Richmond couple preserving future of rope-making in region

This week marks two years since Kefi Ropemakers took the keys to their premises in North Yorkshire and embarked on their Rope-making venture, following the closure of Outhwaites Ropemakers in Hawes in the Autumn of 2022.

Outhwaite's closure shocked the community and its staff, due to the historic roots of rope-making in the Yorkshire Dales, dating back to the early 1900s.

Andrew and Heather (Image: KEFI ROPEMAKERS) Some of Outhwaites' employees decided to take on various aspects of Outhwaite's work; one of which was Andrew Cumpstone, who, together with his wife Heather, bought most of Outhwaites' machinery and launched Kefi Ropemakers.

Relocating the machinery to a unit in Melsonby, near Richmond, the couple set out to begin a new chapter of rope-making in North Yorkshire.

Kefi Ropewalk (Image: KEFI ROPEMAKERS) Having spent eight years working for Outhwaites', initially as a braiding technician and then as a production manager, Andrew had the experience and knowledge needed to make their new venture work.

He has now also passed on this knowledge to Heather who works alongside Andrew as a rope-maker at their workshop.

Kefi Braiding (Image: KEFI ROPEMAKERS) With the equipment to make commercial quantities of twisted and braided rope, and a 15m ropewalk to allow for preserving traditional Rope-making techniques, Kefi Rope-makers manufacture and supply a large majority of rope retailers in the UK, as well as supporting smaller creative textile businesses.

Since they started they have spliced ropes for the flags outside the Houses of Parliament, supplied rope for a display in Harrods and developed their online Homeware shop, Kefi Store where they design and handcraft Home & Giftware using their own Yorkshire-made rope.

They are currently developing a range of British Wool rope for a new Homeware Collection, to support British sheep farming and celebrate the beauty of British Wool.

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"It's been a pretty full-on time", Andrew & Heather reflect on their first two years of Kefi Rope-makers.

They added: "Establishing a small business in the current economic climate comes with a myriad of challenges and obstacles, but Rope-making is now considered an endangered craft in the UK and so we're determined to do what we can to keep it going in North Yorkshire”.

You can find out more about Kefi Ropemakers here.