There was a happy vibe about the halls at Westpoint as the 2023 edition of Giving & Living got underway earlier this month. The whims of the great British weather – always a talking point! – did not deter buyers from turning out in droves to support over 130 exhibitors showcasing new collections to the retail trade.
As one of the first shows of the season, Giving & Living once again offered an invaluable opportunity for buyers to get ahead of the curve on merchandising trends and be first in the queue when it came to placing orders for hot new stock.
As the premier retail event for Coastal gifts, the booming tourist traders of the Britain’s South-West found plenty to stock up their shelves ahead of the new holiday season. Giving & Living offered the perfect launch platform to suppliers keen to target this lucrative market, with a wide variety of products that ranged from sunglasses, beachballs and outdoor toys to decorative seaweed, driftwood designs and – very important and totally delicious – ice cream!
This year’s edition of the show saw the debut of Crafting @ Giving & Living, an exciting new feature designed to promote artisan makers and support their launch to retail. We were delighted to welcome three exceptional local artists to our new Craft section, which was sponsored by British Craft Directory, The Giftware Association and Small Business Collaborative.
Exmouth-based ceramicist, Kate Reeves, set up her pottery wheel at the front of the hall, alongside fellow Exmouth artist Miles Baker – a specialist in clown paintings and drawings – and contemporary textiles artist, Shirley Lee, another Exmouth local. This was the first time that any of these exceptionally talented makers could be found at a trade event, where visitors were fascinated to see them at work.
Denre Bruins, founder of the British Craft Directory, commented: “Charlotte and I were proud to sponsor Craft @ Giving & Living and truly impressed by the quality of the makers who made their debut at the show. The South-West of England is rich with talented artisans, many of whom are still quite under the radar and yet to be discovered by retailers.
“The Craft sector here is the perfect way for these makers to test the water with buyers in a friendly and supportive environment. Our collaboration with Giving & Living enables us to support Kate, Miles and Shirley throughout the year with a listing on the British Craft Directory and presence at Curated Craft, our digital event for makers running from 19th-21st March”.
Further into the show buyers were treated to a treasure trove of British-made collections, presented by scores of independent designers who make their work here in the UK. From hand-illustrated greetings cards and art prints to handmade soaps and candles, delicious craft confectionary, unique gifts and homewares, the show offered a rich sourcing ground for buyers in search of British made products.
Sustainability was at the heart of many exhibitor offerings, more so than ever before as environmental consciousness continues to drive product development in our industry. These found expression in our Naturally sector, where retailers could source everything from silicone straws and fairtrade felt to beautiful crystals and small batch home fragrances made from sustainable materials.
Show organiser Mike Anderson of Hale Events said: “I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who exhibited at Giving & Living this year and the buyers who came here to see them. We are very pleased with how the show went and it seems like every year the community spirit gets stronger than ever. Here in the South-West we are surrounded by wonderful independent retailers, farm shops, hospitality, leisure and heritage destinations, which help make the show so unique.
“Many of our visitors overcame quite challenging weather conditions to get here and they weren’t disappointed when they arrived as there was so much great product on display. We are really seeing the handmade sector taking off, which bodes well for British design in general and indicates that shoppers can look forward to choosing from more locally made products in the seasons to come.”
The next edition of the show is scheduled for Sunday 14th – Tuesday 16th January 2024 and we look forward to welcoming everyone back next year!
Colin Goldenberg says
We are interested in exhibiting
Please can you send me details of available stands together with costings.
We are a gift closeout company, but also have regular stocks of mail order packaging