A highlight of the recent Scotland’s Trade Fair Spring were the Best Product Awards, judged by industry experts Carol Macrae from Eilean Donan Castle; Lynsey Abbott from Buying and Beyond and ex home and gift buyer at Dobbies; Dawn Kane from Scottish Seabird Centre and Sue Marks, Editor of Progressive Gifts & Home magazine/GiftsandHome.net.
The judges commented that the winners all displayed a degree of innovation, good packaging and an understanding of how to produce commercial products.
The full list of 2025 winners are shown below:
Home & Gift
Gold: Jacwicks Designs: Pocket Perch rug
Silver: Anna Campbell Jones x Ocean Plastic Pots: swallow decorations
Bronze: Jackton Art & Gifts: bone china bauble
Wellbeing
Gold: Scribe & Grow: grow candle
Silver: Siabann: Solas reed diffuser and candle set
Bronze: Purple Sage Soap: handmade artisan sustainable soap
Jewellery & Textiles
Gold: Soctopus: socks
Silver: Helen Chalmers: glass pendant
Bronze: Esoteric: Broccoli collection of jewellery
Launch Gallery
Gold: All the Colour: earrings
Silver: UnderSky: education cards on a lanyard
Bronze – Earth.er: utility and rolling bag set
As well as the ordering element, the show had a full programme of talks and panel discussions, offering insight into subjects from digital strategies to trends, as well as tourism ideas and how to become more sustainable.
Show director Mark Saunders commented: “We are aware that retail is tough right now. However, we are in the fortunate position in Scotland of being a popular tourist destination as well as fostering huge talent around the country. Our show punches above its weight in terms of the innovation of exhibitors and attracts buyers from far and wide. The 2025 show demonstrated this with healthy order books, smiling exhibitors and satisfied buyers all returning home after three busy days.”
With a steady flow of buyers throughout the three days, exhibitors networked, wrote orders and made new contacts, making the show a highly successful showcase of Scottish and British gifts, crafts, textiles, jewellery and homewares.
Top: The winner of Scotland Trade Fair Spring’s Jewellery & Textile category was Soctopus. Shown is wholesale manager Fiona Nicholson proudly holding the company’s gold award.
