Gift Focus - Nov/Dec 2018 (Issue 110)

What was the reason for setting up Wraptious? Wraptious made its first sale on a rainy market stall in Manchester in October 2013, but the idea had evolved over the previous 12 months. I was working for the John Lewis Partnership and often found myself doodling during dull office meetings. Though I can’t claim any masterpieces, friends thought they could make good gift wrap and cards. I must have had a mid-life crisis because I used that as impetus to quit my job and join an intense three-month graphic design course! The more I explored the industry, the more I realised there were few opportunities for emerging artists to get their work out there. If Wraptious can do just a little to help create opportunities for and champion artists, then great. So I began collaborating with other students frommy course, working together to create some beautiful gift wrap and cards, and I thought I’d give some local artisan markets a try. I attended more than 250 markets in the first two years. Though tough, it was a great foundation for the Wraptious journey. Can you tell us more about the range of products you stock? We are blessed to work with more than 40 awesomely talented artists – from young students and retired hobbyists to watercolours by Liz Chaderton and appliqué creations by Kate Findlay. For instance, Katherine Williams was the winner of one of our first competitions, having entered while still a student in 2015, and her stunning Splatterworks range continues to be our bestseller. Greetings cards will always be our first love and still account for 30 per cent of our trade sales, though we also create coasters, art prints and mugs from Stoke-on- Trent, and our lush vegan-suede cushions are handmade by a small family-run UK business. I’m really excited by our canvases and floor cushions that we’ve just launched, and the response to both of them so far has been amazing. You run competitions to find new designs – can you tell us a bit more about this? Our competitions are my favourite time of the year! Every spring and autumn, we invite artists to enter up to five pieces of work, which are shared across our social media and are available to buy on some of our products too. We received nearly 2,500 entries in our last competition, which was just incredible, ranging from acrylics to photography and felting to charcoals. Half of the finalists are chosen based solely on points generated from sales and social media likes, with the winning artist then chosen by our trade customers. It is genuinely exciting that our customers select our ranges, and they always choose well! Our latest winner, Sue Gardner, was our fastest-growing range of 2018, and it’s been a joy to see her work blossom so quickly ready for 2019. What values are most important to Wraptious? First and foremost, Wraptious is about championing artists. When we have a difficult decision to make, thinking about what is in the best interest of our artists is what guides us. Another core value for us is “go further” – from a customer service perspective, this is about customer advocacy and going that extra step to provide the best service we possibly can. But it’s also about supporting our team and making them feel valued and challenged. We can always be better and learn more. In addition, an old friend wisely suggested years ago that businesses should ask themselves: If you were the only business in the world doing what you’re doing, what impact would this have on the planet? It’s a powerful question that can challenge all of us with some interesting answers. What have been the key highlights and challenges since launching the business? My business partner, John-Paul, often tells me I’m not very good at celebrating success, as I’m always focusing on the road ahead. We have had some incredibly lucky and wonderful breaks since I started Wraptious five years ago, growing the business to what Simon Wadsworth, director of Wraptious, talks to Gift Focus about his passion for championing artists in the gifting industry celebrating creativity 26 giftfocus