Glee will help to drive growth in the industry
Garden tools market trends
 |
Glee takes a look at emerging trends with garden tools for 2017 and how the UK’s leading annual garden and outdoor living trade exhibition will be helping to drive growth in the industry this year.
Consumers are becoming more connected with the great outdoors thanks to smarter use of their time, and due to a recent study revealing the health benefits of gardening1, a rise in the number of green fingers is anticipated. Not only are there merits for health and wellbeing, but also in terms of financial aspects, as landscaping is believed to increase the value of a property by nearly 12%.2
There is more of a focus on ergonomic – not just functional - garden tools, as this helps to reduce the strength and flexibility required for many gardening chores. Tools with specially shaped handles and mechanisms - from loppers with extendable handles and ergonomic garden hoes, scissors, weeders and transplanters - help reduce the strain on different parts of the body and are usually lighter in weight, appealing to older and younger gardeners alike.
Consumers are realising more and more that buying cheap tools is not always the best option, so wiser investment in a pastime that has rocketed in popularity in recent years is becoming more evident, as customers look towards sourcing the best gardening tools and equipment available to keep their gardens flourishing. As experience and requirements in the garden are increasing, so are sales of higher grade, longer lasting tools, often more associated with landscapers, arborists and professional gardeners.
This year, copper and brass will be seen in the garden, with copper gardening tools said to possess scientific benefits that help fend off unwanted plant pests such as slugs and snails. This is all to do with magnetic fields, whereby the copper acts as a deterrent for such creatures and forces them away from vegetable patches.
In its pure form, copper can be moulded and spun into different shapes without cracking. Just by adding a small amount of tin to copper makes an alloy (bronze) that makes it even stronger and tougher, making copper tools rust-resistant, hard-wearing and much easier to slice into soil because of sharper edges.
Recent research forecasts the global cordless garden tools market to grow steadily at a CAGR of 5% from 2016 onwards.3 The rising need to add aesthetic appeal to residential and commercial properties around the world is a key driver for the growth of this market.
We’re also being greener in every sense of the word, with more tools being made in Britain and crafted from sustainable products such as ash and stainless steel.
As more ranges are being introduced, there’s a mix of the practical with the aesthetic to appeal to more female consumers into what is traditionally a male-dominated market. No longer are tools just industrial grey, brown or black; eye-catching pinks, turquoises and oranges not only add an injection of colour but also inspiration and a contemporary feel.
Black & Decker’s new home collection of garden hand tools, available through NAP Brands, reflects just how much the role of gardening equipment has evolved in recent years to reflect consumers’ growing needs. Its Telescopic Tools range – including its Culti-Hoe and Fan Rake – and Digging and Cultivating range – featuring its Silicone Cultivator and Silicone Transplanter - alludes to a nation taking their gardening hobbies far more seriously than a decade or so ago.
It also appears that tangled, stiff garden hoses are a thing of the past. Black & Decker’s ZeroKink™ Garden Hose has an 8 ply construction with a dual foam air injected centre core, making it kink-free and easy to coil. NAP Brands also caters for professional gardeners, and has recently launched Stanley’s Professional Grade Water Hose which uses both Poly Fusion and AntiKink™ technologies. Its Stanley Fatmax range offers a comprehensive selection of high-performance tools for professionals, including shovels and rakes with fibreglass handles and its Bypass Gear Lopper range featuring its unique SyncDrive™ gear mechanism.
|
|
