‘We want to be the antidote to Amazon’: Inside the Leeds gift business which specialises in slow crafts

Flower pressing is an age-old practice often used to preserve the beauty of plants and the memories behind them.

The tradition can be traced back to ancient Egypt where pressed flowers were treated as tomb offerings.

Though flower pressing is now thousands of years old, one Leeds gift business is proving it is still relevant to the modern world.

Founded by husband and wife, Jakob Creswell-Rost and Freya Hawtin, Studio Wald creates botanical-themed gifts, including an iconic range of wooden flower presses.

In fact, these are the business’s bestseller.

For Freya, these gifts are a way to keep memories from weddings, funerals, and other events alive, and add some joy to the everyday .

“When flowers die, they’re gone but this is a way to keep those memories. You can then do a further craft with them that extends their life,” Freya told the Yorkshire Evening Post.

“I once read that if you ask somebody to marry you outside a flower shop, they’re more likely to say yes. There’s just something about them that lifts your mood and makes you think more positively.”

Freya and Jakob first met at university while studying 3D design at Leeds College of Art and Design, now known as Leeds Arts University.

In 2017, they decided to take a risk and launch their business Studio Wald.

Starting by selling nature-themed stationery with a sustainable ethos, as the pair’s product ideas expanded, so did their customer base.

Jakob said: “We come from a world of enjoying design and we’re makers and we have a love for that.

“It’s amazing that it’s got to this point.”

Freya added: “We feel a bit like we got lucky. We’ve worked hard but we got lucky too.”

The COVID-19 pandemic saw online sales spike as customers had an “appetite” for home crafts such as the Studio Wald flower press.

Since then, Studio Wald has continued to grow and has even collaborated with organisations such as the V&A, the Hepworth Garden, and Bloom & Wild.

The brand’s products, which include calendars, greeting cards, and plant shelves, are proudly made in the UK, in collaboration with reputable local suppliers.

It’s a decision which makes production slower but more environmentally-conscious in the eyes of Freya and Jakob.

Freya said: “We want to be the antidote to Amazon.”

Jakob added: “We’re making things in a sustainable way and that is producing the quantities that are appropriate for our needs.

“We’re definitely not next-day delivery but people understand our ethos, and the way our products are made.”

After products pass through the Studio Wald Dock Street studio, they are available to buy online, or at a range of independent shops including Colours May Vary in Leeds city centre, and Chirpy in Chapel Allerton.

Creatives at heart, entering the world of business has been full of learning curves shaped by the everchanging geopolitical climate.

Studio Wald has been particularly impacted by President Trump’s tariffs on non-US imports, since they have a large American customer base through wholesale.

Jakob said: “There’s always challenges that crop up. There’s things you hadn’t foreseen and you just have to find a way to get through them without sinking.”

Yet, despite the unpredictable difficulties, there’s been plenty of positive changes too.

From expanding product ranges, exciting upcoming collaborations, and even the addition of Aubrey, the family dog who is now a regular at the studio, Studio Wald is constantly evolving

But one thing that never changes? The gratitude to the customers who make Studio Wald possible.

Jakob said: “I like it when I see a reorder as that means somebody’s come back.

“I definitely still get an excitement out of that”.