That I enjoy what I do is well known. But what is less known is that my husband and I have financed the Arastan proof of concept knowing that we would need external investment to take our vision forward. Unfortunately, we have not been able to raise the investment we need. The business is too early and too small for professional investors, and we needed one person who has the financial wherewithal and an interest in artisanal livelihoods to come in as a financial partner and stay through to the stage we could go to professional investors or banks. We never found that person.

And so we close. Our last day for trading will be 31 January 2014 and everything we have in-store and online must go. Prices have been marked down to reflect this and there is many a bargain to be had.

The vision was to expand sourcing …