Highlights from London Stationery Show 2023

24-MAY-23

The stationery industry gathered once again for two days of business, education, networking and creativity. Read on to find out everything that went on during the industry event of the year. 

The 16 – 17 May saw the return of the UK’s only trade event dedicated to the arts & crafts, greetings cards, paper products, and writing instruments industries. This year’s show saw a 20% increase in new exhibitors and a 12% increase in visitors, making it the most successful since its return in 2021.  Exhibitors wowed with excellent product ranges, and visitors took advantage of the fantastic offerings of features and networking opportunities available to them.

We spoke to Alex Butler, Event Director, who 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 London Stationery Show has been 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

Over 200 brands showcased their bestselling and brand-new products at this year’s show. From the biggest brands in the industry, to independent start-ups, the range of products was astonishing. 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, unique gifts and more. This carefully curated selection of brands allowed visitors to discover an exclusive selection of products, not to be found anywhere else. Meanwhile, this year’s LaunchPad competition winners featured six brands ready to take the stationery industry by storm, as they made their trade show debuts.  From greetings cards and family planners to notebooks and gift wrap, LaunchPad was a true example of the wonderful 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 that they were making the best business decisions possible.

Education

The Retail Matters Live Talks and the Indie Matters Business Advice Clinics were the perfect 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, if you needed to know it the experts had you covered. There was no better place to learn from the best and the brightest within the world of stationery. 

Sustainability

Sustainability is becoming increasingly important within the stationery industry, and 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 firsthand how many brands are working towards greener stationery. London Stationery Show partnered with the Young People’s Trust for the Environment, who educated visitors on how they could make informed decisions on how to live their lives in a way that gives greater priority to preservation of the natural world.

Stationery Matters Awards

The Stationery Matters Awards were held at London Stationery Show on Tuesday 16th May. 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. It was great to see the industry come together to celebrate those who had been nominated and those who won. Seeing brands earn the recognition they have worked so hard for was truly rewarding.

Stationery Matters will be covering more show news, exclusive interviews and much more over the coming weeks. Keep your eyes peeled!

London Stationery Show will return 14 – 15 May 2024.

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