About Us

Hand-made happiness for you and your home since 1999.

Catherine Tough graduated from the Royal College of Art in 1999, with the vision of turning heritage craft into playful, modern pieces that are a pleasure to wear and use.

Twenty years on and now one of the UK's leading designer-makers; Catherine Tough products are found in many of the finest stores around the UK and the rest of the World. Our signature patterned socks, lambswool accessories, lavender door stops, cushions and throws are widely coveted, and we're expanding our range all the time.

Catherine's passion for textiles began when she was still at school, inspired by her mum's knitting skills (there was often a fleece in the lounge, a spinning wheel and lots of projects on the go) and, as a child of the '80s, religiously watching The Clothes Show. She went on to study textiles at the Royal College of Art, where she developed her signature style of bold, playful designs using beautiful materials.

Catherine and her dedicated team handcraft beautiful quality products for you and your home from the finest natural materials. By fusing traditional craft practices with contemporary, elegant design, we lovingly create pieces that you'll treasure. Manufacturing in the UK where possible has always been at the heart of the business; our mini-factory at the studio in Leyton and a selection of highly skilled and knowledgeable manufacturers and suppliers now work together to produce our entire range.

Brought up in the peace and quiet of the Malvern Hills, Catherine now lives in Hackney with her daughters.  Drawing inspiration from the chaotic mixture of urban sights and sounds around her, and combining them with a very English sense of style and whimsy to create individual and charming products that are luxurious and make you smile.
As hands-on makers, we love the challenge of bespoke projects and have created a diverse collection of one-off pieces.

You can keep up to date with life at our Leyton studio on Instagram. We take genuine pleasure in producing our range and, if you're interested in working with us or would like to feature our products, we'd love to hear from you.