Retail, home, gift, and fashion trade show, Spring Fair, is back at the NEC in Birmingham 1-4 February for another year of insights and showcases at the heart of retail.
Products of Change is making its mark on this year’s Spring Fair, with not one, not two, but three content sessions, continuing to steer and support the industry towards a sustainable and resilient future.
Organisers of Spring Fair, Hyve Group, have dubbed this year’s event focus to be ‘Retail Alchemists – Masters of the Mix,’ supported by six themes:
- Transformation & Innovation
- Craft & Creativity
- Partnerships & Possibilities
- Commerce & Community
- Purpose & Planet
- Leadership & Legacy
From retail strategists and trend forecasters to designers, founders, innovators and cultural commentators, Spring Fair’s speaker programme blends practical masterclasses with future-thinking debate, giving buyers the tools, knowledge and connections to thrive in 2026 and beyond, says the Group.
In true Product of Change style, we will be delivering on the Purpose & Planet theme, covering everything from data and design, to circular fashion. See the POC-supported content below:
The Licensing Link: Connecting Data, Design and Doing Better
03 Feb 2026 | 11:00 – 11:45 | The Licensing Lab
Licensing becomes transformative when brand storytelling aligns with accurate product information and responsible production. In this session, POC Member, Fabacus, and Products of Change reveal how the right data infrastructure, paired with sustainable design thinking, unlocks new clarity across the value chain. Together, they explore how retailers can use structured information, innovation and digital visibility to build commercial strength.
Referencing real insights, this conversation shows how better data leads to better decisions – and how sustainability can shift from ambition to everyday reality. Retailers will leave with a deeper understanding of how to collaborate with licensors, create products that resonate with conscious consumers, and embed purpose into their future growth strategies.
Speakers:
Helena Mansell-Stopher, founder and CEO, Products of Change
Andrew Xeni, founder and CEO / founder and chairman, Fabacus, Nobody’s Child and Soreto
The New Fashion Economy: Ethics, Leadership & Change
03 Feb 2026 | 12:30 – 13:15 | The Style Atelier
Forget the old playbook. Fashion’s next era isn’t about doing less harm — it’s about doing things differently. In this uncompromising conversation led by Caryn Franklin MBE, industry trailblazers pull back the curtain on what it really takes to build a brand with a backbone.
We’re talking circular design that actually works, transparency that isn’t performative and leadership that chooses courage over convenience.
Expect big thinking, bold honesty and a masterclass in retail alchemy: turning values into value, and meaning into momentum.
Speakers:
Caryn Franklin MBE, fashion commentator and co-founder, All Walks Beyond the Catwalk
Helena Mansell-Stopher, founder and CEO, Products of Change
Tiffany Moore, owner, Renes Fashion
Annabel Thomas, chief revenue officer, ACS Clothing
Design Without Permission: Rethinking Design at Scale
03 Feb 2026 | 15:00 – 15:45 | The Design Studio
What if the biggest barrier to better products isn’t creativity — but the rules we’ve inherited? In this keynote interview, Products of Change founder Helena Mansell-Stopher and POC Member, Dunelm’s Jo Seddon, explore how collaboration is reshaping the way products are designed, developed and scaled for everyday living.
This is a candid look at translating high-end design thinking into mass-market reality, challenging legacy processes and why meaningful innovation only happens when retailers, suppliers and partners stop working in silos and start building differently — together.
Speakers:
Helena Mansell-Stopher, founder and CEO, Products of Change
Jo Seddon, design manager, Dunelm
“Our content programme puts buyers at the centre of the conversation with practical learning, trend intelligence, and future-facing inspiration woven across every stage. We have doubled down on the relevance and importance of what our content stages offer to deliver our most ambitious and rewarding programme yet,” comments Jackson Szabo, Portfolio Director, Hyve Group.
See the full programme of events here.
