What Lawrence & Foster does

Lawrence & Foster Ltd is a privately-held, family-owned traditional hat and cap manufacturer founded in 1994 and operating from a single production and office facility in Castleford, West Yorkshire, England (Unit B5, Whitwood Enterprise Park). The company designs and sells made-to-order British headwear through its direct-to-consumer e-commerce website at lawrenceandfoster.co.uk, serving individual customers in the UK, the United States, Canada, Norway, the Netherlands, and other international markets. Its catalog comprises approximately thirteen men's cap models — including the Garforth, Dalby, Boston, Aberford, Bardsey, Countryman, County, Helmsley, York, Malton (Sherlock), Towton, Linton, and Deerstalker — and four ladies' hat styles (Lindsay, Olivia, Jasmine, Iris), produced in British tweeds (Aire, Dearn, Derwent, Dove, Esk, Loxley, Nidd, Ribble, Rye, Tees, Wharfe) and linen fabrics (Foss, Twiss) with unit prices ranging from approximately £49.50 to £78.00. Each piece is hand-tailored in England using traditional construction methods including hessian interlining and hand-sewn peaks, and customers select size (55cm-64cm) and fabric combination per order.

The business operates a made-to-order production model on a standard WordPress/WooCommerce e-commerce platform with multi-language presentation (English, French, German) and multi-currency display (£, €, $). The company describes itself as a small, family-run workforce, and has no disclosed external investors, parent company, subsidiaries, app, API, or wholesale distribution channels. Key personnel include Managing Director Emma, with Robert Fairbairn handling customer enquiries and Charles Todd involved in production and product updates. Revenue is generated exclusively through one-time direct product sales to consumers on the company's own storefront.

Recent operational signals include the publication of a US import-tariff notice (August 2025), ongoing duty prepayment for US customers to mitigate delivery friction, incremental product refreshes such as the Boston Cap (added November 2020, re-presented September 2025), and the posting of a part-time Office Administrator vacancy (June 2026). No funding rounds, acquisitions, partnerships, awards, or regulatory actions are recorded in the source data, and the company has been continuously operating in its single niche since 1994.

Name

Lawrence & Foster

Legal name

Lawrence & Foster Ltd

Website

https://lawrenceandfoster.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Lawrence & Foster is a family-owned Yorkshire manufacturer founded in 1994 that designs and sells made-to-order traditional British men's and ladies' caps and hats through its direct-to-consumer e-commerce site, using proprietary tweed and linen fabrics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Headwear Manufacturing

NAICS

Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (458110), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (45811), Apparel Manufacturing (315), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Men's & Boys' Furnishgs, Work Clothg, & Allied Garments (2320), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)

akta.pro primary industry

Hats, Caps & Headwear (CRAAAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Headwear Manufacturing (Hats/Caps/Beanies) (IMAOAFAA), Luxury & Couture / Small-Batch Cut & Sew (IMAOAEAL)

Keywords

• Hand-tailored headwear
• Made-to-order caps
• Men's flat caps
• Ladies' country hats
• British tweed fabrics

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: One-time transaction-based revenue from selling hand-tailored caps and hats directly to consumers through their e-commerce website. Products are made to order with customers selecting size and fabric options. Prices range from approximately £49.50 to £78.00 depending on style and materials.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Lawrence & Foster manufactures to order and sells hand-tailored men's caps and ladies' hats through its own e-commerce website. Customers select a head size and fabric, after which the selected product is manufactured and shipped from its Castleford, West Yorkshire facility to UK and international customers.

Product overview

Lawrence & Foster is a family-based traditional hat and cap manufacturer founded in 1994, specializing in premium hand-tailored headwear made in England. The product portfolio consists of men's caps (including Garforth, Dalby, Boston, Aberford, Bardsey, Countryman, County, Deerstalker, Helmsley, York, Malton, Towton, and Linton models) and ladies' hats (including Lindsay, Olivia, Jasmine, and Iris styles). Products are crafted from traditional British tweeds (Aire, Dearn, Derwent, Dove, Esk, Loxley, Nidd, Ribble, Rye, Tees, Wharfe) and linen fabrics (Foss, Twiss) for seasonal wear. The company operates on a made-to-order basis, allowing customers to select their preferred size and fabric combination for each style.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Garforth Cap Classic traditional flat cap with a deep back and crown, hessian interlining, a hand-sewn peak, and selectable tweed or linen fabrics.
• Dalby Cap Contemporary variation of the classic eight-piece bakerboy or newsboy cap, with a deep back, an extended hand-sewn curved peak, and heavier tweed or linen options.
• Boston Cap Contemporary adaptation of the Garforth flat cap with a deep back and crown, an elegant curved peak, soft interlining, and a hand-sewn peak.
• Aberford Cap Modern cap with a deep back, slightly wider crown, curved peak, press-stud finish, and selectable tweed or linen fabrics.
• Bardsey Cap Traditional baseball-style cap made in tweed with a moleskin peak and an adjustable Velcro strap for one-size fitting.
• Countryman Cap Classic Garforth variation with a darted deep back, individually sized comfort, and an extended peak.
• County Cap (with curved peak) Classic flat cap marginally narrower than the Garforth model, with a deep back and contemporary curved peak.
• Deerstalker Hat Traditional deerstalker or ghillie hat with a segmented domed crown and an all-round brim, designed for stalking and related country use.
• Helmsley Cap Classic cap with a more rounded, wider crown than the Garforth, a broad peak, and press-stud fastening.
• York Cap Original eight-piece bakerboy or newsboy cap with top-stitched segments, hessian interlining, a straight peak, and stud fastening.
• Malton (Sherlock) Hat Classic stalking hat for serious stalkers and heritage-style wear, combining traditional styling with contemporary appeal.
• Towton Cap Contemporary eight-piece bakerboy or newsboy cap with a deeper back and an extended studded curved peak.
• Linton Cap Contemporary cap with a deep back, sweeping crown lines, and a fashionable hand-sewn curved peak.
• Lindsay Cap (with curved peak) Modified eight-piece ladies' cap with a band around the crown, curved peak, and open front, designed as a stylish option for country walks.
• Olivia Hat Lightweight ladies' hat, commonly offered in tweed, for protection from summer sun glare.
• The Jasmine Hat Elegant, informal ladies' hat with a waxed-cotton finish for protection from occasional rain and a tweed accent.
• The Iris Hat Ladies' hat with a waxed-cotton finish and tweed accent for protection from occasional rain and sun glare.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Customer concentration

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 Lawrence & Foster