Hole In My Pocket wins Gold in the Best Product Awards at SEC Glasgow
Suppliers and visitors celebrated being back in person at Scotland’s Trade Fair Spring with innovation and new products abounding at the SEC in Glasgow this week.
Having been postponed from its usual mid-January slot, the event was bathed in spring sunshine when the doors opened on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, 27, 28 and 29 March, with everyone in an upbeat mood.
Yvonne Carr, Visit Scotland Buyer, said: “This show is so important for us to source and support Scottish producers and we have loved seeing so many new companies. The show is just not long enough for us to complete all our buying!”
The Best Product Awards were judged on the show’s opening morning by retail experts Linda Birkbeck from House Of Bruar, Catherine McGurk from Glasgow Museums, and Sarah Ward, chief executive of awards sponsor the Giftware Association, who commented that they were impressed with the quality of many of the entries, especially from newer younger companies.
The winners were:
Cards and stationery
Gold – Hole In My Pocket for its calendar
Silver – Cascayde for its eco-friendly paper tape
Bronze – Wee Wishes for its fridge magnet cards
Home & Gift
Gold – Southbeach Design for its felted sheep with Harris Tweed jacket
Silver – Kelso & Titch for its bake at home dog biscuit
Bronze – Och Vegan for its soap
Textiles and Jewellery
Gold – Cath Waters for its 100% silk scarf
Silver – J Boult Designs for its shotgun cartridge keyring
Bronze – Helen Chatterton Textiles for its silk map lavender bags
Launch Gallery
Gold – Fiodh for its whisky watch
Silver – The Shoal for its ceramic fish
Bronze – Eriskay Candles for its rapeseed candles
Organiser Springboard Events acknowledged that visitor attendance was down on previous years, primarily due to the high rate of Covid infection in Scotland, the postponement of the show, and the clash with Mother’s Day, but many exhibitors were glad about the quality of the buyers and enjoyed being able to re-connect with fellow suppliers and see old and new customers in person.
Top: Happy exhibitors – Ron Anstey Design and Pink Pig’s Mabel Forsyth at the SEC
