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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.
When making enquiries to our advertisers, do please mention us. Don't forget to visit our social media channels to spread the word and interact with others.
Enjoy, keep safe and well and please accept our sincere best wishes from everyone here at Craft Focus! |
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| April/May 2025 |
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Welcome to summer! This issue, we have our fabulous five-page special dedicated to summer inspired crafts. It’s enough to get you pouring yourself a Pimm’s in no time. We also delve into the animal print trend – it’s all over the high street so make sure you’re also stocking safari styles on your shelves. And let’s not forget Father’s Day, as we round up the latest crafts for the leading male figure in your life. Lastly, we have plenty of company profiles, where we chat to leading retailers and wholesalers to see how they’re doing business, what’s working and what’s not. We speak to David Mather Supplies, Acorn Fabrics and Pebeo, to name a few. We hope you enjoy the issue! Rachel x |
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| Creative Retail Awards 2025 unveils high-profile judging panel |
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The Creative Retail Awards has unveiled the judging panel for the 2025 Awards, which celebrate innovation and excellence across the retail, leisure, and hospitality sectors.
This year's panel is tasked with selecting the most impactful projects.
The 2025 judging panel includes:
· Isabella Fish – Retail Editor at The Times and The Sunday Times, widely recognised for her in-depth coverage and analysis of trends shaping the retail landscape.
· Ian Scott – International retail consultant and founder of Ian Scott Consulting, known for his expertise in retail strategy and global trends. He is notably credited with introducing the concept of Symbiotic Retail, an approach that advocates for all retail channels to function cohesively as a unified ecosystem to enhance the shopper experience.
Read more...... |
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| The Hong Kong Gifts and Premium Fair celebrates its 40th edition |
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The Hong Kong Trade Development Council is set to unveil the 7 LifeStyle Trade Events, covering gifts, houseware, fashion, printing and packaging, and licensing.
These events will take place from 27 to 30 April 2025, with the gifts and houseware fairs will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. With the latest products and trends on display under one roof, the events will feature a curated selection of lifestyle products and services from around the world, maximising and diversifying buyers' sourcing in one go.
Of the seven events, the Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair is the longest-running and will celebrate its 40th edition in 2025.
Read more...... |
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| Modella acquires WHSmith |
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Modella Capital, the specialist retail and consumer investment firm, has announced that it has acquired the UK High Street operations of WH Smith PLC. The acquisition covers c.480 stores on high streets, shopping centres and retail parks across the UK. WHSmith will retain its stores in airports, hospitals, railway stations and motorway service areas in the UK, as well as its significant operations in other countries. As part of the deal, the High Street stores will be rebranded as TGJones. They will keep the same products and services, including the Post Office and Toys "R" Us, and continue to trade as normal while Modella Capital works with the
management team to define and execute a strategy to introduce new ranges and other offerings in the future.
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| Classic cuts at Acorn Fabrics |
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Acorn Fabrics started in the Lake District in 1975. We're now located in a renovated Victorian weaving mill in Lancashire. A third-generation family business supplying a collection of stock supported fine fabrics, designed primarily, to be used in producing high end shirts. Despite this, the company has a vast customer base including childrenswear, ladieswear, equestrian wear, corporatewear, designers and couture. Here, James Chatburn Co-owner & Director tells us more
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| Creative Craft Show returns to Farnborough |
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The Creative Craft Show will return to Farnborough International for its fifth year running, once again with its sister show, The Stitching Show. The show will run from Thursday 4th September to Saturday 6th September 2025. This show is a haven for knitting, cross stitch, mixed media, scrapbooking, paper crafting, jewellery, dressmaking and stitching enthusiasts alike, offering all the very latest supplies, ideas, and innovations in the craft and hobby world.
Read more...... |
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| Top brands return to Autumn Fair |
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Autumn Fair, the UK's largest B2B retail trade show for Home, Gift & Fashion of the season, returns to the NEC Birmingham from 7–10 September 2025, bringing together over 800 leading brands and 12,000+ retail buyers for four days of high-impact product discovery ahead of the busiest season in retail.
At the heart of this year's edition is a powerhouse line-up of industry favourites and bestselling brands across ten curated destinations who use the show as the perfect stage to unveil new products.
Retailers can expect to source from the likes of Candlelight Products, Bedeck, Ty UK, Gingko, Widdop & Co, Kikkerland, Sass & Belle, Bomb Cosmetics, Five Dollar Shake, Baby Republic, Ohh Deer, Powell Craft, and My Gifts Trade.
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| Creative Solutions to revamp your shop |
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If you are looking to revamp your existing shop or are moving to a new shop, Creative Solutions Ltd. can help you. Make changes to improve appearance, the layout and overall customer experience, with the goal of attracting more customers and increased sales. There are numerous options for the display of haberdashery, threads, buttons, sewing and craft products as shown below.
Read more...... |
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| Global reach at h+h americas 2025 |
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h+h americas 2025 concluded its most successful edition yet, welcoming more than 5,180 industry professionals (29.7% increase over 2024) from 48 countries, all 50 U.S. states and 2 U.S. territories to the Donald E. Stephens Convention & Conference Center in Rosemont, Illinois. With 558 exhibitors representing 27 nations and a dynamic lineup of over 328 programmes, this year's event continued to set the standard as North America's most influential handicraft trade show.
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| 2025 Golden Scissors Awards Recognise Outstanding Achievement in the Crafts Industry |
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Craft Industry Alliance is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 Golden Scissors Awards, recognising excellence in the crafts industry. The awards ceremony took place live on stage at h+h Americas. Five outstanding craft professionals were recognised in front of an audience of several hundred of their peers for their contributions to the industry. The craft industry includes world-class corporations and thousands of visionary small business owners whose never-ending creativity continually lifts the entire sector to new heights. The Golden Scissors Awards are an opportunity for the industry to acknowledge those who have offered outstanding leadership and innovation and made important contributions to the industry as a whole.
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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...
7-10 Sep 2025 - Autumn Fair 2025
NEC Birmingham, B40 1NT, UK
www.autumnfair.com
14-16 Sep 2025 - Top Drawer London
Olympia London, Hammersmith Rd, London, W14 8UX
www.topdrawer.co.uk |
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