The sweet william story
Sweet William was founded in 2009 by Emma Wood, who turned her love of pottery and dogs into a business that has grown far beyond her original plans.
After a decade working in the City, Emma decided to pursue something a little more creative. She set up a kiln in her garage and began making pottery, selling her early designs at Greenwich Market with her faithful Black Labrador, William, never far from her side.
Those early pottery designs were just the beginning. Over the years, Emma has continued to create new designs and collections, inspired by the companionship, character and occasional mischief of our four-legged friends.
Sweet William may have grown considerably since those early market days, but it remains an independent business with the same personal, hands-on approach. From dreaming up new designs and developing collections to managing production and carefully packing every order, Emma and her team take care of it all, putting the same love and attention into everything as they did right at the beginning.
And while William will always be at the heart of Sweet William, these days it's Coops, our mischievous Golden Retriever, who's keeping everyone on their toes!
Celebrating 15 years of Sweet William
In 2024, we celebrated 15 years of Sweet William – from our early days at Greenwich Market to seeing our designs stocked in hundreds of shops around the world.
A huge thank you to everyone who’s been part of the journey, from the customers who discovered us at those very first markets to the dog lovers who continue to discover us today.
Here’s to many more years of muddy paws, mischievous mutts and making people smile!
THE ORIGINAL SWEET WILLIAM
The dog who started it all. William was Emma's much-loved Black Labrador, constant companion and the inspiration behind Sweet William. From sitting beside the kiln in the early days to accompanying Emma to Greenwich Market and trade shows around the country, he was there through it all.
William sadly passed away in 2019, just a month before his 15th birthday, but his spirit lives on in everything we do.
BIG PAWS TO FILL
Cooper had quite a legacy to follow when he joined the Sweet William family, but he certainly didn’t take long to make the role his own.
Endlessly affectionate, wonderfully funny and always up to something, he’s brought his own special brand of love, laughter and mischief to the business, whilst continuing the tradition started by the very special dog who came before him.
William will always be at the heart of Sweet William, but we think he’d thoroughly approve of his successor.
