Home & Gift Harrogate, UK retail's premier summer trade show for the gift and home industry, has concluded the highly anticipated 2023 edition on a resounding note of success. Held in both the Harrogate Convention Centre and the grounds of the prestigious DoubleTree By Hilton, the event brought industry professionals, exhibitors and buyers together from around the world for an immersive and inspiring experience. Over the show's 4 days, exhibitors saw significantly increased footfall vs. 2022, with an overall growth of 14% and a 9% increase in the individual companies that attended. Notably, the show also benefited from a 15% increase in buyers from garden centres, a 48% increase in museum and gallery buyers, and a 63% increase in those from department stores. These robust numbers indicate a strong Q3 and 4 ahead for the retail industry, and increased positivity for customer spending ahead of 2024.
Posted: 9 August 2023
Organised by Sew Over It, one of the UK's biggest independent sewing companies, this is the second year of the Big Sew Off. Last year over £10k was raised for Mind and this year the aim is to raise a lot more with your support. The event takes place on Monday 4th September where participants will be sewing for 24 hours. Sewing will start at 10am on 4th September and finish at 10am on Tuesday 5th September.
Posted: 8 August 2023
Pentel's summer of colour begins as it launches its latest social media campaign, #FocusonColour. Inspired by the colours of the season, the campaign will be packed with creative content throughout the summer months, exploring the many beautiful shades within the Pentel Arts family, as well as Pentel's flagship EnerGel range. As the campaign unfolds Pentel guarantee six weeks packed full of activity. Working closely with influencers, each tasked with different projects, Pentel's #FocusonColour campaign will demonstrate the different use of colour across many of its most popular products and encourage followers to engage and connect with the Pentel brand.
Posted: 3 August 2023
School children are being encouraged to get creative and banish holiday boredom this summer to be in with a chance of winning theme park tickets, a top-of-the-range scooter and inspiring stationery. The famous stationery brand Maped Helix has launched its Summer Super Stars campaign. Children of all ages and abilities will have the opportunity to enjoy a weekly craft activity, providing welcome respite for parents in the process and a screen-free, creative challenge for their children.
Posted: 1 August 2023
This year's 2023 theme on World Intellectual Property Day was Women and IP: Accelerating innovation and creativity and ACID CEO Dids Macdonald OBE., was amongst five UK women selected for their "can do" attitude of women inventors, creators, and entrepreneurs worldwide and their ground-breaking work. Other UK women included in this prestigious global line-up are Jewellery Designer and trail blazer, Harriet Kelsall; Installation technique for offshore wind turbines inventor and entrepreneur Jacqueline Morrison; Esteemed departmental lecturer in intellectual property (IP) at the Oxford University in the United Kingdom, Le Vu Van Anh; Academic lawyer and professor Janice Denoncourt.
Posted: 28 July 2023
Hunter Price International, the leading developer and supplier of innovative consumer products, has released the details of its first collections with Crayola, which will launch in Tesco and Poundland in August. A capsule collection will debut in 200 Tesco stores for the brand new range Crayola Kraft, which has been created by the team at Hunter Price in collaboration with the creativity icon. Crayola Kraft is a predominantly paper-based range that has the environment at heart and aims to inspire kids to craft with kindness. The first range is plastic free, recyclable, printed with vegetable-based inks, and FSC certified.
Posted: 27 July 2023
The Creative Retail Awards are delighted to announce the Shortlist for the 2023 Awards. The Shortlist presents some of the very best in global retail, leisure, and hospitality design & display with projects including Flannels, Gaucho, Selfridges, Myriam K, Hamleys, Nike and many more. The panel of Judges found it even tougher than usual this year to Shortlist the entries, with exceptional quality submitted from all corners of the globe, from North America, across Europe, South Africa, and the Middle East. As physical retail evolves, design and experience have become more influential tools than ever. The Creative Retail Awards have recognised the industry's best companies and talent since 2018. With categories including sustainability, omni-channel, technology, VM schemes, POP/POS, shopfitting, store design, experience, and innovation, the Awards recognise talent across the full spectrum of design and display.
Posted: 27 July 2023
The second episode of the Digital Academy of the leading consumer goods trade fairs focused on the future of retail and took a look at China. With Beryl Hsu, Editor-in-Chief of AD China, and Wayne Xiang, Managing Director of United Home and founder of Likuai Lifestyle Stores in China, two proven experts provided insights into a market of the future and comprehensively illuminated future retail from a consumer and retail perspective
Posted: 25 July 2023
Autumn Fair, the UK's ultimate shop for shop for wholesale Home, Gift, and Fashion taking place from the 3rd – 6th September at NEC Birmingham, has launched an inspirational new and exclusive Product Preview offering buyers the scoop on the forthcoming show. In the exclusive first look at what buyers can expect at the show, Autumn Fair has curated the most sought-after products. From gifts to greetings cards and footwear to furniture, the Autumn Fair Product Preview features the must-have products destined to be your next bestsellers.
Posted: 21 July 2023
Barbie, the iconic doll that first hit toy stores way back in 1959, is getting her very own live-action movie and Cygnet Yarns along with Craft Focus are ALL here for it! Cygnet Yarns has dedicated a page of their website to fabulous Barbie inspired patterns to knit up or crochet for fun. Share your makes with us using #cygnetbarbiemakes
Simply click on the image of the pattern you like and you will be taken to the free
Posted: 20 July 2023