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.
IMPERIAL BATHROOMS – Aldridge, West Midlands
The Heritage: Situated in Aldridge, a town with a centuries-old history of clay and brick production, Imperial Bathrooms is one of the few remaining large-scale manufacturers of vitreous china in the heart of England. Despite a restructuring in 2023, the brand has maintained its dedicated production facility, continuing to employ time-served craftsmen who utilise traditional skills passed down through generations.
The Verdict: Imperial is a rare example of clay-to-completion domestic manufacturing. While many competitors import white-ware and simply badge it in the UK, Imperial’s ceramics are formed, fired, and glazed in their Aldridge pottery. From a sustainability perspective, their ceramic ware carries a lifetime quality guarantee - a testament to the high-density firing process that makes their china significantly more resistant to crazing and structural failure than cheaper, high-volume imports. By sourcing local clay and keeping the entire production cycle within the West Midlands, they drastically reduce the logistical carbon footprint of these heavy, fragile goods.
Core Products: Vitreous china basins, toilets and pedestals (Westminster and Radcliffe collections).
INCE UMBRELLAS - Bethnal Green, London
The Heritage: Established in 1805, they are the oldest continuously operating umbrella maker in the UK. For six generations, the Ince family has manufactured in East London, originally supplying the local Spitalfields silk trade.
The Verdict: The genuine article. While most "British" umbrellas are now cheap imports with a logo slapped on, Ince still cuts, stitches, and finishes their frames in London. They are the unseen stars of Mary Poppins and Kingsman.
Core Products: Handcrafted gentlemen's and ladies' umbrellas, folding models and bespoke commissions for film and theatre.
HOPE TECHNOLOGY - Barnoldswick, England
The Heritage: Founded in 1989 by two former aerospace engineers, Hope has transformed a former Barnoldswick textile mill into a state-of-the-art CNC machining facility.
The Verdict: The "Rolls-Royce" of the mountain bike world. By keeping 100% of their production in Lancashire, they maintain a level of quality control and innovation that has made them a global engineering powerhouse.
Core Products: High-performance bicycle components, including disc brakes, hubs, cranksets and carbon fibre frames.
HOLLAND and HOLLAND – Kensal Green, London
The Heritage: Founded in 1835, Holland & Holland is a name synonymous with the absolute pinnacle of UK gunmaking. While the company is now part of the Beretta Holding, its manufacturing remains fiercely domestic, operating from a specialist factory in West London where master gunsmiths spend hundreds of hours hand-crafting each individual piece.
The Verdict: This is extreme manufacturing. A single Holland & Holland shotgun or rifle can take up to two years to complete, involving traditional skills like action filing and stock carving that have remained unchanged since the Victorian era. From a sustainability perspective, these are infinite-life objects; they are designed to be used, maintained and passed down as heirlooms for centuries. Their material integrity is almost beyond reproach, utilising high-grade walnut and the finest British steel. By choosing a London-made Holland & Holland, you are directly supporting the preservation of some of the world's most endangered metal-finishing and woodworking skills.
Core Products: Bespoke 'Royal' side-by-side shotguns and sporting rifles.
HAWS - Smethwick, West Midlands
The Heritage: Founded in 1886 by John Haws, the company is the world's oldest manufacturer of watering cans. They continue to handcraft their metal cans in the West Midlands, with each steel vessel requiring over 120 manual touch points to bend, solder and paint.
The Verdict: A highly functional design classic that actively counters the disposable plastics market. The established balance and heavy-duty, hot-dip galvanised construction ensure these tools will serve a garden for decades.
Core Products: Galvanised steel outdoor watering cans, indoor copper cans and brass roses.
HILLBRUSH — Mere, England
The Heritage: Founded in 1922, Hillbrush represents over a century of British wooden brush-making expertise. A proud Royal Warrant holder to His Majesty The King, this family-owned business continues to manufacture their high-end goods from their UK workshop, passing down generational craftsmanship while embracing modern sustainability.
The Verdict: Hillbrush elevates the mundane tools of daily life into objects of true beauty and endurance. Rejecting plastics entirely for their heritage 'Natural' range, their makers select only sustainable, FSC-certified beechwood and centuries-old natural fibres like Tampico, boar bristle, and horsehair. A masterclass in functional elegance for the home.
Core Products: Premium wooden scrubbing brushes, sweeping brooms, clothes brushes, and grooming accessories. URL: https://www.hillbrush.com
Full Review in The Edit: Read it Here.
HIUT DENIM CO. - Cardigan, Wales
The Heritage: Based in the Old Jeans Factory in Cardigan, a town that once produced 35,000 pairs of jeans a week before the industry vanished.
The Verdict: They don't just make jeans; they make a point by employing "Grandmasters" to revive a town’s identity through exceptional craft.
Core Products: Premium selvedge and organic denim jeans.
GRENSON - Northamptonshire, England
The Heritage: Founded in 1866, Grenson was one of the first registered footwear brands in the UK. They maintain a factory in Northamptonshire for their 'G One' and bespoke lines (other collections are manufactured overseas).
The Verdict: Traditional welted footwear. Their UK-made lines adhere strictly to the Goodyear welted construction method, ensuring the soles can be repeatedly replaced over the lifespan of the leather upper.
Core Products: Goodyear welted shoes and boots.
GLENFARCLAS - Speyside, Scotland
The Heritage: One of the few remaining fiercely independent, family-owned distilleries in Scotland. The Grant family has owned Glenfarclas since 1865 and they stubbornly refuse to use anything other than direct-fired stills and European oak sherry casks.
The Verdict: Speyside malt the way it was meant to be made. Free from corporate interference, their heavily sherried whiskies offer unmatched depth, value and traditional Scottish provenance.
Core Products: Single malt Scotch whisky, notably their 15-year-old and 105 Cask Strength.
GLOVERALL - Northamptonshire, England
The Heritage: Founded in 1951 when Harold and Freda Morris ("Gloves and Overalls") began selling surplus military duffle coats, they eventually created the civilian archetype we know today. They are the original makers of the Monty coat, named after Field Marshal Montgomery.
The Verdict: The "Monty" remains the gold standard. While fashion brands make "duffle-style" jackets, Gloverall uses authentic jute rope and wood toggles with heavy English Melton wool that is virtually indestructible.
Core Products: Authentic duffle coats, peacoats, parkas and knitwear.
FAITH IN NATURE - Radcliffe, Manchester
The Heritage: Established in 1974, the company formulates and manufactures natural, cruelty-free cosmetic and cleaning products in the UK.
The Verdict: Established ecological manufacturing. The brand provides reliable, domestically produced alternatives to synthetic cosmetics, utilising naturally derived ingredients.
Core Products: Shampoos, conditioners and body washes.
GARRARD & FLACK - Cambridge, England
The Heritage: A specialist cricket bat-making workshop that hand-clefts, presses and shapes English willow into custom cricket bats using established manual techniques.
The Verdict: Bespoke sporting equipment. The manual pressing and shaping process allows the maker to tailor the balance and performance of the willow to individual requirements.
Core Products: Hand-made English willow cricket bats.
FOX UMBRELLAS - Croydon, Surrey
The Heritage: Founded in 1868, Fox Umbrellas revolutionized the industry by introducing the steel tube frame (invented by Samuel Fox). Hand-made in England, their umbrellas have shielded British royalty, John F. Kennedy and countless City of London executives from the rain.
The Verdict: The gold standard of the British umbrella. A Fox umbrella is rolled so tightly it doubles as a walking stick, offering an elegant, lifetime defense against the UK’s weather.
Core Products: Solid stick umbrellas, tube frame umbrellas and telescopic umbrellas.
FOOTPRINT TOOLS - Sheffield, England
The Heritage: Founded in 1875 by Thomas R. Ellin, this brand is a cornerstone of Sheffield's industrial identity, remaining in the same owning family since 1948.
The Verdict: Industrial survival at its finest. In a market flooded with cheap imports, Footprint remains one of the few places where you can still find a professional-grade chisel forged and finished on UK soil.
Core Products: Professional building tools including cold chisels, line pins, bolsters and the iconic Footprint pipe wrench.
EDWIN JAGGER - Sheffield, England
The Heritage: Founded in 1988, Edwin Jagger manufactures wet shaving hardware. The company designs, assembles, and finishes its razors and brushes in Sheffield, drawing on the city's metalworking history.
The Verdict: Precision grooming equipment. The products utilise modern finishing techniques and traditional designs to provide durable, reusable alternatives to disposable plastic razors.
Core Products: Safety razors, shaving brushes and soaps.
ETTINGER - Walsall, England
The Heritage: Founded by Gerry Ettinger in 1934, they are one of the last remaining luxury leather goods companies still manufacturing in the UK. In 1999, they acquired the historic James Homer factory in Walsall - the traditional heart of the UK’s saddlery trade - to ensure their production remained in the UK. They hold a Royal Warrant to HRH The Prince of Wales (now King Charles III).
The Verdict: While famous for their wallets, it’s the leather itself that matters here. They’re specialists in English Bridle Hide - a leather originally used for equestrian gear that’s incredibly durable and improves with age. Their signature "London Tan" (yellow) interiors are an immediate sign of quality to those in the know.
Core Products: Luxury handmade leather wallets, card cases, travel accessories and bags.
GODFREY SPORTS - Nottingham, England
The Heritage: Operating since 1978, Godfrey Sports has manufactured performance sportswear in Nottingham for over four decades. The company maintains its own UK production facility, where it cuts and sews garments using fabrics that incorporate over 70% recycled materials.
The Verdict: Established, specialist athletic manufacturing. While they supply extensive custom kit for rowing and cycling clubs globally, their consumer retail lines offer the same rigorously tested, domestically produced technical performance.
Core Products:Rowing all-in-ones, cycling apparel, splash jackets and technical leggings.
EBAC – Newton Aycliffe, County Durham
The Heritage: Ebac is a privately-owned British company that achieved significant industry recognition by becoming the only manufacturer of washing machines currently operating in the UK. While global giants moved production to low-cost labour markets, Ebac invested £7 million to open a state-of-the-art laundry appliance production line in County Durham, where they also manufacture the UK’s leading range of dehumidifiers.
The Verdict: Ebac represents the definitive ‘repair-over-replace’ philosophy in the domestic appliance market. Their washing machines are engineered with a specific focus on longevity and environmental responsibility; for instance, they use high-quality components designed to withstand the UK's specific water conditions, which often cause premature failure in imported machines. Critically, their machines are designed to be easily dismantled and repaired by local engineers, and they provide an industry-leading 10-year warranty on many models. This commitment to domestic manufacturing and long-term serviceability makes them a more sustainable choice than imported white goods that are frequently treated as disposable. Furthermore, their dehumidifiers are specifically calibrated for the UK’s climate, offering superior energy efficiency compared to many generic models.
Core Products: UK-made washing machines, dehumidifiers and water coolers.
DENBY - Derbyshire, England
The Heritage: Denby has manufactured stoneware from local Derbyshire clay since 1809. The company maintains its original site, using traditional glazing and firing methods alongside modern production scaling.
The Verdict: Durable domestic ceramics. The high-temperature firing process creates a non-porous, chip-resistant product designed for daily utility rather than delicate display.
Core Products: Stoneware tableware and oven-to-table bakeware.
DENMAN BRUSHES - Bangor, Northern Ireland
The Heritage: The Denman D3 brush was introduced in the 1930s. The company continues to manufacture its styling tools in Northern Ireland for the global salon market.
The Verdict: Functional design. The brush's construction remains largely unchanged, providing effective, durable performance that remains an industry standard.
Core Products: Hairbrushes and professional styling tools.