Draper of Glastonbury

Draper of Glastonbury is a British footwear brand and manufacturer specialising in handmade sheepskin slippers, boots, gloves and moccasins. The business was founded in 1937 by Richard Jack Draper as R. J. Draper & Co Ltd, taking over premises in Glastonbury, Somerset, that had earlier been used by glove maker Harry Cox and where there is evidence of leathermaking dating back to 1886. Glastonbury has been associated with sheepskin tanning since the 12th century, when monks of Glastonbury Abbey began working skins, and the company describes itself as the oldest sheepskin footwear manufacturer in the United Kingdom. The brand remains independent and is still owned by the Draper family, now in its fourth generation. Its factory in Glastonbury produces women's and men's sheepskin slippers, bootie slippers, boots, gloves and driving moccasins, shoes and loafers. Products are made using traditional techniques and natural materials, including British sheepskin and Scottish suede, with each pair taking up to four weeks to manufacture. The range is sold through the company's own website and shipped worldwide, with prices for core slipper styles typically in the region of $115–$129. Draper of Glastonbury positions itself on heritage, craftsmanship and sustainability. Its marketing emphasises that its footwear is handmade in Great Britain, that materials are natural and sustainably produced, and that designs follow traditional English styles. The company has built a following for classic models such as the Anton men's sheepskin slipper and the Tilly women's sheepskin bootie slipper, and it continues to operate as a small, family-controlled British manufacturer in the south west of England.

R. J. Draper & Co Ltd was established in 1937 by Richard Jack Draper, who had spent years in India and Canada before becoming involved in the 1930s with a Glastonbury glove maker named Harry Cox. Draper's success in marketing Cox's products, particularly industrial gloves, led him to take over the premises and set up his own company. The original buildings were a former chapel and cottages with medieval origins, and the site itself has evidence of leathermaking dating back to 1886. Cox's original company had been started in 1911, while the wider Glastonbury area had been famous for sheepskin since the 12th century, when monks of Glastonbury Abbey began tanning skins. During the Second World War, the business worked on Government contracts, supplying safety asbestos and leather protective wear. After the war, it gradually extended its operations to make use of available raw materials, particularly sheepskin, and moved into the manufacture of sheepskin footwear. Over the following decades the company developed a reputation for high-quality women's and men's sheepskin slippers, boots, gloves and moccasins, made in its Glastonbury factory using traditional techniques passed down through generations. The business has remained independent and family-owned, now run by the fourth generation of the Draper family. It describes itself as the oldest sheepskin footwear manufacturer in the United Kingdom and has been making sheepskin slippers in Glastonbury for over 85 years. Its products are sold throughout the world, and the company continues to emphasise British handmade production, natural materials and sustainable methods. Core styles such as the Anton men's sheepskin slipper and the Tilly women's sheepskin bootie slipper are presented as modern expressions of its long-standing craft heritage.

• 2020

  The company continues as a fourth-generation family business and the oldest sheepskin footwear manufacturer in the UK.

• 1945

  After the war the business extends into sheepskin footwear manufacture.

• 1939

  During World War II the company supplies Government contracts for safety asbestos and leather protective wear.

• 1937

  Richard Jack Draper founds R. J. Draper & Co Ltd, taking over the Glastonbury premises.

• 1911

  Harry Cox's original glove-making company is started in Glastonbury.

• 1886

  Evidence of leathermaking on the site later occupied by Draper of Glastonbury.

Heritage British craftsmanship; handmade sheepskin footwear using natural, sustainably produced materials; family-owned since 1937.

• Anton Men's Sheepskin Slippers

  Handmade men's sheepskin slippers with British sheepskin and Scottish suede, priced at $122.00.

• Camilla Women's Sheepskin Bootie Slippers

  Women's sheepskin bootie slippers priced at $129.00.

• Tilly Women's Sheepskin Bootie Slippers

  Women's bootie slippers with double-faced sheepskin upper and flexible rubber sole, priced at $129.00.

• Maine Men's Sheepskin Moccasins

  Men's sheepskin moccasins priced at $115.00.

1. 1Sheepskin Slippers & Boots | Mens & Womens Footwear | Drapersdraper-of-glastonbury.com
2. 2About | Sheepskin Slippers, Boots and Moccasins | Draper of Glastonburydraper-of-glastonbury.com
3. 3Anton | Mens Sheepskin Slippers | Draper of Glastonburydraper-of-glastonbury.com
4. 4Tilly | Sheepskin Booties Ladies | Sheepskin | Spice, Brown | Drapersdraper-of-glastonbury.com
5. 5Wikidata Q138341261wikidata.org