Featured Maker // Own Way
Katie Edge Mellor
Own Way
Katie runs Own Way; an independent graphic design and print studio. Katie offers graphic design services including logos, branding, flyers and websites. Alongside this, she also designs and hand screen prints a range of eco friendly, contemporary products including patches, t-shirts and homewares.
Her products are inspired by the outdoors; patches of the highest mountains like Snowdonia and Ben Nevis, t-shirts of bicycles and forest landscapes and prints inspired by the mountains and extreme sports.
Katie started Own Way in 2016 while working at a design agency in Sheffield. She always knew that she wanted to run her own business one day and have the freedom that comes with it. Art was always “her thing” at school and college; it was where Katie was at her happiest and excelled. Subsequently, Katie found herself skipping A levels and going straight to college to study Art and Design which was one of the best decisions she have ever made!
At college, Katie studied life drawing, clay, screen printing, textiles and graphic design. She had the opportunity to dabble in everything creative and she loved every minute of it. Katie graduated in 2008 from Cumbria Institute of the arts with a BA in Graphic Design and went on to get her first Junior Designer job at This is BD in Glasgow and gained a lot of experience working at award winning design agencies in Glasgow, Edinburgh, London and finally Sheffield. This experience helped Katie gain valuable knowledge and grow confidence in her work. She made sure she learned as much as possible and these positions have enabled her to get to where she is today.
Mixing her design skills with screen printing, Katie has created screen prints, patches, pennants, T-shirts and much more. The key thing for her brand is to make sure the products she creates are plastic free, environmentally friendly and long lasting. Katie uses water based inks to print with which contain no harmful chemicals. All her paper and packaging is recycled and the cotton she uses to print her T-shirts and patches is organic and fair trade. Katie is always looking to find new and better ways to reduce waste and care for the environment.
What inspires your design process?
I am always at my most creative while not thinking about being creative. Sometimes it’s when I am out walking the dog, or climbing a mountain, riding my bike or sat on a train. These are the times I come up with my ideas or become inspired by people and my surroundings. From this I have learnt how important it is to take time out to allow your creativity to bloom.
Is there a particular season you find most inspiring?
Winter is the most inspiring season for me, I love the snowy mountains and cold crisp mornings. I like the stillness of the outdoors, the quieter part of the year which gives me time to reflect and create.
“I learned to let go of comparing myself and now I like to encourage myself and others to just ‘do you’. We are all on different journeys, enjoy the ride!”
Are there any new ideas or collections you've been working on during lockdown?
Lockdown definitely wasn’t easy for small business owners and so I took the opportunity to create a few new designs. I have a Peak District map coming soon and also new Christmas card designs and wrapping paper. Keep your eyes peeled for these over the next few months.
How do you juggle your home-life with work? Do you have any tips for those in a similar position?
Before lockdown, I had a studio based in the city centre of Sheffield but now I work from home where I have a dedicated room / studio for my screen printing and design work. I schedule my work on a Monday morning and divide a workload out over the week. This way it stops me working late into the night and helps me keep a healthy balance. I also have to stop myself from getting distracted by the everyday tasks of home-life. I find it so important to keep my work life and home life separated but I do sometimes find this hard.
What are the biggest lessons you have learned since running your business?
Running a business is so rewarding but can come with its challenges. A great tip would be to collaborate and communicate well with others around you. Reach out to fellow small business owners, ask for help if you need it. In the past I have found myself comparing my work to other small businesses but slowly I learned to let go of that feeling and now I like to encourage myself and others to just ‘do you’. We are all on different journeys, enjoy the ride.
Visit the Own Way online shop: www.etsy.com/uk/shop/OwnWayCo
Follow Own Way on Instagram: @ownway.co
