Ashford Handicrafts, a small company in Ashburton, New Zealand are the largest manufacturer of hand spinning wheels in the world, exporting worldwide.
Walter Ashford had built up a modest Rakaia-based business in kitset furniture when in 1938 he designed a hand spinning wheel kit that could be used to make knitting yarn. The kits were popular, and several thousand were sold during the next few years to create yarn for woolen socks and caps for New Zealand soldiers, sailors and airmen fighting overseas in World War II.
With the end of the war hand spinning went into rapid decline and remaining stock of kits was sold off at a discount.
In 1965, a craft spinner asked if wheels could again be made - she wanted ten immediately[1]. Walter was initially skeptical but found that a new-found appreciation of wool's qualities and a burgeoning craft movement meant that demand was strong. New models were designed and soon orders began coming in from Australia, America and Europe. The business grew and mover to Ashburton, New Zealand where a new and larger factory was constructed.
Walter Ashford's son Richard Ashford is the current Managing Director.