This festive season, a wave of nostalgia has swept through British homes, manifesting in a surge of demand for a specific craft material. The humble velvet ribbon, transformed into handmade chain garlands, has become the breakout star of Christmas 2024, with one small shop owner alone selling an astonishing six miles of the fabric.
The Viral Craft Taking Over Social Media
Across TikTok and Pinterest, colourful tutorials showcasing the handmade velvet ribbon chain have amassed thousands of likes. The decoration, often seen circling Christmas trees or draped over mantelpieces alongside fairy lights, represents a luxe upgrade to the traditional paper chain. This online virality has translated into real-world sales frenzy.
Josie Rossington, 52, owner of the Follie gift store in Lincoln, experienced this first-hand. While Christmas cards and ornaments are typically her bestsellers, this year her stock of velvet ribbon has been flying off the shelves. "People have been buying 20, 30, 40 metres. It’s a lot of ribbon," she says, estimating total sales since October have reached six miles.
Initially, Rossington attributed a spike in online searches to an algorithm blip. However, she soon realised a genuine trend was driving demand, with her small business receiving around 1,500 Google searches for the product.
From Stockport to Switzerland: A Widespread Craze
The trend has spawned a cottage industry. Emma Howard, 46, who runs the small business Mother of Pearl from Stockport, began selling pre-made ribbon chains online in October. "I put it on the internet and it just went insane. I’ve never had that traction before," she reveals, now sending roughly 250 packages per week to customers including a London chocolatier and a Swiss hotel.
The garland's appeal lies in its simplicity as a family-friendly activity. It involves cutting strips of velvet ribbon to roughly 20cm and looping them together. Unconventional colour pairings like orange with teal, and burgundy with pale pink, are particularly popular this year, moving beyond traditional festive reds and greens.
The demand is not confined to independent retailers. Major craft retailer Hobbycraft reported a 334% increase in sales of its burgundy wire-edge satin ribbon, with website searches for 'ribbon' soaring by over 2000% since December 2024.
The 'Retromaxxing' Shift in Festive Decor
Experts identify this craze as part of a broader move towards handmade, nostalgic aesthetics dubbed "retromaxxing." Whinnie Williams, an interior designer and trends forecaster for Balsam Hill, notes: "Garlands have been a breakout star of 2025, in all their shapes and sizes. Paper chains and honeycomb garlands in particular have surged. They’re nostalgic, lightweight, recyclable."
This shift prioritises sentiment and family life over perfection. Home interiors writer Africa Daley-Clarke explains: "It’s less about a perfect tree and more about a home that reflects the people living in it. Rustic textures, softer styling... more tactile decorations that can handle real family life."
While viral trends are often fleeting, proponents believe the velvet ribbon garland has staying power. Emma Howard points out that these are quality decorations people can reuse year after year. "The craft is a lovely thing to do with the family and it creates memories," she says, suggesting the trend's value extends far beyond a single Christmas season.
