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Kukoon, based in Newry, is an an online-first rugs and homewares brand with a strong in-store retail presence
Clare Walsh and Paul Vallely: ‘We have a brand that’s on trend, affordable & fun in a category most people find boring’ Kukoon, based in Newry, is an an online-first rugs and homewares brand with a strong in-store retail presence.
They grew up around their father’s market stall, where he sold rugs, and both worked it from a young age. Kukoon designs its own products and outsources manufacturing. It is an online-first business, selling across Ireland and Britain on its own brand domain as well as 15 partner retailers, and in more than 60 retail stores across Ireland.
The company employs 75 people in Newry, who handle everything from product design and marketing through to warehousing, pick and pack, and customer service. We grew up around our father’s market stall selling rugs, so selling was in the blood. The real moment was testing some of those rugs on eBay and seeing there was a bigger market for them. Fuel excise cuts have been given a reprieve – but what happens if oil prices stay high?
We’re an online-first rugs and homewares brand with a strong in-store retail presence. We have a brand that’s on trend, affordable and fun in a category most people find boring. Homewares will continue to grow online as the shopping experience becomes more immersive and interesting. Customers will shop with brands they trust.
In-store will still have a huge part to play for the same reasons. Creating that happy feeling around making a homewares purchase will become more important than ever, as availability, price and product matching become more democratised with AI. We want Kukoon to be the name you think of when you think of rugs – throughout Ireland and Britain.
We finished our financial year in March 2026 with £21 million in revenue and £2.2 million in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation . This year is budgeting for just over 20 per cent growth and we’re on track. Trying to do it all themselves and fixing problems as they come up .
Hiring smart and motivated people who can do those things better than you is a cliche because it’s very true. We also often see businesses putting out fires daily without investigating the true cause. Product is a huge area for focus. We’re working more closely than ever with a smaller number of production partners to create genuinely unique products we’re proud of that are on trend, washable and affordable.
On service, we need to meet customers where they are. On shopping, we’re available in more than 60 retail stores across Ireland and nearly 20 different online retail platforms across Ireland and Britain. We continue to focus on growing both of these areas. We also make it easy for customers to contact us.
Whether that’s through socials, email, phone or WhatsApp. In an era when most brands see customer care as a cost centre, we’re going the other direction and making it part of what we do. We’ve been self-funded from day one. We reinvest profits and use bank funding for larger capex.
For our international expansion, we’re considering derisking and looking for a strong equity partner that can help with the journeyBest, says Paul Vallely was: “You’d do better doing your own thing”, from my uncle Eamon when I asked for some advice on a job offer I’d had back in 2006. Clare Walsh and Paul Vallely: ‘We have a brand that’s on trend, affordable & fun in a category most people find boring’Irish consumer sentiment lifts despite uncertain outlookKillarney experiences ‘worst flooding in a lifetime’ as ‘significant’ water levels seen in CabraLATEST STORIESAgreement is reached in Oberstown staffing dispute after WRC talks
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