Why we are not discounting our weaving kits on Black Friday - and what we have decided to do instead

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are fast approaching on Friday 28th November and Monday 31st November. Many of you will already have been inundated with emails promising discounts and flash deals. At TabbyandTweed, we have never taken part in Black Friday and have only occasionally held very small sales in the past, usually to clear discontinued weaving kit items.

This year has been particularly challenging for many small UK businesses. With reduced access to EU markets and new tariffs on items sold to the USA, we are certainly not alone in reconsidering whether Black Friday aligns with our values or supports our long-term sustainability.

After careful thought, we have again chosen not to run a Black Friday sale. In this blog, we explain why that decision feels right for us while also recognising that every small business is different and will make choices that work for them.

Why Black Friday doesn’t fit our small weaving loom kit UK business

As a small independent UK business, we focus on offering genuine value throughout the year. We keep our prices as fair as possible and, like many small makers, we have absorbed rising costs wherever we can. The price of energy, postage, and the wood used to create our looms has increased significantly in recent years for example.

Our margins are modest, and while discounting may boost short-term sales, it would compromise the time, attention, and creativity we invest in each of our weaving kits. These elements are essential to what we do, how we choose to run our business and how we keep our creativity alive. We feel that this in turn benefits our customers and the participants on each of our weaving workshops.

Each weaving kit we create is thoughtfully designed, carefully handmade, and fairly priced to reflect the quality and craftsmanship involved. We have chosen not to inflate prices to reduce them later. Instead, we prioritise transparency, consistency, and sustainable quality, ensuring our customers can shop with confidence at any time of year, without pressure from limited-time deals.

We also believe our rigid heddle loom weaving kits in particular are a considered purchase. We don't want people to feel rushed into making a purchase. While we love welcoming new weavers who purchase a kit, we want each person to choose the right kit for them. We often answer customer queries via email and on occasions have even suggested that a potential purchase might not be right for a particular customer. We encourage beginners to take their time: to explore our YouTube tutorials, to read our weaving blog articles, or join one of our weaving workshops before deciding which kit suits them best.

What we are doing instead of Black Friday

This year, we have created a special pattern booklet for everyone who purchases a kit from us over the Black Friday weekend.

The booklet includes:

• A square log cabin coaster pattern for a small frame loom

• A tartan scarf pattern for a rigid heddle loom

An alternative to Black Friday: Colour Friday

Holly Tucker, founder of Notonthehighstreet and now Holly & Co launched 'Colour Friday' as a joyful alternative to Black Friday. It celebrates the colour, creativity, and community spirit at the heart of UK independent businesses, encouraging people to shop small and support makers and designers.

How You Can Support Colour Friday

Holly Tucker suggests:

• Buying at least one Christmas gift from a UK small business

• Supporting your local high street in person

• Leaving positive reviews for small businesses you love

• Sharing small businesses on social media (even a like or comment helps visibility)

• Spreading the word about Colour Friday and why you support it

As weavers creating colourful kits here in the UK, Colour Friday is a campaign that deeply resonates with us.

In Summary

Black Friday simply does not align with the way we choose to run our business. By focusing on honest pricing, quality craftsmanship, and our desire to offer genuine value all year round. Thank you for supporting our small business and for championing the vibrant world of UK creatives.

Weaving Kits are available in our TabbyandTweed website shop for UK and USA delivery and our TabbyandTweed Etsy shop for delivery elsewhere.

Interested in learning to weave? Then our workshop page has all the details found by clicking the link here.

If you are interested in keeping up to date with our weaving work then do sign up to receive our newsletter by clicking the link here.