Unfortunately Kiddysmart Ltd will not be exhibiting at the Cologne, Kind Und Jugend trade fair this year but they are visiting from Saturday 15th September – Sunday 16th September. If you would like to arrange a meeting with Darrel then please contact him on the number below...

This issue we're concentrating on Kind und Jugend in Cologne. This is probably the world's biggest nursery fair. It is spread over two floors of two Halls in the Messe so you'll certainly need your comfy shoes for this one! More details on page 14. Next month, we'll be focusing on BPA Baby & Child so if you're exhibiting you'll want to make sure visitors know all about you. Now is the time to get on the phone to Caroline (01622 699149) and get your advertising space booked! That's if there's any left!

With only a few weeks to go until this year's BPA Baby & Child, the organisers have been busy updating the website and categorising exhibitors by their market sectors so enabling visitors to plan their days at the show. Visitors to www.babyandchildfair.co.uk using the category facility will notice that more than any other year there will be green streak prevalent at the show.

Following a very successful exhibition in March bookings are at record levels for this time of the year so far there are just over a hundred companies who have reserved stands for the 2008 exhibition. The take up of space from the exhibitors who exhibited at the 2007 show was so great that Halls A, B, C and M were full by the middle of July and this has never happened in all the years I have been involved with the Harrogate Nursery Fair.

The brand new iCandy Pear shown to retailers earlier this year where it was hailed as the sensation of 2007 is about to live up to that title. The latest addition to the innovative and stylish iCandy range will be launched to the public this autumn as part of our ongoing and now increased consumer advertising campaign.

Award winning cotton nappy company Bambino Mio have received yet another consumer award. The August issue of Practical Parenting Magazine featured real nappy product testing.

Following extensive refurbishment, Chiggs are delighted to announce the relaunch of their website www.chiggs.co.uk . The site has been redesigned to include Chiggs' latest innovation the Get Well Wheel.

Wilkinet is launching its brand new brown denim fair-trade organic baby carrier into Europe for the first time, using fabric woven by weavers from an Indian fairtrade co-operative. The cotton is woven and dyed in Southern India and is specially made for Wilkinet by a family who also run a goat farm. Without the money from the weaving the family would find it difficult to survive.

The lease held by Rochingham's parent company Recticel Ltd. on the Faversham site is not being renewed, and therefore, the Rochingham business, will, over the coming few months, transfer to the Recticel Midlands site at Alfreton, Derbyshire. Continuity of manufacturing and supply to all customers is assured during this transitional period.

Buggysnuggle are approaching their 10th year in business with some major changes to the company. The company has just taken on additional warehouse space adjacent to their existing offices to cope with the growing demand and the new season's range which will be on show at the BPA Baby & Child show in October.

Rapidly expanding baby bathtime company Cuddledry Ltd. is pleased to announce its link up with national charity Child Accident Prevention Trust. With UK parents concerned they receive little health professional guidance in bathing newborns, the safety side of the award-winning Cuddledry baby bath towel is proving to be one of its key selling points.

At the 2007 International Show, held earlier this year in Orlando, Florida, JPMA proudly donated all proceeds from the Industry Party, as well as product at the completion of the Show, to Kids In Distressed Situations, Inc. (K.I.D.S.). K.I.D.S. is a national charity that distributes donated juvenile products, clothes, toys, shoes, books, and other products through a network of more than 1,000 non-profit community organisations.

Silver Cross, Maclaren and Mothercare have all made it into the top 500 UK brands, ranking at 227, 255 and 297 respectively. Independent researchers use a wide range of sources to compile a list of the UK's leading brands.

With her upcoming paternity battle, Mel B is making sure that she lives up to her Scary Spice image by requesting a personalised leopard print pushchair for new daughter Angel. The chosen buggy is the super stylish Mobi from fashion focused brand Cosatto, which already has a host of celebrity followers including Davina McCall, Amanda Holden and Spice Girl pal Geri Halliwell. Mel contacted the company and asked if they could design a leopard print version just for her.

This September marks the 24th anniversary of Baby Safety Month, sponsored annually by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA). This year, JPMA is helping get parents and caregivers 'Out & About With Baby' by providing valuable information for keeping baby safe outside of the home.

If a pregnant mother is involved in a car crash, there's a 40 to 50 per cent chance of her having a miscarriage if she suffers from serious injuries. Even if the crash or injuries are minor, there's still up to a five per cent risk, according to www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk.

The July issue of Which? contained a report on nappies. Focusing mainly on disposables, they found that although Pampers and Huggies control 80% of this market, the best buys were Pampers Baby Dry followed by Asda's George Baby Comfort Dry.

The cry from every retailer, big or small, is to have something different. Something that they'll have to buy from you because no one else has it. The rise of the internet has made this more difficult, but on the other hand it has also meant a bigger market for those who have unusual products.

Q - When and where were you born?
A - I was born in Huntingdon during the heat wave summer of 1976.

Q - Education? Qualifications?
A - I attended Tavistock College in Devon and received a BA Hons in European Business & French. I also spent a fantastic year studying in Liege, Belgium for my third year.

Colour influences us in so many ways. Wearing a particular colour can say so much about you. Bright red for dominant people, pastel shades for the meek? Colours that are at the cutting edge of fashion say you’re ‘in’; last year’s shades say you’re out of touch!

At every trade exhibition there are always a number of new faces, just starting out on the long journey to making a successful company in the nursery industry. Many will fall by the wayside, giving up for a number of reasons; a few will make it to the 'big time'. So what is it that makes the difference? Why do some succeed while others fail? Is having a good product enough? What else is important?

Cathy Bryan spoke to five companies who started at the beginning and have grown substantial businesses.

I always enjoy going to Cologne; not that I've seen very much of the city in the many years I've been visiting. Kind und Jugend has been growing so much. This year sees the biggest ever Kind und Jugend with over 700 exhibitors from over 40 different countries. With so much to see, you'll need both time and a comfortable pair of shoes!

Graco will offer retailers the chance to preview its forthcoming 2008 product collection during Kind Und Jugend at Cologne. Visitors will be given the opportunity to view and provide feedback on a host of new designs and products, whilst key members of the Graco team will be on hand to answer questions and provide an insight into Graco's exciting plans for the year ahead.

Launched just ten months ago the original Cuddledry® baby apron bath towel has seen a sensational response and high volume sales in the UK. Already winning national awards, this luxurious organic towel uses a clever design to ensure you have both hands free to safely lift your baby from the bath, and keeps you dry at the same time.

Due to the huge success of TOLO® Baby in the last year, the company will be launching a brand new, innovative and co-ordinated range to excite the senses. All will be revealed at Cologne 2007.

TOLO® Baby offers the ultimate baby gift for a new born or special occasion. Already widely acclaimed and receiving global recognition, this beautiful range encompasses all that TOLO® is famous for - not least the superior quality and design.

OiOi® and Outlook® have had an incredible year so we're celebrating by giving them the showcase they deserve at this year's Kind und Jugend.

The brainchild of Australian handbag designer Lisa Bennetts, OiOi bags are cool, contemporary and sophisticated, keeping pace with the latest catwalk trends. Come and see the latest Herringbone Tweeds, the sensational Black Patent Carry All with leopard print lining and this season's stunning new Red Vintage range.

When Inglesina created their new M'home range of interior designed products for babies they first listened to those in the know: a panel of experts, comprising parents and some of the top names in Italian interior design, were asked to test and critique a selection of the most popular products on the market.

The autumn's two trade shows will see the debut of Swiss manufacturer BIBI making their range of feeding products available to UK retailers for the first time.

Now more than ever, the need for child safety harness is ever increasing. The 2-in-1 Harness Buddy is not only a harness but also a backpack and a friend to any toddler. With its unique and likeable features, the toddler enjoys the harness as a cuddly buddy and is therefore more inclined to wear the harness than any other harness.

With the new child car safety seat legislation well and truly established more people are using car seats for longer, but with the unfortunate effect of creating more damage to the cars upholstery.

Sunshine Kids have a range of under seat mats to suit all situations. Grip-It will help to keep child car seats in a static position, its full seat design and super gripping top and bottom surface will also help prevent seats from sliding.

Prince Lionheart is pleased to announce that Silkie™, the natural bonding aid between parent and Baby, will be available in a twin pack this July! The release of the twin Pack is a result of an overwhelmingly popular response to the Silkie™ which has become a child's favourite source of comfort.

Bambinex bamboo nappies were unleashed last year and have received exceptional feedback and sales are soaring.

Each fitted nappy has been designed for a leak proof, comfortable fit, made from Bamboo, they are very thirsty, antibacterial and super slim. No wonder we have a lot to shout about.

With an extensive product range of original designs Splash About never compromise on quality, and invest in continuous product development. Constant stock levels ensure fast delivery, backed up by excellent customer support.

With over 80 UK retailers and plans to increase the number of international distributors, Little Helper is continuing to make an impression on the nursery industry. With a marketing campaign targeting over 6.5m consumers in the run up to Christmas, Little Helper is set to make an even bigger impression.

At TotsBots we have revolutionised the washable nappy market with our two-piece shaped nappy system. Their ease of use and exceptional performance has seen our company grow and grow in the last six years.

All Taggies™ comforters, blankets, bootees, books and toys are edged with colourful, textured ribbons that babies just love! Taggies are one of the best-selling baby accessory ranges in today's nursery market! We'll be showing the very latest Taggies products at Kind und Jugend.

gro-group® will be making its debut appearance at Kind + Jugend this year to present their new range of products to its expanding international market. gro-group® will be launching the Time Out Pad™ - a pressure sensitive mat with built-in timer for consistent and effective time-outs. The product is backed with an extensive media campaign to include TV advertising on Channel 4 this autumn.

Sunshine Kids is well established as the leading manufacturer of car seat accessories, offering retailers profitable add-on sales opportunities. On display in Cologne will be the whole product range which will include the following products.

The Bébé Confort Axiss is the result of four years of development by Dorel, and will be one of the main focuses at this year's K&J in Cologne. The Axiss reinvents the way of seating a child in a car seat, which the average parent does 7,664 times over three-and-a-half years, lifting a total weight of 92 tons!

On the move there is our new lightweight Baby Carrier and when on arrival at destination the Tippitoes Travel Cot. At home there are several useful items for the house; joining our Musical Potty is our standard Potty in attractive blue and pink. For mealtime is a Feeding Tray with fork and spoon in co-ordinating colours. Later you can wash baby in our classic design white Bath with blue or pink trimmings.

In its first showing at the Kind + Jugend 2007 (Hall 11.2, Stand C29), Yes! SuperBaby will present its revolutionary new range of “wearable playtime accessories”. Discover the excitement of the new Yes! SuperBaby Collection. Between toys and clothes, Yes! SuperBaby is launching a new concept in baby development.

In many aspects of retailing, the brand is king. When it comes to choosing furniture it's much more about style and less about the name. Many online retailers have clearly realised this and now categorise nursery furniture by colour or price although a few do still give brand name as the first filter.

Bambino Merino have created a luxurious range of natural baby wear and baby sleeping bags made in New Zealand from the finest merino wool, an ecological, pure fabric. Lightweight and silky soft, merino wool is perfectly suited to wearing next to delicate skin.

Oomo is an exciting new brand that makes innovative, beautifully designed products to make life easier for today's busy parents.

Every kilo counts when you're travelling and most bassinette travel cots use cumbersome metal poles to fix the bassinette in place.

The latest range of co-ordinating nursery furniture to be launched by East Coast Nursery Ltd, the Havana, consists of a Cot Bed, a Dresser and a Wardrobe. Made in solid pine with a birch effect finish, all of the furniture items including the shelves are solid wood, unlike other ranges on the market that use MDF.

Kids Line's mission is to bring to life inspired designs that enhance the beauty and enjoyment of children's nurseries and bedrooms. With innovation and creativity, safety and comfort in mind our designs provide the perfect place for infants to sleep, grow, and treasure the first memories and experiences of childhood.

The Carre range from Bebecar, is a striking combination of modern lines, predominantly in white, with a contrasting trim in very dark cocoa.

So, you've been thinking about hiring a mural artist to decorate your baby's nursery, but with a hefty price tag you're left wondering what to do. Well, FunToSee -The Sticker Company, has come up with a brilliant, affordable alternative.

When my kids were born, the hospital staff had time to explain how to bath a baby. These days, there is much anecdotal evidence which suggests that this is not happening these days. Websites such as Babyworld and BabyCentre all have detailed explanations of how to bath baby. Less internet savvy mums are muddling through. It is clear that many mums don't really know what it is they need.

Hippychick's Clevamama Baby Bath Towel is perfect for newborns and toddlers alike. It is extra large (1040mm by 965mm) and is designed to fasten around the parent's neck like an apron. It allows them to safely lift their child out of the bath with two hands keeping their clothes dry at the same time!

With an ever-growing demand for natural and organic products, there has never been a better time to introduce 'green' products to customers. The award-winning 'EARTH FRIENDLY BABY' range has mild and gentle products which look extremely cute and include Organic Lavender, Chamomile and Mandarin aromas of bodywashes and bubblebaths.

Splashing around at bathtime is lots of fun with TOLO® from John Crane Ltd, with some exciting new toys for the tub. Proving to be a firm floating favourite is the Bathtime Fishing Boat with its friendly fisherman safely aboard.

Flair knows that bath time can be one of the most precious play times with baby and their Sassy range of toys and infant accessories ensure time in the tub means more than just getting clean.

The First Years has been providing families with fun, bathtime solutions for generations. Now, along with practical old favourites like the ever popular Winnie the Pooh Baby Bather, Soft Ducky and Friendly Floatees, its Disney Finding Nemo range is sure to delight.

Clearly Herbal Wipes are clearly better for business! In less than a year our natural wipes, which are not only kind to baby but also for the environment, are being sold in independent nursery stores across the country.

Alongside baby baths, bath thermometers and bath splats, East Coast Nursery Ltd also offer a great new range of Bathtime toys ranging from the traditional to the innovative. A set of three rubber ducks comes in its own net bag, while the Fun Time Fishing set, has a fishing rod, five fishes, and a useful net bag with a handle, so that water can drain out after bathtime.

Bathing a young baby can be a daunting experience for new parents - Tigex® makes it easier. Take their multi awardwinning Bath Support - ergonomically shaped to safely and comfortably hold a baby (0-8 months) in a semireclined position, it leaves parents' hands free to wash and play with their baby and it spares their back.

The Summer Infant Baby Bather, one of the best-selling lines in Summer Infant's extensive bath range, is now available in pink! Unlike most baths made of hard plastic, it offers softness, the soft fabric sling conforming to babies and cradling newborns.

I believe it was the Jesuits who claimed that 'give them a child until he was seven and they would give you the man'. What they had clearly grasped is that what a child learns at an early age stays with them for the rest of their lives. The earlier a child begins to learn, the more it will be able to learn in later years.

Children will be doing loop the loops with excitement when they get their hands on the brand new play range from nursery furniture specialists, Early Years Direct. Guaranteed to be a hit with the kids, the range is made up of four activity stations including three tables - Monster Mountain, Finger Fun, and Spaghetti Legs - and a wall mounted Wilbur Wall Panel.

This stylish bookcase is great for kids as it displays book covers outwardly, helping little hands select their choices easily. 3D touchable coloured letters add a decorative feel and aids alphabet learning at the same time. The Tidy Books Bookcase is a durable, practical product, made out of quality beech wood from sustainable sources.

As the leading UK distributor of developmental nursery toys, East Coast Nursery Ltd have a wide range of early learning toys, designed to encourage learning through play.

The Chicco Talking Driver is part of the award winning and popular bilingual educational pre-school toy line. Suitable from twelve months, Talking Driver is full of sounds, words, numbers one to ten and melodies. Based on the classic driving theme, the dashboard features a steering wheel with horn, gear lever, mirror, indicators, accelerator, brake and fuel filler cap.

Beautiful and colourful to look at, and featuring an enticing array of textures and sounds, Latitude Enfant's outstanding early learning collection has been exquisitely designed and developed to delight, entertain and stimulate young children.