Rapture and Wright two women rolling out large roll of fabric on long table

Rapture & Wright

Industry
Paint, Printing & Packaging
Wallpaper and Fabric Printing
Location
Evenlode, Gloucestershire
Workforce Size
5
Est
2004

Founded by graphic designer Rebecca Aird and illustrator Peter Thwaites Rapture & Wright is one of the few remaining handprint studios in the UK. They produce bespoke fabrics and wallpapers using traditional screen-printing techniques. Every fabric and wallpaper is designed, printed and finished by hand in their rural Gloucestershire studio, a process so labour-intensive that it takes two people a full day to print 30 metres of fabric.‍

Rapture and Wright man and woman looking at orange fabric design on table
Rapture and Wright outside of factory building blue skies silo to the left

The Business

Rapture & Wright is a small manufacturing studio, that produce all their fabric and wallpaper designs by hand, using simple tools and traditional techniques. Their products are printed to order and the studio aims to minimise the environmental impact of their print production by developing an environmentally sustainable print works. Instead of using chemical-heavy waste disposal, they have developed an ecological water treatment system. It uses a series of "living ponds" to naturally break down and clean print waste, while also creating new habitats for local wildlife. Their fabrics are predominantly made from flax, a sustainable base cloth made from a hardy plant that requires fewer pesticides, fertilisers, and irrigation than conventional cotton.

Factory Visit

"This was a really striking workplace to visit. The farm buildings have been sensitively converted - with solar panels, a ground source heat pump and an ecological wastewater treatment system providing a more sustainable approach than many textile manufacturers. It's wonderful to watch them print in pairs, along their 15 metre print table - producing stunning fabrics and wallpaper." Carmel King visited Rapture & Wright in September 2023 with journalist Kerryn Harper-Cuss.

“Our in-house manufacture and holistic approach allows us to maintain oversight and control of the entire production process, from weaving through printing, to dispatch and disposal of waste. Sustainability is part of every decision we make here at the studio.”
Rebecca Aird, Co-founder
Rapture and Wright rolls of fabric light colours patterns
Rapture and Wright two woman working at silk screen printing table machine