Social Responsibility: craft, community & nature
At the heart of Niki Jones is our commitment to preserving traditional craft techniques and supporting our community of small independent makers. We believe in making products that are as ethical as possible, using natural materials, in their place of origin.
Our studio is committed to original design and the highest standards of quality and integrity. We are conscious of our footprint on the planet and our relationship to others; we take our social responsibility seriously and it’s echoed in all our decisions. We are not interested in fast, throw away trends - our products are slow, hand made, considered.
Craft
Niki seeks out the very best of artisan craft and heritage from around the world. Whether it is hand crewel embroidery from Kashmir in Northern India, hand knotted rugs from Nepal, Polish paper cuts or a local bookbinder in Scotland. Supporting traditional crafts to ensure their survival for future generations is of the upmost importance to us.
Product development is intrinsic to our brand, and Niki contemplates every detail, nothing is rushed or overlooked. We celebrate the skill involved in creating them.
We love the aesthetic of traditional crafts - they are joyful, intricate and beautiful - as much as the history behind them. Niki’s inspiration comes from these ancient skills and she artfully reinterprets them into fresh, contemporary designs.
Community
Collaborating with our community of small independent artisans and makers is a privilege. Everything is originated by us and manufactured by suppliers whom we have worked closely with for many years. We value our relationships and appreciate our partners skill and workmanship.
People are important and we aim to make a positive impact. Our master crewel embroiderers in Kashmir are farmers who supplement their farming income during the winter months by working with us. We are a proud partner of ‘GoodWeave’, an organisation that ensures your hand woven rug was not made by forced or bonded labour. Our GoodWeave certified rugs are ethically made and your purchasing decision supports programs that educate children, provide critical services, and transform communities within South East Asia. Read more on GoodWeave.
Our independent makers and suppliers are generally small entities. We know first hand from Niki’s visits that our support provides income that benefits the communities as a whole.
Image Courtesy Katha Haru, (C) GoodWeave
Natural Materials
At Niki Jones we only use the best quality natural raw materials. It’s our responsibility to use as many sustainable practices as possible, with an appreciation of our planet.
Linen is one of nature’s original, high quality eco-fabrics. We use pure Linen as our base fabric for cushion covers and for our Velvet Linen quilts. Its biodegradable, sustainable, durable, strong and gets better with age. Read more about our Linen. It also uses little water to grow as a crop.
We use New Zealand Wool to weave our hand crafted rugs – renowned to be the finest quality in the world. It is the purest and most clean wool, providing beautiful colour saturation as it takes dye so well. NZ Wool fibres are very long and strong, and super soft. When woven it creates an extremely durable rug whilst still retaining a soft feel.
Wool rugs are naturally insulating and as wool is a natural flame-retardant material, it’s a perfect choice for flooring. Lanolin oil that is naturally present in wool means that it also has a handy moisture wicking property, easy to wipe off a small spill. It is a sustainable material as its natural and renewable, it is grown not made; every year sheep grow a new fleece. Wool products use less energy than man-made fibres during manufacture and are also biodegradable.
Cotton features in our collection, definitely no synthetic blends. Our quilt filling is 100% Cotton, this lasts longer than synthetic fillings, maintains it shape, and adds a lovely drape and hand feel to our throws and bedspreads. Our Cotton Voile Kantha Quilts are machine washable and the voile fabric quality we use is super soft. Our feather cushion pads are made in the UK with 100% Cotton down proof fabric.
We use sustainable packaging where possible. Our Cushion Covers arrive with you in reusable cotton voile bags. Where waterproof packaging is necessary we use biodegradable, compostable or recyclable bags. Our tissue paper, paper packing, heavy-duty paper bags and boxes are also recyclable. In addition our packaging supplier plants trees in areas of need with every order we make.
When you purchase from us you are not only purchasing something beautiful to be treasured, but it is responsibly sourced and produced. Our attention to detail, high quality natural materials and skilled craftsmanship, produce products with longevity. We endeavour to build on this each season. Know that your choice to purchase from us creates positive impacts.
