SME News Q3 2023 | 28 Exquisite Vintage Style with a Sustainable Heart Specialising in the truly iconic Chesterfield style, Vintage Sofa Co. partners ethical, sustainable practices with peerless customer service – and that’s not to say anything about its work, which continues to impress and set the benchmark in the greater furniture sphere. We spoke with directors and co-owners, Katy and Peter Hawes to find out more following the team’s well-deserved success as Recognised Leading Designer of Chesterfield-Style Furniture 2023 – Yorkshire. Katy and Peter are quick to spotlight what the team’s collective goal is: “To bring joy to your home”. While simple from the outset, it has sought to drive Vintage Sofa Co. to a standard that few can keep pace with. Passion drives everyone within the company. Passion to deliver an exceptional quality product, with an exceptional quality of service, with a deep love for the craft. It’s a potent combination. “There really is no place like home. Home is your haven. Dad’s chair, Mum’s seat; our surroundings are an extension of who we are – the stage of life's precious little moments – tea with friends, love and laughter with family. We’re here to make home somewhere you love, somewhere that’s ‘you’. When you visit our showroom, you are treated as a guest, not a customer. Products are very carefully selected and often designed by us,” Katy begins, before Peter adds. “Our business is always exciting, always progressive and developing. As entrepreneurs, our company does not stand still, keeping abreast of design trends and advances in technology – within the manufacturing industry, with new products and materials, but also in terms of our own infrastructure – our use of power and resources, our marketing strategy, and our customer needs. Like the Victorian days of the Selfridges window display with crowds waiting for the curtain to be drawn back, we have that anticipation of new projects – except social media is our curtain to the public, it’s where we delight and inspire, and test how products are received.” It’s an interesting juxtaposition, combining the decidedly oldschool approach of customer service – not to mention the presentation of their product line – with an innovative-driven spin. There’s no stagnation here – indeed, the company averages 25 new product reveals every year. With that in mind, it should be no surprise that the company isn’t driven by profit. The aforementioned passion for all things furniture, production, manufacturing, and good old-fashioned British design and quality workmanship. It’s the beating heart of the company, harkening back on that nostalgic past, but framed within a modern infrastructure. As the duo continues to explain, sustainability too acts as a guiding landmark for all decisions. “We only sell what we love, and our customers can really see that. Our showroom is our home, and visiting is like being a guest in our home. We never want to get too big for our boots or forget why we started in the first place. It’s a privilege to be here, to have such a great team working with us, and to have that rarity of seeing family every day. And so, with that, comes our wish to always do our best and to keep learning, improving, and innovating,” Peter says. “I work directly with a very small number of manufacturers to ensure products are made to the highest level. These are not throwaway products. However, the company does use materials that would otherwise be wasted. Aniline leather is used, which is a byproduct of the food industry, which would otherwise end up in landfill – an appalling waste. This is the only leather we stock on our sofas, and is beautiful, buttery soft, full grain leather, which is made to wear in, not out. It is a natural product, made without the use of harsh chemicals. We will NEVER stock any cheap, bonded, or sprayon leathers which flake and peel and aren’t made to last. The leather is also responsibly used and is specifically cut to reduce wastage,” Katy explains in her closing comments. And all of this says nothing about the company’s future, as it looks to develop a line of velvet sofas made entirely from recycled materials. This will perfectly compliment the team’s current signature finish, as Peter concludes. “Harris Tweed, one of our signature finishes is a sustainable, natural material. It’s renewable, biodegradable, and recyclable, as well as being naturally flame-resistant. As it’s made from 100% pure British wool, the sofas are hardwearing; warm in winter and cool in summer, it resists water, cleans easily, and is incredibly soft to touch.” If you’re in the market for a new sofa, you really can’t go wrong with Vintage Sofa Co. Vintage Sofa Co. at a glance: - 4.9 average review on Facebook – (based on 321 reviews) - 4.8 ranking on Trustpilot and Reviews IO - 24-second average wait time for calls to be answered. - Delivery time average is 5 days and 20 hours. - Customers know that Monday – Friday they can expect same-day after-sale care. - Unlike other companies, the company’s deliveries are booked at a time to suit the customer, not the business Contact Details Company: Vintage Sofa Co. Contact: Katy Hawes and Peter Hawes, Directors and Co-Owners Website: https://vintagesofa.co.uk/ Address: Showroom: Jowler Mill HX2 6TB
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