We're a small independent lifestyle store, based in Manchester.
We love working with other small like-minded businesses; celebrating the makers and craftsmanship behind everything that we buy and sell.
The pieces that we stock have been made slowly and with care, with a focus on natural materials, longevity, and simplicity in design.
We hope that our customers will treasure the pieces they buy from us, consider the people behind the products, and appreciate the time that has gone into making each individual piece. We hope this will mean that people buy less, carefully consider each purchase, and enjoy the pieces they buy from us for many years to come.
You can read more about our values and our own story below.
Our Story
I set out to create a calm and peaceful space where people can come to browse, shop and learn about different makers, and I love that we found such a unique building (complete with a spiral staircase) to be able to do this in.
From the very beginning I decided not to work with any bigger brands (even if that meant keeping the business very small) and to instead take a chance on much smaller makers who might otherwise be struggling with getting their work into shops. I especially love to buy handmade ceramics myself and I wanted to showcase these and other work by my favourite makers in a homely space, where they can be seen and touched and properly admired. I love that I can tell the customers exactly where each piece has been made, and often the exact person who has made it.
More recently I have been enjoying sourcing and adding vintage ceramics, baskets and other curiosities, sourced from Antique fairs and French flea marksts, which sit perfectly along our other handcrafted pieces and I love that it's not always apparent which pieces are old and which are new.
I like our pieces to eschew trends and the prevailing throwaway culture and hope that each piece will be loved, cherished, gifted, and handed down to future generations.
As I am also a (time-poor) mother to a young child, you'll find that the shop has a much larger selection of pieces (particularly handmade and vintage) that don't always make their way onto the webiste, so if you get the chance to visit in person please do. I'm sure you'll love our unique space as much as we do!
~Elly
Our Values
Craftsmanship
We collaborate with artisans and makers that value traditional craftsmanship. Our makers have been selected for their compassion and dedication to their craft, their unique skill, and their attention to detail.
Working directly with makers is at the heart of our business. For many of the pieces we sell, every step of the making process is by hand, and every step from the initial designs, to the testing, to the finished product is entirely by one individual, fuelled by a passion for craft and process. Production is slow, and as a result it can take several weeks to complete a small batch of a product – but it is this slow pace and enjoyment of the process that results in such beautiful and unique pieces which we will be cherished, and cared for, for a lifetime.
Longevity & Timeless Design
We select products with timeless designs; they are made well, fit for purpose, and intended to stand the test of time. We are not led by trends, instead we focus on quality, simplicity in design, form, and functionality. We carefully consider each maker that we work with, and each product that we stock. By selecting products based on quality and considered design, we hope that the pieces that you buy from us will last and be enjoyed for many years, reducing the need to replace them. We have chosen products that we can continue to re-purchase over a long period of time, enabling us to maintain long standing relationships with our makers, supporting and investing in their businesses as much as our own.
Our World & Responsibilities
Knowing where the things we buy come from and how they are made are of the utmost importance. We aim to encourage a deeper understanding of how things have been made, alongside an appreciation of materials and process, resulting in a greater respect for the things we buy. We are acutely aware of the impact of overconsumption on the planet, and we are mindful as a shop not to add to this. We are always transparent about where and how all our products have been made, and strongly advocate the idea of ‘buying less, buying better’. We choose to support small socially responsible brands and individual producers who are mindful of the environment, favour natural and sustainably-sourced materials, and are transparent about their production.
We have opted not to work with bigger brands who produce on a much larger scale and with very little transparency. Our makers and the smaller brands that we work with produce in small quantities at a time, and are very open about their working practices. We are mindful of the quantities we order from each maker, in order to limit the amount of packaging and the number of separate deliveries that we receive, and are looking for ways to offset our own carbon footprint, including only shipping within the UK. Working in a (mostly) seasonless way and avoiding trends and sales, also allows us to cut down on smaller orders and multiple deliveries.
Packaging & Printed Materials
All of our own packaging is made from recyclable or biodegradable materials. Where possible, we reuse boxes and packaging that we receive from our makers to send out our own orders, and we encourage our customers to also reuse or repurpose the packaging that they receive from us. We try to use as little packaging as possible when sending out orders, many of our items are fragile and for these we reuse old packaging and/or biodegradable paper ‘bubble wrap’. Our notecards are printed locally on recycled paper using vegetable inks, and we are no longer including paper invoices in our orders (unless specifically requested).
Community
We enjoy bringing people together through workshops, events and opportunities to meet makers and local creatives. We’re proud to have grown a small community around our store. We have made many great friends along the way and have connected like-minded businesses and makers who have gone on to collaborate. We're always happy to share our story and what we have learnt on our journey so far too.
Above all, we strongly believe in supporting other small businesses and shopping locally. The way that we choose to spend our money – what to buy, and what not to buy – can positively shape our communities and the future.
