Northern Paws founder with love for Svalbard

Text: Ingrid Ballari

 

The recent pandemic was challenging for many, but for ambitious Rhiannon Pritchard it proved to be a door opener. She started Northern Paws in the middle of the lockdown. Her products are now sold in various places including at our hotels.

Rhiannon Pritchard Northern Paws

The pandemic provided an opportunity to start her own business based on art and souvenirs inspired by Svalbard nature, which she produced at home in Wales and England.

When Covid-19 hit, the tourists were flown out and many employees in the tourist industry lost their jobs or were laid off. With visitors not allowed to come here, there was no income and consequently no need for guides, which was the occupation of this small yet energetic Welsh woman. Well, she was a guide in addition to a lot of other things because when she sets goals nothing can stop her.

Northern Paws became a reality.

Many people who planned to visit Svalbard, but were stopped by the pandemic, ended up contacting Rhiannon via email, the online store Etsy and social media. They bought her souvenirs as a consolation for not being able to travel here, like a kind of virtual journey if you will.

Virtually all production takes place in the UK. She politely says no to virtually everything she cannot source from there. However, Svalbard has offered new acquaintances. While looking for a production site, she found a Polish company that worked sustainably. It turned out that Waldemar Brzozowski, who produces enamel cups in Poland, had lived up here. She started collaborating with him and he now produces all the enamel cups she designs.

The pandemic led to her wishing to keep the production as local as possible. By choosing entrepreneurs with the visions that reflect her own, she was able to keep someone in work for a few more days. She did not want others to suffer the same fate as her – being without income in a vulnerable time.

Beautiful colors and dreamy motifs

Her expression is colourful and playful. This suits her and the community she portrays because the dark season and Polar Night are not as dark as one may think.

She also produces a lot on request and adapts the design to the various outlets. The dog sledding operators order dog motifs, the boat tourists want bird or sea motifs, and hotels have their own requirements. For instance, Svalbard Hotel Polfareren and Svalbard Hotell The Vault now have drawing sheets for children made exclusively for them by the artist. Rhiannon’s products are also sold at the hotels’ gift shops. This is unlikely to be the last collaboration between Rhiannon and Svalbard Adventures because collaboration with local startups is part of the company’s sustainability strategy.

She has gone from producing watercolour paintings to creating a whole series of products under the name Northern Paws and, as the investments have paid off, she has invested the money straight back into the business. She now has her own wrapping paper and her logo printed on decorative boxes. Naturally, everything is produced in Europe.

The search for adventure

Rhiannon started studying design before she quickly realised that this was not what she wanted. As a 19-year-old, she started producing t-shirts and hoodies. She ensured that production took place in England instead of being shipped from China. Consequently, the sustainability perspective has been with her right from the start.

When it became harder for the business to make a profit, she sold everything and moved to Australia. After spending six months down under, she returned home with the goal of obtaining a residence permit. As the carpentry profession was an easy way towards achieving the dream of permanent residence in Australia, so started studying carpentry in England.

Ski holiday led to a life in Svalbard

When she was unable to gain permanent residency in Australia, Rhiannon started on yet another dream. This time she wanted to be a guide so she could work outdoors. As a person who never does things by halves, she took a new degree in Outdoor Leadership in addition to various safety courses. She met her partner Arran while at university, and they later set off to travel the world. When she and her husband settled on Svalbard after a ski trip, they applied for the Arctic Nature Guide course,  and both were accepted as students.

The Svalbard dream became a reality and six years later she is here as a guide, entrepreneur and has even taken a new master’s degree in sociology. They have bought a flat and created a home together in Longyearbyen.

She plans to expand production gradually. “Total world domination,” she says with a winning smile and a twinkle in her eye. “This will not be my last business start-up.”