Progressive Greetings November 2025

ON THE CARDS

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas… and the signs are pretty good with many card retailers reporting encouraging Christmas card sales already. Admittedly there has historically always been a rush of the wellplanned people wanting to tick off buying their special relations cards, but it is so reassuring to hear so many reports of sparkling Christmas tingles.

Staying on the sparkly front, The Henries sequin-fest was such a joy. The upbeat Abba-esque theme was perfectly in tune with the vibe of the event, with the cardie community out in force, putting competition to one side and very much sharing in the collective triumphs of our wonderful industry, from relative newbie publishers through to well-loved more established ones. (See pages 19-63 to see the winners in all their glory).

Above: Cosying up on the Choose Cards front, Matt Simpson of The Letter Arty with PG’s Jakki Brown with their new Christmas jumpers. (See pages 70-71)

Left: Longstanding WHS/now TGJones’ card buyer (centre) Claire Castle, recipient of The Henries Honorary Achievement award at the event with colleague Sharon Fox (left) and PG’s Jakki Brown. Below left: Bubblegum’s set for a comeback. UKG’s Ben Whittington, Louise James (right) with PG’s Jakki Brown at the recent BLE show. (See pages 72-73)

The evolution of our sector is so impressive, how the creative maestros continually come up with designs, finishes and formats that chime with the public’s nuanced tastes never ceases to amaze me. Quite what impact AI will have on our sector in the long-term is impossible to predict, as the variety of comments on the subject in this edition’s Viewpoints section illustrate (see pages 14-17), but I agree with Woody’s Lee Keeper in that “what is true or real, engaging, and meaningful will always win through.”

5-9 News

All the latest happenings and developments in the trade.

10-11 Talking Shop If I Can Dream

David Robertson, coowner of JP Pozzi, has been doing a lot of dreaming.

12-13

Cardsharp Accentuate The Positive Cardsharp tunes into positive thinking.

14-17 Viewpoints

The AI Conundrum: Glass Half Full or Half Empty?

Sharing real thoughts on AI’s impact on the card sector.

19-21 The Henries Caught On Camera Super Troupers

Photographic evidence of the Abba-solutely fabulous Henries.

23-63 The Henries Winners 2025

64-65 Innovations

A selection of new ranges and designs.

jakkib@max-publishing.co.uk

67-69 Focus on…Pet and Animal Cards

Pawfect Sends PG enters the furry and feathered menagerie of to and from the pet cards.

70-71 Retailer Face To Face Choose The Letter Matt Simpson, founder of The Letter Arty and the Choose Cards project invited PG to his shipping container.

72-73 Behind The Brand Bubblegum Re-inflated The recent BLE show fanfared the relaunch of UKG’s Bubblegum brand.

75 Art Source Abisolutely Fabulous Artist Abigail Sammond shares her creative story.

77-78 What’s Hot? A trio of retailers lift the lid on their bestselling ranges.

79-87 Sources of Supply

Warren Lomax Joint Owner warren@max-publishing.co.uk

TOP STORY

Louise Mulgrew x The Art File

Publisher to move to a full licensing model

Louise Mulgrew has taken the decision to licence her award-winning catalogue of greeting cards to The Art File

This significant development will see 300 of Louise Mulgrew’s bestselling designs across everyday and seasonal collections being published by The Art File from 1 February. These will include Louise’s mini card, Furry Friends, Flora and Safari Party ranges.

Ged Mace, managing director of The Art File, commented: “I’ve been a huge fan of Louise’s work for several years so, when she contacted me to discuss a possible licensing opportunity, I was naturally very interested to explore what we might achieve together.

“Our businesses share similar values, we serve like-minded, forward-thinking customers and our collections complement one another perfectly. This is a wonderful addition, and we are all very excited to build on the success of this established British brand within The Art File family.”

Louise is looking forward to this exciting new chapter, but admitted it has come about following a prolonged period of mental health struggles caused by the conflict between the creative work that she loves while having the responsibility for running the business she set up a decade ago.

Jennie Rutter steps up as Emo co-owner

To be honest, it’s become completely unsustainable for me to continue on this trajectory.”

She explained that licensing designs to publishers in several countries led her to look at a full licensing model here in the UK and working with the family-run Nottingham-based publisher “felt like a perfect fit”.

Louise added: “While this is an exciting new change, and a necessary one for me personally, it’s important to me to acknowledge that this decision has repercussions on stakeholders in my business and my team, and I’ve done everything I can and will continue to do everything I can to support the people affected through this change.

“I’m incredibly grateful to the many people who have been a part of my business over the years – my mum and dad who dropped everything to

“For 10 years my business has been my full priority,” Louise said. “It’s taken all my love and energy and focus and not in my wildest imagination could I have dreamed we would have achieved some of the things we have.

“Best of all I’ve been able to be creative for a living, and experience people all over the world connecting with my illustrations but, as time has gone on, the joy of creating has been overshadowed by the compounding pressure and responsibility of the business side of things, which has felt like a huge weight on my shoulders.

help me in the early days, believing in me long before I believed in myself, the talented team members I’ve worked alongside and learned so much from, all the small businesses in our supply chain, our fabulous sales agents across the country, and our wonderful customers, from gorgeous indie shops to nationwide chains, foreign distributors to the loyal card enthusiasts who come to us directly.

“It’s been a very difficult decision to make, but I know for sure it is the right one. It also allows me to focus on my real passion, which is the creating.”

The companies will be working together to achieve a smooth transition for customers.

Jennie Rutter is to become coowner and joint managing director of Emotional Rescue after 30 years with the company, and three years on the board as creative director.

Jen will become a 50% shareholder alongside her longtime colleague and coowner David Greaves, who has been with the Tewkesburybased company that’s particularly known for its humour offer since 1993, while Brett Smith, who became joint md of the business seven years ago, will be stepping away from the business after seven years to spend more time closer to his family. Brett however is to remain with the business until next June.

“I’m very excited to work alongside David as joint owner and managing director,” Jennie told PG. “Between us, we share 70 years of experience and a fantastic working relationship. I completely understand Brett’s decision and fully support his move toward a new chapter outside of the industry. It’s been great working with him, and I wish him every success in whatever comes next.”

Jen stayed with Emo when David sold up in 2013 to pursue other business interests before he returned to buy back the company with Brett in 2019 and re-establish it as a force to be reckoned with.

Brett, who began his greeting card career with a 23-year stint at Clinton Cards followed by Cards Direct, Pioneer Europe and Danilo Promotions, said he’d taken the hard decision to step away from Emo due to the long trek commuting via the M42 and M5, and being away from his family much of the week, so is taking stock to re-evaluate his priorities at this stage of his and his family’s life.

He commented: “I’ve had a fantastic time working with both David and Jennie – I've learned so much from both of them. I'm extremely proud of my time at this wonderful company and am very excited to see Emo continue to go from strength to strength under the stewardship of this dynamic duo.”

As David added: “I rate Jen so highly, working with her on product and more generally in the business is so much fun. Good luck Brett, you have our very best wishes and thanks for all your help.”

Maybugs’ publishing secret takes flight

It’s a case of poacher turned gamekeeper at Maybugs where indie retailers Greg Rose and John Dale are so chuffed with the success of their inhouse greeting card range that they’re now offering it to other retailers.

And to mark the full launch of Maybugs Designs the couple have booked a stand at PG Live 2026.

“It’s been a bit of a secret,” Greg told PG. “We launched our very own greeting cards earlier this year in our own stores, and this summer we soft-launched in select retailers in the south east. We’ve had lots of orders and a very good response to our cheeky humour and simple yet contemporary style.”

Greg and John are already working with indie sales agents Richard and Nicola Freeman in the south-east, but are now looking to expand to other areas of the country.

TOP STORY

Dancing Queens and Kings

The Henries f-Abba-ulous awards hit the high notes

The winners of The Henries 2025 greeting card industry awards were announced at a fABBA-ulous event, held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London, superbly hosted by comedian Andrew Ryan.

purchasing and sending of greeting cards, crystalising that strong connectivity bond which are present in every greeting card exchange.

Michelle Hindle has joined Raspberry Blossom Respected

greeting card

sales executive

Michelle Hindle has joined Raspberry Blossom as B2B commercial lead at the Warwick-based greeting card and stationery company.

Describing the

The industry’s big event, which took on a joyful Abba-esque theme, was attended by over 500 members of the greeting card community who shared in the sparkle as publishers of the UK’s most innovative greeting card and giftwrap ranges and those who had gone the extra mile on service to indies made their way to the stage to receive their shiny trophies.

As Jakki Brown, director of Max Publishing, which owns and organises The Henries said in the opening speech: “Abba were famous for their glitz and glamour with music that continues to strike a chord with millions of people all over the world to this day, just like greeting cards do.

Of all their hit songs, it is Knowing Me, Knowing You which is the most appropriate for these awards, being at the very core of creating,

Everyone in the room tonight is part of a charttopping

community that makes the magic of greeting cards happen.”

As well as the winning ranges in the product awards, Georgi Doig, founder of Lil Wabbit was crowned with The Lynn Tait Most Promising Young Designer award while Pigment, UKG and IC&G clinched the Bronze, Silver and Gold trophies respectively in the Best Service to the Independent Retailer category. The finale of the official ceremony was the presentation of the Honorary Achievement award, which was presented to Claire Castle, the longstanding greeting card buyer of WHSmith/now TGJones.

(To see pics from the event and all the winners, turn to pages 19-63).

Prince Of Darkness proves power of cards

Even the Prince of Darkness was a sucker for the power of greeting cards – as Ozzy Osbourne’s daughter Kelly proved when she took to social media recently to share just how much she missed her dad, having just had her first birthday since the rock legend died in July.

Posting images of a slew of the birthday cards that he sent her over the years, the now 41-year-old has them as keepsakes of her famous father.

On the day before her birthday a few weeks ago Kelly posted: “Tomorrow is going to be a first for me. The first birthday without my dad. Every year the thing I look forward to the most was spending the day with him and the cards he would write me.

“Knowing that I will never get one again shatters my heart. Here are just a few of them. They were always short, simple but said everything I needed to hear. I love you Daddy, tomorrow will suck without you.”

appointment as “significant and exciting”

Rebecca Green, who co-owns the company with her husband Mark, said it signals the brand’s commitment to further growth within the UK and international trade market.

Michelle’s new chapter follows six years as head of sales at Belly Button Designs

Mark added: “We’re so thrilled to have Michelle join the team. She’s held in such high regard and trusted by so many people in our industry – not only for her sales expertise but for the relationships she’s built over many years. Her insight and infectious energy will be an incredible asset as we continue to grow the Raspberry Blossom brand.”

In her new role, Michelle will lead Raspberry Blossom’s B2B sales growth, focusing on building and deepening relationships with independent retailers, minimultiples, and national accounts, as well as helping shape the business’ commercial and customer experience.

“I’ve always admired Raspberry Blossom’s creativity and positivity as a brand; I feel very lucky to be joining the company whose innovation, energy, and ambition align so closely with my own,” said Michelle. “It has such a strong reputation for design and positivity, and I can’t wait to contribute to the next phase of its story.”

Raspberry Blossom won The Henries 2025 Best Contemporary Words & Sentiments Range award for its Healing Hugs collection.

The Instagram post included a selection of photos of Kelly with her dad, as well as showing the keepsake cards featuring Ozzy’s handwriting and Love Daddy signature, with lots of kisses. They cover birthdays and special events such as passing her driving test, with a Santoro Swing design picked out and the message: “Dearest Kelly, I just want to say that I love you and miss you every second of the day.”

TOP STORY

BBC Champions Cardies Copycat Fight

TV covers GCA’s battle to beat plagiarists as Temu’s new tech advances

The fight against the copycats has hit the national media bigtime, as the GCA’s ongoing work to ensure the online marketplace giant Temu takes action, has secured several prime slots on BBC Breakfast, as well as being included on the main BBC News site.

The coverage included reporter Peter Ruddick saying: “When it comes to greeting cards, we’re talking about the impact on a British success story. Imitation might be known as the sincerest form of flattery, but an industry which relies on the £1.5 billion we spend on greeting cards does not feel very flattered.”

Peter interviewed Lola Design’s Amanda and Frank Mountain at their York studio to illustrate the depth of the ongoing issue where designers’ work is stolen by being screenshot and morphed to make inferior rip-off versions of original cards that are sold significantly cheaper.

The GCA’s tenacity in pursuing this with Temu, where thousands of its thirdparty sellers have been caught copying UK cards, has seen the marketplace bring in new technology to speed up the identification and removal of British greeting card designs which infringe the intellectual property rights of association members.

The wider reach

The BBC coverage included Thortful md Pip Heywood, who has been working with the GCA to help tackle the issue technologically, explaining how the plagiarism problem has been like a game of whacka-mole because, as fast as publishers get one rip-off removed, another one pops up in its place.

software, and that means that no future infringement should be possible.

“This new tech is bespoke to our industry,” Pip told the BBC about the new safeguarding software that has been put in place. “It's really clever that original content gets uploaded into their proactive monitoring

New Temu tech has been trialled by GCA member Emotional Rescue and is now being extended into a wider pilot for other publishers and designers to further test the software and provide feedback – the system is bespoke to the card industry, but could be extended as a model for other products.

Up until now, card companies have had to report each individual copied listing but, as part of the trial, they now only have to submit one link, and the software will remove the product and any others using the same design.

The GCA has also published updated takedown guidelines for publishers if they find plagiarised designs for sale on Temu.

The GCA’s Amanda Fergusson said: “Our dialogue with Temu and the actions they're taking is a welcome first step to address those issues.”

“If any seller then tries to repeat the copycat, it's blocked before it can even be uploaded, and that's such a relief to the creators and publishers that have found themselves trawling, trawling, trawling, trying to stop that whack-amole effect.”

As Lola’s Amanda Mountain said on TV: “It's not a nice feeling to see something you've poured all your love and hours into taken within minutes. Every designer gives a piece of themselves because they want to create a little bit of happiness, and it is not much to ask for people to respect that.”

Reporter Peter also took to the streets with one of Amanda’s designs and a Temu version, shocking members of the public as they realised the difference in quality.

Greetings radioheads

Angela Harding, printmaker and licensor to publishers including Art Angels, Museums & Galleries and Flametree Publishing, was a recent castaway on BBC Radio 4’s prestigious Desert Island Discs programme.

Angela told presenter Lauren Laverne how greeting cards have played an important part in creating a following for her artwork, explaining they’re like “little adverts”.

Meanwhile Fox Under The Moon’s Stacey McNeill has been interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Live and BBC Radio Newcastle about her new book Seasons Of Comfort.

Radio presenter Steffen Peddie asked about the concept of the brand – which won the 2023 and 2024 Gift Of The Year People’s Choice awards and her licensed card range with The Art File was a Henries 2025 finalist – and Stacey explained: “The books and greeting cards are about all sorts of uplifting words and pictures to include hope, love, loss, grief, anxiety and depression.

I hope to help people to feel a bit better about themselves and about their situations through the medium of a little fox and a moon.”

TOP STORY

Royal Mail Fined £21m For Missed Targets

Delivery service claims second class post cuts are ‘working’

At a time when the greeting card sector needs to be able to rely on an efficient postal service to ensure Christmas cards arrive in timely fashion, Ofcom has slapped Royal Mail with an enormous £21million fine after the delivery service failed to meet its targets for the third year running – and it would have been £30m but for the company’s admission of liability.

customers expect and deserve better.”

Dwarfing the £5.6m penalty from 2023 and 2024’s £10.8m, the industry watchdog revealed that “even after accounting for exceptional weather events” RM had only managed to get 77% of first-class mail delivered within one working day of collection against its 93% target between April 2024 and March 2025, while second class saw 92.5% arrive on time, within three working days, when the target was 98.5%.

“Millions of important letters are arriving late, and people aren’t getting what they pay for when they buy a stamp,”

Ofcom’s director of enforcement

Ian Strawhorne said. “These persistent failures are unacceptable, and

Echoing the feelings of those in the greeting card industry, Ian added: “Royal Mail must rebuild consumers’ confidence as a matter of urgency. And that means making actual significant improvements, not more empty promises. We’ve told the company to publicly set out how it’s going to deliver this change, and we expect to start seeing meaningful progress soon. If this doesn’t happen, fines are likely to continue.”

Reporting on the quality-of-service performance, the watchdog pointed out that Royal Mail’s promised improvement plan for 2024-25 aiming to achieve 85% for first class mail and 97% for second class by March 2025 –both still under the target level – had not materialised.

The regulator said this was “unacceptable” and it had told Royal Mail to “urgently publish and implement a credible plan that delivers significant and continuous improvement, otherwise it was likely to see continuing fines paid to the Treasury as “both necessary and appropriate”.

Royal Mail stores to hit High Street

The watchdog has however lowered targets from 93% to 90% of firstclass post delivered nextday, with second-class mail dropped from 98.5% to 95% delivered within

Royal Mail’s owner International Distribution Services has taken a 49% state in Collect+ giving it a new High Street brand through almost 8,000 convenience stores.

The move, thought to be worth £43.9million looks to be widening the distance between the delivery service and the Post Office network with the stores being rebranded to Royal Mail Shop as part of what IDS called its “multi-channel strategy to make collecting, sending and returning parcels as convenient as possible”.

Collect+ currently has a network of around 14,000 out-of-home locations, of which almost 8,000 already offer RM collect, send and return parcel services, and will continue its operations of sending and returning parcels from other carriers.

The new brand will be a one-stop destination for collecting, sending and returning parcels, selling Royal Mail postage at the shops for the first time and open during extended hours including evenings and weekends and, in a change to the push to make more services digital, the company said “selling postage over the counter gives customers

the option of paying when they get to the shop rather than doing so beforehand online”.

This service is already live in 500 shops, after Royal Mail and Collect+ first partnered in May 2024 to meet what it called “rising consumer demand for convenient parcel drop-off and collection points”.

Smelly stamps?

What smell would you like emitted when opening your post? French postal service La Poste has recently released a limited-edition stamp that’s scented like the nation’s favourite pastry, the croissant – and Brits are now speculating on what would be the best smell for a UK equivalent, with suggestions ranging from fish and chips, apple crumble and custard, and sausage and mash, to lavender or Tunnocks Tea Cakes.

The 594,000 La Poste stamps each cost €2.10 (£1.84), which can be used for both domestic and international letters have just gone into circulation, coinciding with a competition to find the nation’s best butter croissant. Last year La Poste issued a scratchn-sniff stamp which celebrated the baguette. Back in 2001 Royal Mail issued a eucalyptus scented stamp in the Nobel Prize 100th anniversary set.

Last month, Vinted became Royal Mail’s first retail partner to offer its customers collection from the stores.

TOP STORY

Stormy Knight’s Pressing Debut

Postmark fanfares the publisher’s move into letterpress

Stormy Knight’s owner Sarah Jackson has just made good on her promise to Postmark co-owner Mark Janson-Smith to come up with her first letterpress greeting card collection.

London Bridge store next to the new range.

Below: The Two Hearts design is Mark’s favourite.

An idea borne out of a chat in the pub after this year’s GCA’s Dragons Speed Dating event, has culminated in the 18-card capsule Pressed & Posted collection debuting in Postmark’s 14 stores across London and Glasgow and will be available to other retailers in the new year.

“At the Feb event we were talking about how much we both loved letterpress and I said I'd always wanted to launch a card collection as my background is in silk-screen printing and I love the mechanical processes and colour theory that you apply to these crafts. He basically egged me on and said that I should get on and do it!”

With Mark offering advice and feedback from the retail point of view, the conversation was picked up at PG Live and then again at The Retas when both agreed they wanted the designs to be bright, colourful, bold – and fun.

“Minimal typographic style isn't really my forte and I wanted to play around with bright illustrations and offset overlays to really bring out the personality of the letterpress, and I'm so pleased with the final results!” said Sarah.

The initial collection of 18 designs across birthdays and some occasions launched recently in Postmark stores with Mark seeing his favourite Two Hearts anniversary card selling out in most stores in the first week.

“I love the range and our customers do too,” Mark told PG. “It is right up there as a top seller for us. It is great to be able to have this as an exclusive launch for a few months as this is in keeping with our mission to bring our customers products that are new and different.”

Stormy Knight will be launching a full collection of 60 letterpress designs at Top Drawer and Spring Fair in the new year and will be taking pre-orders just prior to the shows.

Detroit spin of the UK card industry

A talking tour of the UK greeting card industry and how greeting cards get to market in the UK were covered in GCA ceo Amanda Fergusson’s Update From Across The Pond presentation at the US association’s annual conference in Detroit last month. In her 45-minute talk, Amanda addressed attendees from 50 of the 230-strong US GCA’s members, plus British publishers Paper Salad and Roger La Borde

Sponsored by UK Greetings’ parent company American Greetings, Hallmark, Designer Greetings and Avanti Press, the conference saw plenty of networking opportunities along with educational and inspirational sessions including a Q&A with Rifle Paper Co’s co-founder Anna Bond, a talk by retailer Bon Bon Bon’s president Alexandra Clark, and Atomic Battery Studios’ art director Bill Morrison and artist and author Jim Benton covering Occasions For Which There Are No Cards.

Charity NIBS

• Abacus marked the recent International Day Of Charity by thanking customers for helping the publisher support numerous charities. “It was a wonderful opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to our customers,” said md Nick Carey. “Since 2015, their support has enabled us to contribute a remarkable total of £425,903 to charitable causes through the sales of our Abacus and Clare Maddicott charity Christmas card packs.”

This year’s charity Christmas card collection will benefit Parkinson’s UK, British Heart Foundation, Mind and Sue Ryder

• Cardfactory has stepped up its support for Macmillan Cancer Research by launching a new range of cards designed for people affected by the disease.

People with lived experience of cancer, including carers, were at the centre of the creation process where they guided the messages and imagery in collaboration with members of Cardfactory’s design and editorial team to ensure the cards reflected what really matters when words are hard to find.

For every card sold through its website and 1,100 stores in the UK and Ireland, the retailer is donating 15p to the charity

• Darling of the Brit art scene and cat mum, Tracey Emin has lent her distinctive style to a Christmas card design for the pet charity Blue Cross. A design featuring her pet pussies Teacup and Pancake, sold in £7 limited edition packs, signing some of the boxes which were sold on eBay to raise further funds.

In the association’s business part of the conference, Designer Greetings’ Andy Meehan stepped down as president –wearing his Choose Cards t-shirt courtesy of UK retailer The Letter Arty – with American Greetings’ director of brand management, artists relations and creative, Mary Beth Sibert taking over, and the final slot was Avanti’s founder and CEO Rick Ruffner and Dominique Schurman, former Clintons boss and founder and CEO of Niquea.D, in an Unauthorised and Unscripted chat.

Amanda summed up: “Temu was discussed quite a bit – they shared our concerns and issues but the removal of the de minimis exemption has taken the problem away for now. Tariffs were a big issue for many, so, in my speech I spoke about the fact that the UK is only 10% encouraging them to import from us!”

If I Can Dream

Underdog and comeback stories have been a cornerstone of films, music and TV for years.

One of the biggest was back in 1968 when Elvis, who had lost his self-belief and was looking at a way to build himself back as the rock n roll star, made a rip-roaring return to form with ‘If I can dream’ as the finale of a television special.

Sadly, I was reminded of this as the song was played at Ricky Hatton’s funeral, which got me thinking about making dreams a reality.

Ricky Hatton was a key part of the 90s, he was the local boy done good. He was the man who had 30k Brits follow him across the Atlantic to Vegas. All because he was a natural fighter. Supremely skilled and tough yet struggling with an inner fight that eventually overtook him.

The song, played at his funeral, ‘If I can dream’, was also a tribute to Martin Luther King and that song was a protest song against the division that Elvis saw in his country. Not unlike the division in ours right now.

So, what do some rockstars, a boxer and an activist have in common?

Well quite simply they speak to people. They perhaps do not appeal

to all and nor do they want to but what they do is create a belief in people that their lives can be better.

The Gallaghers came from Burnage, Hatton came from Stockport, Elvis came from Tupelo Mississippi and King came from Atlanta, Georgia. Their parents worked odd jobs, were carpet fitters, teachers and a school cook. Dreaming was encouraged but probably none of their family saw what was ahead.

These ordinary men became widely regarded as some of the best in their respective fields.

As Martin Luther King famously said: “I have a dream

today…” His dream was an end to racism where children would see no colour. But all of them could have said they had a dream to make their lives better, to make the world a better, more interesting place.

Few set out with the intention to change the world. Certainly in business none of us do anyway.

First of all, we just want to survive but this weekend just past (Oct 25-26) I headed to see another comeback story play out. I arrived at Old Trafford, Theatre of Dreams, to watch Man U win a thrilling game 4-2 against Brighton.

Prior to the game, after it and most of the Sunday I spent time in the centre of the capital of the North. I love Manchester, I love the music, the people, the football, the architecture and the whole vibe of the city.

Its working class culture comes the Victorian industrial buildings like mills, warehouses and canals that still dominate the city. The red brick and gothic tones permeate every corner alongside shiny new buildings.

Manchester’s very core is working class and fighting for what you want. Many footballers and boxers, despite their now crazy wealth, traditionally came from very humble beginnings, probably like many indie retailers.

Manchester as a city was buzzing and what was very evident in the shops, restaurants and common areas was experience was everything.

Halloween treats and activities were happening all over the city, all designed to attract people and keep them there.

The LEGO store had a queue round the block, stores that offered experiences such as make up were busy too. Food, coffee and Insta-ready quirky places were exceptionally busy with a mix of locals and weekend visitors.

So, what are our dreams as indie gift and card retailers of creating a buzzy vibe? Our gift and card stores have been busy all year. I thought that a certain plush brand was driving much of the footfall but with Jellycat stock in short supply it has been really encouraging to see our sales figures remaining strong despite this.

A huge amount of this credit must go to my mum and our team who have curated different displays which elevate way above purely being stock on a shelf. Our quirky mix of Halloween products, our themed Christmas trees and decorations, our on trend fashion brands all seem to be working. Our ever-changing card selection has also been keeping footfall steady and our growth is focused squarely on good brands put together in a way that people really enjoy.

Just about every brand these days speaks about the experience and we need to provide that too. We need to have testers for all our diffusers and candles. We need to encourage customers to spray our perfumes. We need to let them see the quality of finish of the cards or the softness of the leather on our bags to make them understand exactly what they are paying for.

I think people are getting more and more time poor and they want shops to basically do everything for them. Yet they still want to feel that they have ‘found’ something.

Shopping really does give you a proper experience. Online is functional but nothing beats actually getting out and being hands on. People want to enjoy looking, buying, touching and getting help.

Looking at different cards not knowing what you really wanted then discovering an new artist or design that makes me laugh out loud or think is perfect for the recipient still gives me a buzz.

going does it hold the same appeal?

I am fortunate that it is pretty much all I have ever known, but the pressure of running your own business has and will continue to increase as all businesses big and small are holding their breath for the Budget.

Now worrying about something that has not yet happened is never a good thing but as business people we are taught to look ahead. We are taught to plan for the future. We are encouraged to plan our pathway but at the moment there are so many different challenges I am not sure how we can.

Politically right now we are in a mess. We seem to be more divided as a country than ever yet we as businesses need to plot comeback after comeback.

Every year we are given bigger and bigger tests, PAYE, National Living Wage, rafts of legislation and as each body blow hits we have to keep taking the shots to stay on our feet and pay all our bills.

We also have to make that gift feel different or that self-purchase make the purchaser feel special.

I have noticed that service is improving in stores. Is it because every business knows that it needs to provide a better interaction to keep their sales high?

Dreams in business are something everyone who decides to work for themselves have. I know really successful people who have great, well-paid jobs who still have a hanker for the so-called freedom and self-satisfaction that self-employment brings. They want the challenges, yet once you have them and you are literally fighting every day to keep

The single card market in 2025 is still strong worth a staggering £1.5 billion. While online is growing its focus is largely on personalisation. That means that physical stores and being able to browse and select the perfect card and gift largely still happens in stores like yours and mine.

Not just because it was raining when I was in Manchester, I wanted to end with some lyrics from Elvis’ ‘If I can dream’. Remind yourself that despite all the challenges, despite all the setbacks, if you keep believing you can and will get there… We're lost in a cloud with too much rain We're trapped in a world that's troubled with pain

But as long as a man has the strength to dream

He can redeem his soul and fly.

l To contact David email: jppozzi@btconnect.com

Accentuate The Positive

Rory Stewart, a former Tory cabinet minister who was very much on the left of the party, and Alastair Campbell, who was the press secretary for Tony Blair and considered by many to be his right-hand man in the time of the Blair premiership, are a formidable and engaging double act, their superb political podcast rightfully earning them a strong following.

However, one listener recently complained that every episode seemed to focus on negative global and domestic political stories, asking why the duo couldn’t

Cardsharp was reminded of the Bing Crosby 1940s classic, ‘Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive’ after listening to an edition of The Rest Is Politics podcast with Rory Stewart and Alistair Campbell.

While the pair have been described as 'Centrist Dads' who like to ‘disagree agreeably’, Cardsharp finds them hugely inciteful on global and political affairs, but when a fellow fan highlighted their penchant for the negative, it got him thinking about the ‘politics’ in the world of Cardies.

concentrate on some positive ones? The pair’s response what to point out that throughout history humanity has tended to look at things in terms of what’s going wrong, rather than what’s going right. But they admitted that perhaps, they like others, had gone too far in that direction, driven by social media, bad governance around the world and the demands of the media world for sensation.

Where does this negative slant come from? Some speculate it all comes from human evolution. In the days of cavemen, it made sense to worry about the dangers of being attacked by a woolly mammoth or a sabre-toothed tiger as complacency could lead to a painful death. And this perhaps is in inherent in our genes to the present day. Journalists’ stories often tend to accentuate the negative.

Below: Back in the days of cavemen, you had to be ready for an attack from fearful creatures… have things changed?!

Bottom left: PG has a duty to cover issues that matter, such as Temu’s copying of publishers’ designs and the effects of Trump’s tariffs on international trade.

They may argue piously that is because they say it is their duty to hold authority to account, but perhaps the real reason is that negative stories are more popular with readers, which leads to higher circulations and ‘clicks’ which in turn boosts advertising revenues.

Alistair Campbell noted that even in the 1970s, when we endured the three-day week in the UK, the miners’ strike, roaring inflation and destructive industrial action, research showed that that three out of four media stories were positive. While nowadays there is one positive story to every 18 negative ones.

So, Campbell and Stewart proceeded to attempt to do a podcast where they just concentrated on positive political developments around the world and positive achievements by politicians. They just about managed it, but it was interesting that Rory Stewart concluded that positivity improves mental and physical health and extends life expectancy.

Which set Cardsharp thinking? He looked back at previous issues of Progressive Greetings to see the balance between positive and negative stories. And he was pleasantly surprised. Nobody wants to read factious ‘puff’ pieces. That's not editorial and has never been what the magazine has been about.

There was a fair share of stories covering issues that the greeting card industry is obviously very concerned - Temu, tariffs, retail footfall and plagiarism to name a few. But what comforted Cardsharp was the amount of positivity in the contents, which says a lot about the sector and its core product, namely greeting cards.

Greeting cards exemplify all those attributes that Rory was discussing. They boost positivity, improve mental and physical health and by virtue of that extend life expectancy. And this seems to be reflected in so many of the people who work in the greeting card community.

In what other industry would so many competitors become such

good friends with each other despite competitive rivalry? What other industry would retailers and their suppliers become such long-lasting pals? And what other industry would there be so much helpful and friendly collaboration across the supply chain?

There are so many examples. The selfless commitment and camaraderie that exists between the GCA Council members, all of whom give up so much time and effort to work for free for the good of the industry, despite the fierce competition for retail pockets.

The recent GCA Conference in

volume of positive media, largely driven by the GCA, but in no small part to those who have made themselves available, prepared to be put in the media spotlight.

There’s also the joy that awards events like The Retas, celebrating greeting card retailing and The Henries, celebrating excellence in publishing, seem to engender. And what Cardsharp loves, whatever the outcome, there is never any resentment from those that do not win. In fact, quite the opposite, just generous and fairminded runners-up eager to congratulate the winners.

Yes, Cardsharp admits, there are always the odd spats. Normally over the whole area of plagiarism and copying, where there are many grey areas. And also many cut and dry ones. But generally speaking, the whole industry has a positive vibe which is in stark contrast to so many sectors of which Cardsharp is familiar.

Manchester was a triumph of congeniality and positive collaboration. Nearly 200 publishers, retailers, and suppliers all working together for the common good. No bitching or back biting.

And then there is the collaboration of so many of the independent greeting card retailers around the country who communicate frequently on the Cardmitments What’s App group, sharing ideas and experiences selflessly, not just getting behind the Cardmitment push and events such as Thinking of You Week, but joining forces to make positive progress, such as the ‘Cards make people happy’ paper bags.

And it means because we have a common voice, we come across so well in the media, as evidenced by the sheer

Greeting cards bring happiness, joy, comfort and strengthen relationships. So, it is not surprising that nearly all Cardies are a happy sociable positive bunch that have faced so many challenges over the last generation and still come out smiling. Superbly sung by Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters, Johnny Mercer’s lyrics should perhaps be adopted as something of an anthem for the greeting card industry... “You've got to ac-centtchu-ate the positive E-lim-i-nate the negative Latch on to the affirmative

Don't mess with Mr. In-Between You've got to spread joy up to the maximum Bring gloom down to the minimum…

VIEWPOINTS

Glass half full or half empty?

Raj Arora, owner of Nettl of Stockport

AI worries for the card sector: “My primary concern is the threat to designers' livelihoods and the industry's creative soul.

While AI can generate aesthetically pleasing designs, they often lack the ‘literal personal touch’ that comes from human designers. The human element, including imagination and insight into current human desires, news and trends, remains necessary, but the increasing capability of AI threatens the established creative ecosystem. Consumers don't generally think about the designer behind a card as much as we would like them to, so the barriers to entry for AI-generated content are fairly low.”

The opportunities? “From a business perspective, AI brings lots of positive opportunities. All businesses have to deal with admin, operations and software tools. AI brings efficiencies and cost savings to all of these areas. A prime example is AI notetakers that you often see attending online meetings these days allowing participants to give their full attention, rather than frantically scribbling down notes and missing things. The notetaker app takes the minutes, lists the action points and records the outcomes, saving hours. That's a productivity gamechanger!”

How are you using AI? “I've already mentioned the notetaker app for streamlining meetings. I also do a lot of coding in my line of work, and AI

helps me speed up my workflow. I still need to assess each line of code, but it saves me hours in writing it from scratch and sometimes gives me ways of doing things I might not have thought of (sometimes it gives me a load of tosh too, so it's not going to replace me, I'm sure of that!). I use tools like NotebookLM quite a bit for gathering information, brainstorming and getting insights into specific projects.

I'm experimenting with AI agents. These creations use AI to do real work by linking to the real world apps I use regularly like email - but I've not let these loose into my business yet!”

Should AI use be stated on cards? “No! Consumers don't care (we'd like them to, but they don't). And saying a design was created with AI raises questions like: "If it's AI, why is it so expensive?", not a question we want to shine a light on. What if a design was only partially created or manipulated by AI? Does that lessen the designer’s intent? Stating the AI credentials of a design on the back of a card is a can of AI worms!”

Is your AI glass half full or half empty? “Half-full. But I'm not sure what it's filled with! AI is here to stay, like it or not. We need to embrace it and get it to work in our favour. Think of AI as a wild cat that needs domesticating. In fact, ask AI how cats were domesticated? and you'll see a blueprint for how we need to tame AI.”

James Stevens, founder of James Ellis

AI worries for the card sector: “I suppose the ease at which companies like Temu are able to use AI to research good selling designs, extract images from the internet and publish them is a main worry. We actually bought some of our designs that Temu had copied and judging by the bad quality of reproduction, the speed at which designs are appearing on sites like Temu, and the descriptions they are using, I get the impression that the culprits are using AI to run their whole publishing process. This means that there are vast quantities of cheap greeting cards out there recycling designs. I'm less concerned at the moment about its ability to create new and innovative designsbut that might change!”

The opportunities? “I'm a bit like Raj and a bit of a tech nerd and I have been using AI a lot. I think its ability to take on computer-related admin jobs is extraordinary and I think that over time it will save us a lot of money and change our roles dramatically within the business.

The rise of AI-created digitally printed designs could increase the value of finishing in the eyes of the end user. A lot more trouble and effort goes into embossing and foiling a card (or hand-finishing a Shakies card) so it follows that more care would have gone into the creation of the design in the first place .... perhaps. AI generators could copy the designs but

Lee Keeper,

creative director of Woodmansterne Publications

“Unfortunately like most things in life the subject stops at the headline, and the intricacies and impact of any technology are just as hard to put into words as any of humankind's endeavour - certainly, no one can afford to, or should put their head in the sand. AI, the impact of technology on creativity is a hot and polarising topic, but the concern is not new.

I remember some 35 years ago seeing the first Apple Mac in action at a presentation to students in an Art School in Sheffield and realised then that if anyone didn’t embrace technology they would be left behind and if I did actively remain curious and learn, I could at least take part; find my way in the brave and slightly daunting and accelerating, wider new world. I’m not for any measure saying it’s easy, but I have faith that there are people who continue to learn and provoke, create, and challenge both themselves and others with what they make, say, or do, with or without assisted technology; I also believe that what is true or real, engaging, and meaningful will always win through.”

are less likely to finish them off - for now!”

How are you using AI?

VIEWPOINTS

“I've created three apps that speed up our sales process considerably by automating the import of orders we receive regularly from certain customers. I had no experience with this sort of thing. I literally explained the issue we had and asked it to solve it. It gave me basic step by step instructions and I created the apps! I've also used it for HR, PAYE and pension issues (although this sort of thing should be checked). It helped me create a job advertisement. I entered as much information as I could and asked it to ask me 10 additional questions related to the role. It asked questions that I hadn't thought of and created the whole thing in no time at all. Recently we tried out some digital marketing and it gave step by step instructions and I now use it weekly to tweak and improve the campaign. This is not something I would have been able to previously.”

Should AI use be stated on cards? “Perhaps, but I don't think this would be enforceable.”

Is your AI glass half full or half empty? “It has actually made me much more productive and creative and we have benefited from its ideas. The half empty part is the recycling of images though. And no, I didn't use AI to write this!”

David Nichols-Rice,

director of Ricicle Cards

AI worries for the card sector: “Every greeting card design that Ricicle publishes has been the result of an artist collaboration or designed in-house. The concepts are created, sketched out, and then a colour palette is explored before creating the final pieces that go to print. Many of the designs are even hand-painted before being scanned in, ready for print. It takes teamwork, partnership and idea creation to bring the final card to market. A lot of thought and consideration goes into the detail, and this is why I have so much pride for each design Ricicle publishes. If I were to ask AI to create something for me at the click of a button, I wouldn't get that same accomplishment. Also, knowing that AI artwork has to come from existing sources means that it's stealing other people's work, which any business of good moral conscience should never do, in my opinion.”

The opportunities? “When it comes to streamlining admin processes, I'm all for AI. It can be very powerful and timesaving. But I wouldn't use it for creativity. Plus, there's the whole 'use it or lose it' idea that comes with the human brain. There are heaps of studies that show that humans need to use their own brains, otherwise, they'll lose them. If we rely too heavily on AI for simple tasks that five years ago, we would have had no choice but to use our own mind, we'll lose that cognitive ability very quickly.”

Should AI use be stated on cards? “Absolutely. Publishers should definitely state that they've used AI to create a design. In my book, it's cheating.”

Duncan Dyson, co-director of Dyson Design

AI worries for the card sector: “One of the drivers of Dyson Design’s inception as a greeting card business was what founder Helen Dyson saw as the devaluation of the creative process because of the rise of electronic design. We are not Luddites though, and we do invest in new technology and big ideas such as sustainability, where they are true to our ideals.”

The opportunities? “We think there are fascinating possibilities around market research, testing ideas, campaign planning and generally reducing the drudgework so that we can concentrate on the high-value aspects of the business, namely creative design and actual customer relationships rather than automated CRM.”

How are you using AI? “We have experimented with AI for prospecting, not very successfully, and to help us with brainstorming, new business development and social media planning, much more successfully.”

Should AI use be stated on cards? “Yes. It’s ethical to be honest about what you are asking people to buy. It might reflect poorly on the brand that you appear to have decided to sideline human ingenuity, so you should be clear about how, and to what extent, AI was involved. Remember that AI uses huge amounts of energy too, so an AI-generated card could negate any claims you have for sustainability using recycled board etc.”

Is your AI glass half full or half empty? “As individuals and businesses, and as a sector, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to play our part in ensuring that AI contributes to making things better. Obviously, AI could be a tool for something close to plagiarism, but the bad actors who would do that would use any tool for profit. On the other hand, if AI gives people more time to be creative and genuinely empathise with their human connections, then the benefits in terms of originality and a growing, engaged customer base must outweigh the negatives.”

Marina Brook, founder of Marina B

AI worries for the card sector: “I think the main worry is around losing a brand’s individual DNA. One of the things that makes our industry so special is the uniqueness of every publisher’s style and creative voice. My concern would be that too much AI involvement could make designs start to feel a bit samey or less personal.”

The opportunities? “There are definitely opportunities for learning and efficiency. AI could be useful for gaining knowledge or exploring ideas more quickly — especially for admin or support tasks. It’s a tool that, if used thoughtfully, could help small businesses save time and focus more on the creative side so win, win!”

How are you using AI? “At the moment, I use it occasionally — mainly for grammar checks or simple research.”

Should AI use be stated on cards? “I think transparency is important. AI has its place, but design is also about personal expression and storytelling. At Marina B, we take pride in creating artwork that has our own DNA — it’s what customers connect with. I’d be concerned that too much AI-generated work could blur those unique identities, so we’ll be sticking to our same approach.”

Is your AI glass half full or half empty? “Maybe curiously cautious! There’s potential for positive use, but for us, creativity and connection will always come first.”

VIEWPOINTS

Jamie Mitchell, creative director and joint managing director of Ohh Deer

AI worries for the card sector: “I think quality and IP become a big issue. There are lots of practical uses for AI, but it also allows people with limited skill to very quickly rip off a concept that they've seen elsewhere with enough separation for that to be acceptable. In essence, those who don't have the eye can borrow other people's aesthetics which they wouldn't have been able to execute before.”

How are you using AI? “We use AI predominantly for data and back-end admin - it's difficult not to given how readily available the tools are and how big software companies are highlighting improvements in efficiency. The other application for us are tools within design software - why wouldn't you do something with the click of a button rather than spend hours cutting something out for example?”

Should AI use be stated on cards? “Stock image websites are now filled with AI generated content and it is clearly marked as such, and it's so soulless - software like Photoshop now uses predominantly AI-based tools, and when we've uploaded imagery to Pinterest, it now lists it as generated by AI which is inaccurate, so there are issues with the labelling idea. As a creative I can make a good assessment about whether something was likely created by a person or by other means simply because I have an appreciation about the approach you'd take to make it.”

Is your AI glass half full or half empty? “It's almost impossible to avoid AI at this point and we don't have a problem when the function is about streamlining processes. When it comes to creativity, we very much are an artist first business. Our collaborations are very important to us, and we believe you just don't get the same outcome using AI. There is at least one business I can think of which has shifted to using it heavily and it shows in the product... if you can feed an engine with the fuel to create ‘a version of' something which already exists or something which conflates two ideas, that's when it becomes a problem for people's IP and it's pretty clear where and when that's happening.”

Over 500 cardies had an ABBA-solutely fabulous time at The Henries 2025 event, that was hosted superbly by comedian Andrew Ryan at London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel. PG shares a photographic flavour of the greeting card community’s ‘big night out’.

THE LYNN TAIT MOST PROMISING YOUNG DESIGNER

CATEGORY SPONSOR

Open to: This special award category recognises and rewards the wealth of young creative talent that we have in the UK. This award was open to all designers and artists (employed by a publisher or freelance) aged 35 years or under on 6 June 2025.

l GEORGI DOIG founder of Lil Wabbit

Initial Reaction: “I am absolutely thrilled to be joining such an incredible list of greeting card designers who have won The Lynn Tait Most Promising Young Artist award before me! After three years of reaching the finals, winning the award in 2025 really felt great, especially at an ABBA-themed night (in my opinion the best theme there is!). I am so excited to see where the award can take lil wabbit, I really feel this coming year could be our best yet!

When Leona read out my name, my immediate thought was 'don't trip, don't trip, don't trip' as I was wearing the biggest gold heels and hoping to avoid a Jennifer-Lawrence-at-The-Oscars moment. Beyond that, I didn't have much time to take it all in. Luckily, my lovely husband and lots of other publisher friends filmed the whole thing, so I've had the opportunity to watch the moment from every angle!! I'm honestly so pleased to have won!”

Georgi Doig, founder and director of happiness at Lil Wabbit

DIVERSITY AND

Initial Reaction: “I felt really happy, as it means so much. I almost teared up, but luckily managed to contain myself otherwise I would have probably fallen off the stage.

Winning The Henries’ Diversity & Inclusion award is particularly poignant as it is something that is very important to me and an area I have always championed.”

Soula Zavacopoulos, founder of The London Studio and Artists Collective

Left:

Open to: All greeting card ranges (humorous and non-humorous) that were launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025 that reflect diversity and inclusivity. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that had been launched during the aforementioned dates could be entered.

LOVES

PAPER X

ARTISTS

COLLECTIVE COLLECTION from The London Studio

CATEGORY SPONSOR

Open to: All humorous greeting card ranges that were launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs which had launched during the aforementioned dates could be entered.

l BABBLE

from Rosie Made A Thing

Initial Reaction: “What a brilliant night! I was so pleased that our Babble range had made the finals and then to actually win the big Humour Henries award was amazing! Thanks so much to everyone who voted and to the PG gang for putting on a top night for us all to celebrate. This one took the whole weekend to recover from!” Rosie Harrison, owner of Rosie Made A Thing

BEST LICENSED ENTERTAINMENT OR CHARACTER RANGE

CATEGORY SPONSOR

Open to: All greeting card ranges that are published under licence (based on entertainment properties or character brands) that were launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs which had been launched during the aforementioned dates could be entered.

l STITCH from UK Greetings

Initial Reaction: “Awesome to have won Best Licensed Entertainment or Character Range for our Stitch Stand Alone collection! I love the way the team brought this range to life with CG art from the movie sitting alongside classic illustrated iterations of everyone’s favourite alien!

Big thanks to Disney too for trusting us with bringing these looks together with a uniquely UKG design solution.”

Ben Whittington, creative director for humour, character and licensing at UK Greetings

Above: (centre) Frances Billington, creative director of UK Greetings was presented with the shiny trophy by Cheryl Sandbach, senior buying manager of Cardfactory, the sponsor of this award category.

While unable to attend

BEST LICENSED HERITAGE, LIFESTYLE, ART OR DESIGN RANGE

CATEGORY SPONSOR

Initial Reaction: “Absolutely delighted when I heard the range announced, a triple win acknowledging our support for the National Trust, recognition for our long serving and dedicated designer Claire Hocking who joined us especially with fingers crossed, visiting from Truro and of course the whole Woodmansterne team who bring this enduring range to life for our customers to enjoy. To see so many friends and colleagues from this wonderful industry and to ‘bring home some silverware’ is a plus, but a massive well done to all!”

Lee Keeper, creative director of Woodmansterne Publications

Open to: All greeting card ranges that are published under licence based on heritage, lifestyle, art of design properties that were launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs which had been launched during the aforementioned dates could be entered.

l NATIONAL TRUST HARMONY from

Woodmansterne Publications

THANK YOU TO OUR WONDERFUL CUSTOMERS. WE COULDN’T DO IT WITHOUT YOU.

SO LET’S DANCE MORE DANCES AND TAKE MORE CHANCES IN 2026!

BEST CHRISTMAS COUNTER RANGE

Open to: All single Christmas card ranges that were launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs which had been launched during the aforementioned dates could be entered.

l RIBBON CANDY

from Five Dollar Shake

Initial Reaction: “What a top night that was… there are no more Abba puns left! Five$ might have registered a record low in production output the day after;)))” Matt and Beth Genower, co-owners of Five Dollar Shake

CATEGORY SPONSOR

Initial Reaction: “We were absolutely thrilled to win the Best Christmas Box or Pack award at The Henries. This is the fifth time we have received this prestigious award for our Luxury Christmas Boxes and we would like to thank everyone who voted for The Art File. Everyone here, including our designers, our artworkers and our production team are over the moon!” Ged Mace, managing director of The Art File

Open to: All Christmas boxes or packs that were launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. These could be branded, own brand or charity products.

l CHRISTMAS LUXURY BOXES

from The Art File

BEST CUTE RANGE

CATEGORY SPONSOR

Open to: All cute greeting card ranges that were launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs which had been launched during the aforementioned dates could be entered.

l BIJOU

from Louise Mulgrew

Initial Reaction: “I’m super chuffed for Bijou to have won Best Cute Range… what a perfect category! I have loved growing this range of mini cards, and always try very hard to make my animal illustrations as cute as possible, so thank you so much to the judges for voting for them. And thank you to The Henries’ team for a wonderful night of celebrations.”

CATEGORY SPONSOR

Open to: All contemporary ‘words and sentiments’ greeting card ranges that were launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that had been launched during the aforementioned dates could be entered.

l HEALING HUGS

from Raspberry Blossom

the range, which was inspired by a workshop with bereavement charity Winston’s Wish, triumphed in The Henries. She was presented with the trophy by Kristina Loginaite, director of operations at Watermark Cards, sponsor of this award category.

Initial Reaction: “We are absolutely over the moon to have won a Henries award for the Best Contemporary Words and Sentiments Range, especially for a collection that is so close to our hearts. Working alongside the ambassadors at Winston’s Wish, hearing their stories and their bravery that helped shape the words and iconography of the collection has been a moving experience for Mark and I. With Mark losing his mum so young it meant so much for us to create a card range that could help others through tough times. This award truly belongs to the ambassadors who inspired every design. I managed to catch up with the team at Winston’s Wish this week and they informed me that one of them wants to be a card designer when she grows up! This just makes my heart smile. Going up to collect the award just made it so special. I would have loved to be joined by Mark on the stage however his shoe quite literally fell apart about ten minutes before! Thankfully, one of the lovely event team came to the rescue, though we were not expecting the fix it job to be a whole roll of Sellotape! One night to remember for lots of reasons :)"

Rebecca Green, creative director of Raspberry Blossom

Left: Having come on board as a sponsor this year, Watermark Cards’ director of operations, Kristina Loginaite did the honours in announcing the winner.

BEST TRADITIONAL SENTIMENTS RANGE

CATEGORY SPONSOR

Open to: All traditional ‘words and sentiments’ greeting card ranges that were launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that had been launched during the aforementioned dates could be entered.

Initial Reaction: “Well, the excitement on winning the product award for Flourish, one of our successful words and sentiment ranges, capped an excellent occasion. The first thing we did was to Facetime Katie Hughes, our artist who designed the range, then contact the rest of the studio team who were ecstatic! All publishers nominated attend hoping their designs are recognised, but only a few manage to win, and we were one of those lucky ones! Thanks for a great evening.”

Rod Brown and Carl Salt, joint managing directors of Words ‘n’ Wishes

from Words ‘n’ Wishes

CATEGORY SPONSOR

Open to: All art (fine art, contemporary and illustrative, but not photographic) greeting card ranges that were launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that had been launched during the aforementioned dates could be entered.

ART RANGE BEST

Initial Reaction: “We are humbled beyond words to have won a Henries award. It only really sank in the next morning when my mum told me she was proud. Then came more blubbering on the train home (not the prettiest sight!). That’s when it finally felt real. This award means so much more than a trophy. It’s about the people behind it all, customers, family, friends, the ones who cheer us on, and everyone in the amazing design community that also pours its heart into everything it does. Every piece of work holds a little bit of someone’s soul, and to be recognised among that is the greatest honour of all.”

Left: A

BEST PHOTOGRAPHIC

Initial Reaction: “My passion for photography began more than 40 years ago, and it continues to fill me with the same sense of wonder today. To have that lifelong love recognised with a Henries award is both humbling and deeply moving. I’m profoundly grateful to Jakki Brown and the Progressive Greetings family for celebrating creativity with such warmth and for shining a light on the beauty of heartfelt expression. I am so grateful to Postmark’s Mark Janson-Smith for graciously accepting the award on my behalf on the night.”

Eliot Siegel, founder of Eliot Siegel & The British Art Gallery

CATEGORY SPONSOR

Open to: All photographic greeting card ranges that were launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that had been launched during the aforementioned dates could be entered.

l LONDON CARD SERIES TWO

from Eliot Siegel & The British Art Gallery

CATEGORY SPONSOR

Open to: All greeting card ranges aimed at children that had been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that had been launched during the aforementioned dates could be entered.

l SUNSHINE

from Paper Salad

Initial Reaction: “We were over the moon to be leaving London with two Henries, including our win with Glick, and are so grateful to everybody who voted for us among such strong competition! It was a memorable moment for myself being asked to collect the award alongside my Mum [Karen Wilson], which was unexpected but made me feel very proud, not only on the night but for all previous Paper Salad triumphs. It’s a great feeling which we’ll never get bored of, that inspires us each year to want more and continue creating the best product we possibly can for our amazing customers. Thank you so much everybody for your continued support!”

BEST CONTEMPORARY TREND RANGE

CATEGORY SPONSOR

Open to: All greeting card ranges which demonstrate a current trend, be it in subject matter, terminology or production technique, that had been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that had been launched during the aforementioned dates could be entered.

l LOST PLOTS DIE-CUT

from Cath Tate Cards

Initial Reaction: “We did a little Dancing Queen spin around the office the day after winning Best Contemporary Trend Range at The Henries! It was such a delightful surprise to win on the night! The Henries is always such a fabulous event, the industry all coming together for one big night of fun to celebrate greeting cards!” Rosie Tate, director of Cath Tate Cards

BEST 3D, HANDMADE OR HAND-FINISHED RANGE

CATEGORY SPONSOR

Initial Reaction: “We had a great time at The Henries and it was made even sweeter with the win for our new 3D range, Picture This. Out of all the ranges we launched in the last year we definitely put the most work into this collection, from working out the engineering of the 3D elements as well as making them extra special with the bright colours from Natasha Durley, so we really were chuffed to take this one home. Another new category win for us too!”

Mark Callaby and Jamie Mitchell, co-founders and joint managing directors of Ohh Deer

Open to: All greeting card ranges which are either completely handmade or include 3D or hand-finished elements, that were launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that had been launched during the aforementioned dates could be entered.

l

BEST MALE RANGE (NON-HUMOUR)

CATEGORY SPONSOR

Open to: All non-humorous greeting card ranges aimed at male recipients that had been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that had been launched during the aforementioned dates could be entered.

l TAKING SHAPE

from Heyyy Cards

Initial Reaction: “Somebody asked us the other day: “Has winning a Henries award made a difference to your business? In short, the answer is YES! Starting a new publishing business is really difficult, and listening to Karen Wilson, owner of Paper Salad speak at the GCA Conference recently, it was humbling to understand that these challenges we all face as new publishers are, or have been, a big part of the story of every publisher in our industry at some point.

When designing new ranges, we never set out to win an award. Our focus is always on producing the best product that we can make that is high quality, commercial and providing a point of difference (which is really, really difficult in an industry full of amazing creatives producing wonderful things every single day!!).

The reason winning or even being shortlisted in The Henries means so much to us as a small business, is that the judges are from the some of the best retail shops in our industry, and knowing that they like our product is one of the biggest compliments we could ever get as it means we are doing something right, which makes the difficult days easier to get through!

Actually, one of the best parts of The Henries event was seeing the look of complete shock followed by absolute joy on the faces of Anna and Troy from Rosanna Rossi who we were sat next to, as they won their first (and very well deserved) Henries award - it was priceless and so lovely to see!”

Dan and Yvette Clarkson, co-owners of Heyyy Cards

Right:

BEST &

Initial Reaction: “What a fantastic night! We've been told our faces were in utter shock when our name was announced, and that feeling still hasn't worn off! A huge thank you to the judges who voted for us. We're so grateful for the recognition.” Anna and Troy Nelson, co-owners of Rosanna Rossi

Above: A blooming great result for Rosanna Rossi’s floral range! (Second left-right) Rosanna Rossi directors Troy and Anna Nelson were very happy to be presented with the trophy by Keith Riley, UK sales manager of Fedrigoni UK, the sponsor of this award category.

Below:

CATEGORY SPONSOR

Open to: All relations and/or occasions greeting card ranges that had been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that had been launched during the aforementioned dates could be entered.

BEST SPRING SEASONS RANGE

CATEGORY SPONSOR

Open to: All Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter and Father’s Day greeting card ranges that had been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025 could be entered. Entries could either cover a selection of Spring Season events or be event-specific, ie publishers could submit a separate entry for Valentine’s Day, a separate entry for Mother’s Day etc or one that covered several events.

l MOON & BACK from Stop The Clock Design

Initial Reaction: “We were overwhelmed to be finalists in five categories, and it was fantastic to be awarded the best Spring Range, as it’s one we’re particularly proud of.

We were able to take the entire team and it was great that they could also enjoy the awards. They certainly enjoyed the after party! It was a great evening and we loved catching up with so many familiar faces at what was a really wonderful event.”

WHOLESALE BEST

CATEGORY SPONSOR

Open to: All greeting card ranges sold via the wholesale distributor/cash & carry channel that had been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that had been launched during the aforementioned dates could be entered.

from Kingfisher Cards

Initial Reaction: “'Wow and wow! What a fantastic night, a Henries trophy, my 40th Anniversary and a brilliant band. Lovely to meet up with all my old friends. I can’t wait until next year!” Paul Urban, managing director of Kingfisher Cards

We were thrilled to win another Henries Award for It’s such an honour to be recognised for what we love doing. What an amazing night celebrating with the best industry friends!

Best Gift Wrapping!

BEST GIFTWRAPPINGS

CATEGORY SPONSOR

Open to: All giftwrapping ranges (either ranges of sheet wrap or collections of co-ordinated wrappings such as boxes, bags, ribbons etc) that had been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that had been launched during the aforementioned dates could be entered.

Initial Reaction: “We are absolutely thrilled – 11 years of wins! It’s absolute madness and another ‘pinch me’ moment. After so many years, Paper Salad manages to keep the range fresh and incredibly current. They are amazing! The Henries was a fabulous night, Tracey’s cape was a highlight, as was the cottage pie - yum!”

Becky Dobson, managing director of Glick

Below right: Spring Fair/Autumn Fair’s Yvette Marshall announced the winner.

Below: Glick’s Becky and Paper Salad’s Karen Wilson letting the good news sink in.

THE HENRY COLE CLASSIC AWARD

CATEGORY SPONSOR

l SWING CARDS from Santoro

Open to: All greeting card ranges that have stood the test of time, having been published for at least the last eight years were able to enter this award. The range had to have been on sale in some shape or form for this period. Ranges can only win a Henry Cole Classic award once. All winners join the Henry Cole Classic ‘Hall of Fame’. Previous winners include: Bestie from Paperlink, The Bright Side from Really Good; Camilla & Rose from Peartree Heybridge; The Country Set from Wrendale Designs; Eric the Penguin from GBCC; Forever Friends from Hallmark; Giggles from UKG; Ink Press from The Art File; Me to You from Carte Blanche; Medici Cards Blue Label from GBCC; On The Ceiling from Emotional Rescue; Photocaptions from Cath Tate Cards; Pizazz from Nigel Quiney Publications; Pop-Ups from Second Nature; Quentin Blake from Woodmansterne Publications, Quicksilver from Wendy Jones-Blackett, Rainbow from Ling Design and Virtual Safari from Emotional Rescue.

Initial Reaction: “What a wonderful way to close our 30th anniversary year! When we first launched Swing Cards, I couldn’t have imagined that 30 years on we’d still be innovating, inspiring, and being recognised for our staying power. Winning our first ever Henries - and for The Henry Cole Classic, no less - feels like a full-circle moment. It’s a celebration not only of where we’ve come from, but of the creative spirit that continues to drive us forward.” Lucio Santoro, ceo of Santoro

A milestone

Below left: Sherwood’s Richard Bacon did the honours with the winner’s golden envelope.

Below: Santoro’s ceo Lucio shared the joy with colleagues Jo Campbell (right) and Lavinia Timis after he came off the stage.

to everyone who voted for us!

It means so much to the whole team at Pigment!

INDEPENDENT

BEST SERVICE TO THE INDEPENDENT RETAILER THE

Initial Reaction: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have won Bronze for Best Service To The Independent Retailer. This recognition means the world to all of us at Pigment. It’s a true celebration of our amazing team and the lasting relationships our independent sales crew have built over the years.

Every store visit, every cup of tea shared, every phone call, online order, and timely delivery — all those little moments of connection and care — really do make a difference.

We couldn’t be prouder, and we couldn’t be more grateful to our incredible independent customers for their trust and partnership.

Supporting you has always been, and will always remain, at the heart of everything we do.”

Steve Baker, sales and marketing director of Pigment

CATEGORY SPONSOR

Open to: This award recognises the pivotal role publishers play in providing a good service to independent retailers. The finalists in this category were arrived at as a result of an exhaustive poll, involving 1,750 independent greeting card retailers, who were each asked to nominate their top three card suppliers on the service front over the last year. These responses were then correlated, awarding three points to all first choices, two points to those mentioned as second choices and one point for all third choices. These points were then totalled to arrive at the 12 finalists. There are three awards in this category – a Bronze, Silver and ultimate Gold, that were presented to the top three scoring suppliers in the retailer poll.

BRONZE WINNER

When: Tuesday 2 – Wednesday 3 June

Where: Business Design Centre, Islington, London N1 0QH

Times: 9.30am-6pm on 2 June (1st night party ‘til 8pm) 9.30am-4.30pm on 3 June

Tel: +44 (0)7734 111633

www.progressivegreetingslive.com

CATEGORY SPONSOR

SILVER WINNER

Above right: UK Greetings’ field sales director, John Eagan (centre) was delighted to be presented with

Cardgains, the sponsor of this award category..

Initial Reaction: “We are incredibly proud to have been awarded the Silver award for Best Service to Independent Retailers at The Henries. It is a wonderful recognition of the passion, creativity, and teamwork that goes into everything we do. The announcement moment was surreal — a mix of disbelief and delight — and we could not be prouder of our team and our product. We are of course most of all thankful to all of our lovely customers that voted for us and that support us throughout the year ! They are the best!”

John Eagan, director of field sales of UK Greetings

BEST SERVICE TO THE INDEPENDENT RETAILER THE INDEPENDENT

Initial Reaction: “As we approached the Best Service Award category, voted for by 1,750 independent greeting card retailers, I am always nervous, though a couple of lemonades helped.

As the results were read out, with some fantastic publishers in the same company that also made the finals, my initial thoughts were… gulp. As the 6th to 5th to 4th publishers were revealed I started then to think, is my bald head shiny? I looked at my wing man, Simon Harper who looked positive. Then, 3rd, 2nd and I wondered… perhaps we hadn’t made it in the top six.

Then Boom! our name was read out by Penny [md of Cardgains] and our table went crazy. I was immediately consumed by a sense of pride for all the hard work our office, manufacturing and sales teams had contributed to a very challenging 12 months.

To be recognised alongside the giants of our industry is a great feeling, I checked my flies on my trousers were OK and went on stage to accept the award.

Thank you to all the retailers who took the time to vote, what a great industry in which we trade.

I hope we all have a successful Christmas to help everyone’s cash flow, and we can crack on into 2026.”

Allen Taylor, sales director of IC&G

GOLD WINNER

The Museums & Galleries’ range of great British brands – from world renowned cultural institutions to beloved designers and artists – will drive sales in any retail space. It can be the beating heart of your business or a distinctive, and profitable, way to add value to your core offer.

Whatever your need, our collection will help you stand out from the crowd with great British brands that people love.

So add some style and see the results. Please visit our website or contact your agent for more information.

HONORARY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

CATEGORY SPONSOR

A

excerpt of the citation delivered by PG’s Jakki Brown on the night…

“Tonight we honour someone who, for several decades, has been at the forefront of the greeting card industry, in one of the most demanding positions. In a role, known for its ever-revolving doors, they have remained a steadfast champion of greeting cards, pre-empting and meeting consumer tastes while taking the inherent challenges of working for a large organisation with many regime changes, in their stride.

While retailing is very much part of their family history, going back several generations, rather than looking to take on the family business, instead 41 years ago they braved the corporate world, sending their CV in on spec to one of the UK’s largest high street names stating it was their wish to work for this retailing beacon.

Not only was that wish granted, but it led a few years later, balancing a day job with studying for a relevant diploma at night, to clinching what they described as their “dream job” that was to put them front and centre in the greeting card world in a leading buying role.

It was back in 1996, as part of a major restructure, they and others were asked to write down, in order of preference, the three product areas they would most like to buy. With no hesitation greeting cards were put firmly in first place with pens second and core stationery third. They then had to spend a whole day doing written tests in an ‘exam room’. They never found out how they fared in those tests, but it must have been well as the job of their dreams became a reality.

l CLAIRE CASTLE RECIPIENT

Initial Reaction: “My very first thoughts were fear, oh no it’s me, quickly followed by I hope I don’t trip on the steps… and what I am going to say?

I felt very honoured to receive the reward, especially from the people I respect and admire. What a great start to my retirement.

With hindsight though, in my impromptu acceptance speech I really wish I had mentioned the friendships I’ve formed over all the years, which is one of things I have valued in my time as a buyer.”

Claire Castle, long serving greeting card buyer of WHSmith Retail (now TG Jones).

Above left: Hugely experienced card buyer Claire Castle, who has worked for WHS/now TG Jones for 41 years, was presented with the trophy presented by (right) Joanne Davis, managing director of UK Envelope Centre, sponsor of this award.

Above: PG’s Jakki Brown delivering a speech about Claire.

Left: UK Envelope Centre’s Joanna Davis prepares to present the trophy to Claire.

Right: Claire gave an impromptu speech to thank everyone.

Lapping up the burgeoning choice of greeting cards and spearheading the massive move to individually barcoded designs, they came into their own, forging loyal relationships with publishers, many of which continue to this day, to create inspiring product selections that catered for the retailer’s vast customer base.

While certainly not a push over, their mild manner and twinkly smile belies their tough negotiating skills. Their fairmindedness and willingness to hear suppliers’ point of view has earned them widespread respect.

We started our careers in this wonderful sector around the same time, and I can honestly say that in all those years, through the many regime changes and strategic shifts they have survived, I have never heard anyone say a bad word about them.

At odds with her surname, she has never sat in her ivory tower, always supporting trade events and initiatives, encouraging publishers and colleagues, forging change while being astute in her buying.

She told me recently that she plans to retire this December, but I don’t believe her!

It gives me great delight to announce that the Honorary Achievement Award 2025 goes to Claire Castle, the long serving card buyer of WHSmith, now TG Jones.”

Hardy Perennial

The very talented Charlotte Hardy has joined ArtPress’ portfolio of artists. The new range of everyday blank cards feature Charlotte’s painterly textured artwork which masterly combines a pared back simplicity and stillness with an overall sense of colourful abundance. The 150mm square cards come with a white envelope.

ArtPress Publishing 020 7231 2923 www.art-press.co.uk A harvest festival of new product launches.

Walking The Talk

Straight Talking is a new humorous range from Abacus Cards which came about as a result of a partnership with the Comedy Card Company. The designs in this ‘to the point’ text-based humour collection captures the funny side of life as we age, featuring bold typographical captions contrasted with vivid eyecatching colourful borders. The cards, which either feature simple birthday captions or are blank, are accompanied by a white cartridge envelope. Abacus Cards 01638 569050 www.abacuscards.co.uk

Well-baked Idea

Delicious, Lottie Murphy’s new die-cut range features hand-illustrated cake designs. From a classic sponge cake to towering cupcakes, these sweet creations are suitable for birthdays, weddings and general celebrations. Each 105mmx150mm card is printed on luxury FSC-certified board and comes with a recycled kraft envelope in a compostable bag.

Lottie Murphy 07716 304741 www.lottie-murphy.com

Sobering Thoughts

Animal Magic

Stoats & Weasels’ Cheers to You collection raises a glass to sobriety, the Dry January crowd and the growing sober-curious movement. Recent YouGov research shows that over a third of UK drinkers now regularly choose low or no-alcohol options, with younger adults leading the way. These card designs swap pints for positivity, with punchy typography and phrases like ‘0% booze, 100% fun’ and ‘cheers to ginger beers’. Each card is A6, printed on a smooth, matt recycled board and comes with a sunny yellow envelope. Stoats & Weasels 07796664912 www.stoatsandweasels.shop/wholesale

In With The New

Lucy Maggie Designs is all set to start 2026 with a bang and a giggle, with a new collection of New Year's greeting cards. The designs are bursting with bold colours, cheeky animals, and relatable humour, including a ‘Here we go again’ cheers. All A6, they are printed on luxury textured board and are available plastic-free, nested, eco-clasped or in bio/standard cellobags.

Lucy Maggie Designs 07763239731 www.lucymaggiedesigns.co.uk

Sanders de Roeper’s Wildlife Wonder Animal collection combines playful animal illustrations with luxurious foil accents. Appealing to both children and adults, animal characters are set against contemporary stripy backgrounds and topped by a bold Happy Birthday message. The cards are printed on recycled board, plastic-free and are shipped in sustainable packaging. Sanders de Roeper 07872522409 www.sandersderoeper.com

Some Extra Fluff

Nigel Quiney Publications has augmented its Fluff birthday range by welcoming an additional eight designs, all featuring playful cats and loveable dogs. All beautifully illustrated using a bright colour palette, with the setting of contemporary lifestyle homes of funky chairs and leafy plants creating a vibrant playground for our most loved pets. All designs feature flute foiled gold text, are C60 in size and come with a bright green envelope.

Nigel Quiney Publications 01799 520200 www.nigelquiney.com

Puppy Love

Samantha Hall Designs has launched a new Cockapoo cards, stationery and gift collection with uncompromising ecocredentials. The design featuring blonde, white, black and brown cockapoos surrounded by pink flowers, bees and leaves from the garden has been translated onto greeting cards, a notebook, pencil case, hair scrunchie and a velvet cushion. All 100% UK manufactured using FSC-certified materials and local Brighton seamstress craftsmanship.

Samantha Hall Design www.samanthahall.design

Springing Forward

For Spring 2026, Rosanna Rossi is introducing 20 gorgeous new designs into its most popular collections, all beautifully illustrated to capture the essence of various occasions. These include pretty florals from the publisher’s Henries award-winning range Florini (pictured), and eye-catching landscape designs from the Journey collection. All are presented with complementary coloured envelopes. Rosanna Rossi 07900698522 www.rosanna-rossi.co.uk

Bigger Party Pants

Stop the Clock Design’s Party Pants Collection has just got bigger. Bold, cute and unapologetically fun this card collection has recently been extended to 56 designs strong, featuring varied designs, from pets to sport and even a bit of 90s nostalgia. The cards are printed on luxury board with shiny UV varnish details and come cello wrapped, clasped or nested.

Stop the Clock Design 01457 763335 www.stoptheclockdesign.com

Winged Magi-c

Art Matters has expanded its Wildlife Works collection, as ever based on the artistry of Lizzie Perkins. Among the newness is Three Kings, based on a Lizzie studio original which has been hand-printed via a number of cut paper stencils through the mesh of a screen. This design is available both as a 150mm square single Christmas card as well as in a pack of five cards in a 125mm size. Art Matters 01491 671758 www.lizzieprints.com

Line Up

A Fine Line is a delicate new handfinished range from Wendy JonesBlackett. Printed onto uncoated board made at Croppers papermill in the Lake District, texture reigns supreme with each of the 54 designs hand-finished with five tiny gems. The 155mmm square card designs cover birthdays, occasions, ages, academics, weddings and relations birthdays. They come cellowrapped to protect the small attachments.

Wendy Jones-Blackett 0113 2888468 www.wendyjonesblackett.com

Giftware and Cards

Scan the code below or visit our website to see the full range.

PAWFECT SENDS

Furred, finned and feathered friends are a mainstay of many a greeting card publishers’ designs as the UK is most definitely a nation of animal lovers.

“We’ve always found animals to be one of the biggest sellers,” Ling Design and Great British Card Company ceo David Byk said. “Studies have shown we’re a nation of animal-lovers, with seven in 10 identifying as such.

“Designs featuring animals bring personality to a card and can be executed in a variety of ways – funny, cute, traditional etc so they can be adapted to suit the sender and recipient.”

He added: “Domestic animals and British wildlife remain consistently adored by our customers, but there are still certain animals that perform better across certain seasons, such as penguins and reindeers for Christmas or rabbits and lambs over Easter!”

her

and

for

GBCC head of creative Lucy Ledger highlighted the new collection featuring photos of animals in their natural habitat by presenter, filmmaker and conservation advocate Hannah Stitfall: “In a world where AI is advancing at a rapid pace, people are even more appreciative of a well-shot photograph and the story it tells of the subject.”

Brits are complete suckers for their pets and animals in general, as well as being the biggest card senders in the world so the combination of the two is a no brainer for a successful greeting card range. PG enters the furry and feathered menagerie.

phases, James Ellis knows dogs and cats are still the biggest sellers.

The publisher’s Louise Amesbury revealed: “My dream pet as a child was a horse but it wasn't very practical, or realistic money wise so I ended up with guinea pigs and goldfish! Our horse Minnows mini card is a bestseller, so maybe this is still the dream of kids nowadays.”

This year we’ve also added guinea pigs and hamsters to the Christmas card list – to and from of course.”

Having been through all the flamingo, owl, llama and guinea pig

Fresh from the Pet & Aquatics Trade Show, Alex Sharp convinced the pet industry is a growing trade: “Pet cards are more popular than ever and that includes pet and horse sympathy cards although these have just been overtaken in daily sales by the Christmas cards – both to the dog and from the dog!

Interestingly, at Danilo animal and pet-themed cards are more of a seasonal focus rather than everyday ranges, as senior marketing and sustainability manager Claire Bates explained: “Tapping into the growing ‘from your fur baby’ trend, we’ve found these captions perform particularly well for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s, and Christmas, where the emotional connection is key. It’s a fun, sentimental way to celebrate the unique bond between people and their pets.”

For the first time, Wendy Jones-Blackett has included a From The Dog birthday card in her November Quicksilver launch: “Dog designs have been so popular that we do a new one every year but this year we’ve

Rescue is our favourite breed

There are all sorts of pets out there, but the Rescue Is Our Favourite Breed slogan comes from what’s probably the UK’s most famous place to find a rescued cat or dog. Founded in 1860 as The Temporary Home For Lost And Starving Dogs, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home has grown into one of the UK’s best-loved charities, and works with various licensing partners including Cardology to raise money to cover the costs of looking after and rehoming thousands of four-legged pals.

Natalie Arnold, Battersea’s head

taken a punt on it actually being ‘from the dog’ so will see how that compares to the others!

of philanthropy, partnerships and commercial, said: “The beauty of our partnerships with companies like Cardology and Moonpig is that they give people an easy, meaningful way to help.

“When you buy a product that raises funds for Battersea, you’re not just making a purchase – you’re doing something worthwhile that directly supports rescue animals. It’s a way to feel good and do good at the same time.”

“This year’s Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was very popular but has been overtaken in sales for the first time by the cat design – as mentioned at the recent GCA conference, cat owners tend to be happy with any breed of cat on a card, whereas dog owners are very specific.

“Tortoises feature on a new Quicksilver design for Speedy Recovery as they’re still very popular pets and a great choice for a get well soon card as it’s gender and age neutral.”

Pet sympathy cards are growing category at Wrendale Designs, with cat and dog designs to offer comfort when words are hard to find.

As marketing associate Erin Dunn commented: “Animal-themes remain a firm favourite with our customers, whether it’s a dog that looks just like their own or a capybara wearing a party hat.

“While trends may come and go, some animals never go out of style. Our most

consistently popular designs include highland cows, rabbits, cats, and dogs. Time and again, we’ve found people love a card that reminds them of their own pet.”

With pet ownership figures speaking for themselves, animals are an essential category for retailers, as Cardology’s David Falkner said: “They cut across all demographics, and our biggest launch by volume for 2026 is new dog and cat greeting cards.

“From the pet captions are still growing fast. We’ve leaned into that with our Battersea collection, and seen how much people love celebrating their pets as part of the family. We’re also seeing sustained demand for pet sympathy cards – they’ve moved from niche to necessity. Losing a pet is losing a family member, and consumers increasingly want a thoughtful, sincere design to mark that.”

On the more unusual animals front, Heather Trefusis had a special request when she met Lady Mansfield of Scone Palace earlier this year: “She asked if I could paint one of their peacocks. They have a few that roam the grounds of the estate and Lady Mansfield is very fond of

them. I was delighted to paint them for her and created two peacock cards which have sold very well in the Palace gift shop. I now plan to paint more feathered friends!”

With a full spectrum of animal styles

Museums & Galleries has the subject pretty well covered, from photography and historic images including a dodo, through contemporary artists to characters such as Paddington – even the Brambly Hedge mice in a category of their own – while birds are enduringly popular with puffins and kingfishers huge favourites.

And relationships manager Sophie Bylina-Williams said: “Upcoming for us are frogs – there’s a great William De Morgan frog tile from the V&A that’s currently riding high and being rolled out onto many of our gift and homewares products.”

Frogs are also big at Lucy Maggie Designs, where founder Lucy Nicholson commented: “They’ve been surprisingly popular. Our French Frog design really took off, so we’ve expanded it into a new birthday milestone collection due to the success. Another fun trend we’ve noticed is around the phrase You Silly Goose, we created a Christmas card inspired by it, and it’s been performing really well this year.”

Hallmark has seen two distinct directions over the past few years, with the growth of humorous, sometimes bizarre, photography and bold, bright, graphic looks on one side, compared to the the ongoing popularity of the more illustrative and traditional styles.

“Both these may be seen as antidotes to all that’s going on in the world,” said trends strategist Heather Williams, “as consumers cope with change and uncertainty through humour, nostalgia and the relatable, timeless nature of animals.

“In terms of creatures, we can’t shake the perennials. Cats, dogs, bears of all styles, especially when depicted in playful, human-like, or seasonal scenarios, are universally loved, but we’re currently exploring a variety of new characters, from axolotls and capybaras – both strangely cute and adaptable – to a new range of gorgeously-detailed Gallery Cards depicting British wildlife.”

With a customer telling Nigel Quiney they can imagine sitting among the animals on the bright Fluff range released a year ago, the team has expanded it with eight more playful cats and loveable dogs because they’re so popular.

Even though Ohh Deer’s owners Jamie Mitchell and Mark Callaby have three dogs themselves, it’s cats that are the bestsellers, as brand and marketing exec Liv Curran explained: “We’ve also seen growing trends in highland cows and capybaras, featured in our newest range launching this coming January. However, cats remain the undisputed stars of our collection, with over 75 unique cat card designs available. In addition, we’ve recently introduced a heartfelt sympathy card for beloved fur babies who have passed, which has resonated deeply with our customers.”

Keeping with the cats and dogs’ theme, M!nt has a new range of artistic, literary and cultural designs by Magdalena Creative.

Pet parents

According to data from the PDSA, the UK has 10.6m dogs, 10.8m cats and 800,000 rabbits – making around half the adult population a pet-owner, and many of the staff at Hallmark fit the bill.

Pets make people smile and support mental health but, most of all, they’re a beloved part of the family – often treated better than partners – and deserve to be celebrated.

This has brought about more opportunities for pet sends, leading Hallmark to launch a Gotcha Day card a couple of years ago to mark the anniversary of the day a pet joined a family.

“As people have fewer children and delay parenthood, dogs especially can become the child in a relationship,” explained Hallmark’s trends strategist Heather Williams, “leading to couples being described as DINKWADs – double income, no kids, with a dog!

“A YouGov 2022 survey showed 31% of cat and 37% of dog owners consider themselves to be their pet’s parent and, in line with the wider market, we see consumers and retailers asking for cat/dog parent cards.

Laura Darrington recently expanded from featuring animals in the kids’ ranges to a capsule collection for adults.

“The range consisted of a wide selection of beautifully illustrated animals, including elephants, cheetahs and pandas but not forgetting the perennial favourites of cats and dogs,” said business development manager Ross Darrington.

“Cards that come direct from the dog/cat is a big trend for customers as well as Valentine’s cards that mention the most important member of any pet household. We’ve also seen a large call for pet sympathy cards, with both captions covered in our newest ranges The Eden and Fontfetti.”

Having worked hard to capture the playful personalities of her favourite animal the dog, Lil Wabbit’s founder Georgi Doig has now turned her attention to human’s other beloved companion, the cat.

“With one in five pet owners describing themselves as their pet’s friend, we use this insight to tailor the language on our cards, whether that be through captioning or in the editorial, or the illustration.”

Heather shared that social media is driving awareness of pet-centric celebrations as the hashtag #petbirthday has over 84k Instagram posts with people sharing images of dressed-up pooches and cats, party décor and even the cards they send!

Following the October launch of All Cats Great And Small, Georgi commented: “It’s celebrating felines in all their glory, from mischievous moggies to regal purebreds. I wanted to create a range that reflects the distinct personality of cats, and gives cat lovers the same joy dog owners have felt through Lil Wabbit cards.”

M!int’s creative lead Anita Dragicevic commented: “Anthropomorphising cats and dogs is not new, but what really brings these images to life is the distinctive, hand-painted style. She illustrates each animal in her own unique handwriting, while also conveying the spirit of the iconic humans as we understand them.”

At Molly Mae’s HQ, the arrival of sweet kittens in the summer has been a welcome sight, and sales and studio manager Victoria Hawley knows cute animal designs really talk to the buyer.

Victoria said:

“The rise in dog owners since Covid has meant from the dog cards have increased and we have Best Dog Mum and Best Dog Dad' in our spring range – but we can't leave out the cat lovers as, here at Molly Mae, we’re divided between dog mums and cat mums.”

Pets have always been a big inspiration at Jolly Awesome, with a very popular Happy Birthday From The Dog card and Alice Mole range for pet parents, and sales and operations director Katie Nguyen said: “Our pets provide so much joy in our lives, it’s not surprising we want to include them in our card sending.”

Collecting vintage treasures has become an art form for Ornament Art’s co-owner Jo Short, as she photographs the ceramic finds to turn into playful greeting cards: “In a world where cats quaff champagne from luxurious bubble baths, and doctor dogs do the rounds with get well wishes, here pets rule.”

Cards featuring dogs and cats have also long topped Redback’s bestseller list, “tapping into the tiny, familiar absurdities of pets, and the even funnier humans who love them” summed up designer Katie Thorne.

CHOOSE THE LETTER

While it would be tricky to define what a ‘normal’ independent greeting card retailer would be, Matt Simpson would certainly not be top of the list, yet his contribution not only to the greeting card retail landscape, but to the industry as a whole is so deserving of recognition.

His bijou greeting card and stationery shop was feted in The Retas this year, winning the Best Newcomer Award for shops that have opened in the last couple of years, his Choose Cards idea that started as an Instagram reel has gathered momentum engaging other retailers and publishers alike while his commitment to diversity, inclusion and equality has seen him become a leading light in the Cards for All campaign. What’s more, Matt still has a ‘day job’, or invariably, a ‘night job’ in the television world. “I normally work four or five long shifts a week for Red Bee Media as a play out director which means I ensure that programme schedules run to time. I have had to become a master as counting backwards in seconds and minutes!” explained Matt. His time in the TV world has also resulted in

some unusual claims to fame. “Jeremy Kyle laughed at one of my jokes when I was in the studio and I heard Tom Jones singing in the shower before he went on screen!” he revealed.

However, Matt is keen to dispel any suggestion that his role is not the glamorous side of TV.

He’s been in earshot of Tom Jones warming up in the shower; is a master of counting backwards in seconds and minutes; has spearheaded the industry’s most wearable campaign ever and operates a card shop out of a shipping container.

PG hot-footed it to Pollard Yard in Manchester’s Ancoats to hear the chosen words of Matt Simpson, owner of The Letter Arty and instigator of the Choose Cards initiative.

“And if anyone thought I looked a little tired at the recent GCA Conference that might have been because I had been working through the night before on two BBC’s Arabic and Persian channels, accommodating some breaking news,” he elaborated.

Matt’s connection to the greeting card scene goes back 10 years, initially as a publisher, under the Northern Letters brand.

“I have always wanted to be involved in something creative. My first love was photography and then did a degree in professional media. It was when I moved into the Northern Quarter of Manchester that I came up with the idea of creating an alphabet based on photos of actual signs on shops and businesses that I would then use to create greeting card designs,” explains Matt. “I exhibited at a couple of trade shows and

makers markets which meant I came into contact with this lovely industry, the people within it and the fabulous card ranges out there.”

In 2019 Matt set up The Letter Arty as an online ‘shop’, selling framed real historic bus blinds as well as design-led and typographical greeting cards, all with strong sustainable credentials.

“Ricicle Cards and Katie Leamon were the first two publishers I bought from and then built up to 20-30 companies’ cards to offer my online customers,” said Matt.

The expansion into bricks and mortar, Matt said was something of a “happy accident” though admits that he had “always loved the idea of having a shop, but was concerned that my day job would make that tricky. Then, when the chance to move into a repurposed 40’ shipping container, here in Pollard Yard, at a manageable cost that would accommodate my online business and have space for a shop, I jumped at it.”

Somewhat different to operating on a high street, Matt’s neighbours are those who are also running their largely creative businesses from the grid of shipping containers, including interior designers, tattoo artists, a physiotherapist, a vintage record dealer, hairdressers, a make-up studio and artisan

Inclusive research findings

“There are 8.2 billion humans on this earth and every one of us is different,” highlighted Peter Fox, editorial manager of Cardfactory at the start of a DE&I panel presentation from the Cards For All group at the Autumn Fair entitled Representation Sells: The Business Case for Inclusive Product Ranges.

As part of this Matt, who is a founding member of the not-for-profit group shared the initial findings of an ongoing survey instigated by Cards for All in July into how well minority demographics are being represented on cards and how easy it is to find cards that meet these needs in various types of shops.

“People living with a disability making up 22% of the UK population, yet one in seven people in the UK are neurodiverse, yet 75% of those who responded to our survey were unable to find any greeting cards that recognised disabilities,” highlighted Matt.

Sharing another area that begs further consideration, Matt added “One in

candlemakers among many others.

seven people are neurodiverse”. While the findings of how this need is being met on cards is slightly better, with 14% of those surveyed saying their were able to find a good selection of cards to reflect neurodivergence, 57% were not able to find any that suited their tastes or needs.

Below: As part of his involvement with the Cards For All group which campaigns for diversity, inclusion and equality, Matt (second right) joined Retail 100’s Sara Allbright (far right) and Cardfactory’s Peter Fox for a panel presentation at the recent Autumn Fair that was hosted by Adriana Lovesy of Greetings Lab.

“My neighbours, their customers as well as some locals make up the shop’s customer

Making Choices

In homage to the refugee and displaced people charity, Choose Love, a little over a year ago Matt asked his screen printer neighbour in Pollard Yard to print a t shirt with the words ‘Choose Cards’ that he wore on a reel for social media.

“Sarah Holmes of Pencil Me In, who incidently was my first stockist for my Northern Letters cards, contacted me as soon as she saw the reel saying she wanted a t shirt too. And that marked the start!” recalled Matt. Since then, over 120 Choose Cards t

shirts have been ordered by those in the greeting card community, being worn with pride in shops, offices and at trade shows.

“It was quite a feeling to turn up at PG Live on the ‘Choose Day’ and see so many people wearing their Choose Cards t shirts,” admitted Matt. “Which is what spurred me on to Crowdfund a production run of Choose Cards Christmas jumpers for this year. It just shows you how an idea can grow,” Matt added.

base,” explains Matt. “I don’t open all day every day, but as I am likely to be here when I am not working my shifts, sorting the online orders, the shop door is more open than not.”

The greeting card selection now on offer in The Letter Arty, both in number of suppliers and depth has grown considerably. “I am now buying from around 40 card

publishers and have expanded into more occasions,” says Matt, also revealing that he is also dabbling once again with some of his own designs.

Due to the constraints of space instore, the gifts side is confined to framed prints, stationery and a few candles.

“Giftwrap is a relatively new area for me and sales are going really well, with Studio Boketto and Stormy Knight showing strong sales. One person spent £80 on wrap recently!” said Matt.

Rightfully proud of his Retas trophy, which has pride of place in the shop, Matt is delighted how his greeting card life has progressed, in tandem with his media career.

“As someone who hasn’t always fitted in, I absolutely love the camaraderie in the greeting card community – although I do actually have some friends outside of the

BUBBLEGUM RE-iNFLATED

“Oasis isn’t the only brand who thinks the time is right for a relaunch!” joked UKG’s Ben Whittington, standing in front of an impressive display of various incarnations of Bubblegum branded merchandise on a prominently positioned stand at BLE, Europe’s leading trade show for all things licensing, which took place at London’s Excel recently.

Ben can definitely lay claim to ‘been there, done that, got the t shirt’ on the Bubblegum front, having done work experience at UKG’s design studio when the brand was making its debut as a greeting card phenomenon back in 1996.

Now though, Ben looks set to add some new t shirts to his wardrobe, thanks to the suite of style guides that have been developed for the brand, appealing to different

Last month saw UK Greetings ramp up on licensing in two directions. Its Disney Stitch greeting card collection clinched The Henries award for Best Licensed Entertainment or Character Range, then a few days later its stand at the Brand Licensing Europe show (BLE) was something of a beacon, with retailers and licensees clamouring to learn more about its plans to relaunch Bubblegum as a licensing brand as well as expand its Boofle brand’s pawprint with licensing partners.

PG travelled back in time and then into the future with Ben Whittington, UKG’s creative director of humour, character and licensing to talk all things Bubblegum.

demographics that have already caught the attention of potential apparel licensees and major retailers.

There is no denying that the first time round in the late 90s/early noughties

Bubblegum was a greeting card gamechanger for UKG and its retail stockists, with Clinton Cards (the leading specialist chain at the time) reporting stampedes of young greeting card buyers

More Boofle Pawprints

While the Bubblegum brand has been resting from the limelight for 15 years, UKG’s Boofle brand, which was also showcased at BLE, not only enjoys continual success in the card racks, but already has a licensing programme, but is now set for further expansion. Now being nurtured by UKG’s new licensing business unit, which is also managing the licensing for Bubblegum, fresh new looks and ideas to translate the loveable pup onto more clothing, footwear, toys, publishing as well as other product areas.

all keen to get their hands on the Groovy Chick, Cool Dude, Footie Mad cards and the affiliated products.

The winning combination of quirky outsized head characters, statement slogans and block colour backgrounds broke new ground, igniting a following which saw the brand notch up sales of £350 million, and that was in 30 years ago money!

Ben has fond memories of Bubblegum the first time around, but he is even more excited by the potential of its relaunch as an allencompassing lifestyle brand. While greeting cards are in the plan to feature in the future, this time round the licensing programme will take the lead, with the aim of seeing Bubblegum brought to life on all manner of consumer products, fashion to homewares, stationery to comestibles.

Phil-ing In

One of the new style guides for Bubblegum is called Kooky Spooks, a nod to the popularity of Stranger Things, Wednesday, Beetlejuice and other scarily surreal influences. Seeing a photo of what Ben Whittington looked like when he first started working on Bubblegum, back in the late 90s, he could well have been the inspiration, though he denies it.

“I was an Emo back then!” Ben protests. He is however delighted that the relaunch of Bubblegum has seen him working once again with Phil Renshaw, who co-created the brand along with Ged Backland, who was a UKG creative director at the time.

“I would honestly say that it was Bubblegum that got me hooked on greeting card design. Up until then my perception of greeting card design was that it was all hearts and flowers but having done my work experience at UKG I was so fortunate to be invited back to work with Phil Renshaw, the co-creator of Bubblegum, to work on the brand, meaning that I witnessed its staggering success first hand,” recalled Ben. “Bubblegum was sunset in the early 2010s, giving it time to rest. Fast forward to the end

of last year and we started exploring if we were to relaunch the brand what it would look like. I got in touch with Phil to ask if he would be interested in working with me on it, and he was!”

While recognising the power of a nostalgic pull for Bubblegum, the UKG team wanted to ensure that the brand would resonate with a whole new breed of consumers, instigating a series of consumer focus groups to gauge reactions to the brand as well as different design treatments.

As Ben summed up: “Licensed merchandise is all about selfexpression,” so the UKG team set about creating different looks that would ‘speak’ to different demographics. The resultant six style guides span different looks and accompanying messaging to appeal to distinct groups, ranging from those who experienced the brand first time round who may have moved on from seeing themselves as Groovy Chick, but still may see themselves as a Top Hun, those into anything ‘vintage’, through to the more Gothic-inclined, as well as friendship bracelet youngsters, with all aesthetics enhanced by sprinklings of popular culture tenets.

“The Kooky Spooks look, for example has been crafted to appeal to the growing group who have a fascination for the gothic, magical or mystical while Be Kind is all about positive messaging of friendship bracelets and bubble tea that mirrors Taylor Swift’s following,” says Ben.

While still early days, gauging by the positive response to the brand at BLE it will not be that long before we see Bubblegum being re-inflated in retailers stores on all manner of products.

Art Source

Abi-solutely Fabulous

Kent-based illustrator Abigail Sammonds didn’t start her creative journey in greeting cards but has most definitely picked up speed in the last couple of years with her bright and breezy humorous style. PG found out more about her creative journey and motivations.

“I’m Abi, the illustrator behind Abi Go Lucky. I am best known for colourful humour, playful, character-driven greeting card designs and an unhealthy number of puns. I live in Folkestone on the Kent coast, but more often than not I’m somewhere on the road in my campervan, travelling with my partner Faye and our dog Chester (who occasionally models for my work).

I started designing because I wanted to create images that actually make people laugh.

My illustrations are bright, expressive and a bit mischievous. I love finding humour in the ordinary, in birthdays, relationships and those everyday quirks that make people smile because they recognise themselves. I think the best designs connect instantly; they’re personal, playful and never take themselves too seriously.

A mix of humour, warmth and colour has become the thread that runs through everything I create.

On the card designs I create, my mission is to make someone think: “I need to send this to someone immediately.”

As my interest in cards developed, I joined The London Studio Artists Collective and it has been a real turning point. Being part of such a talented group of artists led by an incredible and supportive team has opened so many doors, both creatively and professionally. From mentoring and collaborative feedback to licensing opportunities, The London Studio has helped me grow and enabled my work to reach far beyond what I could have managed alone.

There have been some amazing milestones recently.

WANT TO BE FEATURED?

The London Studio licensed a range of nine of my designs to Woodmansterne Publications, and from early 2026 a selection of my card designs will be on sale in John Lewis and Waitrose.

My work also featured in The London Studio’s LGBTQ+ Collection, which was a finalist in The Henries Awards 2025 in the Best Diversity and Inclusion Range category. I was thrilled to be a part of this!

Meanwhile, a collaboration with The Art of Drag saw my artwork featured in the 2025 calendar, which was licensed to Flametree Publishing and sold at dream retailers, such as the Tate Modern gift shops.

Being part of TLS Artists Collective has also meant my card designs are found in top retailers like Ryman Design, Clintons, Utility and Moonpig, which still feels surreal to say out loud. Looking ahead, I’m excited to keep growing Abi Go Lucky with more collections, collaborations and ideas that make people smile. If something I’ve drawn ends up on someone’s mantelpiece or makes them snort-laugh in the card aisle, those are wins in my book.”

• Abi Go Lucky is represented by The London Studio, for licensing and collaborations please contact Soula@TheLondonStudio.com

Card size: 155 x 155mm

Category

Everyday

PG ASKED A TRIO OF RETAILERS FOR THEIR BEST SELLERS

James Bowden, owner of Clock Cards in Ware

Name of Publisher

Woodmansterne

Ling Design

Anna Wright

Relations & Occasions

Janie Wilson

Wendy Jones-Blackett

Paper Salad

Cinnamon Aitch

Humour

Children’s

Adult Ages

Art & Photographic

Pigment

Woodmansterne

Rosie Made A Thing

Ling Design

Anna Wright Ling Design

Rose Made A Thing

Pigment

Woodmansterne

Mike Lawrence

Cute

3D/Pop-Ups

Gift Wrapping

Gifts

Ling Design

Tracks

Glick

Happy Farm Fruit & Veg

Belly Button Bubble

Product/Name Range

Stephanie Dyment

Camelia

General

Super Duper Ooh La La

Rise & Shine

General Cobalt Extreme

Lucia Heffernan

It’s A Small World

General

Hullaballoo

Age Cards Fizz Pop

Ages

Alice Scott National Trust General

Tails & Whiskers

Willow & Walnut

Lenticular Paper Salad

Stephanie Dyment

General

Glass mugs

Comments

“Our customer base is ABC1 and this contemporary range works really well.”

“Embossed with pastel shades, soft pinks and colours, these are cards you can give to anybody.”

“These are contemporary. And also have coordinated china mugs made in Britain and giftware.”

“The price point has improved, down to £3.95.”

“This 5x7 range card fits within integrated displays. They're embossed and contemporary.”

“The occasions cards score well as do everyday birthday designs.”

“They’ve elevated this, with bright red accents and envelopes. The range covers lots of male and sporting subjects.”

“We count this as our everyday hero.”

“This is a new quirky range that is going well.”

“Perennially strong, we mix in blank and birthdays designs.”

“Our bestsellers for ages one to six.”

“New quirky ages in one to five.”

“A taller, thinner card that enables you to double pocket it within the card unit.”

“They're so popular with humorous designs up to older ages, like 70 and 80.”

“If people aren't sure what theme they want, Alice Scott's a good one.”

“These blanks go well.”

“A local artist who we helped develop a range of art and photographic cards.”

“We call these posh cute!”

“These are the ones that make your eyes go funny!”

“There’s a crossover with the cards and giftwrap.”

“We can't get enough these crocheted items with little messages.”

“These are really pretty.”

Martin Sturdy, owner of Zigzag Cards & Gifts in Knaresborough Martin senses people will really go for it over Christmas so he will be full of the festive joys.

Category Name of Publisher

Everyday

Relations & Occasions

Humour

Children’s

Adult Ages

Art Cute

Photographic

Gift Wrappings

The Art File

Nico Cards

Abacus Cards

Rosie Made A Thing

Pigment

Abacus Cards

The Art File

Abacus Cards

The Art File

Wendy Jones-Blackett

The Art File

Green Pebble

Nico Cards

Olivia Bell

Abacus Cards

The Art File

Glick

The Art File

Product/Name Range Comments

Storybook

General

Poco Pop

BBC Gardeners’ World

“It's really, really popular. They're just so different.”

“They're kind of lino prints and very artist-driven.”

“Very popular because they’re quite a good price point.”

“They just fly off the shelf and the bubble hasn't burst yet, thanks to frequent updates.”

“Doing very well with retro covers.”

“These do very well as they’re bright and eye catching.”

“New in and they’ve been doing really well.”

“Their milestone ages are always popular.”

“They do so well on age cards.”

“These are pretty good age-wise.”

Category

Everyday

Relations & Occasions

Humour

Children’s

Adult Ages

Art

Cute

Photographic

Gift Wrappings

Gifts

Advent calendars

Name of Publisher

Ling Design

Cherry Orchard

Cath Tate Cards

Lucilla Lavender

Ling Design/Talking Pictures

Museums & Galleries

Carte Blanche

Abacus Cards

Glick

Scentiment Gifts

Ling Design

“I used to be a graphic designer, so I know what I like, and it seems to work in store.”

“She's based in Devon, and her cards are absolutely beautiful.”

“Really good and always popular.”

“These have been successful.”

“Our main giftwrappings supplier.”

“Beautiful Christmas paper, and lovely arty everyday paper.”

Daniel Lee, owner of The Card Gallery in Wimborne Minster Daniel has expanded this year by buying the Present Company just a few doors down.

Product/Name Range

General

Cherry Fizz

Simon Drew

Shiny Happy Human Bean

Opal And Gold

All ranges

Me To You

Nature Tales

General

Mugs and Coasters

General

Comments

“These are our everyday heroes, great designs, covers all areas, good quality and pricing.”

“A new range – and very good.”

“New to us as an artist; really popular.”

“Across the board, these are great sellers.”

“These designs stand out on the rack visually, and they’re beautifully hand-finished.”

“Such a varied selection.”

“Classic cuteness.”

“Great quality, simply the best.”

“Very strong sales from these guys.”

“Very good designs and a strong religious offering which customers are looking for.”

“Stunning shots of wildlife. Really popular pictures.”

PRODUCT DIRECTORY l PRODUCT DIRECTORY l PRODUCT DIRECTORY

One

Brands

PRODUCT DIRECTORY l PRODUCT DIRECTORY l PRODUCT DIRECTORY

PRODUCT DIRECTORY l PRODUCT DIRECTORY l PRODUCT DIRECTORY

6 Heron Trading Estate Alliance Road, Park Royal, London W3 0RA T: 0208 385 4474 F: 0208 385 4471

E: info@Xpressyourselfcards.co.uk

WWW.XXPRESSYOURSELFCARDS.CO.UK

PRODUCTS: World’s leading publisher of high quality plastic greeting cards. Also an extensive range of quality greeting cards covering Everyday, Occasions, Christmas and Spring seasons.

BRANDS: Cherished Thoughts, Sweet Sentiments, Buddies Always, Symphony, Thinking of You, Style, Special Wishes, Special Times, Young Editions, Groove Sensations, Forever Blessed, Grey Skies, Classics.

METHOD OF SALE: SENSATIONS –Direct to retail

XPRESS YOURSELF –Now one of the leading wholesale publisher suppliers in the UK

for