Who We Are
Authentic • British Craftsmanship • Luxury Quality • Fairly Priced • Sustainably Made
(Oh, and we plant trees… more on that later)
Padfield handcrafts leather lifestyle accessories exclusively in England from British tanned leather. Designed in London, Padfield tote bags and small leather accessories are timeless practical solutions for busy modern lives. Founded to be sustainable and purposeful, Padfield is committed to keeping Britain’s rich heritage of craftsmanship alive. Why is this important?
With the UK and global market for leather accessories growing, the British leather tanning industry should be growing too. Sadly this is not the case. The number of UK tanneries has declined from more than 4,000 to just 23*. Why such a significant decline in a growing market… simply put it is cheaper for British brands to source and make abroad. At Padfield we believe that sourcing and crafting locally is the most sustainable option. We are happy to make less of a profit to craft exclusively from British tanned leather, support British craftsmanship and British jobs. With strong family ties to British farming we also feel passionately about being authentically connected to local communities; not just calling ourselves Padfield England but by crafting our accessories at home in England.
By owning a Padfield you will not only own a beautiful British made accessory, you are helping to support traditional British industry. With the added benefit of not having to wonder how and where your leather accessories were made. We believe this is true British luxury.
The meaning behind PADFIELD
Hello! I am Loren, the founder of Padfield. Thank you for reading this far, and for taking the time to learn more about our journey. I thought this would be a good opportunity to share with you the meaning behind Padfield.
Padfield is created out of personal experience. My father built our first family home in Padfield Park when my mother was pregnant with me. We lost him suddenly when I was a child. Named in memory of my father, Padfield represents an entrepreneurial spirit and authenticity that he would be proud of.
Padfield was also founded to be a solution. With our increasingly complex and busy lives I wanted to create something reliable, sustainable, nostalgic and fairly priced. Padfield celebrates traditional British craftsmanship, whilst embracing and providing accessories as practical solutions for the demands of modern life. By selling direct to customer we also offer better value. More about Padfield values here.
Our History and Launching PADFIELD
I first started hand making and selling handbags whilst at university in Scotland. Hard work and a lucky break lead to retailing a line of premium leather goods through John Lewis stores from 2010 to 2013. An amazing experience that allowed me to learn from some of the best European makers. However, the story always felt incomplete, it lacked an authenticity and purpose. I knew that if I was going to stay in the industry, I had to refuse to compromise.
I wrote down my ultimate values: Authentically British, Quality not Quantity, Sustainability, and set our to accept nothing less. By combining these values with thoughtful design and better value prices, I knew we would be offering something unique. After over a decade of working in the leather goods sector, and many years spent developing relationships with British industries and communities, PADFIELD launched in late 2018.
What is next for PADFIELD?
Whilst Padfield is already making a difference by choosing to work with local British artisans and British suppliers, we wanted to do more. With our commitments to sustainable production and ties to British farming, we feel passionately about supporting projects that promote sustainable living and the regeneration of natural landscapes. To contribute to enhancing local communities, the environment and reducing CO2 levels globally, with your help Padfield is planting trees.
For every Padfield tote bag sold online Padfield makes a donation to plant trees in UK Forests. This is an initiative that is close to my heart. Learn more about Planting Trees Together and which tree planting programme Padfield is currently supporting.
We invite you to join our family, and hope that you will keep in touch. Follow Padfield on Instagram @Padfield.England. To keep up-to-date with news of new arrivals, events and special offers sign up to receive our newsletter below and receive 10% off your first online order. We look forward to welcoming you to the Padfield family.
*Drapers, 2015
