A big Thank You to all who attended and exhibited at this year’s National Stationery Show – I heard from so many of you what a great Show you had! We want to keep that momentum going and, toward that end, Emerald Expositions, the Show’s producer, announced on June 13 that the NSS is moving to a February time slot beginning in 2019, to be co-located with NY NOW (running Sunday, Feb. 3, through Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019) at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in NYC.

Many factors went into making this decision – and we believe this is going to make the NSS an even more successful tradeshow for both buyers and exhibitors. Co-locating the NSS with NY NOW will expose NSS exhibitors to a larger group of gift buyers; and NSS attendees will be able to shop both shows and to stay longer. (NYC hotel rates in February are significantly lower than in May!)

NSS 2019 will be located on Level 1 of the Javits Center and will remain its own unique and separate event. We’ll be adding a new Emerging Designers feature, and will host complimentary Mimosa Mornings and Coffee Cafes to help keep you fresh.

The stationery industry is a special community – a unique village of creative individuals and savvy professionals – where so many of us know one other and are truly passionate about all things paper. I’m looking forward to the new energy this will bring to our businesses and our industry.

Full details will be available on the NSS site soon. In the meantime, I’m happy to address any questions or concerns you might have, and I look forward to seeing you even sooner in 2019!

NSS 2018

1. NSS attendees received swag at the Registration area that included LePen pink-ink pens from Uchida of America, Corp. and “Audrey Hepburn Holly Golightly” enamel pins from The Casey BarberSHOP. Additionally, 400 goody bags were distributed to attendees, which featured product from 52 NSS exhibitors including Arbor Day Foundation, Beer Greetings, Canetti Design Group Inc., Greenmarket Purveying Co., HK Holbein Artist Materials and The Penny Paper Co.

2. New this year was “The Boulevard”: an aisle shared by the NSS and SURTEX that was a hub of activity – with calligraphy lessons provided daily Sunday-Tuesday; a chalkboard “Gratitude Wall” where attendees could jot notes; and a Social Media Lounge that included activities such as book signings, social media flash talks, live sketches and more. Also at The Boulevard was an “Appreciation Station” at which attendees could write and mail messages of gratitude; more than 260 cards were mailed (including 15 going overseas), using cards donated by exhibitors including Ashkahn, Egg Press, Hello!Lucky, Sakura, Avanti and Calypso Cards.

3. This year’s NSS featured nine informative one-hour seminars on topics that included color and design trends, social media and marketing, in-store displays; store expansions, millennial gift shoppers, the future of retail and more; as well as 10 30-minute workshops, with content focused on Business Nuts & Bolts, The Art of Writing, Trends from the Show Floor, plus a special presentation on gratitude by John Israel, aka “Mr. Thank You.”

4. NSS attendees were invited to #PutAStampOnIt at this year’s Show. Attendees could pick up a commemorative box designed by Anna Bond of Rifle Paper Co. and then assemble a collection of specially designed stamps by visiting participating exhibitors as they walked the Show. All of the specialty papers used for the stamps and box were culled from the 3,000+ papers distributed by Legion Paper. Participating companies included Boss Dotty Paper Co.; Colleen Attara Studio; Euni + Co.; Fresh Out of Ink; Ginger P. Designs; Good JuJu Ink; Gotamago; Halifax Paper Hearts; Hester and Cook Design Group; ilootpaperie; Inklings Paperie; Lily & Val; Page Stationery; Paper Bandit Press; Pinky Weber; Pinwheel Print Shop; Smarty Pants Paper Co.; Typoflora; The Imagination Spot; The Regional Assembly of Text; and Up With Paper/UWP Luxe.

5. Attendees of the NSS’s Retail Bus Tour on May 19 braved rain and heavy traffic to visit and shop five amazing NYC stationery stores: Bowne & Co. Stationers, CW Pencil Enterprise, Goods for the Study-McNally Jackson Store, Greenwich Letterpress and Paper Presentation. Tour participants came from Shanghai, India, Peru, Australia, Canada and the U.S.​​

What was the highlight for your company at NSS 2018?

“We enjoyed the way many people and buyers perceived our products as unique and different. We received great feedback and interest from many big retailers that loved our newly launched wholesale collection. We both have a design background; but aside from pursuing beauty and function, we strive to incorporate a differentiating factor into all of our creations. We are very happy to share that our goal was achieved – and in what better place than at the mecca of the stationery world: The National Stationery Show.”

– Blanca & Luisa Prado, Founders & Owners, Label Circus, a Miami, FL-based company whose stationery designs – from pretty florals to whimsical popsicles – make desks prettier and days brighter.

“We had a great show this year! We saw a 40% increase in the amount of our visitors. All of our major retail chain customers came by our booth. The National Stationery Show is the only time of year that we get to see them in New York City.”

– Richard Bernier, Sales and Marketing Director – North America, Lighthouse Publications Inc. based in Fairfield, NJ, which distributes the German stationery brands LEUCHTTURM1917 and Semikolon.

“The NSS is like this big family reunion. You get to hug your designer friends, meet retailers (new and familiar) in person for the first time, and see all of the beauty everyone’s hard work has led to all year. Orders, press opportunities and exploring New York are all absolutely wonderful, but being immersed in that community feeling again was definitely the highlight of NSS 2018 for me. Our industry is so genuinely kind and supportive. It’s a rare and awesome thing to be a part of, and it’s never more evident than when we’re all gathered together at the show.”

– Jessica McSweeney, Owner & Designer, Little Well Paper Co., an Amston, CT-based stationery company that helps people put more love and connection into their worlds through elegant, heartfelt correspondence.

“The NSS was a real success for us this year. We had a great variety of orders from new and repeat customers. One particular highlight from the show would have to be winning two LOUIE Awards, too. We were very excited to win the ‘Christmas/Seasonal Humorous’ category and the ‘Most Humorous’ category with Gemma Correll designs. This equals our record from the LOUIEs last year, where we were lucky to win awards in the Valentine’s Day and Christmas categories!”

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– Mark Callaby, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Ohh Deer, a UK-based company that has been the home of quirky illustration and design-led gifts and stationery since 2011.

Camping

Campers, trailers, tents, campfires, adventure – all are themes appearing as part of the trailblazing “camping” trend that’s so hot this summer. Here are a few of the fun products sporting trailer/van motifs that were seen at the recent National Stationery Show and are sure to make customers happy campers!

Full version of NSS Paperclips can be found here.