Show Report - New York International Gift Fair, No. 1

New York International Gift Fair
Jacob Javits Convention Center
New York, NY
Page 2

I didn’t think I’d see stress balls from Guatemala, but that’s the fun of attending a show. You never know what’s down the next aisle.

De La Selva displayed their handmade Mayan crafts, which included stress balls ($56.00 for 30) and juggling balls ($56.00 for 30), two ideal products for corporate clients. The balls are made from cotton and filled with plastic pellets. There’s also aromatherapy stress and juggling balls which housed a soothing fragrance in the center ($64.60 for 30).

Each ball has a solid or printed pattern in many colors. The prints are crocheted in geometric patterns. Some have hearts, and others are crocheted with cat and ladybug faces. I didn’t see a difference between the stress and juggling balls, with the exception of giving a client three (for juggling) versus one (for squeezing).

The balls are also made into a smaller version that’s $63.48 for 40. What a great alternative to the traditional rubber de-stressor.

Other products in the line are purses, key holders, worry dolls, amulets, scarves, incense and bracelets.

I was happy to see Garden Works, a company that sells gardening products and accessories. Sometimes it’s so hard for us to find enough of these items.

I tried the Flower Fresh Lotion ($3.75 for 4 oz.) with aloe vera, beeswax and Vitamin E. The Freesia fragrance was non greasy and very smooth on my hands. Two newly-moistened thumbs up. There are also Orange, Lavender or Rose scents, all packaged in upside-down tubes.

If you have a customer who’s really into gardening, they sell Knee Pals for $12. These knee protectors are green or lavender and resemble football helmets for the knees.

There’s also Sun Dab ($4.25 for 4 oz.), which includes SPF30 for sun protection and can be applied to the face and body. Its lavender scent is said to repel bugs, yet is very light and pleasing to the smell.

Gardener’s Grit is a cornmeal soap ($2.65) available in five fragrances – spearmint, citrus/chamomile, lemon, eucalyptus and lavender. You can smell the cornmeal. Nice scent.

The Gardener’s Gloves are also scented and sold in various sizes and colors with corresponding names such as French Lavender, California Poppy and Baptista Blue. Soil scoopers, tools and dirt tubs are also here.

Kitchen Soap never looked so good until Mangiacotti Florals got hold of it. The attractive, 12 oz. bottle holding yellow detergent ($6.50) rivals the packaging of olive oil. Once you remove the black, corked top, you replace it with an accompanying stem that allows you to dispense the liquid as if you were pouring oil onto a salad, vegetables or meat.

There’s also a corresponding hand soap (bar) sold in singles ($3.75), in a tub ($6.75) or in pairs in a wire holder ($8.50). I like the soap’s packaging – lavender color decorated with large lemons and tied with a yellow ribbon with an oval label in the middle.

Michele, the rep, also showed me the Lavender Hand Soap (liquid) packaged the same as the Kitchen Soap ($6.75 for 12 oz). The corresponding bar (same prices as lemon bar) contains lavender buds.

Kitchen towels ($4.25 for 2) made from pre-shrunk cotton are dyed to match each soap, and each towel contains a cotton hook on one end for hanging. The towels are sold in sets, one lemon and one lavender color.

Lavender linen spray ($5.25), linen water ($5.95), sachets ($6.50-$7.25), bath salts ($4.75), and leather gardening gloves ($7.50) are also available.

Vegetable scrubbers seem to be a big thing today. I guess hand scrubbing just doesn’t cut it. I saw some in Atlanta and came across another line at the Merben International booth.

The top of each scrubber ($3.50) was packaged in clear plastic with a small, elastic cord decorated with a fruit shape to protect it. There’s a handle on each scrubber that’s not protected within the plastic.

Merben also sells body scrubbers made from jute, with ($8.00) or without ($6.00) a handle, as well as other bath accessories (for people, not veges).

I ran out of that pier through the cold, rainy weather and into the New Resources pier.

How could I turn down tasting dips and pepper jellies sold by The Mills Company? As I tried the Spinach Dip ($1.25), Jill, the rep, said there are 10 dips in the line. Spinach was great; lots of body. The Lemon Fruit Dip was light and fruity. Each is contained in a tan-colored pillow pack with a product card tied on with a gold elastic cord. That’s quite a change from the flat, plastic package with header card that we usually see.

The Strawberry Pepper Jelly ($3.10) had a wonderfully mild flavor, and the Peach Pepper Jelly emitted a peachy taste. Yummy. The packaging is a tall, glass jar with gold-colored lid. The labels are pretty in either green or red with squiggly-tan shapes throughout.

It wasn’t out for sampling, but they also sell soups ($3.25), mulling spices ($1.25-$2.35), cornbread mixes ($2.50) and gourmet lemonades ($1.25-$2.25), all in great packaging.

City Yard sells tree growing kits ($4.75) in tubes that act as mini greenhouses. Their herb growing kits ($4.95) only need a spray of water every couple of days to grow. Both kits are in tall-cylinder cans.

The trees are in four styles – sunflower (not a tree, but still available), bonsai, sequoia skyscraper, and Christmas. Herb kits are available in cilantro, parsley, chives and basil. Each kit contains dirt, seeds and growing medium (food) inside each tube.

How about Canned Land? This is grass that grows in a bright green color. It’s packaged in a round, silver container.

These were very practical and seemed great for a person with an apartment and no space for an actual garden, a person who has a garden but wants to grow something on the inside, or to give for a new baby.

As I began to exit the booth, I notice their line of push pins ($2.75 for 12) with daisy tops and three other types of flowers. They also sell a peg board that’s artificial grass instead of cork. It’s about 6 x 6 and is $10 for a case of 3.

Unfortunately, the catalog has to be mailed to me, but they also have a Web site which hopefully provides pictures and a glimpse into the rest of their products.

Pets were well represented back at the main building. I first stopped at Creative Comforts to see their 6 oz. soaps shaped like a dog bone ($4.00). The rep said that each contains citronella and that people can also use the same soap if they want. Hmmm, have to think about that one.

Their treats line is called Bowser Bones ($2.50-$5.00) and Cat Crunchies ($2.50-$5.00). For dogs, the bones are further broken down as Barbequed Squirrels (squirrel shapes - $8.00) and one called “Bite the Hand that Feeds You” (hand shapes - $8.25). Poochie Sushi ($8.25) is nine canine California roll treats packaged three in a row in a plastic container just like sushi.

Mutt Merlot ($7.50) and Kitty Catbernet ($7.50) are treats packaged in wine bottles. There’s also stationery that stated, “Love Me, Love My Dog” and “Love Me, Love My Cat” (each is $7.25 for three tablets). Frames, key holders, dishes, large round beds and holiday stockings are also available.

This is one of more pricey lines, but I hoped to find lower prices as I wandered down the aisles.

New York Show Report Continues -- Page 3

NOTE:
Information in each Show Report provides details on products displayed at trade shows. It does not constitute 1) company or product endorsements or 2) prevailing products or prices.

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