Craft Focus - December 2020/January 2021 (Issue 82)

24 +00 1 (207) 793-2245 +44 (0)7731 982 761 www.bosalonline.com Distributors www.visagetextiles.com www.marentcrafts.com www.empressmills.co.uk During this time crafting has seen demand increase due to lockdowns and many people taking up sewing and crafting hobbies as a way of staying mentally well and connecting with the sewing community. So, with the supply chain challenges and demand increasing it has put a lot of pressure on staff. In the US and UK, mask making and PPE making from consumers has meant a big demand for certain products. All these challenges are trying to be met whilst keeping everyone safe. What do you specialise in and what’s your bestselling product? Bosal Foam and Fiber specialises in quilting, dressmaking and crafting battings, interfacings, and stabilisers. Bosal’s bestselling lines are In-R-Form® a foam interlining used for bag making, table runners, storage, and quilting. In the quilting world Bosal’s 100 per cent Organic Cotton Pre-Shrunk is a go-to product for quilters, as it offers beautiful handle, no pre-washing and sustainability. Bosal’s bestselling interfacing Fashion Fuse which is a 100 per cent Woven Fusible Cotton Interfacing which can be used for dressmaking, patchwork, nag making, face coverings and memory quilting. Talk us through your current collections – and what’s new that you’re excited about? Currently we have our Christmas collections in which we have a pre cut Santa sock in a light fusible fleece, Christmas ornaments and Christmas table runners and placemats. We’re excited about our new product available in the UK soon − a pressed felt fabric which can be used for making woven felt baskets, storage boxes, home décor and bags. It can be slit and cut, no fraying and be embellished with stitching and appliqué. How often do you launch new products? As we work with many designers, we launch new products every month. We’re listening to our distributors, retailers, and the consumer for feedback on products that they need. We also adapt our current product range into different shapes, lengths, rolls and pre-cuts. We modify the products specifically for on trend projects. We have the machinery to adapt to any need. How would you advise a retailer who is interested in stocking your products? Retailers can find products in the UK through our UK distributors Visage Textiles and Empress Mills. We’re also pleased to announce our new distributor Marent Crafts who will have a wider variety of Bosal products in stock from December. Bosal Foam and Fiber in the UK can support any retailer with product knowledge, education, images, sourcing, social media content, sampling, and brand awareness. Bosal also help support retailers at consumer craft shows. What sets you apart from your competitors? Bosal Foam and Fiber can collaborate quickly and creatively with designers to make new products. Bosal can adapt the current product range to support new ideas in the crafting market. The company also have many different products to what UK competitors offer making it exciting for the UK consumer. Do you visit any trade shows? Bosal has for more than 30 years had a presence at Global trade shows, such as Stitches in the UK, H+H in Cologne, Quilt Market in Houston in the US, and many other shows in the US. Bosal believes strongly in showcasing the brand and its new products at global shows, it’s a chance to meet with the global distributors, the chance to meet designers, chance to grow business, build relationships and network with amazing brands. What can we expect from you in the future? Since March 2020, none of the trade shows or consumer shows have been able to go ahead. However, Bosal during this challenging time has continued to ship globally. Going forward watch out for our collaborations with Beyond Knit and Stitch and Facebook Live demonstrations. Bosal is also extremely excited to be working with Marent Crafts as a new wholesaler and we look forward to having many more of the amazing projects and fabrics available in the UK.