8 minute read
Mosney Mill
Gifts for Garden Centres
Tales from Mosney Mill
Mosney Mill offers a beautiful range of kitchen and homewares, all featuring the drawings of Emma Sutton, inspired by the animals and scenery she can see from her own window. We caught up with Emma to discover more
Emma, your company is called Mosney Mill. Is this a real place?
Yes, very real. Although it is no longer a mill, we bought the land to be a family complex about seven years ago. At the time it was a disused market garden and, while applying for planning permission to convert the 17th century barn into our home, we discovered Mosney’s rich past.
During the 1780s Mosney was the site of a famous print works, Mosney Printworks, where the first ever calico printing press capable of printing six colour simultaneously was invented. In fact, Mosney Printworks was noted on one of the first Yates’ maps of the area.
What was it about the overgrown site that made you fall in love with it?
The site was teeming with wildlife and really overgrown. On one of our first visits I was walking our Labrador Finn in the overgrown fields and came face to face with a roe deer, so close I could have touched it. I knew there and then I wanted to make this place my home.
Have you always been an artist or did living in historic Mosney ignite a new talent?
I have always been artistic but, like many people of my generation, I was encouraged to view art more as a hobby and in fact worked as a teaching assistant - albeit a very arty one. When we found out about Mosney Printworks, it ignited a passion within me to bring a new chapter into Mosney’s history; I wanted to use my illustrations of Mosney’s rich and varied wildlife on a range of British manufactured kitchen textiles and so Mosney Mill was born in 2016.
How would you describe the Mosney Mill style?
It’s quintessentially British, featuring native wildlife flora and fauna. As the products are so inspired by my home the company slogan is ‘Home at Heart’. Everyone who works at Mosney soon emotionally invests in the brand and adopts the company’s passion for producing quality products.
We decided to produce kitchen textiles first due to Mosney’s history. The technical innovations made at Mosney were crucial to the development of the cloth industry and established British pre-eminence in the printed cloth trade. It seemed right to start a new chapter concentrating on British textiles given the fact Mosney Mill is based in Lancashire, in the heart of England’s textile belt.
How did you cope during lockdown?
It was hard for everyone during lockdown but we used the time to develop new product ranges and lots of time was spent drawing the fauna and flora in our wildflower meadow. Our wildflower seed cards were particularly popular during lockdown as, when the recipient has finished displaying the card, it can be planted to grow a bunch of wildflowers - something to look forward to in the future. We also launched our Robin and Rainbow Mug with 100% of the net profits donated to the NHS Covid-19 Emergency Appeal.
Why should retailers consider stocking Mosney Mill?
We’re an exciting new business, offering high quality, coordinated British manufactured products, and with a real passion for our work. We enjoy talking to our retail customers and encourage them to purchase products that are complementary to their own ethos. We are proud to be based in rural Lancashire and we are also jolly nice people!
Gifts for Garden Centres
Indoors & out
Widdop & Co.
The company’s extensive range of garden and home accessories has become a popular choice for transforming living spaces all year round. Remaining hopeful of brighter and better days this summer, many are planning to go bigger and better with their garden and home décor in preparation for the much-longed-for reuniting of family and friends.
With shabby chic trends going strong this year, Widdop & Co.’s Country Living brand continues to incorporate rustic aesthetics with modern trends to offer an idyllic, quintessential selection of affordable gifts, homeware and garden furnishings.
Split up into two rustic-themed ranges - The Collection by Country Living and By The Seaside - this selection of accessories transforms both indoor and outdoor spaces with a colourful twist; from the reflection of the picturesque, carefree seaside on home accessories to a rural yet quirky range of cosy cottage-inspired garden furnishings and decorations.
Enduring a year filled with uncertainty and lockdowns has provided us all with some unexpected time to reflect on what and who matters the most. Widdop & Co’s in-house designers have designed an unbeatable selection of items to say more than words can, and Reflections of the Heart and Love Life remain favoured ranges. Incorporating chic designs with touching expressions, Love Life provides a sweet range to be there for every occasion - from birthdays to simply a thoughtful treat.
One of Widdop & Co’s newest ranges, Moments, was created to capture and keep precious moments with loved-ones pride of place with a simple yet stylish collection of photo frames and home accessories. It’s a new addition to their largest giftware brand, Celebrations.
Celebrating the beauty of nature in the UK and abroad has been made simple with Nature Craft’s selection of high-quality, traditional animal figurines, gifts and keepsakes. This brand has proven to be a perfect choice for wildlife lovers and those looking to bring nature into the home.
Bring some entertainment to the year with Harvey Makin Bored Games. Games can be taken outdoors with a collection of classic sports activities including badminton and frisbee to giant games such as ring toss.
With a team of multi-talented in-house designers, Widdop & Co’s ranges of gift and homeware are continually refreshed to stay on-trend. Call: 0161 688 1226 Email: sales@widdop.co.uk Visit: widdop.co.uk
Gifts for Garden Centres
Bright & beautiful
Something Different Wholesale
Pick of the Bunch It’s no surprise that shoppers are eager to spruce up their outdoor spaces in preparation for warmer weather and eased gathering restrictions. With major changes in consumer buying habits, garden centres have become a one-stop shopping destination for all things gifts, homeware and garden. Bee, daisy and gardening-themed products are now trending more than ever and Something Different Wholesale has everything needed to put a spring in someone’s step this season.
Their new In The Garden range includes practical gardening gifts for the green-fingered and tongue-in-cheek novelties for the wishful thinkers. Seed storage boxes and humorous plant markers make fun gifts for gardeners of all levels, while tool storage hooks and statement mugs let everyone know who’s boss.
More time spent outdoors also means an increased appreciation for all kinds of garden creatures. FSC-certified wooden bee, bird, butterfly and hedgehog houses will encourage tiny garden friends to make themselves at home while providing a safe shelter when the weather gets cold.
With spring in the air and brighter days ahead, Something Different Wholesale have also introduced a fantastic new collection of eco-friendly lunch accessories. Getting ready for picnic season couldn’t be easier. From their bestselling Daisy Picking range of bee-themed gifts and homeware to the brightly coloured Festival Fun collection, reusable bamboo cutlery sets and lunch boxes pair perfectly with colourful printed lunch bags made from recycled plastic bottles to create the perfect outdoor setup.
Bee-utiful Gifts In addition, bees are certainly retaining popularity with customers and the company have extended their bestselling range of bee-themed gifts to include stunning new ceramic products that are sure to put a smile on your face. From plant pots to flower jugs, garden bunting to travel mugs, their stunning bee print has been thoughtfully incorporated across a wide variety of products. The new terracotta plant pots are perfect in size for bouquets large and small, while beehive oil burners and wax warmers are both charming and practical.
If you would like to offer your customers Something Different this season, head to the company website to order your free spring catalogue today.
Alice Wheeler London 2021
Discover the stunning new spring collection of beauty and fashion accessories by Alice Wheeler London, featuring a wealth of new designs and styles in a range of cool colourways and Geometrics. Alice is available to order.
