Brother and sister had 'special' idea after chat with nan in the kitchen

A global business started after a chat in a kitchen. Belinda and James Yu run Wicker Wings, which produces fashionable hand-made wicker and leather handbags.

The brother and sister started the business around a decade ago, with their handbags now bought from across the world and favoured by big names such as Liverpool model Abbey Clancy.

The siblings decided to act when their grandma, who they call ‘māma’, spoke about her life back in China before the family moved to Liverpool. Speaking to the ECHO, Belinda said: “The idea originated from our grandma, who used to weave wicker baskets in China.

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"My brother had just graduated from university and I was on maternity leave. We were sitting around the kitchen table. She told us about how she used to make homemade wicker baskets and how unfortunately young people aren't getting involved with the practice. We wanted to show people what grandma did and bring it into the modern-day wardrobe.”

Wicker is a method of weaving used to make products such as furniture and baskets. Given it is made from natural materials, Belinda and James saw a chance to create truly sustainable and fashionable wicker handbags but they didn’t know where to start at first.

The 41 year-old, who is from Wavertree but now lives in Croxteth, said: “James had just graduated from economics, I had a business degree. We were raised in a family of entrepreneurs. There’s always been business founders, whether it’s a chippy or bigger businesses, but we didn't know what we were doing.

“There were a lot of Google searches and video tutorials when we were trying to get started. We originally decided to have the business make everything in China but we didn't love the products. Then we had to go into manufacturing as well.”

The business, which relaunched seven years ago, has gone on to strike deals with huge retailers such as Selfridges and Net-A-Porter while its biggest market is in the USA. James, who is 32, deals with the social media and creative side of things, while Belinda deals with the “back-end” of the business and Sally Evans handles the marketing.

Belinda says they have tried to make Wicker Wings as ethical as possible. She said: “Our products are made using the most sustainable materials. The base is made from rattan which is one of the quickest reusable materials in the world. We finish it with Italian vegetable leather, which is the most sustainable tanning leather.

“The wicker is woven in Indonesia. We’re also supporting female artisans who do the weaving for us. Weaving has been going on for centuries. A lot of these women want to work but don't have the financial independence. This gives them a little job and the flexibility to look after their children.”

However, it hasn’t been entirely straightforward for the business. Belinda said: “We were on the right path going upwards just before Covid. Then 2020 happened and all of our retailers closed their doors. Our revenues plummeted by 75%. We’ve had to climb back up again. The other major headache would be manufacturing in general. The cost of everything has skyrocketed.”

Nevertheless, Belinda is committed to Wicker Wings as the family look ahead to the future. When asked if starting the business was a risk for them, she said: “It's always been a risk. Even the fact we’ve been going every year, every day is still a risk. It's trying to continuously be ahead of things.

“Everything is a big challenge all the time. We’ve always got to remain focussed on creating products that people love and continue to be true to ourselves.

“It's very special. Grandma still comes in every week to the studio to help out. It’s such a family business and that's how we want it to be. The fact we're still here after the last couple of years is absolutely amazing.

“We’re looking to grow the business internationally and tackle new markets. They'll be new designs coming next year. In 2025 there are a lot of exciting plans.”