24 CRAFTING A CREATIVE SHOWCASE The craft and creative play offering is particularly strong this year, with established brands and innovative newcomers bringing fresh ideas to retailers seeking products that inspire making, creating and imaginative play. Celebrating an incredible 90 years in business, King Cole returns with its renowned collection of knitting yarns, patterns and accessories. Still family-owned and proudly rooted in Yorkshire, the company continues to innovate while honouring its rich heritage in British hand knitting. Offering everything from pure wool to acrylic blends, King Cole remains one of the world’s most recognised knitting brands and an essential destination for haberdashery and craft retailers. Paper crafters and makers will also find inspiration from Craft UK/Cummins & Papyrus Ltd, manufacturer of envelopes and craft paper products. The family-run Yorkshire business produces an extensive range of UK-made card blanks, textured boards, aperture cards and bespoke envelope solutions, supporting both hobby crafters and small creative businesses. Children’s creativity is another key theme across the show. Brainstorm Ltd will showcase its hugely successful EUGY collection, eco-friendly 3D animal models that combine crafting with collectability, as well as Puffy Art, an innovative new range that transforms children’s colouring creations into threedimensional artwork using water. Meanwhile, Inside Out Toys is introducing Box CanDIY, a beautifully presented range of all-in-one activity kits that include everything from jewellery making and sand art to crochet pets and scratch lanterns. New Mini Boxes, presented in countertop displays, offer accessible price points and strong impulsepurchase opportunities for retailers. Fast-moving toys, crafts and impulse purchases continue to be a strong opportunity for retailers, and both Puckator and Padgett Bros will bring extensive ranges designed to maximise creativity and commercial appeal. Puckator’s ever-evolving toy collection includes trend-led sensory toys, fidget products, novelty gadgets and giftable impulse lines, with standout collections including its popular Queasy range, educational cardboard games and a new DIY line that combines hands-on creativity with strong retail performance. Padgett Bros, one of the UK’s leading importers and distributors of toys, nursery products and arts and crafts, will showcase more than 2,000 products, including its popular Paint Your Own craft sets. European distributor BTL Diffusion is launching two exciting brands into the UK market: Souza, a whimsical collection of costumes and accessories designed to encourage imaginative play, and Sycomore, a vibrant arts and crafts range aimed at both children and adults, promoting creativity and hands-on learning. The growing crossover between books, creativity and imaginative play is reflected by Tawny Owl Wood Children’s Books, whose beautifully illustrated titles celebrate diversity, neurodiversity and the natural world. Their new collaboration with Selfie Craft Co, the Colouring-In Cape, allows children to create their own wearable artwork, blending crafting with role play and storytelling. SMART PLAY MEETS CREATIVE LEARNING Educational and STEM products continue to thrive, and Autumn Fair’s exhibitors are responding with ranges that combine creativity, learning and fun. Smart Toys & Games returns with its award-winning portfolio, including SmartGames logic puzzles, SmartMax magnetic construction systems, GeoSmart STEM building kits and Smartivity’s sustainable wooden DIY construction sets. These products combine problem-solving, engineering and imaginative play, meeting growing consumer demand for House of Marbles Selfie Craft Co
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTA0NTE=