Craft Focus - Feb/Mar (Issue 71)

best in us! We’re really excited about bringing our brands to new audiences across the world. How are you finding the current economic climate? While our company has grown considerably in the last 24 months, the spectre of Brexit looms over us. Export is a significant part of our business, and this naturally creates some uncertainty about the future. We’re hoping for a swift resolution, so we can regain some certainty about how we move forward. However, we’re confident that no matter what the outcome, we’re up to the challenge of finding solutions that suit our customers in all countries. What are your thoughts on the craft industry – would you say the sector is performing well? In my opinion, the craft industry is definitely healthy. We see a mix of established larger players co-existing peacefully alongside newer, smaller companies who are able to offer something distinct and special too. This is not always the case in other industries. Demand for arts and crafts remains very strong and we like to get out and about to consumer shows across the country, as well as trade fairs. We see large attendances wherever we go. How often do you launch new lines? Every month. We prioritise product development, and the fact that we work closely with TV shopping channels means we are driven to bring newness on a very regular basis. Do you have any new products coming up that you’d like our readers to know about? Yes! Highlights will include an LED crystal kit, crystal clock kits and a new flower-making set. All will be revealed at the trade fairs we are visiting. We hope to be able to show readers all the designs first-hand at one of these events. Where can retailers get to see your products? Our products will be available to see at all upcoming trade shows. It’s also possible to make an appointment at our showroom in Chesham, Buckinghamshire. In addition, we ran a very well-attended open day last summer, where we invited trade customers to come along and view our new collections, attend workshops and also enjoy a slap-up meal. The event was a huge success and offered a great opportunity to connect with our customers. We plan to do at least two more this year. What are your future plans for Craft Buddy? We want to continue to grow our brand presence in the UK within our core craft sector, and establish ourselves in other industries such as toy and gift. This has already begun to happen in Europe, where Crystal Art is now very much in the mainstream in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, but not yet in the UK. The next 12 months will be focused on increasing the awareness of our brands both in our home market and abroad. Craft Buddy +44 (0)203 417 6565 craftbuddyltd.co.uk craft focus 83 profile