We
are located in Kincardine, Ontario, Canada, an idyllic tourist
mecca on the shores of Lake Huron. It is the ideal situation for
the creators of our major line, Grubby Paws. There are lots of
open fields with creatures for border collies to herd, and a lovely
beach to chase balls and swim in the summer.
Rigby Trade / Rigby Marketing Servicves Limited was founded in 1973 as an export trading house. Initially, all we did was export - everything from diapers to combine harvesters, PABX systems to copper molybdemum mine equipment. We specialized in "search and source" for both private and public clients including foreign governments, UN bodies, Canadian agencies such as CCC and CIDA. Our goods went to Peru, Colombia, Chile, Costa Rica, South Africa, Mauritania, Cuba, Korea, etc. etc. etc., in other words from Angola to Zimbabwe.
We also export our giftware to the U.S.A., Japan, or anywhere else it may be required.
In the early 1980's Rigby Trade began importing as a natural two-way trade extension of our exporting activities.
We began with some inexpensive jewellery items which appealed to the teenage market - Hot Stuff!!.
A popular line
is our handmade lokta
paper
sheets
Paper lanterns are also very popular
Nepal/Tibetan Religious Artifacts
We also have a wonderful lines of jewellery and gifts with Celtic designs - Gemwaith Gwynedd.
We imported stuff: we had to sell it!
We have been a stocking distributor selling wholesale to retail
stores for as long as we have been importing - since about 1983-84.
We participate in the major wholesale trade show in Canada twice a year, the Canadian Gift and Tableware Association (CGTA) in Toronto.
Our Toronto booth is 20' x 24', central location end aisle in the Congress Centre (Booth 8307).
We also market via direct advertising in target magazines.
About 1998 we were looking around for some "Canadian Content". All the products that we were distributing wholesale were imported.
We were the proud "parents" of a dog (Keady) and a cat (Kathmandu) and always had good pieces of furniture covered with cloths and rags at the dors for paw wiping.. One day we thought - why not put Kat and Keady's paws in "mud" on the covers - sort of legitimizing the mud covers.
Kat and Keady were indeed our original artists - it is their paws on the product. Sadly, they both passed on in 2005, but have been succeeded by Alfie, Tekki and Macgregor.
From modest beginnings, the range of products is now quite extensive - from the traditional textile furniture covers to floor mats, place mats, tea towels (pawtowels), bathmats, and a range of Ceramics - bowls, treat jars, mugs. The all natural Apawthecary line was developed in 2005 to address the growing problems with chemical sensitivity and "hot spots". A wood line was introduced in 2006.
We have a team of local artisans who assist us with the production. As of March 2009, we are producing all of the ceramic items in our own facility in Kincardine.
We also have a Grubby Paws paper range - wrapping paper, journals, photo albums.
Tel: 1-800-561-5053, Fax: 519-396-6062, e-mail: rigby@rigby.ca
 for pets and pet people |
and paper products  |
 Jewellery - tourist Fun, priced right |
Tibet
/ Nepal General Giftware  |
 Celtic pewter |
|