John Sankey

John Sankey, luxury upholstery handmade in Derbyshire

John Sankey is a British family business dedicated to the design and manufacture of luxury upholstered furniture. All of its production is done by hand and made to order in its own workshop, located in an old lace factory in Derbyshire, in the heart of the British upholstery industry. The firm describes itself as a family business since 1992, with more than seventy years of activity in the sector.

The catalogue is organised into collections of sofas, chairs, ottomans and footstools, cushions and a line called Rare Access. Among the models mentioned are the Orwell Sofa, the Hawthorne Chair, the Bloomsbury Sofa and the Boodle Bench, the latter with a price indicated from £824. Each piece can be customised with hundreds of fabrics and finishes to create a unique piece of furniture.

Origins and history of the firm

In the 1950s John Sankey founded an upholstery business in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, which became known for the quality and comfort of its pieces. The current company retains the founder's name and has operated as a family business since 1992. Some of the team worked for the original John Sankey, as did their fathers, and the company maintains a crafts-based apprenticeship scheme to bring in the next generation.

Design and manufacturing process

The company describes its working method as a process of painstaking research: it starts from historical shapes and reimagines them for contemporary life. Before a design is approved, numerous prototypes are created, with the stated aim of achieving the best possible level of comfort. The firm defines itself as a creative team with a passion for silhouette, fabric and the narrative of each piece, and maintains that the time spent thinking about and discussing each design is an essential part of the final result.

Production is artisanal and made to order, with an explicit commitment to durability: the company sums up its approach in the idea of buying less and buying better. Its wood comes from responsibly managed forests and is FSC certified.

Fabrics and customisation

John Sankey offers a selected collection of high-performance fabrics, designed to withstand everyday use without compromising on a well-cared-for appearance. The company also allows customers to supply their own fabric, in which case they should contact the sales department by email. In addition to fabrics, the catalogue includes leathers and wood finishes with various details.

Services and customer care

The firm handles enquiries about products, orders, deliveries, fabric swatches and pieces from the Rare Access line. It also offers re-covering of John Sankey sofas already purchased. It has a network of stockists that can be found through its stockist search, and it maintains a mailing list with catalogues, discounts and news, as well as a weekly publication, Sankey Sunday, dedicated to British homes, craftsmanship and family life, which according to the company has more than 8,000 readers.

Location and contact

Phone: +44 (0)115 946 2121 · Email: enquiries@johnsankey.co.uk