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Handmade ties, bow ties and pocket squares from Nottingham

Hello, I'm Emma.

I'm the founder, designer and maker behind Arsenic & Old Lace.

I started the business while I was on maternity leave, with a sewing machine, a growing obsession with beautiful fabrics and the slightly optimistic belief that I could turn that obsession into a business.

Thankfully, it worked.

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Since 2015, Arsenic & Old Lace has grown into an independent British accessories brand based in Nottingham, England, making handmade neck ties, bow ties, pocket squares, cufflinks and wedding accessories for people who'd rather wear something with a little personality than something everyone else is wearing.

And after all these years, I'm still happiest when I'm surrounded by fabric.

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Why Arsenic & Old Lace?

It's probably the first question people ask.

Why Arsenic?

The name comes from the wonderfully dark and eccentric 1944 film Arsenic and Old Lace.

I've always loved the slightly bonkers combination of the two words. It felt vintage, theatrical, a little mischievous and, most importantly, memorable.

And there was an added Nottingham connection that made me like it even more.

Nottingham has a long and fascinating history with lace and textiles, so Arsenic & Old Lace felt rather appropriate for a handmade accessories business based here.

But the film came first.

I didn't choose the name because I was trying to create a clever textile pun.

I just really liked the film.

And somehow, all these years later, it has become the name of my business.

From Maternity Leave to Handmade Ties

Arsenic & Old Lace didn't begin with a huge business plan.

There wasn't a warehouse, a team of designers or a marketing department telling me what people wanted to buy.

There was me, a sewing machine and a love of making things.

One order became another. Then came wedding parties, returning customers and people recommending me to their friends.

Somewhere along the way, I realised that the little business I'd started had become a proper business.

But I've always wanted to keep the thing that made me start it in the first place:

making beautiful things carefully and giving people something they genuinely want to wear.

Handmade in Nottingham

I'm proud to be based in Nottingham.

The city has a long history of textiles, particularly its famous lace and hosiery industries, and I love the idea of continuing that relationship with textiles in my own small way.

Every Arsenic & Old Lace accessory is handled here before it makes its way to you.

The fabric is selected, the pieces are cut, they're sewn and finished, checked and carefully packaged.

I know what I'm sending you because I've made it myself.

That's one of the things I love about being a small business.

You're not buying from a faceless factory.

You're buying something made by a person.

Why Handmade Matters

"Handmade" has become a rather overused word, so I think it's worth explaining what it means to me.

It means choosing fabrics because I genuinely love them.

It means making smaller quantities rather than producing thousands of identical pieces.

It means paying attention to the details.

And it means having the freedom to make something a little different.

I deliberately prefer the phrase "handmade for you".

Because that's really what I'm trying to achieve.

It Usually Starts With the Fabric

Here's one of my secrets.

Quite often, the fabric comes first.

I'll see a print and immediately start imagining what it could become.

A neck tie?

A bow tie?

A pocket square?

Sometimes I know straight away. Other times a fabric can sit in the studio for weeks before suddenly revealing what it wants to be.

I'm particularly drawn to cotton, wool and tweed, along with floral, botanical and heritage-inspired prints.

I love William Morris designs, Liberty London fabrics, vintage textiles, reclaimed materials and unusual prints — particularly fabrics that have enough character to make you look twice.

A simple navy suit and white shirt can be transformed by the right piece of fabric.

That's what I think a tie should do.

It shouldn't wear the outfit for you.

It should finish it.

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Ties Without the Rules

I've never believed that ties should belong to one particular type of person.

There's a very traditional image of the English gentleman when you think about ties.

The suit.

The stiff collar.

The boardroom.

The rules.

That's never really been Arsenic & Old Lace.

I've always wanted ties and bow ties to be for anyone who wants to wear them.

A bow tie with a suit? Absolutely.

A necktie with jeans? Why not?

A woman wearing a bow tie? Of course.

A completely ridiculous floral tie because you saw the fabric and couldn't resist?

Now we're talking.

I think the best thing that has happened to ties is that we're gradually getting rid of the rules.

Read the Arsenic & Old Lace blog

What I Make

Neck Ties

From colourful cotton prints to wool and tweed, I make neck ties in both slim and standard widths.

Explore our neck ties

Self-Tie Bow Ties

For anyone who likes a little tradition — and isn't afraid of a knot.

Explore self-tie bow ties

Pre-Tied Bow Ties

For those occasions when you'd like the look without having to remember how the knot works.

Explore pre-tied bow ties

Pocket Squares & Accessories

Sometimes the smallest detail makes the biggest difference.

Explore the full collection

Weddings, Without the Uniform

Weddings are a huge part of what I do, and I love them.

But I don't think a wedding party has to look as though everyone has been issued the same outfit.

You might have the groom in a necktie and the best man in a bow tie.

Perhaps everyone wears the same fabric in different styles.

Or maybe the accessories simply complement the bridesmaids rather than matching them exactly.

There isn't one right answer.

Your wedding should look like your wedding.

I can help with fabric choices, colours, swatches, personalisation and finding accessories that work together without looking overly coordinated.

Explore our wedding accessories

Need Help Choosing?

Buying fabric online can be tricky.

A colour that looks sage green on your screen can look completely different when it arrives, particularly when you're trying to coordinate with bridesmaid dresses, flowers or suits.

That's why I offer a free swatch service.

You can see and feel the fabric before making your decision.

And because I'm a small business, you can ask me if you're stuck.

Not a call centre.

Not a chatbot.

Me.

Family Ties

Some of the most meaningful pieces I make don't start with fabric bought from a shop.

They start in someone's wardrobe.

A favourite shirt belonging to a grandfather.

A treasured garment belonging to someone who has passed away.

A child's clothing that has been kept because it means too much to throw away.

With our Family Ties service, those fabrics can sometimes be transformed into a wearable keepsake.

These aren't really about fashion.

They're about memory.

About taking something precious that might otherwise sit forgotten in a drawer and giving it another life.

I think there's something rather lovely about that.

Sustainability Without the Greenwashing

I'm careful about how I talk about sustainability.

I'm a small business making physical products and sending them to customers, so I'm not going to pretend that has zero environmental impact.

It doesn't.

What I can do is make better choices wherever possible.

I choose fabrics carefully, use reclaimed and vintage fabrics where appropriate, try to avoid unnecessary waste and use considered packaging.

I'm much more interested in making better things that people want to keep than encouraging people to constantly replace them.

For me, sustainability isn't about making enormous claims.

It's about making better choices wherever I can.

A Nottingham Brand With Midlands Roots

The places around us have found their way into the collections too.

Many of our collections take their names and inspiration from towns, villages and landscapes around Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and the wider Midlands.

It's a small way of celebrating where I live.

And sometimes customers tell me they have a family connection to one of the places.

That's one of my favourite things about naming collections after real places.

A tie can become more than a pattern.

It can become a little reminder of home.

From Nottingham to the World

Arsenic & Old Lace might be firmly rooted in Nottingham, but the ties have travelled rather further.

In 2025, Nottingham culture magazine LeftLion visited Arsenic & Old Lace to meet me and explore the story behind the business.

It's always slightly strange seeing somebody else write about your little business.

But it's also a wonderful reminder of how far it has come.

Read the LeftLion interview with Emma

More Than Wedding Ties

I love weddings.

But ties shouldn't be kept in a box until somebody sends you an invitation.

They're for race days, parties, dinners, work, Christmas, jazz gigs, first dates — and those days when you've simply decided you want to look particularly good.

I've spent years making and wearing ties, and I love sharing what I've learned about them.

So if you want to go down the rabbit hole, visit the Arsenic & Old Lace blog.

You can start with:

The Evolution of the British Tie: A Historical Journey

Self-Tie vs Pre-Tied Bow Tie: Which Should You Choose?

How to Style a Tie in Hot Weather

And yes, I've written about taking your tie off when it's hot.

I appreciate the irony.

It goes against almost everything I stand for.

But sometimes even I have to admit that sweating through a wool tie isn't particularly elegant.

A Few Things About Emma

When I'm not in the studio, I'm usually out walking, particularly around the countryside and villages of the Midlands.

It's probably no coincidence that so many of our collections end up being named after places I've wandered through or fallen in love with.

I'm also a long-standing Oasis fan, partial to a game of darts, and very happy to swap the sewing machine for a glass of wine at the end of the day.

I suppose there is a connection between all of these things and making ties.

I like things with character.

Places with a story.

Music with attitude.

A well-thrown dart.

And a good bottle of wine.

Life doesn't have to be terribly serious. Neither should getting dressed.

What Our Customers Say

I can tell you how much care goes into making something.

But customers are much better at telling you whether it actually matters.

Read our customer reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are Arsenic & Old Lace ties made?

Arsenic & Old Lace is based in Nottingham, England, where I design and handmake the accessories.

Who makes Arsenic & Old Lace ties and bow ties?

I do. I'm Emma Moore, founder, designer and maker behind Arsenic & Old Lace.

What fabrics do you use?

Our collections include cotton, wool and tweed, alongside floral, botanical and heritage-inspired fabrics.

Do you make wedding ties?

Yes. We make neck ties, bow ties, pocket squares and other wedding accessories for grooms, groomsmen and wedding parties.

Can I order fabric swatches?

Yes. We offer free fabric swatches to help you choose colours and fabrics before ordering.

Do you make self-tie bow ties?

Yes. We make both self-tie and pre-tied bow ties.

Do you make accessories for women?

Absolutely. Ties and bow ties aren't restricted to one gender. They're for anyone who wants to wear them.

Meet Emma

Emma Moore is the founder, designer and maker behind Arsenic & Old Lace.

Based in Nottingham, Emma creates handmade neck ties, bow ties, pocket squares and wedding accessories using carefully selected cotton, wool, tweed and printed fabrics.

She started Arsenic & Old Lace while on maternity leave and has built the business around a love of textiles, distinctive design and accessories with personality.

She believes ties should be for everyone, that beautiful fabrics deserve to be enjoyed, and that getting dressed should be considerably more fun than most people make it.

And she still believes a really good tie can rescue an otherwise rather ordinary outfit.

Thank You

If you've bought from Arsenic & Old Lace, recommended us, sent someone our way, shared a photograph, left a review or simply spent five minutes looking through our fabrics, thank you.

Small businesses don't grow because somebody presses a button marked "success".

They grow because real people decide they like what you're doing enough to support it.

Every order matters.

Every review matters.

And every time someone tells me they received a compliment on something I made, I still get a little thrill from it.

After all these years.

Emma