“Get free help from local government business groups and consider your packaging early on” says Emma from Atomic Knitting. “Whilst you might have an excellent product, the packaging is equally important to understand the values and expectations of your customer base”
Since 2006, Atomic Knitting have been designing and producing the funkiest stitch markers for crafters across the globe from a bead studio in no other place but South Wales!
With a variety of different stitch markers ranging from simple rings for the minimalist needleworker all the way to rainbows of beads and charms for the maximalist crafter, the amount choices are incredible! Atomic Knitting even hand craft personalised products, including crochet needles, and measuring tools. “We also offer a Make Your Mark service to customise the size of the rings or type of clasp to use with your project.” for the most precision in whatever you’re making.
“If you don’t know what a stitch marker is, it’s simply a memory device that clips to the knitted work or hangs on the needles to remind the knitter/crocheter to check the pattern for upcoming changes to the stitch work e.g. an increase or decrease in stitches. Using a stitch marker reduces mistakes in the knitted work that often later need to be ripped back and redone.”
Owner Emma kick started her business journey back in 2006, naming her brand “Atomic Knitting” (due to her scientific background not the pop group!!). From the very beginning, she was selling so many stitch markers at yarn shows and via an online marketplace that it became such a quick success. It was obvious to her that “there was a gap in the market for bespoke stitch markers”, soon it was clear to her that it was time to take this on full time after its success in the crafting supply market.
The work life she lives shows to be as varied and colourful as her wares, as she takes on many roles and responsibilities to ensure her business is running as smoothly as possible. Her efforts lie in many roles of the business “from creating designs, photography, social media marketing, ordering bead stock, packing orders and dispatching orders daily to creating invoices and tax returns. I also spend time researching new beads, packaging solutions and delivery options.”. No matter how many things she has on her plate, she enjoys the unique challenges that each day of work brings. “Creating new products is really exciting and part of that is being creative with packaging and marketing.” she tells us.
Though finding limited packaging wasn’t easily done as there are limited suppliers in the UK, Emma pushed to make it happen. Eco friendliness is massively significant for Atomic Knitting with 95% of orders being sent out in zero plastic packaging.
They aim to move towards being a completely zero plastic packaging company and are currently progressing towards this by sending jewellery in FSC jewellery boxes, switching to sustainable paper packaging and using Simplelifeco compostable mailer bags. “From the start it’s been important to utilise environmentally friendly packaging for our stitch markers and in recent years it has become easier to find sustainable and recyclable packaging which is important to our brand”.
They aim to move towards being a completely zero plastic packaging company and are currently progressing towards this by sending jewellery in FSC jewellery boxes, switching to sustainable paper packaging and using Simplelifeco compostable mailer bags. “From the start it’s been important to utilise environmentally friendly packaging for our stitch markers and in recent years it has become easier to find sustainable and recyclable packaging which is important to our brand”.
The next steps for Atomic Knitting… “To continue to grow the business and reach knitters and crocheters worldwide whilst we work towards having zero plastic in our packaging”
Yes Emma, go get them, you’ve got this!
Want to see more from Atomic Knitting?
Yes Emma, go get them, you’ve got this!
Want to see more from Atomic Knitting?
Instagram: @atomicknitting