New Products: Industry news from Gift Focus magazine

Joe Davies appointed as Read My Lips distributor to independent retail

Joe Davies has been appointed by Amber House as exclusive distributor for the Read My Lips brand of licensed Lip Balms.

The full collection of Read My Lips will be available from the Manchester-based importer in February. The range consists of single lip balms, multi-packs and tear & share packs; all with flavours and packaging coordinated to each brand.

John Kingham, Managing Director at Amber House commented: "Read My Lips is hugely popular and successful in the UK, and we have been looking for some time for the right distributor to take the brand forward into independent retail. With their reputation for award-winning customer service and their 'little & often' order system Joe Davies are the perfect fit for us."

Posted: 12 January 2024

The Little Black Book has launched

Spring Fair, the UK's diverse, and trend led marketplace for Home, Gift, Fashion, and Everyday, has launched this season's The Little Black Book – the buyer's go-to guide for the show taking place from 4th – 7th February 2024 at NEC Birmingham. Digital copies of The Little Black Book will also be sent to everyone who registers. To register for Spring Fair and be in with a chance of receiving a free copy of The Little Black Book visit the website: https://www.springfair.com/visitor-registration

Posted: 2 January 2024

Desire Diffusers from Lesser & Pavey hit the shelves

Lesser and Pavey has launched a new range of diffusers as part of the Desire range of fragrance products. With pastel coloured containers, bamboo reeds, and matching floral feature, this new addition is ideal for the spring. Fragrances contained include the six best sellers - Velvet Rose and Oud, Pomegranate Noir, Lavender and Chamomile, Vanilla and Anise, Fresh Linen, and Fig and Lotus.

Posted: 28 December 2023

Feeling peachy with Pantone's Colour of the Year 2024 announcement

It's here, Pantone's Colour of the Year announcement for 2024 is... Peach Fuzz! We can't wait to see how this influences the industry. Pantone, the global color authority and provider of professional color language standards and digital solutions for the design community, today introduced PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz, a velvety gentle peach whose all-embracing spirit enriches mind, body, and soul as the Pantone Color of the Year selection for 2024. At a time of turmoil in many aspects of our lives, our need for nurturing, empathy and compassion grows ever stronger as does our imaginings of a more peaceful future. A warm and cozy shade highlighting our desire for togetherness with others and the feeling of sanctuary this creates, PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz presents a fresh approach to a new softness. Subtly sensual, PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz is a heartfelt peach hue bringing a feeling of tenderness communicating a message of caring and sharing, community and collaboration.

Posted: 7 December 2023

John Lewis report reveals a return of the Saturday shopper

A decade on from the first John Lewis How We Shop, Live and Look report, which looks back at the products and trends that shaped the year, we are a nation that has fallen out of love with DVD players and fidget spinners and gained a burgeoning obsession with air fryers and pizza ovens.

Over the last 12 months, we've seen customers return to shops, especially on Saturdays for a family day out where footfall is up 11 percent.

During the height of lockdowns, 81 percent of our sales came via the internet, this has fallen back to 57 percent with many dwelling in stores and hospitality and catering sales up 20 percent versus last year.

Posted: 1 December 2023

Kite introduces eco-friendly, economical and versatile kite mailer range

Kite Packaging, a leading UK supplier of innovative and eco-friendly packaging, has added a brand new range of bubble mailers to its offering.

Available in twelve sizes in gold or white, this comprehensive range caters to the diverse packaging needs of any business and is particularly great for those with a large product profile.

Kite mailers comply with Royal Mail's PiP guidelines and can help businesses calculate and regulate their shipping costs to avoid any surprises.

Air-filled bubbles also keep overall package weights to a minimum whilst providing an effective, shock-absorbing barrier which cushions and minimises the risk of damage occurring during handling or transit.

Posted: 17 November 2023

RHS announces chocolate and confectionery deal with House of Sarunds

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has announced an important partnership in the confectionery category, further underlining the appeal of the UK's favourite gardening charity to companies in a wide range of diverse product categories.

The House of Sarunds, a distributor of world-class chocolate and confectionery, has been licensed to produce a special RHS range of English chocolate, confectionery and biscuits, which launches early next year.

Designed to appeal to a wide audience of all ages, the first collection of products will include biscuits and traditional boiled sweets in tins for gifting as well, of course, as exquisite chocolate boxes and bags.

The collection, which will also include vegan options, will be available at multiple garden centres.

Posted: 13 November 2023

In A Matchbox are set to re-release its most popular product

The gifting gurus behind In A Matchbox are set to re-release its most popular product and this one will be hotter than ever. Marvling Bros, founded by friends Hayley Madden and Emma Dobie, creates mini gifts that can fit inside a matchbox (and your letterbox) which range from mini marshmallow toasting kits and micropub seed kits to novelty stationery and their best-selling "Hot stuff" chilli in a matchbox gift. Now, to celebrate its 10th anniversary, the team are set to get those tastebuds tingling once again with a relaunch of Hot Stuff, and this time, it will be even hotter, as Emma explains.

Posted: 10 November 2023

Two new offerings from Lesser & Pavey

A new addition to the Lesser & Pavey fragrance range of gold-plated candles and diffusers, Desire, the Madelaine Boutique range from Heart Designs, offers ranges of candles and diffusers with added bling bows and gold bauble balls features on the sticks. Toppers to seal the fragrance in when not in use, the candles (large size has three wicks) burn wood sage and sea salt, oud and bergamot, and cashmere and silk. The same fragrances are featured in the diffusers coming in three sizes, with set of three 50ml diffusers. Each item is presented in a stylish cylinder packaging.

Posted: 8 November 2023

Source Home & Gift, continues to go from strength to strength

The only international sourcing platform of its kind, Source Home & Gift, continues to go from strength to strength with over 430 exhibitors expected to be at its third edition from 4th – 7th February 2024 at NEC Birmingham. Uniting global manufacturers and artisan makers who all pride themselves on responsible manufacturing and sustainable production, with key retailers, brands, and contractors, Source Home & Gift increases in size by 25% with producers from UK, China, India, Philippines, Nepal and many more showcasing their wares. Debuting at the show will be pavilions from Senegal and Ghana. Suzanne Ellingham, Director of Sourcing says, "We are changing the perception of sourcing in the UK, doubling down on quality products and championing not only the large-scale global manufacturers but also the makers and social enterprises that are really making a difference to communities around the work. I continue to be blown away by the work people are doing and some of the incredible stories behind the products. Buying from these makers has an enormous impact on their lives.

Posted: 2 November 2023