The Craft & Hobby Association UK releases Intelligence on the CRAFT industry

The Craft & Hobby Association UK (CHA-UK), in collaboration with Immediate Media Co., has produced the 2015 Craft Intelligence Research Report with key insights into the Great British creative and craft market.

The Craft Intelligence Report is designed to help business owners understand the unique and vibrant craft industry. With a market worth an estimated £3.4 billion to the UK economy, the primary objectives of this research was to track the size of the craft sector, craft participation, the stability of craft markets, the difference in hard and soft crafts, and digital engagement.

• The research indicates that 69% of British females in the UK participated in at least one craft in the last 12 months — that’s 18.3 million women
• That 51% of British females have a craft hobby
• The biggest growth in the craft market has been at the younger end, where 73% of 16–34yr olds have participated in a craft in the last 12 months
• 13.5 million women have a craft hobby. That’s 51% of females in the UK
• Craft is on the up — 23% of British females have tried a new craft in the last 12 months. Of these, 6 million women, 43% are aged between 16 and 24.
• Craft spans the generations with the highest participation in the 25–34yr old group and the 65+ group

The study also found that the top five crafts in the UK in 2015 were:

• Knitting
• Cake Decorating / Sugarcraft
• Drawing / Painting
• Sewing
• Card Making

Craig De Souza, Executive Director, CHA-UK states; “We are thrilled to announce the availability of the 2015 Craft Intelligence Research Report, and I am confident that this research will provide valuable insight into factors that will benefit and help business owners become more successful.”

With the craft industry becoming increasingly competitive, it’s important to get ahead now more than ever. Last year’s CHA research seminar showed us that some of the biggest changes and growth in the GB craft market are coming from the younger end of the market. In 2013 64% of GB women aged under 35yrs had crafted in the last 12 months; this rose to 73% in 2015. With this growth comes new challenges for retailers in terms of how to adapt their product lines and marketing to suit this new growing base of crafters.

This year’s research seminar will build on this theme by exploring the younger craft market in more detail. We will look at which crafts younger people are most attracted to? Who younger crafters are? What are their attitudes and behaviour and how do they compare to non-crafters in their age group? What big events are affecting these young crafters lives and how you can tap into this as a retailer? What is the role of technology & social media for this audience and how does this factor into their craft hobbies. The research seminar will not only provide vital and important insight on this fast growing crafting demographic but how to best use this information to help your business.

The research will be presented to CHA members at the CHA-UK’s annual conference, The One Big Show which is taking place at June 25–27, 2016 at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, United Kingdom

Journalists are invited to attend the conference on Monday 27th June to meet key businesses within the craft and hobby industry, see the Intelligence Report and to meet with members of CHA-UK to discuss the importance of craft to the UK economy.

For further information please contact michael.oconnor@greysergeant.com

Editors notes

About The One Big Show

The One Big Show is the CHA-UK’s annual conference for all members and leading businesses in the Craft industry. Held between June 25–27 at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry the event will consist of seminars and talks around;

• The Intelligence Research Report 2015 — key findings
• The Future of Retail and Omni-channel Retailing
• Trade shows and how to maximise them for your business
• Import and exporting

Leading retailers and suppliers will be attending the conference, including;

• Shopping Channel TV companies: Create and Craft TV (headline sponsor), The Craft Channel, Hochanda
• Craft Publishers: Immediate Media, Aceville Publications, Practical Publishing
• Craft Trade Titles: Craft Business, Craft Focus
• Major Brands: Korbond, Deflecto, Crafters Companion, Katy Sue Cake Designs, Premium Art Brand, TomBow, Colart, Altenew, DMC, Fiskars.
• Major Buyers: Hobbycraft, The Range, John Lewis, Amazon, CC Craft

About Craft and Hobby Association UK

The CHA-UK is a not-for-profit organisation with ALL membership fees being pumped directly back into the association to benefit ALL members. The aim is to keep membership fees as affordable as possible with the bonus of members being able to gain access to numerous exclusive benefits. New members will become an essential link in the CHA-UK chain, immediately granted access to the advice and experience of all fellow members worldwide, to free webinars, access to survey results and free up-to-date reports on what’s hot and what’s not. These are the tools essential to helping you not just run but build your business, optimising returns and therefore bringing financial success.

The aim of the CHA-UK is to:

• Unite the UK craft industry
• Grow the craft industry in the UK and help members achieve and maintain success
• Organise a trade association that’s unique to the needs of the UK craft market, governed by the leaders of that industry
• Offer UK-centric benefits to all members
• Offer affordable membership and tangible returns unique to the UK craft industry

More information can be found at www.cha-uk.co.uk/cha-uk-one-big-show