At a time when we have all had to put rather more space between ourselves and others than our human instincts tell us is healthy, there is something comforting about independent brands creating things that have a definite human hand in their creation. 

We are all surely guilty of a detour to a favourite baker because of a particular crust and texture, so distinctive that a shortcut to an alternative would not be worth the risk of disappointment. 

This sense of pleasure and satisfaction derived from knowing where something has come from has ensured that craftsmanship in furniture, textiles, and ceramics (to name but a few) is much in demand.

These are just a few of the best independent brands in the UK that are changing the way we shop – and how we’re choosing handmade over convenience. 

Senti

We are all acutely aware of how evocative a smell can be, how it can transport you to another place and time, and how this is completely beyond our control.

At the risk of getting too scientific, no less than a Nobel prize was awarded in 2004 to acknowledge the identification of the olfactory bulb which runs from your nose to the base of your brain, and connects to the area of the brain responsible for processing emotion and memory.

Someone who understands this deeply is Debbie Knight, founder of Senti, ‘the home of fragrance.’ Knight was clear in her mission to not only harness some of the most evocative scents, but to capture them in the most beautiful vessels, which resulted in her signature exquisite hand blown Italian glass diffusers and fragrances that have become synonymous with the independent brand.

Try bergamot and ginger with just a hint of lily of the valley, something more floral in jasmine  and geranium or moody with mandarin and cypress.

For the ultimate classic, the Orchid has been captured in a diffuser that marries sculpture and fragrance. 

Senti provide invaluable advice on both the care and use of their products, and with refills available you will enjoy a long relationship with your chosen diffuser.

Loop Cashmere

Life is just too short not to indulge yourself in cashmere every day of the year, so if your idea of heaven is to start the day in cashmere joggers, and finish it in a cashmere eye mask, independent UK brand Loop Cashmere can dress you from dawn until dusk, and the bits in between.

There is not a lot that founders Claire Heathcote and Richard Levin don’t know about fashion and their combined years of experience fueled their desire to create a sustainable and ethical brand that would be  kind to the planet, and to their consumers.

Loop Cashmere are serious about their environmental impact and release new products in short runs and ship using methods that will have least impact and if you see something your heart is set on then a ‘buy now’ policy is a good one.

Perfect for an ‘in between’ season is a relaxed cashmere T-Shirt or Tea Rose sweatshirt and to keep things looking and feeling better for longer pop a cashmere care kit  in your basket!

Angel Dear 

If shopping for a newborn is on your mind, or preparing for a little one's first holiday, then Angel Dear have got it covered.

Exceptional softness is the cornerstone of the Angel Dear brand and comfort is the underlying principle behind every design. Styling is simple but far from basic, and the quality will ensure garments are handed down to future generations.

Based in the San Francisco Bay area it is only now that Angel Dear’s collections are available online. So if you are a little tired of gender stereotypes, the ‘flowerpoweresque’ inspired prints and patterns will lend an air of hippie carefree vibes, and the Retro Sunflower will put you firmly in the holiday mood.

Mantidy

If you are anticipating a trip and have forgotten how to pack then Mantidy is a one stop shop that will ensure you leave nothing behind !

As a London-based independent lifestyle brand for men it aims to combine functionality and design in order to offer the perfect travel companion and includes all necessary accessories in the organisers from grooming and manicure sets, to mobile phone accessories kits in the wonderfully named Tech Roll.

Despite the ‘man’ in Mantidy, women are firmly at the heart of the company. The handwoven collection is created by women in a Sibaltan Village in the Philippines known for its traditional mat and market basket weavers. Weaving has been a part of the Sibaltan cultural heritage for multiple generations and today these techniques have been rekindled to create the signature Mantidy herringbone weave.

With its green manufacturer and GREAT Women Initiative, Mantidy supports local women entrepreneurs, allows them to receive better payment and improve the infrastructure of their community, including solar-powered energy and running water.

Carpets CC

The best piece of design advice I ever read was to spend as much as you can afford on your floor. For you can sit on a cardboard box on a beautiful floor and be happy, but nothing will improve a cheap floor.

Even better advice would surely be to have a beautiful floor that can move with you, in the form of a rug. Floors have been adorned with rugs for thousands of years. Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of rugs in Egyptian and Mesopotamian tombs. Nomadic tribes wove rugs by hand from camel, sheep, and goat hair for warmth and decoration, and the materials and traditional techniques they used are much in evidence in the Carpets CC collection created by its founder Cecilia Setterdahl​.

Cecilia is first and foremost a painter, and her abstract pencil lines, shapes and bold use of colour are brought to life using semi-worsted wool from New Zealand, hand-knotted and trimmed by skilled craftsman in India, using the heat of the sun to fix the exuberant colours. 

Using the best of the ancient techniques and craftsmanship, together with today's technically advanced dyes allows Cecelia to create designs like Goodnight Carpet which you will definitely want to take with you!

Claire Gaudion

The Claire Gaudion rug collection also remains true to traditional craftsmanship but goes one step further when it comes to materials.

It is quite extraordinary that waste plastic can be transformed into something so utterly natural-looking in texture and colour as Ida a rug that can be used both inside and out.

As well as providing an exquisite collection of rugs, throws and cushions provide some fabulous advice from how to use colour to a crash course in the difference between hand knotting and tufting Claire is a true authority on the subject.

Jan Constantine

It was watching her mother and grandmother working as dressmaker and milliner that inspired Jan Constantine to start what is now a global brand selling distinctive figurative cushions, throws and wall hangings.

Jan was originally known for her reinterpretation of all things British placing the union jack and London landmarks at the heart of the matter. Hand embroidered on felted wool, appliquéd and stitched with blanket and chain stitch and French Knots, with such a degree of handwork every piece will be unique. Every detail is important from each stitch to the mother of pearl buttons for fastening that Jan favours for their natural qualities.

Jan is committed and passionate to, in her own words “creating something that will bring joy to people and be handed down, just as the embroidery skills of my artisans have been handed down through many generations.” Her goal for the future includes wanting to keep alive the ancient, hands-on skills demonstrated by her very talented workforce.

The Muses

The Muses is an independent design studio creating beautifully handcrafted candles.

Dedicated to using only the purest ingredients, blends of beeswax, rapeseed, coconut and soy wax, are infused with essential oils, so critical for ensuring the true essence of the plant extract is true, undiluted, and distinctive into a carefully curated range.

Founded by Fiona in 2017 when living in the sun-drenched city of Johannesburg, South Africa, The Muses has evolved from crafting scents at a kitchen table to alleviate a back condition to a business and a brand that Fiona can testify was crucial to her recovery and to her overall wellbeing.

Fiona’s far-flung travels across Africa offered a wealth of inspiration. Being in a place that hadn’t changed for centuries, raw landscapes, vibrant colours and the beauty of the artisanal and handcrafted were all memories held close when back in London creating The Muses collection. The result is a capsule collection of sustainable, beautifully fragranced, hand-crafted candles, each designed to inspire your time. 

With names like Unplug, Kickback and Supercharge it’s clear these are candles on a mission.

Tradition and craftsmanship is alive and well

From the human touch evident in a simple loaf of bread, made by a craftsman who arose early to ensure enough proving time elapsed between baking and your breakfast, to the essential oils painstakingly extracted for their purity and aroma in candlemaking, it is clear that a dedicated breed of ‘new craftsmen’ is thriving, keeping tradition alive fashioned for today.

By Alison Hill