Meet Slow: The anti-foam furniture brand based in Yorkshire

Slow was born out of and inspired by the spectacular Yorkshire Dales. Its dramatic features and beautiful views focused the founders’ minds on creating a business that gives back more than it takes. By using as few resources as possible, adopting a zero-waste approach to manufacturing, and creating timeless designs, Slow is determined to reduce the impact on the natural world and fight back against furniture ending up in landfill.

Here we chat with Greig, its co-founder, about Slow’s mission …

Can you tell us the backstory of Slow? When and why was it started?

Slow is a family-run furniture business rooted in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales. Over 30 years ago, my parents, Sally and Simon, embarked on a journey that combined their skills and passion. Simon, a local farmer turned cabinet maker, joined forces with Sally, a district nurse turned upholsterer. Together, they created Dalesbred, crafting bespoke furniture from their workshops in Settle to homes nationwide.

My work as a product designer in London sparked a pivotal moment for Dalesbred. After witnessing firsthand the rapid deterioration of a high-street sofa, my father and I wanted to use our experience to create a new brand that fights back against low-quality furniture influenced by passing trends.

This vision led to the transformation of Dalesbred into Slow, a furniture brand that stands as the antidote to fast furniture, emphasising quality, timeless designs, and sustainability.

What is unique about your brand?

At Slow, we’re committed to being anti-foam. You will not find foam in any of our sofas. Foam production is energy-intensive, relies heavily on petroleum, and is laden with chemicals. Instead, we prioritise natural materials and use traditional upholstery techniques.

We constantly experiment with different types of natural materials to reduce chemicals and VOCs in your indoor environment. Our frames come with a lifetime guarantee, and our buy-back scheme further demonstrates our commitment to longevity and sustainability, showing our confidence in our craftsmanship.

How important is sustainability to you?

This is the foundation of our brand. We know we’re not perfect, and our journey towards improving our sustainable credentials is ongoing. But here are some of the things we do:

1. We always prioritise natural materials in our furniture.
2. We’re investing in solar panels for our workshop roofs to power our operations sustainably.
3. One of the most sustainable actions our clients can take is to reupholster their existing furniture. We’re proud to offer both new upholstery and reupholstery services. Any sofa or chair that is saved from being sent to the incinerator is a success for us.

What’s the most popular sofa? What are its key features?

Our most popular sofa is the Wharfe (cover image). One of the key features of our sofas is the use of natural latex in our cushions. You won’t find this in many high-street sofas, and there’s a reason for this: it’s considerably more expensive than foam.

However, natural latex is an exceptional material for a number of reasons:

Natural and Biodegradable: Unlike synthetic materials, natural latex is harvested from rubber trees.

Superior Longevity: Natural latex has an incredible ability to bounce back time and time again, maintaining its shape and comfort for years.

Hypoallergenic: It resists dust mites, mold, and mildew, making it a great choice for those with allergies.

Once you experience the difference between a natural latex cushion and a foam cushion, you won’t look back.

What are some of the plans for near future…

We want to build a network of interior designers to work with across the country who are as passionate about sustainable interior solutions as we are. We are also expanding our range of sofa designs, including chaises, corner sofas, and footstools.

For more information and to see the full range please visit slowsofa.co.uk

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