NEWS RHS and Dexam announce kitchen textile collaborations F
ollowing a number of successful collaborations
across a wide range of kitchenware since 2020, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has announced two major new collaborations with Dexam, a specialist supplier of kitchen cookware, bakeware and accessories. Launched in August, the new textile ranges – called Birds and Gertrude Jekyll – use designs inspired by artwork from the RHS Lindley Collections, the world’s finest collection of botanical art on high-quality organic cotton to amazing effect. The Birds collection includes an adult apron, a set of two tea towels, double oven gloves and a peg bag. Bringing together modern colours that will brighten up any kitchen and the true beauty of nature, the design of the collection has a stone background, with a heritage- inspired pattern featuring foliage and birds in teal, pink and yellow. The Gertrude Jekyll collection also includes an adult apron, a set of two tea towels, double oven gloves and a peg bag. Its design uses a tile pattern from the marble pavement of the Duomo in Milan contrasted with a floral and leafy spray design, which is reproduced and repeated. Both designs are adapted from the Designs for Carving scrapbook
by the pioneering gardening genius Gertrude Jekyll (1843–1932). Gertrude Jekyll laid the basis for modern garden design and is credited with popularising an informal, naturalistic look in counterpoint to the rigid, formal landscapes of the Victorian era. She created some 400 gardens in the UK, Europe and America and her influence on garden
design continues to this day. Importantly for the RHS, which has a strong sustainability focus,
both ranges are made with organically grown cotton yarn, which makes fewer demands on water, reduces soil erosion and does not use hazardous man-made pesticides. Organic cotton farming helps lock CO2 into the soil, mitigating climate change. It also benefits farmers, who can grow additional crops alongside the cotton, and maintains the biodiversity of the soil.
This is the latest in a number of successful collaborations between the RHS and Dexam. The 2020 Home Grown collection of backpacks, lunch bags, aprons and more was aimed at the children’s market, as was 2022’s fun and playful collection called I Bug You. Adult kitchenware ranges have included Sunflower and a Mistletoe print- based collections.
The 2022 launch of the textile-focused Benary Vegetables kitchenware collection was particularly popular; in fact it led to a significant expansion of the Benary Vegetables collection in May this year, which added stoneware dishes, coasters, placemats, a shopping bag, a tote bag and vegetable bags to the range. Helen Boardman, product manager of Dexam, said: “Following successful launches in 2020, 2022 and this year, we are delighted to be continuing this productive and inspirational collaboration with these two new ranges. It is, as ever, a delight to partner with the RHS, to make use of its wonderful design assets and to support its work. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the UK’s favourite gardening charity.” Cathy Snow, licensing manager at RHS, added: “These two new designs from Dexam perfectly demonstrate the versatility of the artwork held in our historical collections within the Lindley Library and show how that artwork can be used in a bright, colourful and contemporary way. We are delighted with the continued success of our partnership with Dexam and the exceptionally creative way Dexam brings our imagery to its wonderful products.”
Ultimate Products reports record financial performance
U
ltimate Products has announced its trading update for the year ended 31 July, 2023, with unaudited sales up 8%. Group revenue increased 8% to a record £166.3m, up from £154.2m
in 2022, which was driven by exceptional growth in the online division, where revenues were up 64% year-on-year, together with an improved sales mix. Revenue growth for the period was achieved with no overall price inflation, to
keep the company’s branded homeware products at prices which are attractive and affordable to consumers. Growth accelerated as the year progressed with revenues in the second half increasing 15% year-on-year. Simon Showman, chief executive of Ultimate Products, commented: “We
are delighted that our brands continue to resonate so well with our customers, enabling us to deliver strong revenue growth with no overall price inflation. In achieving this, we are making good on our purpose of providing beautiful and competitively priced products to every home.”
4 | August/September 2023
housewareslive.net
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