The gift industry gathered in Dallas last week to honor retailers, sales reps and manufacturers as part of sister pub Gifts & Decorative Accessories‘ 75th annual Retailer Excellence Awards. This year, Chicago-based lifestyle wholesaler Tag came out on top and was named the 2026 Manufacturer of the Year.
“All of this year’s finalists hold a special place in my heart, and in that of our readers, but I was thrilled to see that Tag came out on top,” said Lenise Willis, GDA editor in chief and awards emcee. “Not only do they make gorgeous holiday items and festive giftables, but they are a fantastic team to work with. Chuck, Thom, Linda, the whole team are such genuine people and hard workers; the brand truly deserved this year’s honor.”
Each year, Gifts & Decorative Accessories compiles 10 of the best of the best in vendors and manufacturers based on nominations from online reader votes. In a second round of voting, readers’ top three choices from those 10 are then narrowed down and a final winner is chosen by the awards’ panel, who tallies the online votes.
Voting for the 2026 Manufacturer of the Year award ended in May. The top 10 finalists included the following companies, listed below in alphabetical order:
- Amanda Blu
- Burton + Burton
- Coco & Carmen
- Creative Co-Op
- DM Merchandising
- Kalalou
- Mud Pie
- Old World Christmas
- Primitives By Kathy
- Tag
Diamond Manufacturers Honored for Industry Efforts
In addition to its usual awards program, the magazine also handed out Diamond Awards to three key manufacturers, retailers, sales rep agencies and influencers who have helped carry the industry through the years.
Kurt Adler, Mary Meyer, and Mud Pie each accepted a Diamond Manufacturer award for their influence and longevity in the industry. Each Diamond honoree received a frame by Olivia Riegel.
The awards gala was held at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas and included a valuable networking hour and plenty of time for celebrating, dining and drinking in honor of the finalists. In addition to the 2026 Manufacturer of the Year, winners of eight retail award categories and the five regional winners of the Sales Representative of the Year award were also honored during the awards program. The awards program closed with the honoring of Peter Schauben, the 2026 Gift for Life Industry Achievement Award recipient.
See also: Patina Vie wins home decor retail award
