Industry News
BPMA picks four finalists with Dragon’s Den-style contest T
he British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA) has picked its
four finalists for its Comic Relief Design Challenge after putting them through a Dragon’s Den- style interrogation.
A shortlist of eight companies was invited to the hit BBC show’s set in North London to present their ideas for a brand-new piece of Comic Relief merchandise.
They were given the chance to present them to a panel of BPMA experts and Comic Relief representatives in a Dragon’s Den-style interview with the well-known backdrop of the show. The panel was made up of: Becky Yeoh (Comic Relief), Greg Leaney (Comic Relief), Clive Allcott (DTB) and Melissa Chevin (Globefish Consulting), who collectively brought a wealth of insight, brand expertise and commercial understanding to the evaluation process.
After much deliberation, the eight who attended were whittled down to four finalists: Brand
The shortlisted representatives took to the Dragon’s Den set in North London
Addition, Exceptio, Sycal and Total Merchandise, whose concepts will now progress to the final stage of the competition.
The four businesses to miss out on the final were: Juniper, Wild Thang, Far ‘n’ Beyond, and Bizz Badge. Feedback from the event was positive, with all parties praising the professionalism and enthusiasm shown by all those taking part.
John Howarth from Wild Thang said: “The energy, creativity, and passion in that room was unreal – every pitch was next-level and such a brilliant reminder of the talent we have in our industry.
“A huge thank you to everyone who made the day so special – our fellow pitchers, the production crew, and of course the BPMA and Comic Relief teams. Truly, a day to remember.”
Latvian unicorn print platform rebrands as FYUL P
rintful, Printify, and Snow Commerce have officially rebranded under the single
name FYUL. The move unifies the three companies
Chief people and culture officer Pārsla Baško and CEO Alex Saltonstall raise the Fyul flag above the Latvia HQ
under one identity, reflecting their combined technology, infrastructure, and talent to serve promotional products, merchandise, and e-commerce clients worldwide.
The new brand is designed to streamline operations and strengthen the platform’s global presence, while the individual brands continue to operate within the FYUL ecosystem. The company has also announced plans to consolidate offices and move into an expanded headquarters in Riga, Latvia, called FYUL House, expected to open in early 2026. CEO Alex Saltonstall described the rebrand as a step toward “building a truly integrated platform that simplifies production and distribution for businesses and creators.” FYUL and its new branding were formally announced in early December, with media coverage highlighting the platform’s growth and ambition as a European unicorn company.
| 6 | January 2026
www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64
