British Olympic diving gold-medalist Tom Daley, who is known for his passion for knitting, signed a deal with Woolmark in October to become a brand ambassador for merino wool, with a line of signature knitting kits planned as part of the agreement. He becomes the latest of a handful of celebrities who have lent their […]
Archive | DIY/Maker
Made by Hand
A number of deals of late have involved limited editions of handcrafted products. The increasing tendency to include handmade products as a component of a licensing program is not a trend that has arisen suddenly. Rather, the strategy has gained strength steadily and rather stealthily over several years. Recent examples cut across a variety of […]
A Home for the Holidays
Gingerbread kits are a perennial category for the holidays each year. Most of the products feature pre-baked cookie pieces in the proper sizes and shapes, as well as frosting, candies for decoration, accessories such as paper character figures, and everything else needed to make a finished gingerbread house or other structure for display. A variety […]
A High Point for Low-Priced Craft Supplies
The arts and crafts segment proved to be one of the beneficiaries of the pandemic-driven stay-at-home era—as measured by increased sales levels—thanks to families looking for things for their kids to do while in isolation and adults using their unexpected leisure time to try a new craft or revisit a hobby they had abandoned. It […]
The Many Facets of Diamond Painting
Modern diamond painting—a craft in which the user applies tiny colored resin “diamonds” to a canvas in a process sometimes described as a hybrid of paint by number and cross stitch—is a relatively new hobby, introduced in 2015 in Asia and brought to the U.S. in 2017. Its fast pace of growth has quickly turned […]
The Art of the Nail
For teens and young adults, the fingernails represent a canvas for social expression. Whether using bright colors and unusual finishes, having each nail a unique color or style, or painting elaborate designs, many young consumers spend significant time and money turning their nails into fashion statements, often sharing the results on social media. The nail […]
Crafting a New Future
Craft and hobby retailers, for the most part, have seen positive sales results during the pandemic, which has spurred consumers to try new DIY pastimes and/or renew their interest in past creative hobbies. Crafts and DIY activities had already been on the upswing for some time before the crisis began, thanks in part to the […]
Artisanal Collaborations
By Karen Raugust on November 9, 2020 in Business models, DIY/Maker, House and home, Lifestyle, Retail
Licensors’ and licensees’ interest in doing business with digital marketplaces has increased significantly in recent years. They are now comfortable, for the most part, with everything from authorizing fans to create user-generated designs incorporating their IP on products sold on platforms such as Redbubble, to opening storefronts on third-party marketplaces like Amazon’s. Etsy is one […]
Hooked on Knitting and Crochet
The knitting and crocheting space represents one of the niche opportunities whose rise can be attributed to the Maker and Urban Craft movements over the past 15 years. Interest in knitting and crocheting has grown among all age groups, particularly millennials and Gen Zs. As a result, a number of properties—from pop culture icons to […]