Sustainable Welsh leather goods business secures five-figure funding

A sixth-generation Welsh cattle farmer and entrepreneur, is driving forward plans for her ethically sourced hides and luxury leather goods businesses, after securing five-figure bank funding.

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Hayley Hanson, who owns the Hayley Hanson Group of businesses, has secured £45,000 of funding from NatWest to invest in the growth of her family-run farm and innovative Welsh leather businesses.

The born and bred farmer set up Hayley Hanson Hideat Maescoed Farm in the Brecon Beacons to reduce waste and utilise the hides of her cattle to produce sustainable and high-quality leather goods. As the only producer of sustainably sourced Welsh leather in the country, Hayley uses hides from the by-products of beef production or fallen stock from her own farm and neighbouring farms.

The business has since diversified, offering a range of luxury, ethically sourced leather goods via the Hayley Hanson Luxury, Hayley Hanson Country and Hayley Hanson Hide sub-brands. The funding from NatWest has enabled Hayley to relaunch the Group brand website which will help drive consumer interest and sales.

[/aoa]Hayley has also benefited from the support of NatWest’s Business Growth Enabler for South East Wales, Gemma Collins, and the NatWest Accelerator Hub in Cardiff where she was identified as a fast growth business on graduating from the 6-month programme in Autumn 2018

She plans to expand the business further over the next few years with the launch of an on-site farm shop, and the introduction of experience days for groups, allowing them to make leather goods and visit the cattle farm.

Hayley said:

“I started Hayley Hanson Hide with the aim of introducing sustainable real leather goods into the UK market and this is something I still advocate as the business grows and diversifies further. Thanks to the funding from NatWest and the support available through the Cardiff accelerator hub and the bank’s Business Growth Enablers, I have been able to continue to establish Hayley Hanson Group and significantly raise brand awareness across the country.”

Katie Baker, relationship manager at NatWest said:

“I was introduced to Hayley and her fast-growing business by Gemma who had already done a lot of work supporting her business. Even through the rapid growth of the business she continues to uphold its fundamental ethics and values and is an excellent ambassador for the farming sector that we are proud to support.”