Sara's crafty companion wins hearts in the States

Mar 2 2009 by Karen Dent, The Journal

THE talents of a young County Durham entrepreneur have been recognised across the Atlantic after she scooped a major prize for innovation.

Sara Davis, who runs Crafters Companion, has taken advantage of America’s renewed interest in traditional pastimes such as making greetings cards and keeping scrapbooks about their families.

The 24-year-old’s “Ultimate Crafter’s Companion”, an all-in-one carry case that crafters can use to measure, trim, emboss and embellish their cards and books, as well as store their equipment, took the Most Innovative Product of 2009 in the awards issued by the Craft and Hobby Association, which has members worldwide.

The Coundon-based company’s success was in the Scrapbooking and Paper Crafts category of the competition, with a product that has been on the market for just a matter of months and only launched formally in the US after Christmas.

Ms Davies said: “I can’t hide my delight at winning as this is solely for the product and not for the company or me. Although we are well known in the UK and Europe we are just a very small fish in a very large pond in the US but this accolade will help to establish us in the States and help to create a global brand.”

She launched the Ultimate Crafters Companion in Britain in October and hobby fans snapped up more than 10,000 of the cases the first day it was on sale. The next phase of the launch was to take it to Germany, Holland and France, then to the US on January 25. Customers have also ordered the product in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

The company, which also sells crafters’ supplies via its website and runs an online club for members, has now won seven awards in the three and a half years since Ms Davies opened for business.

Her success at selling overseas was recognised last year when she picked up the Innovation in Export Award at the Export Awards 2008.

And she is confident she is starting to break America at just the right time, despite the global economic slowdown.

“The trend in the US is more for scrapbooking, and card making is just starting to increase in popularity so we have entered the market at just the right time,” said Ms Davies.