The August 2026 issue of Toys n Playthings is out now, with features on pocket money and blind box lines, wooden toys and the botanicals trend, plus reports from the BTHA AGM, Home & Gift Harrogate, and the upcoming Kind + Jugend 2026.
Bigjigs Toys takes our cover with the return of Buttonbag, a beloved craft brand that’s been given a complete overhaul. Originally acquired as part of Fiesta Crafts in 2025, Buttonbag has evolved into a distinctive, standalone brand under the Bigjigs Toys umbrella.
There are seven new products launching to broaden the Buttonbag collection this year, including the new Advent Calendar Kit, offering retailers a unique alternative to traditional calendars.
Elsewhere we caught up with the team at specialist sensory toy retailer Funky Fidgets Shop; Gwen Ottenberg, owner of Imagine That Toys in Kansas, USA, shares what was hot at the ASTRA Marketplace and Academy Event; and Bira CEO Andrew Goodacre takes aim at a rise in retail crime.
