Our Manufacturing Process
We know that furniture sits at the heart of the home, and therefore it should be built to stand the test of time. That's why we've been handcrafting feel good furniture in our Yorkshire factory since 1968, using only the finest materials and traditional British craftsmanship.
To learn more about the craft and dedication of our talented team, tune in to BBC Two’s ‘Inside the Factory’, now available on BBC iPlayer.
Watch now on BBC iPlayer
Step One
Building the frame
Used for its strength and durability, sheets of ethically sourced plywood are loaded into our automated cutting machines to carefully cut the pattern for each individual piece of the frame. From here, it’s time to head over to frame assembly where the arms, base, and back are carefully constructed in sections using a water-based glue and nails to ensure these will be held in place firmly and will not budge with daily use.
Step Two
Fabric cutting and sewing
The chosen fabric is fed into a pattern cutting machine, which can cut the fabric for 50 sofas at once. The pattern for each fabric is inputted into the machine’s computer program, which determines where to cut the pieces to make sure the grain of the fabric is correctly oriented. Next, the fabric pieces head to the sewing department, where our skilled sewers use industrial sewing machines to stitch together the covers, aided by notches created by the cutting machine to help align the pieces.
Step Three
Upholstery
Next, the completed fabric covers head over to upholstery. Here, our team carefully add the padding and foam filling to the frame, constructing the shape of the furniture and providing the all-important comfort and support. Then, the fabric covers are upholstered by hand, using an upholstery gun and up to 1,800 staples for each and every piece of furniture.
Step Four
The finishing touches
After the frame is upholstered, it travels to the final assembly area where each piece is carefully fitted together using nuts, bolts, and a detachable arm bracket for convenient delivery. Once assembled, attention turns to the finishing touches. Cushion covers are filled with soft yet supportive foam and expertly fluffed, whilst the wooden legs are hand sprayed in the desired finish before being fixed to the furniture.
Step Five
Quality Control
Once the feet are added, it’s finally time for the moment of truth. Every piece of furniture receives a full quality inspection before leaving our home in West Yorkshire, carefully conducted by our expert team who examine the finish and upholstery to ensure a flawless appearance, and place the furniture on a level surface to ensure it is square.
Your beautiful new furniture
From our factory, to your home
After receiving the final seal of approval, our beautiful furniture begins it’s journey from our factory, to your home.
Find your nearest showroom
Everyone's shape, size and sitting needs are different. That's why our Comfort Specialists will work with you to assess your unique needs and assist you at your own leisure.
Behind the seams...
From the inspiration behind the collections, to an exclusive look at the filming of ‘Inside the Factory’, we invite you to explore life behind the seams at the HSL factory.
Behind-the-scenes of filming 'Inside the Factory'
We take you behind-the-scenes of filming ‘Inside the Factory’, as we welcomed Gregg Wallace and the BBC production team to our very own Yorkshire-based factory to introduce them to the people behind the craft.
Read this Article
Bring a touch of Yorkshire to your home
Discover our beautiful Yorkshire-inspired collections, all of which are lovingly handcrafted here in our West Yorkshire factory.
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Meet the team
Our craftsmen and women take true pride in every step of our furniture making, handcrafting feel good furniture which is designed to fit, and built to last. Meet the people who know comfort like the back of their hand…
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