Charlotte Raffo, founder of The Monkey Puzzle Tree

Charlotte Raffo is the founder of The Monkey Puzzle Tree, collaborating with artists from the North of England to create locally made, award winning fabrics and wallpapers with a twist and a conscience.

After graduating with a Colour Chemistry degree, Charlotte gained hands on manufacturing and design experience in a Leeds based tannery creating leather for luxury brands.
The eventual closure of the factory resulted in the loss of hundreds of jobs as well as heritage skills, and sparked Charlotte’s passion to support local manufacturing.

Charlotte then worked as a Textile Buyer for nursery brand Mamas and Papas for a number of years before a chance conversation with an artist friend sparked the idea for the business.

The Monkey Puzzle Tree was launched in 2017 with the goal to pay their artists a passive income through a 20% royalty, supporting the local design community and working towards sustainable manufacturing.

The business has been awarded the prestigious Design Guild Mark in 2021 and 2022 and is shortlisted for 2023. They have also won Best in British Product Design at the Hotel Designs Brit List Awards.

Charlotte regularly takes part in speaking events, and has also run workshops and mentored students post graduates at Leeds Arts University. She also consults on design strategy for product brands in the interior design sector.

In her spare time Charlotte enjoys taking her two children on adventures in the Yorkshire Dales and plays Indian harmonium in a jazz band.