Taxes, tariffs, energy costs, climate crisis... our homegrown brands are facing big challenges, but still producing some of the finest designs for the home. We have compiled this list to highlight some of the best companies (from furniture and lighting to paint, fabric and wallpaper) still manufacturing in the UK. In the words of ELLE Decoration’s Editor-in-Chief Ben Spriggs: ‘It is possible to be internationally minded and locally passionate’.
1882 Ltd Founder Emily Johnson is the fifth generation of a ceramics family from Stoke-on-Trent. Johnson Brothers was formed in 1882 and in the 1960s was bought by Wedgwood, where her father was head of manufacturing until he retired in 2002. Together, they set up 1882 Ltd in 2011 with the aim of fusing innovative design with heritage craft skills. They worked with the best bone china and earthenware factories in Stoke, but when the pandemic hit those businesses, they decided to own and operate their own factory. Still in Stoke, and still passionately committed to keeping that region’s skills alive. 1882ltd.com
Another Country creates wooden furniture and accessories, deriving its unpretentious, contemporary aesthetic from British country-kitchen style as well as Shaker, Japanese and traditional Scandinavian woodwork. Designers like Fred Rigby and Aaron Probyn work alongside the in-house team using sustainably sourced timber in workshops in the UK and Portugal. anothercountry.com
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Atelier Ellis This is a paint brand that does things differently. Founded by Cassandra Ellis in 2018, the brand produces natural, breathable paints. Walk into its workshop in southeast London and there is no chemical pong, but instead a calming space that reflects both the ethos and palette – 134 hues that are simple, useful and inspired by nature – of Ellis herself. atelierellis.co.uk
Bisley In 1941, panel beater Freddy Brown’s facility in Bisley, Surrey, was supplying the Ministry of Defence. After the war, he pivoted to making steel wastepaper bins, and the ‘MultiDrawer’ system followed in the 1950s (many of the originals are still in use today.) Filing cabinets came in the 1980s when production moved to Newport, South Wales. Bisley’s steel office furniture and storage now comes in a rainbow of colours, plus limited-edition versions. thebisleygroup.com
Burleigh This firm has been making earthenware pottery since 1851 and, since 1889 has been based at Middleport Pottery in Stoke-on-Trent. The name Burleigh is a portmanteau of Frederick Rathbone Burgess and William Leigh, the two men who formed the ideals of the company today, which still performs every step of the process, from moulding raw clay to firing and decorating in-house. burleigh.co.uk
Coat With a studio in Soho and factory in Suffolk, this young paint brand founded in 2020 by Rob Abrahams and Rob Green has achieved B-Corp status – a leading eco credential. They are dedicated to limiting overproduction, so every tin of paint is mixed to order. coatpaints.com
Cole & Son With a Royal Warrant and designs inspired by some of the UK’s most beautiful palaces and noble houses (as well as in collaboration with Fornasetti), this brand is blessed with one of the most extensive archives of wallpaper and fabric designs. Many of those patterns are still printed in the brand’s Islington factory, some using woodblock printing techniques that were in use when the space opened back in 1883. cole-and-son.com
Corston All of this brand’s solid brass switches and sockets, hardware and lighting is hand-finished at its workshop in Wiltshire – where the team of designers and engineers who founded the brand recently planted four acres of native woodland to enhance local biodiversity. The majority of their pieces are hewn from solid brass – due to its ability to be recycled again and again. corston.com
David Hunt Lighting John Hunt started making brass candlesticks more than 300 years ago and the family business has endured and evolved. In the Victorian era, the Hunts pivoted to outdoor gas lamps and made art deco light fittings for the first Odeon cinemas. David Hunt opened the firm’s current factory in Shipston-on-Stour, and John Peter Hunt, the 10th generation of the family, reintroduced Victorian gas-light designs from the archives, which have been bestsellers ever since. davidhuntlighting.co.uk
Designers Guild Tricia Guild’s brand is an all-encompassing destination for design fans. Its paint range is manufactured purely in the UK, while its in-house upholstered furniture is produced between the UK and Italy. designersguild.com
Devol It may be best known for its handcrafted kitchens, but this brand is also a go-to for functional furniture pieces – from bar stools and chairs to refectory-style tables and more. Every piece is made in Cotes Mill, a historic 16th-century watermill on the banks of the River Soar, just outside Loughborough, with Devol employing local craftspeople and design graduates from nearby Loughborough University. devolkitchens.co.uk
Ercol The brand’s current chairman Henry Tadros is the great-grandson of Lucian R Ercolani, who came from Italy to London’s East End as a boy in 1895. Supported by the Salvation Army, he trained as a furniture maker, then in 1920 started a company – Furniture Industries – his mission ‘to give meaningful employment to people’. Known for iconic designs like the ‘Butterfly Chair’, ‘Loveseat’ and ‘Stacking Chair’, all of Ercol’s furniture is now made from British-certified ash, to re-establish the UK supply chain of timber. ercol.com
Farrow & Ball ‘Elephant’s Breath’, ‘Mouse’s Back’, ‘Sulking Room Pink’… all of this brand’s iconic paint colours are produced using age-old methods in a factory near Wimbourne in Dorset. Founded back in 1946, this is a firm that has spread its dedication to richly pigmented hues around the world without ever forgetting its roots. farrow-ball.com
Feldspar After moving to Dartmoor in 2016, Jeremy and Cath Brown bought a pottery wheel, made a dinner set for Christmas, and their business was born. At first, their ceramics were made from fine bone china in Stoke-on-Trent, then in 2018 they opened their own studio in Devon, using slip casting – one of the Heritage Crafts Association’s critically endangered crafts. Wooden goods are coming soon, and the team is also turning their broken bisqueware into furniture. feldspar.studio
Fermoie Tom Helme and Martin Ephson were once at the helm of Farrow & Ball, but set up this company, creating fabrics, lampshades and cushions in 2010. It produces all of its fine and brilliantly-coloured designs at its factory and studio in Marlborough, Wiltshire, with the base cloth woven in Yorkshire. fermoie.com
Francesca’s Paints One of the first eco-friendly paints brands in the UK, this company was founded by Francesca Wezel and is known for its limewashes. The bases of the paints are made in Italy, but are coloured by hand by the team in its Battersea studio. francescaspaint.com
Gather Design This firm is doing things differently: when you order one of its tables or chairs (made from sustainably sourced UK wood), you’re matched with a skilled, small-scale cabinet-maker within a 60-mile radius of your home. Going local reduces the environmental impact of transportation, and a scannable chip in every piece tells the story of its creation, while a grant scheme funds apprenticeships, tools and equipment in the company’s making community. gatherdesign.co.uk
George Smith If you’ve ever sunk gratefully into the comfy armchairs at the Electric Cinema or taken a seat at The Dorchester, you have George Smith to thank. For 40 years, the firm has specialised in upholstered pieces made using the finest quality, responsibly sourced materials. Skilled craftspeople make every element by hand at its factory in Northumberland. georgesmith.com
Graham & Brown Although sadly having left its iconic India Mill factory in Blackburn back in 2023, this British decorating firm founded in 1946 still manufactures in the UK – its processes moved to a state-of-the-art, low carbon production site in Padiham, Lancashire, pledging to be net zero by 2030. grahambrown.com
Heal’s A trailblazer in British design, John Harris Heal first opened the doors of his emporium in 1810. With its Cecil Brewer-designed staircase (as well as a new one by Matthew Hilton), the Tottenham Court Road store is a London institution, and the brand is committed to nurturing rising stars of the design world including Anthony Dickens and Sebastian Cox. Heal’s works with a small group of British workshops to craft their beds. heals.com
Hypnos Peter Keen, director and chairman of this company for fifty-eight years, may have very sadly passed away in 2025, but this manufacturer of high-quality mattresses and beds will continue to be made in Buckinghamshire. With 120 years of bed-making knowledge under its belt, this family-run firm holds the Royal Warrant. hypnosbeds.com
Johnston’s of Elgin Having created its first tweed fabrics in Scotland in 1846 (originally used for camouflage), this firm now supplies its textiles to Ralph Lauren Home, as well as creating its own range of clothing and blankets. You can book tours of the firm’s two mills, located in Elgin and Hawick. johnstonsofelgin.com
Lick Available in its flagship store on Clapham Junction’s Northcote Road, as well as B&Q and Screwfix stores across the UK, this brand’s VOC-free paint is made in Britain. Its wallpaper is also produced in the UK – it’s made-to-order to reduce waste, with any offcuts utilised in the packaging process. lick.com
Little Greene This family-run business produces its paints in a factory at the foothills of Mount Snowdon in North Wales. Founded by qualified chemist David Mottershead and now run by his children – Ben and Ruth – this is a brand that respects tradition but has innovation at its heart. Its ‘Re:Mix’ collection shows its dedication to problem-solving, made using leftover and unwanted paint that is reformulated to be used afresh. littlegreene.com
Matki In the 1970s, this brand was instrumental in introducing showers to the UK and today still produces its shower screens (made in Bristol) and trays (produced in Cornwall) in the UK. Having purchased British brassware brand Swadling in 2001, the company also crafts taps and hardware in Hampshire. matki.co.uk
Mylands Made in London since 1884, this paint brand fast became the go-to for interior designers, but also scenic artists working in the booming world of film and TV. In 2012 it began to sell directly to customers as well as industry-insiders, but the local production method remains much the same. Today it is still based in Lambeth – the only paint brand still manufacturing in the capital. mylands.com
Naturalmat Founders Mark Tremlett and Peter Tindall started making mattresses with natural fibres for boats and yachts after being dissatisfied with the synthetic options available. Inherently breathable, their products are made by hand in their factory on the banks of the River Exe in Devon, using cashmere, bamboo and cotton, as well as organic wool bought from local farmers. There are ranges for adults, kids and babies, and you’ll find their mattresses in some of the world’s top hotels. naturalmat.co.uk
Novocastrian The name of this firm comes from medieval Latin, meaning somebody who comes from Newcastle. Founder Richy Almond was inspired by the region’s shipbuilding heritage when setting up his metalworking brand that created furniture and lighting in 2014 – his dad Paul, was the last in a long family line of Tyneside shipbuilders. The brand has its own collection of designs, but also produces bespoke pieces for the likes of Taylor Howes and Banda. novocastrian.co
Original BTC Peter Bowles founded Original BTC in 1990, producing industrial-style lighting for the home using bone china made in a pottery in Stoke-on-Trent. Proudly independent and with a deep commitment to making its products in Britain, the company is now led by his children, Charlie and Hettie. In 2010 the company bought Davey Lighting. At the time, Davey was sourcing the glass needed to make its outdoor lights from Eastern Europe, but that has now been moved to a workshop in Oxfordshire. originalbtc.com
Paint & Paper Library Founded more than twenty years ago in London by interior designer David Oliver and made in the UK, this brand boasts a palette of 180 colours and has released two wallpaper collections to date. Accredited by RIBA, its high-quality paint finishes are loved by architects. paintandpaperlibrary.com
Roger Oates Spun and dyed in Yorkshire on specially-adapted Hattersley looms, this company’s flatweave rugs and runners are made from 100% pure wool. The vibrant striped designs the brand is known for began in 1987 when the owners of a grand country residence approached Roger Oates and Fay Morgan with an historic flatwoven fragment which had been uncovered by National Trust Scotland at Kellie Castle in Fife. rogeroates.com
SCP Since launching its first upholstery design, Matthew Hilton’s ‘Balzac’ armchair, in 1991, SCP has gone on to work with top designers and artists. Each piece – which comes with a lifetime guarantee – is handmade in its factory in Norfolk. Plus, the brand is now committed to ensuring its upholstery designs are sustainable, with frames made from FSC-approved solid wood (usually beech); fillings include rubberised coconut hair and wool, rather than foam. scp.co.uk
Sanderson Whether you are looking for designs by Sanderson or sister brands Clarke & Clarke, Harlequin, Morris & Co, Scion and Zoffany, you can rest safe in the knowledge that the wallpaper and fabric is made in the UK. The company has operating between two printing factories – Anstey and Standfast & Barracks – for more than 100 years, benefitting from a rich heritage and wealth of printing knowledge. sanderson.sandersondesigngroup.com
Sedilia This high-end furniture brand’s designers and makers work together in a restored 1950s workshop between Clapham Common and Brixton, where new technologies such as 3D printing go hand in hand with traditional techniques. Founded by Robert Stephenson, the brand has its own collections – from the ‘Pylon’ to the sinuous ‘Sennen’, but also has a highly-regarded reputation for working on bespoke upholstered pieces. sedilia.com
Soane Britain Founded by Lulu Lytle in 1997, Soane is famed for its rattan furniture. The firm revived the last remaining rattan workshop in the country; its workshop is now based in Leicestershire and an apprenticeship scheme is saving those skills from disappearing forever. Dedicated to championing British craft, Soane also took ownership of a chair-making workshop in Dorset, an upholstery workshop in Castle Cary and established an in-house patination and upholstery team in Leicester. soane.co.uk
Sofas & Stuff Andrew and Julia Cussins established Sofas & Stuff in 2009 to address a gap in the market for bespoke, high-quality British-made sofas. The couple’s sons now help run the business, which has its head office in rural West Sussex and crafts its sofas and chairs in Preston, Lancashire. The birchwood frames come with a lifetime guarantee and all timber is sourced from European FSC-certified forests. sofasandstuff.com
Thorp of London Now owned by Pierre Frey, this fabric brand known for its handcrafted textiles was founded in 1971 by Bernard Thorp. Its screen-printed designs are made in its Norfolk workshop, while it also produces exquisite jacquard weaves from its location in Sudbury, Suffolk. thorpoflondon.com
Tom Raffield Raffield discovered the ancient craft of steam-bending wood while studying 3D sustainability and design. He applies it in a contemporary way, designing intricately curved lights that mimic the organic shapes found in nature. Historically used across industries from shipbuilding to violin making, the processes in his Cornish workshops are fiddly, time-consuming ones, but with excellent sustainability credentials. The pieces are future heirlooms. tomraffield.com
Vispring The Vi before the Spring in this brand’s name is a representation of the Roman numeral Vi, standing for the six springs sewn into every pocket of its mattresses – a design invented by British engineer James Marshall. Today, more than 200 craftspeople operate from its workshop in Plymouth. vispring.com
Wedgwood In 1759, Josiah Wedgwood – often called the ‘father of English potters’ – founded his company in Burslem, Staffordshire. Now, 265 years later, the firm still uses many of the original materials and techniques at its Barlaston factory, where apprentices train for up to 10 years to become master craftspeople. Innovation is still key, thanks to collaborations with creatives such as Sheila Bridges, Jasper Conran and Kit Kemp. wedgwood.co
YesColours Founded by John Stubbs and Emma Bestley during the COVID-19 lockdown, this is perhaps Britain’s youngest paint brand, born with the intention to do things differently. Produced in the UK using sustainable raw materials, the brand’s flexible packaging is more ecologically viable to transport and is easily recyclable. yescolours.com
