Crafter’s Companion Faces Liquidation: What Happened, and What Does the Future Hold?
Published: 24 October 2026 | Craft Industry News
💜 Another sad day for the UK crafting industry
There has been some worrying news for the crafting community this week. The directors of Cedarcrest Global Trading Limited, the company responsible for operating Crafter’s Companion, have announced their decision to place the company into liquidation. The future of the separately owned Crafter’s Companion brand is still being considered. For many crafters, Crafter’s Companion needs little introduction. Founded by entrepreneur Sara Davies in 2005, the business grew from a small university venture into an internationally recognised crafting brand, selling stamps, dies, embossing folders, paper collections, cutting machines and a huge variety of creative supplies.
The company became a familiar name in craft television shopping, building a loyal following among people who enjoy cardmaking, scrapbooking, mixed media and papercrafts.
But on 23 October 2026, reports emerged that the company responsible for operating the business had entered liquidation. The following day, an official statement was shared with the Crafter’s Companion community, confirming the news and acknowledging the uncertainty surrounding outstanding orders, the website and upcoming events.
This is particularly concerning because it comes less than two years after the original Crafter’s Companion company entered administration and was rescued.
So, what exactly has happened? Is Crafter’s Companion closing for good? What does this mean for customers, and could the brand have a future?
Let’s look at the story so far.
🧵 Who Are Crafter’s Companion?
Crafter’s Companion was founded in 2005 by Sara Davies, who was studying at university when she developed an innovative tool to help crafters make envelopes.
That initial idea grew into a substantial business serving the papercraft market, with products designed to make crafting more accessible, versatile and enjoyable.
Over the years, the brand expanded its product range and international reach. Its products became popular with hobbyists and professional demonstrators alike, and its television appearances helped introduce new products to customers who might not otherwise have discovered them.
Sara Davies also became widely known through her appearances as an investor on BBC’s Dragons’ Den, bringing additional public attention to the business and its founder.
Crafter’s Companion was more than a shop selling craft supplies. For many customers, it was a familiar part of their crafting routine, with new collections, demonstrations and television launches providing inspiration for their next projects.
You can explore the brand’s website here:
📉 January 2025: The First Major Crisis
The current situation is not the first time Crafter’s Companion has faced serious financial difficulties.
On 7 January 2025, the original Crafter’s Companion Limited entered administration.
According to the company’s announcement at the time, the business had struggled following the pandemic, and an ambitious expansion strategy had not delivered the results needed to sustain the company.
The business was also affected by wider trading difficulties, including supply-chain problems and the insolvency of an important teleshopping partner.
With working capital under increasing pressure, the directors sought a solution that would allow the business to continue.
Sara Davies steps in to rescue the business
The January 2025 announcement brought some relief to customers and employees.
Sara Davies stepped in alongside investment firm Modella Capital to acquire the business and certain assets from the administrators. The rescue enabled the brand to continue trading under a new ownership structure.
The administrator, Interpath, confirmed that 134 employees would transfer to the new owners. However, the Chesterfield store was excluded from the transaction, resulting in ten redundancies.
At the time, the rescue was presented as an opportunity to give the business a fresh financial structure and a chance to rebuild.
The announcement also made clear that the previous company was in administration, rather than simply undertaking a routine change of ownership.
You can read the original announcements here:
🔗 Interpath: Future of Crafter’s Companion secured following sale to Sara Davies and Modella Capital
🏢 August 2025: Another Change of Ownership
The rescue was not the end of the changes behind the scenes.
In August 2025, Crafter’s Companion entered another new chapter when Modella Capital completed the sale of the business to Maven Capital Partners.
Sara Davies remained involved as a significant minority shareholder, but day-to-day management was handed over to managing director Dianne Sharp.
The company described the arrangement as an opportunity to invest in its future, strengthen its operations and support further growth.
The transition was presented positively, with the business talking about its plans for expansion and continued development.
At that point, there was reason to hope that the difficulties of early 2025 were behind it.
However, the latest announcement suggests that the business structure put in place following the earlier rescue has not resulted in a lasting solution for the company now responsible for running the brand.
It is worth noting that a change in ownership does not necessarily mean a business has failed. Equally, a previous rescue cannot guarantee long-term stability.
🚨 October 2026: The Announcement Nobody Wanted
On 23 October 2026, local news reports announced that the company behind Crafter’s Companion was entering liquidation, with all 58 employees reportedly losing their jobs.
The reports identified 42 head-office employees and 16 retail workers among those affected.
The following day, Crafter’s Companion published an update addressed to its community. The statement acknowledged that the previous week had been extremely difficult for everyone connected with the business, particularly customers worried about outstanding orders and what would happen next.
It confirmed that the directors of Cedarcrest Global Trading Limited had taken the decision to place the company into liquidation.
This is an important distinction: the company named in the announcement is Cedarcrest Global Trading Limited, rather than the original Crafter’s Companion Limited that entered administration in January 2025.
The original company was sold out of administration and subsequently renamed CCL Realisations 2025 Limited. That entity was later dissolved in March 2026.
The latest liquidation therefore concerns a different company in the history of the brand.
What does liquidation mean?
Liquidation is a formal process for winding up a company. A liquidator deals with its affairs and assets, with proceeds distributed to creditors according to the applicable legal rules.
It is different from administration, which can be used to try to rescue a company or achieve a better outcome for creditors.
Liquidation of the operating company does not automatically mean that every asset associated with the brand disappears. Intellectual property, trading names and other assets may be owned by separate legal entities and can potentially continue to exist or be transferred.
That distinction is particularly important in this case.
💜 Is Crafter’s Companion Closing for Good?
This is the question many customers will understandably be asking.
The official statement contains a significant piece of information: the Crafter’s Companion brand is owned separately from the company that has entered liquidation.
The statement describes the brand as something built over many years, with an established community at its heart. It also says that the brand’s future is being carefully considered and that there are still matters to work through before more information can be shared.
In other words, the operating company is entering liquidation, but the announcement does not say that the brand itself has ceased to exist.
There is still a possibility that the brand, its designs and its intellectual property could continue under a different arrangement.
However, it would be premature to say exactly what that arrangement will be.
What about Gemporia?
Reports published on 23 October linked discussions with Gemporia to the latest developments. This has led to questions about whether Gemporia could play a role in the brand’s future.
At the time of writing, the official statement does not set out a completed transaction or confirm the full terms of any future arrangement. It is therefore important to distinguish the reported discussions from a confirmed relaunch or takeover.
For now, the clearest information comes from the company itself: the brand is separately owned, and its future is still being considered.
📦 What Happens to Outstanding Orders?
One of the most immediate concerns for customers is what happens to orders that have been paid for but have not yet arrived.
The company's announcement specifically acknowledges the uncertainty around outstanding orders, the website and upcoming events. However, it does not provide a detailed resolution for individual orders.
If you have an outstanding order, there are several sensible steps you can take:
Keep your confirmation emails. Save your order number, receipt, payment confirmation and any correspondence about delivery.
Check your payment method. If an order is not delivered, contact your card provider or payment service to ask about the available dispute or chargeback process. Eligibility and time limits depend on the payment method and circumstances.
Keep an eye on official announcements. Further guidance may be published as the liquidation process progresses.
Avoid assuming that an order will automatically be fulfilled. The position will depend on the arrangements made by the company and those handling its affairs.
Customers should also be cautious about placing new orders until the position is clear.
If you have been affected, the most appropriate next step will depend on when you ordered, how you paid and whether you have received any communication about your purchase.
👩💼 What Does This Mean for Sara Davies and the Team?
Crafter’s Companion is closely associated with Sara Davies, so it is understandable that people will have questions about her role in the latest events.
Sara founded the business and returned to help rescue it in January 2025. Following the August 2025 ownership change, she remained involved as a shareholder while day-to-day management passed to Dianne Sharp.
The latest liquidation announcement relates to Cedarcrest Global Trading Limited, the company responsible for operating the business.
It is important not to assume that the liquidation of that company automatically determines the future of the separately owned brand or the position of every individual associated with it.
The reported loss of 58 jobs is particularly upsetting. Behind every announcement about a company entering liquidation are people whose jobs, incomes and professional futures may suddenly become uncertain.
The people who designed products, managed orders, served customers, worked in the shops and supported the business were part of what made Crafter’s Companion a familiar name to so many crafters.
Whatever happens to the brand, the impact on those employees should not be overlooked.
📺 The Wider Craft Industry: A Difficult Few Years
For those of us who follow the UK crafting industry, this news feels particularly significant.
Crafter’s Companion has been an established name in the same wider world of television craft shopping, product launches and demonstrations that has experienced considerable upheaval in recent years.
Create and Craft
In October 2024, Create and Craft ceased its live broadcasts and stopped taking orders. The channel's collapse had a considerable impact on customers, presenters, demonstrators, suppliers and independent craft brands.
I previously explored what happened and what came next in my articles:
The Craft Store
The difficulties surrounding The Craft Store were another significant part of the changing landscape of UK craft television.
For independent designers and small businesses, these changes have highlighted how important it is to understand where products are sold, how customers find them and how dependent a business can become on a small number of sales channels.
What makes Crafter’s Companion different?
Crafter’s Companion was not simply a television shopping channel. It was a product brand with its own designs, retail operation, website and established customer base.
That is why its current situation is particularly interesting.
The liquidation of the operating company does not necessarily remove the value of the brand itself. A recognisable name, existing designs, customer loyalty and intellectual property may still have commercial value, even when the company that previously operated the business can no longer continue.
This could leave a path open for the brand to continue under a different business arrangement. But the fact that the brand may survive does not remove the very real consequences of the operating company's liquidation.
🎨 What Does This Mean for Independent Craft Businesses?
As someone who designs and sells my own craft products, I find developments like this particularly sobering.
Independent craft businesses often operate on very different scales, but many face similar challenges: manufacturing costs, shipping, stock investment, marketing, customer acquisition and the difficulty of predicting demand.
A business can have a recognisable name, loyal customers and products that people genuinely love, yet still encounter serious financial difficulties.
The crafting industry also depends on relationships between designers, manufacturers, retailers, distributors, television channels and customers.
When a major part of that network changes, the effects can spread much further than the company at the centre of the story.
For smaller businesses, there are some important lessons to consider:
1. Diversify sales channels where possible. Relying heavily on one retailer, shopping channel or marketplace can leave a business vulnerable if that route changes unexpectedly.
2. Understand cash flow, not just sales. Strong sales figures do not automatically mean that a business has enough working capital to pay its bills, fund new stock and cover its operating costs.
3. Be careful about stock investment. Manufacturing products in advance can tie up significant amounts of money before the products have generated any income.
4. Build direct relationships with customers. A website, email list and engaged community can help a business maintain contact with its customers when other sales channels become less reliable.
5. Plan for uncertainty. Even established companies can experience rapid changes in ownership, management and trading conditions.
None of these measures can guarantee success, and they cannot remove the wider pressures facing the industry. However, they are worth considering when building a business that needs to remain sustainable over the long term.
🔮 What Happens Next?
At present, several important questions remain unanswered.
Will the Crafter’s Companion brand continue trading under a new arrangement?
What role, if any, will Gemporia play in its future?
What will happen to existing products, future collections and intellectual property?
How will outstanding customer orders be handled?
Will the brand continue to appear on television shopping channels?
Could any of the affected jobs return if the brand continues under a different structure?
These are all reasonable questions, but they cannot yet be answered with certainty.
The official statement says further information will be shared when confirmed details are available. Until then, it is important to distinguish between the confirmed liquidation of the operating company and speculation about the brand's future.
I will be watching for further announcements and will update this article as more reliable information becomes available.
💜 Final Thoughts
It is sad to see another major name in the crafting world facing such uncertainty.
Crafter’s Companion has been part of the papercraft community for more than two decades. Its products have helped people make cards, create gifts, experiment with new techniques and enjoy a hobby that means a great deal to them.
The news is especially difficult coming after the rescue in January 2025, when there was hope that the business had been given a fresh start.
The latest developments are a reminder that rescuing a business and securing the future of its brand are not necessarily the same thing.
There is still a distinction between the company entering liquidation and the separately owned Crafter’s Companion brand. That leaves open the possibility of a future for the name, even though the immediate situation for the operating company and its employees is deeply concerning.
For now, I hope customers receive clear guidance about their outstanding orders, that the people affected by the job losses receive the support they need, and that the future of the brand becomes clearer in the coming weeks.
What do you think about the latest developments at Crafter’s Companion? Have you ordered from them recently, or have their products been part of your crafting journey? And do you think the brand can have a future under a different arrangement?
I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Please keep the discussion respectful, particularly towards the employees and customers affected by these events.
🔗 Further Reading and Sources
For anyone who would like to read more, these are useful starting points:
This article reflects information available on 24 October 2026. The position regarding the brand, outstanding orders and any future trading arrangements may change as further information is confirmed.
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Kelly Anne Matthews
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