PADDLER 20
Undoubtedly , the spray decks are what we are better known for , but customers also love our ankle , knee and thigh-length socks , which are great sellers . Of course , as soon as the winter comes and the cold weather kicks in , the base layer fleeces ; our unique transpire fleece base layers are also absolute winners .
PADDLER 20
Welcome to the factory
What kayak and equipment are you using ? Over the last ten years , I ’ ve moved across to using Greenland paddles , the traditional sticks that look peculiar . They were constantly ridiculed , and very few people used them , but over the last four or five years , there have been many more enquiries . For many paddlers now , I think this is an important part of their arsenal , and once you get used to the versatility these paddles offer , you realise how much you ’ ve been missing out on just by using a traditional Euro Blade .
Alongside that , I paddle the Rebel kayaks as we deal with them . They are ideal for paddling day trips or weekend trips because they are not a great big heavy craft but very comfortable , easy , light , manoeuvrable , responsive kayaks . Of course , I wear my Reed gear ! Cag decks tend to be my favourite , where you ’ ve got the deck and the cag all joined together , so you haven ’ t got much bulk around your waist . Also , the transpire fleece , which is a base layer fleece , all year round , summer or winter . I ’ m fortunate because I can always make and develop newer products for myself , but I use a cag deck most of the time .
So , you own Reed Chillcheater . What gave you the idea of manufacturing paddlesports and outdoor clothing ? Well , you kind of get pushed into this scenario . Often , you think that going for a volume market is the best thing , but we just decided over time that getting into a niche market and then into super niche markets is a much safer way of doing things .
We were making for anybody on the water to start with . Still , it quickly became noticeable that it was a much more receptive market for surface water paddle sports rather than the triathlon or surf market , which is in and under the water and much more brandorientated . They want the Quiksilvers , the Billabongs and the O ’ Neill ’ s , the big surf brands , and it ’ s very difficult even to scratch the surface of those areas where these brands are super dominant .
We must be attentive to our customers and on the ball , so communicating is essential to what we do . We don ’ t get it right all the time , but we ’ ve got tens of thousands of customers now , and the office staff are great at keeping in touch with them and ensuring we can offer personal service .
What ’ s been your proudest achievement with Reed Chillcheater ? Keeping it British . That ’ s the biggie , and we have done this and are celebrating 25 years this year . From small beginnings in the shed in the garden , the compressor in the scullery , and the office in the front room , we moved into a modest workshop , a slightly bigger unit , and two and three units . We ’ ve grown and kept the whole thing reasonably modest , but I think during the recessions and the pandemic , I ’ m proud that we ’ ve wholeheartedly used British sources for all our materials , trims , threads , and machinery . All our manufacturing is UK-based , and that ’ s a real achievement .
We are also fully sustainable . There are plenty of awards that you can chase and win out there , but I think the way that we see our sustainability and judge our ecofootprint is that we waste nothing , and our products and raw materials travel minimal distances . We know the provenance of our filaments , knitting , and coating – there is nothing from overseas : it is all UK-based , and we waste virtually nothing . Our electricity comes predominantly from solar panels and green sources , the factories are super insulated so we hardly have the heating on ( that is partly because I am super mean and northern ) and we are really careful about ensuring that despite the tempting idea of going overseas and having products produced for a quarter of the price , we ’ ve always stuck with what we do , and that ’ s my thing ; I want to make sure we stick with what we do .
So what ’ s the advantage of UK manufacturing ? We manufacture virtually all of our products in the UK ; the advantage is control . We can produce one , 50 or 1,000 , depending on the demand , and we can produce them almost immediately . One of the lesserknown areas that we manufacture for is the film
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WHICH ARE REED ’ S MOST POPULAR SELLERS ?
Undoubtedly , the spray decks are what we are better known for , but customers also love our ankle , knee and thigh-length socks , which are great sellers . Of course , as soon as the winter comes and the cold weather kicks in , the base layer fleeces ; our unique transpire fleece base layers are also absolute winners .