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Susiemaroon is an independent eco-label. Susie designs contemporary home and fashion accessories for people who love the earth as much as they love design.

Susie, the designer has myriad of inspirations that seem to be connected by a warm feeling of nostalgia and history. Among them, she lists… junk drifts, found things, music, autumn, old dressmaking patterns, the weather, cobbled streets, very old wise trees, random facts, gentle people, clutter, doodles by people who don't think they can draw... but really they can.

BEGINNINGS

Susie graduated a few years ago from Gray's School of Art. "My chosen discipline was actually Sculpture and this area of my work is mostly installation based. I like to think that I'm simply accentuating the environment that is already there." This ethos of caring for and paying attention to the environment carried through into the early days of Susiemaroon and in turn has become the core of the business. "After graduating I spent a few years floating, making short films, producing small-scale installations, working as a gallery assistant. I would say that the move to self-employment was an organic one. It just seemed natural - I think it's that way for most artists and designers. There really isn't anything like working for yourself and realising all of your ideas."

When Susie was designing and developing her first product - the ecocard (although at the time it didn't have a name) she discovered that the khadi paper she was using had environmental benefits. That was when Susiemaroon really began to build momentum. "Since then I have been addicted to finding materials and production methods that limit my products negative impact on people and the environment and at the same time maintain a contemporary aesthetic."

IN FOCUS

Since launching in 2005, Susiemaroon have gathered a few awards under their belt, including: The NESTA Starter for 6 grant, the Junior Chamber of Commerce Award for Entrepreneurial Accomplishment and BT Scotland's Best ecommerce Business.

Susie's products have a pure soul about them, and she is always happy to enlighten you to the history of the materials she uses:

Her vintage fabrics are picked up through second hand shops and house clearances.
The leather she uses is sourced from a family run Scottish tannery who specialise in tanning Wild deerskin. The skins are sourced from Scottish gamedealers who are closely monitored by the Deer Commission Scotland. The hides would otherwise discarded as a by-product of the venison industry and sent straight to landfill.
Al other fabrics are organic: Agrocel who hold both the Fairtrade and SKAL stamp of approval produce the organic fabric used for their collection. The original cotton seed is not genetically modified and farmed without pesticides or fertilizers. The final fabric is dyed with non-azo dyes.
The delightful embroidery designs are executed digitally by a cottage industry embroidery business based locally, in Edinburgh , Scotland .
Finally all of Susiemaroon's printed documents, including the eco-cards, are produced with vegetable based, mineral-oil free inks and FCS certified and recycled paper, with the eco-card presentation envelopes made from biodegradable material.

The new Susiemaroon collection and website www.susiemaroon.co.uk have just been launched. The new “Assemble” collection includes embroidered design motifs which have been developed from the design and construction process. Each of these motifs, reminiscent of the working drawings produced in the design process, mark a stage in the development of the collection.

Susie is also currently working on a commissioned installation for an exciting project called Dialogues of Wind and Bamboo, which is taking place at The Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh from the 21 st June 2008. More info can be found @ http://imapimap.com/windandbamboo/

Susiemaroon can be found online and stockists include: The Portal, Moleta Munro, both in Edinburgh; Buth Bheag in Perth, Scotland; and The Dodo and the Dinosaur in Milan, Italy. For special orders, you can reach Susie on: 07880 608576 or by email

Browse the new Susiemaroon collection here!




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