Today's guest post is from Lynn Switanowski about the San Francisco Gift Show.

Mugwump—Turning Old Books into One-of-a-kind Wearable Art
What do your local libraries do with old kids books? If you live in Oregon and you look closely, you might see your old book on someone's shoulder as a handbag! Books meet Suzanne Keolker from Mugwump. Suzanne is a designer and creator, a former elementary school teacher who believes in not letting anything go to waste, including classroom wallmaps, discarded books and board games, road maps, air mattresses with holes and Bingo cards. She even recycled her old nickname, Mugwump, for her business.

Mugwump is devoted to taking unwanted materials and altering them from their original intent into fun & funky handbags, wallets and other fashion accessories.

Pneuma-Box—Building the Imagination of Kids Everywhere! No supplies needed!
The pneuma box is another great product brought to the US from Magnote whose goal it is to introduce unique toys from around the world. The designer toy "pneuma-box" is a set of four paper blocks to create various shapes and objects beyond your imagination. To assemble, all you need is two minutes or less per block… no scissors, tape or glue! Try one for yourself, and you'll be surprised at what can be made from such a simple design. (Available in two styles now; MSRP $16; wholesale $7.95.)

The Andean Collection—Fashion Jewelry. Fair Trade. Perfect Together.
Combine jewelry and socially conscious fashion and you've got interesting products. Now add fashion forward designs, creating a greener planet, and providing a path out of poverty for artisans using fair trade principles and you've got the Andean Jewelry collection.

Made from eco-friendly materials, the reason d'etre for this brand in your stores is simple: looking good CAN also be making good for others. One final must-have reason for this collection? The artisans who create it are not only helping sustain their families and make fair wages, they share in the profits of the company as partial owners of The Andean Collection.

Today's guest post is from Lynn Switanowski about the San Francisco Gift Show.

I attended the winter edition of the San Francisco Gift Show a couple of weeks ago. This show is always a leading source for new products—especially in the eco-friendly space—and this season was no different. There were many fresh finds that will surely make their way to store shelves shortly.

Below are some of my favorite fresh finds from the show. Kudos to all the manufacturers who were at the show for finding ways to create and interpret the use of eco-friendly products in ways that make the products "consumer friendly" and salable too! It continues to amaze me what innovative manufacturers can do with recycled products!

Papaya! Eco Friendly Stainless Water Bottles with Serious Style
An exciting new addition to Papaya's gift line are stainless steel water bottles designed to invigorate your water with the power of intention. Each 25 oz bottle is made from high-quality, food-grade 18/8 stainless steel, is BPA-free and recyclable. There are six styles to choose from: Joy (WB001), Yes (WB002), Bliss (WB003), Cha-Ching! (WB004), Love (WB005) and Intuition (WB006).

Bottles can be ordered in a minimum of six pieces, assorted at $12.00/each. Orders are shipped from Ashland, Oregon.

Urban Junket. Multi-Purpose with Modern Style.
What do you get when you combine fashion and style with an eco-friendly flair? Urban Junket handbags and accessories. This season’s offerings include the t.o.t.e. bag (To Observe The Earth) and laptop bags. This line is made of eco-friendly materials including organic cotton canvas, azo free dyes and RPET fabric made from recycled plastic bottles. The bags have lots of inside pockets to keep you organized and looking good at the same time—and best of all, it converts to three different bags so you'll have lots of looks for one low price!

To help offset the production and transportation of the bags, Urban Junket makes a $1 donation to carbonfree.org for the sale of every bag. Opening order: 10 bags any combination of colors and sizes. For sales information contact tdyer@urbanjunket.com.

Today's guest post is from Lynn Switanowski about Showcase Ireland.

I have three final great finds from the show!

Inspireland
Inspired by Ireland brings a new concept to the retail gift market. A small group of Irish companies have collaborated to create a capsule collection of products that offer a range of distinctive, yet complementary products for the U.S. gift store market. Available in a pre-designed display unit and demonstrating high quality packaging, this collection of handmade jewelry, glassware, giftware, perfumes, toiletries and inspirational gifts create a consistent consumer experience. Utilizing a U.S. distribution center enables Inspired by Ireland to service U.S.-based retailers with initial orders and rapid reorders while minimizing investment in inventory.

Contact Barbara at barbara@perfumes.ie

The Martina Hamilton Collection
The Martina Hamilton Collection brings a fresh look to the Irish jewelry market. Using cosmic events from the heavens as inspiration and symbolism, former sculptor turned goldsmith Martina Hamilton creates an intricate collection that offers gallery-quality artisan jewelry hallmarked for authenticity and crafted to endure. Launched in November 2008, this collection won the Best New Jewelry collection at Showcase Ireland in 2009 as judged by its peers and other retailers. Working primarily in sterling silver with 18 carat gold accents, each piece in this collection is handmade and truly one of a kind. A deliberate approach to limited product assortment permits rapid scalability in production facilities and the ability get stock in store in its U.S. based distribution center.

Contact Martina Hamilton at info@martinahamilton.ie

Tipperary Crystal
The Graham Knuttle Café Collection is the sixth in a series of celebrity-designed collections offered by Tipperary Crystal. This series is the first manufactured in porcelain as the firm evolves its product selection to meet the changing needs of consumers. Knuttle was commissioned to design a collection of coffee cups and plates with his distinctive and unmistakable style, bringing the art of drinking coffee to a new level. The initial product range includes cappuccino and espresso cups, serving plates in different sizes and large limited edition plates. Tipperary offers quick turnaround delivery opportunities for customers to maximize sales potential while minimizing inventory investments.

Contact Tipperary at sales@tipperarycrystal.com

Today's guest post is from Lynn Switanowski about Showcase Ireland.

I have three more great finds from the show…

Bunbury Boards – Recycled Products with a future purpose.
Do you know the history of the wood from your cutting board? Well now you can. Bunbury Boards' owner William McClintock Bunbury is attempting to save the beautiful old estate, Lisnavagh, breathe new life into the surrounding woodlands and buildings, and return the estate to being the community employer it once was. In the process, Bunbury Boards has created a unique way for the customers to connect with their products and a marketing sensation that has everybody talking. Every Board carries a unique code that tells the story of the tree from which the board was born, and what they have done to replace it. This approach to recycled goods turns a "lifeless" product into a fun customer experience for all.

Fen and Carr – A Natural Twist on Bath and Body Products
Inspired by the Fen and Carr landscapes of the bogs of Ireland, the aim of Fen & Carr is to improve the landscape of your wellbeing. Fen & Carr have created spa quality products made from therapeutic peat, a 100% natural product formed from an array of organic plant life. Fen & Carr products provide holistic treatments that internally relieve muscle tissue and pain, externally treat problematic skin conditions and relax and rebalance the mind.

Contact Info: Clair Quinn Founder
info@peattreat.ie
Direct Contact: (353) 5793 25216

Celtic Roots Studio
Celtic Roots Studio produces unique sculptures and jewelry by hand-carving designs relevant to Ireland from bogwood that is over 5,000 years old. For over 20 years, Celtic Roots has created elegant customized forms and shapes for customers that include heads of state around the world. Celtic Roots Studio offers a wide range of sculptures to members of the trade both at home and abroad. Shipping to the US is provided through FEDEX from the Celtic Roots Studio in Ireland and there is currently no minimum order requirement.

For further information visit www.celticroots.ie or contact Celtic Roots Studio at 00 353 90 6430404 or info@celticroots.ie.

Today's guest post is from Lynn Switanowski about Showcase Ireland.

It's smack dab in the middle of trade show season and gift shop retailers are looking high and low for new fresh finds for their stores. In our never-ending quest to bring you the latest and greatest products to sell in your stores, we jumped on a plane to Dublin to attend Showcase Ireland last week.

Showcase Ireland is the country's premier craft, gift, fashion and interiors trade fair featuring quality design products from Ireland's leading craft makers and designers. The initiative attracts up to 450 exhibitors and 6,000 buyers from around the world.

Every year, Irish creativity takes centre stage at Showcase, but it was especially prominent this year. The show had a new modern identity throughout the marketing materials and with how the show floor was set up (definitely different than what we are used to seeing at shows in the US).
This year's theme was to showcase the modern artisan approaches that craftspeople in Ireland are taking to bring fresh product to the marketplace. Based on what we saw, the days of claddagh and shelailgh are gone. Unique, creative products abounded at the show—and many of them are available to be imported to the US.

I'm going to post about some of our favorite finds over the next few days.

LAF – A New Approach to Recycled Jewelry

Lesley Frew enjoys making old things new again. Taking the plastic bags that we commonly discard, LAF designs gives them a second life by transforming and reusing them in wonderful pieces of artisan jewelry

Owner Lesley Frew is a designer based in Belfast, she graduated from the University of Ulster with a BA (hons) in Fine and Applied Art, specializing in Textiles in 2007. At LAF, Lesley creates contemporary, ethical jewelery using discarded plastic bags—giving these materials a second life by transforming and reusing them. When asked about her work, Lesley muses, "I enjoy confronting people's expectations by taking a discarded material, giving it a new value and showing that it can be beautiful."

You can contact her at les_frew@hotmail.com or via phone at (IE) 44 78490 34346
.

Button & Co – Transforming one object into multiple designs

For jeweler Elaine-Sarah Comerford of Button & Co., Showcase 2010 was twice as nice. Elaine scooped up the overall prize for Best New Product at Showcase as well as Best New Product in the Jewellery section for her Button Charm Bracelet. The two-tone silver and gold bracelet depicting old-fashioned buttons was lauded for its quality, design and innovation. Elaine puts a new twist on jewelry by translating everyday objects into wearable pieces of art that delight and surprise.

Today's guest post is from Kathy Krassner, Owner, Krassner Communications.

Even though I've been attending the New York International Gift Fair for more than two decades, I still get a thrill when I see clever products there. You know, the kind of items that make you say, "I wish I had thought of that!"

This past week at the NYIGF — which ran January 30 through February 4 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Pier 94 New York City — many of the most clever products were eco-friendly ones, including those made from recycled materials and others that featured repurposed items.

Among the innovative green companies in the Accent on Design section of the NYIGF was Kwytza Chopstick Art, which offers functional items such as folding baskets and table lamps, made with recycled chopsticks. According to the company, its products are made from some of the 25 billion pairs of single-use chopsticks that are discarded each year.

Just down the aisle was another unique concept: colorful gift bags created from "TerraSkin" paper made from stone, available from Design & Source Productions. TerraSkin combines large amounts of mineral powder with a small quantity of non-toxic resin to create an environmentally friendly, water-free and tree-free paper.

Down in the show's Handmade section, Alexandra Ferguson featured her line of 100 percent post-consumer-recycled felt applique pillows. Each of these cute pillows — many of which feature fun messages such as "Let's Make Out" and "Be Nice or Leave" — is made from the equivalent of approximately four plastic water bottles that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill.

Also utilizing recycled plastic water bottles for its line is Mary Meyer, a plush-toy maker exhibiting in the show's General Gift section. Mary Meyer's "Fuzz That Wuzz" plush features an outer fabric and stuffing that are both high-quality polyester fiber made from 100 percent recycled plastic PET bottles. Each of these toys keeps more than 10 bottles out of the landfill.

Seven companies at the show were designated as having attained a "SustainAbility3" ranking, the highest level of the NYIGF's new "Degrees of SustainAbility" initiative, which features a three-tiered ranking system that outlines industry-specific crieteria to identify green products and producers. Among those companies were Bambu, whose kitchen and home products are made from excess organic renewable or reclaimed materials; Fire & Light Originals, which uses post-consumer recycled glass for its handmade dinnerware and giftware collections; and Fab Habitat, whose decorative rugs are made under strict Fair Trade principles from plastic recycled from bottle caps and containers.

Of course, the fact that these products are environmentally friendly in addition to being cleverly designed and manufactured makes them all the more marketable … which means they're not only good for the planet, but good for retailers, too.

This year I was invited by the New York International Gift Fair to participate as a judge for the EX*TRACTS show (the bath and body category within the NYIGF). We'll be announcing the winners of the contest next week in GIFT SHOP's Wrap Up, so sign up for it if you haven't already (it's free!).

Here were five of my favorite products from the show:

Sohum
Sohum offers more than 60 candle fragrances, cremes, soap cakes and perfumettes—plus they just launched a 100% natural organic candle line. As an added benefit, the low heat oil generated from the candle burning can be used as moisturizer. The packaging and fragrances were fantastic.

T.S. Pink
I fell in love with T.S. Pink's line of more than 19 essential bath minerals called Bath Whip!, whose light and wonderful scents make this product the perfect addition to your store's bath and body mix.

Tiny Tillia
Tiny Tillia sells a terrific line of bath products for children. All the illustrations are based on the owner's family members and each product is parabin free and comes with a poem printed on the side of the bottle. Matching bath book and washcloths make adorable add-on products. One cute product in their line is called, "magic creme." It's perfect for those kid scratches that don't warrant real medicine, just a little lotion "magic" to take away the pain.

Voluspa
Voluspa just launched a new candle line through collaboration with a five-star chef. The line includes two fragrances that can be paired with food, just like a wine. The Sommelier fragrance candle can be paired with food that would go well with a red wine, and the Vintage fragrance candle (with hints of almond and oak) would be paired with food that would taste great with a white wine. The goal of Voluspa was to introduce candle fragrances that wold compliment the tastes and smells of a meal and not interfere with it. The candle packaging is gorgeous—the box is made of palownia wood and is lined with decorative paper, and each box comes with a hand-embossed label made in France. Voluspa also launched a new hand scrub made of grapeseed oil and all-natural ingredients. The exfoliating scrub is perfect for removing tough kitchen odors on your hands while moisturizing.

Berjang
Berjang has created a new line called Vegetables. Named for the ingredients inside, the line is an all-natural skin care line formulated from organically grown vegetables. It's available in masks, mists, serums and cremes. The packaging is created from a natural wood called bakelite—after use, they can be crushed and planted in your garden to feed your plants.

Stay tuned for more finds from the NY Gift Show next week!

M. Bagwell
M. Bagwell just launched an adorable line for kids at the show. The items were created from their top selling designs in their ceramic collection and include onesies, burp pads, t-shirts and aprons. I loved the colorful, coastal-inspired images and the price points are very reasonable. (They also launched an adorable children's holiday collection.)

LayQil!
This new company, who launched at the show, is offering changeable pendant necklaces. There are three chains in sterling silver to choose from and 40 pendant styles. The pendants are magnetic and snap into place, allowing for several new looks. The wholesaler suggests you give away a free pendant with purchase of any necklace (the necklaces range in price from $17-$23 wholesale). The pendants are $8-$13 wholesale.

Mud Pie
I had the oppotunity to preview Mud Pie's new product additions when I stopped by the OneCoast showroom. Their new Santa Baby socks, which wholesale for $2.75/pair, are the perfect impulse for near the register. The adorable, monogrammable Christmas stockings caught my eye as well—monogramming is a hot trend right now.

Cloud b
Cloud b offers products that are designed to help children sleep and they just created a new, soy-based plush animal called, "Polar Cuddle Club." A free story accompanies each animal to educate children about polar bears, and each bear comes with its own adoption certificate. (Plus a percentage of the proceeds goes to Conservation International.)

Today's guest post is from Dorothy Belshaw, Director, New York International Gift Fair® (NYIGF®)

Luckily for the gift industry, people continue to have birthdays, graduate, get married and have kids during an economic downturn. But, increasingly there is a change in the kind of gifts consumers are buying. They’re being more prudent, but they’re not compromising on style.

We’re calling this trend "frugal chic" – embracing simplicity and making it hip – and we've devoted one of three summer ’09 newsletters at NYNow to this topic.

Designers and manufacturers have introduced new, sophisticated and stylish products to the market with low to moderate price points. Buyers who attend NYIGF (August 15-20, at NYC’s Javits Center and Pier 94) will find an incredible breadth and depth of products from over 2,900 companies, and more than enough “frugal chic” resources to please their price-conscious customers.

Here are some of my favorite “frugal chic” finds – all priced at or under $20:

Aunt Sadie's
Candles are a recession-proof gift category, and Aunt Sadie’s produces one of the least expensive U.S.-manufactured candles in the marketplace. With more than 300 label designs, they have whatever look your customers go for. They use high-grade, biodegradable paraffin, lead-free wicks and true-to-life fragrances which burn for 70+ hours. Suggested retail price: $17 each. NYIGF division: General Gift

Lothantique Inc.
Another sure sale? Upscale soap lines, because consumers are treating themselves to affordable luxuries. Lothantique just launched two brand new collections of pure vegetable, hard-milled bar soaps made in France and enriched with natural shea butter. Bouquet de Lili is a lush, feminine fragrance of white flowers; Mas de Verveines is a fresh, green scent of lemon gardens. Suggested retail price: $7/100G cube, $13/300G cube. NYIGF division: EX·TRACTS®

Two's Company
Proving it's hip to "go green,” Two's Company is offering these recycled tin cuff bracelets in four different, yet recognizable styles, in a combination of aluminum and brass. I love Two’s Company's commitment to moderate pricing on innovative products. Suggested retail price: $10 each. NYIGF division: General Gift

Wooster & Prince Papers
Anything with an “old world” aesthetic automatically boosts its "chic" rating. The Italian-inspired motifs make these paper portfolios of eight folded notecards and envelopes really stand out. These sets are nicely coordinated, with envelopes printed in a solid color exterior, and a coordinating interior pattern.  (Shown: “In Town”) Suggested retail price: $9.95/ set of 8. NYIGF division: STUDIO™

The BaSIX and Beyond™
During times like these, products which alleviate stress, reduce tension and help soothe frayed nerves do especially well. These “agoodnightkiss®” bath teas elevate the bathing experience with the calming properties of natural aromatic herbs. Each bio-degradable tub tea bag is pre-mixed and pre-measured with essential oils and certified organic botanicals. There are 11 different blends, including Passionflower, Cilantro Apple and New York City Chai. Suggested retail price: $20 each. NYIGF division: General Gift

Visit NYIGF to see these “frugal chic” products, and thousands more! Visit NYIGF.com for information and registration.

I just returned home from the AmericasMart Atlanta Gift Show, and while traffic was down (noticeably down from the January Atlanta show), many exhibitors told me that sales were going well because retailers are making quicker buying decisions. In the past, many retailers would spend the first day or two looking around, and not making buying decisions until day two or three. In our "new" economy, retailers are shortening their market days, and making their visit as effective as possible.

While there I had an interesting conversation with a retailer who serves on our advisory board, Patti Harbin of In-Courage. I asked her what her goal was during the show—to find new products, re-order best sellers or a combination of the two. She told me that her main goal was to find new products. She said she can re-order strong selling products from her store, but that the show represented an opportunity to get out and find fresh new merchandise.

Here are four fun products I found from the show:

Acacia Creations
This is a fabulous company that turns recycled paper into wearable art. The products all start with recycled magazines (or glossy color printed paper) that are hand-rolled into beads and finished with a clear varnish. The line includes necklaces, bracelets, lanyard keychains, earrings and packets of beads for your customers to make their own jewelry. The beads are hand rolled in Uganda through a women's co-op using fair trade practices and the jewelry is then assembled in a workshop in Kenya where the workers are paid five times more than Kenya's national average.

Farmhouse Fresh
Farmhouse is a wonderful new bath and body company selling eight fragrances in a range of products, including body milk, moisturizer, body scrub, heel glaze and milk baths. All of the fragrances were absolutely delicious and the packaging was very well executed.

Switch Flops
Lindsay Phillips just launched a new shoe in her line called the Lindsay Phillps Ballet Flat. The shoe is available in three different colors (bronze, silver and black) and has twelve interchangeable snaps. Similar to the interchangeable velcro ribbons she sells with her flip flop collection, your customers can easily change their look by simply "snapping" on a new accessory to match their outfit. What I like about the product is that you can easily upsell your customers on additional snaps to vary the look of the shoes. The shoes are wholesaling for $32 and suggested retail prices is $64; the snaps are wholesaling at $5.50 with an $11 suggested retail price.

Plentiful Pantry
The Plentiful Pantry is a lovely gourmet company featuring a scrumptious pie line. Designed to be the perfect gift (or a splurge for yourself), you simply add a few ingredients to create the perfect pie. There are six pies available: pumpkin, apple crisp, cherry chocolate, peach, very berry and cherry. After sampling almost all of them I have to admit it was impossible to pick a favorite (but their top seller is pumpkin).