Can upholstery innovate without toxicity? Or are we stuck between outdated regulations, industry habits and the fear of change?

This week Vicky and Ray sit down with ⁠Delyth Fetherston-Dilke⁠, one of the leading voices challenging the UK furniture industry to think differently about flame retardants, materials, sustainability and the future of upholstery.

But this conversation goes far beyond “toxic foam”.

We get into the real questions:

Are current fire regulations still fit for purpose? Why is innovation in furniture materials so difficult? Who really influences what upholsterers are able to buy and use? And can the industry evolve without losing safety, craftsmanship or trust?

Delyth shares her experiences working across campaigning, regulation and industry conversations, alongside her belief that innovation, transparency and collaboration are essential if upholstery is going to move forward.

This is an honest conversation about materials, manufacturing, health, responsibility and the complicated reality of change within traditional industries.

FR Consultation

Check out that amazing article in TheTimes

https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/property-home/article/sofas-toxic-chemicals-cancer-9tz66br9c

“Dark Waters” Movie:

https://tv.apple.com/gb/movie/dark-waters/umc.cmc.3topp2g12va4hj1i9v50f13g7

Fidra Charity

The Environmental charity supporting sustainability & preventing pollution:

https://fidra.org.uk

Our profound thanks go out to all our Sponsors

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Martins Upholstery Supplies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BeA Group ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Sit on This! for monthly chats from the workbench, stories from inside the upholstery world, with makers, fixers, and fabric lovers.

In this live episode of Sit on This!, we sit down with two key suppliers to the UK upholstery industry at the Furniture Components Show: Oliver from Tokyo Fabrics and Mike from Peak Converters , spanning both foam manufacturing and large-scale textile production.

This conversation explores the materials used across the industry and the many factors that shape them and touches on wider discussions currently happening within the industry around toxins, material composition and future direction.

Our profound thanks go out to all our Sponsors

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Martins Upholstery Supplies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Follow Sit on This! for monthly chats from the workbench - stories from inside the upholstery world, with makers, fixers, and fabric lovers.

Has YouTube changed upholstery forever? Or are we just getting started?

This week Vicky and Ray sit down with Neil Banyard of Facelift Interiors — the upholsterer who built a 100,000-subscriber YouTube channel while still running a busy workshop and online academy.

We get into the real questions:

• Is online training replacing traditional routes, or expanding them?
• Does visibility equal credibility?
• Can you scale a craft business without losing quality?
• And what happens when a hands-on trade meets the algorithm?

Neil shares how he went from DJ decks to directing cameras, why mindset and mentorship matter more than ever, and what the future might look like for the next generation of upholsterers.

This is an honest conversation about growth, influence, craft and the tension between tradition and digital disruption.

If you’re teaching, learning, scaling or quietly wondering whether you should press record, this one’s for you.

Our profound thanks go out to all our Sponsors

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Martins Upholstery Supplies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Follow Sit on This! for monthly chats from the workbench - stories from inside the upholstery world, with makers, fixers, and fabric lovers.

In this episode, Vicky and Ray sit down with Joanna Privett from the British Furniture Association to talk about the realities of the UK furniture industry, from small upholstery workshops to large-scale manufacturing and retail.

We explore quality, standards, toxins, compliance and transparency, and how “cheap and fast” production shapes what ends up on the shop floor. We also discuss retail influence, including DFS and big-box expectations, and what that means for craftspeople who want to keep standards high.

This is an honest, practical conversation about how furniture is made, who sets the tone for quality, and what it takes to protect good work in a changing industry.

Our profound thanks go out to all our Sponsors

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Martins Upholstery Supplies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BeA Group ⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Sit on This! for monthly chats from the workbench - stories from inside the upholstery world, with makers, fixers, and fabric lovers.

BFA

FIESTA

AMUSF

Join Vicky & Ray for a Live Podcast with Conservator Heather Porter from Festival of Upholstery held Oct 10th 2025 .

Our profound thanks go out to all our Sponsors

⁠⁠⁠⁠Martins Upholstery Supplies⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Follow Sit on This! for monthly chats from the workbench - stories from inside the upholstery world, with makers, fixers, and fabric lovers.

In this months Sit on This! podcast we sit down with Joanna Maeva (@maeva_and_daughters); Carpenter, Upholsterer and all-round legend. She joins Ray and Vicky for a chat full on bants, sawdust and stories from life on set.

Jo shares a studio with five other upholsterers' (all running their own business) as part of a collective, sharing knowledge and space.

Expect laughs, loud opinions and a proper peek into her journey.

⁠Albert Kennedy Trust⁠

Our profound thanks go out to all our Sponsors

⁠⁠⁠Martins Upholstery Supplies⁠⁠⁠

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Follow Sit on This! for monthly chats from the workbench - stories from inside the upholstery world, with makers, fixers, and fabric lovers.

This week Vicky & Ray head to Margate to step inside the bold, technicolour world of upholsterer and interior designer Jesse Du Preez (@jessedupreezdesign). From training at some of the UK’s top upholstery schools to appearing on BBC’s Interior Design Masters, Jesse’s journey has been anything but beige. We talk craft, colour, and what it really takes to make it as an upholsterer.

Our profound thanks go out to all our Sponsors

⁠⁠Martins Upholstery Supplies⁠⁠

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Follow Sit on This! for monthly chats from the workbench - stories from inside the upholstery world, with makers, fixers, and fabric lovers.

This month Vicky and Ray sit down with the brilliant Leigh-Anne Treadwell, founder of the Bristol Upholstery Collective, teacher, TV upholsterer, and all-round powerhouse. We chat about how she built her teaching practice, what it means to create safe learning spaces, and how ADHD shapes the way she works and teaches.

From building a community to breaking down barriers in upholstery, Leigh-Anne brings heart, honesty, and a whole lot of wisdom to this conversation.

https://www.bristolupholsterycollective.comhttps://www.instagram.com/leighannetreadwell

Our profound thanks go out to all our Sponsors

⁠Martins Upholstery Supplies⁠

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Follow Sit on This! for fortnightly chats from the workbench - stories from inside the upholstery world, with makers, fixers, and fabric lovers.

This season, we’re bringing you a series of mini video podcasts spotlighting the key suppliers to the upholstery trade. Each episode gives you insider info on the latest tools, materials, and innovations to help keep your workshop running smoothly and efficiently.

This month, we’re chatting with Mirka, makers of high-performance sanding solutions with a difference. Tune in to hear what sets their kit apart (you might also see us trying the tools out 🤪)

Mirka

You Tube Sit on This!

In this episode Vicky & Ray meet Patricia Alban, founder of The Bespoke Footstool Company and the heart and soul behind Sammy’s Foundation.

Patricia shares her journey and found love of upholstery & soft furnishings and through personal tragedy and is building a powerful legacy

for a new generation of neurodiverse craftspeople. In this inspiring and moving chat we talk about the therapeutic side of making, the importance of bespoke craftsmanship and the community-driven spirit at the core of her work. Whether you’re in the trade or simply curious about creating furniture Patricia is a shining example of how lifes adversity can create inspiring stories, leaving a lasting legacy for future generations of craftspeople of all ages and abilities.

To make a donation to Sammys foundation please click on this link:

Oakleaf Enterprise

Heritage Crafts

Sammys Foundation

The Bespoke Footstool Company

Our profound thanks go out to all our Sponsors

⁠Martins Upholstery Supplies⁠

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