Emily Readett - Bayley

Emily studied Theatre design at Wimbledon School of Art and it was a trip to Bali as production manager with a theatre company in 1989 that inspired her to start her own business. Impressed by the skills of the mask makers, tailors, leather workers and woodcarvers she set about combining her design ideas with the traditional skills of the local people.

Emily started with her own retail shops in the West End of London and encouraged by the interest from journalists and trade buyers she launched her first wholesale range in London in 1997 and Paris in 1998. This included a perfectly timed 'East Meets West' bamboo collection which went on to sell to shops and interior designers around the world.

All Emily's products are handmade by craftspeople working in small village co-operatives in Indonesia.

Emily works closely with them to make sure that her designs are executed properly and traces the source of all natural materials used.

Emily also studies the traditional skills of the people and tries to utilise the skills available rather than forcing people to change the way they work. Young people are encouraged to learn the skills thus preserving them for future generations.

Emily lives in Bali with her Balinese husband and twin boys. At her office in Bali Emily focuses on design and manufacturing and is currently researching sustainable timber resources and a pilot forest management project with the Rainforest Alliance Smartwood Program at the Asia Pacific Regional Office in Bali. She hopes this will mean that all ERB products will soon be FSC certified.

Price range: £14 - £140