s leadership and contributions to the business, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavours.”

Andy Dodwell, operating partner at private equity company Ardenton Group, which owns the company, will assume the role of CEO. Summing up his time heading up the company, Akhtar told PG: “It has been a fantastic experience for me, and I’m proud of where I’m leaving the business.

The celebratory and party world is dynamic and engaging, and it has been a pleasure to be part of it.

“The company is in a good shape, but it was felt that I wasn't the right person anymore – I'd love to stay in the sector with any businesses who would value my experience and support.”

Sharing his highlights, Akhtar cites winning The Retas 2024 award for Best Greeting Card Wholesaler, reaching the finals of this year’s Henries awards and “meeting people in the industry and being amazed at the levels of innovation, dedication, passion, and hard work, and working with an incredible team of people at Tiger Feet.”

Tiger Feet currently has eight warehouses across the UK and Ireland, in Belfast, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Dublin, Gateshead, Manchester, and Nottingham, alongside the online business which is run from Bradford.

In March 2024, BGC acquired the trade and assets of Paul White Ltd and Tiger Feet Party Ltd T/A Tiger Feet Direct, and in August last year BGC Wholesale and Paul White Gateshead merged, rebranding the business as Tiger Feet.

Blooming lovely celebration for 20 years of Deva’s petal confetti

Above: Deva’s Andrew Maddock-Neill and Jenny Williams marvel at nature’s bounty.

It’s been blooming lovely at Deva Designs for 20 years as the company has been marking two decades of colour, celebration and a whole lot of petals.

Andrew Maddock-Neill and Jenny Williams, the duo heading up the business that’s known for its natural petal confetti as well as gift wrap and bags, and the Bunnies By The Bay plush brand have just marked the 20-year anniversary of their company’s petal confetti by heading straight to

the source, the breath-taking delphinium fields of a family-run farm in Shropshire.

The seeds for British flowers, such as delphiniums, cornflowers, sunflowers and calendula are planted by solar-powered robots to reduce the impact on the soil, grow naturally and are hand-picked, carefully dried to lock in their natural colour and then packed by hand.

Deva now offers the confetti in poppers as well as a boxed version

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NEWS TOP STORY MP praise for Cardfactory and Danilo

The Ladder Club Is Back Wed 19 Nov ‘in-a-nutshell’ seminar for newbies The Ladder Club is back! business journeys and industry Having not taken place since friendships. It is great to have a 2023, this in-a-nutshell onedate, venue, speakers and day seminar about greeting sponsors all lined up for the card publishing is aimed at November 19 event.” would-be, newbie and Loyal Ladder Club sponsors, emerging publishers. including the GCA, GF Smith, The The 2025 Ladder Club seminar is to Imaging Centre, Loxleys and Enveco, take place on Wednesday, 19 have already pledged their support for this November at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, year’s seminar.

London from 9.30am-4:00pm.

Among the confirmed speakers are Ben The agenda will cover the rudiments of Hickman, co-owner of Brainbox Candy, greeting card publishing – avoiding the who will take attendees through how to common pitfalls, how to price your cards cost out their cards and other to make sure you’re making money, stories; Sally Matson, owner of Red production quandaries, what retailers want, Card in Petworth, will explain what she what makes agents tick, how to make the looks for in publishers; Ian Bradley will most of trade shows, as well as where give an insight into what makes agents licensing, export Below: Attendees of the 2023 Ladder Club, tick. The Imaging Centre’s which took place at London’s Business and brokerage Adam and Bob Short, Loxleys’ Design Centre. This year the event will take come into it all. place at the Royal Lancaster Hotel.

Toni Lorimer, GF Smith’s “I can’t quite Gareth Davies and Enveco’s believe it’s well Lucy Glover will cover a myriad of over 25 years production aspects. Former ago that my dear Ladder Club ‘graduate’ Karen friend Lynn Wilson, owner of Paper Salad Tait and I and incoming GCA president will launched The share her knowledge while Ladder Club with Danielle McCarthy, the GCA’s the mission of events and marketing coordinator helping would-be will highlight all the help that is to or fledgling greeting card publishers climb hand from the GCA across all manner up the greeting card ladder by avoiding the of subjects. common pitfalls,” said Jakki Brown, editor The cost of attending The Ladder Club of Progressive Greetings and md of Max seminar has been capped at £95 plus vat Publishing, which owns and organises The – including lunch and refreshments. To Ladder Club. “Although lovely Lynn sadly book your place, head to the dedicated passed away in June 2017, her legacy secure site www.max-tickets.net or lives on in The Ladder Club, which has contact Jim Bullough on jimb@maxplayed a part in hundreds of publishers’ publishing.co.uk.

Cardfactory and Danilo have received praise from Helen Maguire, MP for Epsom and Ewell for publishing and retailing greeting cards that celebrate female football players and inspire young women to take up sport.

Following the Early Day Motion Helen tabled in Parliament in January calling for greater visibility for female sports to star in the greeting card and calendar market, contact was made to highlight that an England women’s licensed card and calendar collection was already underway with Cardfactory being the first major retailer to stock it both instore and online.

Cardfactory’s customer and commercial executive director Brian Waring and Danilo’s licensing director Dan Grant recently met with Helen Maguire, at the Cardfactory store in Ashley Shopping Centre in Epsom, the very branch where Helen had visited trying to buy a birthday card for her office manager “who is a massive football fan”. She explained: “I looked at the girls’ section and there were no sporty ones. The only ones I could find were in the male section.”

Danilo has launched a range of licensed women’s football greeting cards, from individual clubs as well as the national Lionesses team, plus a personalised collection which also covers cricket.

Below: MP Helen Maguire with Cardfactory’s Brian Waring (right) and Danilo’s Dan Grant.

Sincerely Yours’ Kaye Thurgood makes the television news on high street improvements Indie card and gift retailer Kaye Thurgood’s sterling work promoting High Streets was recognised recently by ITV News when producers asked for her opinions on the government’s latest plans to boost the hospitality sector.

With cafés and coffee shops an important draw for independent shops like Kaye’s Sincerely Yours in Shenfield and Hornchurch, ITV had covered the story online then decided to go local for more detail on how real people think it will affect their businesses.

“The producer at ITV News had heard about the work we’re doing through our Business Improvement District, which I chair,” Kaye told. “We’re essentially empowering ourselves as businesses to make a difference to our three High Streets in the borough of Brentwood by delivering events, employing street rangers and collaborating with the local authority to improve the public realm.”

Sparked by the government announcement about removing the red tape,

making it easier to convert an empty unit into a vibrant cafe culture setting, a TV camera crew turned up to get Kaye’s opinion, which was shown as part of news bulletins.

She explained: “My view is that it’s a great plan, but will not be sufficient on its own to regenerate High Streets.

This initiative would need to be part of a three-pronged attack which requires, in addition, substantial Above: ITV News filming Kaye Thurgood outside business rate reform coupled with community safety one of her shops. improvements.

“The High Streets that are flourishing have a balanced mix of café culture, retail, professional services including healthcare, hair and beauty, fitness, convenience store, post office and or bank, and a library. Accessibility is, of course, also essential.”

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NEWS TOP STORY

United in Manchester

Progress On Plagiarism GCA gains ground on Temu’s copying and has the ear of Govt Progress is being made to stem the widespread blatant copying of UK greeting card publishers designs on Temu, with trials about to get underway involving several publishers as a result of the GCA taking up the issue with the Chinese-owned platform.

Additionally, the GCA has brought this serious matter to the attention of the UK Government. MP Gareth Thomas, part of the Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds’ department has sent a supportive response, while communication from Culture Secretary of State, Chris Bryant is also anticipated.

In his letter, Gareth Thomas said he recognised “the significant contribution of the UK’s creative industries, including the £1.5 billion greeting card sector, and we are committed to ensuring a fair, sustainable, and competitive trading environment for British businesses.

As such, I am concerned by reports of unlicensed use of British designs on global e-commerce platforms, including in the greeting card sector.”

Brett Smith, director of Emotional Rescue and GCA Council member, Thortful md Pip Heywood and GCA ceo Amanda Fergusson have met with Temu several times to share publishers’ deep concerns and to look at ways of solving the huge issue of

Above: Temu has been keen to work with the GCA to improve the copying situation.

BelowTemu to task over copying after their presentation at Spring Fair.

plagiarism on the Temu platform.

“Temu has shared details of their IP protection program, including proactive monitoring and reactive takedown processes, and has assured us that they are keen to identify and remove repeat offenders who are selling copies, also recognising the Temu brand damage of this ongoing issue,” explained Amanda.

As a result of the discussions, Emotional Rescue tested Temu’s bulk take-down software and the opportunities this could bring to bulk identify and remove plagiarised designs. Based on this a trial is now underway involving more GCA publisher members.

Temu has also issued a Report Infringement Guide for GCA members which is now on the GCA website.

GCA ceo Amanda Fergusson commented: “We will continue to lobby and work with government ministers on this issue, alongside our current trials with Temu to try and resolve the issues on the platform.”

The countdown is on for the GCA’s annual conference and AGM, which is taking place on September 25 in Manchester Hall.

The enticing agenda covers a lot of ground, making it highly relevant for publishers, retailers and trade suppliers.

The Evolving Card Market: Data, Direction and Disruption is the title of Thortful MD, Pip Heywood’s, talk. Latest industry data will also be shared from the GCA annual Market Report, along with further fascinating 2025 consumer insight from market research agency Kantar.

Hazel Walker, buying manager of Waterstones will be sharing insight into The Waterstones way, while incoming GCA president Karen Wilson owner of Paper Salad will be presenting The Paper Salad Ballad.

With AI such a hot potato, Kelly Hudson, md of McDaniels Law, and Rajeev Arora, md of Nettl, will delve deeper into this fast-evolving area with their shared talk, AI in Focus: Will we get a birthday card from The Terminator?

Adding to the conviviality, all attendees are invited for networking drinks the evening before, kindly hosted by Hallmark Cards.

Tickets cost £130 (+VAT). www.gca.cards

What’s In the Top Drawer?

Top Drawer is presenting 35,729 reasons to attend the autumn-winter edition of the trade show at London’s Kensington Olympia venue over Sunday to Tuesday, 14-16 September. Organiser Clarion Events is flagging up 25,000 innovative products, 10,000 retail buyers, 600 design-led brands, 80 countries attending annually, 40 years servicing the gifts, home and greeting card industry, eight curated sectors, and one destination.

There will be eight edited sectors at the show – Greetings & Stationery, Home, Gift, Fashion, Wellbeing, Play, Food Emporium, and the Launchpad emerging talent platform.

Destination Design is the theme for this autumn’s show, where RetailRevealed Live returns with trend-led talks, panel discussions and masterclasses designed for today’s retail landscape. There’s also the Better Trends feature; one-toone advice, mentoring and strategy sessions with the Business Hub; a creative collaboration with the Design Museum; and the UAL Showcase for new talent.

(See page 79 for some of the new product launches)

Autumn Fair’s build-up A £5,000 prize, a chance to pitch your product, Best of British British line-up celebrating both heritage and cuttingbrands, and a packed seminar agenda is all set up for edge innovation, with a stellar roster of brands.”

Autumn Fair, which takes place at Birmingham’s NEC, And to keep retailers on their toes, there are game7-10 September. changing strategies to be learned from retail experts, Organiser Hyve is partnering with online marketplace Faire in a in the Retail Corner and Buyers’ Retreat, with all competition for independent retail visitors. Up for grabs is £5,000 sessions free. Lark London’s co-owner Priya Aurorato spend on inventory from the brands on Faire.

Crowe will be talking Retail Reality.

On the Best Of British front, where greeting cards and The show has also brought back Pitch Live, where Above: The Faire x Autumn stationery brands Five Dollar Shake, Paper Salad, Alex Sharp Fair promo. exhibitors can take centre stage to present their and Vent For Change are among those highlighted, event director products directly to a panel of expert buyers and a live retail audience.

Soraya Gadelrab said: “This year’s showcase is defined by a powerful (See page 77 for some of the product launches.)

FOR THE LATEST NEWS VISIT PGBUZZ.net PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 13

Delight in the charm of our playful, whimsical cards – finalists for Best Children’s Range!

Each design features adorable characters with interactive, jiggling parts that bring the cards to life. Perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or just because, these fun-filled creations are guaranteed to spark smiles and plenty of “Aww, so cute!” moments.

www.alljoydesign.com

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info@alljoydesign.com

20/08/2025 17:52

Discover the wonder of our Message in a Bottle cards – finalists for Best 3D, Handmade or Hand-finished Range!

Each design reveals a magical pop-up world inside a beautifully crafted bottle. Whether it’s a heartfelt occasion, a special celebration, or a moment to treasure, these keepsake cards are guaranteed to surprise, delight, and be remembered.

www.alljoydesign.com

14-15_PG September 2025.indd 2

info@alljoydesign.com

20/08/2025 17:52

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OVER THE

COUNTER

BY DAVID ROBERTSON OF JP POZZI, ELGIN AND BUCKIE.

Coming Of Age… Inset: A happy 18th birthday to David Robertson’s PG column!

Our industry is built on significant life events. Births, deaths, new homes, new starts and of course significant birthdays. Well, this edition marks this column’s 18th birthday.

To me an 18th birthday marks the transition into adulthood, increased independence and responsibility.

This column has been a major part of my life, helping me grow as I gained confidence by commenting on so many issues.

So for this birthday missive I wanted to look back a little, tackle an issue that has been bothering me and look forward too.

I can still remember sitting at my kitchen table writing my very first PG column. Through the years it has covered everything about business, life, good times, depression, challenges and occasionally about cards! I still get such a buzz from people speaking to me about it.

Over this time, my own life has seen the loss of my dad, the birth of my son, numerous business projects including a two year one that I couldn’t fund.

Of course some people challenge what I write and that is exactly what I want.

Nothing I write or say is to hurt or upset but I do want to call things as I see them.

One of the major stories in the last 18 years has been the rise and fall of the card chains. Giants such as Clintons, Birthdays, Paperchase and of course Cardfactory have all seen peaks and troughs in much the same way as the High Street.

Right: Over the years David has used his column to cover all manner of subjects.

16 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

Cardfactory has been on a steady rise since its inception in 1997 and I can remember when the Hoyles sold out and everyone thought “WOW that is some return”. Now, with 1,100 stores in the UK alone they are changing, moving to stocking more brands, open in more retail park outlets, adopt higher price points and its 10 cards for a £1 offer has

Above: David Robertson at the recent Harrogate Home & Gift looking for new gifts for his shops.

all but disappeared. Cardfactory is still a dominant force on the High Street and I can’t ever see it being challenged by any dedicated card store again.

Clintons continues to change. The new look is fresh, bright and engaging, but there are still many challenges. The cards selection is actually an easier part to get right in Clintons.

In my opinion it is the gifting that is the bigger puzzle to solve.

The Taylor family who own Clintons will make the decisions needed of that I have no doubt. Paul and James have never been afraid to make a decision and it is this direct level of management that has seen such a rise with their Cardzone estate. Big business often fails because there are too many voices all wanting to get their point across and play their part.

With Clintons decisions are made and the fallout is dealt with.

Paperchase was of course the outlier. It was different in its concept and execution but the

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OVER THE COUNTER

way it acted and treated publishers in the end was not good.

The supermarkets are now waking up to cards even more than they have. Our local big Tesco has a Paperchase concept instore. It is full of card brands that you simply would not have expected to see in that environment up until very recently. I have to say it looked good and judging by the shelves were selling. This is without doubt a further challenge to the indies and will result in more and more of us seeking out brands who are not dealing with these massive chains.

Garden centres too are now some of an indies’ biggest rivals. A destination, a free car park, coffee and pee stop always results in extra sales and arguably no publisher That is the beauty of this has benefitted more than creative industry. A new range Woodmansterne from this. The may appeal to you or your fixturing and look achieved customer or it may not. really does promote greeting Especially with smaller indie cards in a fantastic way. stores we know our customer There is so much written and what they look for. We about High Streets every day don’t have the large transient that it’s difficult to really know customer base that stores in any more what does and does the city centres or chains not work. have so we need to cater to Above: A Paperchase branded Curated selections of gifts our tribe. display in a large Tesco close to and cards can be refreshed and where David lives in Scotland.

We seem to want more and changed quickly and that little niche is where more specifics on card captions. This can be the majority of us indies reading this mag seen with IC&G, Words n Wishes and others operate. Yes, it is tough and yes, our introducing family titles that also incorporate bottom line is squeezed constantly, but there ages. Also, cards that were the staples, such is still both a need and a want for our type as sympathy are changing. Social media is of stores. removing many of the sympathy sales with a Reflecting on the last 18 years my thoughts comment under a photo deemed almost the turned to some of the card companies upon same as a formal acknowledgement of whom we built our business on in the someone’s passing. beginning who are sadly no longer with us.

Christmas is also now more about family Some of them were niche, others simply were and friends. With the price of a first class amalgamated or disappeared, but the ones stamp having soared 500% from 34p in 2007 that come to mind include Ekard, Shrog, to £1.70 in 2025, this may be the biggest Really Good, Soul, Henry Butler, Blue Eyed threat to sending cards ever.

Sun, Cornelius Potts and Uncle Monty, One aspect I like the most about this Britannia, Fine Art Graphics, Valentines of industry are the relationships and friendships Dundee, Gemma, CCA, Kingsley, Regent, that I have built over many years, all based Brownsword and Gordon Fraser! on honesty.

Cards are fashion, they are of the time.

With that honest relationship in mind many They speak to the popular culture and reflect of you will have no doubt seen the letter that the personality of the designer, sender and Matt and Beth Genower from Five Dollar sent receiver or maybe all three! to indies about the Jellycat situation. I phoned If you look at what Wendy (Jones-Blackett), Matt up and spoke to him about it.

Beth (Genower of Five Dollar Shake) and While he had heard so many stories from Rachel (Hare of Belly Button Designs) have his own customers he didn’t specifically write it done - I mention these as they are all friends! with the intention of saying ‘we are great and - they have consistently changed and pushed Jellycat is not’. That is not his style. It was forward. Some things work, some things don’t, more a comment on Five $’s relationship with but they are never afraid to try. indie stores.

Left: One of the new look Clintons stores which sees a new selection of cards, gifts and retailing environment.

What I said was that while I respected his opinion on it as I did a number of articles that have run in PG, my belief is that Jellycat is a very positive thing overall for this industry. I accept you may not want to hear that if you don’t have an official stockist sticker or you don’t have stock!

I don’t have a huge amount of Jellycat stock myself, but my strong belief is that this company has reinvigorated a whole sector. It has driven footfall into all types of stores, put money in our tills and introduced a whole new customer base, young and old, to many indie shops across the UK. Going forward I have to believe them and want to believe them that the situation will improve with indie exclusives, core lines will be in stock and launching great quality products will continue.

As with all overnight (25 year!!) successes they build you up to knock you down. Just think though, BBC, ITV This Morning and a million other articles and news all about plush and what they all mention in each one is card and gift stores. It lifts the category, it lifts the product and it lifts the profile of independent retailers.

Jellycat’s rapid rise over the last few years must have been challenging in terms of every aspect of the business, but I for one am grateful to have been a stockist for two decades and this will hopefully continue for many more.

These columns in many ways create a time capsule of an industry, highlighting the changes and trends. Despite all of those changes most of us are still here and most of us are still as passionate about cards as we ever were.

Happy BIG birthday to me. I do hope I get a card!!! l To contact David email: Below: The Jellycat issue is something of a moral maze, but David is a big supporter of the brand.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 17

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cardsharp

The Serious (Not Silly) Season

The headlines have not been sunny that on the retail front in the last month, reflects Cardsharp. Retail sales were down again, particularly in the high street and one in seven retail sites are now empty, a situation that would be far worse if it were not for the numerous dubious barbers and dodgy tobacco shops. And most recently is the news of the business failures of both Claire’s Accessories and River Island.

Fortunately for our sector, at least some of the stories around our greeting card industry have been in contrast, quite positive, reflected Cardsharp.

August is usually commonly referred to in the media as the ‘silly season’ where news is hard to come by and so a series of ‘clutching at straws’ inconsequential stories are run. But not so this year as many of the stories are really consequential.

While the greeting card sector, with such widespread distribution right across the retail spectrum is rarely immune to retail changes and casualties, actually there are a fair few sunny spots in ‘our world’, thinks Cardsharp.

Clintons’ new owners Pillarbox Designs (aka Paul, Chris and James Taylor) are injecting some much-needed life into the Above: The summer is generally seen as the silly season for news, less so this year.

Below: The demise of River Island and Claire’s has not helped to spread joy on the high street front.

Below right: Theo Paphitis (centre) with some of the team celebrating the first birthday of the Ryman Design store in London’s St Paul’s recently, with more shop openings.

18 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

brand, having unveiled its third new look store already. For the good of the whole industry, and especially the Taylors, Cardsharp hopes the new format is a success and it can then be rolled out across a good chunk of the portfolio, which now stands at 163 stores, albeit a 10th of what it was in its heyday.

Meanwhile Theo Paphitis, having regrasped Ryman, seems to be putting real energy into his newish Ryman Design concept with plans to open another 30 new outlets in its own ‘Paperchase’ style format. UEO is also on a big expansion move, more than tripling its estate and expected to be trading from 40 stores by the end of this month while Cards Direct, Scribbler and

Postmark have also been bullish about their new store opening programmes.

And Cardfactory, our largest specialist card chain celebrated the opening of its 1,100th store in Cheshunt. An incredible feat and it means now that its total store portfolio is even larger than when Clintons was at its peak 20 years or so ago.

But the big breaking news for Cardsharp was Cardfactory’s acquisition of online print on demand retailer Funkypigeon from WHSmith for £24m. The news was not a huge surprise. Having disposed of its high street chain to Modella Capital for £76m earlier in the year, WHS made no secret of its desire to concentrate on its travel business, and without the high street chain, Funkypigeon stood out like a sore thumb.

What’s more, despite posting some impressive financials in a difficult market in recent years, Cardfactory’s Achilles’ heel, at least as far as the City analysts have been concerned, has been its lack of success in the digital arena.

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Left: Cardfactory recently opened its 1,100th physical store giving prominence to greeting cards on the high street.

Below: The acquisition of Funkypigeon boosts Cardfactory’s presence in the digital space.

With Funkypigeon it arguably gets the largest digital player after Moonpig (although FP’s turnover does include a lot of gift sales), and much needed expertise in an area that Cardfactory has never really had much of a feel for.

In the last couple of years, Funkypigeon has had a near static turnover of around £32m making around £5m before the inevitable Etibida, which, in reality, probably means virtually nothing in terms of net profit. But hopefully as a result of the acquisition, the City will see Cardfactory as more than a one trick pony and the share price will rise.

Which it did, to around 105 pence, up from around the 80 pence where it had

been languishing. This is probably not as much of a rise as the senior management had hoped, reflects Cardsharp, with the value probably dampened because of the general negativity surrounding the retail sector at present.

And with Thortful making great strides and probably overtaking Funkypigeon in terms of greeting card sales, it was an opportune time for WHS to cut and run. £24m was probably a good price for them to get. And for Cardfactory having talked about a digital strategy for years and always disappointed, it has now acquired a ready-made off the shelf established digital card business, which largely to its annoying adverts, has decent consumer brand recognition.

There are a few challenges though for Cardfactory. Funkypigeon, like its larger rival Moonpig, is a major employer in

Guernsey, where they have both benefited from the subsidised funding for outbound mail planes. Now Royal Mail has withdrawn this funding, Cardsharp wonders whether a move to Cardfactory’s print facility in Baildon in West Yorkshire will be on the cards.

Furthermore, online digital greeting card sales will, in Cardsharp’s view, be exponentially more adversely affected by the changes in Royal Mail’s delivery obligations than physical bricks and mortar bought cards. Remember all online greeting card sales are reliant on the post, whereas depending on which estimate you believe, only 35-50% of shop bought cards are posted.

Cardfactory’s ceo, Darcy Willson-Rymer seemed pretty cock-a- hoop about clinching Funkypigeon. He described the acquisition as marking “a significant step forward in Cardfactory’s strategy to build a scaled, competitive, digital presence in the celebrations market.”

But generally, Cardsharp thinks this is a positive news story for the industry as a whole and amid all the talk of static or declining retail sales, Cardfactory is still predicting a mid to high single digital sales increase for 2026, figures most retailers at present would die for. Not so silly then?

Temu trauma on de minimus loophole?

Cardsharp is not alone in his befuddlement trying to work out finished greeting cards to American retailers via platforms the ramifications of President Trump’s US trade policy on the like Faire. greeting card industry, especially when they seem to be But on a larger global scale, the real losers in Cardsharp’s mind changing by the week. The trade agreement of a 10% tariff with will be the likes of Temu and Shein. They have built their whole goods travelling from the UK was a relief to many (but it still business model by exploiting this loophole to provide mainly represents an increase in the cost of goods being exported) American consumers with extremely cheap, some would say while the ever-changing tariffs on shoddy, subsidised goods made in China.

Below: The closing of the De Minimus loophole signals issues goods produced in China, must be a As Cardsharp outlined a few months ago, it for the likes of Temu and Shein. nightmare for all those manufacturing is estimated that Temu was losing $20 for there to export to the US. each sale it was making and in the long But perhaps just as important as term this was unsustainable. This move tariffs is the US closing the loophole makes it even more unsustainable and in that allows small businesses to send the very short term. shipments to the States without paying Considering that the blatant copying duty. Shipments worth less than $800 issue of UK greeting card designs by had been allowed to enter without Chinese sellers on the Temu platform in duties or paperwork, which with the particular has yet to be solved, perhaps this is ending of this provision, will probably hit one good thing that Trump has instigated! a lot of smaller publishers selling Wonders will never cease!

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 19

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VIEWPOINTS

KNOWING ME, KNOWING YOU The recent Henries awards live judging event brought together over 40 retail buyers – from the largest multiples to leading indies – whose collective retailing expertise and keen eyes for winning greeting card concepts came to the fore in their voting decisions to arrive at the finalists.

In keeping with the ABBA-esque theme for The Henries this year, PG put them on the spot with a few extra questions.

The Questions…

Above: More numerous than ABBA’s hits, The Henries judging saw some f-ABBA-ulous contenders be voted into the finals.

Song Notes: ABBA had so many hits, but which of the group’s songs do you feel is the most appropriate for the UK greeting card sector?

Winning Ways: The Winner Takes It All is an Abba classic. What do you see as the key elements in a winning greeting card range today?

SOS Message: SOS was another hit for the Swedish band. What do you think is the SOS message for the greeting card sector right now?

Louise Cambridge, product category lead for greeting cards at UOE, which will shortly have 40 stores Song Notes: “My chosen track would be Knowing Me, Knowing You – most people buy a card for someone they love or know.”

Winning Ways: “All winning ranges are those that are different to your competitors.”

SOS Message: “Prices, postage costs and retail space given to have a good enough range which offers variety.”

Laura Clarke, buyer of Scribbler, 38 stores Song Notes: “My choice would be Money, Money, Money as it’s catchy and cheeky, just like the bestselling cards.”

Winning Ways: “A winning range has a Above: (right-left) Scribbler’s Tori Heath-Smith and Laura Clarke with unique handwriting in UOE’s Louise Cambridge. concept and bold approach.”

SOS Message: “We need to the mindful of AI as no one really knows how this is going to develop.”

Hazel Walker, buying manager of Waterstones Song Notes: “Knowing Me, Knowing You, because greeting cards are personal and you can pick a card that best suits the recipient.”

Winning Ways: “Having visual appeal is key for any winning card range.

The cards really need to stand out on the shelf, especially with so many 20 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

great designs available from so many talented publishers.”

SOS Message: “Royal Mail and EUDR regulations are key at the moment.”

Right: Waterstones’ Hazel Walker (right) with Postmark’s Shannon Fisher.

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VIEWPOINTS Sarah Laker,

Sophie Edwards, co-owner of More Than Just a Gift, Narborough Hall Song Notes: “Thank You For The Cards, with apologies to ABBA! So, I say thank you for the cards, the ones we’re selling and thanks for all the joy they’re sending.

There’s so much talent and creativity in this industry, but even more than that, it’s such a friendly and sharing one too. We’re all dependent on each other: to design cards, to publish them, to sell them and to keep the magic alive for customers. So, thank you to everyone involved. This is a joyful, Above: More Than Just a Gift’s collaborative effort and I feel very lucky to Sophie Edwards (right) with In Heaven At Home’s Anne Barber. be part of it.”

Winning Ways: “It’s hard to define, there’s an alchemy at play. The right image, the right style, the right sentiment… and then something you can’t quite name. It just works. Essentially each design needs a clear visual identity to draw the eye and then it needs an emotional hook. It needs to raise a smile, laugh or connection of some kind. The best cards are the ones customers feel something for, not just look at and walk past.”

SOS Message: “There’s a slow-burning crisis in creative ownership.

Designs are being lifted and sold on mass-market platforms with zero accountability. It’s disheartening for designers and damaging creativity. We need stronger safeguards for originality and louder celebration of the people behind the cards. More storytelling, more visibility, more connection between creators, retailers, and customers. That’s how we protect the value of what we do - not just the product, but the process.”

Kaye Thurgood, owner of Yours Sincerely, Hornchurch and Shenfield

Above: Kaye Thurgood in judging mode.

Song Notes: “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme because we are always on the lookout for new products.”

Winning Ways: “A winning range has to be relevant and hold its own on the shelf. Offering a good mix of contemporary and traditional designs is important.”

SOS Message: “We need to ensure that physical retail shops continue to have a presence on high streets and are not pushed out by cheaper supermarkets and budget brand alternatives.”

Song Notes: “Don’t Shut Me Down would be my song of choice. In a world of texts and WhatApps, send a card says I still care, let’s not shut down the connections that sending cards create.”

Winning Ways: “A range that connects is one that wins. The cards need to resonate with the customer; something different that catches their eye.”

SOS Message: “It is crucial we do all we can to have an affordable, reliable postal service. We need to get the message out that cards do really matter.”

Right Stationery Supplies’ Sarah Laker with Peter Reilly from Little Boat Gifts (centre) and Objectables’ Tim Gould.

Peter Reilly, co-owner of Little Boat Gifts, Brightlingsea Song Notes: “Anyone involved in the greeting card industry at the moment is a Super Trouper. It’s hard for publishers, designers and retailers to make the Money, Money, Money, but if consumers would Take A Chance on us, Knowing Me, Knowing You, we would all end up being Dancing Queens.”

Winning Ways: “A winning greeting card range has to be a combination of good design, decent price point and quality material. It’s also often difficult to get the sentiment correct and sometimes it’s hard to stand out from the crowd.”

SOS Message: “Our collective SOS is to get people to send cards. We still have high postage costs, but we really need to look local and offer anything we can do to encourage our customers to send cards, pushing sending early for second class or offering to post local cards ourselves.”

Hazel Small,

Caroline Ranwell,

buyer cards and gifts of RHS, five centres

owner of Hugs & Kisses, Tettenhall Song Notes: “I would highlight One Of Us, but change it to All Of Us because we are such a lovely friendly greeting card family. The best people in the best industry.”

Winning Ways: “Key elements are innovative design, high quality production and good perceived value for money.”

SOS Message: “We need to keep minimum wage and postage costs down.”

owner of Stationery Supplies, Marple and Wilmslow

Above: Hugs & Kisses’ Caroline Ranwell.

Song Notes: “Knowing Me, Knowing You – it’s all about finding the perfect card for every situation.”

Winning Ways: “Three things: originality, warmth and colour.”

SOS Message: “In addition to postage costs, we need to keep an eye on digital greetings.”

Above: RHS’ Hazel Small logging her votes.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 21

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VIEWPOINTS Mark Janson-Smith, managing director of Postmark, 15 shops in London and Glasgow Song Notes: “Take A Chance On Me would be my ABBA track of choice. As PG Live testifies every year, there is so much new vibrant talent coming through from publishers, which keeps this industry so fresh and impressive.”

Winning Ways: “A winning range needs to be original, on good quality board and have high quality finishes and detailing.”

SOS Message: “Anything and everything needs to be done to ensure a decent postal service.”

Right: Postmark’s Mark JansonSmith (left) with House of Cards’ Nigel Williamson.

Nigel Williamson,

Sharon Fox, buying manager of TG Jones, 450+ store Song Notes: “I Still Have Faith In You. The resilience of everyone in this sector is outstanding.”

Winning Ways: “In a saturated and very competitive market, a winning range needs to offer something unique.”

SOS Message: “Reduce a reliance on the ‘big boys’ which take away from the Above: TG Jones’ Sharon smaller, more diverse independents. We Fox enjoyed her first Henries judging experience. also need to dissuade everyone impulse shopping at the grocers which squeezes the high street and independent retailers.”

Aga Marsden, owner of Highworth Emporium, HIghworth

co-owner of House of Cards, seven shops in the Home Counties Song Notes: “Knowing Me, Knowing You. You need to know who to send a card to!”

Winning Ways: “The designs need to stand out on the display with the print quality and finishes being very important as part of this.”

SOS Message: “It is important that stamp prices do not rise above inflation.”

Above: Highworth Emporium’s Aga Marsden looking at the Most Promising Young Designer boards.

Song Notes: “I would choose Thank You For The Music as the industry is there for all events, bringing joy, gratitude and solus, just like music does.”

Winning Ways: “A range has to exude personality and warmth through strong design.”

SOS Message: “We cannot be complacent about the tradition of card sending continuing across the generations and need to come up with initiatives to promote the benefits of sending and receiving cards. Plus, of course stamp prices!”

Gabbie Peters, Priya Aurora-Crowe, co-owner and buyer of Lark, 24 stores Song Notes: “It would have to be The Winner Takes It All because when you see a fantastic range you know it can become a constant seller throughout the year.”

Winning Ways: “Key elements are sustainability, design, price point, frequent newness and low carriage paid ordering.”

SOS Message: “We need to ensure a constant stream of newness, improve some trade websites to make ordering easier and justify high price points.”

Jo Sorrell, proprietor of Cardies, Stevenage

Above: The ever-smiling Jo Sorrell.

Song Notes: “Super Trouper has to be the best ABBA song for our industry as there is such as great bunch of super troupers in the cardie world.”

Winning Ways: “A winning range has to be bright, positive, include sentiment, use good quality board, offer value for money and often be funny.”

SOS Message: “In addition to the postal issues, we need to make sure employer’s National Insurance Contributions don’t go any higher as this is having an impact on part-time staff in our sector.”

22 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

buyer of Marks & Spencer, 500+ stores Song Notes: “Knowing Me, Knowing You as it epitomises the connectivity of the buying customer and the recipient.

Above: M&S’ Gabbie Peters (right) and Fortnum & Mason’s Tahnee People don’t have to send cards, but Depraetere considering the contenders for Best Male Range. to show they care, they do.”

Winning Ways: “The vital element of any card range is to provide that connectivity being the sender/giver and the recipient.”

SOS Message: “A key issue is a growing lack of community means fewer connections and thereby potentially reducing card sending. The cost of living remains an obstacle while text messaging offers a quick, easy and cheap way of sending messages, albeit intangible.”

Chris Bryant, co-owner of The Card Shop, Portishead; Cats Whiskers, Bishops Cleeve; Expressions, Swindon and Polkadot, Keynsham Song Notes: “Money, Money, Money, it makes the world go round!”

Winning Ways: “1. Design, 2. Size, 3. Sentiment, 4. Price.”

SOS Message: “The younger generation needs more encouragement to send cards, plus postal issues.”

Above: Expressions’ Chris Bryant mid-judging.

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VIEWPOINTS Vicky Joshi, London buyer for Cardfactory, 1,100 stores Song Notes: “I would select Dancing Queen.

The greeting card sector has something for everyone so every event is catered for, from celebration to words of support.”

Winning Ways: “A winning range should offer value, be innovative, are inclusive and diverse to cater for all demographics.”

SOS Message: “In today’s climate - given the cost of living, postage issues and environmental factors – consumers see buying a greeting card as a considered purchase, we need to do our utmost to ensure they are seen as worthwhile expenditure.”

Above: Cardfactory’s Vicky Joshi.

Jess Came, manager of Paperweight, Cardiff Song Notes: “Knowing Me, Knowing You – as a retailer you know your stock and what cards sell well for you, and you know your customers and they get to know you; Above: Paperweight’s you build relationships… it’s a lovely Jess Came. and very sociable world.”

Winning Ways: “To my mind a winning range really needs to stand out – we’ve all seen cards which mention Prosecco – make it different and saleable! Price point is important to consider as if it’s priced too high, it’s off the table. Consumers and retailers need good quality cards at a good price.”

SOS Message: “The price of stamps really puts people off sending cards, especially at Christmas, we need to change this narrative.”

Sally Matson, owner of Red Card and Little Red, Petworth

Sarah Lishman, buyer of Barkers, North Allerton Song Notes: “Take A Chance On Me would be the most fitting. There are so many new, small publishers. I love it when you give them a chance and then watch them grow and go from strength to strength.”

Winning Ways: “Quality board and good artwork, ideally with a bit of humour that makes you smile.”

SOS Message: “With Christmas approaching, postage is always an issue, more so now books of stamps are so expensive for consumers.”

Below: Presentation’s Andrea Pinder (left) with Barkers’ Sarah Lishman.

Andrea Pinder, owner of Presentation, Barrowford Song Notes: “My song of choice would be, I Have A Dream. Our industry is based on delivering and sharing happiness through sending greeting cards… we make people’s dreams come true.”

Winning Ways: “A winning range should define a publisher’s goals. The designs need to be differentiated from others on the market. To create a winning range a publisher always has to believe they can do it!”

SOS Message: “SOS should stand for Sending Overwhelming Smiles in a greeting card.”

Song Notes: “The Name of the Game is the perfect song for this industry. Retailers of greeting cards have to sell the right stock, at the right price for the right market.”

Winning Ways: “Originality, design, texture, size and decent envelope are the key ingredients of a winning card range.”

Below: (left to right) Red Card’s Sally Matson, SOS Message: More Than Just A Gift’s Sophie Edwards and Sincerely Yours Emma and Kaye Thurgood.

“Hmmm… we need to make buying greeting cards in physical stores a truly great experience – cards make people happy and the buying experience should match that.”

Emma Thurgood, manager of Sincerely Yours, Hornchurch and Shenfield Song Notes: “My ABBA song of choice for the industry is I Have A Dream. The reason being every small business starts with a dream. If we didn’t have such wonderful people in our industry coming up with fabulous designs and supporting each other, what would there be?”

Winning Ways: “Every winning card range relies on good board and eye-catching designs and captions that are visible on a card rack.”

SOS Message: “We really need to encourage young people to buy more cards. They are the next generation and we need to keep the tradition strong.”

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 23

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The Henries 2025 Judging Process

MAMMA MIA! The Henries awards are the ultimate accolades in greeting card design, attracting 2,190 entries from 274 different greeting card publishers across the 20 product categories.

Here, we explain the two-stage judging process, involving over 100 retailers, to arrive at the finalists and winners of The Henries 2025.

“Publishers’ engagement with The Henries 2025 was incredible with entries from almost 300 companies, from established leading brands to brand new start-ups, collectively showcasing our industry’s abundant creativity,” commented Jakki Brown, managing director of Max Publishing, which owns and organises The Henries.

“The two-stage judging process meant that we had retail buyers from right across the retailing landscape casting their votes, both online and in person to arrive at this year’s finalists and winners,” she added.

As ever, The Henries were free to enter, making them accessible to all publishers. The first round of judging took place entirely online, which saw a judging panel made up of almost 100 retail buyers cast votes to arrive at a shortlist. There were 18 shortlisted ranges in the vast majority of the product categories. These shortlisted ranges as well as all of the submissions for The Lynn Tait Most Promising Young Designer or Artist category featured at a physical judging event (which was held on 30 July at London’s Business Design Centre) with a judging panel comprising over 40 retail buyers, considering the actual greeting cards and giftwrappings and casting their votes to arrive at the finalists and winners for The Henries 2025.

THE HENRIES 2025 LIVE JUDGING PANEL l Priya Aurora-Crowe, buyer/co-owner of Lark London, 24 stores l Anne Barber, owner of In Heaven at Home, Market Harborough l John Barratt, director of Card Centre, Felixstowe l Georgina Black, owner of Pretty Shiny Shop, Finsbury Park and Oval l Chris and Tracey Bryant, co-owners of The Card Shop, Portishead; Cats Whiskers, Bishops Cleeve; Expressions, Swindon and Polkadot, Keynsham l Louise Cambridge, product category lead for greeting cards at UOE, soon to be 40 stores l Deb and Jess Came, proprietor and manager of Paperweight, Cardiff l Laura Clarke, buyer of Scribbler, 38 stores l Tahnee Depraetere, assistant buyer of stationery, Christmas and home entertainment of Fortnum & Mason, five stores l Megan Douglas, card and giftwrap buyer, Waterstones, 300+ stores l Sophie Edwards, co-owner of More Than A Gift, Narborough Hall l Sharon Fox, buying manager of TG Jones, 450+ stores l Shannon Fisher, buyer of Postmark, 15 shops in London, and Glasgow l Tim Gould, co-owner of Objectables, Folkestone l Julie Grainger, range planning manager of Cardzone/Clintons, 275 stores l Tori Heath-Smith, buying manager of Scribbler, 38 stores l Mark Janson-Smith, co-founder of Postmark, 15 shops in London and Glasgow l Sarah Laker, chief stationery geek of Stationery Supplies, Marple and Wilmslow l Aga Marsden, owner of The Highworth Emporium, Highworth l Sally Matson, owner of Red Card and Little Red, Petworth l Nilou Noorbakhsh, owner of Jumping Bean, 25 stores l Gabbie Peters, buyer of M&S, 500+ stores l Andrea Pinder, owner of Presentation, Barrowford l Caroline Ranwell, owner of Hugs & Kisses, Tettenhall l Andrew Reid, manager of Card Centre, Felixstowe l Olivia and Peter Reilly, co-owners of Little Boat Gifts, Brightlingsea l Tim Reynolds, retail manager of Medici Gallery, Kensington l Nicola Roberts-Eagle, buyer of Tesco, 2000+ stores l Hazel Small, buyer of RHS, five centres l Jo Sorrell, owner of Cardies, Stevenage l Amy Stephenson, buyer of WHSmith Travel, 100+ stores l Sally Swift, owner of Cards & Moor, Yelverton l Emma and Kaye Thurgood, manager and owner of Sincerely Yours, Hornchurch and Shenfield l Hazel Walker, buying manager of Waterstones, 300+ stores l Nigel Williamson, partner of House of Cards, seven shops in the Home Counties l Sally Wyles, PA of Cardzone/Clintons, 275 stores l Ruth Young, retired buyer of Clintons

Above: Judging in full flow with (left-right) Hugs & Kisses’ Caroline Ranwell, Cards & Moor’s Sally Swift and More Than Just A Gift’s Sophie Edwards in the foreground.

Left: WHSmith Travel buyer Amy Stephenson enjoyed her first Henries judging experience.

Right: Cheers from the judging panel and PG team at The Henries 2025 physical judging event.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS 25

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The

THE LYNN TAIT MOST PROMISING YOUNG DESIGNER 2025 FINALISTS

Open to: This special award category recognises and rewards the wealth of young creative talent that we have in the UK. This award was open to all designers and artists (employed by a publisher or freelance) aged 35 years or under on 6 June 2025. l

GEORGI DOIG

director of happiness and founder of Lil Wabbit “In 2020, I started lil wabbit at my kitchen table having inherited my grandmother’s watercolour paints and sitting down to give illustration a go for the very first time.

Since then, I have worked on my craft, painting hundreds of little characters and turning them into greeting cards and stationery for the world’s animal-lovers to buy, keep and send.

After five years of running lil wabbit, it’s become more than I ever could have hope! We’ve been able to donate £20,000 to the StreetVet charity through the sale of our cards and special events, and as of 2024, we’ve sponsored one UK bee for every card sold, helping to protect our local pollinators. I’m so pleased all this good stuff can come out of the designing and selling of cards.

I’m so happy to be nominated once again for this award, the third time in three years, as well as for the Best Occasions and Relations category for my range As Good As Gold – a tribute to my great-grandmother who was a guilder in the potteries.

Having learnt to paint just five years ago, I am thrilled to be referred to as an artist at all, let alone a promising one!” l

SAM EYTE

founder of Sam Jayne Designs "My work is inspired by a mix of fun and feelings turning everyday emotions, little moments and mental health into colourful, doodle-filled designs that make people smile.

I've been dreaming of this happening ever since I started working as a greeting card designer at Hallmark around 12 years ago where I fell in love with illustration and surface pattern design. After working at Hallmark for around six years, I started my own business to create cards and products that felt more personal, honest, and uplifting. I began drawing as a way to manage my anxiety, and soon realised that my illustrations were helping others feel seen and supported too. That’s what inspired me to build a brand focused on mental health and spreading a little joy!

Over the past few years, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing my illustrations land in the hands of thousands, stocked by retailers including Tesco, Paperchase and Next. Whether it's mugs, stationery or greeting cards, I’ve brought my doodles and quotes to life across bestselling ranges, my coaster cards were shortlisted in the Gift of the Year awards and I have just signed a licensing deal with Widdop!"

26 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE.

in alphabetical order

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GEORGI DOIG of Lil Wabbit SAM EYTE of Sam Jayne Designs CHARLOTTE FREW BROWN of Studio Frewb

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EMILY LESTER of Hotchpotch London EMILY NASH of Emily Nash Illustration EMILY NEEDHAM of Woodmansterne Publications

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ASHLEY ROWE of Paper Salad KATIE TOWNSEND of Arrow Gift Co.

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CHARLOTTE FREW BROWN

founder of Studio Frewb “I was recently clearing out the loft and found a huge box full of old card-making supplies - think early 2000s stamp blocks, handmade papers and infinite amounts of 3D flowers and stickers - along with my first ever ‘range’ of cards from the summer of 2008. Most 12 year olds spend the summer holidays shopping in town and trying to talk to boys. Not me... I was permanently sat at the kitchen table making cards and circling all the shiny new supplies I dreamt of in the Hobbycraft catalogue.

Fast forward to today and here I am, a full time card publisher and professional artist.

I love nothing more than making people smile, and so I now create cards that are not only colourful, vibrant and visually striking, but also packed full of humour and silliness, and express love boldly.

It’s truly an honour to get to create memorable artwork for people.” l

EMILY LESTER

designer at Hotchpotch London “Hello, I’m Emily a designer at Hotchpotch London. My creative journey started out over ten years ago designing kids partyware - a super fun and creative place to kick off my career - it’s definitely shaped the playful style I’ve developed over the years. I am most comfortable with a paint brush in hand (probably a coffee in the other) and an array of gouache paints - my favourite medium to work in. I like to draw inspiration from fashion trends and love colour and paper engineering so as you can imagine working with Hotchpotch London for the last two years has been a dream!”

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EMILY NASH

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founder of Emily Nash Illustration "I create bright and colourful collaged imagery, which is then transformed into high quality, sustainable greeting cards, notebooks and art prints.

I have steadily grown my collection over the past few years. There are now over 350 products in the range and I’m proud to be working with a fast-growing list of wonderful retailers and distributors around the world. Each product is designed by myself in my studio in Bristol, before being printed here in the UK on eco-friendly stock.

I started my artistic career as an editorial illustrator and while I contributed towards a wide variety of publications, the lifestyle, food and culture pieces were my favourites as they allowed me to be more playful. This led me to designing greeting cards and I soon realised how much fun it could be to illustrate with the sole purpose of spreading joy. In 2019 I decided to ‘go it alone’ and launched my own business.

2025 has been a wonderful year so far. I have been working with my fulfilment partners for around a year, which has really freed me up to focus on creating new designs and expand the business.” l

EMILY NEEDHAM

in-house designer for Woodmansterne Publications “From as young as I can remember I’ve had a passion for painting and creating. My inspiration comes from the natural world and having grown up on a farm I often aspire to recreate the feeling of being surrounded by nature in my work.

Studying textile design at university let me explore different creative techniques and continued to develop my love of painting and textures. After graduating I started an Etsy shop then, after a short spell locked away with a paintbrush and sewing machine during Covid, I joined Woodmansterne Publications.

Moving away from the farm and down to London to start my life as a designer, I’ve had many opportunities with Woodmansterne; working on projects ranging from John Lewis own-brand, designing menus for the Greenfingers charity and exploring intricate 3D cards.

My passion for design means I am always creating cards and artwork for my friends and family; this year has seen commissions for wedding invitations, Christmas decorations and curtain adjustments!

I feel privileged to pursue my passion for a living, and I hope you enjoy my work as much as I enjoy creating it.”

ASHLEY ROWE

in-house designer of Paper Salad “I have always been a creative individual since a young age, making anything and everything I could think off, such as creating my own bird costume to handmade birthday cards for the whole family. This followed me through the years, evolving into a new-found love for all things print and pattern.

My time at Leeds Arts University studying Printed Textiles and Surface Pattern Design got my creativity flowing, finding inspiration from the weird and wonderful, and experimenting with different print techniques such as screen print, dyes, and foils.

Life after university has come full circle, from my first design role for greeting cards, to interior fabrics, to silk accessories, now back in to greeting cards at Paper Salad! Paper Salad matches my love for bold bright colours in designs, as well as mixing both hand-painted styles and digital creations.

Working with different products and finishes allows me to try new and exciting ideas and push boundaries to bring new initiatives to the table. I love that we are bold, bright, and out there, making our designs really stand out from the crowd and bringing a smile to everyone who receives them!” l

KATIE TOWNSEND

illustrator, designer and founder of Arrow Gift Co. “I started designing cards on a cheap drawing tablet with no training - just a bunch of ideas and a slightly daft sense of humour I hoped others might relate to!

My designs are inspired by a mix of everyday humour and genuine care. I make the kinds of cards people wish existed - ones that capture the silly inside jokes, awkward phrasing or tiny moments worth celebrating.

Sometimes it’s about making someone laugh and sometimes it’s just to let them know they matter. I love the thought of someone getting a little ‘thank you’ card through the letterbox telling them how appreciated they are instead of a quick ‘thanks!’ via text.

With no formal design background, I’ve often felt like a misfit in an industry full of people who followed the ‘right’ path.

Reaching the finals for this award genuinely means a lot - it’s proof to me that there’s no one way into a creative career.”

CATEGORY SPONSOR

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE���2 � 7

Hallmark is proud to support Maggie's Cancer Charity (Registered Charity Number: SC024414) with a donation of £5,000, which will be paid regardless of the number of cards sold.

Discover the Maggie’s collection at www.trade.hallmark.co.uk UK - 0800 902 0900 | ROI - 1800 816872

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Diversity & Inclusion Range Open to: All greeting card ranges (humorous and nonhumorous) that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025 that reflect diversity and inclusivity. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.

2025 FINALISTS in alphabetical order

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CULTURE & PRIDE

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CULTURAL from Rainee Collections CULTURE & PRIDE from AfroTouch Design LGBTQ+ ARTISTS COLLECTIVE COLLECTION from The London Studio LUCY LOVES PAPER x ARTISTS COLLECTIVE COLLECTION from The London Studio

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CULTURAL

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MAGGIE’S from Hallmark Cards SWIM WILD & FREE from Lydia. London VIBES & WISHES from AfroTouch Design YOU GO GIRL from Paper Rose l

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MAGGIE’S

LGBTQ + ARTISTS COLLECTIVE COLLECTION l

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SWIM WILD & FREE

LUCY LOVES PAPER X ARTISTS COLLECTIVE COLLECTION

CATEGORY SPONSOR

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VIBES & WISHES

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YOU GO GIRL

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE��29

Best Humorous Range The Henry Cole Classic Award

trade.rosiemadeathing.co.uk | 0116 4062000 | office@rosiemadeathing.co.uk

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HUMOROUS RANGE Open to: All humorous greeting card ranges that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs which have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.

2025 FINALISTS in alphabetical order

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BABBLE

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ARK LIFE from Pigment BABBLE from Rosie Made A Thing BETIOBCA from Cath Tate Cards FIFTY SHADES OF GREEN from Paperlink

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GONE TAGGING from Objectables Publishing HEARD THEY'RE ABSURD from Bewilderbeest

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HOLY FLAPS from Redback Cards IS IT FRIDAY YET? from Emotional Rescue

ARK LIFE l

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GONE TAGGING

BETIOBCA l

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HEARD THEY’RE ABSURD

FIFTY SHADES OF GREEN

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CATEGORY SPONSOR l

IS IT FRIDAY YET?

HOLY FLAPS PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE��31

‘We are thrilled to be nominated for

Best Licensed Entertainment or Character Card Range’

Good Luck

to all of the Nominees!

CONNECT WITH US:

@DANILOCALENDARSUK

/DANILOCALENDARSUK

/DANILOCALENDARSUK

@CALENDARSUK

Independent retailers please contact words & wishes 01942 233201 sales@words-n-wishes.co.uk Info@danilo.com 01992 702900 www.danilo.com

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LICENSED ENTERTAINMENT OR CHARACTER CARD RANGE Open to: All greeting card ranges that are published under licence (based on entertainment properties or character brands) that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs which have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.

2025 FINALISTS in alphabetical order

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PEPPA PIG PARTY

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MINECRAFT from Danilo Promotions PEPPA PIG PARTY from Tache Crafts PETER RABBIT from Hallmark Cards QUENTIN BLAKE from Woodmansterne Publications

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SNOOPY from Hype Associates STITCH from UK Greetings WICKED from Danilo Promotions THE WORLD OF PETER RABBIT from Toasted Crumpet

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MINECRAFT l

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SNOOPY

PETER RABBIT

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STITCH

QUENTIN BLAKE

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CATEGORY SPONSOR l

THE WORLD OF PETER RABBIT

WICKED PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE��33

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LICENSED HERITAGE, LIFESTYLE, ART OR DESIGN CARD RANGE Open to: All greeting card ranges that are published under licence based on heritage, lifestyle, art of design properties that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs which have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.

2025 FINALISTS in alphabetical order

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BATTERSEA CATS & DOGS from Cardology

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EMMA BRIDGEWATER

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EMMA BRIDGEWATER from Woodmansterne Publications

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HOUSE OF TURNOWSKY from Paper Rose

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LAURENCE LLEWELYN-BOWEN from The Great British Card Company

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MARY KA TRANTZOU from Museums & Galleries

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BATTERSEA CATS & DOGS

NATIONAL TRUST HARMONY from Woodmansterne Publications

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ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS from ArtPress Publishing

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V& A from Ohh Deer l

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MARY KATRANTZOU

HOUSE OF TURNOWSKY l

NATIONAL TRUST HARMONY

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LAURENCE LLEWELYNBOWEN

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ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS

CATEGORY SPONSOR l

V&A PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE��35

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CHRISTMAS COUNTER RANGE Open to: All single Christmas card ranges that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs which have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.

2025 FINALISTS in alphabetical order

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CHRISTMAS BAUBLES

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BIJOU CHRISTMAS from Louise Mulgrew CHRISTMAS BAUBLES from Stormy Knight CRANBERRY SQUARES from Cinnamon Aitch

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QUICKSILVER CHRISTMAS from Wendy Jones-Blackett

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RIBBON CANDY from Five Dollar Shake STORYBOOK CHRISTMAS from The Art File

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BIJOU CHRISTMAS

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TWINKLE from Rush Design WONKY TREE from Poet and Painter

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RIBBON CANDY

CRANBERRY SQUARES l

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STORYBOOK

QUICKSILVER CHRISTMAS

CATEGORY SPONSOR

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TWINKLE

WONKY TREE

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE���3 � 7

TO CELEBRATE OUR 15th BIRTHDAY, ARTPRESS IS OFFERING 15% 15 % DISCOUNT ON ALL ORDERS FOR 15 days,from 12-26 september 2025 PLEASE USE DISCOUNT CODE HB15

PO Box 75730 London SE5 5LP Tel: 020 7231 2923 art-press.co.uk email: info@art-press.co.uk

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BEST

CHRISTMAS BOX OR PACK Open to: All Christmas boxes or packs that have been launched to UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. These can be branded, own brand or charity products.

2025 FINALISTS in alphabetical order

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BUMPER BOXES

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ALWAYS BELIEVE from Five Dollar Shake BUMPER BOXES from Abacus Cards CHRISTMAS LUXURY BOXES from The Art File

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CHRISTMAS LUXURY BOXES from Paperlink

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FESTIVE PACKS from Stop The Clock Design LUXURY BOXES from Ling Design LUXURY OPEN WINDOW CHRISTMAS BOX from The Great British Card Company

ALWAYS BELIEVE

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ROYAL ACADEMY CHRISTMAS WALLETS from ArtPress Publishing

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FESTIVE PACKS

CHRISTMAS LUXURY BOXES l l

LUXURY BOXES

CHRISTMAS LUXURY BOXES

CATEGORY SPONSOR l

LUXURY OPEN WINDOW CHRISTMAS BOX

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ROYAL ACADEMY CHRISTMAS WALLETS PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE��39

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BEST

CUTE RANGE Open to: All cute greeting card ranges that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs which have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.

2025 FINALISTS in alphabetical order

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BIJOU

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BABY BIRD from Lucilla Lavender BIJOU from Louise Mulgrew IAIN WELCH from Woodmansterne Publications MESSY MEADOW from Little Roglets MORRIS AND MAUDE from Paper Shed Design

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PARTY PANTS from Stop The Clock Design PRETTY LILLY from Marina B PURRFECTLY YAPPY from Ginger Betty

BABY BIRD l

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MORRIS AND MAUDE

IAIN WELCH l

PARTY PANTS

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MESSY MEADOW

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CATEGORY SPONSOR l

PURRFECTLY YAPPY

PRETTY LILLY PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE��41

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BEST

CONTEMPORARY WORDS & SENTIMENTS RANGE Open to: All contemporary ‘words and sentiments’ greeting card ranges that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.

2025 FINALISTS in alphabetical order

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GRAFFIK

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FLORI from Paper Salad GRAFFIK from Stoats & Weasels HEALING HUGS from Raspberry Blossom LOVE, AFFIRM & ADORE from Sanders De Roeper

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POPCORN from Wendy Jones-Blackett QUOTISH from Brainbox Candy SUPER FAB SENTIMENTS from Earlybird Designs

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WORDS OF WISDOM from Dandelion Stationery

FLORI

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POPCORN

HEALING HUGS l l

QUOTISH

LOVE, AFFIRM & ADORE

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CATEGORY SPONSOR

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WORDS OF WISDOM

SUPER FAB SENTIMENTS PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE��43

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TRADITIONAL WORDS & SENTIMENTS RANGE Open to: All traditional ‘words and sentiments’ greeting card ranges that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.

2025 FINALISTS in alphabetical order

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BLOOMING LOVELY

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AMUSLINGS from UK Greetings BLOOMING LOVELY from Carte Blanche Greetings

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FLOURISH from Words ’N’ Wishes FOX UNDER THE MOON from The Art File HAND TO HEART from Hallmark Cards HELLO DUCKY from Emotional Rescue MOST ESPECIALLY FOR YOU from International Cards & Gifts

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AMUSLINGS

WORD FOR WORD from The Great British Card Company

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HAND TO HEART

FLOURISH l

HELLO DUCKY

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FOX UNDER THE MOON

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CATEGORY SPONSOR l

MOST ESPECIALLY FOR YOU

WORD FOR WORD

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE��45

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BEST

ART RANGE Open to: All art (fine art, contemporary and illustrative, but not photographic) greeting card ranges that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.

2025 FINALISTS in alphabetical order

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ART & HOBBIES COLLECTION from Design Smith

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BIJOU

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ART & HOBBIES COLLECTION

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BIJOU from Louise Mulgrew BLOCK PRINT CARDS from Paper Mirchi FLORINI from Rosanna Rossi JENNY FREAN BRUSH WITH NATURE from ArtPress Publishing THE NATURAL WORLD from Ohh Deer POWDER BLOOM from Claire Louise WONDER WORLD from Lola Design

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JENNY FREAN BRUSH WITH NATURE

BLOCK PRINT CARDS

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THE NATURAL WORLD

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FLORINI

CATEGORY SPONSOR l l

WONDER WORLD

POWDER BLOOM

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE��47

Highland by The Art File

A series of stunning Christmas gift bags created for gift senders everywhere

View our full Christmas 2025 collection and bestselling ranges at Autumn Fair. Visit us at Stand 6D30-E31 0115 850 7490 | sales@theartfile.com | theartfiletrade.com

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PHOTOGRAPHIC RANGE Open to: All photographic greeting card ranges that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025.

In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.

2025 FINALISTS in alphabetical order

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DAVID GILLIVER’S IT’S A SMALL WORLD

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THE BIGGER PICTURE from The Art File DAVID GILLIVER’S IT’S A SMALL WORLD from Woodmansterne Publications HAPPY HOUR from Lola Design LONDON CARDS SERIES TWO from Eliot Siegel & The British Art Gallery

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THE BIGGER PICTURE

NATURE TALES from Abacus Cards RSPCA from Noel Tatt SAY CHEESE from Ohh Deer THE SCOTT MORRISH COLLECTION from The Eco-friendly Card Co l

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NATURE TALES

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RSPCA

LONDON CARDS SERIES TWO

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THE SCOTT MORRISH COLLECTION

SAY CHEESE PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE���49

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BEST

CHILDREN’S RANGE Open to: All greeting card ranges aimed at children that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.

2025 FINALISTS in alphabetical order

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CHILDREN’S BIRTHDAY CARDS

from Pear Tree Press

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AWW! SO CUTE from Alljoy Design CHILDREN’S BIRTHDAY CARDS LITTLE JOYS from Raspberry Blossom NEAPOLITAN from Little Roglets POPSICLE from Paperlink SMILIES from Stop The Clock Design SUNSHINE from Paper Salad TAKING SHAPE KIDS from Heyyy Cards

AWW! SO CUTE

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SMILIES

NEAPOLITAN

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BEST

CONTEMPORARY TREND RANGE Open to: All greeting card ranges which demonstrate a current trend, be it in subject matter, terminology or production technique, that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025.

In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.

2025 FINALISTS in alphabetical order

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BOLD & ICONIC

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BIG TYPE from LoveLossDiscoballs BOLD & ICONIC from Running With Scissors DOOZIE from Poet and Painter INKBERRY BY STEPHANIE DYMENT from Woodmansterne Publications JAMBOREE from Paper Salad LOST PLOTS DIE-CUT from Cath Tate Cards

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BIG TYPE

PALERMO PICNIC from Jessie Maeve Studio WAKE UP! from Stop The Clock Design

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JAMBOREE

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WAKE UP!

DOOZIE

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LOST PLOTS DIE-CUT

INKBERRY BY STEPHANIE DYMENT

CATEGORY SPONSOR l

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BEST

3D, HANDMADE OR HAND-FINISHED RANGE Open to: All greeting card ranges which are either completely handmade or include 3D or hand-finished elements, that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.

2025 FINALISTS in alphabetical order

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EMILY SUTTON SHOPS

ALICE’S GARDEN from Cinnamon Aitch EMILY SUTTON SHOPS from Art Angels Publishing

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FORM from The Art File LICENSED PAPER WONDER from Hallmark Cards

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MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE from Alljoy Design

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ALICE’S GARDEN

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PICTURE THIS from Ohh Deer RIBBONS & ROSES from Five Dollar Shake TURNING PAGES from KDee Designs

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MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE

FORM l l

PICTURE THIS

LICENSED PAPER WONDER

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BEST

MALE RANGE (NON-HUMOUR) Open to: All non-humorous greeting card ranges aimed at male recipients that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.

2025 FINALISTS in alphabetical order

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BARBEQUE CHEERS

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ATTIRELY GOOD from Grace Jackson Design BARBEQUE CHEERS from Ricicle Cards COBALT EXTREME from Cinnamon Aitch HATS OFF from Heather Trefusis Art HUZZAH from The Art File JOURNEY from Rosanna Rossi TAKING SHAPE from Heyyy Cards TIMELESS from Rush Design

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COBALT EXTREME

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TIMELESS

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BEST

RELATIONS & /OR OCCASIONS RANGE Open to: All relations and/or occasions greeting card ranges that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.

2025 FINALISTS in alphabetical order

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FLORINI

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AS GOOD AS GOLD from Lil Wabbit FLORINI from Rosanna Rossi HUNKY DORY from Paper Salad MODEL FAMILY CAPTIONS from Emotional Rescue

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RIBBONS & ROSES from Five Dollar Shake RISE & SHINE from Wendy Jones-Blackett TURNING PAGES from KDee Designs WISHES & DREAMS from Rush Design

AS GOOD AS GOLD

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RIBBONS & ROSES

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RISE & SHINE

MODEL FAMILY CAPTIONS

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WISHES & DREAMS

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BEST

SPRING SEASONS RANGE Open to: All Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter and Father’s Day greeting card ranges that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025 could be entered. Entries could be event-specific or cover a number of the Spring Season events.

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HUNKY DORY

from Emotional Rescue

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GOOGLY DADS

GOOGLY DADS from Cinnamon Aitch HUNKY DORY from Paper Salad MINE’S A PINT FATHER’S DAY

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MOON & BACK from Stop The Clock Design RIBBONS & ROSES MOTHER’S DAY from Five Dollar Shake SPRING from Roger La Borde SPRING SEASONS from The Art File SPRING SEASONS from Sister Paper Co l

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MINE’S A PINT FATHER’S DAY

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RIBBONS & ROSES MOTHER’S DAY

MOON & BACK

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BEST

WHOLESALE RANGE Open to: All greeting card ranges sold via the wholesale distributor/cash & carry channel that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.

2025 FINALISTS in alphabetical order

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EVERYDAY IN-STOCK RANGE

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CLASSICS from Sensations International EVERYDAY IN-STOCK RANGE from Out Of The Blue Studios

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HANDMADE from Tiger Feet HIP TO BE SQUARE from Tiger Feet ICONS from Kingfisher Cards ISABEL’S GARDEN from Simon Elvin MONOCHROME RELATIONS from Kingfisher Cards

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THE STUDIO COLLECTION from Simon Elvin

CLASSICS

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ICONS

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CATEGORY SPONSOR

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We’re thrilled to have four ranges in the final of the Henries best gift wrapping collection this year.

Thanks so much to all of the retailers who voted for us and good luck to all the finalists!

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BEST

GIFTWRAPPINGS RANGE Open to: All giftwrapping ranges (either ranges of sheet wrap or collections of co-ordinated wrappings such as boxes, bags, ribbons etc) that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025.

In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.

2025 FINALISTS in alphabetical order

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HANDCRAFTED ARTISAN COLLECTION

THE BOTANIST CLASSIC BLOOM COLLECTION from Penny Kennedy

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HANDCRAFTED ARTISAN COLLECTION from Paper Mirchi KATE MC FARLANE from Glick Gift Packaging

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PAPER SALAD EVERYDAY from Glick Gift Packaging

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THE BOTANIST CLASSIC BLOOM COLLECTION

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STEPHANIE DAVIES CHRISTMAS from Glick Gift Packaging

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STEPHANIE DYMENT EVERYDAY from Glick Gift Packaging

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TO BE FRANK! from Mint WILDLIFE BOTANICAL from Deva Designs

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STEPHANIE DAVIES CHRISTMAS

KATE MCFARLANE

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PAPER SALAD EVERYDAY

CATEGORY SPONSOR

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TO BE FRANK!

WILDLIFE BOTANICAL PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE. 65

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THE

HENRY COLE CLASSIC AWARD Open to: This award is for ranges that have stood the test of time having been published continuously for at least eight years. All winners of this award enter The Henry Cole Hall of Fame. The 2025 winner will join previous winners, which are Bestie from Paperlink, The Bright Side from Really Good, Camilla & Rose from Peartree Heybridge, The Country Set from Wrendale Design, Eric the Penguin from GBCC, Forever Friends from Hallmark, Giggles from UKG, Ink Press from The Art File, Me to You from CBG, Medici Cards Blue Label from GBCC, On the Ceiling from Emotional Rescue, Photo Captions from Cath Tate Cards, Pizazz from Nigel Quiney, Pop-Ups from Second Nature, Quentin Blake from Woodmansterne Publications, Quicksilver from Wendy Jones-Blackett, Rainbow from Ling Design, and Virtual Safari from Emotional Rescue.

ALICE SCOTT from Pigment Launched: 2013 “Since its launch in 2013, Pigment’s Alice Scott range has become a favourite with retailers and consumers alike. Created by celebrated designer Heather Flynn, the brand set out to break with convention, blending the dry wit traditionally found in the humour aisle, with casual, contemporary sentiment not often represented in trend, all under an elegant, minimal aesthetic. Creating a voice that could span all life’s moments, helping consumers say just what they want to say, with an honest and relatable tone, has proven a winning approach, driving the brand’s continued success and influencing the broader trend category as a whole. Launched under the banner of ‘Sometimes Silly, Sometimes Serious, Always Beautiful’, this remains a neat summary that captures the brand intention one that continues to resonate 12 years on.

Alice Scott has an instantly recognisable aesthetic and has enjoyed an enduring commercial success. Year after year, it remains a top-performing range – evolving subtly with design refreshes while keeping true to its original character and values.”

There are 46 designs and the cards have an RRP of £3.25

CARRIED ON THE BREEZE from Molly Mae Launched: 2015 “The launch of Carried on the Breeze (CB) put Molly Mae on the map! In 2015 at Spring Fair we launched just 12 titles, they didn’t even have pride of place on a wall display board, just propped up on an easel at the edge of the stand, but they caught the eye of the buyers. We had a phenomenal show and every order started with a CB. CB03, a beautifully simple sympathy card quickly became our best seller and still is! We’ve

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ALICE SCOTT from Pigment CARRIED ON THE BREEZE from Molly Mae

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FABULOUS Dean Morris Cards GIN & FROLICS from Rosie Made A Thing NORBERT & VAL from Emotional Rescue PAPER SHAKIES from James Ellis SWING CARDS from Santoro WORDS OF WISDOM from Dandelion Stationery

not changed it, but we’ve lost count of how many times it’s been reprinted.”

There are 245 designs in the range and the cards have an RRP of £2.50.

FABULOUS from Dean Morris Cards Launched: 2006 “Fabulous was launched in the Spring of 2006 and rapidly became the signature range of Dean Morris Cards and also a blueprint for the classic Dean Morris Cards’ look.

There have been almost 600 designs in total since its launch 19 years ago.

I continually refresh the collection, taking out old designs and bringing in fresh newness several times a year. We’re currently sitting at around 160 designs available and (partly out of sentiment, tradition and because I still like its message) the very first design “F*** off back to economy” is still available. It was also featured in the Noughties (no, not the naughty) section of the GCA centenary celebration!

Its look has evolved over the years to change with the times, but the essential design of a bold retro image and a short snappy message has always stayed the same. The range is known for being rude, but the reality is that most of the designs are perfectly clean and innocent.

I’m very proud of the longevity and popularity of Fabulous, a range that has grown with me over the last 19 years and I’m loving every irreverent minute of it.”

There are 160 designs in the range and the cards have an RRP of £2.50-£3.00.

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GIN & FROLICS

from Rosie Made A Thing Launched: 2015 “Gin & Frolics range won its first Henries award (for Best Humorous Card Range) in 2016.

Since then, the range has won a total of eight Henries (four of which were for Best Humorous Range) and it’s still going strong today.

Over the years, we’ve added new characters and lots more silliness, but the naïve style of illustration remains (and I still can’t draw noses).

The humour is relatable and moves with times.”

There are 153 designs in the range and the cards have an RRP of £2.95.

NORBERT & VAL

from Emotional Rescue Launched: 1995 “Norbert has been around since 1995, making it 30 years old!

Starting as a 'nerd for the 90s', Norbert was then young and naive, these days Norbert is with Val and they have a family who are also a little naive and are a great vehicle for plenty of age-related and family-related jokes.

Unfortunately, we may soon be at the end of the road with Norbert as his creator, Mike, is unfortunately suffering from Alzheimer's and is no longer able to draw for us. So, we wanted to submit this range for a Henry Cole Classic award as a testament to the lifelong career his creator has dedicated to the greeting card industry.”

There have been over 2,500 everyday designs and over 1,200 seasonal in the range and the cards have RRPs of £1.75 £2.75.

PAPER SHAKIES from James Ellis Launched: 2005 “The Paper Shakies range is unique. The coloured confetti encapsulated within the cards means you can shake them around, adding a fun, tactile dimension. There are bright, colourful borders, striking illustrations and designs with a beautiful handmade finish. All cards are plastic-free and 100% recyclable.

Shakies first came about just over 20 years ago, when we experimented adding loose glitter and sequins to a cellophane inner bag that was then placed on top of an illustration and then concealed by a border. These proved very popular and the range continued to grow with great success.

We were extremely excited in 2019 to introduce our first 100% recyclable range of Shakies cards we called ‘Paper Shakies’. Through extensive thought and research, we swapped the cellophane, glitter and sequins to produce a more environmentally-friendly range using translucent paper, card and paper confetti, all of which are completely recyclable, biodegradable and plastic-free.

We are incredibly lucky that our lovely customers have stuck with us on our Shakies journey and embraced the changes we have made. Our Paper Shakies cards are as popular as ever and we hope this success continues!”

There are 111 designs in the range (including birthdays, occasions, relations, adult and children's ages) and the cards have an RRP £3.50.

SWING CARDS from Santoro Launched: 1995 “Celebrating their 30th Anniversary this year as true innovation in paper engineering that has stood the test of time, Santoro’s Swing Cards have broken boundaries and continue to remain a beloved industry favourite among both customers and retailers. What began as a passion project in a small studio three decades ago has grown into a globally celebrated range, selling over 20 million units and winning multiple prestigious awards for its innovation and creativity. In a world of throwaway greetings, Swing Cards stand out as timeless keepsakes. The range's designs are always evolving with changing tastes while still maintaining their signature engineering, precision, and charm. With a commitment to sustainability, the range is also designed and produced in the UK using sustainable production practices, and features plastic-free packaging!”

There are over 60 designs in the range and the cards have an RRP of £7.49.

WORDS OF WISDOM from Dandelion Stationery Launched: 2014 “Heartfelt words and sentiments with the occasional splash of humour, hand-finished with subtle sparkle, the Words of Wisdom range was created in 2014 and started with just 12 birthday cards.

Over the years it has grown to encompass over 400 designs, covering pretty much every occasion and relation. The collection evolves every year with some designs being retired and new ones being brought in to capture current trends. It remains our best-selling collection 11 years later.”

There are over 400 designs in the range and the cards have an RRP of £2.95.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE��69

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BEST

SERVICE TO THE INDEPENDENT RETAILER Open to: This award recognises the pivotal role publishers play in providing a good service to independent retailers. The finalists in this category were arrived at as a result of an exhaustive poll, involving 1,750 independent greeting card retail stockists, who were each asked to nominate their top three card suppliers on the service front over the last year. These responses were then correlated, awarding three points to all first choices, two points to those mentioned as second choices and one point for all third choices.

These points were then totalled to arrive as the 12 finalists. There are three awards in this category – a Bronze, Silver and ultimate Gold, that will be presented to the top three scoring suppliers in the retailer poll.

2025 FINALISTS in alphabetical order

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ABACUS CARDS THE ART FILE DANDELION STATIONERY INTERNATIONAL CARDS & GIFTS ( IC&G ) JONNY JAVELIN NOEL TATT OHH DEER PAPERLINK PIGMENT UK GREETINGS ( UKG ) WOODMANSTERNE WORDS ‘N’ WISHES

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INDUSTRY ISSUE

INDIE IDEAS IN ACTION

Having great ideas is one thing, putting them into action is quite another, and sharing them with others so they too can benefit takes it up another notch. The recent GCA/PG Retailer Forum, which took place straight after The Henries live judging, scored highly on all three counts.

PG was all ears as indies spread the joy with paper bags, shared initiatives and instigated a youth TikTok group to boost Gen Z’s card sending.

“At this very meeting last year, Red Card’s Sally Matson had the wonderful idea of printing paper bags with a Cards Make People Happy message on, and we've now got them produced, complete with a #Cardmitment logo. They are going down brilliantly,” enthused Kaye Thurgood, owner of Sincerely Yours in Hornchurch and Shenfield holding up examples of the paper bags that are now available for indies. “The idea is to for all of us retailers to hand these bags out when a customer buys a greeting card; reminding people that it's a joyous experience to send and receive cards.”

With UK Greetings getting behind production, Raspberry Blossom’s design, and a decision to keep costs down by printing just using black ink, the bags are

Above: The GCA’s ceo Amanda Fergusson kicking off the GCA/PG Retailer Forum meeting.

Right: Sincerely Yours’ Kaye Thurgood (left) and Red Card’s Sally Matson.

Below right: One of the new paper bags.

Below left: Earlybird’s Heidi Early (right) with the winner and the winning design of last year’s Happy Card project.

available at the low cost of £20 for 1,000 – a “no brainer” laughed Kaye – available through suppliers UKG, Ling Design, GBCC, Abacus, Paper Salad, Pigment, Wendy JonesBlackett and Ohh Deer, or via GBCC’s Faire portal.

With this example of successful collective action setting the bar, discussions turned to more ways of putting greeting cards front and centre.

With Thinking Of You Week fast approaching (September 15-21) Earlybird scored full marks with its Happy Card Project last year, getting a local school and their young pupils involved in a card

competition to design a happy cards. The 100 entries were displayed in the shop and people popped in to vote for their favourite, with the winning one printed onto cards and sold in the shop with profits going to the child’s chosen charity.

As Earlybird’s co-owner Heidi Early explained: “It was such a great project. The school loved it, the kids loved it. It was a really good community thing. Loads of people came to the shop to see the card designs, who probably hadn’t been into the shop before. And it's so special for the child to then have a card that they designed and that it's being sold. It was just lovely.”

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INDUSTRY ISSUE

now on the GCA TOYW website blog), with printers Windles and envelope company Enveco also on board.

“You just contact a school and do that side of things and, from the printing point of view, it's really easy to upload onto a template on Windles website. They'll send the cards to you, and you can sort out the rest. Windles are just charging £15 for 50 cards, just to cover the postage.”

There was the reminder that the GCA’s retailer toolkits are also back, for TOYW, Christmas and Spring Seasons, plus the ShopKind campaign from the Independent Retailers’ Confederation aimed at tackling violence and abuse against shop workers.

“These are fantastic tools for everyone to use,” Red Card’s Sally Matson commented.

“Even though we’re all independent shops, it creates a connection in the head of the consumer, that there's something linking us; it's subliminal. They will keep seeing them, and they'll keep thinking ‘I’ve got to do that, buy a Valentine's Day card, send a card to Mum, whatever.”

A Local Volunteers’ Week, which coincides with Thinking Of You Week, has sparked a project for Highworth Emporium’s Aga Marsden that she shared with the group: “The organisers were encouraging all the businesses and schools to do something for Volunteers’ Week in Highworth, while others will be baking cakes we wanted to come up something we can do connected to card sending.”

Aga’s approach to various publishers to donate some cards has seen her accumulate 1,000 greeting cards, with Emotional Rescue even creating a special one, all of which be used to spend joy.

As well as creating a card writing station in the shop, the project involves several schools whose pupils will write cards to strangers which will then be delivered to care homes, nursing homes, hospitals, and hospices during Thinking Of You Week.

“The schools are really, really up for it.

They not only want the pupils to write the cards, they want to help us delivering them, and the local Scouts are also committed to delivering them too,” elaborated Aga. Sophie Edwards, owner of More Than

Above: Wendy Jones-Blackett (right) showed off the GCA’s toolkits helped by Abacus’ Nick Carey and agent Rosie Trow.

Above right: Objectables’ Tim Gould holding one of the Folkestone store’s Stationery Club cards.

Just A Gift in Narborough was also keen to share the details of her Spring Celebration, which turning was is normally the quietest month became her best April, plus how she is expanding her support for fellow indies

Above and left: A special Emotional Rescue card produced for Highworth Emporium as part of its Thinking Of You Week activities which coincides with the local Volunteers’ Week.

through her Smart Shopkeepers’ Club, offering resources such as posters and insights for TOYW and Christmas.

The ever-expanding impact of National Stationery Week was touched on by Sarah Laker of Stationery Supplies, who is the event coordinator, and it struck a chord with Objectables’ Tim Gould.

“Stationery lovers are mad!” he laughed, “we get so many in the shop. We have a kids’ Stationery Club where if the kid spends two quid they get a stamp on their card cards and when they have 10 stamps, they get a bit of stationery free. It Right: Head of the new GCA youth team, Amelia Early (right) with her mum Heidi.

might be something that hasn't sold, we just keep a stack of things, but it’s spreading joy and is a feelgood thing.”

Getting through to the younger generations about buying more cards was a major topic.

“In the run up to Mother’s Day and Father’s Day the shops are packed with them, but what about the rest of the year, we as an industry need to come up with more ways of engaging with them,” said Kaye laying down the challenge.

Presentation’s Andrea Pinder explained how she offers a student discount all year round: “All the young people that come in my shop get a student discount, and they're really chuffed when they come to the counter.

“And I do it too for a lot of my regular older generation that come in and buy their cards from me all the time – I call it a student discount for them as well!”

Lark London’s co-owner Priya AuroraCrowe added: “The biggest thing with the younger age gap is TikTok and social media, so the key thing is to try to make greeting cards cool within that category. We could do with some positive reinforcement. Say around TOYW we could try and get a few influencers involved.”

Heidi’s daughter, 16 year old Amelia who was also at the meeting, didn’t just share a Gen Z perspective, but swiftly agreed to be involved in a young person’s think tank (something she has actioned since the meeting) to feed back to the GCA on possible ways of promoting the merits of greeting card sending to their peers, including through creating authentic TikTok posts.

The meeting goes to prove yet again that a good independent greeting card retailer is worth their weight in gold, but if you get a room full of them then you really open up a treasure trove of ideas that really can boost engagement with the card buying public and everyone benefits.

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Woodland Robin

Pick-Up Lines & CDUs

Pot Plant Pals & Crochet Bloom

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Bridgewater Pen Company

Equilibrium To Sparkle Earrings

Email: sales@joedavies.co.uk

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A selection of new products that will be on show at the Autumn Fair (7-10 September, NEC).

Golden Moments Gold Rush is a new male range from Paper Salad. As the range name suggests, all the 12 designs are heavily foiled, with bright neon inks contrasting with the black backgrounds adding to the striking retro appeal. All 155mm square, the cards are paired with a bright orange envelope.

Paper Salad 0161 427 0001 www.papersalad.com Autumn Fair Hall 6 Stand C20

Christmas Calling Autumn Fair will be the last chance to order The Art File’s Christmas 2025 collection, which spans over 140 new designs, from a range of charity cards to a selection of luxurious boxed cards and hand-folded 3D pop-ups. The publisher will also be showcasing its Spring Seasons 2026 collection which includes 75 new designs.

The Art File 0115 8507490 www.theartfile.com Autumn Fair Hall 6 D30-E31

In The Pink Touch of Blush is a new feminine, cute range from Ginger Betty. Debuting with 12 female captioned cards, all are 145mm square, printed on textured board with scalloped edges and a debossed leaf.

Each comes with a pearly pink envelope.

Ginger Betty 01706 557285 www.gingerbetty.co.uk Autumn Fair Hall 6 Stand B23

Shiny Bright

Age Matters

New from Louise Tiler is Bright Christmas, a modern and lively festive range that balances intricate details with a spotty patterned gold foil that captures the light. Bold text is set against the vibrant colours of Louise's hand-painted illustrations to add extra punch.

Louise Tiler Designs 01535 957878 www.louisetiler.com Autumn Fair Hall 6 Stand C21

Exhibiting at Autumn Fair for the first time, as part of the Greetings Lab Designer Showcase, Stoats & Weasels will be launching three new milestone age ranges, In Lights, Ohhhhh and Above Board. The designs in the latter (pictured) are inspired by the style of airport departure boards, humorously celebrating the highs and lows of getting ageing.

Stoats & Weasels 07796 664912 www.stoatsandweasels.shop/wholesale Autumn Fair Hall 6 Stand 6D34

A Cut Above The latest addition to Heyyy’s Taking Shape Collection is a Christmas range. In keeping with the signature look, all the foiled and embossed cards are die-cut, with the designs including a Christmas tree, Santa’s sleigh, holly wreath and gingerbread house that looks too good to eat!

Heyyy 07488 283524 www.heyyycards.co.uk Autumn Fair Hall 6 Stand B14

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 77

Make Your Shelves Sparkle, Christmas Product Has Arrived,

Award Winning Greeting Card Supplier to Businesses in the UK & Internationally

RS CALENDA IES AND DIAR NOW E AVAILABL

Art on a Card

Simply beautiful greeting cards by a host of talented artists.

See all our newest and best-selling designs at Autumn Fair stand 6B15 and take advantage of our show discount offer.

For our full range of almost 2,000 designs, register/log in as a trade visitor on our website:

www.naturalpartnersart.co.uk

sales@naturalpartnersart.co.uk • 07714 768956

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There will be lots of exciting new launches at Top Drawer (14-16 September, Olympia)

Seeing Is Believing Among the wealth of newness from Museums & Galleries is a range of printed clam-shell spectacles cases with coordinating printed lens cloths, including designs from the V&A, Matthew Williamson, Angela Harding, Catherine Rowe and Helen Ahpornsiri, Vincent Van Gogh, British Museum and Brambly Hedge. There are also new tote bags, plant gift bags and jigsaws.

Museums & Galleries 01373 462165 www.museumsgalleries.co.uk Top Drawer Stand C39

Wish You Were Here

Traditional Values Lottie Murphy’s new mini card range, Christmas Traditions includes eight hand-illustrated designs on classic festive themes. From wreaths and Christmas stockings to robins and holly, each 74mm x 105mm card is blank outside and in, making them ideal for little notes or attaching to presents. Each is printed on luxury FSC certified board and is accompanied by a recycled kraft envelope and compostable bag.

Lottie Murphy 07716 304741 www.lottie-murphy.com Top Drawer Stand U19

Storigraphic is launching Postcard Editions, a curated collection of 18 bold postcards featuring signature prints and patterns from the publisher’s design portfolio. Each A6 landscape postcard can be cleanly detached from the bound collection.

The ‘books’ are sustainably printed in the UK using environmentally certified, recyclable paper.

Storigraphic hello@storigraphic.com www.storigraphic.com Top Drawer Stand T10

Level Pegging Mini But Mighty Earlybird has teamed up with kitsch queen Amy Hastings to create Little Trinkets, a range which slots into the publisher’s MINI collection. These half pintsized delights pair Amy’s whimsical artwork with a luxe spot UV finish on textured recycled board, all in a mini format.

Earlybird Designs 01227 765 372 www.earlybirddesigns.co.uk Top Drawer Stand S20

James Ellis will be showing the first 29 designs in its Square Peg range, plus another 18 brand new birthday relations and general cards. All based on designs by illustrator Alice Mole, the 130mm square cards are hot foiled and embossed.

James Ellis 0117 927 7667 www.jamesellis.com Top Drawer Stand U24

Pressing Issues Following the popularity of Penguin Ink’s Flower Press designs for birthdays and Mother’s Day, the collection has been expanded to include thank you cards featuring a variety of flowers, printed in vibrant pink and purple.

Penguin Ink 07525497122 www.penguinink.co.uk Top Drawer Stand O20

Kindred Spirits Running With Scissors is expanding its bestselling Kindred collection with the addition of nine new designs. These everyday cards are aimed at customers who appreciate both whimsy and a minimalist approach to design. All are printed on premium ivory board.

Running With Scissors 07514600422 Faire.com/direct/runningwithscissors Top Drawer Stand W10

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 79

Designed and made in Britain | Published by Museums & Galleries Ltd 2021 Design © Museums & Galleries Ltd 2021 | www.museumsgalleries.co.uk

Strawberry Thief furnishing textile William Morris (1834–96) Merton Abbey, 1883 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

FSC LOGO Celebrating creativity, the V&A is the world’s leading museum of art, design and performance.

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Growing great cards into giftware collections.

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A selection of new product launches that are bursting onto the market.

A Knees Up Holy Mackerel has a fresh take on recovery, with some brand-new hip and knee cards by artist Erica Sturla joining the One Lump Or Two collection.

Celebrated for her vibrant clay figure designs, Erica’s creations bring a fun, feelgood twist to the world of get-well cards with Happy New Knee! and Happy New Hip male and female designs, that wish a speedy recovery.

Holy Mackerel 01395 578571 www.holy-mackerel.co.uk

Star Spangled Happy Mail is a charming new collection from Dandelion Stationery comprising 15 designs featuring watercolour illustrations by artist Becci, covering everyday, occasions and relations. The cards are printed on luxurious, sustainable board and finished with elegant gold foil detailing. They come supplied with black and white star-patterned envelopes.

Dandelion Stationery 01332 504940 www.dandelionstationery.co.uk

Bearing Up Hey Bear! is Paper Shed Design's new male range. Covering open, family and occasions captions, the fun designs feature an avuncular bear character involved in activities from cycling and cooking, to playing vinyl records and rocking out with a guitar.

Paper Shed Design 0118 9744283 www.papersheddesign.com

A Soft Touch

It’s Snowtime

A trio of Mythology Word Search books that explore the legendary worlds of Norse, Greek, and Celtic myths, an Anne Stokes tarot card pack and host of journals make up Flame Tree Publishing’s latest launches. Four new designs featuring the artwork of printmaker and illustrator, Angela Harding join the publisher’s Soft Touch Journals collection. These lightweight lined notebooks feature soft matte covers, sprayed edges, and have a tactile finish.

Flame Tree Publishing 020 7751 9650 www.flametreepublishing.com

Sabivo Design’s new range, Elderflower Christmas, is inspired by the countryside. This contemporary range is hand-illustrated and features an abundance of winter foliage, berries and cute playful woodland animals and pets, covered in dusting of snow and twinkling stars. All 145mm square, there are 24 open and relations designs, each accompanied by a red envelope.

Sabivo Design 01858 683 278 www.sabivo.co.uk

To The Letter Scentiment Gifts has just launched a crafted Alphabet Slate Coasters collection.

Made from natural slate and featuring striking serif initials, they have a contemporary rustic charm. The range, which spans 30 designs includes A–Z letters, a heart design, an ampersand as well as a selection of plain slate options to allow for mixing and matching. A counter display unit is also available.

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IN CONVERSATION WITH… 1973

SUMMER OF CONTACT Having shown at PG Live for the first time in June and welcomed retailers to its brand new showrooms in what it described as a Summer of Contact, 1973 is keeping up the pace this Autumn with the introduction of the respected French stationery and card brand All Ways To Say into the portfolio of brands.

PG heads down to the company’s south coast HQ to meet up with co-founders Emma and James Emmerson and sales director Louisa Sharman to find out more.

When asked during a panel discussion during London Stationery Show about what gives her stores a USP, with no hesitation Sally Matson, owner of Red Card and Little Red in Petworth responded with: “Knowing the stories behind the products and the brands that I stock so that I can then share it all with our customers. The more I know,

82 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

the more I can tell them and the more that they buy.”

As a prime example, Sally eulogised about a recent visit to 1973 and Rifle Paper Co UK to see the new showrooms. She relayed how she not only got to know better the people who own and head up the business, as in James and Emma Emmerson and sales

Top: (left-right) 1973’s co-founders James and Emma Emmerson with longtime friend and sales director Louise Sharman in the company’s new showroom.

Above: Retailers are being invited down to the showroom at the company’s HQ in Portslade. Products under the 1973 side are in one room which leads into the Rifle Paper Co side.

Below left: The new Flower Power range that was designed by James and Emma and like the vast majority of the company’s products are printed in-house.

director Louisa Sharman, but also marvelled at how the vast majority of its extensive product range of cards and stationery is produced onsite.

Sally was one of the early visitors of the company’s new showrooms, during what has been coined as a Summer of Contact by the 1973 teamsters.

“Historically we haven’t been as good as we could have been in telling our story, but having exhibited at PG Live for the first time this year, which we loved and the setting up of our showrooms, we feel the time is right to let our customers not only see where the magic madness happens, but to feel it and smell it too,” sums up James, who cofounded the business with his now wife Emma, 22 years ago, naming the company after the year in which they were both born.

It is indeed a good story that is very much

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IN CONVERSATION WITH… 1973

since 2018, is where the notebooks, gift tags, boxes are made. Among the 11 intriguing contraptions in the room, is a 1969 Japanese sewing machine for stitching the notebook spines, various wiro binding and spine clamping machines, and even something which cuts perfectly angled ribbons affixed inside. There’s a machine snaffled away that cuts perfectly rounded corners on greeting cards, another that prints the fabric for the notebook covers and

Above: A Rifle Paper Co handstitched notebook from the Dahlia range that was produced in-house.

Right: The company’s Heidelberg King, aka Jim Stoner (left) with James Emmerson with just some of the machinery.

brought to life in the company’s Willy Wonkaesque HQ that is abundant in design, machinery and inventions in the making.

Seeing James in his ‘making room’ which is festooned with various substrates and prototype stationery products, it comes as little surprise that this is a longtime love, making his first notebook as a GCSE project.

The room next to the showrooms for 1973 and Rifle Paper Co UK, the latter a US brand it has partnered with and produced for

goodness knows what else. Meanwhile, downstairs a row of majestic Heidelberg printing machines earn their keep producing not just the 1973 greeting cards that are designed by Emma and James, but also the impressive posse of 10 other brands the company partners. (See box below).

“We have 3,000 active skus and the vast majority are produced here,” says James proudly. “We still import some of the items, for example pens in the Rifle Paper Co collection, but I love it that we can and do produce all of our notebooks, journals, calendars and cards right here.”

By the sounds of things though the home production is about to ramp up a gear as September marks the start of another major collaboration in the company’s story.

While firm favourite, Rifle Paper Co UK is to remain as a distinct strand and 1973 is very much to continue to champion its contemporary graphics patch, it is also to welcome what sales director Louisa Sharman sums up as “more feminine, softer brands.”

The first to join is French brand, All The Ways To Say (ATWS) which will debut under 1973 on September 22.

“The brand is really successful in Europe and we are planning to start in the UK with a collection of around 60 ATWS greeting cards as well as some of its stationery and accessories collections,” says Louisa. “And there may well be other brands in the pipeline too,” she teased.

Sounds like significant expansion is on the cards and perhaps more machinery mayhem for James to throw himself into!

From near and far While both incredibly creative themselves, James and Emma have long enjoyed forging relationships with other creatives and brands.

With a career that had already spanned working for an advertising agency as well as art directing books, it was going to work for Beaumonde, a now defunct card publisher that brought both James (and former DJ Emma) into the greeting card world.

It also led to a licensing collaboration with Berlin-based pixel artist eBoy that forged the path to set up 1973. “eBoy got us noticed by lots of great retailers, from Selfridges to The Conran Shop, and from there we also expanded our own ranges,” relayed Above: Fugu Fugu Press is one of 1973’s latest partnerships.

James. “We had early successes with our risque colouring-in cards as well as Below left: French greeting card and stationery brand, All The Ways To Say Paper Nature, which was printed on board (ATWS) is about to join the company’s portfolio. akin to that used inside toilet rolls, but we printed foil on the fully recycled board and they looked great. We had various licensed ranges too, including with Pantone and Belle & Boo.” However, it was a trip to the States in 2018 that was to set a successful course for the company.

“We had set our sights on bringing some great design brands into our portfolio. I first flew to Portland in Oregon to meet with Egg Press and sealed the deal. I then went onto Florida to Rifle Paper Co and that deal was done too then headed to California to meet Ashkhan and we signed too. It was a great trip!” shared James.

Now, in addition to the ongoing relationships with Rifle Paper Co and Egg Press subsequent partnerships have been forged with other leading US designers/ brands Fugu Fugu Press, Carolyn Suzuki, Bailey Crouch and Jordan Sondler, plus Bureau Alice (from Switzerland), Darling Clementine (from Norway) as well as UK-based Anthony Burrill, Aless Baylis, Sukie, and Sophie Darling, with French brand All The Ways To Say just about to join the line-up.

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FOCUS ON…LICENSING

grow your brand With record number of entries in the two dedicated licensed categories in The Henries and the increase of greeting card publishers looking to make the most of their IP through licensing to other companies across a myriad of products, the lure of licensing is stronger than ever.

With Brand Licensing Europe, the leading trade show for all things licensing only a few weeks away, PG checks in with those in the know.

Consumers spent an astonishing $369.6 billion on licensed products in the last year, an increase of 3.7% on the year before, and sales of licensed paper products (including greeting cards) outperformed this, showing an increase of 3.8%, according to the Licensing International’s recent Global Licensing Industry report.

With preschool powerhouses, publishing heroes, cute and cool crossovers, an explosion of gaming and anime, and the impact of streaming and movies driving demand, the Danilo team is adept at picking winners to licence on its cards and calendars.

“Movies and streaming play a pivotal role in shaping demand for licensed cards, but timing is everything,” explained Danilo’s licensing director Dan Grant. “While cinematic releases

Brand Licensing Europe 2025 Featuring licensed brands galore, from leading entertainment IP through to those hailing from the heritage, FMCG and designer sectors, the Brand Licensing Europe trade show is the destination for all things licensing.

DATES: 7-9 October, VENUE: ExCeL, London WEB: www.brandlicensing.eu

84 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

Inset: Hallmark started licensing Disney IP in 1932

Above: Danilo’s Wicked cards for the upcoming release.

Above right: Smiley is a fresh licence for UKG. Below right: M&G has a vast range of licensed cards and gifts.

allowing for long lead times on product development and coordinated launch campaigns, streaming content is often released with shorter notice and has a faster trend cycle.

“We work closely with licensors to align product launches with key moments in the content calendar. Our Traitors card range was timed ahead of the UK Celebrity series this autumn, while our Wicked 2026 cards and diaries are being promoted in the run-up to Part Two’s cinematic release in November.

It’s this strategic alignment that helps drive retail cut-through and fan excitement.”

UK Greetings also has a wide range of partnerships, including Sonic, RHS, and Smiley World. As licensing manager Lora Madigan commented: “Choosing which licences to bring on board is very much a collaborative effort – our retail teams have to

understand the potential, our product management teams need to see the gap in our portfolio and our creative teams need to believe they can do justice to the brand.

“Cards and gift dressings are an unusual category as the target market isn’t the end user, we actually need to appeal to the mums, dads, grandmas, grandads, aunties and uncles buying the products.

“A licence has to really resonate with this generation, they have to be aware of the recipient’s love of the brand, for them to pick up and purchase. For this reason, we generally find evergreen licences with a universal appeal work well for us.”

At Ling and sister companies GBCC and Penny Kennedy, CEO David Byk has seen the group’s licensed offer grow across the group from its initial PK roots, with Cath Kidston, William Morris official Morris & Co, a new range with wildlife TV presenter Hannah

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Driving the business As a leading licensee for cards and calendars, Danilo has a wealth of insights into the licensing world.

Here licensing director Dan Grant reveals what he sees are the top five licensing drivers in 2025-2026 on the greeting card front.

1. Streaming and storytelling – Ongoing series and multi-episode storylines on platforms like Netflix, Disney+ and Paramount+ help build lasting fan loyalty – keeping characters and brands top of mind and driving continued demand for licensed products. Cards for Stranger Things, Wednesday and Paw Patrol tap into this emotional engagement and onscreen loyalty.

2. Nostalgia and reboots – Families are buying into brands that span

Above: Penny Kennedy licences Sara Miller London for giftwrappings.

Right: An Ohh Deer twist for Natural History Museum.

Below: Paper Salad x GBCC.

Stitfall, and Laurence LlewelynBowen among the expanded partnerships across cards, gifts, crackers, stationery and wrap.

He said: “We have developed further and expanded licensed partnerships across our total product portfolio; offering a unique opportunity both for our licensors and customers. We are very focused about each licence and ensuring each one provides a point of difference.

“Our mantra is simple. We want to offer our retailers multiple visual merchandising opportunities that can also drive sales – where a customer can buy a beautiful greeting card, pair it with a coordinated licensed gift, such as a notebook or water bottle, wrap it in luxurious matching wrapping paper and place it all in a gift bag of the same design. A real wow factor for everyone!”

Penny Kennedy business manager Emma Puzey added: “Retailers, particularly large chains or speciality stores, tend to favour products with proven commercial appeal.

generations. From Barbie and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to Hot Wheels, the pull of childhood favourites is more powerful than ever – especially in birthday and occasion card formats.

3. Gaming as culture – With titles such as Minecraft, Super Mario, and Five Nights At Freddy’s becoming household names, gaming is no longer niche. Card ranges for these brands now sit alongside TV and film licences in terms of popularity.

4. Lifestyle and inclusivity – Cards that reflect real-life diversity and lifestyle trends are resonating

strongly. Personalised or inclusive cards – such as the women’s football team designs – are driving engagement from a more value-led audience.

5. Hot properties and social trends – Trends are moving faster than ever and with the involvement of social media, the success of a licensed brand is being built from a celebrity endorsement or a playground craze. This is certainly happening more frequently now and brand owners are seeking opportunities to collaborate with like-minded brands and individuals.

Licensed designs often come with built-in demand, making them easier to pitch to buyers who may have this design on other products in their store, and, in turn, we’re more likely to secure prominent shelf space.”

Established in the mid-80s, Museums & Galleries has been influential in the development of museum and heritage licensing, with all ranges based on partnerships.

The V&A is one of its most prominent licences, and it also works with The British Library, British Museum, Tate Gallery, Natural History Museum, plus the Illustrators’ label covers heritage character brands like Paddington Bear and Brambly Hedge, and there are artists, illustrators and designers such as Matthew Williamson, Mary Katrantzou, Emily

Burningham, Sarah Campbell, Angela Harding, Chris Dunn, Catherine Rowe, Helen Ahpornsiri and Emma Frances Grant.

“We tend to select licences based on their history and archives of quality work with commercial appeal to our customers,” explained licensing manager Eddie Clarke, “work that has the capacity to function in a variety of commercial contexts.

“We’re careful to treat each licence on its own terms and work to its individual strengths, and to actively avoid the possibility of licences selling against each other. Every licence we work with has a distinct voice and appeal all of its own.”

Showing how a different spin can be put on the same licence, Ohh Deer has several big names in its portfolio, including Cath Kidston, V&A, Natural History Museum, and Laura Ashley, as well as names such as Twin Pines, Gemma Correll, Ken the Cat, Seedlings, and E Frances Paper.

MD Mark Callaby commented: “We use licensing a fair amount, we mix it in with our own designs and it helps us offer a wide range that’s varied and exciting for our customers.

Left: A Minecraft design from Danilo

Right: Ginger Betty wall stickers.

Far right: Porch Fairies whimsy with Claire Fletcher.

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THE UK’S LEADING TRADE SHOW FOR PEAK SEASON BUYING Discover your next best-selling stationery, greeting cards or wrapping paper at Autumn Fair 2025

Scan to register

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“We don't like to just take assets from people – we always want to make sure it's got a bit of an Ohh Deer spin, making sure we're adding special finishes, changing colourways or new approaches to really reinvigorate collections.”

Having signed up its first licence over 20 years ago, it’s now an important part of Woodmansterne’s business, which the publisher believes complements its own portfolio from the in-house design team.

The longest-running partnership is with legendary illustrator Quentin Blake, with his instantly-recognisable artwork now on gift packaging as well as cards for all occasions.

Annie Tempest’s eccentric Tottering-ByGently characters are a recent tie-up, and head of marketing Louise Guelcé said it was chosen “because the humour, tone and visual design make these cards instantly relatable and entertaining to our audience”, and she added: “Tottering-By-Gently cards are not just

Left: Glick works with Stephanie Dyment.

Below left: Beryl Cook from Woodmansterne spans generations.

Below right: The Art File gets sentimental with Fox Under The Moon.

greetings, they’re social commentary wrapped in tweed and laughter.”

The versatility and wit of David Gulliver’s It’s A Small World photos is what attracted Woodmansterne, while the upcoming excitement of artist Beryl Cook’s 2026 centenary reminded the publisher that these “miniature celebrations of British life” span the generations and Louisa said they “relished the chance to bring her art to a new, cool audience while still retaining her nostalgic appeal”.

The Art File currently works with over 25 brands and artists, including Sara Miller London and English Heritage, and sales and marketing manager James Mace

explained: “Licensing enables us to search for specific design styles and resources that complement the existing portfolio, offering customers a more comprehensive range of options – our recent licensing collaboration with Fox Under The Moon expanded our words and sentiments collection.

“Alongside the design content, we look at the wider brand and, most importantly, love to get to know the designer or artist behind it.

We always see licensing partners as long-term relationships, who assist each other in growing the retrospective brands together.”

With a core position of nostalgia, tradition and heritage, The Porch Fairies’ Fi Bishop mainly chooses designs from original handpainted book illustrations by much-loved artists, such as their original Nostalgia World licence, Foxwood Tales and the latest with Claire Fletcher Art. Fi said: “We have a whimsical feel, and aim to delight customers with well loved, but forgotten precious memories.

“Choosing the illustrations is a long process to ensure we

Licensing briefs ● Fox Under The Moon has announced its latest licensing partnership, joining forces with giftware company Joe Davies to take the brand way beyond greeting cards and books. Known for its tender illustrations and messages of comfort from founder Stacey McNeill, the partnership will take Fox Under The Moon into a curated selection of giftware, including items such as mugs, coasters, jewellery, trinkets, jigsaws and more, with a launch set for early 2026. ● Publisher James Ellis is already planning new additions to its 29-design commission from artist and illustrator Alice Mole. East Sussex-based Alice, part of The Artists’ Collective community from art licensing and design studio The London Studio, has supplied the collection of her square-format cards inspired by everyday life with a sprinkling of the surreal. The publisher’s founder James Stevens, is so happy with the partnership that he’s already has new designs planned to expand the range across different relations and milestones. ● Sam Jayne Design has been

Left: Fox Under The Moon’s Stacey Mc’Neil with L&P’s md Paul Hooker.

Below left: Sam Jayne Design.

Above: James Ellis x Alice Mole.

Right: Brilliantly Brave.

signed up by Widdop and Co for a range of bright and positive gifts and her Coaster Cards to launch at Spring Fair in February. “It still doesn’t quite feel real,” founder and illustrator Sam Keyte said. “This has been a dream of mine since starting my business – to see my illustrations and positive quotes reach more people on beautifully-made products!” ● Brilliantly Brave has landed its first licensing deal and cofounder Stuart Cox said: “We’re incredibly honoured to be working with Stickers4 on a range of sticky things.

Peelable/repositionable window film, wall decals, laptop stickers, stickers for your water bottle. If it’s got a surface, you can stick a sticker on it.” Brilliant Brave’s cards and stickers fund multiple mental health coaching sessions and community support groups, free at the point of delivery.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 87

Mamma Mia! It’s Henries time again.

We all know the name of the game - the winner takes it all, but we’ll get the chance to be a dancing queen.

When all is said and done, Good Luck to the nominees - we’ll see all you super troupers there!

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Above: Hallmark and Disney.

Right: Bug Art is a top Lesser & Pavey seller.

select cards to tell a story.

Be it quirky, ethereal fairies, or jolly little anthropomorphic folk full of adventures, it’s about artwork that’s right for our core positioning and specialism, and a tiny bit of Porch Fairies magic!”

For giftpackaging company Glick’s MD Becky Dobson it’s about keeping on top of emerging trends as well as looking at licensees’ bestselling designs: “This is why we licence card designs onto our gift wrap as these designs have been tried and tested in the market already, it helps us make a decision on what consumers are looking for and what will sell the best.

“This also creates visually appealing products that attract customers seeking coordinated gifting as many of our customers also stock greeting cards by our licensees.”

The distinct and vibrant styles from Paper Salad and Stephanie Dyment are two of Glick’s longest-running collections, which Becky said have “helped shape the visual identity of our brand”.

Talking of Paper Salad, owner Karen Wilson acknowledges licensing is extremely important to the business model, with Glick being its first collaboration over 15 years ago.

“As a fairly small business in 2010, we didn’t have the distribution established and working with Glick extended our market reach hugely,” she explained. “We love bringing our designs to gift wrap and bags,” and the Emotional Rescue collaboration has allowed Paper Salad to reach a wider audience in the humour card market using original handpainted artworks alongside Emo’s jokes.

Another fresh collab for Paper Salad is with Danilo for calendars and family organisers, which Karen loves as “we’re given artistic freedom when creating the designs, maintaining our signature super bright brand personality” and that’s how it also works on the latest licence with GBCC where other products are being added to the diaries, pen sets and notebooks.

With Hallmark founder Joyce C Hall and

Walt Disney being good friends, the licensing collab goes back to 1932 when Mickey Mouse first appeared on the publisher’s cards, and head of properties, licensing and innovation Holly Ismail is very happy the partnership continues today, alongside latest tie-ups with prominent brands Roald Dahl and The Gruffalo & Friends.

“Licensing is extremely important in the greetings category,” she said, “and is unique in that it can be an easy fallback option for a kid’s party, while equally providing the perfect choice for a superfan.

“Our approach is that a new licence must always add to our portfolio, rather than duplicate something else. We find this allows us to fully support the brands we work with, without them having to compete for space.”

For Lesser & Pavey, licensing greeting card publishers’ designs has proven its worth as Hearts Designs has been a partner for over a decade, with director Jonny Greves explaining L&P even embellishes each product with the diamanté details to match the cards, and Bug Art has been one of the biggest selling gift ranges since joining two years ago.

Launching at Autumn Fair this month will be a collab with Citrus Bunn’s Clemency Bunn whose debut tableware collection features

popular British birds including include a robin, kingfisher, wren, blue tit, and puffin, and “there’s even a cheeky seagull eating a chip,” laughed Jonny.

A former winner of a BLE License This award, Ginger Betty’s founder Tracey Colliston is delighted that her designs are now licensed for wall stickers, lampshades and homewares: “We began licensing to grow our brand presence and visibility. Also, we wanted to explore what possibilities there are, and to gain an understanding of the processes.

“Working with companies who we’ve felt a connection with instantly, and who seem passionate about our designs, has been a real positive. They’ve captured the essence of Ginger Betty, added extra content to our brand, and will help to grow it in different directions.”

Molly Mae has also entered the world of licensing, as owner Jude Kenney has branched out into candles with Elements Of Fragrance, and it all began by exhibiting at Brand Licensing Europe.

Jude said: “We looked into licensing for many reasons, we were excited to see our designs on other products but, being a small team, didn’t want to be taken away from our core business so linking with another business enabled us to benefit from their expertise.

“We also wanted to raise brand awareness and using our designs on products that reach different markets has enabled us to do that as well as giving us access to a new customer base.

“Our hope was to find products our independent stockists could buy from us or our partner businesses to sit alongside Molly Mae cards and we were really delighted to find a business and an agreement that did just that.”

Having started out publishing her own cards, Emma Lawrence now licences her work both for greeting cards with Kingfisher Cards, and on products such as The Country Candle Company and confectionery with Farrah’s Of Harrogate.

“I quickly found I was spending more time picking and packing card orders than designing,” Emma said. “As this is my second career and I needed flexibility around family life and licensing became the perfect option.”

And Emma has some sage advice for would-be licensees and licensors: “It’s all about building strong partnerships and recognising that these take time. Licensing is a long game, and patience is essential.”

Left: Cards and candles featuring Molly Mae IP. Above: Farrah’s Confectionery based on a licence with Emma Lawrence.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 89

ART SOURCE

TO APPEAR REGULARLY IN THE

ARTSOURCE

SECTION OF PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS CONTACT TRACEY ARNAUD ON 01234 740 051

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Art Source

Wild At Art

“The creative path is rarely a straight or conventional one, but it has always called me to explore,” summed up Cornish-based artist Jacqueline Wild reflecting on her creative journey.

PG shares more of her life and loves.

“For many years I thought that I was destined to be a writer. I was encouraged by my family to pursue my more academic leanings and so I took a degree in Above: Jacqueline Wild.

English and later a post grad in professional writing and journalism.

Art was always a part of my life however and I managed to add an art module to my degree which I enjoyed and helped me to develop the way I looked at the world and the relationships between objects. At that time, I had no idea that this side of my creativity had the potential to become a career.

After I left college, I sold most of my possessions, bought a camper van and drove down to Cornwall with my future husband where we stayed on a campsite and worked in hospitality. As chance would have it though art kept winding its way into my life.

I made friends with some henna tattoo artists who taught me the ropes and I travelled the country working at festivals and painting designs directly onto people. There is nothing quite like drawing onto someone while they are watching to help you focus and hone your skills.

Cornwall was always a beacon for me though and the energy of the land drew me back and led me to set up home in a 100-year-old miner’s cottage along the wild coast. My new home inspired and encouraged me to explore textile arts and then colourful energetic pieces in oil. I had a couple of exhibitions, but it wasn’t until the birth of my daughter that the real potential of an illustration career opened up for me.

I was inspired by the digital art of Ivy Newport and took a deep dive into learning Procreate. Working on an IPad went hand in hand with being a new mum as there was no mess and it was an exciting way to explore ideas.

The art world changed quite quickly with the evolution of the internet. I connected with other artists and also accessed online Right: With the Cornish coastline on her doorstop, Jacqueline is surrounded by inspiration which feeds into her artwork.

Far right: The Cornish countryside gives Jacqueline a sense of freedom and magic that feeds into her work.

WANT TO BE FEATURED?

Middle left: Jacqueline remains forever entranced by the creatures that live in the sea.

Left: Her interest in the astrology meant Jacqueline jumped at the chance to develop a card range for Leanin’ Tree.

Below: Festive cuteness also features in Jacqueline’s portfolio.

courses, such as Make Art That Sells by Lilla Rogers and Make it in Design by Rachael Taylor which helped make it a viable way of making a living.

I started my own brand, Glitter and Earth which I sell online, and at local markets and events. This has given me a great insight into what people like.

There is something about Cornwall that makes me want to explore the folklore and legends that abound down here. I spend a lot of time taking photos on my coastal walks of the flowers and landscape, which I then use as references for my work. It’s important to me that my work comes from an authentic place.

The ocean is a substantial part of my experience and Below: Some of Jacqueline’s work expression, I am fascinated by the combines nature with mysticism. light as well the different creatures you get in the water.

I feel really grateful to be represented

by Hannah Curtis of Creative Sparrow as she has helped me to licence my work onto many products from greeting cards to fabric. I was commissioned to create a range of zodiac cards for US card company Leanin’ Tree which was a dream come true as I love astrology and all things mystical.

My dreams for the future include working on book covers, packaging design and of course lots more greeting cards. I love how cards spread little bits of joy around the world.

I’m not too sure where my creative path with lead me next, but I am enjoying the adventure and can’t wait to see what is around the next corner.”

•

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

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 91 51

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PG ASKED A TRIO OF RETAILERS FOR THEIR BEST SELLERS Rohit Patel, owner of Paper Art, Swiss Cottage.

Rohit has been running this well-loved card shop in North London since the 80s and has continued to adapt his range of cards and gifts over the years.

Category

Name of Publisher

Product/Name Range

Comments

Everyday

The Art File The Art File The Art File

Storybook Natural Phenomenon Sara Miller London

Lucilla Lavender Portfolio Portfolio Five Dollar Shake

General Artfolio Jaz & Baz by Sara Miller General

UK Greetings

General

“Brilliant illustrations and different.”

“Very fresh and elegant.”

“The colours are fabulous – and a lovely lady as well.”

“Bold, colourful and eye catching.”

“These work well for men, quite quirky, and the Sara Miller range is completely different to The Art File’s.”

“Very elegant, fabulous-looking showstoppers.”

“Covering a lot of captions with more traditional and wordy designs.”

Relations & Occasions

Five Dollar Shake The Art File Woodmansterne

Wedding Wedding Wedding

“We sell a lot of these publishers for weddings, especially Five Dollar.”

Humour

Rosie Made A Thing

General

Pigment

General

Redback

Holy Flaps

Paperlink

General

“Superb illustrations, very funny and non-offensive.”

“A varied selection and cover a lot of tastes.”

“They have some quirky ranges, people stand there giggling.”

“Big sellers for us. We select the best from various ranges.”

Children’s

UK Greetings

Licensed ranges

“They sell well because they have a lot of the licences. Spiderman outsells anything else and Frozen is still going.”

Adult Ages

Woodmansterne

Quentin Blake

Five Dollar Shake

General ages

“There's so much detail and humour in his incredible artwork.”

“They do all the ages, up to 100.”

Museums & Galleries

General

Woodmansterne

General

Cute

Hype Cards

Snoopy

“We do very well with Snoopy – and the badges too.”

3D/Pop-Ups

Paper D’Art

General

“People get mesmerised – we have designs in the window and they entice customers in.”

Gift Wrappings

Glick

General

The Art File

General

“They do quite a mix, because you need that.”

“Lovely wrap and bags.”

Gift Republic

General

Legami

General

Right: Portfolio’s Artfolio range.

Right: Weddings from Five Dollar Shake.

Art & Photographic Right: Woodmansterne’s Quentin Blake.

Gifts

Right: Details by Paper D’Art.

92 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

“Such a wide selection of both modern and classic art.”

“Lots of different ranges, very tasteful.”

“They have quite a lot of creative gifts which are appealing to all sectors.”

“The Erasable Pens, and the pencil cases are very appealing – the children keep coming back for the latest ones.”

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Laura Jackson, co-owner of Grace & Purpose, Hexham.

Opened just over a year ago, the response to this lifestyle store has been so positive, International Focus an expansion into the upstairs is already on the cards.

Category

Name of Publisher

Product/Name Range

Comments

Everyday

Louise Mulgrew

Mini Cards

“They’ve just caught people’s imagination.”

Relations & Occasions

Charley Rabbit Studio

General

“Good for anniversaries.”

Humour

Rosie Made A Thing Emotional Rescue

Gin & Frolics Paper Salad’s Is It Friday Yet? Holy Flaps Large cards

“Absolute classics.”

“Really bright and funny.”

Alljoy Design Redback Cards

Square cards Shine Moji

“A really good price point and kids love them.”

“Really popular with their reusable patches, especially the two-way sequinned ones.”

Adult Ages

Paper Salad

Hunky Dory

“They’re bright and smart.”

Art

English Graphics Silver Birch The Art File

General General General

“All of these offer good blank designs so you can write whatever you want.”

Cute

Louise Mulgrew

General

“A wide choice of good designs, simply drawn.”

Gift Wrappings

The Art File Printer Johnson Studio Boketto

General General General

“Brights sell well for us. The Art File’s hot pink one with the tigers, Printer Johnson’s one with seed packets, and the cherry wrap from Studio Boketto have been flying out.”

Rosie Made A Thing Estella Bartlett Jewellery

Coasters and Mugs Champneys Spa

“We can’t get enough of these! They fly out.”

“Good price point and come beautifully packaged. The Champneys Spa range has now been released to trade customers.”

Right: Louise Mulgrew’s Mini Cards.

Redback Cards Louise Mulgrew Children’s Right: Occasions from Charley Rabbit Studio.

Right: Redback’s Moji range.

Gifts

“Just very good – I really like these!”

“The meerkat ‘How Old?’ one is very good.”

Toni Bennett, owner of Saxon’s Photo, Shaftesbury.

Toni started with a weekly pop-up inside a local store then took over the lease.

Category

Name of Publisher

Product/Name Range

Comments

Everyday

International Cards & Gifts

Just To Say

“A newish range that’s going quite well when it comes down to price. Female relations are my bestsellers.”

Relations & Occasions

International Cards & Gifts General

Pavillion Sympathy

“A colourful male range” “Being in a retirement town, sympathy is a big seller.”

Humour

UK Greetings

Giggles Traces Of Nuts

“These are my most popular – people stand there laughing for ages.”

Children’s

IC&G

Giddy Up

“Bright and sparkly with fun characters.”

Adult Ages

IC&G

Year You Were Born

“A great keepsake. I go up to 100 in ages and relations.”

Art

UK Greetings

Camden

“Customers especially love the dog designs.”

Cute

IC&G

Barley Bear

“Very sweet for the children and adults.”

Photographic

Local artist

Gift Wrappings

UK Greetings

Flatwrap, rollwrap, bags, bows and ribbons

“The butterfly on a blue background as well as a blue and gold speckle are the most popular designs.”

Gifts

In house Amscan; Anagram; Unique, and Oak Tree

Personalised Balloons

“I do a lot of the gifting myself, personalised glass etching, printing mugs etc.”

“We sell a lot of balloons.”

Right: Just To Say from IC&G.

Right: UKG’s giftwrap range.

22 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

“Customers love them because they’re local.”

Above: In-house gifts work well.

PROGRESSIVE PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS GREETINGS WORLDWIDE WORLDWIDE 2193

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PRODUCT DIRECTORY

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To appear in the Product Directories contact Warren Lomax T: 020 7700 6740 email: warren@max-publishing.co.uk

l PRODUCT DIRECTORY

www.bugart.co.uk 0115 929 4776 enquiries@bugart.co.uk

or contact Tracey Arnaud T: 07957 212 062 email: traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

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THE GREATEST COLLECTION OF GREETING CARDS IN THE WORLD

To appear in the Product Directories contact Warren Lomax T: 020 7700 6740 email: warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact Tracey Arnaud T: 07957 212 062 email: traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

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PRODUCT DIRECTORY

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THE GREATEST COLLECTION OF GREETING CARDS IN THE WORLD

CHARITY GREETING CARDS One of the UK’s leading publishers of Charity Greeting Cards.

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To appear in the Product Directories contact Warren Lomax T: 020 7700 6740 email: warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact Tracey Arnaud T: 07957 212 062 email: traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

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PRODUCT DIRECTORY

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Enquiries: warren@max-publishing.co.uk or Tracey Arnaud traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

Great brands, Great service Bespoke planning We can help with all your planning requirements.

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020 7582 8244 info@paperlink.co.uk p a p e r l i n kc a rd s www.paperlink.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

To appear in the Product Directories contact Warren Lomax T: 020 7700 6740 email: warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact Tracey Arnaud T: 07957 212 062 email: traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

96 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

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PRODUCT DIRECTORY

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Market Leaders in

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entimen

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METHOD OF SALE: SENSATIONS – Direct to retail XPRESS YOURSELF – Now one of the leading wholesale publisher suppliers in the UK

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We offffer a COMPREHEN

range of high Greeting Cards f ALL Occasions,

CHRISTMAS an Season f Sale:

To appear in the Product Directories contact: warren@max-publishing.co.uk or Tracey Arnaud

mail: inffoo@words-nWeb: www We w..words-n-wishes.co.uk

Tel: 01942 233201

traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

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DIRECTORY OF WHOLESALE l DIRECTORY OF WHOLESALE

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WALES

98 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE

To appear in the Product Directories

warren@max-publishing.co.uk or contact Tracey Arnaud T: 07957 212 062 traceya@max-publishing.co.uk

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Leading Humour Card Publisher and d Gifting Supplier has an opportunity forr an experienced and d proactive Agent to jo oin the team.

The position openin ng is due to a longstanding retiremen nt covering the London area.

We’re entering an exciting new chapter and are lookking for a talented Creative Designer to join our team at a Deva Designs. This is a fantastic opportunity o for an experienced designer designer to become part of a well-established, market-leadin ng company known for working with major UK brands. You’ll have the chance to shape th he design function, bringing your creativity, ideas, and expertise to the forefront.

:+$7 :(t5( /22.,1* )25 At least 2 years’ experience in a design role (ideally within w the card or stationery industry) Strong skills in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photosh hop, InDesign) Experience or understanding of repeat pattern design n is a plus A keen eye y for design g and colour Up-to-date knowledge of design trends and market sstyles Strong time management and ability to multi-task A thoughtful and aspirational approach to creative w work

:+$7 :( 2))(5 A creative and collaborative environment The opportunity to work with industry-leading clients The chance to grow and define the design direction internally Salary reflective of your experience

HOW TO APPLY Send your CV, covering letter, and digital portfolio to andrew@devadesigns.co.uk Closing date: 31st August 2025 Shortlisted candidates will be invited to complete a live design brief as part of the second-stage interview.

If interested, please send a covering letter and CV to Faye R Richards at faye@rosiemadeathing. thing co.uk uk or call the office on 0116 406 40 06 2000

COMMERCIAL MANAGER HYBRID ROLE - REDRUTH, CORNWALL We’re looking for an experien nced Commercial Manager to join our talented team at Whistlefish HQ. We’re looking for a Comm mercial Manager to help guide Whistlefish through its next phase of development You’ll development.

You ll work c closely with our Managing Director and an nd Financial Controller to shape clear and achievable growth — identifying opportunities, setting ta argets, tracking performance, and leading impactful change. You’ll be a strategic thinker with a strong commercial background, but with a real understanding of creativity and the retail industry — so omeone who can recognise good ideas and knows how to turn them into meaningful, lasting growth h. With years of experience a and a practical, grounded approach, you’ll help us grow intto our next chapter.

If this sounds like you, we’d love to chat!

Email your CV & cover letter to: Cathrine@whiistlefish.com Hybrid working structure Job description provided upon reque est.

PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE 103

A cool collection of gift bags with smooth neon colours, design-led style and witty one-liners?

You’re welcome.

www.mint-publishing.co.uk OBC_PG September 2025.indd 1

17/08/2025 17:50