Plush toy specialist Aurora World will spotlight its sustainable Eco Nation range at the TFWA World Exhibition & Conference, scheduled to take place in Cannes in October.
The company said its decision to attend the exhibition comes on the back of “promising recovery” in its travel retail business, particularly in Europe through increased holiday traffic.
Aurora World also noted “one of the best July sales performances ever”, fuelled by a high demand in domestic markets in the UK, Europe and the USA.
“It has been an incredibly challenging 18 months and we are nowhere near back to 2019 levels as yet, but orders are now coming in from our travel retail partners and sell-through is encouraging,” said Aurora Head of Travel Retail Garry Stoner.
“For us, it is key to keep that momentum going and TFWA World Exhibition & Conference is an essential date in the diary for showcasing our new collections and discussing promotional concepts with customers.”
As reported, Aurora World launched Eco Nation last year. The collection is made from 100% recycled and natural materials, including recycled PET bottles. Interestingly, it takes 8 x 500 ml PET bottles to manufacture one plush toy.
Eco Nation tags are also made from recycled materials.
According to Aurora World, Eco Nation products have been listed in over 200 travel retail locations globally.
The company pointed out that while many recycled plush products can be rougher in texture, Eco Nation has refined its production process to keep a smooth and gentle feeling to each item. Eco Nation was a finalist in the plush category of Toy of the Year 2021.
“We are very excited to be returning to Cannes this year with our Eco Nation range,” Stoner said. “We will also be announcing some exciting new brand partnerships, and I personally am looking forward to finally reconnecting with the trade in-person as we start to rebuild our business.”
