Rock & Saltwater are a family run business based in beautiful West Cornwall.
All of our designs start life in a studio space looking out through trees towards the sea in West Cornwall.
The process often ends up being collaborative, with two little ones with artistic streaks, full of ideas and opinions... "Why haven't you done a paint splats mug yet?", "Can we change the shop name to 'Open Wave?". We can never get away from the ever changing inspiration outside our window, or the rich artistic heritage of the place where we live.
Why we love what we do
We hand make the majority of our products and when we need specific print or technical expertise (for example screen printing for our bags and tea towels), we work with carefully selected makers and companies in Cornwall, the South West and other parts of the UK. Our fabrics are printed using eco-friendly reactive dyes and we use non-toxic, water-based inks when screen and lino-printing. Our packaging is made from natural, recycled and recyclable materials.
We hope that our products bring you a little bit of the coast – whether it’s memories of drinking from enamel mugs around a campfire, or lying on the beach watching clouds pass overhead.
Who we are
So this is me, Lara, the main face behind Rock & Saltwater. Mama, sea swimmer, kniter, stitcher, designer and creative business owner, alongside other voluntary and charitable roles which I’ve managed to accumulate along the way!
I studied textile design at Falmouth College of Arts and illustration at Herefordshire College of Art & Design. During my degree I started freelancing and then went on to establish a graphic design and advertising agency with my husband and we’ve spent many years working with a fabulous range of clients, ranging from charities and small businesses to large car brands in both the UK and Ireland.
Rock & Saltwater grew out of a desire to find a creative, hands-on outlet for my art and craft work, which also fitted around a busy family life.
Our studio
Our studio is a hive of creatively with sewing machines, Apple Macs, an etching press and laser cutting machine.
Pride of place is our beautiful Gunning Etching Press. Designed and built by a family firm in Ironbridge, Shropshire, it is the most beautiful and well engineered piece of kit. Look out for limited edition prints we'll be working on soon!
Over the other side of the studio is our laser etching machine – we produce all of our etched enamel mugs and birch ply baubles on this machine.
We're also more than happy to discuss bespoke commisions of etched goods – whether you're a business, charity, cafe, hotel or club – we've etched some really fun enamel mugs for a wild swimming group, a outdoor sauna and a local artist.