‘There’s no middleman getting a mark-up’: why Irish high-end bedding company Amurelle founder took the direct route

As a young college student Hannah Sanusi, founder of luxury bedding company Amurelle, cut her teeth in retailing with part-time jobs in Swarovski, The Kooples and Brown Thomas. She was studying film and broadcasting at TU Dublin at the time but having thoroughly enjoyed the buzz of the high street, she opted for a career in retailing and joined Primark as a trainee homewares buyer when she finished her degree.
One of the products she bought regularly was bed linen and, as her career progressed, she began mulling over an idea for her own business based around high-end bedding with a focus on comfort and sustainability. The Covid lockdowns gave her the head space to bring her idea to life, and today Amurelle sells 100 per cent natural fibre cotton and linen sheets and Irish-made pillows and duvets to an international clientele.
“We spend about one-third of our lives sleeping or trying to sleep and my aim was to create superior-quality bed linen that not only enhances comfort but also significantly improve sleep quality,” says Sanusi. “Our products are prewashed to ensure softness and are Oeko-tex certified, which means they are environmentally friendly and chemical free. The sheets have extra deep walls so they fit well, and our pillowcases have an extra deep envelope so the pillow stays snug inside. Our cotton sheets have a life expectancy of five to 10 years. Our linen sheets will last a lifetime. I sell direct to customers and our fair pricing reflect the fact there’s no middleman getting a mark-up.”
Having spent just over four years buying within a large organisation, Sanusi decided she wanted to see the other side of the coin by working for a small company where she would get exposure to more aspects of the business. She joined interiors company CA Design in 2019, where she says she “learned a lot about what’s involved in a successful ecommerce business,” and just over two years later decided to strike out on her own to set up Amurelle.
“I couldn’t find an Irish brand that offered the kind of quality I was looking for, but because of my buying experience, I knew where to go to get it made,” says Sanusi. “Portugal has a very good reputation for producing high-quality textiles, and I knew I wanted to work with a small, family-owned manufacturer with a similar ethos to myself. The company is run by the grandson of the founder, and they make what I need and don’t insist on huge production runs. This means I don’t have money tied up in inventory.
“Linen is long lasting and has become very popular so I had identified that as one potential product, and of course 100 per cent cotton is lovely to sleep on and that inspired the second product. We also offer baby bedding, linen robes and, more recently, pyjamas.”
Sanusi estimates start-up costs at about €60,000 between personal investment and support from Wicklow local enterprise office. “I feel I’m only beginning to develop Amurelle’s potential as there are a lot of opportunities for expansion into different colour palettes and products,” she says.
Amurelle’s customers are worldwide but a recent collaboration with the Cotswolds-based interior designer Bee Osborn on bed linen has resulted in a surge of business from the UK, with sales so far this year up 26 per cent on 2023. More than 50 per cent of the company’s website traffic is from the UK. The company’s order fulfilment is done from Northern Ireland for post-Brexit ease of trade.
Sanusi is now looking to raise about €200,000 for a big push into the UK, with the money earmarked for marketing, PR, events and an increased social media presence. She also uses influencers and content creators to support her marketing efforts, mainly to target the 28-40 age group.