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From a Wedding Day Crisis to a Thriving Business: The Wee Rhubarb Story
How a last-minute signage disaster sparked a career change, a new company, and a growing premium acrylic brand.
Some of the best businesses are born from the most unexpected moments. For Claire and Loren Sutherland, that moment came just 48 hours before Loren's wedding — when the signage supplier got the date wrong.
"We redesigned everything and had it printed locally," recalls Claire, co-director of The Wee Rhubarb Gift Co Ltd. "The feedback was incredible and we thought, 'actually, we're quite good at this.'"
What started as a frantic fix became the foundation for a multi-faceted business now serving crafters, small businesses, and event professionals across the UK.
Taking the Plunge
At the time, Claire was working in a corporate role. But the overwhelmingly positive response to that last-minute wedding signage lit a spark she couldn't ignore.
"I was ready for something different, so we took the plunge," she says. "We invested in a range of personalisation equipment and set up in my spare room."
One year on, The Wee Rhubarb has expanded well beyond that spare room. The business now operates from a workshop in Glasgow alongside a dedicated print setup in Dunfermline, supporting a broad customer base through personalised products, print services, and wholesale materials.
Spotting a Gap: The Launch of TWR Acrylic
Growth has been a constant theme — and it accelerated earlier this year with the launch of TWR Acrylic, a specialist premium acrylic sheet supplier born from a gap Claire and Loren identified in the UK market.
"We could see incredible acrylic ranges being used by makers and small businesses in the US, but there was very little available in the UK that matched the same premium look and feel," Claire explains. "We realised there was a real opportunity to bring those styles and colour palettes to the UK market, making them accessible for crafters and small businesses."
Today, TWR Acrylic's core offering centres on high-quality wholesale premium acrylic sheets, tailored specifically for crafters and small businesses who lack the tools or space to process larger materials themselves.
"Our customers rely on us not just for materials, but for choice, consistency and service," says Claire. "That's something we've taken seriously from the outset."
Bringing Print In-House with Mimaki
Alongside the acrylic business, The Wee Rhubarb's Print Studio arm delivers bespoke printed graphics — particularly for the events sector, with an increasing customer base across other industries.
As demand for custom print work grew, the team began exploring ways to bring more production in-house. Their research spanned multiple technologies, including solvent and UV printing. An earlier investment in a lower-cost UV DTF solution, however, proved challenging.
"We struggled with support," Claire admits. "We didn't want to be stuck relying on web chats to another country when something went wrong. For us, having proper UK-based technical backup became essential."
That requirement played a key role in their decision to invest in the Mimaki JFX200-1213EX flatbed UV printer, purchased through Xpres.
"The print quality from the Mimaki was incredible. There was just no comparison," Claire recalls. "When we saw it up close and understood what it could do, it really stood out."
The mid-size format offered precisely the flexibility they needed — without limiting future growth.
"We considered a smaller machine, but I knew we'd outgrow it quickly. The JFX200 gives us a longer-term solution with a larger bed size and faster production speeds. It just opens us up to so much more."
Creative Possibilities in Action
TWR Acrylic is already seeing steady growth in its print offering, with the ability to produce one-off jobs and bespoke personalised items proving particularly valuable. From highly detailed event displays to retail signage, the Mimaki printer is enabling the company to expand its creative capabilities.
A recent project perfectly captures the spirit of the business: a wedding table plan featuring hand-drawn caricatures of each guest.
"This is exactly the kind of work we love doing," says Claire. "It's unique, personal, and shows what's possible with the right technology behind you."
What's Next
Claire and Loren aren't slowing down. Plans are already underway to launch a bespoke printed acrylic range in the coming months under the 'Boundless by TWR' brand — a fitting name for a business that refuses to set limits on what's possible.
"Great customer service is in our DNA," Claire concludes. "We listen to our customers and are committed to staying true to the principles that shaped the business from the start. We want to offer a fantastic product, backed by the kind of support we expect ourselves. The new Mimaki printer has given us the confidence to take that even further."
Want To Find Out More About UV Printing?
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Are you familiar with UV printing and interested in exploring new technologies? Experience advanced UV DTF printing technology that delivers high-quality UV ink prints on specially coated film. Your vibrant, durable designs can be easily applied to various surfaces and substrates, just like a sticker.