Get ready for your trip to this year’s fab greeting card trade show
Phileas Fogg made it around the world in 80 days so you’ve just got time for a trip before rocking up at this year’s Progressive Greetings Live exhibition.
That’s right, there are just 80 days before the UK’s only dedicated trade show for the global greeting card community opens at London’s Business Design Centre for a two-day card extravaganza over Tuesday and Wednesday, 3-4 June.
Registration is ramping up as retailers, buyers and overseas distributors make sure they’re able to attend the event, and they’re already checking out the website to find out who’s exhibiting – if you’re an exhibitor and haven’t completed your Show Preview info, get to it as today, 14 March, is the deadline for the text and pics! Any panickers, email Jim Bullough on jimb@max-publishing.co.uk.
With over 200 stands booked and very few slots remaining the line-up is fabulous – among the most recent to sign up are Bubblegum Stuff, Kate Read Illustration, Wildsmith Workshop, Yoojoo and Otter House.
The vibrant list of exhibitors includes a heady mix of complete show newbies like LoveLossDiscoballs with its modern sympathy and support cards, Twaat Cards’ fresh humour offer, Aimee & Fred’s handmade designs using recycled materials, Altered Chic’s embellished cards, Bob’s Your Uncle’s big bold type, Aussie firm Gabrielle & Celine, playful Puntastic & Ho, and Ross J Designs’ handpainted works.
Then there’s known and loved names such as Abacus Cards, Alljoy Design, Cardology, Carousel Worldwide, Carte Blanche Greetings, Cath Tate Cards, Dandelion Stationery, Danilo, Dean Morris Cards, Deva Designs, Five Dollar Shake, Glick, Laura Darrington Design, Museums & Galleries, Noel Tatt Group, Ohh Deer, Paper Salad, Pigment, Rosie Made A Thing, Rush Design, and Wendy Jones-Blackett, plus the bigger companies including Hallmark, Ling Design, UK Greetings, and Woodmansterne, along with suppliers like Alpha Colour Printers, Enveco, Graphite Creative, Herbert Walkers, The Imaging Centre, Fedrigoni and N Smith & Co. A full exhibitors’ list is available here
And the retailers who regularly attend PG Live aren’t shy with their comments…
“It’s a fantastic show because we haven’t got to waste time on other things, we just concentrate on cards,” was Deb and Paul Crane’s verdict on the show that they always make time to travel to from Paperweight in Cardiff. “At most shows people are sort of miserable, at PG Live people are always happy and have more time to talk and ask questions, it’s great.”
As Kate Salmon, head of home and gift buying for Oliver Bonas, added: “There’s a real air of excitement and great buzz to PG Live. As we continue to open more stores and cards are doing so well, it’s a great opportunity to catch up with current suppliers and be on the hunt for new. It’s such a special industry, I love how passionate suppliers are with their products!”
At The Indigo Tree in Blandford Forum, Crystal Palace and Streatham, owners Adam, Harriet and Meg De Wolff said: “It’s always a really good show, lots to choose and lots of new which is always nice. It’s always great to touch base with everyone. We come every year.”
Along with all the fabulousness to discover on the stands, there will be all the added extras of the drinks trollies with free tea and coffee, the delicious lunch each day, opening night drinks party, and chance for winners and finalists from The Retas Awards and The Greats Awards to have a drinks get-together on both days as well as spend their Gold, Silver and Sunshine tickets – plus the Cardgains buying group show discounts too.
The 2025 edition of PG Live takes place at London’s Business Design Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday, 3-4 June, retailers and overseas distributors are registering by the day, make sure you don’t miss out by putting your name down here.
