Heirlooms was established in 1984 to provide linens of lasting beauty. It has developed an enviable reputation for its quality fabrics and attention to detail that goes into every aspect of design and manufacturing. Rooted in the Sussex countryside, Heirlooms is a quintessentially British manufacturer, with an outstanding team of craftspeople who design and make beautiful linens for homes, boutique hotels, private jets, superyachts and palaces.
Knowing how fundamental sleep is to its clients’ wellbeing, Heirlooms is focussed on the comfort of its fabrics and sources a wide range of cottons, always exploring new weaving techniques to add extra elements of luxuriousness. Always on a journey of innovation, Heirlooms has continually researched into sustainable materials like beechwood, which can be woven into washable fabric resembling silk.
According to Heirlooms, selecting bed linen is about far more than the mattress and bedding sizes. Heirlooms undertakes a consultation process to understand every client’s vision, discovering their preferences to deliver the perfect cotton for their needs. This desire to pair its clients precisely with the right linen explains why Heirlooms has chosen to continue with its personal service rather than going into retail. ‘The fact we’ve worked on projects all round the world gives us the expertise and knowledge to do this,’ says Managing Director Ruth Douglas.
Throughout the difficult period of lockdown, the Heirlooms team continued working to deliver its projects, while also donating all it could, like gifting linen sets to charity auctions, manufacturing linens for a London women’s refuge or donating products to Stonepillow, a Sussex charity for the homeless. The production team reached out and donated fabrics to newly formed local sewing groups, which were able to manufacture items needed by key workers. At the same time, the team was designing and manufacturing scrubs, masks and caps for local doctors’ surgeries and making nurses’ overalls and face masks for Chestnut Tree House, a hospice for children. ‘It was an honour for us to find some lovely, brightly patterned percale to make masks for the children too,’ says Ruth. ‘Through hard times we kept a positive attitude and I’m proud of the way the team engaged with the community.’
Over the last decade Heirlooms has become very focussed on sustainability through its work with the Royal Warrant Holders Association and some of the Prince of Wales’ initiatives. In 2020, Heirlooms engaged Planet Mark to assess its carbon footprint and set about reducing it.
What’s more, as a proudly British manufacturer, Heirlooms takes its social responsibility and the well-being of its employees very seriously and ensures everyone involved in the production process is properly remunerated for the considerable skills they bring to the company.
To anyone who has trouble sleeping, Heirlooms provides welcome relief. ‘Everyone deserves to have a good night’s sleep, especially in times of crisis and uncertainty,’ says Ruth, ‘and it’s amazing what a difference good quality, well-made bed linens can make. We like to think we help our clients by providing them with the best bed linen. They can then sleep well at night knowing that their dream linens are made with love and care.’
