24 50 years of CHSI Stitches CHSI Stitches, the UK trade show for the creative craft industry, will be back at the NEC in Birmingham on the 23rd and 24th February 2025. With a 50-year history leading the industry, the event will mark its 50th anniversary by uniting buyers and small craft business owners with top manufacturers and suppliers. Attendees can explore the latest products and innovations in the market and benefit from a valuable educational programme featuring top-notch advice from retail, sales, and marketing experts to propel your business to success. Registration will open in the coming months, visit the website: www.chsi.co.uk for more... Autumn Fair draws in high-calibre buyers Autumn Fair, the UK’s seasonal trade event for Home, Gift, and Fashion, has solidified its position as a key order-writing trade event, drawing in a high-calibre of decision-makers and influential buyers. This season saw a six per cent increase in buyers actively looking to source and buy new products, a 20 per cent rise in the number of buyers with sole or joint purchasing responsibility, and 30 per cent brand new buyers, underscoring the event’s continuing importance for the retail industry. Soraya Gadelrab, Event Director of Autumn Fair says: “50 per cent of the buyers who attended are business owners who take the time away from their store to buy and source new products at Autumn Fair which underlies the importance of coming. They love and value the community the show offers, and they trust in it to provide the newness they need for their valued customers.” Buyers could discover more than 800 exhibitors and touch and feel over 500,000 products and new launches ready for immediate purchase. With 95 per cent of buyers from the UK, the show’s wide variety of exhibitors attracted an impressive range of retailers from multiples, department stores and garden centres to charities, heritage sites and independents including Next, British Garden Centre, Fenwick, British Heart Foundation, Haven, Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Poundland, River Island, Champneys, WHSmith, ZSL, Squires, Costco, Dunelm, TJX Europe, TJ Hughes, Card Factory, Ryman, Morley Stores Ltd, Aldi UK, G Rutherford & Co, Elphicks, Lucy & Yak, RSPCA, Farmfoods, Walt Disney Company, Blue Diamond, Dobbies, Lark London, New Look, Homebase, Osprey, Liverpool FC, Lakeland, Waitrose, River Island, Forbidden Planet and National Trust. Some 85 per cent of attendees had sole or joint responsibility for purchasing and 40 per cent of attendees came with a planned spending budget between £25k - £100k. Returning buyers demonstrated continued purchasing power with 87 per cent making purchases, a clear indication of the event’s effectiveness in driving sales. The show offered the chance for retailers to capitalise on the year’s final purchasing opportunity, as it continues to put the spotlight on Britain’s independent retailers and help safeguard their future. The New Business Pavilion offered buyers an opportunity to discover emerging brands across sectors such as Home, Living, Décor, Gift, Beauty & Wellbeing, and Moda Fashion. A must-visit for those seeking new and launching brands which induced Flourish Home Interiors, Meraki Notebooks, Skyn Bakery, and AddSquirrel, who all reported a good show with interest from key buyers and order writing. Event Director, Gadelrab concluded: “Autumn Fair has once again proven to be the leading order-writing trade event in the UK, attracting a significant number of influential buyers and decision-makers. With over 800 exhibitors and a wide range of new product launches, the show continues to be the destination for retailers to discover unique products, connect with peers, and prepare for the crucial holiday season.”
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