Here is a selection of features from Craft Focus magazine.
As part of the zone concept successfully introduced in 2024, which promotes education and networking within the textile crafts industry, h+h cologne has unveiled the first topics for its event programme, focusing on the support and development of local retail from 7th to 9th March, 2025. Featuring a hands-on lineup of panel discussions, masterclasses, best-practice presentations, and deep-dive workshops, the programme is centered around three key themes: Trends & Innovations, Marketing & Technologies, and Business Development & Sustainability.
Established in 2014 and located on the outskirts of Nottingham; Oakwood Archer Ltd is a small, family run business. The company releases a new line every month on Create and Craft. Stuart Bestwick, Managing Director of Oakwood Archer Ltd chats to Craft Focus about their exclusive ranges and new website launch: www.oakwooddirect.co.uk
Over the last 11 years, Marvling Bros Ltd has gone from strength to strength and it continues to develop and grow its range. Marvling sells products around the world, while maintaining their company ethos. The products are still designed, and hand produced by the small team in Essex.Emma Dobie and Hayley Madden Co-founders of Marvling Bros Ltd talk to Craft Focus about their business that started at the school gates!
Fabian Santoro, co-founder of Xpofairs and online tradeshow platform, explains more about the company and its new gift tradeshow for 2025, The Gift Fair. When did you start up the company and why? Officially, Xpofairs launched in 2024, but our story goes back much further. Our founders, (who have over 70 years of combined experience in exhibiting and visiting at traditional trade shows) have been grappling with the challenges of this industry for years. We started by talking to hundreds of companies and buyers, alongside reflecting on our own experiences.
The trio of Frankfurt consumer goods fairs,consisting of Ambiente, Christmasworldand Creativeworld, impressivelydemonstrated that the entire globalconsumer goods industry was a guestat the fully booked Frankfurt exhibitiongrounds for five days. Even the rail strikecould not dampen the success: "Missionaccomplished! Together with around5,000 exhibitors and participants fromover 170 countries and regions, thistop-class trade fair trio strengthens theconsumer goods industry in uncertaintimes", summed up Detlef Braun, Memberof the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt.The Frankfurt trade fair trio withinternational appeal has once againproven to be a leading event thatprovides orientation for retailers andmanufacturers. "Once a year andonly here in Frankfurt! The economy isunder enormous pressure in the face ofincreasing global tensions. That's whypersonal encounters, new solutions,inspiration and the development of newexport markets and sales channels suchas Hospitality and the contract businessare irreplaceable," emphasises Braun.Voices from the industry underlinethis: "Once again, the trade fair trioof Ambiente, Christmasworld andCreativeworld asserted its immenseimportance as the number one orderplatform for the German specialisedtrade. The retail trade's need forinnovations, the chance to experienceand order products in a personalencounter on site were the key factorsthat characterised the spirit of the tradefair. Retailers are entering the new yearwith a strong tailwind and many tradefair trends," summarises Christian Haeser,Managing Director of the German Homeand Office Trade Association (HWB).Michael Berz, President of theGerman Culinary and TablewareTrade Association, adds with regardto Ambiente: "Like other specialisedsectors, the industry for glass, ceramicsand porcelain is facing challenges in adifficult economic environment. Ambienteis a strong and reliable partner for ushere - especially now. With the expansionof the HoReCa area, the trade fair hasconsistently developed the diningsegment. This opens up even morebusiness opportunities for our members.Ambiente provides a lot of good, forwardlooking impetus. That gives us hope."
n every era, society faces that pivotal moment where agroundbreaking concept emerges, challenging the statusquo and inviting a flood of opinions. Artificial Intelligence (AI)represents one such contemporary crossroads, sparkingdiscussions not just about technological capabilities, but aboutthe very essence of human ingenuity and our place alongsidethese machines.Amid whispers of concern that AI might usurp human roles, it'sclear that AI can never match the creativity and judgement onlythe human mind is capable of making. While AI excels at siftingthrough data at breakneck speeds, it falls short on grasping thefiner points of nuance, human sensitivity and empathy.Our latest report – Redefining Intelligence: The Growth of AIAmong Small Businesses – underscores that point, illustratinghow AI is best utilised as an aid to human intelligence, not areplacement.
During the Great Resignation, which sawemployees voluntarily leaving their jobsen masse, recent statistics revealed that 29percent of women thought about leavingtheir current jobs, reducing hours ordropping out of the workforce altogether.With International Women's Day, backin March, gaining more traction than ever,many businesses are continuing to look athow to help more women feel supportedand empowered at work.Caroline Gleeson, CEO at Occupop,leading recruitment software experts, said:"International Women's Day is a day ofcelebration and advocacy for women'srights and equality around the world, butit doesn't have to end there. This spirit ofinclusion can be a springboard to fairerpractices all year round."Here's how businesses can retain theirtop female talent for the future.
Whilst intellectual property (IP) infringement issues are on the increase, help is at hand from many simple, no cost safeguards that can be put in place immediately, to support by implementing expert AI monitoring and enforcement techniques Some of the main challenges include impersonation and account takeover. Impersonation, in other words account cloning, copying, copying brand logos, or using brand identities to click on 3rd party websites and promote scams is an issue as is account takeover, the spurious hacking and taking over dormant accounts to promote scams.
'The Summer of Sport' is almost upon us – and what a summer it's set to be. The UEFA Euros, Wimbledon and of course, the Paris 2024 Olympics are all kicking off over the next few weeks. And with them comes a golden opportunity for independent retailers across the UK. With the world's eyes on Europe, the UK is set to enjoy a substantial uptick in visitors and local celebrations. Consumer confidence and spending is also expected to rise as Brits engage in garden parties, community events and a fair few trips to the local pub.
National Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Martin McTague, looks at how the VAT system operates. Reaching a half century is often a point in life where we take some time to assess our lives, health, and finances, and think about what we want to change. With value-added tax (VAT) having reached that milestone in 2023, we at FSB thought it past time to look at how the VAT system operates – and whether there are ways it could be reformed and rethought, so as to unlock economic potential among the UK's small businesses and the self-employed. There's evidence that VAT is holding back growth among a significant sub-set of small businesses, making an overhaul of the tax all the more urgent as we look for ways to grow the economy.
Marking 25 years of ACID, CEO Dids Macdonald, shares how the group has become a driving force in empowering designers against intellectual property theft. In the late 1990s, many within the giftware sector and in the design industry, generally, faced a crisis as the rampant culture of copying threatened creative innovation. For designers and designer-makers, the frustration of witnessing their innovative designs stolen, often, by well-known UK retailers and manufacturers prompted action. Collaborating with an intellectual property (IP) lawyer and fellow designers, I formed a group to tackle this challenge, resulting in the creation of Anti Copying in Design (ACID). Over the past 25 years ACID has become a driving force in empowering designers against intellectual property theft. IP isn't rocket-science and our consistent focus has been on education and awareness, to help designers become "IP savvy" and to use IP as a positive force for growth.
Local gift cards are driving spend in high streets and downtowns around the world, says fintech Miconex as it shares key insights from its local gift card programmes in the UK, Ireland, Canada and the USA. The range of independent businesses which accept Miconex's local gift cards – usually alongside a range of national brands – makes the cards unique in the sector. A typical 50 percent, and up to 100 percent, of its local gift cards are redeemed with independent shops, restaurants and venues. Retail was top for redemptions of local gift cards in 2023 in the UK. Primark, M&S, Boots, Argos, TK Maxx, Next, Sainsbury's, John Lewis, Dunnes Stores and Aldi were within the top national retailers. New national retailers including Co-op, Smyths Toys and Lidl joined the economy boosting local gift card programmes in 2023.
Martin McTague, National Chair, the Federation of Small Businesses, looks into the impact of cybercrime on small businesses. The Federation of Small Businesses' (FSB) research into business crime unveils a distressing landscape for small businesses in England and Wales, compounded by a surge in both physical and cybercrimes over the last two years. Cracking the Case, published in December, estimates that 81 percent of small businesses have been impacted by at least one crime since January 2021. This a significant increase from the 49 percent reported between 2017-2019. The financial burden of traditional crime is considerable. More than half of these businesses (56 percent) have faced losses exceeding £1,000, while 33 percent have incurred losses of up to £1,000. The situation is worse for one in ten businesses, who have lost over £10,000.
Outsourcing is a common practice for many businesses that need an extra helping hand and expertise when it comes to business activities – and SMEs are no different. In fact, over one-third of SMEs actually outsource some form of activity.
Owen Campbell, Operations Director at Kura, says: "Any business, whether an established company or a startup just getting into their industry, can benefit from outsourcing.
"It not only helps manage workloads better, but it can ensure that all businesses have the right expertise and people in place to provide high-quality services.
"This can be especially useful for SMEs who don't have the time and resources to create whole teams within their business structure."
But what can SMEs outsource, and what benefit does it have for their business?
Martin McTague, National Chair, the Federation of Small Businesses, shares how we need to think more broadly about innovation policy to capture the full economic potential. To many, the term "innovation" is usually associated with big names such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg. But, in reality, the development and use of new ideas and technology is not confined to the tech industry. We need to think more broadly about innovation policy to capture the full economic potential. A new report by the Federation of Small Businesses – titled The Tech Tonic – found that across all sectors, seven in ten (69 percent) small firms have introduced a new form of innovation in the last three years. This includes the development of an entirely new product(s) to their market (25 percent), significantly improved existing or new product(s) (38 percent), and better staff and customer experience (25 percent).
Sherwen Studios commissioned research data and analytics group YouGov to survey more than 2,000 UK adults about their thoughts and opinions relating to subscription commerce. Here's some of their findings. Retail subscriptions are continuing to soar in popularity, as UK shoppers take advantage of subscription boxes that promise value for money, as well as the opportunity to try new products. But the very nature of flexible subscriptions mean that customers could choose to cancel at a moment's notice.
A new survey by the GCVA has revealed that reward-based incentives are key to customer loyalty in a cost-of-living crisis. Research reveals two in five (40 percent) UK consumers would be more loyal to a retailer that offered modest rewards or incentives, such as a £50 gift card, as people continue to seek ways to reduce the impact of the cost of living crisis. The survey of more than 1,000 UK adults, commissioned by the Gift Card and Voucher Association (GCVA), found that just under half of households are worse off than they were this time last year, with 12 percent experiencing a significant impact on their personal finances. As a result, people are looking for more ways to earn and save.
Leading experiential learning company,Impact, gives an insight into the benefits of workplace diversity. FTSE 350 businesses are paying more attention to diversity amongst their senior team candidates than ever before. The percentage of seats filled by ethnically diverse directors has risen to 22 percent. When it comes to gender balance, it has been found that 54 percent of new board seats have been taken by women, showing that companies are moving in the right direction. But why is workplace diversity becoming such a priority? One of the most obvious benefits is that organisations can gain precious insight from people with varied backgrounds and experiences. Impact, a world-leading expert in experiential learning, looks at ways in which diversity can enhance a business's operations and how it can be implemented effectively.
Martin McTague, National Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses, looks at howstartups are a powerful catalyst for economic growth. The term start-ups can be traced back to the late 1990s, when the early tech wave swept across the globe. These small businesses, filled with massive potential, include now-giants like Amazon, Disney, and Google. All these companies started small, in a climate where taking risks and dreaming big were the rule, not the exception. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has guided small businesses through the toughest of times, from the Covid-19 pandemic and now, the cost of living crisis. Still, it was them who took the wheel during our rebound from the economic recession of 2008. And nine out of 10 people who found their way back from unemployment did so either by rolling up their sleeves at a small fi rm or by charting their own course, through a start-up. The latest Small Business Index (SBI) shows a 5.5 percent growth aspiration increase from Q1 to 51.3% in Q2. FSB's message to policymakers is clear: think small first, encourage start-ups and back the 99% of business population on which our recovery will depend.
How can UK businesses adapt to the lack of warehouse space? Slingsby Group Chief Executive, Morgan Morris, tells us more... The number of business premises used for warehousing and logistics has almost doubled in the last decade, according to the Office for National Statistics. This has been largely driven by the massive increase in e-commerce and online retailers such as Amazon – a company that accounts for a quarter of all warehousing space in the UK. In late 2021, property agent Cushman & Wakefield predicted that the UK could run out of warehousing space within a year. Over 12 months later, demand continues to be at an all-time high, with vacancy rates having been sat at less than 2 percent for the past year. This is way below the rate needed to balance fluctuations between supply and demand, which is 8 percent.
