Gift Focus - Nov/Dec 2017 (Issue 104)

paid a fair price. Tilnar is also just trying to have a positive impact in life and this is why we launched The Tilnar Cycle Challenge, a global cycle challenge to inspire cyclists of all ages and abilities to attempt their longest ride each year in time categories up to 15 hours. The Tilnar Cycle Challenge raised money directly for three charities: Cancer Research UK, Porridge and Rice & Re-Cycle by donating £5 of each £9.95 adult entry fee to the charity selected by the entrant. The challengers also had the opportunity to raise sponsorship for their own favourite charity. I wanted the Tilnar Cycle Challenge to raise money for charities that help Africa as well as UK charities to keep to Tilnar’s core aims. Entries increased again this year with hundreds of riders taking part frommany different countries across the world including riders from Mexico, America, Switzerland, Bermuda and Kenya. I was thrilled with the success of the challenge and how it continues to grow. With the fantastic support that we’ll be receiving from our new global sponsors for 2018, I’m confident it’ll continue to grow into the huge one-day celebration of cycling that becomes one of the main targets for serious, leisure, family and school cyclists. The inspirational stories and positive feedback we’ve received, from cyclists of all ages and abilities, means we’re sure the challenge is going to keep growing into an inspiring sporting event that will raise tens of thousands for charity over the coming years. I hope that the inspiration stories will mean many more will Get Inspired by and Get Involved in the Tilnar Cycle Challenge on 24 th June, 2018. How do you keep your designs fresh and current? How frequently do you launch new lines? We’re constantly updating, changing and tweaking our designs and launch new lines at Spring Fair each year. I visit Africa every year and we have great communication between our suppliers, artists and ourselves so we’re all constantly promoting Fairtrade and the products. The artists love to create new lines and we ask them to create samples on a regular basis and greatly value their input on the design. Our aim is to buy high quality, ethically sourced and environmentally friendly products from disadvantaged producers from across the developing world in order to help people trade out of poverty. We’re a relatively small family-run business that looks to work with individual artisans, co-operatives and small businesses across the developing world. Tilnar Art, Besmo & Mo-Home is recognised by BAFTS, the British Association for Fair Trade Shops, as a fair trade importer. What have been the key milestones in the business? In 2015 we celebrated 10 years of trading! How are you finding the current economic climate in the UK? Is it affecting business? We’re currently coping as our products seem to deal with it through all economic change. We feel this is possibly due to us continually keeping our range fresh and updated. Are you active on social media? How is this important for the business? Yes, we’re on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – this is very important in this day and age as you can be seen to be ‘out of touch’ if not on certain platforms. We want to be attractive to all ages so we do also provide hard copy brochures to those customers who like to have them. Do you visit trade shows? Which ones, and how are these important for the business? Yes, we do Spring Fair where we showcase our new products and we also have presence at Harrogate Home & Gift, Autumn Fair and GLEE. These are incredibly important as they keep us fresh in people’s minds and enable the customer to feel and see the product in its true form. Do you have any tips for new traders? Never lose sight of the eventual consumer and the retailer. What can we expect in the future from Tilnar Art? The same continued enthusiasm for our artisans, products and retailers. We’ll continue to develop new and exciting products with our artisans. T: +44 (0)1277 362 815 tilnarart.co.uk tilnarcyclechallenge.org giftfocus 31 company profile