Siblings Martha and Hepsie have spent 15 years building a bold, joyful and uplifting creative brand rooted in community, creativity and a love of the natural world. Now, they’re being recognised as part of the 2025 Small Biz 100 list – a nationwide campaign celebrating the incredible contribution of independent businesses across the UK.
For the duo, it’s a meaningful nod to the highs and lows of running a small business while navigating life’s twists and turns. They joined unLTD’s Ruby Deakin to reflect on their journey – and what the accolade means to them.
What are your main sources of inspiration when creating your designs?
Martha: I’ve always loved animals and the outdoors, so our first collection was mostly birds and animal prints. I left London about 13 years ago and moved back to Sheffield, where I’d grown up from the age of 10, so my inspirations have changed over time. We still design really colourful, uplifting prints, but now there’s more of a focus on optimism and everyday joy. You’ve got a washbag – but it makes you smile.
Hepsie: We’ve grown a lot over the years – being in places like John Lewis and Amazon – and then contracted again due to life experiences. Most women running small businesses will tell you: it goes hand in hand with juggling everything else. Our mum was very poorly, we both had children, and we had to redirect our focus. But that allowed us to re-evaluate the visuals and reconnect with what inspires us.
A lot of your work is inspired by the Sheffield landscape. Why do you think so many artists find their creative spark in this city?
Martha: It’s just an amazing, creative, innovative city. We’ve got two universities, the countryside on the doorstep, a great music scene, and loads of street art. You can’t help but be inspired by it.
Hepsie: And there’s a lot of Yorkshire pride too. I live in Devon, but our connection to Sheffield has always been strong because Mum and Martha are based here. It’s a real focus – it fuels a lot of the work.
Your designs are stocked all over Sheffield in local makers’ shops and markets. How has that support shaped your journey?
Martha: The internet is great, but people still value face-to-face shopping – and being able to hold something in their hands. We want our products to be the best quality and have a long lifespan. We were one of the first businesses in the pop-up shop in the Winter Gardens, and now we’re in lots of little shops around the city.
Hepsie: Retail definitely oscillates. It was very online-focused, but now people are turning away from that a bit. Shopping is becoming an experience again. Sheffield is such a big city with room for all kinds of outlets, and that serves us really well.
What’s it been like working with other local makers in Sheffield?
Martha: Doing face-to-face markets like Nether Edge and Sharrowvale, I’ve met so many brilliant Sheffield makers. About 18 months ago, a group of us formed Sheffield Creative Collective – a cohort of small, women-owned businesses that met through markets and events. We launched our first catalogue last year, hosted an event at Mester’s Market in Leah’s Yard, and we’ve got more to come. Small business can be isolating, so it’s great to have a support network.
Hepsie: People often assume retail is cut-throat, but we’ve found the opposite. You’re the only one who can create what you create – your perspective is unique. So sharing and collaborating doesn’t make you smaller; it helps you grow.
Tell us about your work with the amazing Sheffield Hospitals Charity.
Hepsie: That’s part of our Gift Wrap That Gives campaign, which we’ve run for about eight years. I’ve always built philanthropy into the business. It’s a lovely concept – someone creates something beautiful to give to someone else, and it also does good. This is our second year supporting Sheffield Hospitals Charity. It’s partly because of our Sheffield roots, but also because of all they did for our mum when she was poorly and eventually passed away. We want to acknowledge that and give back.
What will the Small Biz 100 recognition mean for your business going forward?
Hepsie: It’s already opened a few more doors. We’re proud to be part of a campaign that highlights how vital small businesses are in the UK – and how women are creating and running them while raising families. The support and opportunities you get from being in this cohort are fantastic. It’s like someone’s standing by the door saying, “It’s open – just walk through.” Being part of that is amazing, and our mum would be so proud. We always say: put yourself forward for things, because you are worthy of them.
Martha: We just want to keep making high quality, optimistic designs that serve a purpose. We don’t want to create for the sake of it – there always has to be a reason and a story. We’d love to collaborate more and grow through those relationships. We’re stronger together than we are alone.
Check them out marthaandhepsie.com & @marthaandhepsie
