Craft, Hobby + Stitch International 2025
Arts & Crafts Hobbies Handicraft Miscellaneous
Birmingham, UK
23-24 Feb 2025
Organizer:
ICHF Events
Venue:
The NEC Birmingham
Frequency:
1 year
Event website:
Craft, Hobby + Stitch International
The UK's leading creative craft industry event
The Craft, Hobby + Stitches International prides itself on being the largest craft show in the UK and lives up to its reputation for its extensive product portfolio. The international trade fair – often shortened to CHSI or CHSI Stitches, was founded in 1980. It has been active for over 40 years now, which establishes its further importance on the scene as a stable procurement platform for local and foreign companies to meet respective buyers and distributors. The product portfolio is quite impressive, as it features the entire value chain. This includes crayons, markers, coloured pencils, oil pastels, yarn, craft felt, watercolours, tempera paint, acrylic paint, chalk, fabric scraps, muslin, wool felt, scrap wood, clay, foil, dough, glitter, glue, paper supplies, brushes, and beading. CHSI serves as a potent launch pad for your products, growing your network of professional contacts and learning what’s new in your sector.
Craft, Hobby + Stitch International 2025
The 2025 edition of Craft, Hobby + Stitch International's will be hosted on 23.02.2025 to 24.02.2025 at NEC Birmingham. The format of the event is face-to-face, and attendees will be highly encouraged to wear face masks in areas such as the exhibition halls. Currently, the UK does not have travel restrictions in place.
Accommodation
Book hotels for CHSI at the right price without the hours spent researching deals in Birmingham, UK – Trade Fair Trips ltd does that for you in a matter of hours. Over the years, we’ve grown our database of hotels, hostels, and apartments in Birmingham in order to service clients at both ends of the price spectrum. Whether you wish for an economy option or a high-end experience, Trade Fair Trips ltd locates the top hotel rates on the market and tailors your online hotel booking for Craft, Hobby + Stitches International to your specific needs. Trade Fair Trips Ltd does much more than just arrange for your hotel stay. Clients also come to us to book meeting facilities in advance for more efficient networking. Another service, we also specialize in the construction of fair stands. Planning your business trip has become the easiest part of your visit with Trade Fair Trips ltd!
On foot:
20 minutes when travelling from Birmingham Airport
Not advisable when travelling from Birmingham New Street station
By car:
5 minutes when travelling from Birmingham Airport
20 minutes when travelling from Birmingham New Street station
By public transport:
Unnecessary when travelling from Birmingham Airport because of proximity
60 minutes when travelling from Birmingham New Street station
Hotels near Craft, Hobby + Stitch International
| Hotel | Stars | Distance to fair | City | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Premier Inn Birmingham NEC/Airport | 1.9 | Birmingham | on request | Request | |
|
Campanile Hotel - Birmingham | 15.8 | Birmingham | on request | Request | |
|
Sparkle Hotel | 22.3 | Birmingham | on request | Request | |
|
Best Western Stafford M6/J14 Tillington Hall Hotel | 56.1 | Stafford | on request | Request | |
| Sure Hotel by Best Western Birmingham South | 10.5 | Birmingham | on request | Request | ||
|
Hampton by Hilton Birmingham Jewellery Quarter | 16.8 | Birmingham | on request | Request | |
|
Gilbert Homestay | Coventry | on request | Request | ||
|
Premiere Classe Coventry | Coventry | on request | Request | ||
|
Ye Olde Station Guest House Birmingham, Shustoke | 14.1 | Birmingham | on request | Request | |
| Achill Guest House | 9.5 | Solihull | on request | Request |
CHSI follows a consistent annual schedule, where editions are scheduled for early February for a strong start for exhibitors in the fiscal year. CHSI runs over the course of three days. The trade fair is put together by the International Craft and Hobby Fair Ltd and is based in Birmingham, UK. The venue for the event is the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) and admission is given only to professionals. Working hours are as follow: 09:00 am until 18:00 pm on the first day, 09:30 am until 17:30 pm on the second day, and 09:30 am until 16:00 pm on the last day. Transport links to the NEC are plentiful. You can walk to the Birmingham International Railway Station in just a few minutes and that means you also have plenty of bus lines. If you’re flying in, there’s a free air-rail link from Birmingham Airport to the show grounds.
- Craft, Hobby + Stitches International is not just about networking and direct sales as it is a valuable source of information for the industry as a whole. You’re able to attend seminars and workshops that are entirely business oriented. Not to mention that attendees of the fair gain access to the in-depth CHSI trends report;
- Experience the latest in product trends in full motion as part of the daily catwalk shows that are scheduled throughout the three days;
- CHSI also supports budding companies and talent in the industry with the inclusion of the Bright Sparks Pavilion aimed at start-ups and general innovation.
Craft, Hobby + Stitches International has several notable sponsors such as Craftfocus Magazine, Creative Industry Association, HobbyArt and CraftBusiness. CHSI as a show has a small number of key exhibitors – a little over 200 per edition and that’s a good ratio with the buyers. Audience numbers on average circle around 6000 buyers. That’s perfect exposure to your target clientele. The types of buyers include high street retailers, department stores, independents, multiples, online retailers and garden centres. The vast majority of visitors (90%) have purchasing power and out of those roughly 75% are either direct owners or directors. Although firmly based in local markets, Craft, Hobby + Stitches International also opens up international channels for exhibitors as there are buyers from 35 countries in attendance – most European in origin. As you can see, the numbers support your decision to showcase at CHSI.
Craft, Hobby + Stitch International 2023
The 2023 edition of Craft, Hobby + Stitch International took place as a live trade fair between 19.02.2023 and 20.02.2023. The hosting site, NEC Birmingham, did not feature Covid-19 safety measures. This was due to the country removing its pandemic-related restrictions. 86 exhibitors attended the edition.
Craft, Hobby + Stitch International 2024
CHSI 2024 took place as a live trade fair between 25.02.2024 and 26.02.2024. it was hosted in NEC Birmingham. The edition received over 70 exhibitors.
