Against a backdrop of high inflation and subdued discretionary spending, visitors to this year’s Reed Gift Fairs Melbourne next month may just find an edge – both in products and retail advice. 

In addition to fostering an environment where brands and genuine buyers can engage about new and popular products that tempt consumers’ wallets, a series of roundtable discussions is planned, along with a raft of new features, including a forum for new and emerging brands making their debut in wholesaling. 

Reed Gift Fairs Melbourne returns to MCEC from August 8 to 12, bringing together buyers and exhibitors across Gift & Lifestyle, Home & Décor, Fashion & Accessories, Kids & Family and Beauty & Wellness. The event connects more than 10,000 independent retailers, designers and stylists with department stores and specialty buyers, featuring both established and emerging brands across Doors 1–8 of the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre. Nearly 500 exhibitors are booked for the event, including returning favourites Splosh Australia, Floral Interiors, Swing Gifts, Bonnie & Neil, Darlin, Elme Living, Florabelle Living, Isalbi Brands, LaVida Trading, and Madras Link.

Making their debut

‘Breakthrough Brands’ is a precinct offering a curated showcase of emerging businesses debuting at the fair, designed to give buyers early access to fresh ideas and rising wholesale talent before they hit the mainstream. In a market where retailers are seeking an edge or exclusivity to their offer, the fair offers an opportunity to assess innovation in a single destination. 

Standout brands include:

Billabong Crafts (Victoria): Unique Australian-designed gifts and souvenirs, headlined by the Melbourne Music Box, a signature piece that combines kinetic storytelling with a sense of local identity. Billabong describes its focus as “emotion-driven souvenirs”, moving buyers away from generic keepsakes toward meaningful, story-led gifts.

Kytons Bakery (SA): A famed South Australian bakery bringing premium baked goods that blend tradition with quality, with year-round and Christmas ranges built for retail and gift hampers.

St Agnes Rituals (Queensland): An award-winning wellness brand debuting its 2024 She-com Product of the Year winner, part of a fast-growing detox ritual category with strong retail margins.

Soapnut Republic (Victoria): Home to what the brand describes as the world’s first soapnut-powered cleaning range, an entirely natural home and personal care solution.

Kashkiya (NSW): Positioned as Australia’s only mother-and-daughter matching-dress label, targeting a high-demand category with a strong average order value.

Breakthrough Brands is the perfect expression of the Reed Gift Fairs Melbourne core mantra: To provide a critical trading platform for independent and specialty retailers, connecting them directly with both established suppliers and emerging Australian brands. 

“The events’ focus remains on enabling genuine buyer-exhibitor relationships and mutual growth across the gift and lifestyle sector,” Cory McCarrick, portfolio director – retail, with the fair, told Inside Retail.

“Independent retailers know the products that make a store stand out rarely come from a catalogue; they come from a conversation on a trade show floor.”

Top trends to watch at the fairs

Beyond the debuting brands, attendees at this year’s Reed Gift Fairs Melbourne will gain insights into key gifting trends in the Australian retail market 

According to The Big Book’s Trend Forecast, compiled by Australian Giftguide’s Marion Gerritsen reporting back from major global trade fairs including Ambiente Frankfurt, Inspired Home Show Chicago, CIFF Guangzhou, and Gifts & Premium/Home InStyle Hong Kong, these are some of the trends buyers can expect to see on the Melbourne floor:

Small-format products: Compact, portable designs (such as mini drinkware) are trending globally, offering easy impulse-buy and gifting appeal.

Squishy, tactile products: Soft, squeezable novelty items are a growing category internationally and popular with younger shoppers.

At-home entertaining: With cost-of-living pressures keeping more consumers hosting at home rather than dining out, quality entertaining pieces are in demand.

Personalised, handcrafted design: Buyers are moving toward individually expressive artist-collaborated accent pieces.

Besides these global trends, the Australian Made Pavilion reflects strong buyer and shopper demand for local provenance, illustrating retailers’ appetite for story-led, screen-free and wellness-driven products. This area of the fair organised in partnership with the Australian Made Campaign, is a new dedicated pavilion for certified Australian Made licensees, making it even easier for retailers to support local. 

“This taps directly into buyer demand for local product, with more than 80 per cent of Australian shoppers reporting they value locally made goods,” McCarrick said. 

Certified licensees include Annabel Trends, Bendigo Pottery, Buttonworks Australia, Olive Oil Skincare Group, and Explore+Engage+Enjoy, alongside more than 60 other local suppliers in the specialty pavilion.

Roundtables for wise advice

In addition to the exhibitors, visitors can attend Retail Roundtables, an interactive session hosted by consultancy partner Retail Life, focused on real conversations and real solutions across key areas of retail. Highlights include: 

Marketing that works: Explore what’s genuinely driving traffic right now, from social media and email to in-store activations and local collaborations. Learn how other retailers are connecting their marketing across channels to create a consistent, compelling brand.

Sales growth and customer experience: Discover simple but effective ways to increase basket size and keep customers coming back. From product placement and bundling to team engagement and store experience – hear what’s making a difference.

Inventory and financial management: Gain insights into smarter buying, stock control, and managing margins. Share ideas on clearing slow-moving stock and uncover practical cost-saving strategies that improve efficiency. Register to attend, then book your seat here. 

An important date

Reed Gift Fairs Melbourne remains one of the most important dates on the retail calendar for buyers looking to discover what’s next in gift and lifestyle. 

“This edition reflects the strength of the independent retail sector and its appetite for fresh, considered product,” said McCarrick.

“Reed Gift Fairs is your opportunity to explore an extensive range of new products and connect directly with the suppliers behind them. Nothing compares to experiencing products in person, seeing the detail, feeling the quality and gaining true confidence in what you’re bringing into your store.

“This is where meaningful conversations happen, relationships are built, and ideas come to life. Connect with credible suppliers and like-minded retailers and grow your business through smarter buying, sharper insights and the inspiration to differentiate and stay ahead.”

So how do past visitors perceive the event? “There’s no substitute for seeing and touching a product in person before it goes on our shelves,” said Brooke, director of Whatever Mudgee. “That’s what keeps us coming back to Reed Gift Fairs every year.”

• Reed Gift Fairs Melbourne will be held from August 8-12 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), Doors 1–8. Read the event guide here. Registered attendees can also access the Life Instyle (incorporating Kids Instyle and First Instyle), running August 6-8 at the Royal Exhibition Building, giving buyers a combined five-day sourcing window across both events.
• Register to attend Reed Gift Fairs Melbourne here.