Designer Grace Allen has received commissions from as far away as Australia and even has one of her pieces in the office of Theo Paphitis from TV’s Dragons Den.

She creates fabric pet portraits on cushions. Prints of her work are also used for a wide range of products including coasters, greetings cards, tote bags, mugs, keyrings and kitchenware.

Her work is available at more than 15 stockists including Keep It Local and commissions come in from around the world.

Grace, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, set up her business Cushy Paws during the second year of a degree in Textiles and Innovation Design at Loughborough University.

She worked on the business for five years and now runs Cushy Paws alongside a part-time role as a content design specialist at World of Wedgwood where her work has included supporting other artisans.

Grace has exhibited at the Three Counties Show and had a solo exhibition at The Brampton Museum and Art Gallery in Newcastle.

She graduated with first class honours and clinched the coveted New Designers Award after exhibiting her final degree show in London’s Design Centre.

Despite securing a job in the textiles industry post-graduation she decided to embark on the full-time self-employment journey, officially establishing Cushy Paws.

Originally conceived as a brand focused on recycling and repurposing remnant fabrics, Cushy Paws has evolved from a pet portrait commission business into a dynamic entity with various collections. Grace’s most recent work explores the heritage and scenery of Stoke-on-Trent.

In 2021 Grace’s gesture of gifting Theo Paphitis with a bespoke cushion of his dog Gladys led to the opportunity for an SBS Spring Fair stand. This catapulted Cushy Paws into seven new stockists across the UK with wholesale orders ranging from card orders to a 57 original wall hanging artwork pieces.

Grace has entered the Young Business Person of the Year category of the Staffordshire University Business Awards and has entered Cushy Paws into the Small Business of the Year category.

She said: “I hope to continue to elevate my brand to expand into different stockists across the UK and hope to continue to inspire others to follow their dreams and invest time and passion into their skills and creativity.”