The Makers

Karen Riddick is the founder of Second Nature Online, an ethical company based in Dumfries, Scotland. The company specialises in fabulous, eco-friendly soft furnishings which are made from recycled and sustainable materials. Karen started the business in her spare room with the sale of a single Fair Trade rug, but she now has a registered brand and a team of 6 staff who work out of an old church and a large warehouse- Karen's passion for ethical products stems from a long academic and working career in the field of recycling and environmental policy. The founding of Second Nature Online has been a dream come true because it has allowed the company to put its values into practice.  There is close collaboration between Karen and her small team of producers in India. Together, they work on designs, materials and colour schemes. Second Nature Online is proud to be a certified GoodWeave importer and retailer which means that everyone in the network adheres to strict guidelines and standards which prevent the practice of child and bonded labor.

Our business was quite literally born in a barn. When we started 10 years ago, we risked life and limb to salvage wood from dilapidated barns. It was dirty and dangerous work at times, but the wood was too beautiful to let rot. So, we'd scale the timber frame, crowbar in hand, and pry each board from its rusted nails and give it new life. Much has changed over the years for us, but from these roots emerged a company ethos and vision: to make home decor that gathers inspiration from the past, and get dirty making it ourselves.  As the company has evolved with home decor trends, we've stayed true to our founding ethos. We still use and incorporate reclaimed barn wood, but we've expanded to include modern manufacturing equipment--like our CNC router and laser machine--that allows us to create and invent familiar, yet new styles. Based in Franklin, KY

  As a designer, I am committed to following in the tradition of making jewelry in America and to create wearable works of art. As I reflected more on my own relationship to the jewelry I designed, I came to the realization that what we wear is also a reflection of who we are and where we've been. The Laurel Elliott Collection begins with carefully pairing modern but timeless shapes with meaningful inscriptions to convey a story, an inspiration, or a thought, giving each piece special and individual significance. My inscribed jewelry is both a reminder and an affirmation. From a prayer offers us comfort in troubled times, to a quotation that inspires us to aspire to more than we are, or a song that reminds us of the beauty of life. I am grateful to be part of the long history of the written word that connects us all through time and across cultures and beliefs. I hope the pieces in my collection will resonate with individual experiences, express one's hopes and dreams, and, when worn, may serve as a reminder of the past or inspiration for the future