Jamie Reeve of Great Little Trading Company
What does it mean to you to be a British brand?
I had a very British childhood. I grew up in the Sussex countryside, learnt to read with Ladybird books and watched Blue Peter after school. GLTC HQ is in London where we’re surrounded by iconic British design; red buses, telephone boxes, black taxis and world-famous architecture. I’m proud to champion British design and quality. Our products work in British homes and our toys reflect Britishness – which is why you’ll find us making toy garages (not gas stations!) and play kitchens that look familiar to British children, and why we’ve put British landmarks on our play-table.
What are the Brits best at?
Innovation and design. From Wren to Brunel, Quant to Westwood, Dyson to Ive, Britain has always produced brilliant, creative inventors who have pushed the boundaries of design. I look at the Tube Map, the wing of a Spitfire, or a Routemaster bus and I see a combination of form and function that produces something useful and beautiful.
How did your company begin?
Founded in 1996, GLTC provided hard-to-find, practical products for parents. I took over GLTC in 2004 and since then we have concentrated on designing a unique collection of high-quality products that young families really need. Since 2004, GLTC has won the “Best Children’s Retailer” award eight times and our toys have won numerous awards for design and for encouraging imaginative and interactive play.
Do you now export?
Absolutely! We have a growing number of customers all over the world who are attracted to high-quality products and British design.
What’s your best new product this year?
I’m really proud of the Albion Play Table which we designed to appeal to children as it reflects the world around them. It’s compact, but has two reversible play surfaces decorated with familiar sights; the Houses of Parliament and the Thames on one, green fields and farms underneath. Toys can be tidied away into the roomy storage drawers at the end of the day and tucked neatly out of sight. Perfect for solo play or with siblings and friends, we think the Albion is a modern British classic.