Made in Scotland: Bark & Hare

When we interviewed Sinan from leather accessories creators Workshop After Six back in February, he told us he loved the products made by Bark & Hare. This brilliantly named small Scottish business creates handmade luxury tartan neck wear for pets. We got in touch with the lovely Felicity to chat about her small Edinburgh based business that prides themselves on using traditional fabrics and techniques for a modern accessory for your pooch!

Can you tell us how your business got started?

I was eleven years old. We welcomed our first dog, Tuesday, into our family home and from that moment on I learned to appreciate that true happiness can be found in the simplest of moments. Velvety ears and cold, wet noses are my kind of luxury. And I’ve had a dog at my heels ever since!

Moving on a few decades, the classic juggle of maintaining the work/life balance led me to leave the corporate world and take a leap into starting my own business. I recognised the huge benefits I felt from the responsibility of being a dog owner, and it felt natural to embrace what made me happy and weave in the creative side of me that I had only been able to enjoy in the limited spare moments I could afford.

And so, in 2016 I set up Bark & Hare, which combined three of my favourite things: caring for animals, creating beautiful, sustainably-made things and my love of Scotland. The name is an ironic reference to a piece of Scottish history dating back to the 1800s – the infamous grave robbers and lovers of bones, Burke and Hare!

At the beginning, I ventured into crafting simple collar accessories, from felt flowers to cotton scarfs, which were all lovingly modelled by my beautiful cocker spaniel, Macy.  These naturally evolved; and with a family and friends size helping of support, we’ve grown Bark & Hare into what it is today – a brand dedicated to designing high quality, thoughtfully handcrafted collars, leads and accessories.

Where do you look for inspiration when you are designing new products? 

These days, you don’t have to walk far before you cast your eyes on a well outfitted pet. But I find that dogs tend to steal the spotlight without even trying! I’m understandably passionate about showcasing our pet essentials, and really it’s my customers that I draw most of my inspiration from. I’m fortunate to meet many of them when they visit us at our Grassmarket or Stockbridge market stalls. I see their photos, listen to their stories and truly feel the special bond between pets and their owners. This is the heart of our business and really drives our purpose.

Can you tell us a bit more about how you make your products?

Every product is carefully handmade at my home studio in Edinburgh. I use a relatively small collection of Scottish tartan cloth – fifteen so far – which I selected to provide our customers with a spectrum of colour choice rather than representing a specific clan.

Naturally, when making products in tartan I’m frequently asked if I can make something in a specific tartan, particularly for weddings and special occasions, which I will always try to accommodate where possible. If we can’t get our hands on the cloth, then sometimes customers bring me the fabric they might have been able to source themselves, or they have at home and I will handmake the products they are looking for.

I begin by preparing the cloth – ironing and cutting to the desired width and length. I wouldn’t get far without my trusty templates! Once the cloth has been prepared, I can begin stitching to an internal webbing to give the product strength and structure. I use an industrial sewing machine to accommodate the heavy duty aspects of collar and lead making.  I have chosen to use solid brass hardware components (d-loops and tri-glides) for quality and personal style, but I also offer the choice of chrome and black as alternative bespoke metal options. Attention to detail is crucial for me to make sure my products can live up to craftmanship that I can be proud of.

What are your most popular products and which are your own favourites?

My most popular product is the collar. It seems to catch the eyes of my customers. Whilst the collar accessories are a cheerful addition to many who buy one (it’s particularly hard to resist the bowties!) the collar is a more permanent feature and stand the test of time.  I feel fortunate to meet returning customers who want to buy another in a different colour!

But my personal favourite is our matching loop keyring accessory, which is made to be worn around the wrist almost like a tartan bracelet. It has a solid brass d-loop to withstand the weight of keys, pouches for dog bags, whistles, you name it! And I love that customers are excited to match their pets’ neck wear. It’s not only stylish but also very practical. We’re all in such a hurry these days and when you’re desperately digging around in the bottom of your bag searching for your keys before you head out for a dog walk, the loop keyring makes finding what you need much easier.

If you had to pick one place in Scotland to recommend that people visit, where would it be?

Now this is a tricky question to answer! Being a dog owner I’m sure you’ll not be surprised to learn that I love the camping life.  We’re very much spoilt for choice in Scotland, but one of my all-time favourite camping spots is Clachtoll – a place of unspoiled paradise nestled up in the Assynt region of the  Highlands with white sand beaches and idyllic turquoise water. The rugged terrain offers stunning views of the mountains for miles around and best of all it’s off the beaten track, which can in itself bring a state of serenity.

Which other Scottish Makers do you love to recommend?

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Thanks so much to Felicity for her time in chatting with us and make sure to follow her on on her Website, Facebook or Instagram!