Giftware Review blog

Mask-arade recently supplied 4,000 masks free of charge for...

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:05:12 -0400

Mask-arade recently supplied 4,000 masks free of charge for Aston Villa’s final game of the season, dubbed ‘Petrov Day’ to support Cure Leukaemia. Fans wore the masks in the 19th minute of the game which was a great sight!

Mask-arade are also selling the masks online to raise more funds for this worthy cause- great job guys!

http://www.cureleukaemia.co.uk/news.php?story=121

Entries now open for Slow Toy Awards

Wed, 15 May 2013 07:12:00 -0400

The Slow Toy Awards, created by Thierry Bourret in 2011, aim to recognise the real toys on the market that are well made, inspire the mind and provide children far more than the noise and flashing lights commonly associated with the toys of today.

The awards are now open for entries, those who want to enter simply need to email ENTER to slowtoyawards@gmail.com - following this email they will then receive all the information they need about the awards and an entry form to fill out.

This week here at Giftware Review we have been trying out some...

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:40:28 -0400

This week here at Giftware Review we have been trying out some gorgeously fragranced incense sticks available from wholesale company Something Different.

The sticks are a great way to make any room smell great, our favourite is the Jasmine fragrance because it’s lovely and light and not too overpowering. They smell amazing just sitting in their packets before they are lit!

The incense sticks come in neat, clean packaging with a generous amount in each packet (20 sticks in each!). We think we’ll definitely be ordering more! Thanks guys!

We love the new range available from Mclaggan Smith Mugs. In...

Tue, 07 May 2013 06:37:55 -0400

We love the new range available from Mclaggan Smith Mugs. In anticipation of the birth of the Royal baby in July the company has launched a quirky and unique range of baby mugs designed by fine artist and illustrator, David Luff.

Next year’s Giving & Living show will be marking its...

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:41:19 -0400

Next year’s Giving & Living show will be marking its 50th year as the South West’s premier gift and homeware trade show.

Though the name and venue of the show may have changed, the ongoing popularity of the show has not. From its early beginnings as the West Country Gift Fair in 1965, through years as The Torquay Fair, to its current incarnation as Giving & Living, the show has been successfully bringing together buyers and sellers for half a century.

The show is now based at Westpoint, Exeter, a new home with the space and capacity for the show to grow and flourish and continue for another fifty years!

Plans for the 2014 show, which runs from Sunday 12th January to Wednesday 15th January, are well underway. Put the date in your diary now and help celebrate Giving & Living’s Golden Anniversary.

After a hugely successful Harrogate Christmas & Gift Fair in...

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:32:49 -0400

After a hugely successful Harrogate Christmas & Gift Fair in January, companies are biting the bullet and securing their 2014 exhibition space early for what is becoming one the UK’s fastest growing trade shows in the sector.

Simon Anslow, show organiser, said: “despite the challenging economic climate, Harrogate Christmas & Gift has continued to defy all odds with a steady increase in visitor numbers over the last three years and notably from garden centre and tourist attraction sectors. Whilst there is a number of gift related trade shows in the UK throughout the year, none target this specific audience quite as effectively.”

Previous exhibitors have just until Friday 10th May to secure their same stand space from last year, or request an alternative location. After this date, bookings will be open to companies.

Mr Ferguson’s World of Whimsy offers an exciting, new and...

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 07:44:18 -0400

Mr Ferguson’s World of Whimsy offers an exciting, new and colourful range of greetings cards which recently hit the UK, after being launch at this year’s Spring Fair by EU distributor Natasha Wallace.

The cards are delightfully different and designed in a tiny studio in Pasadena, California, by life-loving artist Jay Ferguson Carlton.

There are 37 card designs in the new collection, that extends to giclee canvasses and prints.

Natasha came across Jay during a trade show trip to the US last year. She fell in love with his work and knew there would be a market for it in Europe so signed him up straight away and has been working on the launch range ever since

The cards and artwork are just the start and Natasha is looking to expand the range over the coming months. Already selling online and to a wide range of independent retailers, Natasha is looking for agents and is exploring sub licensing opportunities to extend the range even further.

www.mrfergusons.co.uk

Marketing Manager, Rachel Parker, of The Fragrance Lounge will...

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:34:00 -0400

Marketing Manager, Rachel Parker, of The Fragrance Lounge will be walking Hadrian’s Wall in memory of her Dad, Glyn Parker.

Rachel lost her Dad to Pancreatic Cancer in 2010. After a tough couple of years she and her sister, Vikki, have decided it is time to do what they can to help prevent other families going through the same pain. The hope is by raising money for research and innovation, it will be possible to diagnose the Cancer much earlier and treatment will be improved for future patients.

Rachel and Vikki are “Walking In Dad’s Footsteps” at the end of June. Glyn walked the 84 mile Hadrian’s Wall path over seven days with his friend, Jim, in 2005 – not bad for two men in their sixties! Rachel and her sister aim to complete the walk in four days (that’s almost a marathon a day). They will then walk the last 12 miles again on the fifth day for a ‘Friends and Family Day’! The miles they walk are their steps for survival for other Pancreatic Cancer patients. They hope to raise the profile of this disease and would be grateful for any support people feel able to give.

You can visit www.justgiving.com/Vikki-Rach for more information about their walk or www.pancreaticcancer.org.uk to read about the plight of Pancreatic Cancer UK.

We wish them the best of luck here at Giftware Review!!

The girls here at Giftware Review love a nice relaxing bath...

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 09:21:11 -0400

The girls here at Giftware Review love a nice relaxing bath after a busy day so we were delighted when we got the chance to try out Heathcote & Ivory’s latest addition to its Vintage range.

We felt very posh relaxing with a scattering of petals in the bath!

Heathcote’s Vintage Bath Petals are not only pretty enough to sit on the side in the bathroom but provide really great moisturisation for your skin too as well as smelling great (we tried out the Rose fragrance). You are left feeling super soft all over!

With an RRP of just £6 we can see the cute boxes flying off shelves.

The guys at Made in Heaven told us about their new product that...

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:10:07 -0400

The guys at Made in Heaven told us about their new product that is flying off the shelves during this unpredictable British weather- Fox & Pepper After Welly Gelly.

It is a refreshing foot gel that is designed to refresh tired welly enclosed feet, perfect as a little gift for those dedicated gardeners who head out in any weather, or even as an amusing gift for someone heading to the (inevitably) mud caked Summer festivals this year.

The cool ‘welly green’ jar is perfectly packed in woolly sock patterned carton which also features some VERY USEFUL tongue in cheek advice from ‘FOX’ about welly wearing etiquette…we didn’t know such a thing existed here at Giftware Review!

We’re excited here at Giftware Review about the upcoming...

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:50:17 -0400

We’re excited here at Giftware Review about the upcoming London Stationery Show, taking place 23rd-24th April at the Business Design Centre in Islington.

Our desks are crammed here with fun and practical stationery and we can’t wait to see what the show has to offer in it’s third year.

Show organisers have also just confirmed that the judges for this year’s Stationery Awards will be:

Dominic and Jo Irons BUREAU DIRECT

Joanna Patterson-Gordon COLEMANS

Henri Davis NATIONAL TRUST

Alex Miles SAINSBURY’S

The product categories include - Notebooks and Paper Products, Diaries and Calendars, Writing Instruments (premium and fine), Writing Instruments (everyday), Home Office (desktop, filing and storage) and Children’s Stationery.

To register for free entry, go to www.stationeryshow.co.uk

Uberstar is an up and coming gift supplier with a vibrant and...

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 06:54:00 -0400

Uberstar is an up and coming gift supplier with a vibrant and unique product range. Founded and managed by ex-Head Buyer for companies such Firebox and Argos, Ryan Collins, the company offers only the best quirky and new products from international designers.

We love the Efeet range, created by designer Dylan Kendall, which is one of the best selling products so far. Who’d have thought that something as simple as sticking feet to a bowl or cup would make such a fantastic gift idea and accessory for the home?!

Ryan said: “ We have all our products in the home, this is what they are perfect for! I’ve always been into unusual, quirky design products, I keep a couple of bookshelves full of knik-nacs, so I guess the brands do reflect a bit of my style, but I also try to incorporate current trends. People appear to love animal products at the moment, hence why we also have the Touch Dog Stylus and 3D Leather Dog keychains in the range.”

Check out all of Uberstar’s unique ranges online: www.uberstar.co.uk

How gorgeous are these beaded roll on bracelets, available from...

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 06:14:45 -0400

How gorgeous are these beaded roll on bracelets, available from fairtrade and eco friendly supplier Cool Trade Winds?

The traditional Nepalese beaded bracelets are handmade by a women’s beading cooperative. The glass beads are woven onto soft cotton threads to create these beautiful and comfortable bracelets.

We want them all here at Giftware Review!

Here at Giftware Review we think that the design led wooden...

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 11:02:50 -0400

Here at Giftware Review we think that the design led wooden postcards from greetings company Timbergram are a fantastic idea. The postcards become more than a card that you just chuck away, they can be kept and cherished by the receiver.

You can write on the back with a normal biro and then send like a normal postcard, the designs are screen printed in London on birch from sustainable forests and for every ten cards the company sells it plants a tree in Africa!

The Old Bag Company is developing its brand further with the...

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 07:18:29 -0400

The Old Bag Company is developing its brand further with the opening of its first Retail Store in Salcombe today.

The new store will be located on the main shopping street and will be selling the comapany’s gorgeous new Spring/Summer collection of bags and accessories together with some exciting new additions, such as umbrellas, flip flops and beach towels that have been designed exclusively for the Store as well as selected lines of jewellery, that complement the range.

If only us ladies at Giftware Review lived closer! We’d be in there straight away having a browse (and a splurge!)

The planned distribution expansion of the Boofle™ range presents...

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:18:43 -0400

The planned distribution expansion of the Boofle™ range presents a very exciting opportunity for retailers and suppliers and so Northamptonshire based Intelex has just recently signed a three year agreed with DRi Licensing to give the Boofle™ Bear an Intelex makeover.

The company will be creating a fully heatable soft toy, filled with treated millet and gently scented with lavender making the perfect little warming bed-time companion for children and fun-loving adults.

Darren Ingram, Sales Director at Intelex said: “We’ve seen the success of applying our Intelex heatable technology and safety standards to our licensed products like Gromit™, Bagpuss® and Shaun the Sheep™. If historical sales of the Boofle™ brand through the Clintons chain is anything to go by, a heatable Boofle™ will be well received by consumers and retailers alike and presents an excellent opportunity to expand the popular heatable category even further.”

Intelex’s fully warmable Boofle™ Bear is expected to be available from July 2013 with a planned RRP of £19.95. We all want one already here at Giftware Review!

Another great card designer came across our desks this week at...

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 08:21:18 -0400

Another great card designer came across our desks this week at Giftware Review as everyone gears up for this year’s PG Live show.

Neapolitan Dreams offers a range of humorous and cleverly designed greetings cards, they’re great if you want to stock something a little different and get your customers thinking.

The company will be making it’s debut at this year’s PG Live show on stand 655

These fantastic homeware accessories, available from Australian...

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:24:00 -0400

These fantastic homeware accessories, available from Australian based company Nashi, are a great alternative to plain dining and home décor.

A team of young designers created the Nashi Australia company in 2010 with a vision to produce homewares with innovative, stylish textures and using bright colours. Made from high quality polyester resin the designs are intriguing and every single product is an individual.

We think that they’d look fab on the table at a BBQ this Summer (if we get one!)

www.nashihome.com

Corrina Rothwell’s brilliant card designs never fail to...

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 06:58:22 -0400

Corrina Rothwell’s brilliant card designs never fail to make us laugh here at Giftware Review. Check out her full range at this year’s Pulse Show on stand A18.

Great idea from the guys at Another Studio for Design. A little...

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 10:49:23 -0500

Great idea from the guys at Another Studio for Design. A little garden you can send in the post!