From Red Panda to Apricot Moon: Our Family's Handcrafted Journey in Gillingham

Some of you have known us for years as Red Panda; others have only ever known us as Apricot Moon. Either way, we thought it was time to share the full story of who we are, where we started, and why we do things the way we do.

Where it began

Our story starts right here in Gillingham, at our own kitchen table, long before there was a shop front or a website. What began as a family project, designing bags, our signature pouches and gifts by hand for friends and local markets, slowly grew into something bigger. The name changed along the way, but the people behind it, and the values we hold, never have.

Why we rebranded

Becoming Apricot Moon wasn't about leaving anything behind. It was about growing into a name that better reflected who we'd become: a small, family-run studio still doing things the slow way, one batch at a time.

Handcrafted, always

Every single item we design or curate is small-batch and hand-chosen from our Dorset studio. We choose to work alongside ethical companies that produce thoughtful products made by hand, using materials we'd be happy to have in our own home, because that's really the standard we hold ourselves to.

Ethical, on purpose

Being a family business means we get to make decisions based on what feels right, not just what scales fastest. That shapes everything from the suppliers we choose to how we package and ship your orders.

Still growing, still us

We're incredibly grateful to everyone who's shopped with us, whether that was years ago as Red Panda or just last week as Apricot Moon. The name on the label has changed, but our family business has stayed the same 💖

Thank you for being part of our story so far. Here's to the next chapter.

Wendy x 🍑