Sara Davies, the entrepreneur and business mentor, has announced that she has stepped in to rescue Crafter's Companion ("the Company") – the business that she founded when she was still at university. Crafter's Companion had been put into administration by its current directors who had pursued an ambitious growth strategy, which had not succeeded. The Company had reached a point where it didn't have sufficient working capital to continue to operate, and it was put into administration on 7th January, 2025.
Posted: 9 January 2025
ICHF Events has confirmed the speaker line up for the UK's flagship trade show CHSI Stitches at the NEC Birmingham from 23rd to 24th February 2025 with topics including AI and social media marketing at the forefront of discussion. This year's line up reflects industry trends and opportunities, notably Generative AI, one of the fastest developing topics across the business landscape.
Posted: 7 January 2025
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), retail sales volumes (quantity bought) are estimated to have risen by 0.2 per cent in November 2024, following a fall of 0.7 per cent in October 2024. Greg Zakowicz, senior ecommerce expert at Omnisend shares his comments with Craft Focus. To read the full ONS report and study their findings, simply visit the website: https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/retailindustry/bulletins/retailsales/november2024
Posted: 2 January 2025
Spring Fair, the UK's most prestigious wholesale marketplace taking place 2nd – 5th February 2025 at NEC Birmingham, is proud to announce a new partnership with the Association for Cultural Enterprises. The collaboration reflects Spring Fair's commitment to supporting the evolving needs of cultural, heritage, and destination buyers - key players in the retail industry who balance the art of storytelling with the demand for innovation and sustainability.
Posted: 31 December 2024
Those looking to treat the fashionistas, dressmakers and crafters in their lives, need look no further than a handcrafted gift to indulge their passion, that will last a lifetime, from William Whiteley & Sons. Suppliers to Royalty and providers of luxurious excellence since 1760, these are gifts which are pieces of history from the oldest scissor smiths in the Western world.
Posted: 26 December 2024
Spring Fair, the UK's leading retail trade show for Home, Gift and Fashion, has announced the launch of a competition to win a sum of £1000 to spend at the February 2025 show. To be in with a chance to win, simply register for the show before 6th January 2025. The 75th anniversary show, takes place from 2nd to 5th February 2025.
Posted: 24 December 2024
Save our festive traditions! A new survey (across 3000 adults over the UK) reveals that nearly two thirds (63 per cent) of people in England are concerned traditional Christmas crafts and activities are at risk of dying out in modern times. Leading children's charity, The Children's Society, is calling on families to help preserve these cherished traditions by reintroducing festive crafts into their holiday celebrations.
Posted: 19 December 2024
Retro trends, preppy and Brat Girl fashions and travel returning to pre-covid levels were among the biggest influences on our shopping habits.
That's according to John Lewis's annual trend report How We Shop, Live and Look, which looks at the products and trends that defined the past year.
'Social shopping' is definitely in fashion. One in five (19 percent) of the 1,996 customers surveyed said they have shopped more with friends and family this year, and nearly seven in 10 (68 percent) of them said they like to combine it with other activities like eating out. This tallies with John Lewis data, which shows that more than three quarters of a million more customers ate in its Place to Eat restaurants over the past year.
Posted: 17 December 2024
Search Press is deeply saddened to announce the death of its founder, Countess Charlotte de la Bedoyere (Lotti), who died peacefully on Friday 22nd of November 2024 at the age of 93. Lotti was a pioneering force in the publishing world, and the author of a number of popular books. We are thinking of the Search Press family at this difficult time.
Posted: 12 December 2024
Due to the hugely successful STABILO and Anya Hindmarch collaboration, both brands have now announced that the collection is being reproduced and will be stocked for a further year. STABILO is known across the globe for its high quality, bold designs with exceptional colour variety and its range with Anya Hindmarch certainly nods to its rich history. We're pleased it's here to stay!
Posted: 10 December 2024