The British Blanket Company

The British Blanket Company is a family business created by Joe and Bethan John. The brother-and-sister team grew up in North Somerset and moved to Bristol after leaving careers in e-commerce development and magazine journalism to set up their venture.

Their mission is to reinvent wool blankets for today’s homes with exciting colours, beautiful patterns, and most importantly supporting the last remaining British and Irish mills that still use traditional methods to weave beautiful blankets from pure wool.

The rise of synthetic fibres and mass production in the 1960s meant wool blankets fell out of fashion and sadly there are only a few traditional woollen mills left.



Their passion for British weaving, as well as understanding the importance of keeping the British wool industry alive mean there are two main strands to the brand ethos. The first is to help revitalise the wool industry, which was once the beating heart of Britain.

They are proud to create quality blankets woven at traditional woollen mills in the British Isles to fans of colourful textiles all around the world.

Secondly, they aim for The British Blanket Company to become a well-known brand people love, selling one product and doing it really well. They feel that although a blanket is such a simple item, a warm and cosy home helps us feel safe and comfortable in a busy world. A blanket helps us to slow down, be together and enjoy life’s simple pleasures.



The range of different blankets on the website is growing, with throws made from merino lambswool as well as pure wool, different size blankets, Baby blankets and luxury picnic rugs with waterproof backing and leather carry straps which I think make the perfect gift.



The best-sellers vary with season – in spring and summer they sell lots of yellows, pinks and blues, then in autumn and winter cosy colours like orange, red and charcoal are popular. Customer favourites include the Crossroads and Cobweave designs, which are closely inspired by traditional Welsh blankets. Founder Joe’s favourite is the vibrant Yellow Semaphore throw.



During the covid pandemic, they were cheered up and inspired by the sight of rainbow pictures appearing in windows when out for their daily exercise. The company launched a Rainbow Throw.



There is a helpful blog with inspiration and ideas as well as Wool care and Blanket size guides.

By Anna Bance
March 2023