CREATE, CRAFT, SUSTAIN… EXCEL!
Since the beginning in 2004, our mission has always been to create a
different sort of fabric company. One built upon the philosophy of
producing beautiful fabrics and wallpapers, well made, by hand in our
workshop, while leaving the smallest possible imprint upon the
environment.
In house manufacture and an holistic approach allows us to maintain oversight and control of the entire production process from weaving through printing to dispatch and disposal of waste. Sustainability is part of every decision.
ENERGY USEAGE
People and solar power
Hand printing requires precision and expertise but little electricity – the main source of energy being biscuits! – but all manufacture requires power. The electricity for our print production and design studio is provided by solar cells installed on our roof in 2021. We have been net positive in electricity since 2022.
PRINTING
We work with our suppliers to formulate water based inks specifically for our environmentally sustainable production methods, mitigating the need for petrochemicals traditionally used to aid drying in screen printing. We print everything to order for you. This allows us to offer bespoke colour options or change base cloths. Critically, it also eliminates wasted stock.
LINEN
A sustainable product starts with the raw ingredients - Flax a hardy plant requiring few pesticides, fertilisers or irrigation. We source the finest linen yarns from Belgium and Northern France and working with our weavers in the North of England, we develop base cloths that are perfect for our low input hand printing methods of production.
CREATING HABITATS
Water Management
A major challenge in print manufacturing is disposing of wastewater and inks. In 2018, as part of our sustainable production, we developed an ecological print waste treatment system to break down our waste naturally, following the principle that “in nature there is no waste – one organism’s waste in another’s food.” This system of ‘living ponds’ not only cleans wastewater but also creates habitats for local wildlife, including waterbirds, insects, bats, and larger mammals.
IN GOOD COMPANY
Worker Welfare
Our employees are the company and the excellence of our products rely upon their skills. All are treated with respect and paid above the Living Wage. We believe that the welfare of our employees has a positive impact upon our business.
PACKAGING & WASTE
To send out orders we use only cardboard, paper and plant based polythene; all is recyclable.
Our print works operates a minimum waste policy. All waste is sorted and recycled. Since 2018 we have reduced our waste to domestic levels, negating the need for any commercial collections.
We print everything to order, minimising waste. Very occasionally mistakes happen. These small amounts of “seconds” are available to buy at a reduced price on our Facebook reselling page – Rapture & Wright offcuts.
END-OF-LIFE
Rapture & Wright design and manufacture fabrics for a long life. When the time comes, there are alternatives to landfill for your faithful curtains.
For curtains in good condition we offer Rapture & Wright offcuts, our Facebook reselling page. Alternatively, there are several websites trading in preloved curtains.
Our fabrics use only natural yarns, we are currently investigating the potential for composting our end of life textiles.
A FUTURE SUSTAINED
We believe in responsible production and transparency in all that we do and we work closely with our suppliers to maintain a united purpose in excellence and sustainability.
From the outset our goal has been to make the best possible products with the lowest possible impact, Artisan products made for the long term.
Sustainability is a commitment not an endpoint, with Net Zero a marker upon that road. We will always be questioning, seeking ways to make better - for all our futures.
Working towards a better future