Here at Garthenor we’re delighted to announce that we've been nominated as Family Business of the Year by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). This means that we were judged against other businesses and placed as a finalist… we’re unbelievably proud.

As a multi-generation business we can firmly state the value we put upon the act of making. Making is at the heart of what we do and it's the reason our business is what it is today. Sally learnt knitting from her mother, and grandmother before that, whilst I have always taken a keen interest and has been a maker since birth. I've dabbled in woodwork, graphic design, and sewing, as well as wool. As a team we are complementary, collaborative, and, above all, creative.

In the starting stages of the business Garthenor was as much of a family affair, with my two sisters also piling in to help fix machines, pack orders, and choose colours. My dad, Chris was instrumental in evolving the business (you might have spotted him running the show stand in years gone by!), my uncle is an engineer who’s been irreplaceable when I’ve had any questions about machinery and their inner workings. My Grandma used to look after us growing up when my parents were away at shows and mill visits, and all our extended family have always shared and supported everything we’ve done. They breathed their passion into our business and without them we wouldn’t be what we are today. It's the passion, care, and devotion of a few individuals which have made Garthenor into the international company and influence we know it as. Now we like to look back on those pioneering days as the ones which defined us as the planet-loving trail blazers we are today.

We’ve always put our animals and the planet first, it's just what we believe in, which led to our firm ethos of sustainability. For us, being climate positive is one of the most valuable things we’ve done. We achieve this by using only certified organic wool, packaging our orders entirely in recycled materials, and offsetting carbon emissions by planting a tree for every skein we sell. Proud is an understatement to consider the good we are doing for the environment, especially as a member of the textile industry. We hope that we’ve set the precedent for future generations.

We look forward to hearing the results of the FSB awards on the 8th of April and will keep you all updated with how we do!