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

7 INDUSTRY NEWS Industry news Latest news from the craft industry  Crafter’s Companion is celebrating 15 years in business To commemorate the milestone, the craft business has planned a series of celebrations and giveaways on its digital platform, Crafter’s TV, in addition to its social channels and UK, EU and US websites. From 20 th October, the company has been offering exclusive discounts, new products and special birthday treats for customers who place an order. Crafter’s Companion was founded by Sara Davies MBE in 2005, when she was studying for a business degree at York University. Whilst undergoing the placement, Sara spotted a gap in the market for a tool which could create bespoke envelopes for crafters. With this in mind, Sara created The Enveloper and Crafter’s Companion was born. Sara said: “This year has been extremely challenging for many businesses, so to celebrate another anniversary, especially one that represents such a significant milestone, means a great deal to the company. “I’m immensely proud of what Crafter’s Companion has been able to achieve in the last 15 years. We’ve strived to create innovative products for the crafts industry and our growth has seen us export to more than 40 different countries, outgrow our head offices in the UK and US and has seen us establish our digital platform, Crafter’s TV, which is going from strength to strength. This year, we were also awarded a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade, which was a huge accomplishment for the business. “As well as being a big celebration, our Birthday Week is an opportunity to recognise how far we’ve come, as we look towards the future. We wouldn’t be where we are today without the continued support of our loyal customers and Birthday Week is our way of saying thank you for sticking with us for so long!” ExaClair launches new Herbin ink chosen by fans ExaClair, the UK supplier of premium ink and calligraphy brand, Herbin, has launched the new Jacques Herbin ink, Vert Atlantide. The limited-edition ink was chosen by Herbin fans as a part of its 350 th anniversary celebrations. From a selection of four options it was voted as the favourite choice to celebrate the brand’s Parisian heritage dating back to 1670. Honouring the esteemed navigator Jacques Herbin, the ink evokes the lush green colours of Atlantis with undertones of ocean depths. The dark, intense colour is illuminated with silver and gold glitter, which provides a fervent sparkle. “This ink is particularly special for Herbin fans,” says Lawrence Savage, marketing manager at ExaClair, “as it was both made for and chosen by them as a celebration of the brand.” “Suitable for both writing and drawing, the unique depth of colour of the ink allows users to immerse themselves in creativity,” he says.