Meet The Maker: Dip & Doze

If there’s one thing that tracking down the world’s best products has taught us, it’s this. Long-lasting stuff can’t exist without the designers and makers who decide to strive for better. Better quality, better transparency and products they actually believe in.

A fantastic example of this is Dip & Doze, creators of organic cotton bedding, towels and loungewear. As the sixth generation of his family’s textile company, Dip & Doze founder George thought he’d find buying decent bedding easy. He didn’t.

Faced with confusing terms (housewife pillowcase?) and misleading marketing (high thread count = high quality?), even he was stumped. He decided to use his knowledge of textiles to make simple, functional bedding that people could confidently enjoy for years. Dip & Doze was born.

As part of our Meet The Maker series, we decided to interview George about the design choices behind Dip & Doze - and his bad experience with a very expensive duvet cover…

A lazy morning with The Striped Bedding Set in clay.

What was the driving force behind setting up Dip & Doze?

I felt the need for a much easier, more honest buyer experience. With more of us thinking about what we put on and into our bodies, the word about the benefits of organic began gaining momentum. 

However, with many people still in the dark about the negative effects chemicals used in traditional cotton farming have on us and those who make the things we love, I wanted to drive the word through textiles, too.

The Organic Cotton Towels Set of 6 blends practicality and luxury.

Tell us a bit about your materials and production methods. Why did you choose to go with these? 

We choose each fabric with care and intention, bringing our customers the world’s most sustainable, beautiful, and durable materials. Partnering with some of the world’s best makers, we grow and produce according to the highest ethical and sustainable standards, from seed to final product.

This of course takes time. It’s not the easiest way, but for us, it’s the only way. Without a doubt, we think it’s worth all the effort. 

Tell us a bit about the design of your products and why these features were chosen. 

Drawing on our 190 years of textile expertise, we aimed for timeless designs that get even better with age. Our ethos centres around making considered, high-quality, functional and beautifully made everyday items. So that customers can buy less and choose well.

For instance, our bedding includes duvet stop pockets, plastic-free buttons, and extra deep pillowcase closures for maximum functionality. Our sheets feature extra strong elastic, so they stay in place night after night. And our towels have sewn-in hooks and the perfect weight to balance luxury with practicality. 

"Everything is woven with precision and care, with every detail thoughtfully considered."

Is there anything that frustrates you about the home and textiles industry? 

Ah, yes. The many marketing gimmicks that come along with products that aren’t made to last. For instance, the myth that high thread count equates to high-quality bedding! 

What is important is thread quality over thread count. There are only so many threads that can actually fit into that one square inch of space. So, manufacturers often get creative with their yarn-weaving processes, by cramming more in with plait-like twists. All so that the final product can be marketed to unsuspecting customers. The result? A full wallet for sellers, but a fast-deteriorating product for buyers. Pretty deceptive, right? 

What key things make your products different from others on the market? 

All our products are made from the finest quality, sustainably and ethically made fibres. Everything is woven with precision and care, with every detail thoughtfully considered. 

Fresh and clean - The Original Bedding Set in white.

Which is your favourite piece in the collection and why? 

So hard to pick! To make it easier, I’ll go with the very first piece I owned and our first creation: The Original Bedding Set in white. You can’t go wrong with fresh white bedding! It’s still as perfect as it was when I first used it, nearly 6 years ago.

Tell us about a product in your life that has lasted a really long time.

I bought an amazing coat at a really cool second-hand shop in Denmark over 10 years ago. The ‘cost per wear’ must be heading towards 1p. I want the same for Dip & Doze products, and I have no doubt our customers do, too. 

"What is important is thread quality over thread count."

Tell us about a frustrating time a product of yours broke.

Before Dip & Doze was born, I bought a duvet cover (mentioning no names, I paid a lot for it) and it started pilling and bobbing quite badly within a few months. My wife is very glad we no longer have to replace our bedding every other year!

Anything else you’d like to add?

We’d love to finish by adding how pleased we are to have started seeing a shift in the industry for the better. More of the correct information is being put in front of all of us. And there’s really no better feeling than that - for both my team and I - to play a small part in this.