Elspeth Jackson (Ragged Life)

Elspeth Jackson is a textile artist and rug maker based in Brighton, England. She’s also the founder of sustainable craft business Ragged Life. Elspeth grew up in a creative household and was first introduced to the technique of rag rugging by her mother. As a teenager, she began making rugs of her own using recycled materials, and later went on to run workshops on the art form. In 2014, after the success of her workshops, she started her brand Ragged Life.

Since then, Elspeth has taught thousands of crafters how to upcycle their textile waste through rag rugging and sells everything from pre-printed hessian to rug ragging tools. She also works with local mills to prevent their textile offcuts from going to landfills as part of her commitment to sustainability. Elspeth has published two books in which she shares her expertise on the craft, Rag Rugs, Pillows & more and Rag Rug Techniques for Beginners, and has appeared on TV both in the UK and globally. In 2019, she also won the Mollie Makes Best Established Business Award.