Jul 31, 2009

Leanin’ Tree offers puzzles and crafts to gift retailers through a new partnership with MasterPieces Puzzle Company

Boulder, Colo. — Leanin’ Tree has partnered with MasterPieces Puzzle Co. as a non-stocking distributor to bring a broad line of puzzles, crafts and games to their greeting card and gift retailers. The new partnership went into effect July 1, 2009 and greatly expands Leanin’ Tree’s gift line heading into the holiday season. Christmas and holiday themed puzzles and craft kits are available now through Leanin’ Tree.

“We wanted to bring high-quality puzzles to our retailers and MasterPieces is the most innovative company in the puzzle business today”, states Patrick Wallace, director of marketing with Leanin’ Tree. “Their diverse line of puzzles, crafts and games are a great fit with our customer base.”

Several factors contributed to Leanin’ Tree’s decision to partner with MasterPieces, a U.S. company founded in 1995 with headquarters in Tucson, Arizona and a distribution center in Muncie, Indiana. Leanin’ Tree has an established retail base interested in regional, wildlife, floral, nostalgic and holiday themes. MasterPieces supplied a deep product line that parallels those markets. Product innovation and green manufacturing also played a part. Packaging innovations such as collectable tins, Space Saver puzzles and a unique Big Picture Box™ allow retailers to sell more products in a reduced space, and save on shipping costs. Leanin’ Tree has had a long-standing commitment to green manufacturing and MasterPieces shares that commitment. The company produces premium jigsaw puzzles domestically using soy-based inks and paperboard containing 100% post-consumer recycled content.

According to independent surveys conducted by Giftbeat, the leading newsletter in the gift industry, retailers nationwide have rated Leanin’ Tree as America’s best-selling alternative greeting card company for four years in a row. From their headquarters in Boulder, Colorado, the company prints all of its cards and envelopes on recycled paper using soy-based inks. Leanin’ Tree is a Certified Green Printer with the Printing & Imaging Association of Mountain States. For more information on Leanin’ Tree and MasterPieces puzzles, or to receive a free catalog, call (800) 525-0846 or visit www.tradeleanintree.com.