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Apr 18, 2024

Hunter & Hyland: British curtain poles heritage brand

Perusing 130-year-old company catalogues is one of the perks for a heritage brand such as Hunter & Hyland , one of the UK’s oldest drapery hardware manufacturers. For sales director Sarah Moon, whose

Perusing 130-year-old company catalogues is one of the perks for a heritage brand such as Hunter & Hyland, one of the UK’s oldest drapery hardware manufacturers.

For sales director Sarah Moon, whose husband owns the company, it was a chance to delve deep into the company history and find paper document proof that messrs Hunter and Hyland were a partnership in 1889 — perhaps even earlier — in London’s Oxford Street.

The longstanding British company has passed through three separate families and today has a seven-figure turnover, manufactures bespoke metal, acrylic and wood curtain poles and provides fittings to some of the royal palaces as holders of the royal warrant.

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They also have company membership of Made in Britain, which brings together around 2,000 manufacturers through their licensed use of the collective mark and signposts consumers and businesses to UK-made products.

“It really makes a difference for us as a brand,” says Moon. “Being a small company with a mark of approval from the Royal Family is also very useful for us and it’s lovely to know you are part of a historic projects.”

The business was supplying the royal household before being approved in the 1980s when Moon’s father-in-law became managing director. “We didn’t need to as we were in a world where there were very few curtain pole manufacturers in the UK,” says Moon.

“The interior design market was very different to the competitive one today where we have to stay relevant and keep up more.”

Today, there are around six British-based, high-end manufacturers in Hunter & Hyland's competitor field and spread geographically across the UK.

“It’s an interesting market and niche,” adds Moon. “None of us are doing the same sort of thing. We’re all after the same clients but they are very different styles and fit for different rooms.”

From specific ornate and hand-carved rails to differing sizes of manufacturing, what stands Hunter & Hyland apart is its longevity in the market.

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Moon says: “For me to see the heritage side is important and it's interesting to see what has stood the test of time.

“To be able to dress a truly classic British house, or if you have a large estate or National Trust property, we know that we have the right products.

“Everything has developed and improved over time but it’s nice to see the heritage story coming through with some of our more ornate finials, like the acorns. The designs have morphed over the years and the heritage reflects where we’ve come from and it stands for classic British quality.”

For a UK, hand-made business, the royal warrant is pivotal when it comes to the US market. “They like that Britishness,” admits Moon. As the business grows, it also has to keep on top of current trends such as clients moving towards brass products.

Moon watches and alters Hunter & Hyland’s lead time system to fulfil customer orders, according to how much is coming in for each of their artisan workers. “A lot of our skills are not interchangeable,” she notes. “It’s about managing our expectations. We never close our books but we do watch them.”

The Made in Britain stamp also has its positives closer to home. “It’s handy with Britons too as more of us are turning to buying British and supporting industries,” says Moon.

“You see more companies promoting Britishness and that’s having an impact. Even five years ago we weren’t all that clever in supporting our own industries.

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“Even our politicians are starting to push British manufacturers, pushing the fact that’s where the future lies if we want to be successful. It does make people think more of what they are buying and where their money is being spent.”

“You have the mark and Royal Warrant but you need to make sure the customer is happy. The vast majority are repeat customers and it’s easier to keep a good customer than find a new one.

"If you have the right key designers you're working for they will turn to you again and again. If you are the right product for your style you wouldn’t want to lose them. That's key for us.”

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