Straight from Dallas Market: 7 Trends Our Editors Are Tracking

It’s been a busy week in Dallas, to say the least. On the heels of Gifts & Decorative Accessories’ 75th annual Retailer Excellence Awards ceremony, the edit team hit the ground running, searching Dallas Market Center for new products and any emerging trends. A few new themes caught our editors’ eyes, from the resurgence of monogrammed initials to creative charm expansions. Read more about the trends below and consider sourcing a few of the themed gifts to catch customers’ attention.

Monogrammed Initials

There’s nothing more classic than an initial on letterhead or monogrammed hand towels, but the style seems to be experiencing an extra boost in popularity. Paper napkins with decorative initials, letter charms for necklaces or bracelets, trendy bags with an embroidered initial, and other products donning a stylish letter are popping up on showroom shelves. As customers look for traditional holiday goods and accessories with timeless appeal, we think the letter trend has serious legs.

Holiday Plush Characters

We first noticed Mud Pie‘s adorable plush Christmas tree and nutcrackers, but soon realized there are actually a few manufacturers that have caught on to this emerging holiday trend — and we are here for it! From Design Imports’ plush gingerbread houses to Mary Meyer’s plush holiday taggies and festive penguins, holiday plush is making a splash in the seasonal category. Appealing to adults and kids alike, the cuddly characters with personality are helping to make the season a little brighter.

Frozen Cocktail Mixes

We wrote about the popularity of cocktail mixes a couple of years ago, but the category has only continued to expand. With more makers investing in the product idea, we’ve seen the number of flavor profiles and clever packaging explode. It seems frozen cocktail mixes are the latest expansion and have taken the market scene by storm. The flavors aren’t just limited to summertime themes either. Our team saw everything from mulled wine to pumpkin spice martinis to classic mojitos. Lieutenant Blender’s Frozen Sangria, D’Marie’s Frozen Blackberry Bourbon Smash and Noble Mick’s Boozy Shakes were our favorite samples from market.

The Porch Goose

The Porch Goose is not a new concept. In fact, it has been around as a lawn and porch ornament since the 1950s, with the height of its popularity hitting in the 1980s. But this spunky bird is experiencing an unexpected surge in popularity. From Transpac‘s plush porch goose with seasonal outfits to Roman’s new window-sill porch goose miniatures in a variety of looks, this charming character is adding a touch of whimsy to consumers’ homes.

Charm Accessories and Expansions

Charms are still here to stay, but they’ve been getting an upgrade. No longer reserved for jewelry, the charm craze has entered into the bath and body category, the plush category and general giftables. From Douglas, Bukowski Bears and Mary Meyer plush charms to Mixologie’s keychain roll-on perfumes, accessories that can be clipped to a purse, bookbag, lunchbag and more are trending in a big way.

Baby-Sized Bottles

The oversized Stanley Cup craze might have finally cooled down, and now product designers are hoping the other end of the spectrum will capture just as much attention. The Darling Effect, Zoofiesta and a couple of other showrooms were showing off “baby bottles,” or rather 6 oz. insulated bottles, perfect for carrying an espresso, a small refreshing beverage or even a child’s drink.

Squishy Bestsellers

Likely, almost everyone is aware of the insane popularity of Needoh, so much in fact that Schylling had QR codes for an order-writing wait list posted in its Dallas showroom. If it’s one thing we can learn from this latest sensation, it’s that customers, young and old, are loving the tactile experience of soft, squishy toys. With the insane popularity (and scarcity) of Needoh, we kept our eyes peeled for other squishy toys at market.