Gift Focus - Mar/Apr 2018 (Issue 106)

If you have a vested interest in the home and gift industry, a visit to this year’s British Craft Trade Fair should be on your ‘must go’ list! The fair represents the largest collective of British craft and design in the world, with almost 500 makers represented. It’s a beautifully presented trade fair and if you have a sales outlet it’s without doubt the very best place to view, select and order some of the UK’s best hand-made home and giftware. Established more than 40 years ago, the fair has gone from strength to strength over the years and is a firm favourite with buyers from the home, gift, stationery, fashion and greeting card sectors. British made has enjoyed a huge resurgence in popularity with consumers over recent years and there have been several government backed marketing campaigns around ‘made in Britain’ that have helped the cause! Upcycling is very much on trend and consumer awareness has increased massively with the environmental issues that surround us all. Upcycling and recycling has been around now for some time and awareness on ‘save the planet’ is critical for our long-term future. At BCTF you can see a large selection of remarkable and quite ingenious product ranges created by very conscientious exhibitors. BCTF brings together the very best of created British art and design and helps the buyer to make an informed choice on ‘buying British.’ Margeret Bunn has developed and manages the fair over the last 12 years and she’s very proud of her exhibitors who as she says in many cases represent many of tomorrow’s antiques and collectables. Margeret said, “British craft and design has over recent years come of age and is currently very cool with consumers wanting to buy home and gift that is hand made with integrity and passion. Our exhibitors have also become far more professional and much of this has come about as a direct result of our mentoring programme ensuring that exhibitors are ready to supply trade buyers.” g best of British art and design The BCTF has been showcasing the best of British Craft and Art for the past 43 years, here’s a peek of what to expect at this year’s show IN BRIEF Show British Craft Trade Fair Organiser Primary Sports Management Where Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate When 8 th - 10 th April, 2018 Website bctf.co.uk giftfocus 79 bctf