Stationery Matters Spring/Summer 2023

Stationery Spring/Summer 2023

MATTERS

Clairefontaine Evanescence Collection

INSPIRE, DESIGN, CREATE – LONDON STATIONERY SHOW 2023 FROM EDUCATION TO BUYING, TAKE A LOOK BEHIND THE SCENES OF THIS YEAR'S WORLD-LEADING EVENT

DOING IT FOR THE KIDS

CRAFT & MINDFULLNESS

THE LOVE OF LETTERS

The most dynamic products for the next generation of stationery lovers

Painting, sewing, drawing and more, and why it's good for the soul

DIGITAL DETOX: Handwritten notes, cards and words of wisdom...

a huge range of stationery, crafts and more…

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Secret Diary

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Pom pom Pen NS12501

Pencil Case Asst

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Counter Display

Exclusively Distributed By Toynamics Visit us at London Stationery Show – Stand G308

DA15206

Creative Sketchbook

DA15303

10-color Ballpoint Pen Asst

Contact Us: sales@toynamics.co.uk T: +44(0) 116 478 5230 | Web: www.toynamics.co.uk 10b Nursery Court, Kibworth Business Park, Kibworth Harcourt, Leicestershire, LE8 0EX

DA15305

Stationery Set

CONTENTS

Contents A little note...

The product development we’re seeing in the world of stationery is, simply put, outstanding. The trends emerging in design, fashion and architecture are quickly reflected in the industry, keeping things fresh and exciting for everyone. The demand for eco-friendly stationery is growing year-on-year, and 2023 is no different. Visitors to London Stationery Show will enjoy seeing all that the industry has to offer, as well as an inspiring entrance display dedicated to eco and ethically produced goods.

Through the pages of this issue, you’ll get a snapshot of what to expect at the exhibition, plus our top picks of the latest trends and themes sweeping the industry. We also meet two retailers, and get a behind the scenes glimpse of their businesses (from page 16). The Stationery Matters team know that mindfulness is hugely important for our wellbeing, and so we have loved researching the links between craft and self care. Take a look at our article on page 26. We also investigate children’s stationery, and focus on what the key trends are (page 30), and explore the world of letter writing and keepsake communication (page 28).

If you are looking for some business advice and guidance, one of the brilliant things about London Stationery Show is that you have access to a range of seminars and one-to-one educational sessions on site, as well as creative skills sessions. Take a look at what some of the experts will be focussing on on page 23, and read some of their words of wisdom from page 37.

See you at the show – don’t forget to register early: stationeryshow.co.uk

11Animal Fair

Anna-Marie DeSouza, Editor

The birds and the beasts unite! We love this fun trend.

Our favourite ar ticles SHOP TALK

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RETAIL TALK

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We meet Sarah Laker who tells us about running two stores in the North West, as well as her collaboration with National Stationery Week

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ith two shops in Cheshire, it’s no surprise to hear that Sarah Laker has always had a love of stationery. “I remember, as a teenager, going to the local stationers and really enjoying it. I always loved pens, paper and notebooks.” It wasn’t until her mid 30s that Sarah turned this passion into a job. She was a nurse, and was looking for a career change. “My husband and I started searching for a business that I could run.

Stationery Supplies in Marple was up for sale – the shop is in the town where the kids went to school.”

Sarah looked into acquiring the business, but found out she was too late, it had been purchased. She spent the next two years trying to find another shop that she loved as much, but couldn't.

It seems like fate that Stationery Supplies came back on the market in 2005, and Sarah’s dream shop was hers. “I walked in not knowing anything about running it,” she remembers. “I had never run a business before. I didn’t know accounts, I didn’t know how to buy, I didn’t know how to sell – I just knew it was what I wanted to do. I went from parttime nursing to six days a week in the shop! I was juggling the kids and home, too. The kids loved the shop, they regarded it as a home away from home.”

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1 This piece from Diarpell is one to watch.

The gorgeous mix of blue and sunshine tones brings with it the colours of a summer’s day. 2 The Kagito Marker set comprises 48 pieces – all the shades of the rainbow and everything in between. 3 The colour options of the Pentel iZee 4-Colour pens are amazing. The light blue barrel might just be our favourite, with sky blue, orange, pink and violet ink colours. 4 The Endless Recorder A5 Notebooks from Mann Inc come in a range of bold colours.

We adore the contrasting strap, which gives it an extra pop of fun. 5 The double nib of the Twink pen from Sun-Star Stationery should put this product on your radar. The water-based pen comes in an array of colourways, with over 15 options available.

6 A beautiful colour palette and the prettiest graphic design, this notebook from Once Upon a Tuesday is fresh, modern and fun. 7 We adore the flash of red on Snopke’s EVA Mesh Project Zippa Bag. It’s perfect for storing and carrying papers, pencils and craft objects. 8 Storigraphic’s Sweetpea Valentine wrapping paper is one of the boldest and most beautiful we have ever seen. Kitsch perfection. 9 The best primary colours and the finest paper and pens, there is nothing we don’t adore about Leuchtturm1917’s Bauhaus range. 10 A great gift for kids, family favourite Elmer the elephant is the star of this bright and fun Ring Toss set by Robert Frederick. 11 We adore the newest member of the Kaweco Collection at Studio Pens. The Toyama Teal fountain pen contains pearly pigments, inspired by the firefly squid that gather in Toyama Bay each spring.

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Sarah didn’t overhaul the shop straight away, she gave it time to settle in and find her feet. She wanted to see what worked, what didn’t and also, what products she really loved and believed in herself.

“There was a lot of very ordinary, very functional stationery, and I wanted something different,” she says. “I have always had a massive love of greetings cards, and this was the first thing I changed. From there I stared to incorporate more colour, more fun and interesting things that people really love to buy.”

Her passion for the shop and her eye for selecting the right products were a winning combination. So much so that a second shop was opened in October 2020.

The store, located in Wilmslow, had been a stationery shop for 11 years, and the previous owner was retiring. “The timing was tricky,” says Sarah.

“We first opened three weeks before the second lockdown. Then we had three weeks open, and then another lockdown. In the first six months we were only open for something like seven weeks.” As is her nature, Sarah managed to find the positives in the situation – the lockdowns gave her time to clean and tidy, get the shop organised and get new ranges in.

The suppliers between the two shops are very similar – about a 90% cross over. “I thought I would pick up the model from the Marple shop and have that in Wilmslow, but I have really had to tweak

things and learn along the way – the customers are really different. We are still welcoming in customers who haven’t been in since the pandemic!”

Sarah strongly believes in the power of social media and find this works brilliantly in marketing the two shops. Each store has its own Facebook page, plus there is a joint Instagram, LinkedIn and website, and they are even branching out into TikTok. “We are still building up the customer base in Wilmslow, but in Marple all the social media works really well. I can put a new product up online, and people will come in the next day to look at it.”

As well as social media, Sarah does a lot in the local communities to get the shops recognised and appeal to new customers. “In Marple I did a lot of community events and school fairs – I could take the shop out to people. In Wilmslow, because of the pandemic, those events haven’t been going on until this year, so now we are starting to get out more and meet people.”

One of the most brilliant things about Stationery Supplies is the level of personal customer service.

Going above and beyond for customers who have special requirements comes as standard. “We have been trying to give our customers a personal service; we have done private shopping appointments for people who are worried about social interaction, for example. We do the same for those with disabilities, or who can’t cope with busy environments. We also run occupational therapy sessions here – this lets families know that we have specialist equipment to help them. We can show them how things work and you can try the products and see what suits you.”

Sarah is fully up front about the joy she gets from being a fully fledged stationery geek, and has loved attending London Stationery Show since it started.

“I love everything about the show. I like looking for something new,” she says. “One thing I always do is have a wildcard. I give myself a set amount of money to spend on something new, which I’m not going to overthink buying! Over the years I have made some fantastic decisions and some terrible ones! Last year wasn’t really a wildcard, but I did my first Kaweco order. I was originally going to do it before the pandemic, so it felt like a long time coming. The show gives you time to talk to people and you can immerse yourself in it.”

As well as being a familiar face at the show, Sarah has always loved taking part in National Stationery

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03/04/2023 08:49

LONDON STATIONERY SHOW

CREATIVITY & MINDFULNESS

Getting your craft on is good for your wellbeing. Here’s what the experts have to say, as well as some top product trends

Hawthorn Handmade offers a variety of kits and supplies for embroidery, cross stitch, felting and more. Stephanie notes that customers looking into starting a new hobby should take a look at kits as a great entry level choice. “With a craft kit, you’ll get everything you need in one neat package – materials, tools, and even expert instruction if you need it,” she says. “Plus, with so many different types of kits out there – from embroidery to candle making to calligraphy – you can try your hand at a variety of crafts until you find your true love.”

Affordable craft

Hawthorn Handmade has a gorgeous range

Customers who fear that taking of kits to suit everyone, from beginners to experts up a new artistic hobby is too expensive don’t need to worry.

Pastel kits are popular There are crafts to suit every within their homes.” and easy to experiment with, like this selection person, and every budget. It can Creating something and then from Caran d'Ache be as simple as purchasing a set of displaying it at home to admire is pencils or watercolours, a stamp and ink – the basics. something that many modern crafters are aiming for.

“For example, our popular cross stitch mini kit range People want to see the fruits of their labour, and it retails for £7,” says Stitchfinity’s Annie. “We’ve made will bring joy each and every time they walk past it. them simple enough for beginners to have a go, “Crafters and amateur artists create pieces and without a massive outlay, but also satisfying for a pro artworks that often look a whole lot better stitcher, who wants a quick project.” framed,” says Roger Felton of Pop Up Frames.

“Firstly, find a craft that suits you and make a plan “Our frames enable you to create personalised on what you envisage your first project to be,” says picture walls, which you can frequently update.”

Paul Saki of Jakar, the exclusive distributor of Caran The frames come in three different kits; small, d’Ache, and other art materials, in the UK. “Start by medium and poster. You can easily cut and fit the purchasing the products to make that project, then frame to any size you need, just using a pair of add to your craft stash as you go. Invest in good scissors. “They come in a variety of colours including quality products that will give you longevity and can standard black, white and grey, as well as silver, gold, be used multiple times, creating multiple projects.” yellow and orange,” says Roger.

In terms of what is popular for Jakar, Paul tells us that pastels are a real highlight, as well as Crafting isn’t just a powerful mindfulness tool for minimalistic colour palettes. “Earthy-toned palettes adults, it’s great for the younger generations, too, and are gaining popularity in 2023, as they imitate the there are plenty of products available to meet the calmness and serenity we feel when experiencing needs of those consumers. “Mindful activities like nature or the outside world,” he says. “Neon artwork arts and crafts have the power to help is also trending, with many art children regulate their emotions, manage enthusiasts looking to create a home anxiety and decrease stress,” says Sam decor canvas to brighten up an area Ireland of Bigjigs Toys. “Spending time focusing on a screen-free craft project inspires kids to unlock their inner zen and immerse themselves in the present.”

We adore the Sam suggest looking at guided craft mindfullness kits kits that kids will enjoy and are easy-tofrom Stitchfinity follow. Items that don’t take too long to complete will also help to ensure kids don’t disengage. “Crafting teaches children how to express themselves in a safe and calm way,” says Sam. “And less is more here. What you want to do is set your little artists up with the tools they need, then give Kids love crafts too! them the freedom to get lost in imaginative worlds Bigjigs has some of their own creation! Open-ended stationary sets, wonderful immersive kids for children like Tiger Tribe’s Window Markers or Gemstone Glitter Goo, are perfect for this.”

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imply put, creativity and art is good for the soul. Spending time focussing on something that’s not work-related, that brings joy and lets you use skills you may not use elsewhere in your life is self-care in its highest form.

Learning a new craft or honing some already developed skills can stimulate the mind in a positive way, not only alleviating symptoms of anxiety, but relieving tension and stress. “Crafting is a great escape from screen time, which means we’re not being stimulated by the dreaded blue light,” says Stitchfinity’s Annie Gianini. “But it’s more than that. Particularly with cross-stitch, I find that there’s just enough concentration required that you can set aside all the stuff in your busy mind, but also the repetitive movements are soothing, and the sense of progress is great for self-belief.”

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Mindfulness for children

Crafters of all ages will enjoy this colourful and easy-to-follow origami kit from Clairefontaine

As a society, placing emphasis on mental health and general wellbeing is big news, and something that modern consumers place real value on. So, in business terms, knowing what the benefits of crafting are makes good sense. And being able to offer customers products that you know they’ll not only enjoy, but will have a positive influence on them, will mean they’ll come back to you again and again.

“Taking up a crafting hobby can be a gamechanger. When you’re completely immersed in a project, like crocheting a cosy blanket or creating a masterpiece with a paintbrush, you’re in the zone,” says Stephanie Carswell of Hawthorn Handmade.

“That state of mind is known as ‘flow,’ and it’s a magical place where time seems to stand still, and all your worries and stressors fade away. Crafting can also help you practice mindfulness by bringing your attention to the present moment, and allowing you to focus on the process rather than the outcome.”

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03/04/2023 09:05

News, views, top picks and products of the moment.

All things bright and beautiful. This selection of products packs a punch!

NATIONAL STATIONERY WEEK

This year National Stationery Week takes place from 15th–21st May and is a celebration of all things stationery!

Expect to see a brilliant mixture of competitions, giveaways and more – all aimed at shining a light on the industry, and showing the public the diversity and brilliance of the stationery market in the UK. “There are a lot of amazing big brands behind us, and there is so much going on. It is safe to say National Stationery Week will be back with a bang this year,” explains Sarah.

“Retailers can celebrate the brilliant work they do. They can enter the different competitions, make window displays, take up special offers that brands are providing and much more.” nationalstationeryweek.com

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12Lust List

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Week activities. She entered and won a window competition for her Marple shop and was overjoyed at the prizes and recognition. “Following from that I was asked to be a product judge for the Stationery Matters Awards for a couple of years. It was so exciting to be part of that,” says Sarah.

During the lockdowns, Sarah was a passionate campaigner for the stationery industry and for retailers who weren’t allowed to open their shops.

“Garden centres and other places could sell stationery, but we couldn’t. It just didn’t feel right – the demand for stationery in lockdown was so high,” Sarah proactively contacted radio stations, both national and local, newspapers, magazines and more to advocate for the industry. Her campaigning brought the industry together – and highlighted how great she was at bringing awareness to retailers.

So, when she was asked to coordinate National Stationery Week 2023, she jumped at the chance.

“I was overjoyed. It is something I am honoured to do and I am absolutely loving it,” she says.

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16The Stationer

We meet this online retailer and discuss how she set up shop.

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Sarah Laker tells us about her two stores, and National Stationery Week!

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CONTENTS

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21London Stationery Show

Everything you need to know about the 2023 exhibition.

22Show Features

The range of dynamic extras you can enjoy in London this May.

24All About Angel

Take a walk around the district near the exhibition centre.

26Creativity & Mindfulness

The experts discuss why craft is brilliant for those wanting to relax.

28Write Me A Letter

Moving away from digital comms, we look at cards and notes.

IN PARTNERSHIP: London Stationery Show & Young People’s Trust for the Environment For 2023, London Stationery Show is working in partnership with the Young People’s Trust for the Environment (YPTE). Don’t miss the Sustainability Matters feature at the front of this year’s show to find out more. The Young People’s Trust for the Environment (YPTE) is a charity that encourages young people’s understanding of the environment. It aims to give young people (and an increasing number of adults) clear and balanced information on a wide range of environmental issues, including climate change, plastic pollution, deforestation and endangered species.

This enables them to make informed decisions about how to live their lives in a way that gives greater priority to the preservation of the natural world.

The team...

Editor Anna-Marie DeSouza Art Editor Caroline Carpenter Sub editors Jennifer Grimble, Lucia Mandini Contributors Jennifer Grimble, Sam Smith, Rachel Emma Waring Portfolio Director Zoe Jobson Event Director Alex Butler Head of Sales Chantelle White chantelle.white@oceanmedia.co.uk Head of Marketing Ella O’Keefe Senior Marketing Executive Zara Meyers 6 STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS

Printed by CDT Associates Ltd Stationery Matters Ocean Media, Suite 6.04, Exchange Tower, 6th Floor, 1 Harbour Exchange Square, London, E14 9GE Tel: 020 7772 8300

30Kids' Corner

The top trends and products for young stationery lovers.

32LaunchPad

Take a look at this year’s six amazing winners.

34Stationery Matters Awards to Public 37Relating Relations Discover 2023's shortlist!

Read our Q+A with Nerrisa Pratt.

Importance of 38The Branding

Sam Smith of HELLO TIME gives her no-nonsense guide to branding.

Power of Content 41The Marketing

Everything you need to get started!

Guide to 42Your Products & Services

Take a look at the brands at the show, and read their product notes...

56Floorplan

Plan your route around London Stationery Show 2023.

58On My Desk Now

Time for a nosey at Martha Keith's favourite items.

Get Creative with

NEW additions to our brilliant Brush Sign Pen range

Brush Sign Pen Twin TWO BRUSH TIPS IN ONE PEN Broad brush one end, fine brush the other

Brush Sign Pen

6 stunning NEW shades inspired by the colours of the Mediterranean VACATION COLOURS

Perfect for beginners and improvers

PLUS! POINTLINER Try out the NEW colours and tip sizes in our ISO-compliant range

All this and much more on our stand M300 #lovepentelpens

www.pentel.co.uk

16-17 MAY 2023

BUSINESS DESIGN CENTRE www.stationeryshow.co.uk

Arts & Crafts

Diaires, Organisers & Calendars

Children’s Stationery

Filing & Storage

Gift Packaging & Wrap

Licensed Stationery

Notebooks & Journals

Once Upon a Tuesday

LEGO Stationery

HerDesignWorld

Office Stationery

Storigraphic

Exacompta

Pukka Pads

Greetings Cards

Letts of London

Puckator

Royal Talens

Envelopes & Packaging

Sustainable Stationery

Writing Instruments

Kaweco

edding UK

Andhand

t u o g n i d Stan

. y l t n a l l i br

. n a c I e s u a c e B

www.edding.com/en-uk Come and visit us at London Stationery Show on stand M310 to see our range of products, including the new 1340 Metallic brush pens.

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WE WENT TO THE...

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ANIMAL FAIR From pets to wildlife and sea-creatures, we can’t get enough of this trend

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1 The perfect birthday cards by HerDesignWorld – bright, fun and with amazing illustrations.

2 This brilliant Animal Map, by feather.ink, is a guide to teaching little ones about the creatures that live around the world. 3 Evoking Bambi vibes in all the right ways, this beautiful Quilled Doe & Fawn Greeting Card from Quilling Card feels like a piece of art. 4 Puckator’s Animal Kingdom notebook is perfect for adults and kids. The lush green background is filled with a collage-style design. 5 Bees are arguably one of the most important species on the planet.

Celebrate them with the gorgeous Buzz Retro 51 Tornado Ballpoint Pen by Mann Inc. 6 Purr-fect for cat lovers, we adore this kooky Stephen Cheetam bag by LOQI at Stone Marketing.

7 Genealityart’s Flying Octopus card is really unique and comes blank so can be used for any special occasion. 8 Available in over 20 colours, the Clever Fox Planner PRO has been designed to help plan everything, from a work-life balance to to-do lists. 9 Who doesn’t love animal print?

The cool styles from Pukka Pad will certainly stand out. 10 We adore the vintage vibe of these cool Safari Print Luggage-style Gift Tags by Hansel. 11 These erasable pens by Legami at Stone Marketing would make a brilliant gift (if you can bear to give them away).

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1 Font art at its finest. Imagine the joy of receiving this Big Love card by Floppy Toast. 2 Keep hydrated! The Urban Bottle by 24 Bottles from Stone Marketing has a fun and bright vibe. 3 Andhand’s Illusion Ruler is a great precision tool for linework, plus it is beautifully crafted to last a lifetime. 4 The Filofax Contemporary Collection of Refillable Notebooks are set to be a big hit. We adore the colour options and the contrasting elastic closures. 5 Add a touch of sparkle to artworks, crafts, letters and notes with these super-cool Gloss Paint Markers from edding. 6 We love the amazing Bambook – it’s an erasable notebook that can be used over and over. Write with the special marker, scan the page with an app to digitize notes, and then simply erase with a damp cloth. 7 This set of pens is a real abstract beauty. The Vasily Kandinsky, Several Circles 8-Pen Set by ACC Art Books would make a gorgeous gift. 8 Almost too cool for school – we are swooning over the pop of colour from the Geometric Set from FIRST 9 Metacil from Sun-Star works like a pencil, but never needs sharpening! The core is made of a special metal and graphite mix, and it isn't water soluble, so is ideal for working alongside watercolours. 10 Get your craft on! Embroidery is having a real moment, and the It's Cool to be Kind Embroidery Kit by Hawthorn Handmade is one of our favourites.

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SHOPPING

News, views, top picks and products of the moment… here’s the stationery we’re hankering for this season. Take a look and find your favourite, from cards to pens, craft supplies and more

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11 Mann Inc’s Albert Retro 51 Tornado Rollerball and Pencil set would be an ideal university or graduation present. 12 Novelty products don’t come much better than this set of Road Trip Car Erasers by Rex London. 13 Not only is the Nu:Evolve notebook carbon neutral, it has been beautifully designed. The geometric honeycomb pattern gives it real aesthetic appeal. 14 Available in a range of colours, the iconic Caran d'Ache 888 Infinite Ballpoint Pen is as popular as ever. 15 Want ideas for adorable pencil storage? Look no further than the Legami Kawaii 2-In-1 Soft Silicone Pencil Case at Stone Marketing. 16 We adore the Letts of London Wanderlust Collection, with its bright illustrations showing gorgeous scenes from around the world – can we jet off to sunnier climes? 17 The Bullet Journal Drehgriffel is a stunning new writing instrument from Leuchtturm1917. Both the tip and the twist head are made of brass and add extra character, and the black barrel is made of lacquered aluminium to give it added finesse. 18 Artists will adore the quality of Ecoline's Liquid Watercolour Bottle from Royal Talens. It can be used straight out of the bottle with a brush or pen, or applied direct to artwork using the pipette. 19 We can't get enough of the vintage vibes of these Reading List bookmarks from Lione and Sheikh. 20 Developed to be the first plastic-free project book of its kind, the Silvine A4+ Zero Plastic Project Book is also suitable for SEN learning. The soothing paper tones create aesthetically pleasing notes and support SEN requirements.

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All these frame formats made from the Small Pop-up Frame kit (15-30cm)

Framing reframed See how at Stand G206

Introducing paper frames. Made from FSC certified high quality card, each Pop-up FrameTM kit can be easily assembled to a lightweight 2.5cm box edge tray frame in multiple sizes in a few minutes with just a pair of scissors. At a price that suits crafters, students, schools and anyone filling their walls on a budget.

Pop-up FramesTM are ideal add-ons for on and offline craft, art, photo, print, poster and gallery shops.

UK Patents: GB2559609B GB2572341B US Patent: US10,588,434 EUIPO Trademark 17868192 ©Differentiate Design Limited

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Step into the spotlight with these bright tones and primary shades

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1 This piece from Diarpell is one to watch.

The gorgeous mix of blue and sunshine tones brings with it the colours of a summer’s day. 2 The Kagito Marker set comprises 48 pieces – all the shades of the rainbow and everything in between. 3 The colour options of the Pentel iZee 4-Colour pens are amazing. The light blue barrel might just be our favourite, with sky blue, orange, pink and violet ink colours. 4 The Endless Recorder A5 Notebooks from Mann Inc come in a range of bold colours.

We adore the contrasting strap, which gives it an extra pop of fun. 5 The double nib of the Twink pen from Sun-Star Stationery should put this product on your radar. The water-based pen comes in an array of colourways, with over 15 options available.

6 A beautiful colour palette and the prettiest graphic design, this notebook from Once Upon a Tuesday is fresh, modern and fun. 7 We adore the flash of red on Snopke’s EVA Mesh Project Zippa Bag. It’s perfect for storing and carrying papers, pencils and craft objects. 8 Storigraphic’s Sweetpea Valentine wrapping paper is one of the boldest and most beautiful we have ever seen. Kitsch perfection. 9 The best primary colours and the finest paper and pens, there is nothing we don’t adore about Leuchtturm1917’s Bauhaus range. 10 A great gift for kids, family favourite Elmer the elephant is the star of this bright and fun Ring Toss set by Robert Frederick. 11 We adore the newest member of the Kaweco Collection at Studio Pens. The Toyama Teal fountain pen contains pearly pigments, inspired by the firefly squid that gather in Toyama Bay each spring.

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RETAIL TALK

THE STATIONER We meet Tessa Sowry-Osborne who tells us about her cool online shop, and its cleverly curated collection

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ith its beautifully curated collection, clean aesthetic and cool vibe, The Stationer is a gorgeous online shop that stationery geeks swoon for. Run by Tessa Sowry-Osborne, the shop stocks some iconic brands, such as Kaweco and Blackwing, along with some joyful products from the likes of Scout Editions and Midori.

Tessa tells us that she has loved stationery from a young age. She recalls spending hours in WH Smith, scouring the aisles for the perfect pencil case, and then taking even more time to select the items to go in it. “My most coveted items were my Yikes pencils and fountain pen,” says Tessa. “I also had a Petite Post Office, which I’d play with for hours on my own. I think that, along with my Funfax, really planted the seed of stationery obsession when I was little!”

Tessa tells us that this obsession continued into adulthood: “To the point that I started a blog about it in 2014, writing about my favourite items and doing reviews. After a couple of years of that, the natural next step was to open an online shop, which I did in December 2016, selling a curation

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of some of my favourite things.”

The Stationer started out selling a small selection of items that Tessa says were chosen based on her own taste, rather than anything scientific. “We started by offering a selection of products from brands like Kartotek, a Danish company that produces beautiful paper goods, some lovely things from Katie Leamon, some brass goods from Midori, desktop items by Hightide and Penco, Blackwing pencils, and some loveliness from Mark + Fold, who make notebooks of the highest quality.”

What’s in stock?

The shop has evolved over the past few years, but the edit has always been in line with Tessa’s tastes and what is selling well. “Quality products are incredibly important to me, so I hope my customers can trust that the products I choose will be beautifully designed and function well.”

In terms of what does well for The Stationer now, there is a diverse mix. Tessa tells us: “The Tous Les Jours Ballpoint by Mark’s Inc is definitely having a moment, due to a TikTok I did about them going a little bit viral. Le Pens, the fineliner by Japanese brand Marvy Uchida, also

SHOP TALK

does really well. In terms of paper products, my own Mini Shapes Planner and To Do Pads are popular, along with Fictional Hotel Notepads by British brand Herb Lester Associates – the Rosebud Motel (from Schitt’s Creek) and Grand Budapest Hotel ones sell the best.”

With the ever-changing market, keeping an eye on suppliers and what does well for the shop is key to the business’s success. So, we asked Tessa about how to pick suppliers and her tips on selecting the right items for her audience. “Quality, aesthetic and sustainability play a big part in my decisionmaking process,” she says. “And when looking at new suppliers, their minimum order quantities, minimum order values, postage costs and lead times are important.” She outlines that, as a small business, it’s important to be able to try new products in small quantities before committing to too much. “I don’t want to end up stuck with loads of stock that just doesn’t end up being right for my shop or customers.”

print style and aesthetic I’m obsessed with), which I then foiled over. I hadn’t seen anyone do this before and it came out really well. I’m looking forward to making a lot more.”

Running the store obviously brings Tessa a lot of joy, and with business doing well, long may this continue. Aside from making her own products, we asked Tessa if there were any other favourite aspects of the job – and her answer is that of a true stationery fan. “Getting to buy stationery guilt free! And packing orders – I still love that, even six years and thousands of orders later.”

NEW ADDITIONS

Take a look at Tessa’s five latest products and why she loves them…

LE PENS – "These are a Japanese favourite of mine – I sell them in 18 colours."

Staying relevant

Keeping relevant and being seen by the right customers obviously plays a huge part in the success of any online retailer. So how does Tessa achieve this? Top of her list is the quality of the brands. But of course, marketing and branding is important, too. “I have a fairly recognisable aesthetic – clean and colourful,” she says. “Social media plays a big part in getting seen. Particularly on Instagram and TikTok, which is a recent thing for me, but does seem to drive a lot of sales.”

Another impressive, and unique, element is that The Stationer has its own line – a range of notepads. Tessa tells us she spent a long time choosing the perfect paper, that is fountain pen friendly, and also is sustainably made. She spent longer still perfecting the layout. “I’m about to do a new print run of these, which is a bit nervewracking as it will be the biggest and most expensive print run I’ve done thus far, by a long way,” she says. “I bought a hot foil press from the 1980s last year, and have been slowly getting to grips with it. I have produced a range of cards of my own designs, which I had Risograph printed (a

SCOUT EDITIONS STICKY MEMOS – "Both super cute and really useful."

TOUS LES JOURS BALLPOINT – "These are having a real moment!"

ZEBRA MILDLINERS – "These aren’t new, but always sell well!"

POI CO 3-IN-1 PLANNERS – "These are such great quality and people love them."

STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS 17

RETAIL TALK

STATIONERY SUPPLIES We meet Sarah Laker who tells us about running two stores in the North West, as well as her collaboration with National Stationery Week

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ith two shops in Cheshire, it’s no surprise to hear that Sarah Laker has always had a love of stationery. “I remember, as a teenager, going to the local stationers and really enjoying it. I always loved pens, paper and notebooks.” It wasn’t until her mid 30s that Sarah turned this passion into a job. She was a nurse, and was looking for a career change. “My husband and I started searching for a business that I could run.

Stationery Supplies in Marple was up for sale – the shop is in the town where the kids went to school.”

Sarah looked into acquiring the business, but found out she was too late, it had been purchased. She spent the next two years trying to find another shop that she loved as much, but couldn't.

It seems like fate that Stationery Supplies came back on the market in 2005, and Sarah’s dream shop was hers. “I walked in not knowing anything about running it,” she remembers. “I had never run a business before. I didn’t know accounts, I didn’t know how to buy, I didn’t know how to sell – I just knew it was what I wanted to do. I went from parttime nursing to six days a week in the shop! I was juggling the kids and home, too. The kids loved the shop, they regarded it as a home away from home.”

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Sarah didn’t overhaul the shop straight away, she gave it time to settle in and find her feet. She wanted to see what worked, what didn’t and also, what products she really loved and believed in herself.

“There was a lot of very ordinary, very functional stationery, and I wanted something different,” she says. “I have always had a massive love of greetings cards, and this was the first thing I changed. From there I stared to incorporate more colour, more fun and interesting things that people really love to buy.”

Her passion for the shop and her eye for selecting the right products were a winning combination. So much so that a second shop was opened in October 2020.

The store, located in Wilmslow, had been a stationery shop for 11 years, and the previous owner was retiring. “The timing was tricky,” says Sarah.

“We first opened three weeks before the second lockdown. Then we had three weeks open, and then another lockdown. In the first six months we were only open for something like seven weeks.” As is her nature, Sarah managed to find the positives in the situation – the lockdowns gave her time to clean and tidy, get the shop organised and get new ranges in.

The suppliers between the two shops are very similar – about a 90% cross over. “I thought I would pick up the model from the Marple shop and have that in Wilmslow, but I have really had to tweak

SHOP TALK

things and learn along the way – the customers are really different. We are still welcoming in customers who haven’t been in since the pandemic!”

Sarah strongly believes in the power of social media and find this works brilliantly in marketing the two shops. Each store has its own Facebook page, plus there is a joint Instagram, LinkedIn and website, and they are even branching out into TikTok. “We are still building up the customer base in Wilmslow, but in Marple all the social media works really well. I can put a new product up online, and people will come in the next day to look at it.”

As well as social media, Sarah does a lot in the local communities to get the shops recognised and appeal to new customers. “In Marple I did a lot of community events and school fairs – I could take the shop out to people. In Wilmslow, because of the pandemic, those events haven’t been going on until this year, so now we are starting to get out more and meet people.”

One of the most brilliant things about Stationery Supplies is the level of personal customer service.

Going above and beyond for customers who have special requirements comes as standard. “We have been trying to give our customers a personal service; we have done private shopping appointments for people who are worried about social interaction, for example. We do the same for those with disabilities, or who can’t cope with busy environments. We also run occupational therapy sessions here – this lets families know that we have specialist equipment to help them. We can show them how things work and you can try the products and see what suits you.”

Sarah is fully up front about the joy she gets from being a fully fledged stationery geek, and has loved attending London Stationery Show since it started.

“I love everything about the show. I like looking for something new,” she says. “One thing I always do is have a wildcard. I give myself a set amount of money to spend on something new, which I’m not going to overthink buying! Over the years I have made some fantastic decisions and some terrible ones! Last year wasn’t really a wildcard, but I did my first Kaweco order. I was originally going to do it before the pandemic, so it felt like a long time coming. The show gives you time to talk to people and you can immerse yourself in it.”

As well as being a familiar face at the show, Sarah has always loved taking part in National Stationery

Week activities. She entered and won a window competition for her Marple shop and was overjoyed at the prizes and recognition. “Following from that I was asked to be a product judge for the Stationery Matters Awards for a couple of years. It was so exciting to be part of that,” says Sarah.

During the lockdowns, Sarah was a passionate campaigner for the stationery industry and for retailers who weren’t allowed to open their shops.

“Garden centres and other places could sell stationery, but we couldn’t. It just didn’t feel right – the demand for stationery in lockdown was so high,” Sarah proactively contacted radio stations, both national and local, newspapers, magazines and more to advocate for the industry. Her campaigning brought the industry together – and highlighted how great she was at bringing awareness to retailers.

So, when she was asked to coordinate National Stationery Week 2023, she jumped at the chance.

“I was overjoyed. It is something I am honoured to do and I am absolutely loving it,” she says.

NATIONAL STATIONERY WEEK

This year National Stationery Week takes place from 15th–21st May and is a celebration of all things stationery!

Expect to see a brilliant mixture of competitions, giveaways and more – all aimed at shining a light on the industry, and showing the public the diversity and brilliance of the stationery market in the UK. “There are a lot of amazing big brands behind us, and there is so much going on. It is safe to say National Stationery Week will be back with a bang this year,” explains Sarah.

“Retailers can celebrate the brilliant work they do. They can enter the different competitions, make window displays, take up special offers that brands are providing and much more.” nationalstationeryweek.com

STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS 19

LONDON STATIONERY SHOW

The ultim destin ate for arts, ation cra writing & fts, paper bu yers

LONDON STATIONERY SHOW 2023

London Stationery Show returns to the Business Design Centre this May. Expect two days of buying, education, networking and inspiration for your business

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rom 16 – 17th May 2023, hundreds of suppliers and buyers will unite in the capital for two fantastic days of innovation, education and trendspotting. With a fresh new look and over 200 brands, this year’s show is set to be the best yet.

According to some of the show's many exhibitors, it’s clear to see that sustainability and eco-friendly products are at the forefront of next season's ranges. Following on from its success in 2022, the show will put sustainability front and centre, with an entrance display dedicated to eco and ethically created products and brands. To help reduce waste at the show, you'll be asked to return your lanyards at the end of your visit, if you no longer need them.

London Stationery Show prides itself on its interactive features, which sit alongside the exhibitors. The show team understands that taking time away from the shop or office needs to be as value packed as possible, so there is an emphasis on gaining extra inspiration, education and developing skills, to ensure a good ROI for you and your business.

This year will see the return of the exhibition's popular education programme, with both the Retail Matters Live Talks and Indie Matters Business Advice Clinics… See page 22 for more information. Visitor favourite, Creative Matters has a stellar programme for 2023. If you’ve not attended a session before, then it’s a must for this year. You’ll be able to see the products in action and get a real understanding of the quality – as well as being inspired by what these products can do. See page 23 for a snapshot of the line-up.

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

Dates – Tuesday 16th & Wednesday 17th May 2023 Venue – Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, London, N1 0QH Opening times –

Tuesday 09.30 – 17.00 Wednesday 09.30 – 16.00 Registration – Free of charge for stationery buyers and retailers. Register at stationeryshow.co.uk

STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS 21

SHOW FEATURES BOUTIQUE COLLECTION

INDIE MATTERS Don’t miss out on the opportunity to meet with leading industry experts for 1-2-1 sessions during this year’s show. These free clinics will give you the opportunity to talk about your business with a business coach.

Make sure you book and allow 30 minutes for your appointment.

CREATIVE MATTERS

The Creative Matters Workshops are the perfect way to get hands-on with the most unique and innovative products on the market, as well as master the correct techniques to use them. Learn how to get the most from your chosen products, and gain ideas that you can take away and use to attract customers to your store.

Brands including Jaker International, Manuscript Brands, Quilling Card, edding, Exacompta Clairefontaine, Perfect Planner Company, Colop UK, Clever Fox and Royal Talens will be running sessions at this year’s show. The free-to-attend workshops will take place across the Tuesday and Wednesday and visitors must pre-book when registering to attend the show. l Creative Matters is sponsored

by Jakar International Ltd. 22 STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS

Stand out from the crowd by uncovering gorgeous designer stationery, exclusive gifts and more at the Boutique Collection.

Global consumer and design trends are quickly reflected by the stationery industry, and at the Boutique Collection you will find beautiful original designs, great stationery gifts and more.

The Boutique Collection allows retailers the chance to discover something original for their shop. This carefully curated section of the show is centred around innovation, as quirky, independent suppliers present their product offerings. If you're looking for something new to wow customers with, the Boutique Collection is designed with retailers in mind.

AWARDS SHOWCASE Don’t miss this year’s shortlisted Stationery Matters Awards' products on the Mezzanine level.

Categories include: Working from Home, Sustainable Stationery, Arts & Crafts, Writing Instruments and many more.

LONDON STATIONERY SHOW

RETAIL MATTERS

LIVE TALKS

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he Retail Matters Live Talks run throughout the day on both the Tuesday and Wednesday of the show. These 30-minute sessions are designed to tackle key business areas and deliver actionable advice for you to take back to your business.

This year’s speakers include:

MARTHA BROOK LONDON

SPEAKER: Martha Keith SESSION: VIDEO CONTENT: YOUR SECRET WEAPON TO GROW ON SOCIAL MEDIA IN 2023 DESCRIPTION: Hear from Martha Keith, founder of award-winning stationery brand Martha Brook, on why short-form video is the best way to grow on social media in 2023. Discover her hits and tips on how to get your brand seen with Instagram Reels, TikTok and more.

THE RESILIENT RETAIL CLUB

SPEAKER: Catherine Erdly SESSION: SIX VITAL NUMBERS TO HELP YOUR BUSINESS THRIVE IN 2023 DESCRIPTION: It’s no secret that 2023 is a challenging year for many business owners. In difficult times, we need to be more tuned-in to key numbers in our business that will identify areas of improvement and provide a path for growth. In this talk, small business and retail expert Catherine Erdly will outline the numbers you need to know.

HELLO TIME

SPEAKER: Sam Smith SESSION: BRANDING AND YOUR BOTTOM LINE DESCRIPTION: Being small doesn’t mean you can’t stand out. You have a voice and a vision, but how do you visually communicate it? Award-winning designer and branding consultant Sam Smith from HELLO TIME will show you the effects branding and visual communication can have on your bottom line, and shares her four fundamental tips for branding you can take away and apply.

UNTLD PROJECT

SPEAKER: Nerrisa Pratt SESSION: PR FOR BEGINNERS DESCRIPTION: Nerrisa Pratt is the founder of Untld Project, a craft enthusiast, and lives and breathes independent business. Join her as she chats through PR for beginners and everything you need to know about getting your brand featured in the press.

RACHEL WARING

SPEAKER: Rachel Emma Waring SESSION: BE THE ART DIRECTOR OF YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA DESCRIPTION: Staying consistent with posting online is challenging, but your social media is one of the best ways to get found by your customers.

In this live talk, Rachel will share how you can step up as the art director of your socials, and help you bring as much creativity into your marketing as you do to your products.

STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS 23

LONDON STATIONERY SHOW

AREA GUIDE

ALL ABOUT ANGEL Angel, Islington, isn’t just a name on the Monopoly board, it’s one of the most vibrant and exciting places to spend time in London

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et on Upper Street, the Business Design Centre is in the heart of Angel, Islington. It’s one of the most diverse and exciting areas of the capital, and much loved for its mixture of hustle and bustle alongside a gorgeous village vibe. The area takes its name from The Angel – a historic landmark and series of buildings set at the confluence of Islington High Street and Pentonville Road. But there’s so much more to discover than the namesake zone.

Refuel

When you’re not at the exhibition and are looking for somewhere to refuel, you couldn’t be in a better spot. The streets are literally lined with cool cafes and restaurants serving cuisines from all over the world. Even more tempting… London Stationery Show visitors have access to a series of special discounts that the exhibition team has secured. Frederick’s is a family-run restaurant and bar with a gorgeous relaxed atmosphere. Treat yourself to a range of modern European food, along with the enviable wine list – exhibitors and badge holders can get 20% off their food bill. If you are looking for something delicious and totally unique, Kipferl is the only authentic Austrian restaurant and café in London. You’ll love the traditional dishes, with everything from käsespätzle to wiener schnitzel, and for those with a sweet tooth, classic sachertorte – visitors to the show will get 15% off their bill. If you are in the market for something low key and relaxed, you can’t go wrong with Wagamama. And if you head there for a meal, you’ll get complimentary gyoza with every purchase of a main.

Shopping

As independent shop owners, it’s only natural to want to take a look at other thriving and unique businesses. And Angel is the ideal place to do this.

Just a stone’s throw from the Business Design Centre, you’ll find Camden Passage. This pedestrian-only street is brimming with hidden gems, independent boutiques, cafes, galleries and more. If you want to see what the local stationery geeks are into, then head to Etc, where you’ll find 24 STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS

a quirky mix of cards and gifts. You should also check out HAYGEN – a lifestyle store with a beautifully curated collection of contemporary homewares, fashion and gifts. Another place to get inspired is Japanese Gallery, which specialises in Japanese woodblock hand prints. The shop also stocks a range of anime and manga-related pieces, as well as vintage posters.

Have fun

If you want to make the most of your Angel experience, then heading out in the evening for some fun should be top of your list. Start your night at Bubba Oasis, a characterful coffeecocktail bar with a magical hidden rooftop terrace – just 50m from the Business Design Centre.

Visitors to the show can enjoy 3-for-2 on drinks. If you want a team activity, then you’ll enjoy the crazy golf experience at Birdies. Who doesn’t love cocktails and putting? For groups of under 10, guests of London Stationery Show can enjoy 2-for-1 golf, using the code StationeryShow2023-241 at checkout when booking. For groups of over 10, Birdies will offer a round of golf and a house drink for just £15pp – email info@playbirdies.com quoting The Stationery Show 2023. Darts more your thing? Flight Club is a social darts experience that’s thoroughly entertaining – show visitors can get 25% off food and drink, between 12pm-6pm.

TRAVEL The Business Design Centre is a short walk from Angle tube station on the Northern Line, and Highbury & Islington station, which has the Victoria Line on the underground, is linked to the Overground network and has mainline trains, too. Even better, the bus network serves this part of town well – there are 12 different routes leading there.

Or if you are planning to drive, there is a 237-space car park on-site – but book your spot ahead of time.

CREATIVITY & MINDFULNESS

Getting your craft on is good for your wellbeing. Here’s what the experts have to say, as well as some top product trends

Crafters of all ages will enjoy this colourful and easy-to-follow origami kit from Clairefontaine

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imply put, creativity and art is good for the soul. Spending time focussing on something that’s not work-related, that brings joy and lets you use skills you may not use elsewhere in your life is self-care in its highest form.

Learning a new craft or honing some already developed skills can stimulate the mind in a positive way, not only alleviating symptoms of anxiety, but relieving tension and stress. “Crafting is a great escape from screen time, which means we’re not being stimulated by the dreaded blue light,” says Stitchfinity’s Annie Gianini. “But it’s more than that. Particularly with cross-stitch, I find that there’s just enough concentration required that you can set aside all the stuff in your busy mind, but also the repetitive movements are soothing, and the sense of progress is great for self-belief.”

26 STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS

As a society, placing emphasis on mental health and general wellbeing is big news, and something that modern consumers place real value on. So, in business terms, knowing what the benefits of crafting are makes good sense. And being able to offer customers products that you know they’ll not only enjoy, but will have a positive influence on them, will mean they’ll come back to you again and again.

“Taking up a crafting hobby can be a gamechanger. When you’re completely immersed in a project, like crocheting a cosy blanket or creating a masterpiece with a paintbrush, you’re in the zone,” says Stephanie Carswell of Hawthorn Handmade.

“That state of mind is known as ‘flow,’ and it’s a magical place where time seems to stand still, and all your worries and stressors fade away. Crafting can also help you practice mindfulness by bringing your attention to the present moment, and allowing you to focus on the process rather than the outcome.”

LONDON STATIONERY SHOW

Hawthorn Handmade offers a variety of kits and supplies for embroidery, cross stitch, felting and more. Stephanie notes that customers looking into starting a new hobby should take a look at kits as a great entry level choice. “With a craft kit, you’ll get everything you need in one neat package – materials, tools, and even expert instruction if you need it,” she says. “Plus, with so many different types of kits out there – from embroidery to candle making to calligraphy – you can try your hand at a variety of crafts until you find your true love.”

Affordable craft

Hawthorn Handmade has a gorgeous range

Customers who fear that taking of kits to suit everyone, from beginners to experts up a new artistic hobby is too expensive don’t need to worry.

Pastel kits are popular There are crafts to suit every Creating something and then and easy to experiment with, like this selection person, and every budget. It can displaying it at home to admire is from Caran d'Ache be as simple as purchasing a set of something that many modern pencils or watercolours, a stamp and ink – the basics. crafters are aiming for. People want to see the fruits “For example, our popular cross stitch mini kit range of their labour, and it will bring joy each and every retails for £7,” says Stitchfinity’s Annie. “We’ve made time they walk past it. them simple enough for beginners to have a go, “Crafters and amateur artists create pieces and without a massive outlay, but also satisfying for a pro artworks that often look a whole lot better stitcher, who wants a quick project.” framed,” says Roger Felton of Pop Up Frames.

“Firstly, find a craft that suits you and make a plan “Our frames enable you to create personalised on what you envisage your first project to be,” says picture walls, which you can frequently update.”

Paul Sacki of Jakar, the exclusive distributor of Caran The frames come in three different kits; small, d’Ache, and other art materials, in the UK. “Start by medium and poster. You can easily cut and fit the purchasing the products to make that project, then frame to any size you need, just using a pair of add to your craft stash as you go. Invest in good scissors. “They come in a variety of colours including quality products that will give you longevity and can standard black, white and grey, as well as silver, gold, be used multiple times, creating multiple projects.” yellow and orange,” says Roger.

In terms of what is popular for Jakar, Paul tells us that pastels are a real highlight, as well as Crafting isn’t just a powerful mindfulness tool for minimalistic colour palettes. “Earthy-toned palettes adults, it’s great for the younger generations, too, and are gaining popularity in 2023, as they imitate the there are plenty of products available to meet the calmness and serenity we feel when experiencing needs of those consumers. “Mindful activities like nature or the outside world,” he says. “Neon artwork arts and crafts have the power to help is also trending, with many art children regulate their emotions, manage enthusiasts looking to create a home anxiety and decrease stress,” says Sam decor canvas to brighten up an area Ireland of Bigjigs Toys. “Spending time within their homes.” focusing on a screen-free craft project inspires kids to unlock their inner zen and immerse themselves in the present.”

Sam suggests looking at guided craft We adore the mindfulness kits kits that kids will enjoy and are easy-tofrom Stitchfinity follow. Items that don’t take too long to complete will also help to ensure kids don’t disengage. “Crafting teaches children how to express themselves in a safe and calm way,” says Sam. “And less is more here. What you want to do is set your little artists up with the tools they need, then give Kids love crafts too! them the freedom to get lost in imaginative worlds Bigjigs has some of their own creation! Open-ended stationery sets, wonderful immersive kids for children like Tiger Tribe’s Window Markers or Gemstone Glitter Goo, are perfect for this.”

Mindfulness for children

STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS 27

WRITE ME A LETTER…

Handwritten notes, greeting cards and letters are having a real moment.

Technology may make communicating fast, but slow, personal messages are worth their weight in gold – not to mention the paper they are written on

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This brass pen from Andhand makes hand writing a joy – it would be an ideal gift, too

echnology is ingrained into our everyday lives – our phones allow us to communicate via apps, text, voice note (and more) wherever we are, as long as we are awake and have a signal. Not to mention the access to social media… and emails…

The point of this article isn’t to diminish the importance of this type of communication – it is not a bad thing. Making human interaction easier, albeit remotely, is such an important thing for wellbeing. However, this ease of connection also means that we’re used to constantly receiving quick snippets of information and news from people, and it’s commonplace to read messages, emails and Instagram posts on the go – quite simply, there is nothing special about it. “Everyone has such a volume of information coming through on their phones, that when someone does genuinely attempt to connect digitally with a heartfelt message, it is, quite frankly, lost amongst the sea of emails, social posts and WhatsApp group chats,” says Simon Donald of Andhand. “Digitally, things last for just an instant, whereas receiving a card has far greater duration. They can be cherished and also displayed in the home.”

With this in mind, that’s probably the reason why taking time out to write a letter, send a card, or jot down notes to a friend feels extra special.

Something handwritten and personal is a joy to send to someone because we know what a sheer joy it is to receive. The card and notecard market is reflecting this, with sales booming in relation to thank you cards, blank cards, greeting cards and notelets, as well as writing implements – especially the resurgence in popularity of fountain pens.

Thank goodness that e-cards never really took off.

“A handwritten card to a friend who needs support will be irreplaceable, notes in your child’s lunch box will be remembered decades later (far more than a text), and if a birthday card from a loved one is kept and found years later, it's still able

28 STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS

Looking for something fun and fresh? We love these cute creations from HerDesignWorld

to elicit an emotional connection,” says Veronica Beretta of Quilling Card's “Letter writing is vital to our connection with friends and loved ones. It is incomparable to any other form of communication in this digital age.”

So, what are the trends? From Quilling Card's point of view, it is about items that can become keepsakes. “The trends that have been most notable to me are handmade, tactile and keepsake cards,” says Veronica. “All designers in the industry are striving to create a card that is not disposable, but instead can become a lasting keepsake, either displayed in a frame as home decor or a pop up that becomes a decorative centrepiece.”

LONDON STATIONERY SHOW

"Letter writing is vital to our connection with friends and loved ones. It is incomparable to any other form of communication in this digital age."

Jennifer Tune, who’s eponymous brand specialises in luxury paper goods, tells us that, due to demand, she has increased the brand’s rage of ‘feel good’ cards. These are, she says, greetings cards that can be sent for no particular occasion, but that will make someone smile or feel good. “My favourites have to be the gold foil ‘you are magic’ and the ‘you are blooming wonderful’ card which is new for 2023.

Sending a card is such a simple thing, but one that can mean so much,” she says.

She has also noticed that notecards are gaining traction on the market. “Having a set of notecards in your desk, ready for you to pen a note to a friend or loved one, is just a stationery lover’s dream,” says Jennifer. “Notecards should be a thing of beauty, too. If you are taking the time to send a note then it should look beautiful. I created a luxury notecard set, which contains five neutral notecards all with a beautiful, waved edge and finished with gold foil.”

Of course, it’s not all about the cards and notepaper; the equipment we use to write letters is important, too. Writing with a good quality pen, especially if it has been gifted by someone special, helps to create something of genuine emotional value. “It’s rare nowadays to receive a gift that lasts a lifetime, but a good quality pen has the potential to do this, and there’s something really nice about that – not only sustainably but also emotively. Pens are also the ultimate tactile object, when you have a really good one with the right balance and feel it can really enhance the experience of writing,” says Simon of Andhand.

In terms of trends, Simon tells us that over the past year or so he has been moving back towards fountain pens. “I love the flow of the ink and the haptic feedback you get from it,” he says. “We recently launched Andhand’s first fountain pen, built on ‘buy once’ principals. It is precision machined from solid brass and fitted with a Schmidt nib and ink convertor. The weight and materiality make mine such a joy to use, and being raw brass it’s already started to gain some great patina.”

Notecards are a big seller for Jennifer Tune.

Our favourite is this Thank You note with its scalloped top and embossed lettering

Above: A beautifully crafted set from feather.ink.

This image: Quilling Card has a stunning artists range, perfect for recipients to keep and display. Left: Esterbrook's Estie Botanical Gardens fountain pen is perfect for writing special letters and cards STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS 29

The Book Of You from Colour Chronicles is an interactive keepsake that will be treasured for years to come

Make colouring in the rainbow easy with these Jumbo Grip pencils from Faber-Castell

H OT TREND

KIDS’ CORNER

From back-to-school essentials to the latest craft buys, five leading stationery brands reveal the hottest kids’ trends

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very year, innovative new toys hit the market and become instant best-sellers, and the stationery world is no different.

There’s always something to discover – and your customers are on the hunt for anything that will surprise, delight, and engage their children. We know keeping up with what’s in can be tricky, so we asked five leading stationery brands to give us the inside scoop. From what’s big in crafting and gifting, to the items every child will be begging to add to their pencil case, these are the products you can’t afford to overlook…

New in

It goes without saying that kids need moments of mindfulness just as much as we do, but it can be challenging to find arts and crafts that keep them entertained long enough to have an impact. That’s where multi-functional stationery comes in – and this season it’s big news. “We’re seeing a trend for products that offer various play opportunities,” explains Abi Gardner of Toynamics. “Think colouring sets 30 STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS

with an extra dimension. Innovation, and being able to offer customers something different, is key.”

Toynamics’ Nebulous Stars Paint By Stickers books allow children to get creative, and are filled with messages that introduce them to the practice of meditation. They’re akin to adult colouring books and painting by numbers sets, but with childfriendly, astronomy-themed stickers. “Each workbook contains 14 picture cards, with a numbercoded fantasy image, which can be brought to life with over a thousand stickers and more than 50 rhinestones,” says Abi. Likewise, Nebulous Stars Black Colouring books allow kids to use neon gel pens to bring beautiful designs to life.

“These put a creative spin on classic colouring and feature 60 black pages and eight neon gel pens. Each design stands out against the black backdrop, resulting in incredible patterns that inspire creativity,” says Abi. Aimed at kids of seven and over, both products have the added benefit of improving self-love, and self-expression. “These unique creativity sets have lots of play value and embrace Colourful and fun, we positive attitudes towards wellbeing. They can't get enough of LEGO's Buildable Ruler

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LONDON STATIONERY SHOW

keep children entertained and encourage personal development.”

Faber-Castell’s Black Edition range is another highly popular product that has a similar effect.

“Black Edition is such a unique and exciting product,” says Sarah Edwards, Faber-Castell’s brand manager at Stone Marketing. “It allows children to draw on black paper in vivid colours. The packaging looks great and the wood casing allows each pencil to stand out. The variety of colours is second to none, enabling all to unlock their full creative potential.”

Over at Robert Frederick, it’s all about games and stationery that engage on more than one level. “A key trend is products that keep children busy, with activities such as painting, colouring and sticking,” says brand manager Andrew Kersey. “Journaling kits for tweens are incredibly popular. They help with concentration and wellbeing, as well as creativity.”

The brand’s Paint Your Own bird houses and bug hotels are a big hit and encourage children to engage with nature while getting crafty. “We’re also launching some new outdoor games for preschoolers, which help with social interaction and hand-eye coordination.”

Personal growth is also key at Colour Chronicles.

“Mindful gifting is trending right now,” says Ruth Sturdy. “People think about how they spend their money and like to give gifts with longevity. Books can be treasured for years to come.” At Colour Chronicles, children are really connecting with two products. “The Book of You is a childhood record book that’s filled out once a year, with questions for the child from age three. The questions mature with the years, and it becomes a tradition to sit and capture the year gone by.” Similarly, The Book of Me & You is a keep-forever gift for children and grownups to share. Designed with every family in mind, the journal is great for capturing memories that might overwise be forgotten. The books are available in six shades, with a clean design inside so handwriting, drawings and photos can take centre stage.

Back-to-school

In the stationery game, there’s nothing quite like back-to-school season! Every year, there are countless new products that children go crazy for, and this year it’s all about playfulness and iconic characters.

“LEGO® is always on trend,” says Charlie Stockbridge of Manuscript. The company has a fantastic portfolio, including sought-after LEGO® Stationery and Bag Tags, which enable kids to show off their personalities. “Aimed at children, teenagers and AFOL (adult fans of LEGO®), our LEGO® collection includes starter stationery sets, buildable rulers, mechanical pencils and more. Each product is embedded with LEGO® brick technology, so you can write, build and play with your stationery.”

Puckator has noticed that customers are seeking stationery that enhances their work or study

Kids will have a roarsome time with Puckator's Dinosauria range

Toynamics' Nebulous Stars Paint By Stickers will be a hit with young artists

Get creative indoors and out with the Gruffalo Bug Hotel from Robert Frederick

environment, and the brand’s Minecraft and Original Stormtrooper ranges have been flying off the shelves.

“These are brands that many get excited for, in particular kids and teenagers,” says the company’s Sofia Lindell. “Due to their popularity, we’re bringing out brand-new designs and products, including Minecraft pen toppers.”

Puckator’s Dinosauria and Dinosauria Jr ranges have also proved popular, with its pencils being amongst its top sellers. “With their cartoon designs and bright colours, these ranges appeal to children of all ages and there’s a product for everyone,” Sofia says. “The Japanese Kawaii art style, which is all about cuteness, is also trending and influenced our Adoramals collection.”

Offering great value for money, Toynamics’ Nebulous Stars 3-Tier Pencil Case provides a complete stationery set with added extras. “It features a collection of deluxe pencils and markers, an activity pad, and accessories like collectible erasers, all with the Nebulous Stars branding,” says Abi Gardner. Finally, Faber-Castell’s fantastic pencils are perfect for all school bags. Its Jumbo Grip range was designed for younger children and each pencil features a thick, triangular barrel that effortlessly fits little hands. “The patented Soft-Grip zone ensures comfortable drawing, while the water-soluble pigments mean you can draw then apply water with a paintbrush to create beautiful watercolour images,” says Sarah Edwards. For older kids, the Grip 2001 Pencil is ideal for writing, drawing and sketching, and was designed for fatigue-free work.

Whatever you're looking for, there’s stationery, craft kits and gifts for every store – and every child.

STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS 31

LAUNCHPAD

SHOWCASING NEW STATIONERY Meet the creatives and the changemakers set to take the stationery world by storm. Here are the dynamic brands that won 2023’s exciting competition Curlicue

made from 100% recycled paper. Its beautiful designs are bespoke and exclusive, created by a diverse and eclectic mix of independent artists and illustrators. “All our designs are done in collaboration with artists and illustrators. We value sustainability and design equally. With us, customers don’t have to compromise on design to choose sustainable products,” says the company’s Hema Stewart. curlicue.uk

Lione and Sheikh

botanical illustrations,” says Amirah. “We pride ourselves on having unique, illustrative and decorative designs that have become recognisable for their distinct style in many small retailers, artisan markets and online stores.” lioneandsheikh.co.uk

Some traditional gift wrap products are made with materials that can’t be recycled (think glitter and foiling), which isn’t ideal for a society that's striving to be more sustainable.

Step in Curlicue. The company was launched to fill the gap in the market for beautiful gift wrap that is also eco-friendly.

Curlicue offers a range of gift wrap and accessories that are plastic-free, vegan and UK-

Jennifer Tune

The Jennifer Tune brand creates modern, minimalistic greeting cards, prints and gift wrap. With a luxurious feel, each product has been created with sustainability in mind and blends contemporary typography, tactile paper and specialist print techniques. Combining a typographic design with hot foil print technique, each card is one of a kind. All of the paper goods are created with responsibly sourced 32 STATIONERYSMATTERS.NEWS

paper, and eco-friendly plastic-free packaging is used, too.

“The texture of the paper, along with the metallic foil and the indentation on the paper make our greetings cards incredibly tactile, which is hard to portray online,” says Jennifer. “The cards need to be seen in real life, to be touched and felt. They have been described by customers as ‘the most astonishing and original cards’.” jennifertune.co.uk

Lione and Sheikh is a small, UK-based business that creates handmade and illustrative art and stationery products, all made in London. It was founded in 2021 by best friends Hope Lione and Amirah Sheikh. “We are a small women-owned business that handmakes and illustrates our product ranges,” says Amirah.

The brand has a broad range of products, from beautifully illustrated greeting cards to handprinted artworks “We focus on minimalist pop culture designs and

LONDON STATIONERY SHOW

Ladies Let’s Plan

Created by Camille Turner, The Ladies Let’s Plan Epic Planner Range was developed to help people strategise their everyday planning, capture memories and plan out their ultimate goals. “Our planners are made with high quality materials and are finished with luxury details and strong binding for long lasting use,” explains Camille.

“We have also added a sticker bundle to each planner for that fun element, which will help your clients use their planner more efficiently. Our planners are undated.”

“Our Epic Planner stands out from the crowd and is guaranteed to grab your attention,” says Camille. “This is not just any planner but a guided, journal keepsake.” ladiesletsplan.com

CAYANA

CAYANA is a new company that celebrates prints on all surfaces, with a focus on notebooks, stickers, pencil holders, gift wrap and puzzles. The products are created by Ana Cayana, a creative entrepreneur, designer and mum, who has the dream of inspiring and connecting with people through her prints and stories. “When I moved to London, I discovered the world of print design and my entire life changed,” says Ana. “I saw the possibility to transform ordinary things into fun and joyful products.” CAYANA also has a range of wallpapers that are

Moonducks Design

Moonducks Design sells handmade notebooks made from recycled paper.

The notebooks are crafted from various upcycled materials and come in more than 30 colours. The Beer range, for example, has covers made from genuine brewer’s spent grain.

This gives the paper an earthy texture, which is unique in both how it looks and how it feels. The Brew line is made from upcycled disposable coffee

THE COMPETITION

‘stick on, peel off,’ enabling interior spaces to be updated easily. “Our prints are fun, and engaging,” says Ana. “They make the perfect gift to a loved one or to yourself.” wearecayana.com cups, which were destined for landfill, transformed into beautiful paper.

There are other lines, too, which are all made from interesting and sustainable materials. “All our packaging is biodegradable or compostable and all our products are recyclable,” says Moonducks Design’s Laszlo Forras.

“Consumers are always looking for new products, and ours are ecofriendly, made from recycled materials and can be branded if needed.” moonducksdesign.com

To showcase new talent in the industry, LaunchPad is a competition for fledgling stationery brands from the team behind London Stationery Show. As well as uncovering new names, the competition, which has been running since 2017, provides the winners with a platform to help boost their businesses, by putting them in front of the best retailers in the sector at the exhibition. Ella O’Keefe, Head of Marketing at London Stationery Show, says: “This year there are six winners – each one has a really fresh offering that we know retailers will be inspired by. We are delighted to be able to offer new businesses the opportunity to showcase their products on the UK’s biggest stationery stage.”

STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS 33

STATIONERY MATTERS Stylish pens from Andhand

AWARDS

Here’s the shortlist of industry icons and gamechangers – take a look the categories and see who could be taking home one of 2023’s outstanding accolades The brightest colours by The Pilot Pen Company

Sustainable products from Coffeenotes

Susel & Co's gorgeous illustrations

ARTS & CRAFTS

MAPED HELIX Maped Creativ Dino Factory COLOP UK LTD COLOP e-mark go MANUSCRIPT BRANDS 48 Premium Watercolour Pencils QUILLING CARD Create-a-Quill DIY Quilling Kit | Everyday THE PILOT PEN COMPANY (U.K.) LIMITED Pintor STAMPTITUDE Custom Wax Seal Stamp

Aquarel Store Box Multi IG DESIGN GROUP UK A4 13 Pocket Expanding File SNOPAKE LTD EVA Mesh Zippa Bag Foolscap Pastel Blue TINNE+MIA Coco Pencil case - Wool - Evergreen CLEVER FOX PLANNER Clever Fox Budget Planner & Bill Organizer ESTERBROOK FROM STUDIO PENS Esterbrook Pen Roll

CHILDREN'S STATIONERY

GIFT PACKAGING & WRAP

HOXTON STREET MONSTER SUPPLIES Monster Mail: Letter Writing Pack MAPED HELIX Maped Color’Peps Infinity Colouring Pencils STONE MARKETING Faber-Castell Connector Pen Unicorn Snow Globe COLOUR CHRONICLES The Book of You: A record of childhood PUKKA PADS 520-word B5 Vocab Book FEATHER.INK Animal Alphabet notelets for kids (pack of 10)

DIARY/ORGANISER/CALENDAR

ONCE UPON A TUESDAY Large Monthly Undated A3 Wall Planner COFFEENOTES Coffeenotes Monthly Planner EXACOMPTA CLAIREFONTAINE (EXACLAIR LIMITED) Clairefontaine Evanescence Mini Planner CLEVER FOX PLANNER Planner PRO Premium HELLO TIME HELLO TIME Planner PERFECT PLANNER COMPANY 2023 Family and Lifestyle Planner edding has a great eco range

FILING & STORAGE

EXACOMPTA CLAIREFONTAINE (EXACLAIR LIMITED) Exacompta

34 STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS

GENEALITYART 'Perry' Wrapping Paper KEEP THIS CRACKER Reusable Christmas Crackers you can pull STORIGRAPHIC Storigraphic x Hornsea® Heirloom Double-Sided Wrapping Paper MAKING MEADOWS Otter Wrapping Paper CASCAYDE Twinkling Stars 24mm Eco Friendly Paper Tape AUDSEMPORIUM LTD 10 sheets of Animal Wrapping Paper

LICENSED STATIONERY

MANUSCRIPT BRANDS 10 LEGO® STAR WARS™ LIGHTSABER™ Gel Pens EXACOMPTA CLAIREFONTAINE (EXACLAIR LIMITED) Clairefontaine Inkebana Notebooks IG DESIGN GROUP UK Paw Patrol Artist Pad PUCKATOR LTD. Minecraft Fine Tip Pen DANILO PROMOTIONS LTD Star Wars Musical Advent Calendar RETRO 51 Retro 51 Tornado Smithsonian Collection Rollerball Pen – Corona Pen NMAAHC

Sister Paper Co offers amazing illustrations

Exacompta Clairefontaine is known for its quality

Giftwrap by Genealityart

LONDON STATIONERY SHOW

Get organised with Once Upon a Tuesday

NOTEBOOK/JOURNAL

MANUSCRIPT BRANDS Pininfarina Segno, Banksy Girl with Balloon Notebook STONE MARKETING Legami My Notebook – Medium Lined – Holo Fairy EXACOMPTA CLAIREFONTAINE (EXACLAIR LIMITED) Rhodia Metallic Goalbooks MOONDUCKS DESIGN Urban Foxes notebook CLEVER FOX PLANNER Clever Fox Gratitude Journal THIS WEEK'S LITTLE TWEAKS This Week’s Little Tweaks: Sleep & Rest Journal LEUCHTTURM1917 Sketchnote Journal LADIES LET'S PLAN Epic Planner Range

NOVELTY STATIONERY

SUN-STAR STATIONERY Mogu Mogu Zoo-Tabletop Cleaner MANUSCRIPT BRANDS LEGO® Iconic Notebook w/ Gel Pen – Minifigure theme STONE MARKETING Legami Erasable Pen Set of 3 - Wild Savannah STABILO INTERNATIONAL GMBH STABILO mixed set STABILO Pastellove

by Hannah Rabenstein wallet 35 ESTERBROOK FROM STUDIO PENS Esterbrook Bee Pageholder – Rose Gold MAKING MEADOWS Florist Shop Front A5 Writing Paper

SOCIAL STATIONERY

Leuchtturm1917 offers an array of colours

Tinnie + Mia is a contemprary brand

SUSEL & CO Afternoon Tea Writing Set STONE MARKETING MIDORI Multiple Packed Letter Set 762 Geometry EXACOMPTA CLAIREFONTAINE (EXACLAIR LIMITED) Pollen Eucalyptus Correspondence Boxes STABILO INTERNATIONAL GMBH STABILO BOSS ORIGINAL

by Ju Schnee wallet 4 MAKING MEADOWS Double Sided A5 Writing Paper With Blue Flowers SISTER PAPER CO. Desert Adventure Card FROM YOU TO ME Personalised book of Giftable Tickets

SUSTAINABLE STATIONERY

EDDING edding 24 EcoLine highlighter PENTEL (STATIONERY) LTD. EnerGel Eco 96 Pen PUKKA PADS Pukka Planet Cork Pencil Case COFFEENOTES Coffeenotes Medio Wirebound Notebook – Creme EXACOMPTA CLAIREFONTAINE (EXACLAIR LIMITED) Exacompta Maïa Pencil Case STONE MARKETING Faber-Castell Black Edition Colour Pencils Set of 100 SNOPAKE LTD EVA Mesh HC Project Zippa Bag A3 Black STABILO INTERNATIONAL GMBH STABILO Grow fountain pen KAWECO FROM STUDIO PENS Kaweco Brass Sport Fountain Pen THE PILOT PEN COMPANY (U.K.) LIMITED B2P EcoBall – Ballpoint pen

WORKING FROM HOME

ANDHAND Hoop Tape Dispenser ONCE UPON A TUESDAY Rainbow Colour Block Notepad – daily time blocking planner SUN-STAR STATIONERY Lightia – To Do Sticky Memo ESTERBROOK FROM STUDIO PENS Esterbrook 2Go Pen Cup PERFECT PLANNER COMPANY 2023 Business and Lifestyle Planner THE PILOT PEN COMPANY (U.K.) LIMITED Set2Go

WRITING INSTRUMENT

ANDHAND Method Pen Mini - Brass SUN-STAR STATIONERY Metacil MANUSCRIPT BRANDS Pininfarina Segno Forever Modula Black EXACOMPTA CLAIREFONTAINE (EXACLAIR LIMITED) Jacques Herbin Kenzo Takada Calligraphy Gift Set STONE MARKETING Caran d'Ache x Paul Smith 4th Edition 849 Ballpoint Pen TOM'S STUDIO The Lumos

Stunning colours from Perfect Planner Company

Work from home by the Pilot Pen Company

LEGO is a favourite, from Manuscript Brands

Tom's Studio is one to watch

STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS 35

LONDON STATIONERY SHOW

RELATING TO PUBLIC RELATIONS We chat to Nerrisa Pratt of Untld Project about boosting your brand, and why the power of PR is nothing to be scared of!

Many people seem daunted by PR. So, going back to basics – what is PR? An easy way to understand public relations is to say that it's a lot like advertising, but you have to convince a journalist to do it for free. Especially for small businesses, paying for advertising can be costly. So, if there is a way to promote yourself for free, why wouldn’t you try and do it?

Thinking about PR on a local level, what is a good starting point? There are two different things to think about. First, you need to understand what your local media is – you have to research. In the past, people have come to me and asked how to get in the local media, but they don’t read it and they don’t know what the titles are, nor who the audience is. So, get an understanding of your local media, subscribe to those titles. As an aside, we often recommend getting a Readly subscription – it allows you to search for different titles and read them, and also search for press coverage.

OK, so the second thing – know your audience.

For example, you might love Stylist magazine and would really love to appear in it, but does your audience read Stylist? If not, then it’s not right for you. Make sure you know who your customer is, what titles they read, what shows they watch, what blogs they read – you need to do PR with strategy. There is no point getting featured in a magazine if your customer isn’t looking at it.

Tell us a little more about strategy. Do you need expert help? It can be helpful to get an expert opinion, but if budget dictates that’s not possible, strategy is about making sure the stories you are placing in the media are working for you. Even if you only do one or two things a year, you have to make sure they work for you and the right people are seeing it. When you do get press coverage, make sure you share it – post it on LinkedIn, put it on your website, send it to your suppliers.

How do you figure out something to say, or what to promote? Everyone is an expert at something, and figuring out your USP is key. There is something that you do in your business, or it could be the reason you started the business, that press will be interested in. What makes you stand out from the crowd? You can also look at trends and popular conversations. For example, do you have a product that is a solution to a problem? Do

you have items in a certain colour, and that colour has just been named as Pantone Colour of the Year?

Do you have to be an expert writer? What about photography? It is a good idea to have a press release, as journalists are used to working with these.

If you find writing about yourself to be a struggle, ask someone to look at your website or brochure and pick out their favourite things about you and your business. You can then stitch those things together. On to images. I believe these are essential.

People don’t always like to hear this because photography does come at an expense. However, you can use them for so much – your website and social media, as well as for press.

What sort of images would you recommend? At least one photo of yourself. And then your products in-situ – what we call a lifestyle shot. Don’t be afraid to show you writing something, having your hands in the photo, having things placed in an arrangement – you want to be able to look at the picture and tell exactly what product can do for you. Also, journalists will always ask for cut-outs, which is basically the product on a white background. Canva has a background remover feature which can help. Work smarter, not harder!

NERRISA PRATT

NERRISA PRATT IS THE FOUNDER OF UNTLD PROJECT, A PR, MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA AGENCY SPECIALISING IN CREATIVE, CRAFTY AND INDEPENDENT BRANDS. NERRISA IS A CRAFT ENTHUSIAST, AND LIVES AND BREATHES INDEPENDENT BUSINESS.

STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS 37

EXPER A DV I C T E

THE IMPORTANCE OF

BRANDING

If you want to stand out from the crowd and have a strong presence on the high street, Sam Smith of HELLO TIME explains where to start

I

n today’s highly competitive retail landscape, branding has become increasingly important for UK retailers to establish a strong presence. As more big retailers go bump, it’s the perfect opportunity for independents to stand out from the crowd and build more of an emotional connection with their customers.

Branding is essential for creating that emotional connection, because it will communicate a look and feel unique to your business. Conveying your values and your messaging in the correct tone of voice is important as it talks directly to your customer.

Great branding builds trust and loyalty, and ultimately drives sales and revenue. This article will explore the importance of branding for retailers like you and how it can contribute to your success.

A strong brand identity is critical for businesses to differentiate themselves from competitors. With so much competition on the high street and online, it can often be difficult for customers to distinguish between stores. Creating a unique look and feel for your store (bricks and mortar or online) can make you more memorable and attractive. In addition, a well-crafted brand can communicate a unique value and personality that sets you apart from your rivals, resulting in a loyal customer base who are more likely to choose you over your competitors.

38 STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS

Before we go any further, let’s be clear, a strong brand identity isn’t just a logo. It’s the fonts you use, the colours, photography style, graphics devices, patterns, and the tone of voice you use when speaking to your audience, whether verbal or written. This combination will create a visual identity, also known as distinctive assets, that you can use to communicate your brand.

If you want your brand to inspire loyalty, you need to create an emotional bond between your customers and your store. You need to make your customers feel part of something important – when you get it right, you won’t just have customers; you’ll gain fans.

With the rise of digital advertising and social media, it is estimated that the average person now encounters between 6,000 and 10,000 ads daily.

So, it can be challenging to cut through the noise, establish credibility, and be seen. A dynamic, consistent brand will help you stand out naturally; helping to develop a positive perception that can lead to increased loyalty, repeat business, and positive word-of-mouth referrals. Creating a relationship brand, not a transactional one, has a deeper meaning in your customers’ lives. Your visual communications are paramount to creating that deep emotional relationship with your audience, so it’s time to give it more thought.

LONDON STATIONERY SHOW

8 TOP TIPS

Clear steps to getting started:

Before you evaluate your branding, revisit your mission and vision, why you exist, and where you are going, and look at your promise to your customers.

Make sure that it aligns with the way you look and communicate. Use visual cues to communicate those values, like materials in-store, colours on your website, and the types of packaging that you send orders out in. Ask yourself if it is consistent, and most importantly, does it all align with your vision?

For example, we know consumers are increasingly conscious of the products they buy and their social and environmental impact. By aligning your brand values with those of your customers, you can establish a sense of shared purpose and create a more meaningful connection with them. In addition, promoting sustainability and ethical sourcing can attract customers who value those same principles and are willing to pay a premium for products, thus establishing a reputation for quality and reliability. A strong brand can also help retailers expand into new markets and product categories, as customers are more likely to trust a brand they are familiar with.

Getting familiar with a brand involves creating a consistent customer experience across all touchpoints, from your website and social media to a physical store. This consistency helps to build trust and develops a sense of professionalism and reliability. When they know it’s you talking to them, they are more likely to stop and listen. If a company’s branding is solid and consistent, you should be able to recognise them instantly based on their unique set of distinctive assets.

So, start by making sure you have a proposition for your audience, an invitation to be a part of something special. A clear proposition can help to differentiate you from your competitors, build trust with customers, communicate your values and contribute to long-term growth. This stuff is so powerful, but so underrated amongst the small business community. These are the building blocks that ultimately lead to the Coca-Cola red, the Tiffany blue and the Nike swoosh. Building a brand with longevity is about investing in it early.

As the retail industry continues to evolve, and more and more independents find their way onto the high street, the greater the competition. So, establish your brand now by investing time and money into your branding – it will help you to stay relevant and be successful.

1 Define your brand’s personality, values, and unique selling proposition (USP). Consider what sets you apart from competitors and what type of experience you want to create.

2 Develop a brand voice by describing how you want to communicate with your customers.

Doing this could include the tone of your messaging, the language you use, and the overall personality you wish to convey. For example, should it be playful and engaging or high-end and sophisticated?

3 Come up with a name and invest in branding.

First, choose a name that is memorable and reflective of your offering. Then, with the help of an experienced designer, develop a set of distinctive assets that will be recognised and associated with your brand. Your assets will include a colour palette that reflects and resonates with your customers. Consistently using colours across all branding materials is crucial and is one of the most straightforward and distinctive assets you can apply and own.

4 Reflect your proposition in a tagline. Catchy and memorable, something that captures your brand's essence and resonates with customers.

5 If you already have an established brand identity, try gathering all your comms together in one place (Pinterest board or physically on a table), so you can evaluate how consistent your branding is, or how aligned it is to your current or dream customers.

6 If you have several people on your team helping to create your communications, it’s prudent to develop a simple set of guidelines for using your brand identity consistently across all marketing materials, including fonts, imagery, and design elements.

7 Make sure your brand is consistent online and on social media. Don’t get swept away with pretty graphics. Instead, stick to your own unique look and feel. Remember your customer is looking for you, so make sure they see you.

8 Ensure your brand experience is consistent in-store or when sending orders out. Consider your store’s visual merchandising, design, window displays, product packaging, and overall customer experience, including customer service. It should all be aligned.

SAM SMITH Sam Smith is the founder of HELLO TIME and the creator of the HELLO TIME Planner. She is a hands-on, creative and branding specialist with over 27 years of unique design experience. Sam has worked across many market sectors, from motorbikes to groceries, members clubs to clothing and construction to education, with multi-national start-ups and small businesses alike. Her core skills and specialism lie in branding, covering everything from design for print, and digital to environmental branding.

STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS 39

LONDON STATIONERY SHOW

THE POWER OF

CONTENT MARKETING In terms of social media, image is everything. Expert Rachel Emma Waring gives her top tips on good aesthetics for your Insta

A

s a stationery brand, you know the importance of good design and aesthetics. Your products are not only functional but also help your customers to express themselves creatively!

So it makes sense that the way you promote your products would need to harness that same spirit of creativity and self expression, right?

As a creative marketing consultant, one of the first areas I help people with is their Instagram feed. The aesthetic of your Instagram feed helps deliver the first impression that your potential customers get of your brand. It's a visual representation of your brand's personality, values, and style.

Does this mean that your Instagram feed has to be perfectly polished, with an expertly curated grid and super rigid posting pattern? Not at all! That may have been the case in the early days of Instagram, but now your aim is more about cohesion than perfection.

It sets the tone for your brand: Your Instagram feed is a visual representation of your brand's identity.

It's an opportunity to showcase your brand's values, style, and personality. By creating a cohesive look and feel throughout your content, you can communicate to your customers what your brand is all about.

For example, as a stationery brand, you might want to convey creativity, inspiration, and organisation. Your color scheme, photo composition, and overall design style should reflect these values.

It helps you build community: In a world where

social media is getting more overwhelming every day, having a visually appealing Instagram feed can help you stand out. People who love stationery are often drawn to aesthetically pleasing visuals, so having a cohesive and visually appealing feed can help you find the right customers for you. If your aesthetic is strong, it builds trust with the viewer.

Things that help build trust include using highquality images, cohesive color schemes, and compositions that make sense for your brand.

Remember, your feed should be a reflection of your brand's style and values, and the more you reflect those in your content, the more you’ll attract your ideal customers.

It creates brand recognition:

Cohesion is key when it comes to creating brand recognition. By maintaining a consistent look and feel throughout your Instagram feed, you can create a brand identity that’s instantly recognisable as YOU. This will help your followers and potential customers recognise your content and associate it with a particular style or aesthetic.

As a stationery brand, you’ll also want to bring this level of cohesion throughout your other marketing platforms, and even in things like your packaging. This will help create a cohesive and recognisable brand identity across your whole online presence.

Between 70-93% of all communication is non-verbal, so when you think about it like that, a picture really is worth a thousand words. The aesthetic you put across is doing exactly that for your potential customers. It’s painting a picture that helps them work out if your products are for them. So the more clearly you can get that message across, the better it’s going to be.

If you’d like to give the aesthetics of your Instagram feed a bit of an overhaul after reading this, try these three tips to get started: l Choose a color scheme that reflects your brand's personality and values. l Use high-quality images and interesting compositions to create visually appealing content. l Think about what makes your brand unique, and how you can bring a bit of that personality into your visuals.

Remember, we’re not aiming for R AC H E L is a styli turned st polished perfection, but what we st rategist, and help creative s are aiming for is something that s to blen d visuals and sale s, special expresses the true creative potential ising in Pinterest training of your products, and the personality and content creation . Find of your brand. Creating a visually out more at rachelem appealing Instagram presence is a mawarin g.com constant process and involves a bit of experimentation, but the payoff is worth it.

STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS 41

YOUR GUIDE TO

PRODUCTS & SERVICES ADHESIVES & TAPES • Bio Tape M420 • Cascayde G216 • Curlicue LPAD3 • Essentials M420 • FIRST M106 • Hansel G108 • Kuretaki M503 • Maildor M400 • MIDORI M512 • MT masking tape M512 • Nebulous Stars G308 • Ocean Hughes G112 • Pentel M300 • Pentel Arts M300 • Pukka Pads M218 • Pukka Post & Packaging M218 • Rhino M420 • Sandart M605 • Sun Star Stationery G224 • The Stationers' Company M202 • TOWER M606 • Ultimate M420 • UltraStick M420 • Ultratape M420 • WB G302 • WIZARD G302 • Zig M503 ARTS & CRAFTS • Artgecko Sketchbooks M210 • Akademi Çocuk M325 • artPOP! M212 & M110 • Avenue Mandarine M400 • Beatrix Potter M416 • Bigjigs Toys G312 • Bio Tape M420 • BLOCKX M400 • Bruynzeel M314 • Caran d'Ache M418 • Cascayde G216 • Clairefontaine M400 • Coffeenotes G200 • COLOP M304 • Daler-Rowney M224 • Décopatch M400 • Dino World M320 • DinosArt G308 • Draw With Rob M416 • Ecoline M314 • EcoWrite M402 • Elmer M416 • Essentials M420 • Faber-Castell M512 • FIRST M106 • Goldbuch M226 • Green Toys G312 • Gruffalo M416 42 STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS

• Hahnemühle G318 • Hape - Arts & Crafts G308 •H awthorn Handmade G306 • Jacques Herbin M400 • Jakar M418 • Kagito M306 • Koh-I-Noor M212 & M110 • Kuretaki M503 • L EGO Stationery, Lights & Bag Tags M212 & M110 • Luxor M402 • Maildor M400 • Makedo G312 • Manuscript M212 & M110 • Miss Melody M320 • MT masking tape M512 • Nebulous Stars G308 • NeeDoh G312 • NU: Notebooks M600 • Ocean Hughes G112 • Paddington M416 • PANART M118 • Pelikan M512 • Pentel M300 • Pentel Arts M300 •P ercy The Park Keeper M416 • Pintor M524 • Plastiline M400 • Pop-up Frames G206 •P OSCA paint markers M508 • Princess Mimi M320 • Quilling Card M316 • R.K.Burt & Co. M516 • Railex M226 • Rhodia M400 •R ichard Cooper Cottage Studio Fine Bone China G300 •R ichard Cooper Studio Mice G300 • Rosa M418 • Royal & Langnickel M308 • Sakura M314 • Sandart M605 • Schneider M512 • Silvine M210 •S TABILO International Gmbh M206 & M302 • STAEDTLER M422 • Stifflex M418 • STITCHFINITY G304 • Sun Star Stationery G224 • Talens Art Creation M314 • The Abstract Bee G100 •T he Lionheart Tales M212 & M110 • The Stationers' Company M202 • The Very Hungry Caterpillar M416 • Tiger Tribe G312

• Tombow M512 • TOPModel by Depesche M320 • TOWER M606 • TRENDS by Depesche M320 • Ultimate M420 • UltraStick M420 • Ultratape M420 • Ultratwine M420 •u ni-ball writing pens M508 • Ylvi M320 • Zig M503 CHILDREN’S STATIONERY • artPOP! M212 & M110 • Beatrix Potter M416 • Bruynzeel M314 • Caran d'Ache M418 • Clairefontaine M400 • Colour Chronicles G126 • COLOURWORLD G302 • Cre8 Direct M406 • Dino World M320 • DinosArt G308 • Draw With Rob M416 • Elmer M416 • Faber-Castell M512 • feather.ink G114 • FIRST M106 • Goldbuch M226 • Green Toys G312 • Gruffalo M416 •G uess How Much I Love You M416 • Hansel G108 • Heart Felt Tips G301 • Jakar M418 • Koh-I-Noor M212 & M110 • Legami M512 • L EGO Stationery, Lights & Bag Tags M212 & M110 • Lottie G312 • Luxpad by Silvine M210 • Maildor M400 • Makedo G312 • Manuscript M212 & M110 • Miss Melody M320 • Nebulous Stars G308 • NeeDoh G312 •O nce Upon a Tuesday G210 • Paddington M416 • Paperfields G208 • Pelikan M512 •P ercy The Park Keeper M416 • Princess Mimi M320 • Puckator M321 • Royal & Langnickel M308 • Sandart M605 • Schylling G312

• Silvine M210 •S TABILO International Gmbh M206 & M302 • STAEDTLER M422 • Sun Star Stationery G224 • The Lionheart Tales M212 & M110 • The Positive Planner G212 • The Stationers' Company M202 • The Very Hungry Caterpillar M416 • Tiger Tribe G312 • TOPModel by Depesche M320 • TOWER M606 • TRENDS by Depesche M320 • Ylvi M320 DESK ACCESSORIES • Andhand G120 •B utler & Peach Miniature Bronzes G300 • Carpe Diem Planners M218 • Clairefontaine M400 • Clever Fox G202 • COLOP M304 •C reative Stationery London M404 • Esterbrook M510 • Exacompta M400 • Filofax M412 • FIRST M106 • Koh-I-Noor M212 & M110 • Ladies Let's Plan LPAD2 • Legami M512 • LEUCHTTURM1917 M200 • MIDORI M512 • Ocean Hughes G112 •O nce Upon a Tuesday G210 •O riginal Crown Mill M212 & M110 • PANART M118 • Perfect Planner Company M506 •P ininfarina Segno M212 & M110 • Pukka Pads M218 • Quilling Card M316 • Rhodia M400 •R ichard Cooper Cottage Studio Fine Bone China G300 • Richard Cooper Studio Mice G300 • Semikolon M102 • Stifflex M418 • Storigraphic G104 • Sun Star Stationery G224 • The Abstract Bee G100 • The Positive Planner G212 • The Stationers' Company M202 • Traveler's Company M512 • Trodat M104

DIARIES, ORGANISERS & CALENDARS • Beatrix Potter M416 • Carpe Diem Planners M218 • Charfleet Stationery M204 • Clever Fox G202 • Coffeenotes G200 • Colour Chronicles G126 • Creative Stationery London M404 • Dataday M204 • DinosArt G308 • Filofax M412 • Goldbuch M226 • Kartotek Copenhagen M112 • Ladies Let's Plan LPAD2 • Leathersmith of London M204 • Legami M512 • LEGO Stationery, Lights & Bag Tags M212 & M110 • Letts of London M412 • LEUCHTTURM1917 M200 • MARK'S Inc. M112 • Meaningful Messages G122 • MIDORI M512 • Nebulous Stars G308 • North Star Planner G118 • NU: Notebooks M600 • Ocean Hughes G112 • Once Upon a Tuesday G210 • Original Crown Mill M212 & M110 • Paperblanks M216 • Pininfarina Segno M212 & M110 • Pukka Pads M218 • Rhodia M400 • Semikolon M102 • Storigraphic G104 • Sun Star Stationery G224 • The Positive Planner G212 • The Stationers' Company M202 • VIVE CON STYLE G106 ENVELOPES & PACKAGING • Bio Tape M420 • G. Lalo M400 • NU: Notebooks M600 • Original Crown Mill M212 & M110 • Paperfields G208 • Pineider M212 & M110 • Pukka Pads M218 • Pukka Post & Packaging M218 • R.K.Burt & Co. M516 • The Stationers' Company M202 • Traveler's Company M512 • Ultimate M420 • Ultratape M420 • Ultratwine M420 FILING & STORAGE • Concord M218 • Exacompta M400 • Falken M400 • LOGIT G302 • Pentel M300 • Pentel Recycology M300 • Pukka Pads M218 • Railex M226

• Snopake M504 • Sun Star Stationery G224 • The Stationers' Company M202 GIFT PACKAGING & WRAP • Aziza Illustrates G218 • Cascayde G216 • CAYANA LTD LPAD4 • Creative Stationery London M404 • Curlicue LPAD3 • Display solutions M408 • FabRap G213 • FIRST M106 • Genealityart G116 • Hansel G108 • Jennifer Tune LPAD5 • Kagito M306 • Ladies Let's Plan LPAD2 • Lione & Sheikh LPAD1 • Ocean Hughes G112 • Paperfields G208 • Puckator M321 • Pukka Party M220 • Pukka Post & Packaging M218 • R.K.Burt & Co. M516 • Sarah Kelleher G204 • Stay Still G102 • Storigraphic G104 • teNeues Stationery G124 • The Stationers' Company M202 GREETINGS CARDS • Abbeville Press G124 • Aziza Illustrates G218 • Creative Stationery London M404 • feather.ink G114 • FIRST M106 • Genealityart G116 • Hansel G108 • HerDesignWorld G214 • It Takes Heart G110 • Jennifer Tune LPAD5 • Kartotek Copenhagen M112 • Lione & Sheikh LPAD1 • Meaningful Messages G122 • Ocean Hughes G112 • Original Crown Mill M212 & M110 • Paperfields G208 • Pukka Post & Packaging M218 • Quilling Card M316 • Sarah Kelleher G204 • Stay Still G102 • Storigraphic G104 • teNeues Stationery G124 • The Abstract Bee G100 • The Stationers' Company M202 LABELS • Pukka Post & Packaging M218 • Sun Star Stationery G224 • The Stationers' Company M202 LICENSED STATIONERY • Beatrix Potter M416 • Clairefontaine M400 • Draw With Rob M416 • Elmer M416

• Gruffalo M416 •G uess How Much I Love You M416 • Hansel G108 • L EGO Stationery, Lights & Bag Tags M212 & M110 • MORRIS M208 • Once Upon a Tuesday G210 • Paddington M416 • Patricia MacCarthy M416 • Percy The Park Keeper M416 • Pininfarina Segno M212 & M110 • Puckator M321 • The Stationers' Company M202 • The Very Hungry Caterpillar M416 NOTEBOOKS & JOURNALS • Aziza Illustrates G218 • Beatrix Potter M416 • Bookaroo M414 • Bruynzeel M314 • Caran d'Ache M418 • CAYANA LTD LPAD4 • Charfleet Stationery M204 • Ciak M214 • Clairefontaine M400 • Clever Fox G202 • Coffeenotes G200 • Colour Chronicles G126 • Creative Stationery London M404 • Dino World M320 • DinosArt G308 • EcoWrite M402 • Endless Stationery M313 • feather.ink G114 • Filofax M412 • FIRST M106 • Goldbuch M226 • Hahnemühle G318 • Kagito M306 • Kartotek Copenhagen M112 • Ladies Let's Plan LPAD2 • Leathersmith of London M204 • Legami M512 • LEGO Stationery, Lights & Bag Tags M212 & M110 • Letts of London M412 • LEUCHTTURM1917 M200 • Luxor M402 • Luxpad by Silvine M210 • MARK'S Inc. M112 • MD PAPER M512 • Meaningful Messages G122 • MIDORI M512 • Modena M226 • Moonducks LPAD6 • Nebulous Stars G308 • NU: Notebooks M600 • Ocean Hughes G112 • Once Upon a Tuesday G210 • Original Crown Mill M212 & M110 • PANART M118 • Paperblanks M216 • Paperfields G208 • Perfect Planner Company M506 • Puckator M321

• Pukka Pads M218 • R.K.Burt & Co. M516 • Rhodia M400 • RK Journals M416 • Sarah Kelleher G204 • Semikolon M102 • Silvine M210 • Silvine Originals M210 • Snopake M504 • Stifflex M418 • Storigraphic G104 • Sun Star Stationery G224 • Talens Art Creation M314 • Tallon International Limited M604 • teNeues Stationery G124 • The Positive Planner G212 • The Stationers' Company M202 • Tiger Tribe G312 • TOPModel by Depesche M320 • Traveler's Company M512 • VIVE CON STYLE G106 NOVELTY STATIONERY • artPOP! M212 & M110 • Bruynzeel M314 • Caran d'Ache M418 • Clairefontaine M400 • Dino World M320 • Filofax M412 • Jakar M418 • Legami M512 • L EGO Stationery, Lights & Bag Tags M212 & M110 • Lione & Sheikh LPAD1 • Miss Melody M320 • Moonducks LPAD6 • Nebulous Stars G308 • NeeDoh G312 • Ocean Hughes G112 • Once Upon a Tuesday G210 • Paperfields G208 • Pininfarina Segno M212 & M110 • Princess Mimi M320 • Puckator M321 • Sakura M314 • Schylling G312 •S TABILO International Gmbh M206 & M302 • Stifflex M418 • Sun Star Stationery G224 • Talens Art Creation M314 • The Stationers' Company M202 • Tiger Tribe G312 • Ylvi M320 OFFICE STATIONERY • Andhand G120 • Begreen M524 • Bio Tape M420 • Bookaroo M414 • Bruynzeel M314 • Caran d'Ache M418 & M512 • Clever Fox G202 • COLOP M304 • CORPORATE G302 •C reative Stationery London M404 • CROWN G302 • EcoWrite M402 • edding UK M310 STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS 43

• Essentials M420 • Exacompta M400 • Faber-Castell M512 • Falken M400 • feather.ink G114 • Filofax M412 • FIRST M106 • FriXion M524 • Goldbuch M226 • GREENLIFE G302 • IKON G302 • Jakar M418 • Kinary M318 • Koh-I-Noor M212 & M110 • Ladies Let's Plan LPAD2 • Legami M512 • LOVEGREEN G302 • Luxor M402 • Manuscript M212 & M110 • MAXEMA G302 • MD PAPER M512 • MIDORI M512 • Modena M226 • Moonducks LPAD6 • MORRIS M208 • NU: Notebooks M600 • Once Upon a Tuesday G210 • Pelikan M512 • Pentel M300 • PenTools M300 • Perfect Planner Company M506 • Pineider M212 & M110 • Pininfarina Segno M212 & M110 • Pintor M524 • Puckator M321 • Pukka Pads M218 • Railex M226 • Rhino M420 • Rhodia M400 • Schneider M512 • Silvine M210 • Snopake M504 • STABILO International Gmbh M206 & M302 • STAEDTLER M422 • STATUS G302 • STILOLINEA G302 • Swordfish M504 • Talens Art Creation M314 • The Stationers' Company M202 • Tombow M512 • TOWER M606 • Traveler's Company M512 • Trodat M104 • Ultimate M420 • UltraStick M420 • Ultratape M420 • Ultratwine M420 • WB G302 • WIZARD G302 SOCIAL STATIONERY • artPOP! M212 & M110 44 STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS

• Beatrix Potter M416 • Begreen M524 • Bookaroo M414 • Bruynzeel M314 • Clairefontaine M400 • Coffeenotes G200 • Creative Stationery London M404 • Dataday M204 • EcoWrite M402 • feather.ink G114 • Filofax M412 • FriXion M524 • G. Lalo M400 • Goldbuch M226 • Hahnemühle G318 • Jacques Herbin M400 • Ladies Let's Plan LPAD2 • L EGO Stationery, Lights & Bag Tags M212 & M110 • LEUCHTTURM1917 M200 • Luxor M402 • Manuscript M212 & M110 • Nebulous Stars G308 • NU: Notebooks M600 • Once Upon a Tuesday G210 • Paperfields G208 • Patricia MacCarthy M416 • Perfect Planner Company M506 • Pintor M524 • Puckator M321 • Pukka Pads M218 • Rhodia M400 • Semikolon M102 • Snopake M504 • STABILO International Gmbh M206 & M302 • Storigraphic G104 • Sun Star Stationery G224 • Talens Art Creation M314 • The Stationers' Company M202 • TOWER M606

• feather.ink G114 • Filofax M412 • G. Lalo M400 • Goldbuch M226 • GREENLIFE G302 • Hahnemühle G318 • Hansel G108 • Jakar M418 • Jennifer Tune LPAD5 • Letts of London M412 • Lione & Sheikh LPAD1 • LOVEGREEN G302 • Luxor M402 • Luxpad by Silvine M210 • Manuscript M212 & M110 • Modena M226 • Moonducks LPAD6 • MORRIS M208 • NU: Notebooks M600 • Once Upon a Tuesday G210 • Paperfields G208 • Pentel M300 • Pentel Arts M300 • Pentel Recycology M300 •P erfect Planner Company M506 • Puckator M321 • Pukka Pads M218 • Railex M226 • Rhodia M400 • Schneider M512 • Silvine M210 • Silvine Originals M210 •S TABILO International Gmbh M206 & M302 • STAEDTLER M422 • Stay Still G102 • Stifflex M418 • Storigraphic G104 • The Stationers' Company M202 • TOWER M606 • Trodat M104 • VIVE CON STYLE G106

SUSTAINABLE STATIONERY • Amy Britton G101 • Andhand G120 • Artgecko Sketchbooks M210 • Bambook M534 • Begreen M524 • Britton SCOTLAND G101 • Caran d'Ache M418 • Carpe Diem Planners M218 • Cascayde G216 • Clairefontaine M400 • Coffeenotes G200 • Creative Stationery London M404 • Curlicue LPAD3 • EcoWrite M402 • edding UK M310 • Exacompta M400 • Faber-Castell M512 • Falken M400

WRITING INSTRUMENTS • Andhand G120 • artPOP! M212 & M110 • Begreen M524 • Bookaroo M414 • Brause M400 • Bruynzeel M314 • Caran d'Ache M512 • Chameleon M212 & M110 • COLOURWORLD G302 • Conklin M212 & M110 • CORPORATE G302 • CROWN G302 • Dino World M320 • Diplomat M212 & M110 • EcoWrite M402 • edding UK M310 • Endless Stationery M313 • Esterbrook M510 • Faber-Castell M512

• FIRST M106 • FriXion M524 • GREENLIFE G302 • Hahnemühle G318 • IKON G302 • Jacques Herbin M400 • Joseph Gillott M503 • Kagito M306 • Karin M212 & M110 • Kaweco M510 • Koh-I-Noor M212 & M110 • Kuretaki M503 • Legami M512 • L EGO Stationery, Lights & Bag Tags M212 & M110 • LEUCHTTURM1917 M200 • LOVEGREEN G302 • Luxor M402 • Manuscript M212 & M110 • MARK'S Inc. M112 • MAXEMA G302 • MIDORI M512 • Miss Melody M320 • Monteverde M212 & M110 • MORRIS M208 • Pelikan M512 • Pentel M300 • Pentel Arts M300 • PenTools M300 • Pineider M212 & M110 • Pininfarina Segno M212 & M110 • Pintor M524 • Platignum M504 • POSCA paint markers M508 • Princess Mimi M320 • Puckator M321 • Pukka Pads M218 • Retro 51 M312 • Rhodia M400 • Royal & Langnickel M308 • Sakura M314 • Schneider M512 • Sheaffer M212 & M110 •S TABILO International Gmbh M206 & M302 • STAEDTLER M422 • STATUS G302 • STILOLINEA G302 • Sun Star Stationery G224 • Talens Art Creation M314 • teNeues Stationery G124 • The Lionheart Tales M212 & M110 • The Stationers' Company M202 • Tiger Tribe G312 • Tombow M512 • TOPModel by Depesche M320 • Trodat M104 • uni-ball writing pens M508 • Visconti M212 & M110 • WB G302 • Ylvi M320 • ZEBRA PEN M500 • Zig M503

YOUR DAILY #S FOR NSW23 15TH – 21ST MAY MONDAY: Maped Helix #CreativityDay

TUESDAY: Pentel #LovePentelPens

WEDNESDAY: Snopake #WorkHappy

THURSDAY: edding #MyNameIs

FRIDAY: Zebra #ItFeelsGood

SATURDAY: Staedtler #SustainableStationery

PLUS SO MUCH MORE THAN EVER BEFORE:

SHELFIE COMPETITION: Sinclairs/Artgecko 1 WEEK TO GO: Sinclairs/Silvine 2 WEEKS TO GO: Kaweco (Studio Pens) 3 WEEKS TO GO: Jakar 4 WEEKS TO GO: Esterbrook (Studio Pens)

TO FIND OUT MORE AND GET INVOLVED Email sarah@nationalstationeryweek.com

LONDON STATIONERY SHOW

IN PROFILE

EXHIBITORS & PRODUCTS Get to know who and what you can discover at London Stationery Show this May

LONDON STATIONERY SHOW

A-Z

ACC ART BOOKS G124 ACC Art Books is one of the world’s leading distributors of a wide variety of gift books and stationery. We have a great range of notebooks, pen sets, journals, wrapping paper, books, puzzles and many more from amazing publishers such as teNeues and Abbeville.

AMY BRITTON HARRIS TWEED® PRODUCTS G101

Our products are designed to last, not to follow trends. We produce a range of contemporary, sustainable British made accessories, made with handwoven Harris Tweed using British wool. Our newest environmentally conscious range is manufactured with recycled zips, thread, and woven labels made from recycled plastic bottles, embracing the circular economy.

ANDHAND ADEL M426

AKADEMI ÇOCUK M325

G120 Tools for the Modern Desk.

Andhand is an independent British pen and stationery brand focused on creating products which embrace our new working practices and environments. Andhand creates beautiful tools for the desk that stay true to the buy once philosophy and inspire the inner creative.

AURORA M322 AZIZA ILLUSTRATES

G218 Aziza Illustrates is an emerging digital illustration and fine art practice based in Park Royal, West London. Founded by self-taught artist Vanessa Bell in 2018, the practice focuses on themes from the afro diaspora and is influenced by her rich and vibrant Afro Caribbean culture.

BAMBOOK B.V.

M534 Bambook is a whiteboard notebook that can be used over and over again.

Write, scan and digitize your notes and then simply erase your notes with a damp cloth. In this way you can keep reusing the same notebook over and over again, without having to waste any unnecessary paper.

STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS 47

LONDON STATIONERY SHOW

BIGJIGS TOYS G312 Bigjigs Toys® Ltd is a family run business, founded in 1985 in Folkestone, England. Liz and Peter Ireland are head of the family and together with their two sons, have created a global toy company which continues to go from strength to strength. Bigjigs Toys® continues to be an award-winning British family run business and our mission is to deliver high quality, safe and affordable toys.

BOOKAROO BY IF M414

A co-ordinated collection of stationery & lifestyle accessories. Everyone carries their important stuff with them today… phones, notebooks, glasses, stationery, paperwork and a whole tangle of leads. We thought we’d design a range of clever, colour coordinated and frankly brilliant lifestyle gifts, created to make the carrying much more stylish!

BRUCE DOUGLAS MARKETING / ULTRATAPE

M420 We do not only have the most comprehensive range of Adhesive Tapes available but we are also an on time in full supplier. Our Brands include Ultratape, Ultimate, UltraStick, Ultratwine, Rhino and now our NEW Bio Tape. Join our increasing number of customers who choose quality, choose service and choose Ultratape. and choose Ultratape.

CASCAYDE - ECO FRIENDLY PAPER TAPE

G216 Patterned paper tape is the easy and eco-friendly way to gift wrap, craft and pack. Plastic free, recyclable and vegan friendly our paper tape is a great way to add detail and have a little fun.

CAYANA LTD LPAD4 Cayana is a new company that celebrates prints on all surfaces. We sell stationery products such as notebooks, stickers, mugpencil holders, gift wrap and puzzles, as well as 'stick on, peel off'' wallpapers.

CENTRUM M323

CHARFLEET BOOK BINDERY M204

Charfleet Book Bindery is a long established UK business with a proud history of designing, printing and manufacturing retail stationery, diaries, calendars, journals and notebooks.

CHINA GIFT WRAP M515 CLEVER FOX G202 At Clever Fox, we are on a mission to reinvent the planner industry. Our planners help you not only plan, but also set and achieve life goals, develop self-awareness, and support your overall wellbeing. We take great pride in creating innovative, quality products that actually work.

COFFEENOTES G200

Coffeenotes {re}writing our planets future. Simple sustainable stationery made in Dorset from {re}cycled coffee cups, and {re}purposed waste; carbonneutral, luxury notebooks and planners consciously crafted to minimise their impact on our planet. Award-winning beautiful stationery making writing, drawing, and doodling a pleasure, bringing purpose to your thoughts, and your day.

COLOP UK LTD M304

COLOP UK Ltd is a Birmingham-based rubber stamp manufacturer with a history dating back to 1838. Innovation has been the key to our success. Along with our traditional custom rubber stamps, we have a huge range of COLOP Arts & Crafts stamps, and mobile printers from the COLOP e-mark family.

= 48 STATIONERMATTERS.NEWS

LONDON STATIONERY SHOW

COLOUR CHRONICLES G126

We make baby and childhood journals to capture the magic and mayhem of family life. We celebrate every family. Our journals are designed to create a record of growing up that is as unique as you are.

‘Those books may become the most important things we own.’ - Dave Burden.

CRE8 DIRECT M406

CREATIVE STATIONERY LONDON M404

Creative Stationery London (CSL) is a handcrafted luxury stationery business based in South London. All stationery is handcrafted by Fi and the shop boasts an array of distinctive items. From dated diaries, to vegan leather notebooks, and elegant foiled greetings cards. Beautiful & unique stationery just like individuals who use them.

DALER-ROWNEY M224

DEPESCHE UK LTD M320

Depesche is one of Europe’s leading gift article suppliers. Our main business is distributing top trendy articles, such as the successful “TOPModel by Depesche” range. The very popular Dino World brand is currently conquering the hearts of boys.

DIARPELL S.P.A. M214

Specialises in creating notebooks and diares. Our work is to create original and recognisable creations for their innovative design, for the refinement of materials and for the artisan attention put on each product. A team of professionals are always available to suggest, study and create products different from the ones found in the globalised market.

ECO WRAP BY HANSEL G108

CURLICUE SUSTAINABLE GIFT WRAP LPAD3

Curlicue makes beautiful eco-friendly sustainable gift wrap and accessories. All Curlicue products are plastic-free, vegan, made in the UK from 100% recycled, paper printed with vegetable ink & fully recyclable in household recycling. Curlicue’s beautiful designs are bespoke and exclusive, created by a diverse and eclectic mix of independent artists and illustrators.

British manufacturers of sustainable gift presentation packaging for the retail market. A family run business focused on quality, care and personalised service.

EDDING (UK) LTD M310

edding markers guarantee quality, variety and creativity. With an extensive

range of products, in different colours and nib sizes, there is product perfect for virtually any surface. Whether customers are looking into transforming their furniture with spray paint, adding a personalised touch to their belongings or simply escaping from stress by drawing and colouring - edding have it covered...

ENDLESS STATIONERY

M313 Mann inc are the uk distributors for endless stationery. Endless stationery is a premium stationery brand made for, by, and with creators. Endless have developed ink-loving hardcover journals and refillable notebook systems highly regarded across the stationery community.

EXACOMPTA CLAIREFONTAINE (EXACLAIR LIMITED)

M400 As the UK subsidiary of the Exacompta Clairefontaine group, ExaClair Limited supply premium stationery, office supplies, art materials, craft products, educational activities, stickers, luggage and leatherware to a wide range of wholesale and retailers nationwide.

Visit our stand to discover all the latest releases for 2023!

FABRAP™ G213 Exclusively designed and fully certified organic reusable fabric gift wrapping.

STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS 49

LONDON STATIONERY SHOW

FEATHER.INK G114 Hello, I am Jo. Handmade from my home in Kent, feather.ink is a collection of gifts for your favourite little people, family or friends. All handmade using watercolour and ink.

Choose from the ready created ranges or I also love a bespoke project so please do get in touch if you have any ideas no matter how big or small.

GENEALITYART G116 Unique and boldly illustrative paper stationery and prints inspired by coffee, nature and dream worlds.

Designed in Norwich and printed in the UK using good quality, recycled and recyclable papers.

GUANGDONG HUALONG STATIONERY CO., LTD.

M318 We believe in making people's work easy and enjoying office time. We have been focusing on creating little things that make a big difference.

FILOFAX - LETTS OF LONDON M412

Filofax and Letts of London are two renowned stationery brands, proudly born in Great Britain.

HAHNEMÜHLE G318 Hahnemühle have been crafting fineart paper in Germany since 1584.

Today´s portfolio comprises stationery products, traditional, digital and specialist papers. Pure spring water, high-quality cellulose or plant-based fibres and an absolute commitment to quality and sustainability are key commitments of the Hahnemühle brand. All papers are vegan and highly lightfast.

HAWTHORN HANDMADE

G306 Hawthorn Handmade craft kits are filled with unique, modern designs that will keep your hands busy and your mind at ease. Each kit is proudly made in the UK and comes complete with all the materials and instructions you need to create something beautiful.

HEART FELT TIPS G301 Heart Felt Tips supplies stationery to UK children suffering economic hardship, facilitating play and selfexpression. Our sustainable Versapak pencil cases are filled by children at schools and clubs then distributed to underprivileged children via charities and foodbanks. We also welcome donations from stationery companies to help fill more pencil cases.

HERDESIGNWORLD G214

Fun, colourful and diverse greeting cards and prints.

FIRST INTERNATIONAL ENTERPRISES. LTD. M106

First International Enterprises Ltd. is the sister concern of First International - Hong Kong, specialising in exporting school and office stationery products since 2006. Well experienced, mainly for OEM brands, from sourcing to final shipment (sourcing, audits, designing, own QC team) some of well known brands we serve in Europe are Herlitz, Kayet, Lidl and many more private labels.

50 STATIONERMATTERS.NEWS

HAINENKO LIMITED G302

Established for over 30 years, Hainenko Limited has evolved from a small business into a company which designs, manufactures and supplies stationery worldwide. Our speciality is in writing instruments, however we also manufacture and source a number of other stationery products, all of a great quality and sold at brilliantly competitive prices.

IT TAKES HEART G110

It Takes Heart wants to bring heartfelt sentiments back into greetings cards.

With pure, meaningful, poetic messages. Good greetings cards are ones you can really relate to. The ones that tell your kind of jokes and have meaningful messages that makes the moment more sentimental and special.

LONDON STATIONERY SHOW

LUXOR UK LTD M402 Luxor was established in 1963 by Mr DK Jain. Luxor exports their range of writing instruments to 105 countries worldwide and has been the proud recipient of the Highest Exporter of the Year Award for 12 consecutive years. Luxor have 8 state-of-the-art manufacturing units in India and produce over 5 million pens per day.

JAKAR INTERNATIONAL LIMITED M418

Jakar will be exhibiting their ranges of Art, Craft & Stationery Materials, Caran d’Ache Artists Materials and Colour Products made in Switzerland, Stifflex artWORK Sketch Books and Sketch Pads made in Italy, as well as Rosa Watercolor in Full Pans and Tubes, Acrylics and Sundries made in Ukraine.

JENNIFER TUNE LPAD5

Jennifer Tune creates modern, minimalistic paper goods, including greetings cards, gift wrap and prints.

Each product is created with sustainability in mind and blends contemporary typography, specialist print techniques and tactile paper, resulting in a range of luxury products with an understated elegance and a timeless aesthetic.

KAGITO M306 Founded in 2017 as a stationery and giftware brand, Kagito is Turkey’s one and only marker pen manufacturer producing writing utensils used for illustration and artistic applications. As part of Kagito’s plans to increase its footprint in the global market, the brand will launch its first line of marker pens at LSS23.

LADIES LET’S PLAN LPAD2 Ladies Let’s Plan is a fresh luxury planner range. It’s not just a planner it also holds top tips, challenges, goals and a space to document your special memories for any occasion. Our undated planner is a no waste planner so you can pick up where you left off.

Also unlike other planners the Epic Planner Range has a vibrant colour interior to inspire our clients to keep on track of their life goals.

LEUCHTTURM1917 M200 Leuchtturm1917 are manufacturers of Premium Notebooks and Drehgriffel award-winning pens and pencils. We set the bar high in all that we do, the quality of materials, craftmanship and design, and above all, good customer relationships.

MANUSCRIPT & MANUSCRIPT BRANDS M212

& M110 Combining heritage and modern design, Manuscript Pen Company has been producing writing tools, in Britain since 1856. Today, Manuscript are global calligraphy specialists pushing the boundaries of innovation.

Manuscript Brands now also distribute a number of carefully selected luxury pen, gift, stationery and art brands that have been handpicked to compliment the product portfolio.

MEANINGFUL MESSAGES

LIONE & SHEIKH LPAD1 Lione & Sheikh was founded by Hope Lione and Amirah Sheikh in 2021, by best friends turned business partners who wanted to offer a unique style of stationery products. Ranging from beautifully illustrated greeting cards to hand-made decorations that we sell online and in-store through many small retailers around the world.

G122 Meaningful Messages eases the card searching journey by providing faithbased greeting cards, hand-finished with unique cutout and layered designs.

Each card is created with the purpose of not being an addition to a gift, but a gift in its own right, to be cherished because of its sentimental value.

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LONDON STATIONERY SHOW

MITSUBISHI PENCIL COMPANY (UNI-BALL AND POSCA) M508

Mitsubishi Pencil Company, owner of POSCA and uni-ball, prides itself on producing reliable, world-leading writing and drawing pens that perform all day, every day, whatever the task. Founded in Tokyo, 1878, our pioneering spirit ensures we combine quality and innovation to deliver an exceptional writing experience.

NU: NOTEBOOKS

M600 Nuco International offers high quality, affordable and sustainable stationery for everyday use. At Nu: Notebooks we pride ourselves on offering high quality, innovative, fashionable and functional products. We have made big strides to make our products more sustainable in recent years and this is a key focus for us going forward.

mission to service the global artist community, hinges on quality, affordability and respect for the environment. From the widest range of artist brushes to the 100% re-cycled cotton hand-made papers, pads and journals. Complemented by an exclusive range of accessories and painting knives.

PAPERBLANKS - PART OF HACHETTE UK M216

MOONDUCKS DESIGN LPAD6 Moonducks Design was born out of a love for paper and a longing for a digital detox. Our products aim to provide stylish and sustainable notebooks that are handmade and made from recycled or responsibly sourced paper. We want to inspire pen-on-paper writers to keep handwriting alive.

OCEAN HUGHES G112

Founded by illustrator Ocean Hughes in 2020, Ocean PANART Hughes combines her love for nature and her passion for illustration, in a stationery brand offering unique hand illustrated planners, greetings cards, and desk accessories.

ONCE UPON A TUESDAY LTD G210

MORRIS M208 The leading stationery brand in South Korea. Focused on sustainable writing instruments and innovative digital stationery.

Once Upon a Tuesday is a UK based start-up, female-led brand that creates stationery for people who want to organise all areas of life in style. From annual calendars to diaries, weekly planners and notebooks, created in a sustainably conscious and ethical way.

PAPERFIELDS G208 Born out of the love for stationery, Anu and Ambika founded Paperfields in 2014 in India. Our fine stationery products are emotive for the discerning eye. These include beautiful, 22k gold plated notecard sets that are carefully handcrafted with the highest quality. Proceeds of selected collections aid charities close to our hearts.

PENTEL (STATIONERY) LTD. M300

N SMITH PACKAGING & DISPLAY M408

Offering a wide range of display and packaging solutions for retail, manufacturing and e-commerce, over 119 years serving UK businesses.

PANART M118 Welcome to Panart. We are Crafters of painting accessories. Panart’s 52 STATIONERMATTERS.NEWS

At Paperblanks, we create products that inspire creativity, empower expression and celebrate special moments. An homage to art and culture, our line of journals and creative tools sparks the imagination by offering a connection to artists and cultural movements from all eras and regions. Expression has no limits with Paperblanks.

Pentel is responsible for some of the world’s favourite writing instruments including original quick-drying, smudgereducing EnerGel pens, available in 20 colours. The popular Pentel Arts range enables everyone to express their creativity, from smooth-blending oil pastels to our famous Brush Sign Pens, perfect for hand lettering and modern calligraphy.

LONDON STATIONERY SHOW

PERFECT PLANNER COMPANY M506

Perfect Planner Company are the planning and organisation experts for the time-poor, overwhelmed and stressed individual. We inspire our customers around the world to set and achieve their goals with our empowering community and award-winning and beautifully designed planners, notebooks and journals.

PUKKA PARTY M220 Pukka Party (owned by leading stationery brand, Pukka Pads) are experts in all things party and celebrations! We provide everything you need to get the party started at weddings, hen and stag do’s, birthdays, kids parties and more. Our products range from balloon arches and displays, to photo props and candles and everything in between. Visit us to see what we can offer!

QUILLING CARD LLC M316

POP-UP FRAMES G206

Framing reframed. Introducing paper frames made from FSC certified high quality colour card. Each Pop-up Frame can be easily assembled to a lightweight 2.5cm box edge tray frame in multiple sizes and formats up to 92cm in a few minutes with just a pair of scissors.

PUCKATOR M321 Puckator is an international distributor of wholesale gifts, homeware and beauty accessories with customers spanning Europe, the UK and across the globe. Our product range includes a wide selection of stationery and backto-school products, as well as lifestyle accessories featuring licensed designs such as Minecraft, Pac-Man, Pusheen and many more.

PUKKA PADS M218

Pukka Pads are a leading manufacturer and supplier of high quality stationery items for the office, home, school and personal life. We are the proud owners of Carpe Diem Planners, Concord, Pukka Party and Pukka Post & Packaging.

Greeting cards and gifts all handcrafted using the ancient paper art form of quilling. Fair Trade Federation Member.

Don’t just send a card, send art!

RETRO 51 M312

Mann Inc is the UK distributor for Retro 51. Retro 51 is on a mission to bring fashion, fun and value to the world of writing instruments and business accessories. Known for bright, cool colors and unique themes, Retro stands by their mission, “Life’s too short to carry an ugly pen!”

RICHARD COOPER BRONZE LTD G300 Richard Cooper Bronze design and manufacture collectible wildlife gifts and miniature sculptures in bronze, bronze resin and fine bone china.

Popular studies include mice, dogs, hares, stags & British birds.

ROBERT FREDERICK LTD

R.K.BURT & CO. M516 R.K.Burt & Company is a leading London based importer and wholesale distributor of fine art and digital inkjet papers. We offer a wide range of products including Notebooks, Pads and Sketchbooks. We are excited to launch our new Decorative Nepalese Gift Wrap and present our Bespoke Pad Service.

RAILEX STATIONERY M226

Thoughtful attention to detail is at the heart of our premium stationery ranges. Whether it be our high-quality leather notebooks, linen journals or unique embellished sketch books and photo albums – all have been precision-crafted and hand-finished with pride and passion.

M416 At Robert Frederick we love to make great products, with over 25 years of experience in the industry we aim to supply good quality products at an affordable price. We are a license holder for well loved brands including Beatrix Potter, Eric Carle, The Gruffalo and Elmer.

ROYAL & LANGNICKEL M308 Fine Arts products manufacturer covering all market segments from beginner activities to high end brushes.

ROYAL TALENS M314

Royal Talens UK is set to impress at the forthcoming London Stationery Show.

We will feature brands such as Sakura and Ecoline, which will be displayed on stand M314. With over a 100 years’ worth of experience in the industry, the Royal Talens name is recognised globally for quality, premium materials that encourage creativity and inspiration.

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LONDON STATIONERY SHOW

SANDART M605 The Sandart story began in 2002 in a beautiful coastal town known as Wilderness, found along the Garden Route in South Africa. In response to a need of kids activities that were lacking, Sandart was established.

SandArt has been developed for 20 years with proven success in providing highquality creative craft products.

SARAH KELLEHER G204

With a background in textiles Sarah is dedicated to designing colourful, textured greetings cards, in her tiny garden studio. She uses many techniques ranging from ink paintings to digital drawings. All are printed in the UK onto FSC accredited board and come with a brown recycled envelope.

SEMIKOLON M102

At Semikolon, we believe that special moments – and how we preserve them – bring joy and meaning to our lives.

That is the reason why our products are made using traditional craftsmanship with high-quality materials – following a pioneering design and in selected colours. Semikolon preserves your most valuable moments and helps you tell the story associated with every photo, word or keepsake that has entered your life.

SINCLAIRS M210

A world-class British maker of paper stationery. Creators and makers of Silvine, Luxpad by Silvine, Silvine Originals and Artgecko Sketchbooks brands; plus private label stationery products. Our customer-focused product development and market leading service levels make us a trusted and reliable partner for any project.

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SNOPAKE BRANDS M504

The Snopake Brands roots go back to 1955 and now our portfolio consists of products to suit all your needs such Sticky Notes, Adhesives, Filing & Storage, Ringbinders, Shredders, Laminators & Writing Instruments. At Snopake Brands we never compromise on quality!

STITCHFINITY G304 We design inspirational craft kits to help ambitious women take much needed down-time. From commuter craft, to out of office originals, we give cross-stitch a very modern job.

STONE MARKETING M512 STABILO INTERNATIONAL GMBH M206 & M302

STABILO is one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of writing instruments and was founded over 165 years ago in Nuremberg. The iconic STABILO BOSS ORIGINAL has been highlighting important text for over 50 years. Come and see the team on stands M206 & M302 to discuss the full range. #HighlightWhatMattersToYou

STAEDTLER UK M422

Sustainability and creativity are at the forefront of STAEDTLER’s stand at this year’s London Stationery Show, with the full range of Upcycled Wood products on display.

You can also discover the brand new Pigment Arts range, which is sure to excite those with a passion for creating!

STAY STILL G102 Stay Still paper goods are developed print designer Emily May. Cards and gift wrap created to get people talking and celebrate connection with humour and heart. A brand with conscious consumption in its soul, these designs are supremely clever and terribly kind, making them beautiful enough to be kept forever.

Founded in 1989, Stone Marketing is a family-owned UK distributor for fine writing, stationery and gifts. We work with a number of global, award-winning brands specialising in innovative and high-quality products including FaberCastell, Tombow, Legami, Caran d’Ache, Schneider, Pelikan, MIDORI, MD PAPER, Traveler’s Company, and MT masking tape.

STORIGRAPHIC G104 Sustainable design studio and brand creating award-winning paperware, gifts plus homeware to transform the everyday. Plastic-free. UK produced.

STUDIO PENS M510

Exclusive UK distributor for Kaweco and Esterbrook pens and accessories.

SUN STAR STATIONERY

G224 Multi-award winning Japanese stationery brand, Sun Star is coming back to the UK in 2023 with even more unique products than ever!

Don’t miss the opportunity to see a wide range of our products including New to UK ‘Pixel pens’.

Please visit us at Stand G224 and get ready to be amazed!

LONDON STATIONERY SHOW

TALKMYWEALTH LIMITED

G118 North Star Planner is designed by Talkmywealth Limited. Wealth creation is a skill, and our mission is to provide interactive wealth-creation tools that are fun and practical for everybody to enjoy creating the life they want.

North Star Planner combines time management, task management and money management.

TALLON INTERNATIONAL LIMITED M604

THE ABSTRACT BEE G100

Meaningful gifts, thoughtfully made our studio is based in Berkshire where we design and make gifts such as homeware, candles, jewellery and stationery.

THE PILOT PEN COMPANY (U.K.) LIMITED M524

Pilot is renowned for its commitment to new technology and continually develops original and innovative writing instruments. As a market leader, Pilot is best known for class leading products such as G2, V5 liquid ink rollerball, FriXion erasable rollerball and the Pilot Begreen, eco-designed & sustainable product range.

THE POSITIVE PLANNER

G212 The Positive Planner is a small, independent, UK-based company that designs and produces planners, journals and other stationery products to inspire and help people prioritise their mental wellbeing through gently promoting positivity and the practice of self-care and compassion. Our bright and colourful designs with the eyelash logo are known and loved worldwide.

THE STATIONERS’ COMPANY M202

The Stationers’ Company is a membership organisation with over 600 years of heritage. As a livery company of the City of London, its members are drawn from the communication and content industries, which includes (as its name suggests) the Stationery and Greeting Cards sector.

TOWER M606 Our story began in 1966. What started as an office supplier of simple white labels has grown into one of the leading stationery suppliers in Southern Africa.

TOWER is a proudly South African manufacturer, passionate about creating jobs, growing the South African economy as well as making a positive impact on the community.

TOYNAMICS UK & IRELAND G308

Toynamics UK is a multi-brand distributor with colourful and highquality brands and product ranges.

Nebulous Stars and DinosArt bring fun, and innovative ideas to life through a range of arts & crafts and stationery. Hape’s world famous wooden toys, nursery essentials, and micro-sized building blocks and more!

TRODAT UK LTD M104

Trodat UK is a market leader specialising in self-inking custom rubber stamps any industry. Our stamps offer long lasting use, versatility and great value. Providing the reseller, office products industries, the education sector, small and large businesses with high-quality stamps for marking documents, fabrics and packaging.

We’re at Stand M104.

TURNAROUND M112 Turnaround distributes a great assortment of brands sourced from all over the world. We will be showcasing Japanese lifestyle stationery brand MARK’S Inc, who design high quality pens and the classic STORAGE.iT system; Kartotek Copenhagen’s range of mindful stationery with a Nordic aesthetic and more design-led stationery for everyday living.

VIVE CON STYLE

G106 VIVE CON STYLE is a lifestyle brand born out of love and passion for elegant, functional, and aestheticallypleasing products that inspire you to defy your limits and be phenomenal.

We provide enriching stationery including stylish productivity planners and notebooks for entrepreneurs, creatives, professionals, students and more.

WILLIAM MITCHELL CALLIGRAPHY M503

William Mitchell a supplier of traditional calligraphy pens is the UK distributor of calligraphy markers and brush pens.

ZEBRA PEN UK LTD M500 Seller of writing instruments.

STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS 55

FLOORPLAN Get organised for your visit to London Stationery Show this May. Plan you route round the exhibition to maximise your time...

G107

G110

G112

G114

G116

G101

G122

G120

G118

G124

M102

M104

Boutique Collection

G102

M106

M110

G218

G216

G108

G126

G100

M202

M204

M208

M200

G206

M212

G214

M206

M210

G224 G209

G212

G200

G208

G210

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G202

G104

M302

M306

M310

M300 M304 M308

M313

M312

Sustainability Matters M402

M400

M407 M406

G308

G312

G300

G318

M506

M500

G310

M504

G316

G304

G307 G301

M503

G319

Coffee Matters

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M408 M409

M404

G306 G302

MAIN ENTRANCE

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G106

M502

M600

M602

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M604

M510

St M

LONDON STATIONERY SHOW

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

D I S C OV ER NEW | B ORIGIN UY AL | BE INSPIR ED

DATES: TUESDAY 16TH & WEDNESDAY 17TH MAY 2023 VENUE: BUSINESS DESIGN CENTRE, 52 UPPER STREET, ISLINGTON, LONDON, N1 0QH OPENING TIMES: TUESDAY 9.30-17.00 | WEDNESDAY 9.30-16.00 REGISTRATION: FREE OF CHARGE FOR STATIONERY BUYERS AND RETAILERS. REGISTER AT STATIONERYSHOW.CO.UK

M112

M114

M116

M120

M118

LaunchPad LPAD

M214

1

M216 M224

2 M218

Retail Matters

M226

M220

LPAD

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LPAD

M314

M408

0

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Stationery Matters Hub

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LPAD

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LPAD

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M512

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M534

M312

M322

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LPAD

6

Creative Matters Workshops

M515

sponsored by Jakar International

M605

M606

Indie Matters

M614

STATIONERYMATTERS.NEWS 57

ON MY DESK

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2

ON MY

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desk NOW...

Martha Keith, Founder of Martha Brook, discusses her current stationery favourites

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6 5 1 I must have about 100 notebooks, but this is my current ‘go to’. It lies flat, which is a must for my notebooks and looks so smart. I also love the subtle personalisation. Personalised A5 Vegan Leather Embossed Notebook, Martha Brook. 2 I have a weakness for post-it notes in pastel colours. I definitely don’t need any more, but I can’t resist buying them! See also pastel highlighters. Pastel Sticky Notes, Post-It. 3 I can’t speak highly enough of how brilliant this planner is. It is a gamechanger for keeping me on track each day, week and month, helping me with productivity and self-kindness. Personalised Make It Happen Life Planner, Martha Brook. 4 I’ve adored coloured fineliners since I was a child. Colour coding your notes? Yes please. I always have a pack of these on the go. Point 88 Fineliner Pens, Stabilo. 5 I am a big believer in making your workspace inspiring, so I have a few prints by my desk that brighten up the space. I adore this one, from Rose England London, of one of my favourite spots in London. Columbia Road Print, Rose England London. 6 I have endless material and foil colour swatches and these document holders are fantastic for keeping them together. I have three on my desk and shelves in different colours. Arreglo Document Holder, La Redoute. 7 So handy for bits and bobs! I have one of these on my desk and the others inside my Mustard locker, which is next to my desk. The Baskets in Blush, Mustard Made. 8 My favourite pen pot of all time. I have this in lilac, but it comes in other colour options. It is such a pretty addition to my desk and keeps all my pens in one place. Pastel Scalloped Pen Pot, Martha Brook.

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