Top Drawer, the UK's premier design-led buying event, opened its doors for the A/W season yesterday. Welcoming buyers and store owners to embrace the 'whirlwind of change' that is the current retail climate. This edition showcases more than 500 exhibiting brands across the most in-demand lifestyle sectors.
The show's flagship sectors–Home, Gift, Greetings & Stationery, Play, Craft, Fashion, Food Emporium and Wellbeing–are complimented by Launchpad, a presentation of emerging brands from across all sectors who are new to the market.
Event Director, David Westbrooke said: "Top Drawer has a long, proud legacy of presenting store owners and buyers with products that will set their offering apart from the rest, and resonate with their customers."
Posted: 9 September 2024
The Gift Fair is thrilled to launch its Future Star Award. This award celebrates newcomers with exceptional potential to the UK Gift industry.
This award will provide a launchpad for talented entrepreneurs to show off their wonderful products in way they might not otherwise have the opportunity to.
This year, we were spoilt for choice so two wonderful companies have been selected, it was just too hard to pick one! The Gift Fair Future Star awards go to Cheeky Legends www.arrthi.com for their colourful and cheeky greetings cards and Little Roglets www.littleroglets.com for their beautifully painted animal collection.
Cheeky Legends was created by Arrthi Little, a cartoonist based in Hampshire creating entertaining characters in her signature style 'Cute, Chubby, Cheeky'.
Posted: 4 September 2024
The Gift Fair is an online gift tradeshow, set to take place from January 8th- February 28th, 2025.
Organised by Fabian Santoro and his team, this exciting platform hosts trade shows that work around you not the other way around. The platform is not like anything you've seen before – it's not a website, directory or meeting scheduler. Every aspect is designed to make trade shows faster, cheaper, easier and better. You can speak to real people in real time via instant messaging, video chat, exchange business cards and much more.
You can find established brands like Professor Puzzle, LifeCharms and Swing Cards as well as the hottest newcomers like Cosmic Cuties and BangoBerry.
Posted: 2 September 2024
Autumn Fair, retail's leading seasonal showcase for Home, Gift and Fashion, opened today and saw thousands of buyers walking the aisles looking to discover the latest products and hidden gems for their stores.
The four-day show is the key seasonal buying event for many independent businesses across the UK to refresh their store and stock up shelves in time for the festive period, and reports from a busy first day indicate positivity, plenty of order writing, and highlighted the importance of seeing products and people in person.
A huge variety of big name retailers, department stores, garden centres, activity centres and independent retailers attended including Tesco, Poundland, Elphicks, Blue Diamond, NHS, Willows Activity Far, Willowbrook Garden Centre, Blue Tiger, Leonards Hardware and Island jewellers.
Posted: 2 September 2024
This Sunday, the NEC Birmingham will come alive with the return of Autumn Fair, the UK's largest seasonal showcase for Home, Gift & Fashion. Running from 1st to 4th September 2024, this year's event promises to be a hub of inspiration and opportunity, with over 800 suppliers presenting more than half a million products. With 30 per cent of brands exhibiting exclusively at Autumn Fair, it's the ultimate destination for retailers looking to discover the latest trends and stock their shelves ahead of the festive season.
Posted: 29 August 2024
Anyone operating in the giftware industry can now order Marius Fabre from its exclusive new UK distributor, Studio Pens.
Marius Fabre is as emblematic of the country's southern Provence region as lavender fields and cicadas, and the all-natural and sustainable olive oil-based products are suitable for a host of daily uses. Palm oil free, the 100 percent vegetable-based natural biodegradable products are environmentally friendly, and the packaging is entirely recyclable. Some of the range is also Ecocert certified and organic.
The family that has been making the traditional Marseille soap since the 1900's has signed an exclusive deal with distributor, Studio Pens, which will see the Harrogate based father and daughter run company supplying the luxurious product range to retailers throughout the UK.
Posted: 26 August 2024
After a successful transition phase, the consumer goods trade fairs Christmasworld and Creativeworld have a new show director. On 1st August 2024, Stefan Schopp took over from Eva Olbrich, who commenced her well-deserved retirement at the end of July. With the Conzoom Circle network, Messe Frankfurt links the most important international platforms for the global consumer goods and retail industry and bundles industry knowledge and expertise.
Posted: 22 August 2024
Avenue Mandarine, the manufacturers of educational toys and games, has recently launched a new range of Super Softy modelling clay. Available in a wide selection of colours and retail pack formats, including a refillable counter top dispenser, this plant based clay is gluten free, hypoallergenic, and will not stain or dry, allowing for continued use. The extra soft clay is designed for children of two years and above, making it ideal for younger crafters.
Posted: 20 August 2024
Founded by Manuscript Pen Company in 2017, World Calligraphy Day on 16 August is a celebration of the wonderful calligraphy community, bringing together experts and novices from across the world, together to discuss, practice, learn and celebrate the art of calligraphy and creative lettering. The first couple of events were held at the Pen Museum in the jewellery quarter in Brimingham, a fitting venue, with the museum dedicated to preserving the history of Birmingham's once-thriving pen trade. At its height, in the Victorian era, there were over 140 pen manufacturers in Birmingham, including Manuscript Pen Company.
Posted: 15 August 2024
Autumn Fair, the UK's largest seasonal showcase for Home, Gift & Fashion, is set to take place from the 1st - 4th of September at NEC Birmingham. This year's event promises to be a pivotal occasion for retailers looking to stock their shelves and create the most enticing shop windows in preparation for the Christmas period. registration for Autumn Fair is now open.
Posted: 13 August 2024