Max Publishing, known for its strong roster of B2B retail trade media and awards, as well as its Progressive Greetings Live trade show, has acquired London Stationery Show from Ocean Media Group. London Stationery Show is the UK's only event dedicated to the stationery, arts, crafts, paper and writing instruments sector. The acquisition also includes Stationery Matters magazine/online and National Stationery Week. Founded in 1990, Max Publishing is an independent media business, wholly owned and run by its four directors, Warren Lomax, Jakki Brown, Ian Hyder and Rob Willis. "We are absolutely delighted to welcome London Stationery Show into the Max Publishing family and look forward to really getting to know the stationery community. Ocean Media Group has done an outstanding job in the last few years, elevating the London Stationery Show as the most important event in the stationery industry's calendar. I would like to thank Ocean's CEO Robert Brighouse, and CFO Declan Cassidy, for their cooperation throughout the transaction," commented Rob Willis, COO of Max Publishing who concluded the acquisition with Ocean Media Group.
Posted: 4 December 2023
Inspiring retail's creators and curators, Spring Fair puts thousands of new products across home, gift and fashion at the forefront of UK retail.
Only available to see at the next show on 4th – 7th February at NEC Birmingham, a host of exclusive Home brands have been revealed including Coach House, Hill Interiors, Pacific Lifestyle, Garden Trading as well as the exciting new partnership between Libra and Laura Ashley.
Nick Davison, Portfolio Director, Spring Fair says, "I'm extremely excited by our Home destination for 2024. We're delighted to offer buyers some sensational exclusive brands at the show, alongside some great looking newcomers."
Posted: 4 December 2023
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
BAEKKE, the Danish sustainable jewellery brand, has announced a partnership with Wolf & Badger, the B Corp-certified platform curating over 2000 independent brands globally.
BAEKKE joins Wolf & Badger, known for championing skill, craftsmanship, and ethical production. BAEKKE's innovative jewellery, featuring interchangeable coloured beads, aligns seamlessly with Wolf & Badger's commitment to sustainability and ethical craftsmanship.
Founder Lene Schødt says: "Being part of Wolf & Badger is a fantastic end to our year. We've always looked to them for inspiration, and now, to be live on their platform is a real dream come true. This collaboration is a testament to our shared values of ethical production and quality design."
Posted: 30 November 2023
Registration is now live for Spring Fair, the UK's most popular, diverse, and trend led marketplace for home, gift, fashion and everyday.
The show will welcome the return of hundreds of retailer's favourite brands such as Suck UK, Oli Olsen, Paladone, Rock Luggage, Turner Bianca, Pacific Lifestyle, Garden Trading, Heaven Sends and many more, who have flocked back to the next show taking place from 4th – 7th February 2024 at NEC Birmingham.
Attend the show to discover the new collections from all these returning brands exhibiting alongside hundreds more sought-after brands.
Inspiring retail's creators and curators, Spring Fair has brought the industry together for over 70 years so retail's people can discover the latest products and trends.
Posted: 30 November 2023
A Carbon Efficiency Estimator which measures the total amount of carbon a furniture piece uses in its lifecycle has launched to market.
Set to accelerate sustainability in the furniture and fixtures industry, the tool is a global first and has been created by Design Conformity, a certification company setting the standard in furniture sustainability with independent Circular Design Certification.
The new Carbon Efficiency Estimator allows designers, estimators, and procurement managers to quickly measure the carbon footprint of a design, with 90-95 percent accuracy, enabling them to create furniture and fixtures with lower carbon impacts.
Taking less than five minutes to take a measurement, the estimator's accessibility and ease of use will expedite designers furniture and fixtures sustainability goals, on the journey to carbon reduction and net zero.
Posted: 27 November 2023
Anti Copying in Design (ACID), the UK's leading design and intellectual property (IP) advocacy organisation, and SnapDragon Monitoring, a renowned online brand protection and reputation management specialist, and have forged a strategic partnership aimed at safeguarding design businesses from the perils of counterfeits and IP infringements.
In today's landscape, counterfeiting poses a significant threat to all industries, as counterfeiters continually exploit genuine brand success to produce low-quality imitations of coveted products.
These counterfeit goods not only erode brand revenues and compromise IP, but also endanger consumers due to the use of toxic materials.
A recent SnapDragon survey discovered that nearly 20 percent of UK SMEs have fallen victim to counterfeit product sales, resulting in severe financial losses for 93 percent of them.
Posted: 24 November 2023
This is it, the final two weeks of the largest competition in the gift and homeware world, Gift of the Year awards, and a chance to enter your fabulous products and get them seen by the buyers and retailers who judge the competition.
Be quick to meet the 30th November 2024 to enter...
The competition is a great way to get products and business noticed, from just entering the competition businesses get collateral to shout about their nominated products and guaranteed for them to be seen by the audience that matters – buyers and retailers.
At each competition stage that entrants make it through to, they get extra opportunities to raise their profile, and their exposure will be raised from extra PR and promotions from trade press and partners.
Posted: 22 November 2023
BHETA has appointed Sally Gordon to its member services team. Her role will be to focus on member relationships and recruitment, and member services delivery. This will be alongside a similar role supporting exhibitors and the project delivery team for the BHETA-owned Exclusively Show. Sally will be liaising with suppliers, retailers, and business service providers across all the categories showcased at Exclusively, namely housewares, small domestic electricals, and gift, as well as BHETA's wider portfolio of DIY, home improvement and garden brands. She will be based at BHETA's headquarters in Vyse Street, Birmingham. With a degree from Birmingham City University in Business Information Technology, Sally is a keen runner including running for charity in the London Marathon in 2022.
Posted: 20 November 2023
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