2 minute read
A decade of design magic
In April, Artcuts celebrates its 10-year anniversary, and there is so much to look forward to for this utterly delightful British-made brand…
Artcuts has never been a company interested in mass-market production. Rather the hard-earned success of this home-grown brand is built on high quality, beautifully made products, stylish design and - in recent years - considered collaborations with some of the biggest names in British retail.
Derek Cox, the owner and founder of the South Godstonebased business – although he hails from Dunfermline, Fife, himself and brings much of his Scottish heritage to Artcuts’ designs – is also refreshingly frank about how challenging the COVID pandemic has been for the team. It’s partly why, although Artcuts celebrates its 10th birthday in April, he doesn’t want to look too far ahead. “We are planning some extra deals to mark the occasion,” Derek says. “But 2021 was in one sense a bit of a slog, and in the current climate it is hard to predict what’s going to happen.
“The first six months of last year saw strong online retail sales, but the last quarter was quieter. This followed the best couple of months we’d ever seen for the performance of our craft products in the autumn of 2020.
“What we’re focusing on for 2022 is the quality of our designs. We do small product runs, with pared back, simple pieces, and that’s what our customers love. As well as the fact all of our pieces are designed, produced and hand-finished in our Surrey studio and workshops.”
Following hugely successful partnerships with John Lewis and National Trust England, Artcuts will be building on a fruitful trip to the Christmas & Gift show in Harrogate with taking their signature wooden shapes, decorations and gifts – made from the finest Scandinavian Birch wood, with beautiful finishes, including William Morris Liberty of London prints – and a growing collection of craft kits to Spring Fair.
“We’ve long been known for craft product but we’ve never done craft kits to this extent,” Derek says. “We’ve got a lovely selection of Christmas craft kits that we’ll be showcasing. And some lines that we couldn’t launch in 2021 will be on show at Spring Fair this year.”
The collection of craft kits visitors to Artcuts’ NEC show stand can take in, include a bee garland, spring wreath, highland coo bunting and festive decorations. All the kits come neatly boxed with everything needed inside, as well as guided video tutorials.
“With the shows we attended in the autumn, we couldn’t keep up with demand,” Derek reports. No doubt that trend will continue at Spring Fair.
