The British manufacturer behind bespoke seating for venues including the National Gallery, Hilton hotels and Abbey Road Studios has joined Made in Britain.
At a time when hospitality procurement teams are putting increasing emphasis on where and how furniture is made, Craftwood UK has become the latest manufacturer accredited to use the official Made in Britain trademark.
From its factory in Ringwood, Hampshire, Craftwood UK has more than 40 years' experience designing, manufacturing and installing bespoke upholstered seating and furniture. The company manufactures banquette, booth and bench seating alongside upholstered wall panels, headboards and bespoke furniture for hospitality and commercial interiors.
Craftwood has crafted seating for the National Gallery, Hilton hotels, Hawksmoor steak & seafood restaurants, Amazonico Restaurant in London’s Berkeley Square and Abbey Road Studios, with its seating also supplied for international hospitality and marine projects.
The British manufacturer says that hospitality operators are increasingly scrutinising supply chains and looking for clearer evidence of where furniture has actually been manufactured, particularly during tendering and supplier selection.
“For architects, interior designers, fit-out contractors and procurement teams, transparency surrounding the supply chain is becoming increasingly important," says Charlie Hockin, Commercial Director at Craftwood UK. "The Made in Britain trademark provides immediate reassurance that Craftwood meets recognised criteria and that our claims about British manufacturing have been verified.
“It also helps clients distinguish genuine British manufacturers from businesses whose products may simply be designed, distributed or assembled in the UK.”
Made in Britain's registered trademarks can only be used by members to identify products manufactured in Great Britain or Northern Ireland.
Craftwood’s manufacturing facility in Hampshire meets this essential criterion, with its in-house capabilities spanning design, development and technical drawings through to CNC machining, joinery, upholstery, project management and installation. This gives the business oversight of projects from initial concept to final fitting.
The accreditation comes as Craftwood reports another notable shift among hospitality operators - a growing demand to refurbish existing seating rather than automatically replacing it.
The manufacturer says that more and more operators are looking to extend the life of existing furniture, without replacing it. They also want improvements to be carried out without closing venues or sacrificing valuable trading hours. This is another area in which Craftwood’s UK furniture-making is an advantage, with its UK-based team currently working with Hawksmoor to remove existing seating, refurbish it and reinstall it outside of normal trading hours. This allows the restaurants to refresh their interiors while minimising disruption and avoiding unnecessary lost covers.
Bespoke seating is also becoming more important, stresses Craftwood, as hospitality businesses look to create more distinctive interiors while making better use of available floor space.
As it targets further growth across hospitality, commercial interiors, healthcare, education, airport lounges, marine and high-end residential projects, Craftwood will display the Made in Britain trademark across its website, social media, vehicles, brochures, presentations and other marketing materials, as well as exploring its use on product information, project documentation and packaging.
Hockin added: “Made in Britain membership provides important recognition for the skill, care and expertise of the entire Craftwood team. It reinforces the fact that our products are made here in Britain by experienced craftspeople, supported by our in-house design, manufacturing and project management capabilities.
“The Made in Britain mark will support this growth by strengthening our position during tendering and supplier-selection processes. It will help us reach clients who actively prioritise British manufacturing, supply chain transparency, local expertise and responsible procurement.”
John Pearce, CEO of Made in Britain, said: “When a hotel, restaurant or major visitor destination specifies British-made furniture, it should be clear that the products they are buying have genuinely been manufactured here, not simply shipped in and snapped together like flat-pack.
“Craftwood is a great example of the depth of capability we have in British manufacturing, combining skilled furniture-making with modern production techniques to deliver bespoke interiors for some of the country's best-known hospitality and visitor destinations. The Made in Britain trademark gives procurement teams, architects and designers a simple way to identify verified British manufacturers and make more informed decisions about where the products they specify are made.”
For more information on the Made in Britain campaign, visit www.madeinbritain.org.
