The move to home working has helped a card and gift retailer double its stationery sales in the last 12 months. Pontefract-based Love Layla has seen sales of pads and pens soar as workers equip their desks.
Stationery sales will top £1m in 2021 with notebooks, pens and personalised mugs proving best sellers. The company aims to capitalise on the trend by launching personalised stationery in the Autumn.
The success of the stationery range has come despite issues sourcing some products from China as global transport difficulties have caused delays and driven up shipping costs.
Commenting on the results, Stacey Dennis, founder of Love Layla, said: “People like to make their home work stations a bit more fun and have scope to buy notepads and pens that are a bit ruder than they’d have in a traditional office. It’s a trend that has helped us through the pandemic, and we are now seeing stationery sales match our cards.
“We are always looking to innovate and bring something new to our customers, and that’s why we’ve invested in the equipment to allow us to personalise a wide range of products. We believe it will be the largest range of personalised products on the market.”
Love Layla’s best selling notebooks include ‘allergic to idiots’ and ‘I work hard so my dog can have a better life’ covers. The most popular pens are ‘always write’ and ‘I don’t hug’.
Stacey Dennis, who runs Love Layla, started her business with £30 cash by printing her designs at home after being made redundant as a graphic designer – and now has a multi-million-pound business, a production warehouse, and a franchise in Australia.
Fans of the brand – named after Stacey’s eight-year-old daughter Layla – include Dragon’s Den entrepreneur Theo Paphitis, former glamour model Katie Price, Made in Chelsea star Georgia Toffolo and Geordie Shore stars Vicky Pattison and Abbie Holborn.
Love Layla’s full range is available online at www.lovelayladesigns.co.uk
