Catch up on all the latest news and views in the June issue of Progressive Greetings, which is out now, both in physical form and digitally online.
With less than two weeks to go before PG Live 2017, Progressive Greetings’ June issue is jam-packed with show exhibitors’ stories (pages 89-93), new launches (pages 43-73), the trade fair’s general nuts and bolts (pages 35-39) and the wonderful things card retailing and buying visitors hope to discover among the 280 publishers exhibiting (pages 29-33).
Gift supplier Widdop and Co reveals its first ever greeting card ranges at PG Live this month, showcasing inaugural ranges based on its highly popular gift lines – Bambino new baby brand and its Amore wedding collection brand. Stephen Illingworth, director of product development at Widdop and Co speaks exclusively to PG, saying the move into greeting cards and stationery is “part of the company’s story telling.” (pages 103-105).
Both The Art Group and Deva Designs will be premiering new Designers Guild card ranges and giftwrap collections at PG Live, so PG caught up with pioneering designer, Tricia Guild, OBE, founder of Designers Guild, who shares how the well-known lifestyle and colourful patterns brand first started (pages 107-109).
Card Factory ceo, Karen Hubbard, has been in the hot seat of value greeting card retailing giant Card Factory for over a year now, but as she points out, irrespective of where you sit in the sector, the UK greeting card industry has “a resilience and robustness”. PG caught up with Karen as she went through the results of a major market research project into the greeting card sector (pages 40-41).
From British retail to British design. It’s no secret that British creativity, innovation and quality is arguably the envy of the world, with much of that greeting card design talent showcasing their design agility at PG Live this month. A Brit-pack of card publishers impart why UK design is so great and the positives of cards being made in Britain. (pages 79-83)
Bentalls in Kingston has long held a strong reputation for its card department. Part of the Fenwick group, in keeping with the other stores, Bentalls buys independently. “Greeting cards are very important to Bentalls, the department is an anchor destination on the lower ground floor,” says Jenni Taylor, passionate card and wrap buyer for the department store, about the role of cards in the store. Read how the company ensures it appeals to an older, more traditional audience as well as trendier, fashion-led customers (pages 75-77).
Also out with the June issue is the 2017 Retas Awards Brochure.
Next month, the July issue of Progressive Greetings paints a picture of the Art Cards market, jumps to it to discover the design trends on next year’s Spring Seasons cards, and relive the wonderful moments and events at PG Live.
