)
As part of Spring Fair’s Love Letters to Retail, we’re celebrating the people, passion and creativity that make the retail industry so special. From independent businesses and emerging brands to the people helping others find their feet, every story offers a different perspective on what makes retail worth falling in love with.
In this letter, Adriana, Founder of Greetings Lab, shares why supporting emerging creative talent is so important to her, how Spring Fair is helping the next generation of greeting card publishers grow, and why retailers play such an important role in keeping creativity alive.
1. Why do you partner with Spring Fair?
Spring Fair has always been such an important event for the greeting card industry, and for me, it’s about so much more than just buying and selling products. It’s about discovering new talent, building relationships and creating opportunities.
One of the biggest reasons I founded Greetings Lab was to help bridge the gap between emerging creatives and the wider greeting card industry. There is so much incredible creative talent out there, but getting your foot in the door, understanding wholesale and finding the confidence to exhibit at a major trade show can be incredibly daunting.
Our partnership with Spring Fair gives us the opportunity to change that. Together, we’re creating a platform where independent publishers, illustrators and emerging brands can access the knowledge, connections and visibility they need to grow sustainable businesses.
For me, it’s about making the industry more accessible, supporting the next generation of publishers and ensuring that fresh, exciting talent continues to find its way onto retail shelves.
2. What are you most excited for at Spring Fair in 2027?
Without a doubt, seeing our Greetings Lab members exhibiting!
We’ve spent the last year supporting so many talented creatives, some of whom have gone from having an idea or a collection of illustrations to developing a fully fledged greeting card business.
To now see so many of them preparing to launch or exhibit at Spring Fair 2027 is incredibly rewarding. We’ve also had several members secure their first licensing deals, including designs selected for major retailers such as John Lewis.
I’m particularly excited about the Greetings Lab Launch Pad and Lab Lane. Together, they create a really exciting pathway for emerging publishers.
The Launch Pad is all about giving new publishers that first opportunity to exhibit at a major trade show, while Lab Lane is the natural next step for brands that are ready to grow their wholesale presence and take their businesses to the next level.
I love that we’re not just helping people get started, but creating opportunities for them to continue growing.
I can’t wait to see buyers discovering these brands, making connections and hopefully placing those all-important first orders!
3. What can buyers expect from the brands exhibiting within the Launch Pad area and Lab Lane?
Fresh ideas, original designs and some incredibly exciting emerging talent!
One of the things I love most about working with independent publishers is the diversity of creativity. Every brand has its own story, personality and point of difference.
The Greetings Lab Launch Pad is where buyers can discover the next generation of greeting card publishers. These are exciting new brands, many exhibiting at a major trade show for the very first time, bringing fresh collections, original illustrations and new perspectives to the industry.
Lab Lane is the next step on that journey. It’s designed for emerging publishers who have already taken those first steps and are now ready to grow, expand their retail presence and build stronger wholesale relationships.
We’ve created Lab Lane with a shopfront concept, almost like a little shopping street, where each brand has its own individual space and identity. It’s about giving these growing businesses a professional platform to showcase their collections and really stand out to buyers.
What makes both areas particularly special is that these brands aren’t just creatively talented. Through Greetings Lab, we’re helping them develop the commercial knowledge and confidence to succeed in wholesale, from pricing and production to understanding retailers and building long-term relationships.
For buyers, it’s an opportunity to discover brands at different stages of their journey, support emerging talent and find something genuinely new for their shelves.
I’d love buyers to visit both areas and perhaps discover a brand on the Launch Pad this year, then come back and see how far they’ve grown on Lab Lane in the future. That’s exactly the kind of progression we’re trying to create.
4. What’s your top tip for buyers visiting the show for the first time?
Be curious, and don’t just stick to the brands you already know!
Of course, it’s important to visit your existing suppliers, but some of the most exciting discoveries at a trade show happen when you wander down an aisle you hadn’t planned to visit.
Take the time to speak to independent publishers, ask about their stories and look beyond the established names.
You might discover a brand that becomes your next bestseller!
I’d also encourage buyers not to underestimate smaller brands. Independent publishers often bring something really special to retail, whether that’s originality, a unique design style or a story that genuinely connects with customers.
And my biggest tip? Build relationships. The greeting card industry is an incredibly supportive community, and the conversations you have at Spring Fair can turn into partnerships that last for years.
5. Your Love Letter to Retail
Dear Retail,
Thank you for giving creativity a place to belong.
For every greeting card sitting on a shop shelf, there’s an artist, an illustrator, a publisher or a small business owner who has poured their heart into creating something that will make somebody smile, laugh, feel loved or feel a little less alone.
And it’s retailers who give those creations the opportunity to reach people.
I think sometimes we forget just how important that is.
A greeting card might be a relatively small purchase, but the sentiment behind it can mean absolutely everything.
To the independent retailers who take a chance on a new publisher, the buyers who champion emerging talent and the shops that continue to make space for beautiful, original design, thank you.
You are helping to keep creativity alive, supporting small businesses and ensuring that the simple act of sending a greeting card continues for generations to come.
My hope is that we continue to build an industry where established brands and emerging creatives can thrive alongside one another, where retailers feel excited to discover something new and where great design, whatever its origins, has the opportunity to succeed.
With love,
Adriana
Founder, Greetings Lab
If you like what you've seen here, why not join us in person for the retail event of the season? Spring Fair runs from 7-10 February 2027 at the NEC, Birmingham. Register for free here, and join our newsletter for the latest updates before the show.