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

91 HOBBYIST GIFTING The full session is available to watch on demand on the Autumn Fair @ Home platform: https://www.bigmarker.com/hyve/Arts-and-Crafts-Re alising- the-potential-of-hobbyist-gifting?show_live_page=true You can email Autumn Fair with any questions, SpringAutumnFairMarketing@hyve.group However, Damien also points out that we can’t just expect this to carry on, without effort from within the industry. As the new normal continues to emerge and evolve, brand owners and retailers alike need to keep their finger on the pulse of what this new normal looks like and how crafts can fit in with this. Crafting and wellbeing There are the clear benefits of stress and anxiety reduction that crafting has to offer. Pinterest, for example, reported a 444 per cent increase in searches for art therapy activities over the last year. With a general trend towards wellness in the gift sector crafting is becoming a key aspect of this. Coralie says, “so much of crafting is to do with mindfulness and it has such therapeutic benefits. It’s an empowering thing which brings a sense of wellbeing through the accomplishment and satisfaction you get from sitting down and being patient.” Kate agrees saying, “people are starting to understand the benefits of slowing down… Even before the pandemic, loneliness was a huge issue, but crafts are relaxing, therapeutic and a source of escapism.” It’s not just the panellists noticing this connection, though. Crafty Arts partnership with mental health charity Mind points to an understanding of crafts as more than just a hobby outside of just our sector alone. The sustainability question Whether it’s going carbon neutral or adopting the ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ mantra, the panel agrees that sustainability within crafts is key, despite it being put on the backburner during lockdown. As in many industries, the journey to sustainability is just that; a journey. For the panellists, sustainability is a strategic priority and an area to improve on both in the short and long term. Summing up Autumn Fair’s Power of One campaign perfectly, Natasha says, “If we all try to do a little bit, in the grand scheme of things it will be a lot.” Crafting as a community The idea that crafting is a social activity is one that has really permeated the narrative throughout the lockdown. Whether it’s uniting families over a ‘together activity’ as Damien has noticed or it’s sharing creations via social media, as Kate and Natasha point out, the social elements of arts and crafts have been a key factor in inspiring more and more people to try something new, especially during the lockdown. Speaking of social media, there’s no denying that the two have had a close relationship during lockdown. As Kate says, “[Gibsons’] following has grown a lot over lockdown. [For followers] it’s about being part of a community, because when you get passionate about something you want to share it.” Crafty Arts has also seen an increase in their following with customers using their profile as a platform to share projects, ideas and inspiration with each other. Natasha observes, “A lot of people want to be creative, but they don’t know where to start. Social media opens their eyes to see what they could do.” What’s the biggest lockdown learning? Amid positive predictions for a good Christmas season, the panellists shared their lockdown lessons and how they’ve seen the potential of the industry flourish over the last six months: Damien: “You can’t win it all. When demand exceeds supply you have to deal with that. Also, there are a lot of people out there who love crafting and it’s become a top hobby for people, it’s definitely not an industry in trouble.” Kate: “From a business point of view, we were tested and when you’re under pressure the cracks and strengths start to show, I really saw resilience of our team.” Natasha: “You can’t plan it all! Sometimes you have to knuckle down and get the job done. During the lockdown, our team were amazing and were doing just as many hours that we were even though they didn’t have to. It really is to be thankful for what we have as a lot of businesses have gone the other direction, but we’ve survived.”