May 16-17 saw the return of the UK’s only trade event dedicated to the arts & crafts, greeting cards, paper products, and writing instruments industries.
This year’s London Stationery Show, held at the Business Design Centre in Islington, saw a 20% increase in new exhibitors and a 12% increase in visitors, making it the most successful since its return in 2021.
Event director Alex Butler said: “This year’s show was a huge success. The range of products on offer was truly remarkable and it’s clear to see that the introduction of arts & crafts to the London Stationery Show was a huge hit with our visitors. We were delighted to see such a high number of quality buyers at this year’s show, and already look forward to welcoming everyone back in 2024.”
Brands
More than 200 brands displayed their bestselling and brand-new products at the show, from the biggest names in the industry to independent start-ups. Each brand blew visitors away with their creative displays, with some even offering live demonstrations and interactive activities.Located at the front of the show was the Boutique Collection, offering a variety of designer stationery, gifts and more. This curated edit allowed visitors to discover an exclusive selection of products.
Meanwhile, the LaunchPad competition winners featured six brands ready to take the stationery industry by storm, as they made their trade show debuts. From greeting cards and family planners to notebooks and gift wrap, LaunchPad was a true example of the assortment of paper products that the show had on offer.
Creativity
Creativity is at the heart of the stationery industry. Over the course of the two-day event, the Creative Matters Workshops allowed visitors to get hands-on with the industry’s latest products. Having the chance to ‘try before they buy’ and hear from exhibitors first-hand, helped visitors to ensure they were making the best business decisions possible.
Education
The Retail Matters Live Talks and the Indie Matters Business Advice Clinics were a chance to pick the brains of industry-leading professionals. From perfecting your sales technique or mastering PR, to becoming the art director of your social media or using visual merchandising to stand out in-store, the experts had you covered.
Sustainability
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important within the stationery industry, and the London Stationery Show ensured this was front and centre. At the entrance of the event was the Sustainability Matters feature, showcasing the most eco-friendly products within the industry. Visitors were able to see how many brands are working towards greener stationery.
The Show partnered with the Young People’s Trust for the Environment, which educated visitors on how they could make informed decisions on how to live their lives in a way that gives greater priority to the preservation of the natural world.
Stationery Matters Awards
The Stationery Matters Awards were held at the Show on May 16. The aim of the Awards is to recognise and benchmark good practice within the stationery industry. The finalist products of each category could be seen at the Stationery Matters Hub, and the long-awaited results were finally announced. Click here to view all the winners.
The London Stationery Show will return on May 14 and May 15 2024, at the Business Design Centre in Islington.
www.stationeryshow.co.uk
