Necessity is the mother of invention — so it’s no wonder that the drive to make our homes more efficient and comfortable inspired so many ingenious inventions and successful British domestic brands.
Office of National Statistics figures show that the average UK family spent £536.80 per week in 2016-17 — a significant portion of which is invested in home products and services.
So if you’re trying to break into this lucrative sector, it’s worth keeping an eye on enterprises that are already established — here are five of the most popular British domestic brands.
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5 Iconic British Domestic Brands
Keeping carpets and floors clean is a bugbear for most homeowners — it’s especially tricky in a house with children and pets.
So cutting-edge vacuum cleaner manufacturer Dyson differentiates itself from competitors by applying engineering excellence to its high-performance domestic product range.
Dyson’s offering now includes hair dryers, humidifiers and fans — with global sales reaching £3.5 billion thanks to rapid recent expansion in Asian markets, according to the Guardian.
Iconic fashion and home furnishings firm Laura Ashley is synonymous with traditional British prints and patterns.
Founders Laura and Bernard Ashley first printed fabric on the kitchen table of their London home in 1953 with a basic screen, dye and linen kit costing just £10.
And since then, it’s supplied bed linen, curtains, wallpaper and tablecloths to millions of households around the world — not bad for a firm that essentially started as an amateur craft project.
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Sometimes simple business models are the most effective — providing customers with a high-quality product that solves their problems is very persuasive.
That’s the case with door and floor mat firm The Mat Factory — its tough, durable and personalized products have proven very popular with house-proud purchasers.
Established in Bolton in 2009, the company has collaborated with designers like Julie Dodsworth and Alfred Gockel to supply homes and businesses up and down the country with stylish and functional floor mats.
Aga cookers were first introduced to British households in 1922 and their distinct solid design with vitreous enamel coating hasn’t changed much in the intervening decades.
In an age of planned obsolescence, Aga is prominent for producing products that are designed to last for decades — and their heat-storage range cookers warm up kitchens effectively as well as cooking food to perfection.
If your product becomes an instant classic, loyal customers will follow you from generation to generation.
Attractive and carefully-constructed windows are central to keeping your home warm and aesthetically pleasing.
And domestic glass installer CR Smith has been part of Scotland’s business community for 100 years, satisfying that very need.
When Fife entrepreneur Gerard Eadie took the company over 40 years ago, his drive and determination triggered considerable expansion — it was the first firm to simultaneously sponsor Rangers and Celtic football teams and now operates its own manufacturing plant and apprenticeship scheme.
So there are five of the best British domestic brands — follow in their footsteps to become a household name for years to come.
What’s your favorite household products brand? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
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