Turning Party Bag Fillers into a Sustainable Brand - with Anne-Clare Ribbons - Cotton Twist
Description
This week's guest is Anne-Clare Ribbons, founder of the sustainable kids’ craft brand Cotton Twist. Anne-Clare started her business ten years ago with just £400 and a big dream—to make children’s crafts fun, imaginative, and kind to the planet.
Find out how she grew Cotton Twist from hand-cutting paper at her kitchen table to being stocked in hundreds of shops across the UK and worldwide, including John Lewis, National Trust, and English Heritage. Anne-Clare is refreshingly honest about the realities of running a product business—what it takes to grow organically without outside funding, surviving challenges like Covid and postal strikes, and how stubborn determination (and a lot of coffee) kept her going.
If you’re a product creator, maker, or small business owner, you’ll love Anne-Clare’s open stories and practical advice on:
- Starting small and testing the market before investing big
- Managing production and sustainability as you scale
- Finding (and keeping!) your passion when things get tough
- Why you should never rely on one sales channel
- How community, creativity, and resilience make all the difference
This is a warm, honest, and motivating chat for anyone building a brand from the ground up—or dreaming of doing so.
USEFUL RESOURCES
Cotton Twist Website https://cottontwist.co.uk/
Cotton Twist Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cotton.twist/
Cotton Twist Facebook https://www.facebook.com/inspiredbycottontwist/
Cotton Twist Pinterest https://uk.pinterest.com/cottontwist/
Cotton Twist LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/acribbonscottontwist/
LET’S CONNECT
Join my free Facebook group for product makers and creators
Buy My Book: Bring Your Product Idea To Life
If you enjoy this podcast, and you’d like to leave a tip, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/support
Amazon Made Easy – Join Anytime
Amazon Made Easy is now open for enrolment – and the best part? You can join at any time. Whether you're just starting out or ready to scale your Amazon business, you’ll get instant access to expert guidance, practical resources, and ongoing support to help you grow with confidence.
https://vickiweinberg.com/membership/
Mentioned in this episode:
10 Amazon Q&A hours available
This month I’ve opened 10 Amazon Q&A / training hours. These are focused 60-minute sessions where you can bring your biggest Amazon challenge and get clear, practical answers to move forward. They’re £149, and once the October spots are gone, they’re gone. You can book your session here.
Book a selling on Amazon Power Hour
10 Amazon Q&A slots avaialble
This month I’ve opened 10 Amazon Q&A / training hours. These are focused 60-minute sessions where you can bring your biggest Amazon challenge and get clear, practical answers to move forward. They’re £149, and once the October spots are gone, they’re gone. You can book your session here.














