What Abakhan does

Abakhan, legally Michael Abakhan Limited, is a family-owned UK specialty retailer founded in the late 1940s by the Abakhan family as a rug-weaving business and now headquartered at Mostyn, Flintshire. It operates 9 physical retail stores across North West England and North Wales (Manchester, Liverpool, Birkenhead, Bolton, Chester, Hanley, Preston, Shrewsbury and Mostyn) alongside an e-commerce storefront at abakhan.co.uk, serving hobbyist crafters, dressmakers, quilters, knitters, fashion designers, and educational institutions.

The core product offering spans fabrics (over 3,000 styles including cotton, polycotton, linen, silk, velvet, denim and Liberty/Tilda/Clarke & Clarke branded ranges), haberdashery (threads, buttons, zips, scissors from Gutermann, DMC, Fiskars), sewing patterns (2,400+ from Simplicity, McCall's, Vogue, Butterick, Burda, New Look, Liberty), yarns (Stylecraft, King Cole, Scheepjes plus the own-brand WoolBox), and sewing/knitting machines (Janome, Brother, Singer). The technology stack is conventional e-commerce: a Magento-style storefront with integrated store locator, loyalty programme, and Awin-powered affiliate tracking; there are no disclosed proprietary platforms, APIs, or AI features.

Revenue is generated through one-time retail sales (in-store and online, with free UK delivery over £35), B2B wholesale fabric sales to independent craft stores and designers (free delivery over £300), sewing and craft classes booked through Eventbrite, a Schools & Colleges credit account programme (£500 credit, 30-day terms), the Abakhan Rewards loyalty scheme (2 points per £1 spent), and a Mostyn café serving Wales Coast Path visitors. The company has no external investment, no parent, no subsidiaries, no disclosed revenue figures, and reports headcount of 101–250 employees.

Name

Abakhan

Legal name

Michael Abakhan Limited

Website

https://abakhan.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Abakhan is a family-owned UK specialty retailer, founded in the late 1940s, operating 9 stores across North West England and North Wales plus an e-commerce site, selling fabrics, haberdashery, yarns, sewing patterns, and machines to hobbyist crafters, designers, and schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Holywell

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales - E-commerce and In-Store: Direct-to-consumer sales of fabrics, haberdashery, crafts, knitting yarn, sewing patterns, and sewing machines through 9 physical stores and online platform. Revenue generated through product markups with free delivery threshold at £35.
2. Sewing & Craft Classes: Educational classes delivered through Eventbrite platform including dressmaking, crochet, patchwork, quilting, and machine sewing. Revenue from class fees.
3. Wholesale/Bulk Fabric Sales: B2B sales to independent craft stores and designers with dedicated account management, minimum orders, and free delivery over £300.
4. Affiliate Commission Revenue: Referral programme offering 6% commission to affiliates who drive sales, managed through Awin platform with 30-day cookie window.
5. Cafe Revenue: On-site cafe serving food and beverages with afternoon tea service, located adjacent to Wales Coast Path.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Abakhan retails dressmaking, curtain, soft furnishing and craft fabrics along with haberdashery, sewing patterns, knitting and crochet yarns, sewing/knitting machines, and crafting supplies through 9 physical stores across North West England and North Wales and a UK e-commerce website. The business supplements its retail offering with sewing and craft classes booked via Eventbrite, wholesale fabric accounts for trade customers, schools and colleges credit facilities, a customer loyalty programme, and an on-site café at its Mostyn flagship store.

Product overview

Abakhan operates a multi-channel retail business offering fabrics, haberdashery, sewing patterns, knitting & crochet supplies, crafting materials, and sewing/knitting machines. The core product portfolio includes dressmaking and furnishing fabrics (cotton, polycotton, linen, silk, velvet, satin), haberdashery essentials (threads, buttons, zips, needles, scissors), sewing patterns from major brands (Simplicity, McCall's, Vogue, Butterick, Burda, New Look, Liberty), and yarn ranges from Stylecraft, King Cole, Scheepjes, Sirdar, and Abakhan's own brand. The business complements its retail offerings with sewing & craft classes (via Eventbrite), wholesale accounts for retailers and designers, schools & colleges credit facilities, a loyalty rewards programme, an affiliate programme, and an on-site café at the Mostyn flagship store.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WoolBox: Own brand yarn collection featuring knitting and crochet patterns

Products and services

• Fabrics Range of dressmaking, curtain, soft furnishing, and craft fabrics including cotton, polycotton, linen, silk, velvet, denim, satin, viscose, chiffon, jersey, lace, wool, tulle, and specialty materials. Available by material, colour, style, and brand for hobbyist crafters, dressmakers, and home furnishers.
• Haberdashery Sewing accessories including threads (Gutermann, DMC), buttons, zips, pins, needles, scissors, ribbons, elastic, fastenings, and tailor's dummies.
• Sewing Patterns Range of 2,482+ dressmaking and craft patterns from major brands including Simplicity, McCall's, Vogue, Butterick, Burda, New Look, and Liberty. Covers womenswear, children's wear, costumes, bags, and home decoration.
• Knitting & Crochet Yarns from brands including Stylecraft, King Cole, Scheepjes, Sirdar, West Yorkshire Spinners, and Abakhan's own WoolBox brand. Available in various weights from 3-ply to super chunky, with knitting and crochet patterns.
• Sewing & Knitting Machines Range of sewing machines, overlockers, embroidery machines, and knitting machines from Janome, Brother, Silver, Singer, and Necchi brands, ranging from budget to professional models (£50–£579).
• Crafting Supplies Craft accessories including felt, adhesives, paints, dyes, felting supplies, macramé materials, toy making supplies, quilting tools (rotary cutters, rulers, templates), and needlework accessories.
• Sewing & Craft Classes Educational classes covering dressmaking, crochet, patchwork & quilting, free motion embroidery, sewing machine skills, and children's sewing, booked through Eventbrite.
• Abakhan Wholesale Wholesale fabric programme for independent craft stores, haberdashery retailers, and fashion designers, offering over 3,000 fabric styles with competitive pricing, dedicated account management, and free delivery on orders over £300.
• Schools & Colleges Credit Account Educational institution account programme providing £500 credit facilities with 30-day payment terms for schools and colleges to purchase fabrics and craft supplies.
• Café at Abakhan On-site café at the Mostyn flagship store offering home-cooked food, hot and cold drinks, Welsh cakes, and afternoon tea service for up to 150 people with indoor/outdoor seating and direct access to the Wales Coast Path.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EventbritecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTicketing and class booking platform for Abakhan's sewing and craft classes. Enables online class registration for dressmaking, crochet, quilting, and machine sewing courses.
• AwincoreTechnology or IntegrationAffiliate marketing network managing Abakhan's influencer and affiliate programme. Provides tracking, reporting, and commission payment infrastructure for 6% referral commissions.
• Simplicity, McCall's, Vogue, Butterick, Burda, New Look, LibertycoreTechnology or IntegrationMajor pattern brands sold through Abakhan stores and website, providing extensive sewing pattern inventory of 2,400+ patterns across multiple style categories and skill levels.
• Royal MailminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUK delivery partner providing tracked delivery service for online orders.
• Wales Coast PathminorStrategic or Co-development Partner870-mile coastal footpath that runs adjacent to Abakhan's Mostyn store and cafe, attracting visitors and walkers as potential customers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hobbycraft: UK's largest specialist craft retailer with over 100 stores, offering a comparable range of fabrics, haberdashery, yarn, sewing machines, and craft classes. Direct competitor to Abakhan with significantly larger scale and national footprint.
• Minerva Crafts: Major UK online fabric and craft supplies retailer offering extensive fabric ranges, haberdashery, and patterns. Directly competes with Abakhan's e-commerce channel with a digital-first, lower-overhead model.
• Croft Mill: UK online fabric retailer specialising in dressmaking and craft fabrics with regular new arrivals and competitive pricing. Directly competes with Abakhan in online fabric retail, particularly for hobbyist dressmakers.
• Dragonfly Fabrics: UK online retailer specialising in craft and dressmaking fabrics with a curated selection of cotton prints and substrates. Directly comparable to Abakhan's fabric-by-the-yard offering with similar target customers.
• World of Sewing: UK sewing machine and haberdashery retailer with both online and physical showroom presence. Directly comparable to Abakhan's machine, haberdashery, and pattern categories, serving overlapping customer segments.

Broad incumbents

• The Range: UK variety retailer with broad product portfolio including craft, hobby, sewing, and fabric ranges across 200+ stores. Competes with Abakhan on price and convenience in craft supplies but does not specialise in fabrics or sewing expertise.
• John Lewis & Partners: UK department store chain with haberdashery, fabric, and sewing machine offerings as part of broader home and lifestyle assortment. Overlaps with Abakhan's product range but is a broad-line retailer rather than craft specialist.

Emerging players

• Sew Over It: UK-based sewing brand offering sewing patterns, classes, and fabric through online and London-based channels. Comparable to Abakhan in combining educational classes with fabric and pattern sales, though at a smaller, more fashion-focused scale.
• Plush Addict: UK online retailer of dressmaking and craft fabrics with a curated range of cotton prints, jersey, and specialty materials. Compares to Abakhan's fabric offering with a focused, digital-first approach and similar target market.

Regional players

• JOANN: Formerly the largest US fabric and craft specialty retailer offering fabrics, sewing notions, patterns, and craft supplies across hundreds of US stores. Comparable business model to Abakhan but operates exclusively in the United States, making it a geographic rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/abakhan.fabrics
• Instagraminstagram.com/abakhanfabrics
• Xx.com/abakhanfabrics
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/michael-abakhan-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Abakhan