A START-UP selling handcrafted furniture and hoping to give opportunities to small, independent artisans, has ‘soft launched’.

Modern Artisan Ltd’s website and social media accounts are now live and active.

The company, based in Bury, was founded by family duo Jessica and Samuel Mortimer.

The pair are aiming to provide customers with the best artisan furniture – from upcycled and refurbished furniture with a past life to totally handcrafted and bespoke pieces.

They say customers are guaranteed products that are not only unique, but are of a quality rarely found today.

The company is also hoping to compete on prices with larger and more established flat-pack furniture chains.

But the owners also want to provide opportunities for artisans in the area who, after years of experience in their specific trades, are yet to find their groove selling online.

Whether it is upholstering chairs or painting furniture, the craftsmen and women are selected by Modern Artisan for their ability to create unique and quality products.

Co-founder of Modern Artisan, Jessica Mortimer, said: “After a year of planning and building our website we are thrilled to announce the launch of our business.

“An artisan myself, I know how frustrating it is trying to sell a unique piece without the exposure of the online market.

“Artisans are currently reliant on local, collection-only social media selling sites or marketplaces that charge a crippling commission rate.”

Modern Artisan has teamed with a nationwide courier company to help artisans deliver to customers across the UK.

Fellow co-founder Samuel added: “I see it more from the eye of the customer, I truly believe that people want bespoke furniture now more than ever before – conversation starters with a past life and pieces that were not mass-produced, often cheaply, in a far flung factory.

“I love visiting my local artisan market on a Saturday morning and I believe there is a gap for this type of product in an online retail environment.”

To learn more about Modern Artisan or to browse its current collections visit www.modernartisan.co.uk

Any questions can be directed to jessica@modernartisan.co.uk

The business can be found on Facebook by searching ‘ModernArtisanUK’ and on Instagram as ‘ModernArtisan’.