Our Sustainability Mission

• At Ratsey & Lapthorn, sustainability is not a new initiative. It is at the heart of our heritage. Since 1790, we have built enduring objects with care, craft, and conscience. Today, those same principles guide our commitment to environmental and social responsibility.

  We create fewer, better things. We work with intention. And we build a relationship with suppliers and customers that endures — one that respects the ocean, inspires a sense of wonder, uplifts community, and lasts for a lifetime.

• Materials with integrity

  Our handmade Ratsey sails and bags use high-grade natural materials sourced from heritage mills in the UK, France, and Italy. We source vegetable-tanned leather and traditional canvas for their beauty, longevity, and low environmental impact. We produce in limited, numbered editions, allowing time for precision and eliminating excess.

• Designing for circularity

  We repurpose old sails through non-heat processes that preserve the integrity of the material. Our bags feature NFC-embedded tags for traceability and provenance, supporting a future of transparent, responsible ownership. Through our Ratsey Care for Life programme, we offer complimentary repairs for craftsmanship faults and fair-cost restoration for wear, keeping products in use for generations.

• Skilling the next generation

  At our Cowes loft, we have trained apprentice sailmakers for over two centuries, passing down rigorous techniques and traditions from master to apprentice. Today, this continues through structured training in sailmaking, leatherwork, cord-making, and knot-tying; preserving endangered skills and renewing pride in handwork.

• Craftsmen as partners

  Our makers are not just employees or contractors. They are partners in our evolution. Many of our senior craftspeople began as apprentices, shaping our legacy over decades. As we grow into new product categories, we are investing in their development: expanding their skillsets, recognising their ownership of the process, and securing the future of craft as a viable, dignified profession.

• Transparent by design

  We work with a select group of suppliers who align with our standards of ethics, quality, and care. Many of our products are made or finished at our own workshop on the Isle of Wight. We have a tradition of opening up our manufacturing spaces to customers, press, and auditors, and continue to explore ways to deepen transparency across our supply chain.

• A philosophy in three pillars

  Our sustainability approach is built on three enduring commitments:

  • Make with purpose
  • Build to last
  • Protect and promote our craft