A LOCKDOWN surge in demand for traditional goods led to a hunt for a new apprentice at an award-winning leather company.
Equus Leather, run by husband and wife Charlie and Dawn Trevor, have been designing and hand-making leather products since 2008.
The business has won many awards for the way it combines the ancient skill of leather working with modern technology and social media to grow an international customer base.
The Covid-19 pandemic led to a surge in demand for products for pooches as people lavished more attention on their four-legged friends.
Mrs Trevor said: “We struggled for many years, but we are slowly growing and I can safely say the only continent we haven’t sold things in is Antarctic.
“We don’t have a shop and do all of our business online. When lockdown hit, the first two weeks we went from everything to zero, which was scary.”
But in the space of a few weeks interest picked up and the three-person team have been swamped with orders from all over the world.
Mrs Trevor added: “It picked up and it seemed like people had a lot more money, maybe because they weren’t travelling or going out, but this last year has been hectic.”
Pet owners wanting to pamper pooches with new dog collars and leads have accounted for a large number of new orders and prompted the recruitment of an apprentice.
“We have been inundated with orders for dog collars and leads, perhaps because people were spending more time with their pets,” she said.
Mr Trevor added: “We hand stitch everything so it takes time and we just don’t have the people to make the products.”
The one-year apprenticeship, run through the Bridgwater and Taunton College, will be enhanced by in-house training and lead to a full-time position.
For more information about the firm, visit equus leather.co.uk.
