Curtains Up on our 1st Trade Show!
About three months ago, Niall and I decided it was time to expand and grow our business by exhibiting at a trade show… and wow, there are a lot to choose from.
After a bit of research, we landed on Source Fashion - a biannual show focused mainly on manufacturers and fabric suppliers. It felt like the perfect first platform for us. So we signed up, secured a spot on a panel (more on that later), and got to work.
Cue the website updates, banner and flyer designs, sourcing free gifts (because who doesn’t love a tote and a pen!?), and pulling everything together in about four weeks.
A fab little local printer Rockwell Printers sorted our banners and printables, while Not Just Bags - UK supplier based on the south coast - produced our branded totes. But we also wanted to offer something a bit more unique than the usual giveaways, so we settled on a button gauge: super useful, surprisingly hard to find, and totally on-brand.
The finished banners!
So hard to find, in fact, that I ended up firing up my 3D printer. After a few test runs and some fiddling in Shapr3D, I had a usable, branded button caliper. They may not be perfect, but they work - and they’re in our teal colour too!
Branded tote bag, pen, sticky notes, button caliper with conversion chart & a flyer!
What We Learned from the Show
The three days at Source Fashion were a brilliant learning experience. Here are a few takeaways we’ll carry into our next event:
Location matters: Our stand was right next to the main stage. Great for listening in on the panel discussions… less great when the fashion show kicked off (three times a day!) and drowned out everything else. Next time, we’ll aim for a quieter spot.
Swap details, not just give them: We met loads of great people and handed out our contact info - but didn’t always get theirs in return. Lesson learned: don’t be shy about asking for business cards or details.
Be generous early: The bags were a hit, but we were a bit stingy on day one. Next time, we’ll be more liberal - seeing people walk around with our branded tote is excellent advertising.
Josh & Niall - set up and ready for Day 1
All in all, the show was a success. We’ve already welcomed a couple of new clients thanks to the connections we made, and we’re now exploring other events that align with what we offer.
The highlight? Niall’s turn on the main stage - a fireside chat hosted by Nicole Higgins, retail consultant, strategist, podcast host, and speaker.
Nicol Higgins, Gerrard Fisher & Niall Maplesden
The topic: How to get ahead on EPR compliance.
The panel featured The Knowledge Nexus’ own Niall Maplesden alongside Gerard Fisher, CEO of WEFT.
The discussion summary on EPR & Textiles: What You Need to Know
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a system where producers pay a fee at the point of sale to fund the future collection, sorting, and recycling of their products. It’s already in place for packaging, batteries, and electricals—and now textiles are next in line, especially across Europe.
UK vs. EU: A Split Path
While Europe is moving ahead with textile EPR schemes, the UK is lagging. There’s no clear timeline for implementation, and opinions differ on whether it’ll happen under the current government.
It’s Not Just “Another Cost”
EPR doesn’t create new costs - it redistributes existing ones. As Gerard Fischer puts it, we’re already paying to manage waste; EPR simply shifts some of that responsibility to the brand.
Data Is Power
To prepare, brands should start collecting product-level data: materials, manufacturing, and lifecycle info. This supports both EPR compliance and the upcoming Digital Product Passport (DPP), which will require transparent product data.
Design for Circularity
Brands can reduce EPR fees by designing products that last longer, are easier to repair, and can be recycled. Circular design isn’t just ethical - it’s strategic.
Consumers Want Transparency
Shoppers - especially younger ones - want environmental info at point of sale. Think traffic-light labels, lifecycle data, and clear sustainability claims.
Practical & Legal Challenges
From scanning issues with dark fabrics to hefty fines for non-compliance (like the $14M case in France), the panel made it clear: brands need to stay informed, proactive, and engaged with policy.
The Bottom line: Textile EPR is coming. Smart brands will prepare now - by gathering data, designing responsibly, and staying ahead of the curve.
You can find the video of the discussion on our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCI23tHhH4o
Please excuse the non-professional quality – this was taken on my phone! Next time I will take proper equipment!!!
If you want a chat about EPR or DPP, please drop us a line or book an initial consultation with Niall (https://calendly.com/niall-theknowledgenexus/30min)
or myself (https://calendly.com/josh-theknowledgenexus/30min)
