SHOW TIME

The sun was shining inside and outside at the Melbourne gift fairs where buyers were ready to source their next best-seller and exhibitors were eager to showcase their latest collections.

The Melbourne gift fairs were held last month with plenty of new brands, new products and new innovations and trends on display at the MCEC and Royal Exhibition Building.

From 31 July to 6 August buyers had the opportunity to source the latest products and find new stock that will fly off their store shelves this season and the next.

As the Giftguide team walked the aisles at Life Instyle, Reed Gift Fairs and AGHA Gift Fair, check out some of our favourite stories, brands, products and innovations.

Get ready for summer with Swim Shady

Swim Shady was born on the beaches of Sydney after a frustrating day wrestling with a clunky umbrella.

The compact solo beach shade (weighing just 1.8kg) is designed for effortless portability and setup. Unlike umbrellas, cabanas or large canopy tents, it offers shade without obstructing the view, fits neatly in a beach bag and provides 50+ UV protection with a recyclable RPET canopy.

“My co-founder Elizabeth Afrakoff and I saw how many people were going to the beach without shade altogether, simply because traditional options were too bulky or complicated,” says director and co-founder, Jeremy Scott.

“With Australia’s skin cancer rates among the highest in the world, we set out to design a solo beach shade that was stylish, lightweight and effortless to use.”

The Swim Shady launched in December 2024 and within just a few months it had customers in over 25 countries from the US and Europe to Asia and New Zealand.

Exhibiting at Life Instyle Melbourne, Scott says buyers immediately recognised Swim Shady as a genuine category innovation.

“Many noted its portability as a key selling point for urban beachgoers, resort guests and travellers. We also saw strong corporate gifting interest, with companies considering bulk orders for staff and client gifting—recognising Swim Shady as a socially responsible gift that encourages sun safety and wellbeing, particularly relevant during the summer and Christmas season.

“Its premium design and innovation appeal to customers chasing convenience, sun safety and style, making it a high-turnover item for stores, especially during summer and holiday gifting. We love collaborating with stores and are committed to maximising product presence and driving sell-through, so together we can deliver real value and enjoyment to their customers.

“Overall, the response [at Life Instyle] exceeded our expectations and confirmed Swim Shady’s potential as both a retail and corporate product,” he adds.

The brand now offers a full premium summer lifestyle range including reversible swim bags, soft beach towels and quick-dry men’s swim shorts, all designed with the same focus on innovation, portability and style.

In 2026, Swim Shady is focused on strengthening its presence in the Australian market by working hand-in-hand with its retail partners.

“At the same time, we’ll continue to build on our international momentum, expanding gradually into resort and cruise markets and extending our global reach, fuelled by the interest our viral TikTok generated across so many countries.”

Urban Road launches new collection with Tim Neve

Known for its beautiful artwork in canvas and paper frame prints, Urban Road has released its latest collection.

In collaboration with interior designer and stylist Tim Neve, the Artefact collection includes artworks, wallpaper and cushions.

“We’ve got a beautiful collection on show here at Life Instyle which is full of warm urban browns,” enthuses Lara Powell, head of sales and operations at Urban Road.

“The artworks are all abstract which means you can turn them any which way, there is the option to have them as a portrait or landscape design, there is lots of flexibility.

“There are lots of lines, circles, symmetrical shapes as well as abstract pieces. It’s all about layering different patterns and textures, so there are some very busy patterns, but you can also put multiple pieces together and it all works.

“We also produced wallpapers with some of the patterns and designs—nine different patterns are available and within those different designs there are about six different colour options per pattern,” she says.

“We also decided to have some of the designs printed onto a cushion range, which includes seven designs giving you a lot of options and choices within this whole collection.”

The founder of Urban Road is an artist herself so artwork and being creative is in the business’ DNA and at the core of what we do, Powell adds.

“We have new collections coming out all the time. Urban Road has a huge range to select from and there is something for every style of business, designer and genre.”

The company tends to do about one to two collaborations with interior designers a year, while it also collaborates with various artists.

The first-time collaboration with Tim Neve was a popular feature at Life Instyle, with some of the artwork, wallpaper and cushions on display at the Urban Road stand.

“Feedback has been really good. We did this show and the Décor + Design Show and people are loving it. They especially love the colour palette and the range’s versatility.”

Bilum and Bilas artisan collection

Bilum and Bilas was founded by Jessica Cassell who moved to Papua New Guinea as a volunteer in 2008. Whilst living there she fell in love with the local arts but was saddened by the daily struggles of the women that made them. She saw an opportunity to develop a range of work that had wide international appeal, creating demand that would support female artisans generate a better livelihood through their art.

“Bilum and Bilas is a social enterprise creating jewellery and accessories handcrafted by Papua New Guinean artisans,” Cassell explains.

“Pieces are wearable artworks that embody the spirit and cultural heritage of their makers, uniting traditional PNG culture

with contemporary aesthetics. Each design is handwoven using techniques passed down through generations, creating employment for women with these unique skills and fostering empowerment for communities.”

Exhibiting at Life Instyle, she noticed the respect and admiration people had for the craftsmanship that goes into all the pieces.

“It’s so rewarding to have worked so hard on a new range and to see people’s reactions in person. Our work is tactile, so even better in person when customers can touch and feel the pieces.

“We are one of the only Papua New Guinean brands in the world. PNG is one of the most culturally diverse and remote countries on the planet with incredibly unique arts and crafts. We provide access to beautiful accessories and gifts enabling customers to support their nearest neighbour with whom Australia holds deep and profound connections. Our products are not only beautiful, they are truly unique, telling a profound story and supporting women in need.

“The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has just started stocking the range in their art store, so we plan to expand our range there. We’ll also be starting work on a new collection as it takes so long to work in meaningful collaboration with our artisans to produce new styles every year.”

The story behind House of Nunu

For House of Nunu the focus is on evoking joy and nostalgia through thoughtful design—pieces that don’t just decorate a home but also tell a story and spark connection.

House of Nunu was founded in 2011 in Sydney, Australia, out of a desire to bring beauty, joy and storytelling into everyday living, says founder Nura Hatami.

“The inspiration came from a love of design and the idea that the objects we surround ourselves with have the power to spark memories, emotions and connections,” she says.

“What started as a passion project for creating meaningful, aesthetic pieces has grown into a homewares brand known for its playful spirit and timeless design.”

Named after her childhood nickname, Nunu, the homewares brand’s pieces balance form and function while adding a unique sense of character to a space. Form hand-blown coloured glassware to soft cotton towels and home décor, every item is designed to feel both special and usable in daily life, she adds.

“Retailers and buyers connected with our brand story [at Life Instyle] and appreciated the quality and craftsmanship of our range. Many highlighted how the colours and playful designs felt different and refreshing. It was encouraging to see that our vision resonated strongly and the response definitely exceeded our expectations.

“Looking ahead to 2026, our focus is on expanding internationally, introducing new product categories and continuing to collaborate with creative partners who share our passion for design. We aim to deepen our wholesale presence, grow our direct-to-consumer community and keep building House of Nunu as a brand that brings pieces of joy to homes and spaces around the world.”

DrinksPlinks’ personalised ice cube trays create a moment

Many businesses were launched during Covid and inspired by the long lockdowns, especially in Melbourne.

DrinksPlinks founder Tania Brocker wanted to create a moment with a cocktail, mocktail, soda, iced coffee or whatever was being poured on any given day.

“DrinksPlinks is a Melbourne based company that sparks joy and helps people amp up their drinks at home with silicone ice cube trays that freeze slow-melting ice shapes and letters,” she enthuses.

First to market with personalised ice cube trays, the brand started with just four letters: G for Gin, S for Scotch, V for Vodka and W for Whisky. Its customers had other ideas, asking for their own letter to match their name and so the brand quickly grew to the entire alphabet and soon Letter G was for Gin, Granny, Greg and Georgia. Four shapes grew to eight including another first to market with the retro daisy design.

“The ice cube category is extremely homogenous and DrinksPlinks immediately stands out as no other company creates personalised letters. At Christmas customers will often purchase multiple trays to personalise gifts for family, friends and work colleagues.

“The growth is due to the combination of trends including personalisation, slow-melting ice, drinks-at-home and creating that Insta-worthy look. They cover off so many interests. The unique shapes are perfect for Kris Kringle gifts or for that someone who has everything,” she adds.

DrinksPlinks showcased two new products at Reed Gift Fairs Melbourne, both complementing the ice cube tray range.

“We sparked interest with new stockists including distilleries, wineries and a few we can’t talk about yet. We also learnt a lot by connecting face to face with many retail buyers. To accommodate top up orders of particular letters, DrinksPlinks has an MOQ of one unit so stores can always have every letter in stock without massive stock holdings.”

Uprising Glassware celebrates Australian landscapes and cultural icons

Uprising Glassware is a Tasmanian-based company creating unique glassware inspired by Australian landscapes and cultural icons. Its designs are made for adventurous travellers and lovers of the natural environment—people who want a keepsake that tells a story and reconnects them with the places they’ve explored (or dream of discovering).

“The idea was sparked by two personal passions— my love for the mountains and my appreciation for a fine Tasmanian tipple,” says founder Kurt Menzies.

“I wanted to create something that would bring the two together: a product that celebrates place, is functional and durable and truly beautiful.

“The company started in Tasmania with a Cradle Mountain glass and the response was so strong that I quickly expanded the range to include more Tassie icons and shortly after brought the idea up to the big island with designs like the Twelve Apostles and the Sydney Opera House. From there, it has now grown to include our innovative Wildlife collection.”

Indeed, the new range created quite the buzz at the recent AGHA Melbourne Gift Fair. “This was our third time exhibiting at AGHA and it was by far our most successful show yet—both in terms of new customers and deeper engagement from existing stockists.

“The growth in our range definitely played a part—we now have a strong representation of landmarks across the country and our new Wildlife collection was a real standout. People loved the creative and quirky design direction and the fact that it appeals so broadly around all of Australia.”

Each glass is individually hand-pressed with a 3D relief of a landmark or animal in the base ranging from the Blue Mountains’ Three Sisters to the majestic Humpback Whale. When there’s a drink in the glass, be it water on your desk or wine on the weekend, the designs really come alive, magnifying and sparkling through the refraction effect.

“Customers love to buy these as gifts for someone they share a connection or memory with—perhaps somewhere they’ve visited together or an animal they both love.

“Retailers appreciate that we have no MOQs, the product has broad appeal across age and interest groups and the illustrated coaster and packaging are visual merchandising ready. It’s a meaningful product that does well in store and online and we’re proud to donate five per cent of sales to nature conservation efforts,” Menzies enthuses.

“We’re also working on more collaborations with cultural institutions and other brands, creating bespoke designs and new customisation options. These projects allow us to tell the stories of our partners, creating glassware that captures not just a place, but the experiences and values tied to it.”

Journalfy combines tradition with technology

Sometimes a bad situation can inspire a great new venture, which is what happened when Matthew Baloglow launched his business, Journalfy.

“My fiancée and I founded Journalfy at the start of 2024 from an incident that happened to me back in 2015,” he recalls.

“In my family home of 25 years, we experienced a devastating house fire that resulted in the entire house and 99.99 per cent of the contents within being reduced to ashes—thankfully no one was injured in the fire.

“Besides the very few items that were saved as the house was ablaze—some of them including my old travel journals—there was still a handful of them that fell victim to the fire.

“Reflecting back, there were probably two things I became particularly aware of. As time goes on, our memory can fade or be tainted and so even though during the moment we don’t think this will happen, it eventually will. Another thing I realised was that although I thought my memories were safe in my travel journals, these words are also susceptible of being erased if the journals should become lost or damaged.”

These realisations eventually led to Journalfy being created.

“Our travel journals are unique in the sense that we’re bridging that gap between the physical and digital worlds,” Baloglow explains.

“There’s something uniquely special and cathartic when it comes to writing pen to paper, so it’s this tradition we want to maintain, however, having the option to protect, preserve and propel these physically written journal entries with the Journalfy app—so you can create a digital backup of your physical journal—is something that makes journaling with Journalfy even more meaningful.

“We also have an exciting new travel journal we’ll be releasing by the end of September called ‘freestyle edition’.”

The journals are made from 99 per cent recycled or recyclable materials and through its partnership with Pencils of Promise, for every five journals sold they donate two water filters to underserved children from around the world.

One thing Baloglow noticed when exhibiting at Life Instyle is that with every tradeshow they do, the more known their travel journals become.

“This was now our third Life Instyle event. We did our first one in Melbourne last year, one in Sydney at the start of this year and then back in Melbourne. It’s not uncommon that we’ll have retailers say they’ve either heard about us from a friend or customer or that they’ve seen us on social media.

“We always try to have fun with what we do and it’s at the core of our company. We feel that the retailers and exhibitors perceive this and so it’s something that we quite often receive feedback on.”

Rowdy Crowd redefines unbreakable and recyclable drinkware

Rowdy Crowd Drinkware has been supplying unbreakable, 100 per cent dishwasher safe drinkware to the Australian market since 2014. It was the first company in Australia to introduce Tritan drinkware to the market, the highest grade copolymer material with the highest approval ratings from food safety bodies worldwide.

It is a small business literally operating from a merino sheep and cropping farm in south west NSW which has grown from turning over 2,000 pieces a year to almost 30,000 a month in Australia.

The company got its start when ‘farmers wife’, Fiona Hamilton, made the decision to cease travelling 1,000km a week just to run their large retail store in Wagga Wagga and focus on something which would satisfy her creativity and energy and could be done on the farm.

“During my time as a retailer and attending Reed Gift Fairs, AGHA Gift Fair and Life Instyle each year to source products for our store, I was always on the lookout for elegant outdoor drinkware that was not coloured, not chunky and was absolutely durable,” she comments.

“I could never find any, so when I gave up bricks and mortar retailing I began thinking about and researching the unbreakable drinkware market. In short, I still found nothing. There were no products which were completely dishwasher safe, which didn’t crack, craze or colour over time or the stems didn’t snap.

“I decided to design my own range, find a manufacturer, create a whole brand philosophy around simplicity, durability and sustainability, then work on distribution Australia wide.”

Rowdy Crowd products are 100 per cent BPA free and recyclable. The crystal clear, stemless drinkware is safe to use around pools, spas, backyard BBQs and camping trips. Brightly coloured bags make them easy to find in the cupboard or camping box while for retailers they attract customers’ attention in-store.

Hamilton launched a new range of all-white products and new ice-ball accessories at Reed Gift Fairs Melbourne.

“I had lost so many of my lovely country stores during Covid due to closures, change of ownership and generally just tough times, so I wanted to reconnect with them again and to come in contact with many more new faces and destinations for Rowdy Crowd.

“My aim has always been to be in small, independent retail stores and particularly in rural and regional areas. Country people get and love the practicality, durability and simplicity of Rowdy Crowd.

“While the number of attendees seemed to be lower [than previous years], those who were at the fair did place orders and enjoyed discovering what is new for them in 2025. Many visitors said it was great to see a unique product with such an interesting backstory, especially when my daughter was juggling them in the aisle,” she laughs.

“We are also launching and aim to gain traction in the US and UK markets and we will be introducing a new drinkware shape which is stackable in 2026. We will continue to grow our business in both the retail and wholesale markets here in Australia and the significant market share we now have for custom branded drinkware for parties, weddings, events, wineries and breweries, corporates and large festivals.

“In all we do we aim to bring people together, to create memories and leave without a trace.”

Humble Living’s artisanal journey

Humble Living was born from founder Vivienne Gray’s love of art, travel and history. She was inspired by the ancient artisans and the work that they were able to produce with just basic tools applied with talent and dedication to craft.

As an accomplished artist herself, she found a way to combine her passions, which has led her on a journey to discover wonderful artisans around the world as well as fuelling her own artistic creativity.

“Our products are of a high quality but are also quite bespoke with most of our products made by hand in a traditional method,” says Humble Living’s Anthony Gorman.

“They are unique in their design as well as in their individuality and offer stores a different option to other mass-produced products that their customers won’t find everywhere.

“We’ve also been able to keep our pricing at levels that allow retailers to make a comfortable margin and we have no minimum order requirements, which allows retailers to try different things

without committing to a large purchase on something that they haven’t tried before.”

After a great experience at Life Instyle Sydney, they decided to exhibit in Melbourne as well.

“It was our first Life Instyle Melbourne and we were able to engage with come past clients as well as some new ones at the show. It’s always good to speak with other wholesalers and manufacturers about how they see the market and how they overcome the challenges that we all face. There is always something to learn.”

Insieme brings people and pieces together

Insieme means ‘together’ in Italian and that’s the heart of the brand, according to founders Danielle Frazzetto and Rocco Ascone.

“We create pieces that bring people together,” they say.

“We handcraft terrazzo serveware and styling pieces designed for slow entertaining and everyday rituals. The brand began in our own home, repurposing stone off cuts into coasters that our friends and family loved. This small act grew into a considered range that blends Italian heritage, functional design and a timeless, textural aesthetic.”

The products make great gifts at popular price points under $100 and $150, with optional personalisation for elevated gifting, they add.

“Every piece works as serveware or decor at home, as display pieces in-store and as statement styling for events. Our colours are named after each season and create cohesive, trendproof merchandising opportunities for retailers. We also offer starter bundles, VIP grazing experiences, point-of-sale styling suggestions and ready-to-use content to help teams merchandise quickly and beautifully.”

Exhibiting at Reed Gift Fairs for the first time, buyers called out the multi-use nature of the range (serve, style, display) and the balance of organic forms with a clean, modern finish.

“Coasters, organic pieces, watch and jewellery stands and our tiered display builds drew the most interest, particularly from homewares boutiques and event-forward retailers. It confirmed for us that there’s strong demand for pieces that elevate both merchandising and at-home entertaining,” the duo notes.

“We will continue to expand our Australian stockist network with VIP grazing experiences, starter bundles, merchandising kits and tailored support, while building our event hire and styling services, giving retailers new ways to activate in-store experiences and engage customers.”