This February Spring Fair returns with the most exciting show in its 70-year history, showcasing thousands of new products and shining a light on the trends shaping the gift and homeware markets. And with a new ‘Spring Fair Voucher’ there is not a more convenient, engaging place to do business.

The show – running from 4-8 February – will deliver a unique, experiential opportunity to buyers looking for next season’s hottest gift and homeware products. A hub of inspiration, the event will present an exciting edit of trend-setting brands, many of which are exclusive to Spring Fair. Across 14 show sectors, buyers can expect to find everything from home and gifts, fashion, greetings cards and children’s toys, to kitchenware, furniture, DIY hardware, beauty, wellbeing and jewellery. Retailers looking to diversify or expand their offering will have the perfect opportunity with the new voucher initiative; the Spring Fair Voucher will enable buyers to get £100 off an order of £500 or more when they open an account with a new supplier at the show.

Decoding and presenting trends: The Atelier

One of the most exciting additions to the 2018 edition of Spring Fair is The Atelier – an interactive feature that literally frames the future. Big-screen videos will highlight what’s new, what’s hot right now, what exciting trends are ahead in 2019 and 2020, and crucially how to make it work for their business.

Through a series of exclusive films – based on insights from industry-leading trend forecasters and platforms WGSN, Pinterest, One Click Retail and Coloro – buyers will be able to gain invaluable insights into a raft of product categories and learn about future trends.

Two installations will be created at the show. Visitors will be able to travel through time in Hall 20, learning about home and gift trends through four different room settings, each focussing on different time frames, from now to 2020. Meanwhile, The Atelier in Hall 17 will focus on jewellery and watch products, and will cover trends from 2018-2019 in two unique displays. These interactive sets will inspire retailers, designers, installers and specifiers helping them keep their fingers on the pulse with all things new.

Home is where the heart is

With Euromonitor International reporting a trend back towards ‘cocooning’ at home, consumers are expected to continue investing in on-trend products that brighten up rooms, help them achieve a unique look or add a cosy feel to their living spaces. Decorative accessories and home fragrances are predicted to be in demand according to GlobalData, while young shoppers continue to be influenced by fast-changing interior trends – highlighting the need to constantly review and evolve product ranges.

Spring Fair’s Home sector will bring together hundreds of suppliers who will present a plethora of inspiring, deco fashion, on-trend homeware items including textiles, furniture, interior and outdoor accessories, as well as soft furnishings.

Among those not-to-be-missed are Clarke & Clarke, Coach House, Hill Interiors, McGowan & Rutherford, Pacific Lifestyle, Voyage Maison and Minster Stylish Living, while retailers will also find the UK’s largest selection of Scandinavian brands and a wide variety of Dutch-inspired designs. Nordic Style and Spira of Sweden will present hygge-inspired wares, and those looking to capitalise on The Netherland’s flair for design are encouraged to visit Light & Living, Clayre & Eef, Authentic Models and Koopman.

The Summerhouse collective

Exclusive to Spring Fair, The Summerhouse will once again offer visitors the latest in on-trend designs, with a highly-edited selection of the most original UK and international suppliers. Helping retailers, specifiers and installers keep pace with changing trends, it will deliver an abundance of inspiration.

Still very much in-demand, Scandinavian products will play a starring role with Vita Copenhagen, Cozy Living and Shepherd of Sweden showcasing everything from lighting to hygge-inspired slippers.

Among the other new exhibitors will be PTMD, a Dutch company that produces a dazzling collection of products designed to enhance living rooms. Created by leading artists, visitors to its stand will find lighting, pots, glassware, furniture, textiles, artificial flowers, wall and other decorations. Meanwhile, highlighting the variety in The Summerhouse, NATURES Collection will be on-hand to present its immaculate range of sheepskins for interior, apparel and footwear. Other big-name companies in The Summerhouse include The Libra Company, Jellycat, Parlane, India Jane, Dartington Crystal, Gisela Graham, Stone Glow Candles and Bronte By Moon.

Indulge in Beauty & Wellbeing

Beauty gifts are becoming increasingly popular and sales of personal care products in the UK reached an all-time high of £4bn last year[1]. To help retailers capitalise on this trend, some of the world’s leading suppliers will showcase indulgent bath and shower products, premium skincare, cosmetics, men’s grooming and natural remedies in Spring Fair’s Beauty & Wellbeing sector.

Among the new names joining next year’s event are: 7th Heaven with its cruelty-free skincare brand Montagne Jeunesse; Schmoo Skincare, which currently provides more than 40,000 spa treatments to Hilton hotel customers in five worldwide locations; and Saville & Quinn, the bath and body specialists. Portuguese brand Castelbel will also return, presenting its range of fine toiletry soaps and luxury fragranced body care products.

Independents, department stores and online retailers will also find the latest ranges from Potter & Moore, Heathcote & Ivory, Bayliss & Harding, Bomb Cosmetics, Winter in Venice, Scottish Fine Soaps, Graham Anthony Distribution and Edwin Jagger.

The season’s best Gifts

Complementing the Beauty & Wellbeing offering will be the show’s Gift sector – the UK’s largest gathering of giftware suppliers – which will deliver the newest products from around the world, enabling retailers to make the most of all the major gifting occasions.

Among the exhibitors presenting exciting new ranges will be Enesco Ltd, Joe Davies, Lesser & Pavey, Ross & Ross Food and Something Different Wholesale. They will be joined by international suppliers Out of the Blue KG, Gilde Handwerk, Artesania Esteban Ferrer and Kalid Interiors, while Lighthouse Frames and IBOERS will exhibit at the event for the first time.

Within the Contemporary Gift sector, buyers will find some of the most original and exclusive contemporary gift and home designs from over 300 inspirational British and international suppliers who will showcase a range of items including lighting, interior accessories and funky gifts. Among the not-to-be-missed exhibitors this year are Liv Interior, Bazar Bizar, Edgar, Legami, IvyLine, Nkuku and Willow & Hive.

It will also house the UK’s largest collection of home fragrances, with more than 50 major home fragrance brands present, including Wax Lyrical, Ashleigh & Burwood, Flame & Fragrance, Price’s Candles, Aromatize, Shearer Candles, Root Candles and Yankee Candle.

Bringing housewares to life

Within the always popular Kitchen, Dining & Housewares sector, buyers will find more than 150 leading industry brands from around the world, including Horwood Homewares, Kitchen Craft, Bos Kaasgereedschappen, Meyer Group, Portmeirion and Creative Tops. A vast range of innovative merchandise will be on display, such as the latest small electricals, tableware, food preparation products, utensils and waste management units. And with open-plan living a key theme in today’s homes, innovative storage solutions will also be very much in the spotlight.

The latest drinkware and accessories, like reusable water bottles that offer a range of innovative functions and designs, will also be on display, while there will be more licensed products across the hall than ever before, with Ted Baker and Sophie Conran offering some unique new ranges.

The sector will also feature the Housewares LIVE demonstration area that will present an exciting schedule of not-to-be-missed product showcases and tasting experiences. Kicking it off will be actor, director, producer and writer Ryan Philpott, who will host the events, making sure that the audience gets involved as much as possible throughout the course of the four days. Kitchen hardware expert Malcolm Harradine will be joined by celebrity chefs Jeremy Pang and Ken Hom to showcase a selection of the best products and innovations to use in the kitchen, while The Wine Show’s Joe Fattorini will also explain how retailers can introduce memorable wine tasting experiences to their stores.

Accessories galore across Fashion and Jewellery & Watch

Covering clothing, faux fur, handbags, footwear, luggage, leather goods, accessories and everything in between, the Fashion, Jewellery & Luggage sector at Spring Fair 2018 will be a mecca for sourcing the latest trends and inspiration. This year more than 40 new exhibitors will be presenting their products, making it the very best location to find unique ranges for retailers looking to give fresh life to their offering.

Highlighting the demand for long-lasting pieces will be award-winning contemporary clothing brand Thought, with its designs that draw inspiration from nature. Dutch brand Happy Rain will be displaying its full collection of umbrellas for every occasion, while boutique brands, such as Lola Rose, will also showcase their new ranges of stylish, contemporary and affordable jewellery pieces, and Boardman Designs – now celebrating its 90th year as a fashion wholesaler – will feature its wide range of fashion accessories.

In addition to the raft of new exhibitors in Fashion, Jewellery & Luggage sector, a new feature – Fashion First – will reveal an exclusive selection of eight international and UK, new to market and artisanal brands that haven’t exhibited at the show before. Retailers looking to add a certain je ne sais quoi to their stores in 2018 will find Vanacci, which aims to bring a fresh modern look to men’s accessories; DarkStar Leatherworks’ premium leather products for motorcyclists; and PLANETLOCAL’s exclusive handcrafted jewellery, accessories and mindfulness products from Nepal.

What’s more, with access to the Jewellery & Watch show, retailers can explore an even greater range of products during their visit. Covering everything from fashion jewellery, silver and watches to semi-precious and fine jewellery, it is a must-see for gift retailers looking for fresh inspiration and new ideas.

One of the key names to check out at the show will be leading supplier Gecko, which will showcase seven collections for men, women and children. New for 2018, the company will display a selection of jewellery sets across different brands, including Orla Kiely, Fiorelli Jewellery, Fred Bennett and D for diamond.

Visitors to the sector will also find the latest ranges from Glogau, Nomination, Lily & Rose, Astra Jewellery, GoFrey Silver Jewellery, as well as fashion jewellery brands including Dansk Smykkekunst, Shan-Shan, Lola Rose Jewellery, BOING Jewellery Ltd and Life Charms.

Expanded DIY & Home Improvement sector

Following its successful launch in 2017, Spring Fair 2018 will host an expanded DIY & Home Improvement sector enabling the area to present the DIY industry leaders, as well as new exhibitors, to create a high-end showcase for retailers small and large.

In addition to numerous new exhibitors that will join the show for the first time, Decco and its supplier’s brands will be an additional key partner for the sector, joining the likes of STAX and bira.

Completed with Glee

For the first time at Spring Fair, Glee – the UK’s garden and outdoor living trade show – will have a concession area within Hall 3. It will deliver a selection of the best products from some of Glee’s core product sectors, retaining its signature boulevard aisle, highly-recognisable branding and with core gardening at its heart.

Greeting you at Spring Fair

Greetings card and gift buyers will find a huge assortment of products within the Greetings & Gift sector, including greetings cards, wrapping paper, stationery, calendars and craft kits. With over 320 exhibitors showcasing ranges for all the major sending occasions, including 78 brand new exhibitors to the show, it represents the best place to source unique and exciting designs from around the world, and capitalise on the nation’s fondness for sending cards. New exhibitors include Caspari, Winged hat, 1790 Cards, Bexy Boo and YTR Design.

Within the ‘Debut Area’, visitors will find fresh, contemporary greeting cards from new publisher members of The Greeting Card Association, making it easier than ever before to locate unique and innovative new designs. Among the new suppliers on display will be Dilly & Pink, Rattycat Cards & Print and Flying Teaspoons.

Christmas comes early

Although Christmas 2017 may have only just passed, Spring Fair presents the perfect opportunity to plan your shop for this year’s festive period. The Christmas Gifts, Floral & Seasonal Decoration sector in Hall 2 will be packed with everything you need, together with a stunning selection of flowers and decorative accessories for your customers to enjoy all year round.

Making their debuts at the show will be Hamac and Pupi Styl, who will join the likes of Kaemingk, Premier Decorations, Festive Productions, Floralsilk, Tree Locate and Sincere. Spring Fair will also present the only opportunity to see the latest trends from Sirius, Hendricks Deco, CB Imports and Swift Imports.

Let the Party begin

This year, the Party sector will move into Hall 5, providing buyers with a smoother shopping experience and perfect platform to cross-buy and source next season’s best-selling merchandise. During the event, hundreds of suppliers will present a variety of fun, wacky and inspiring partyware items, including costumes, make up, fireworks and party accessories.

New to Spring Fair are Plastico Ltd and Carnival Toys which will present its impressive array of carnival, Halloween, Christmas and party items for all ages. Alandra Partyware returns to showcase its unique hen and stag accessories, as well as baby shower products, exclusively at the show.

Spring Fair favourite Amscan International will be present, with its ‘one stop shop’ of everything required for a great party from disposable tableware to decorations, balloons, dress up, face paint and plenty more. The supplier is known in the industry for its strong licensed designs, including Disney Baby, Barbie and Pokemon and much more. Black Cat Fireworks is another brand returning to the show with its high-quality retail and display fireworks.

Highlighting the very latest trends within the party market, the Party Stage will host live demonstrations three times a day throughout the show, giving retailers and party planners the chance to see the assortment of products in action.

Specialist companies such as Palmer Agencies will be running demos of its broad selection of Halloween masks and dressing up accessories, whilst Pioneer Europe will bring along its huge range of quality latex, micro foil and cloudburster balloons to for all to see and enjoy. Rubies, which specialises in designing and manufacturing DC and Marvel comic costumes will have a whole raft of the latest fancy dress outfits set to launch in time to coincide with film releases.

Capturing children’s imaginations

One of Spring Fair’s most exciting sectors – Children’s Gifts & Toys – will deliver a fantastic opportunity to experience the world’s latest children’s products, with 150-plus exhibitors showcasing everything from puzzles, plush toys and books, to games, licensed products and nursery items.

Situated in the biggest hall at the NEC, alongside the Party and Gift sectors, a number of suppliers will join Spring Fair’s Children’s Gifts & Toys for the first time, including John Adams Leisure. Famed for creating quality games and toys since 1967, it will present its full range of craft kits, family games and dolls, including licensed characters. Additionally, Colart, which manufactures world-class art materials that inspire and nurture creativity for children and adults alike, will also make its debut at the show.

Independents, department stores and online retailers will also find an eclectic mix of big ticket items and smaller value products from some of the world’s most famous children’s gift manufacturers and distributors. Aurora World, a global leader in plush toys; soft toy manufacturer Keel Toys; licensed product distributor Posh Paws; Great Gizmos, the leading provider of children’s toys and education games; and House of Marbles are just a selection of those that will be present.

Taking your business forward

Helping stores identify a host of retail solutions that can help drive their businesses forward, the Retail Solutions sector will enable visitors to find the best-fit in-store and online solutions.

Among the suppliers on display in Hall 6 will be those presenting logistics, e-commerce and payments solutions, as well as many businesses specialising in shop design, warehouse management and online advice. Aptean, Creative Digital Agency, M2E Limited, Parcelforce, Khaos Control, Morplan and Orbit VU, which is the global leader in automated 2D, 3D and 360° product photography solutions, will each be on hand to introduce retailers to their technologies.

Experts on tap at Spring Fair

In addition to the plethora of new products, the Inside Retail workshop and seminars programme will help bricks and mortar retailers boost sales and improve their bottom lines. Over five days, hundreds of content sessions will prepare retailers for a more profitable and efficient year of business.

Google Digital Garage will return to deliver brand new insights on online security for businesses and digital advertising, while retail consultant Tony Scott will explore the professional buying tools and strategies that larger retailers use, to help independents close deals at the show. Bobby Lane of Blick Rothenburg will offer some invaluable financial advice to retailers, while John Romanowski, Head of UK Business Development at MMP Living, will talk about how to use successfully utilise the Amazon marketplace.

In an eagerly anticipated session, Lightspeed, Sage and KRCS will explain how they are reinventing the retail industry. Leveraging their collective experience of helping thousands of UK retailers grow their businesses through simple transactions, powerful reporting and integrated multi-branch intelligence, they will explain to retailers how they can harness the power of mobile devices to give employees everything they need to be productive, wherever they are.

Research with Spring Fair visitors earlier this year showed that many hire accountants and ecommerce or digital marketing consultants to help their businesses. As such, hundreds of free twenty-minute consultations known as ‘Meet-the-Experts’ will run at the show, with advisers giving invaluable information to retailers throughout the event.

Making the most of your visit

Available on the Spring Fair website, the Spring Fair Appointment Planner, with its matchmaking functionality, recommends exhibitors based on preferences such as product category and show sector. It enables both exhibitors and visitors to request and accept meetings ahead of the show, to help everyone make the most of their time.

What’s more, the ‘Spring Fair Voucher’ initiative will help retailers on the hunt for new suppliers. Buyers will be able to get £100 off an order of £500 or more when they open an account with a new supplier at the show. The voucher can be used with up to 10 participating exhibitors and is only valid at Spring Fair 2018, thus offering a potential saving of £1,000.

Awards galore

Finally, for the first time in the awards’ 40-year history, The Giftware Association and Spring Fair have joined forces to co-host the Gift of the Year Awards 2018. It will be the most significant ceremony yet – featuring a champagne reception and three-course meal – as the organisers aim to make the accolades a true mark of excellence that is recognised by retailers and consumers alike.

Retailers and brands from across the UK will gather at The Vox – part of Resorts World entertainment complex – to see who will be crowned this year’s winners from the shortlist. In addition to celebrating the best innovative and design-led products in each individual category the event will also offer an excellent opportunity for the suppliers and retailers to network and entertain customers.

Spring Fair will run from 4-8 February at The NEC in Birmingham. To book your ticket for the show please use the following link: 

https://lp.events.ascential.com/spring-fair-registration?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=sf_18_visprom&utm_content=market_trade_news