Clothing brand inspired by Norfolk holidays

January Carmalt is the Founder of spotted-seal, a British keepsake clothing brand celebrating the the Norfolk coast. With a pop-up shop in Holt until April 1, the American explains how the county has won her heart

Hello Folk Features! I’m January, wife, mother, entrepreneur, fitness lover and Norfolk-phile. David and I have two teenage boys, Ethan and Tommy and one energetic black lab, Indi. I’m originally from Atlanta, Georgia and moved to the UK in 2001 with work, married a cute Brit and have been here ever since!

When did you first have the idea of spotted-seal and what’s the thinking behind it? 

It was New Year’s Day 2024. The boys and I were walking Indi along Beeston Bump when inspiration struck to create a brand inspired by our family’s happy place. In fact, we secured the domain-names that day. Growing up I always bought a t-shirt, hoodie, etc. as a memory marker of my family holiday (normally in South Carolina) and yearned for something similar here but never found anything. We wanted to create a brand of fun, functional and timeless clothing symbolising and celebrating Norfolk that the whole family would love – ‘for the good times, together.’ What better symbol than our famous seals? Hence was born spotted-seal!

What were you doing before?

In my prior life I was a banker/bond analyst for over a decade before quitting to being a full-time mum and occasional freelance writer. After 10 years I headed back to work in a credit fund for a short stint before deciding to devote my time to being with the boys (as it goes so fast) whilst launching and making a success of spotted-seal.

Is the business a family affair?

Absolutely! I’ve taken charge of it, but they can’t help but be involved -be it creative input, photography or being my free models (even Indi). There is no way I could do this without their support. For instance, my husband has taken over parenting duty for my first pop-up during term-time, which is invaluable. Then, just the other day my eldest said how proud he was of me. How often does a mum hear that?

What are your connections with Norfolk born and what do you love about the county? And, most importantly, what do you love about seals?!

My husband grew up in Norfolk and my in-laws live in Sheringham, so I was first introduced to the area in 2002. We have been spending our family holidays here ever since. It has become our family’s happy place, too many memories to count. I love its beauty, serenity and stunning coast. Plus, there’s just so much to do. We’ve been seeing the seals at Blakeney Point since the boys were little and they’re always a crowd pleaser when friends are up here, too. What’s not to love about seals? They spark joy and make everyone smile, which is what our brand is all about.

When did you launch spotted-seal, and how have your products been received so far? 

We officially launched online in December 2024, and we are currently enjoying our residency/pop-up at Maker’s Gallery Holt until April 1. So, it is very early days, but the reception so far has been really positive. People love the seals!

It’s important to you that your products are made in the UK? What else are you doing to be as sustainable as possible? 

Yes, it’s important to do as much in the UK as we feasibly can. There are so many benefits to making in the UK – certainly lower C02 footprint, but also quality, craftsmanship, flexibility, supply chain transparency and critically for a small start-up, lower MOQs (minimum order quantities). Mistakes are also far less costly (and there are always snags). When seeing and feeling our hoodies, ‘shoodies’ and t’s etc, they are a testament to the calibre of makers we have in Britain.

Moreover, we think there is a demand for British made products, but not always the supply. We wanted to address this. Looking ahead we also harbour aspirations to partner with local wildlife charities and, if possible, the seal sanctuary in Hunstanton.

Where can people find your products/find out more?

In addition to the current residency at Makers Gallery Holt, we’re back here in the Easter break and are currently scheduled for a number of other pop-ups this summer in Holt. We will be showcasing at the Sandringham Motor Pageant in May, as well as the Holt Sunday Markets and Chapel Yard Markets. You can also find us online spotted-seal.co.uk, head to ‘Where to spot us’ for updates on pop-ups, and on Instagram @spottedseal_norfolklife, Facebook @spottedsealnorfolklife.

What are your hopes and dreams for spotted-seal?

I’m American, and we dream BIG! Our aspiration is for spotted-seal to be synonymous with Norfolk all across the country, and beyond. My family have even been buying and sporting our clothes across the Pond. We have so many ideas for different products – Norfolk today, and who knows where tomorrow! But for now, we’re just thrilled about a summer launch in Norfolk. Watch this space!

spotted-seal clothing will be at the Makers Gallery, Chapel Yard, Holt until April 1. 2025. Visit spotted-seal.co.uk and ‘Where to spot us’ for updates on pop-ups. Follow @spottedseal_norfolklife on Instagram and @spottedsealnorfolklife on Facebook.

Featured images – supplied