Bringing natural and ethical fibres home to Hertfordshire
What started with a handful of blankets on a market stall has grown into a much-loved Hertfordshire business with one very simple belief at its heart – let’s buy less, buy natural and buy well.
For textile designers and founders Vilija and Rimsky, the story began at Spitalfields Market, where they sold their first blankets with little more than a love of beautiful natural fibres and a feeling that they might just be onto something quite special.
A regular pitch at St Albans Market followed and, after a particularly successful weekend at the Country Living Show back in 2011, they took the leap and left their day jobs to concentrate on So Cosy full-time.
From passion to purpose
Some 15 years later, their passion for natural fibres and beautiful craftsmanship endures. ‘We feel incredibly lucky,’ says Vilija. ‘So Cosy has allowed us to build a business around the things we genuinely love – textiles, colour, design, nature and meeting lots and lots of different people. Every time we discover a new fibre or meet a skilled maker, it reminds us exactly why we started So Cosy in the first place.’
Rimsky adds, ‘We’ve never wanted to make things simply for the sake of making more things. We want people to discover something wonderful, bring it into their home and still be loving it years from now.’
This philosophy feels increasingly important in a world of fast fashion and throwaway homeware. Instead So Cosy champions natural fibres including pure new wool, alpaca wool, Merino wool, linen, jute, mohair and cashmere, working with skilled artisans from all over the planet to create timeless pieces that last.
Keeping things slow and independent
Proudly independent and deliberately slow, the brand now has a permanent spot in the Hertfordshire countryside. You’ll find their delightfully cosy shop at Fairclough Hall Farm in Weston, and it’s open for you to explore by appointment for one very important reason.
Vilija and Rimsky’s love of all things cosy and crafty takes them much further afield, which means they aren’t always about over at So Cosy HQ. The couple travel for inspiration, seeking out traditional craftsmanship and discovering the stories behind the natural fibres people just love to snuggle up to. They also exhibit at events across the UK and Europe for the chance to meet their cosy-loving customers in person.
By the time this goes out, Vilija and Rimsky will have just returned from India – no doubt bringing back plenty of stories to share and brand new inspiration for the So Cosy collection.
‘We still get excited about the same things we did at the beginning,’ says Vilija. ‘Finding something beautiful, learning where it came from and then bringing a little bit of that story into someone’s home is a special thing to be part of.’
You can find out more at www.socosy.co.uk.