Our Story

Made by hand,
rooted in the northeast.

Croi Concrete is a small studio making handmade concrete homeware in Newcastle upon Tyne. Every piece is individually hand-poured, sanded, and finished — no factory, no shortcuts.

Where Croi comes from

Croi (pronounced kree) is the Irish word for heart. It's where the name comes from — not as a marketing exercise, but as a genuine statement of intent. We make things with care. Things that matter. Things that last.

The studio started simply: a mould, a bag of concrete, and a desire to make objects that had weight and honesty to them. Not gloss. Not fast. Just form, material, and the kind of quiet satisfaction that comes from making something with your hands.

Every product in our collection has been tested in our own homes before it's offered to anyone else. If a coaster rings when you put a cup on it, if a planter cracks in frost, if a pen holder tips — it doesn't make the cut. We only sell what we'd keep ourselves.

Croi

Made by hand
Newcastle upon Tyne

What we believe

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Handmade without compromise

Every piece is hand-poured in our studio. There is no outsourced production, no automated casting. The person who made your piece is the same person who packed it and sent it to you.

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Built to last, not to replace

Concrete homeware doesn't degrade. It doesn't chip like ceramics or rust like metal. A piece from Croi Concrete bought today should still be on your shelf in twenty years.

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Honest about what we are

We're a small studio, not a brand. We don't pretend otherwise. Our pieces have texture, variation, and character because they're made by hand — not despite it.

How we make each piece

The mix

We use a fine-aggregate concrete mix with a carefully controlled water-to-cement ratio. Getting this balance right is everything — too much water weakens the piece; too little and it won't flow properly. Our mix recipe took months to develop and doesn't change.

The pour

Once mixed, we pour immediately. Concrete begins to set quickly. We tap each mould against the bench to release air bubbles, which would otherwise leave pockmarks in the finished surface. Then we wait — 24 to 48 hours depending on temperature and humidity.

The demould

Peeling back the mould is our favourite moment. Every single piece is different. Subtle variations in colour, tiny marks from the pour, the occasional air pocket we decide to keep. These are what make each piece genuinely unique — something no production line can replicate.

Finishing by hand

After demoulding, each piece is sanded through several grades by hand — starting coarse, finishing fine. Where appropriate, we apply a food-safe sealant. Otherwise we leave the concrete raw for that true industrial feel. The whole process takes around three days per batch.

Made in Newcastle

Our studio is based in Newcastle upon Tyne — a city with a long history of making things with its hands. Steel, ships, glass, coal. We're a small continuation of that tradition, working in concrete rather than industry.

The northeast palette — grey skies, stone buildings, the cold light off the Tyne — feels very concrete. Our pieces aren't trying to be Scandinavian or Californian. They're rooted in a specific place. We think that shows.

If you're in Newcastle and want to see the work in person, get in touch. We occasionally sell at local markets and are always happy to hear from people nearby.

Made by hand,rooted in the northeast.