Our Friday Feature this week is the brilliant Kate from Factory Floor Jewels. Inspired by a lifelong fascination with factories (having grown up around an engineering dad), Kate creates jewellery with a really distinctive style – using materials that often hold a unique story. And it’s not just her creations that have a story to share, Kate’s own journey in business and life makes for an interesting read.
Let’s get to know more about the creative woman behind the small business…
This question made me laugh, as weirdly I’ve often struggled with the label of ‘creative’ or ‘artist’ – but recently I’ve come to realise that’s just extreme imposter syndrome. I always thought I was a creative thinker, but I’ve gradually come to feel more comfortable with the terms creative and artist.
Probably if you asked other people I’ve worked with, or my friends, they’d label me as very creative, and a stockist recently said my work was art not jewellery, so I’m getting used to it now – aged 60!
I’ve always worked in the creative sector, on the production side. I like to introduce my career as ‘at 17 I ran away and joined the theatre’. I’ve worked in theatre as a producer and director and managed a commercial interiors practice for years. I’m also a social entrepreneur, having co-founded a social enterprise with friends following a public campaign to turn a flyover in Liverpool city centre into a cultural and community space.
I think my turning point in feeling able to define myself as creative stems from a couple of amazing projects I took part in over the last decade:
I was selected for the prestigious three-year international exchange and collaboration programme Creative Producers International, which explored how creative producers use culture to generate grassroots responses to contemporary challenges. I had the opportunity to produce work in the UK and internationally as part of this.
I was selected as one of ten UK artists/activists to take part in the Lab Criativo in Rio de Janeiro, and later had a collaborative proposal commissioned for exhibition in Rio. Rio Visivel was a public provocation using a ‘podium’ to give visibility to positive stories from usually ‘invisible’ people.
It was a real privilege to be invited to take part in these projects.
I think that comes back to my creative problem solving, so yes, I would say I use this daily.
Separately, I went through a really rough time with my mental health a few years ago, coming out of being a full-time carer for my mum and a challenging health diagnosis – I pretty much couldn’t leave the sofa for about 6 months and had to give up working. My jewellery bench and the time to create with my hands was a real turning point for me in my recovery.
Running a jewellery business involves a lot of admin too and I can definitely feel my mood sink when I have days at my desk instead of time at my bench, so I try to balance it and have some time either making or designing each day.
I find that I spend a lot of time thinking about new pieces before I start to prototype them. I may do that whilst walking (one of the best things for both my mental and physical health – with and without my Greyhound Madge).
I always bought a lot of jewellery – I pretty much always wear black and when I used to travel on business I would pack jewellery and nail varnish first then throw a couple of black outfits in. The power of jewellery to change how you feel and how an outfit works fascinates me.
Also, my brand, Factory Floor Jewels, is very much born out of a fascination with engineering and manufacturing. This stems from my relationship with my Dad when I was growing up. I was an only child and my Dad was a packaging engineer who designed food packaging, and also the machines that made the packaging in factories all over the world. I idolised my Dad. He was always tinkering at home too – he had a little workshop at the back of the garage and he taught me to use a lot of the tools (the first play I directed, I also built the set for in our attic – he was so proud of that). A significant memory for me is when he said I was old enough to go to the match (I’m a big LFC fan), and we built my ‘step’ (a small stool for me to stand on to be able to see over the grown ups heads). I was 12 – it was a big rite of passage.
I used to go into the factory with him on Saturdays when he wanted to do some paperwork and we would walk through the quiet industrial space and up to his mezzanine drawing office above the factory floor. I was always fascinated by it.
When I was working in commercial interiors we used to visit furniture manufacturers and their showrooms were often above the factory floor. I was always more interested in the factory than the showroom.
When I decided to start making jewellery I inevitably went to my Dad’s tool boxes first (he died 22 years ago). My first attempts were quite predictable copper and steel washer pieces.
For a work trip to London, I took a suitcase with pliers and bits of metal and spent time in the hotel trying to create jewellery. Visiting Liberty’s and Selfridges jewellery counters I noticed each collection had ‘brand stories’, so I created my brand identity and story before any pieces.
Initially, I made larger pieces in short runs or one-offs, mainly using found items – including vintage Meccano. I quickly became frustrated by my lack of skills so took classes at the London Jewellery School in Hatton Garden learning traditional silversmithing. Recently I heard the music producer Rick Rubin say, if you start without training then you break the rules you don’t know exist, so you can be more creative. I love that!
I was increasingly unwell and found doing markets physically challenging so had to rethink how I could still be a jeweller without doing them. I decided to sell wholesale, which meant rethinking the scale and price points of my work. It took about a year to develop collections I could sell to shops at a price that would mean affordable retail prices. I did my first trade show and in 2019 my collections started being stocked in Tate Modern and a small number of independent UK retailers.
I then took time off to be a full-time carer and to adjust to being diagnosed with a progressive illness (AS). I started immune-suppressing treatment in December 2019, and in 2024 felt able to return to markets and trade shows.
Now I sell direct to the public via my website and events, and to around 25 shops, galleries and museums who stock my work.
I take my inspiration from materials and traditional manufacturing processes, as well as industrial architecture and machinery.
Some of my collections are made from reclaimed or repurposed industrial materials and they have great stories to tell.
For example, I created a new collection last year called Atomic, which came about when an astrophysicist approached me about a project she is leading to build a new robotic telescope. She said the process produced a lot of waste aluminium and asked if I could make something with it.
I’ve created 3 pieces – a pendant, studs and dangle earrings – which I think evoke feelings of the night sky. It’s set in sterling silver and is one of my ‘Couture’ collections.
Having focused on developing very affordable, classic and timeless designs directed at a wholesale model, I also wanted to get back to doing larger and more limited edition pieces and so last year I developed the concept of having Couture collections which have a slightly higher price point as they take longer for me to produce. They all have amazing stories behind their inspiration and materials and people who buy them for themselves or as gifts, particularly love this.
I feel that it is these collections with origin stories for both the design inspiration and the materials used that can be considered art pieces.
I guess having worked a lot as a producer means I’m good with a spreadsheet! This certainly comes in helpful, as do my skills with things like Canva and Photoshop.
Despite being an introvert I seem to be able to engage well with people at events – I’ve always been good at speaking if it’s a subject I’m passionate about.
Jewellery making is quite expensive – I think most people are aware that Silver and Gold are increasing in price at an exponential rate at the moment, but training and also tools can be very expensive.
Like many craft-based businesses it can feel challenging when there are a lot of fast fashion businesses online or the high street that import and perhaps don’t have the most ethical business practices, selling pieces at a fraction of the price they can be produced for by hand.
Also, just the amount of time needed to be spent on social media, website SEO and updates and general administration and marketing to shops can feel like a full-time job itself at times. My dream would be to be able to afford to have someone work alongside me on this aspect of the business.
I mentioned a couple of amazing international creative projects I got to work on in recent years. I think for Factory Floor Jewels, my favourite project is usually the one I just finished.
A couple of weeks ago, I produced prototypes for 3 new pieces in a collection called ‘Swept’. It is made from brass and coloured brush bristles I was gifted by someone who was clearing a warehouse used by a brush manufacturer. I’ve had skeins of these bristles on my workshop floor for much longer than I’m prepared to admit.
From 9th of February I am the ‘featured artist’ in the foyer of the Williamson Art Gallery in Oxton, Wirral. I wanted to create some new pieces specifically for it, and I’ve also been improving my workshop space this month so it felt like the right time to work on ‘Swept’. Typically for me, after literally years of thinking about it, the collection emerged in one session at the bench!
I also REALLY enjoy selling at large curated markets and trade fairs – I really love meeting my customers and getting to understand how they feel about my work. I’ve got lots of repeat customers and sometimes they’ll suggest what they think is missing in a collection.
A really important milestone for me in the last 6 months is that my business has become a viable part of our lives and I feel I’m on track to be able to say it’s paying its way and contributing what it needs to in terms of income.
It’s little things you need to remember when feeling down about something – the lovely thing someone said at a market, the great feedback from a retailer, or when someone emails asking for a replacement of one earing they lost because they are their favourite pair and they can’t imagine not having them. I really love that because it shows how much people value my work as part of their identity and that they don’t see it as fast fashion.
And dogs! We’ve been adopting greyhounds for the last 10 years and our current girl Madge is a delight. She was a little crazy when she came to us a year ago (I did have moments when I wondered if I could cope with her if I’m honest – especially when she cried constantly the whole time I was at my bench). She’s really settled into her retirement now – whilst still being happy and playful, she’s super chilled and content in her own skin and trusting now, so lets me work. But she’s always there for a hug, or a run around with toys, or a long walk.
Also, my husband Steve is really respectful about my business – he’ll jump in and help if I need something practical doing like setting up a stall on a day I’m struggling physically, or chatting through a design problem. He’s really clear it’s my business though – which considering we’ve always worked together in other businesses is really lovely.
Well, I’d set goals for the next 12 months, but now you’ve made me think about this here goes…
I’ve grown my turnover 50% in the last 12 months and my goal for the next 12 months is to grow it another 50% and then it will be at a point that it brings in the income we need as a family. To do that I’d need to grow to being in 35-40 retailers as well as increase sales on my website.
Beyond that I’d like to keep growing but at a slower pace so that I can employ someone to work supporting me on the admin and marketing. I’d like to have a better ratio of bench time and to develop my Couture pieces so that I can exhibit in more galleries with one off pieces and respond to creative briefs and call outs.
In 3 years time I’d like to have taken part in at least 2 curated gallery shows and be looking at international exhibitions too.
I will definitely continue to make and sell my ‘ready to wear’ collections that are affordable and everyday wear, as I want the stories behind my pieces that celebrate our traditional manufacturing process and engineering history to continue to be told. And continuing to work with independent retailers is important to me too.
We told you Kate has an interesting story to tell, didn’t we? Thank you, Kate, for sharing such thoughtful and in-depth answers. We’ve no doubt that with your level of enthusiasm and thoroughness, you’ll achieve your goals in the coming years.
To see more of Kate’s jewellery, head to her website: factoryfloorjewels.com – or for behind the scenes content, take a look at her Instagram: @factoryfloorjewels
If you haven’t already found us over on Instagram – why not come say hi and give us a follow. We would love for you to join the conversation and help spread the movement by liking and sharing our content.
Any and all opinions expressed by third parties in our content are not necessarily the opinions of FCS. All FCS content, including content provided by third parties, is intended for general guidance and inspiration. Third-party products and services mentioned in content have not necessarily been tested by FCS. Any content feature, mention of a third-party product or service, or link to a third-party business and/or external site, does not suggest an endorsement from, or affiliation with, FCS. FCS is never paid (or directly compensated) for any features, opinions, or information provided in our content about any third-party services, products, sites or miscellaneous topics – unless clearly stated otherwise.
