Snowtap announces appointment of first apparel licensee, Misirli

Graphic design and illustration brand Snowtap, and KJG Ltd, which manages the Snowtap consumer products programme, have announced the appointment of Misirli to produce a range of apparel and accessories using designs inspired by the brand. This is Snowtap’s first foray into the apparel category. 

Misirli has been appointed to design nightwear, hosiery, loungewear, hot water bottle covers, eye masks and dog bandanas inspired by Snowtap’s signature beautiful artwork, which includes illustrations in watercolour and line drawing with hand-drawn typography highlighting witty and motivational wordplay. 

The apparel and accessories range, which targets men and women (and dogs!) of all ages, will be available from autumn/winter next year, and will target both online and bricks and mortar retail outlets in the UK. In fact Misirli products are distributed to over 7,000 retail outlets across the UK.  

Headquartered in the UK’s East Midlands, Misirli is a leading manufacturer and supplier of both own-brand and licensed character nightwear, underwear, hosiery and socks for men, women and children along with babywear and accessories. 

This licence rounds off an impressive year for Snowtap, whose consumer products programme has been managed by KJG since 2021. That year KJG signed a deal for Snowtap to appoint The Art File, a leading independent publisher of greeting cards, stationery and gifts, as its leading greeting card publisher. The greetings cards have been a big success, with over 230,000 cards sold to date and plans well under way for new Christmas cards for 2024. 

In fact retail and licensing activity for this distinctive and delightful brand has been growing throughout the year in the UK. Stationery and calendar specialist Portico Designs is now planning 2025 diaries and calendars, Gibsons Games has a new Snowtap puzzle launching soon to build on the success – notably in John Lewis – of the first Snowtap puzzle, and Blueprint’s Snowtap stationery range has recently been stocked at Rymans. All licences highlight Snowtap’s much-admired natural-world-inspired designs. 

Snowtap even has a foothold in the US, where Portico Designs has sold Snowtap cards and calendars to Barnes & Noble. It’s a market in which plans are already advanced to grow the brand in 2024. 

Christine Roberts at Misirli, says: “Our design development team is known for its creativity and understanding of trends and we’re thrilled to be working with such a beautiful and distinctive brand as Snowtap. Snowtap has inspired a range of apparel and accessories that we are sure will attract a big audience.” 

Snowtap founders Susy Snow and Gracie Tapner add: “With more than 50 years in the business and a reputation for delivering innovative design solutions to UK blue-chip High Street retailers and grocers, Misirli is an ideal partner for our first foray into apparel. We’re greatly looking forward to seeing the fruits of this collaboration at a large number of retail outlets next year.” 

Kirsty Guthrie, KJG Ltd, adds: ““The glorious designs of the Snowtap team have already made a big impact in stationery cards and games and it’s an ideal time to build on this awareness in new categories. And who better to partner than Misirli, a widely admired apparel-focused company whose motto is ‘Essentials with flair’?”