collections means different ranges can be best-sellers for different stockists. However, our number one card is currently Life is better with dogs by Kate Andrew. We find the ranges by print-makers (Manda Beeching, Joanna Martin, Lindsay Perrett) are very popular. We also get a lot of comments about our notecard wallets – they have four designs, two of each, in a wallet. Retailers like it’s not just 8 of the same design. Have any styles taken you by surprise with their popularity? I think the longevity of some of the designs takes me by surprise, for example we have a card called Hellebore Heart by botanical artist Billy Showell. We keep on trying to discontinue it as it’s been in portfolio for 15 years but we can’t! It’s a continual best seller, always in our top 20. I guess some images are just perfect for cards. How do you keep your designs fresh and current? Do you follow trends? With the exception of designs like Hellebore Heart we replace about half of our portfolio every year with both new work from our existing artists and add new artists to our collection. This year we welcomed Sarah Ross-Thompson – she is a collographer and her designs have been really popular. It’s earthy and distinctive and like many of our ranges has a strong link to the natural world. What sets you apart from your competitors? We call ourselves “The Eco-friendly Card Co” as that is what matters to us – making our products in an environmentally sustainable way as possible. Every single cards is not only FSC certified but also printed on 100 percent recycled board, our envelopes are 100 percent recycled and all the paper we use if carbon balanced with the World Land Trust. We have a wide ranging list of “eco-commitments” that apply to all our products, and have done for almost 20 years. So I think the eco side, and the diversity of our collections makes us stand out – and we are competitively priced too. Compare our prices to your current suppliers and I think you’d be pleasantly surprised! What are some stand-out moments since the company launch? Probably winning the Green Apple and Business Commitment to the Environment awards (where we beat Sainsburys!). We also have really valued the bespoke work we’ve done for Highgrove, who we’ve worked with for nearly 20 years. How are you finding the current climate in the UK? Is it affecting business? I think cards are fairly resilient and we also supply a lot of tourist attractions and areas who I hope will benefit from the staycation theme of this year – especially if the weather stays good! How do you view the future of independent retail? I think it will change, things always evolve, but as long as retailers change too then then future is bright. Are you active on social media? How is this important for the business? Not as active as I should be – we tend to post on Facebook and Instagram. Do you have any advice for new businesses starting out in the world of gifts? Be creative, listen to your customers and tread gently on this earth.. What can we expect in the future from the company? Upcoming we are looking forward to revisiting Harrogate Home and Gift where we will be re-launching our collection of products in support of The Wildlife Trusts. My current environmental campaign is trying to find a recycling route for release liner (the backing paper from labels) we use loads of it in the card industry but all too often it’s incinerated and not recycled – there are organisations out there that do recycle it but often those schemes are inaccessible, so I’m lobbying to find something that can work no matter the size of a business. THE ECO-FRIENDLY CARD CO Tel: +44 (0)1626 369 269 www.ecofriendly.cards 48
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