Whiteley, a scissor maker established in Sheffield in 1760, has been awarded the Excellence in Craftsmanship gong at the Artisan Founder 2026 Business Awards for its 266-year commitment to hand-made production.
Why the award matters
The accolade recognises a business that has continued to produce bespoke scissors in a city with a long manufacturing pedigree. Each pair is hand-assembled and hand-tuned at Whiteley’s city-centre workshop, and the company lists designer names such as Alexander McQueen and Paul Smith among its clients. The award highlights the tension between artisanal production and the global shift to cheaper, machine-made goods.
Whiteley’s marketing manager, Jade Wylde, described the skills required for scissor-making as becoming "increasingly rare" and quipped that the craft was on the "red list". A company spokesperson framed the accolade as recognition for “preserving an endangered craft” and stressed the importance of passing traditional skills to the next generation.
“Everything's become machine manufactured, mostly in China, so things come through extremely cheap and extremely low quality,” said Wylde.
People and practices
Whiteley emphasises manual production methods. Its master craftsman, Andrew Colton, who the company says has worked there for more than 50 years, hand-assembled and tuned tailoring shears for the late designer Alexander McQueen. Colton began helping with basic assembly during school holidays and is now described by the company as one of the "last few people" who can do traditional hand-grinding.
Company director Gautam Bathija said the firm was proud to continue making scissors in Sheffield and to play a part in sustaining one of the city's manufacturing traditions.
- Founded: 1760 (Sheffield)
- Award: Excellence in Craftsmanship, Artisan Founder 2026 Business Awards
- Notable clients: Alexander McQueen, Paul Smith
- Key craftsman: Andrew Colton (more than 50 years at Whiteley)
Context and consequences
The Whiteley story illustrates two broader business themes. First, the survival of small-scale manufacturing in a globalised market is frequently threatened by lower-cost mass production. Second, specialist skills that take decades to acquire can be difficult to replenish, raising questions about workforce succession and the economic viability of heritage trades.
While Whiteley’s clientele includes high-end designers who can pay for handmade quality, the company’s public comments underline wider market pressures: low-cost imports can undercut pricing and shorten product lifecycles for consumers who prioritise cost over durability. For households and small businesses that rely on durable tools, the loss of artisanal production can mean higher replacement costs over time even if unit prices are lower at purchase.
For policymakers and industry bodies, cases such as Whiteley’s point to areas where targeted support — apprenticeships, grants for craft workshops, or specialist training schemes — could help sustain skills that are otherwise at risk. The Artisan Founder Awards’ recognition of a 266-year-old firm also highlights the cultural as well as economic value of preserving manufacturing know-how.
Whiteley makes a range of cutting instruments, from large tailoring shears to smaller items used by greenkeepers. The firm’s public statements stress intergenerational skill transfer: preserving craft, they say, means ensuring the techniques are taught to new workers rather than lost as older craftsmen retire.
While this is a UK-based story, lessons resonate for economies that seek to balance global trade with the maintenance of specialist manufacturing capability. The award is a reminder that craftsmanship can still command a market where quality and heritage matter — but that sustaining such trades requires deliberate effort from business, clients and institutions alike.
Note: This article reports the facts as provided by the company and the Artisan Founder 2026 Business Awards. It does not offer financial advice.
