The Crafters
The Crafters is a 13-member artist cooperative in Melrose, Scottish Borders, operating a single handmade-craft retail shop since 1998 and hosting an annual Art and Design Fair in Kelso for local consumers and event visitors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersScottish Borders, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Crafters does
The Crafters is a cooperative craft retail business founded in 1998 and based in Melrose, Scottish Borders, UK. It operates a single physical shop selling handmade goods produced by 13 member-artists, alongside hosting an annual Art and Design Fair at Springwood Park / Borders Event Centre in Kelso that draws roughly 60 exhibitors over a two-day event.
The cooperative's product range consists entirely of handmade crafts created by its members, with incremental assortment contributed through a Guest Crafter Program that rotates external makers into the retail space. Gift vouchers have been introduced as an additional retail line. There is no e-commerce channel, no proprietary technology platform, and no disclosed digital infrastructure — the entire commercial surface is physical retail plus a once-yearly event.
The business model is straightforward artisan retail: member-artisans produce goods, the cooperative curates and sells them through the Melrose shop and the annual fair, and revenue is shared among members under the cooperative structure. Customers are predominantly walk-in retail buyers and event visitors, with no disclosed B2B contracts, wholesale accounts, or enterprise customers. The cooperative has remained structurally unchanged for over 25 years, indicating a stable but deliberately non-scaling operating posture.
The Crafters firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Crafters
- Website
- https://thecrafters.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Crafters is a 13-member artist cooperative in Melrose, Scottish Borders, operating a single handmade-craft retail shop since 1998 and hosting an annual Art and Design Fair in Kelso for local consumers and event visitors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Crafters industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Artisan Craft Retail
- NAICS
- Sewing, Needlework, and Piece Goods Retailers (45913)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Crafting Tools & Equipment Retail (Cutting, Adhesives, Heat Tools) (CRALACAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Handmade/Craft Fashion Jewelry (Beaded/Wire/Woven) (CRAKABAD), Yarn, Knitting & Crochet Shops (CRALADAC), Needlepoint & Embroidery Shops (CRALADAE)
Keywords
Where The Crafters is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Scottish Borders
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Crafters business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Retail Sales: Direct sales of handmade craft products through the physical retail shop in Melrose. Products include ceramics, glassware, knitwear, jewellery, leather goods, woodwork, textiles, artwork, soaps, and more.
- Gift Vouchers: Gift vouchers are available for purchase, providing prepaid store credit for recipients.
- Art and Design Fair: Annual craft fair event featuring exhibitor fees from local makers and artists, held at Springwood Park in Kelso.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
The Crafters product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Crafters is a cooperative craft shop that sells handmade crafts (ceramics, glassware, knitwear, jewellery, leather goods, woodwork, textiles, artwork, skincare products) created by 13 member artists and designers, with a rotating monthly guest crafter programme. It also organises an annual Art and Design Fair at Springwood Park / Borders Event Centre in Kelso featuring approximately 60 local makers and artists.
Product overview
The Crafters operates as a single cooperative retail shop offering handcrafted items from 13 member artists and designers. The core offering is the physical and online shop featuring diverse craft products including paintings, ceramics, glassware, knitwear, leather goods, woodwork, textiles, jewelry, and natural products. Supporting offerings include gift vouchers, a monthly guest crafter program rotating two external artists, and an annual Art and Design Fair held each November in Kelso.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Crafters Cooperative Shop A cooperative retail shop in Melrose Market Square selling handcrafted items from 13 member artists and designers, including paintings, ceramics, glassware, knitwear, leather goods, woodwork, textiles, jewellery, soap, and food items. Open Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm and Sundays (June-December) 12noon-4pm.
- Gift Vouchers Prepaid gift vouchers available for purchase at the cooperative shop, intended for buyers who want to give a flexible present from the cooperative's handmade range.
- The Crafters Art and Design Fair An annual craft fair organised by The Crafters and held each November at the Borders Event Centre, Springwood Park, Kelso, showcasing around 60 local makers and artists from across the Scottish Borders.
Companies that use The Crafters
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Crafters technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Crafters partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Springwood Park / Borders Event CentrecoreVenue partner for the annual Art and Design Fair. The event has been held at Springwood Park in Kelso, now at the Borders Event Centre. Fair dates include November 21-22, 2026.
- Guest Crafters Program - Various ArtistsminorMonthly guest crafter program featuring two rotating guest artists per month. Past guests include: Baigali Designs (cushions/throws), Samieston Ceramics (ceramic tiles), Print Dye Stitch (embroidery), Ark Glass (fused glass), Caroline Earl (silk scarves), Sweet Success (chocolates), and many others.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
The Crafters competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Folksy: UK-based online marketplace dedicated exclusively to handmade crafts by British makers. Comparable to The Crafters as a sales channel for independent UK artisans selling ceramics, textiles, jewellery and similar handcrafted goods.
- Notonthehighstreet.com: UK curated marketplace for handmade and personalised gifts from small UK makers. Directly comparable to The Crafters because both aggregate multiple independent craftspeople into a single shopping destination for unique, locally made goods.
- Wolf & Badger: UK retailer curating independent designers and makers across fashion, jewellery, home and gifts, with both online and physical stores. Directly comparable because it curates multiple independent makers into a premium handmade shopping experience for gift buyers.
Broad incumbents
- Etsy: Global online marketplace for handmade and vintage goods. Comparable to The Crafters as a destination for consumers seeking handmade craft products, but operates at vastly greater scale and online-only.
- Hobbycraft: UK's largest specialist arts and crafts retailer with ~100 stores nationwide. Comparable in customer overlap (hobbyists and gift buyers interested in crafts) but competing through mass-market craft supplies and kits rather than handmade finished goods.
- Create and Craft: UK multi-channel craft retailer (TV and online) selling craft supplies and curated handmade ranges. Comparable in serving the UK crafting and handmade-gifting audience, though focused on supplies and televised retail rather than a single boutique.
Regional players
- The Scottish Gallery: Edinburgh-based gallery and craft retailer featuring Scottish artists and makers. Comparable as a regional Scottish destination for original craft and artwork aimed at local buyers and tourists in the same catchment as The Crafters.
- Country Living Fairs: UK consumer fair series featuring curated UK makers and craft producers. Comparable to The Crafters' annual Art and Design Fair in scale, audience (gift and home buyers) and curated artisan exhibitor model.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Crafters social profiles
Digital presenceThe Crafters financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Crafters leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Crafters funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Crafters M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Crafters
What does The Crafters do?
The Crafters is a cooperative craft shop that sells handmade crafts (ceramics, glassware, knitwear, jewellery, leather goods, woodwork, textiles, artwork, skincare products) created by 13 member artists and designers, with a rotating monthly guest crafter programme. It also organises an annual Art and Design Fair at Springwood Park / Borders Event Centre in Kelso featuring approximately 60 local makers and artists.
Is The Crafters a public or private company?
The Crafters is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was The Crafters founded?
The Crafters was founded in 1998. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Crafters based?
The Crafters is headquartered in Scottish Borders, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Crafters make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Retail Sales are the primary driver. The others are gift Vouchers and art and Design Fair.
Who are The Crafters's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Folksy, Notonthehighstreet.com and Wolf & Badger. Broad incumbents are Etsy, Hobbycraft and Create and Craft. Regional players are The Scottish Gallery and Country Living Fairs.
Does The Crafters have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Crafters.
What industry is The Crafters in?
The Crafters's product category is Artisan Craft Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALACAC, Crafting Tools & Equipment Retail (Cutting, Adhesives, Heat Tools), with a secondary code of CRAKABAD, Handmade/Craft Fashion Jewelry (Beaded/Wire/Woven). Its NAICS code is 45913.