I have been pondering today. Thinking about how the company has developed over the last 7-8 years. Thinking about what drives us. Thinking about the questions and comments that we regularly field, about the scarcity of our yarn compared to its popularity (and therefore, the difficulty of guaranteeing that you always get the yarn you want). Thinking about the many, many opportunities that we say no to. Thinking about our competitors. Thinking about where we want to go in the future.

Some of you are new to Posh, and some of you have been around for years – some almost from our beginnings. Those of you who have been around for a good while will probably agree with me when I say that over the last 7-8 years, Posh Yarn has changed very very little. Some details are different, the yarn range has morphed over the years, and of course, Tony’s dyeing style has evolved. But essentially, we remain the same. A very small artisan family business. And this will never change.

I know that it would be very easy to expand, to capitalise on our success, and to do what some of the bigger indie dyers have done – turn a small artisan business into a multi-arm corporation. (Please note, I am not criticising anyone who does that. If that’s their dream, good on them for achieving it.)

But I truly believe that if we did that, Posh Yarn would lose what makes it special. I believe that our magic lies in two things: Tony’s artistic dyeing ability, and my insistence on the kind of customer service that I personally expect. Any attempt to grow larger, or to diversify, would jeopardise one or both of those. We would need to delegate vital jobs to others, who could never care at quite the level that we do. It is Tony’s job (and no one else could do it) to create unique inspired colourways each week. It is my job (and it is too important to me to trust anyone else to do it) to get that yarn out into the world, to get it named, photographed, sold, and dispatched, extremely promptly, and to be the point of contact for our customers. There is no part of that I would be happy to delegate, and there is no part of it that I would be happy to slow down, to delay.

We have fine tuned things to find exactly the level that works for us, the size of update that we can manage weekly that is of the utmost quality. Some may think me unambitious, compared to others, but I choose quality over quantity every time.

Sometimes I feel that we are boring or static, compared to the constantly changing bells and whistles of other dyers. But then I see the latest batch of colours, and it brings me back to earth, and reminds me of what is important. Like a master chef, who dares to present a dish with only three ingredients, a classic dish, not with dry ice or flavoured foam, or the latest foodie trend. He knows that if he chooses the very best ingredients, and prepares them with great care and skill, that his classic dish is a thing of beauty, and that the diner will appreciate it just as much as a complex or exotic dish.

So, this is our ethos, and it won’t change. Our updates are not small as a commercial trick, to whip up a buying frenzy. They are small because we will only offer you our very best. Because Tony is an artist. Because I am determined that you will get prompt attention and friendly personal service. Because we think that quality and not quantity should be the key when selling an artisan product like hand dyed yarn. Because we like to keep in personal touch with our customers, and make sure you feel special. Because we value you, so much. Too much to offer you anything less than our best.