Craft Focus - Feb/Mar (Issue 65)

8 craft focus industry news KORBOND GOES BACK TO SCHOOL Haberdashery specialist, Korbond, has launched a new range of retail-ready products targeted at the back-to-school labelling, marking, hemming and alteration sector. The new collection offers simple, effective, value-for-money items that are ideal for driving incremental sales alongside existing stock. The TAGIT series comes with a floor-standing display option that can carry the entire range, or counter top displays and clip strips. Hero products include the Korbond laundry marker and a series of collectable tags for uniforms, lunchboxes, shoes and bags. The TAGIT range will be available to view at this season’s trade shows. Go to korbond.co.uk to find out more. ROYAL SCHOOL OF NEEDLEWORK UNVEILS STUNNING EXHIBITION The Royal School of Needlework will open its doors to an unmissable new exhibition this April at its Hampton Court Palace base. Showcasing animals in embroidery, the exquisite range of pieces on display will include work by current and recent students of the school. There will also be examples from RSN’s collection of animals worked in all techniques including silk shading, which focuses on achieving the most life-like rendition. There are different tours available and the collection will run until December. Visit royal-needlework.org.uk for more details. SHARP DROP IN FESTIVE FOOTFALL FOR THE RETAIL SECTOR Footfall decreased by 3.5 per cent across the retail sector between 26 th November and 30 th December 2017, according to latest figures from performance insight specialists, Springboard. All regions showed a significant drop, with the sharpest reductions in Scotland (4.7 per cent), the South West (5.2 per cent) and Greater London (3.7 per cent). “Shops are losing footfall more quickly than wider retail locations and so have a declining customer base,” says Diane Wehrle, insights director at Springboard. “Moving forward into 2018, it’s apparent that retailers need to focus on maximising conversion via the core deliverable of best product and customer service with an improved in-store experience, whilst holding their nerve and resisting discounting too early and so protecting margin.” Visit spring-board.info for details. LITTLE BRIAN SETS ITS SIGHTS ON EUROPE Award-winning British toy brand, Little Brian, has unveiled plans for international expansion in 2018. The UK firm will be launching its popular Paint Sticks products to the European market at one of the world’s biggest toy fairs, Spielwarenmesse, in February. The show, which attracts more than 73,000 visitors from 60 countries, is one of the biggest of its kind. “This is the toy event of the calendar and we are really excited to be exhibiting at the show,” says Lara Alcock, sales and marketing director at Little Brian. “Attending events like this is part of our expansion plan for the range in 2018, as we reach out to buyers outside the UK, both in Europe and worldwide.” The Paint Sticks range has been enormously popular in its home country, picking up accolades in the Made for Mums Toy Awards and the Creative Play Awards. Aimed at three to seven year olds, the product provides a clean and convenient way to paint, with no need for water, brushes or any associated mess. Each paint stick twists up and down, allowing vivid colours to be transferred directly onto canvas, wood, paper, card or glass. Visit littlebrian.com for more information.