Autumn Fair is back from September 4 to September 7 at NEC Birmingham, and this year the exhibition will be shining a spotlight on sustainability.
The show will be championing brands who are committed to making positive and impactful changes via its Sustainability Trail, which runs across the exhibition’s four sectors: Home, Gift, Moda, and Design & Source.
Many more visitors to the ‘exhibitor list’ at www.autumnfair.com have filtered their search by ‘Sustainability’ and ‘Made in Britain’ compared with last year, indicating an exponential increase in desire for locally-made, ethically produced and environmentally-friendly brands.
Some of the exhibitors leading the way with a sustainable ethos and vision include Betty Hula, with its ‘honest, innocent’ skincare range; Mai Clothing, which offers ‘kidswear with a conscience’; Inside Out Toys, which works with ethically and socially responsible manufacturers; home fragrance company Beefayre, which donates 3% of its profits to bee research and conservation; and 100% natural and pure essential oil products supplier Clarity Blend.
Autumn Fair event director Daniel Mayhew said: “It’s more and more apparent that conscious decisions are the future of retail. How materials are sourced, manufacturing processes, waste, and packaging are all key considerations for suppliers and retailers. The story behind products is a major consideration when sourcing new ranges/suppliers – and is becoming increasingly so for the end-consumer too.
“Our emphasis on the popular Sustainability Trail ensures that brands who have made a commitment to reducing our global impact are highlighted and promoted. We hope it will continue to encourage visitors to focus on sustainability and inspire more brands to prioritise sustainability in developing new products. Our Power of One campaign also energises suppliers, retailers and consumers to take small steps to change the world, one decision at a time. We are all on this journey together.”
Autumn Fair incorporates four key buying destinations – Home, Gift, Moda, and Design & Source – with 12 sectors: Everyday; Home, Living & Décor; Housewares; The Summerhouse; Beauty & Wellbeing; Gift; Greetings & Stationery; Kids, Toys & Play; Footwear; Jewellery & Watches; and Womenswear, Fashion Accessories & Sourcing.
The Gift sector offers best-sellers, contemporary designs, and personalised gifts including books, candles, licensed gifts, souvenirs, and garden giftware. Visitors will discover Sass & Belle, Powell Craft, Widdop & Co., Joe Davies, Lesser & Pavey, Chalk UK, Gift Republic, East of India, The Eclectic Lifestyle Company, Candlelight Products, and Quail. New to 2022, Autumn Fair welcomes Ryland Peters & Cico Books, Sweet William Designs, Forever England, Fern & Thistle, and Artcuts – along with international brands Kikkerland, Abysse Corp and Hellmand Versand.
Greetings & Stationery contains a vibrant collection of creative, colourful and fun greeting cards, wrapping papers, stationery and paper decorations. Here visitors will find names such as The Art File, Paper Salad, Emotional Rescue, The Little Dog Laughed, Dean Morris Cards, Brainbox Candy, The Seed Card Company, The Eco Friendly Card Company, and Five Dollar Shake. Newcomers Luke Horton, Jumble, Kate Downey Art and Jane Buurman Handmade will also be exhibiting their products.
In Home, Living and Décor, visitors can discover stylish and on-trend furniture, textiles and interior accessories. From classic styles to contemporary designs, on display will be furniture, lighting, soft furnishings and textiles, as well as decorative items and interior accessories, from brands including Coach House, Hill Interiors, London Ornaments, CIMC, Art Marketing, Taylors of Scotland, Final Touches, Walton & Co., Pharmore, Febland, The Satchville Gift Company, and Mint Interiors by Kettle.
The Summerhouse has its finger firmly on the pulse of new homeware trends, with accessories and contemporary gifts as well as home fragrance and lifestyle products. This season, Autumn Fair welcomes the return of Bronte and Scatterbox, along with exhibitors Pacific Lifestyle, Jellycat, Hydro Herb, Malini, Gallery, Inis, Niwa Terrariums, Deluxe Homeart, My Gifts Trade, Hot Tomato, and Spry.
Beauty & Wellbeing focuses on an indulgent feel-good factor. From holistic home fragrance to grooming and luxury body care, on show will be beauty staples along with pampering products. Newcomers Voesh New York will promote its mission for self-care with 100% vegan products, along with brands Per-Scent and Shearer Candles. Returning favourites include Heathcote & Ivory, along with Upper Canada UK, The English Soap Company, Heyland & Whittle, The Somerset Toiletry Company, Heaven Scent Incense and Bomb Cosmetics. Look out for sustainable brands Eco Bath, Join Brands, Clarity Blend, Betty Hula, Sevin and Beefayre, as well as Emma’s Soap. Emerging brands in attendance include White Rose Sage, Lizzie & Wild Candle, Senne Candle Co., Eriskay Candles, FIZZ, and Mini First Aid (as featured on Dragons’ Den).
The Kids, Toys & Play sector taps into the hottest trends for what will be popular at Christmas. Exhibitors such as Ty, One for Fun, University Games, Thames & Kosmos, House of Marbles and Kidicraft, will be joined by newcomers Redfits, The Toy Tribe, Hachette Board Games, MNR Brands UK and Halilit. And look out for sustainable brands Mai Clothing, WillSow, Keel Toys, and Lanka Kade, along with Alphabet Jigsaws, Beehive Toys, Inside Out Toys, Click Europe and The Puppet Company.
Registration for Autumn Fair 2022 is now open. For further information visit www.autumnfair.com
