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View the latest issue of Craft Focus for FREE! |
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Just a reminder that you can view the latest issue of your favourite craft trade magazine for FREE.
Simply Follow this link
You can also read any of our previous issues by following this link
Craft Focus is the UK's leading trade title aimed at craft bricks & mortar and online retailers.
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Enjoy, keep safe and well and please accept our sincere best wishes from everyone here at Craft Focus! |
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| June/July 2026 |
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As we move into the summer season, this issue is packed with the latest products, trends and industry highlights to help you make the most of the months ahead.
A key focus, is celebrating excellence across the sector, with coverage of this year’s GOTY winners — recognising the products and brands making a real impact at retail. We also round up the winners of the London Stationery Awards, showcasing the innovation, design and creativity continuing to drive the stationery category forward.
With back-to-school preparations underway, we take a look at the latest stationery products set to attract customers ahead of the new term. From stylish desk accessories to practical essentials, this feature highlights opportunities across a consistently strong retail category.
Seasonal trends continue to inspire the craft market and fruity-themed crafting takes centre stage. Our “When Life Gives You Lemons” feature explores the products bringing a fresh burst of colour to summer collections.
Value also remains an important consideration for both retailers and consumers, which is why we spotlight a selection of craft products and projects retailing at under £15, proving creativity and affordability can go hand in hand. Alongside this, our children’s craft feature looks at products designed to keep younger makers engaged during the holiday season, an area that continues to perform strongly for many stores. We also dedicate a section to buttons and ribbons — classic craft essentials that remain a staple for every household.
Whether you’re crafting at the kitchen table, in the garden sunshine or on the go this summer, we hope these pages inspire you to try something new, revisit an old favourite and, above all, enjoy the pleasure of making.
Happy crafting!
Rachel x |
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| NEW 'VOICES OF RETAIL' DATA |
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Spring & Autumn Fair, in partnership with Faire, has revealed new insight showing that community-building is emerging as one of the most powerful and underused growth drivers for independent retailers. The findings, taken from the recently launched Voices of Retail 2026 report, show that 46% of consumers actively choose retailers that create a sense of community, while 89% of retailers who collaborate with other businesses report positive commercial impact, including increased footfall, stronger brand awareness and new customer acquisition. Despite the proven benefits, just 23% of retailers are actively collaborating today.
Read more...... |
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| Yop & Tom Partners with Miffy for New Stationery Range |
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Yop & Tom are delighted to announce an agreement with Mercis BV, brokered by Rocket Licensing, to launch a new Miffy stationery collection across the UK and Ireland. The collection will bring together Miffy's instantly recognisable charm with Yop & Tom's colourful, design-led approach to stationery. The first launch will include 2027 diaries, 2027 calendars and tear-off notepads, with guided journals to follow later in the year. Pre-orders for the diaries and calendars are open now, with the range set to launch in summer 2026. The collection will make its trade show debut at Harrogate Home & Gift, taking place from 19–22 July 2026.
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| AUTUMN FAIR 2026 LAUNCHES NEW COUNTER TALKS STAGE AS FIRST SPEAKERS REVEALED |
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Autumn Fair has unveiled the first details of its 2026 content programme, including the launch of its brand-new Counter Talks Stage, a dedicated platform designed to tackle the issues, trends and commercial realities shaping modern independent retail. Taking place at the NEC Birmingham from 6–9 September 2026, Autumn Fair's new content offering has been built in response to the findings of the recently launched Voices of Retail 2026 report by Spring & Autumn Fair and Faire, which surveyed 650 independent retailers and more than 2,000 UK consumers to uncover what is really driving growth on Britain's high streets.
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| Hype to High Street |
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Far from drawing consumers away from physical retail, social media is driving an estimated 1.7 billion visits to UK high streets every year - an average of over 30 million visits a week - according to new research from American Express. The Hype to High Street study, conducted with analysts Retail Economics, found that nearly two-thirds (63%) of UK adults have visited a shop or hospitality venue within the last year, such as a café or restaurant, after being influenced by content they saw on social media. Among Gen Z consumers (aged 18-28), that figure rises to 88%.
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| The GA encourages government intervention |
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The Giftware Association has joined more than 80 of the UK's leading retail CEOs in urging the Prime Minister to take immediate action to address growing barriers to youth employment. In a joint letter coordinated by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), industry leaders warn that rising employment costs, increased regulation, and ongoing economic pressures are making it increasingly difficult for businesses to hire young people. The letter highlights the urgent need for government intervention to prevent a deepening youth unemployment crisis and to safeguard vital entry-level job opportunities across the retail sector.
Read more...... |
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| Forthcoming Events |
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Please note: All dates are subject to changes, contact organisers for more information before making arrangements. To view more events, please visit the events page on our website...
6-9 Sep 2026 - Autumn Fair 2026
NEC Birmingham, B40 1NT, UK
www.autumnfair.com
13-15 Sep 2026 - Top Drawer London
Olympia London, Hammersmith Rd, London, W14 8UX
www.topdrawer.co.uk
30-2 Oct 2026 - h+h americas Fall Edition
NRG Center, Houston, Texas
fall.hh-americas.com
10-13 Jan 2027 - Harrogate Christmas & Gift
Harrogate Convention Centre, King's Rd, Harrogate, HG1 5LA
www.harrogatefair.com/contact_us.asp
19-21 Jan 2027 - Toy Fair
Olympia, Grand, National & Upper West Halls, Kensington, W14 8UX
www.toyfair.co.uk |
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