THE LEDGER: YOUR MASTER SOURCING LIST
For deep-dive journals and photographic studies of UK-made icons, visit The Edit. Here in The Ledger you’ll find our ever-expanding directory of UK makers with details on their origins, products and more.
These are short-form entries - distilled intelligence on heritage, provenance and why these brands deserve a place in your collection. As our field research continues, we’ll produce full photographic reviews in The Edit.
CARRON BATHS – Falkirk, Scotland
The Heritage: Carron has been a name synonymous with iron and metalwork since 1759 (originally the Carron Works). Today, they are a specialist in acrylic and "Carronite" baths, maintaining their entire 30,000-square-metre manufacturing facility in Falkirk, Scotland.
The Verdict: While acrylic is a synthetic material, Carron’s proprietary "Carronite" finish represents a significant engineering upgrade for sustainability. Carronite is a triple-layer reinforcement process that makes an acrylic bath as rigid as cast iron but with superior heat insulation, keeping bathwater warmer for longer and reducing energy consumption. Every Carronite bath comes with a 30-year warranty, a rarity in the white goods market that reflects their confidence in Scottish manufacturing. By producing everything in Falkirk, they maintain a tight domestic supply chain, ensuring that their carbon footprint is significantly lower than the imported tubs that dominate the UK market.
Core Products: Carronite reinforced baths and freestanding tubs.
CATCHPOLE and RYE – Ashford, Kent
The Heritage: Catchpole & Rye is a specialist manufacturer that has revitalised the art of the English cast iron bath. While their showrooms are in London, their manufacturing heart is in Kent, where they operate extensive workshops and an engineering facility dedicated to casting and hand-finishing.
The Verdict: A masterclass in domestic cast-metal engineering. Their baths are made using traditional sand-casting techniques, resulting in a product with exceptional thermal retention compared to modern acrylic or thin-steel tubs. A standout sustainability feature is their "Le Thermo" shower range, which is manufactured in Kent from solid brass and features a high-bore thermostatic valve designed to optimise water pressure, reducing the need for electric pumps. By hand-finishing every piece in their Pluckley workshops, they offer a level of bespoke customisation - including personalising cast iron cisterns with house names or emblems - that’s only possible through direct, domestic control of the production process
Core Products: Cast iron bateau baths, copper baths and Kent-made brassware.