HIDDEN GEMS: DARTINGTON CRYSTAL – HAND MADE CRYSTAL RANGE, Great Torrington, Devon

The Heritage: Established in 1967 as a social enterprise by the Dartington Hall Trust, the company was founded to provide high-quality employment in rural North Devon. Today, it remains the largest employer in the area and one of the few large-scale crystal manufacturers in the country still utilising traditional mouth-blowing techniques.

The Verdict: We recommend Dartington’s hand-made crystal ranges which are manufactured in the Devon factory. Their machine-made and entry-level lines are sourced from within the EU and so we focus on their signature mouth-blown collections for the highest level of UK provenance. Their sustainability credentials are built into their quality-over-quantity philosophy and their Devon-made crystal is significantly more durable and chip-resistant than thinner, machine-made glass. By maintaining a domestic factory with over 150 staff, they sustain a vital industrial ecosystem in the South West, reducing the carbon footprint associated with global logistics. Their visitor centre invites the public to watch the glass-blowers in action, providing a transparent look at a production process that has remained largely unchanged for decades.

Core Products: Hand-made mouth-blown crystal vases, wine glasses and barware.