UK INDEPENDENT DESIGN STUDIO

Design starts with finding the thread*

We find the thread that connects who you are, what you need to say and the people you need to reach. Then we carry it through everything we create.

Brand identities, publications and creative communications for independent businesses, organisations and education teams across the UK.

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  • Close-up of a business card with a green geometric logo and the name 'TAYLOR AUSTIN' printed beneath, placed on a pinkish surface.
  • Close-up of a colorful logo design with the words 'SOCIAL. STUDIO. SPACE.' on a black surface.
  • Close-up of a textured paper stock featuring the Kings Moat Community Primary School logo in purple with a castle and open book design on white paper.
  • Close-up of a pink textured card stock with 'The Creative Marketing Studio' logo in white.
  • Close-up of a white card with a colorful logo featuring leaves and curved lines, and the text 'NESTT' and 'nurture • empower • teach' printed on it, placed on a dark blue background.
  • Close-up of a dark grey printed material with a colourful logo titled "THE HEREWARD TOWER" featuring a stylised tower with multi-coloured blocks and lines, and the subtitle "The height of city centre living." The grey card sits on a yellow background
  • Close-up of a red textured card with white embossed business logo that reads "Fieldfare" and the text "Communication" curved around the top.
  • Close-up of a logo on white paper with teal and yellow accents. The logo reads 'Glebe Farm School' and includes a stylized sun, fields, and a leaf. Around the logo are the words 'Ambition, Belonging, Creativity, Growing'.
  • Close-up of a dark teal textured surface with a colorful logo featuring interconnected curved shapes in teal, yellow, pink, and orange, along with the text 'Pentacle Insight' in white.

Good design should do more than look good*

It should help people understand who you are, what you do and why it matters — and make you easier to remember.

We work with independent businesses, organisations and education teams that care about how they look, what they say and how the two work together.

Some come to us for a complete brand identity. Others already have a brand and need help putting it to work — across reports, publications, campaigns, presentations, digital content and everything in between.

Whatever the project, you’ll get the same close, hands-on approach – thoughtful and meticulous, from the first idea to the final artwork.

The Type & Thread ampersand submark sits in a soft lavender circle with a small asterisk incorporated into the shape.
A young woman with long brown hair, smiling and resting her chin on her hand, sitting at a white table with a tablet and a stack of books, in a room with a neutral wall background.

MEET THE FOUNDER

Hey, I’m Sara

I’m the designer behind Type & Thread, with over 15 years’ experience working across brand, print and digital design.

I lead every project, bringing together clear thinking, typography, colour, imagery and careful layout to create work that feels distinctive — and works just as well in practice as it does on screen.

When I’m not nudging type by a millimetre (I’m a perfectionist, what can I say?!), I’m usually with my family, outside somewhere green, planning our next city break, hunting down a cute coffee shop or mentally filing away a colour combination I’ve spotted in the wild.

The Type & Thread submark – a teal blue asterisk shape on a transparent background

Design that keeps everything connected*

A strong visual identity is the starting point. The real value comes from what happens next — when it carries through everything you put out into the world.

From reports and publications to presentations, campaigns, digital content and the everyday pieces that keep your brand visible, everything should feel like it belongs to the same place.

We can create the identity, build out the wider visual system and keep supporting you as new design needs come along. No starting from scratch each time. No collection of disconnected pieces. Just one clear, recognisable thread running through it all.

  • FROM £1,500

    Distinctive visual identities for independent businesses and organisations that want to look as good as the work they do — and feel recognisably like themselves.

  • PRICED BY PROJECT

    Reports, publications, brochures, presentations, campaigns and marketing materials — thoughtfully designed to make information clear, engaging and easy to navigate.

  • PRICED BY PROJECT

    Brand identities, prospectuses, admissions campaigns and creative communications for schools, colleges, universities and Multi-Academy Trusts.

  • FROM £500 PER MONTH

    Flexible design support for businesses and organisations that need an experienced designer on hand — without hiring in-house.

Explore our services

A details* studio, by nature

We notice the things other people might skim past: the awkward line break, the inconsistent margin, the image that almost works, the page that needs a little more breathing room.

That attention to detail matters. Whether you’re introducing your business to someone for the first time, sharing an important piece of research, publishing an annual report or putting a prospectus into the hands of a prospective family.

It’s not about decoration for decoration’s sake. It’s design with a job to do — made beautifully.

A brunette woman drawing an F letterform in a sketchbook with a black pencil, sitting cross-legged on the floor and focused on her artwork.
The Type & Thread ampersand submark sits in a warm mustard circle with a small asterisk incorporated into the shape.

  • “She took the vague, sketchy outline in my head and brought it to life!”

    "Sara was my first port of call when I decided to set up my own business — and she absolutely nailed the brief. I loved the process she took me through. She encouraged me to think deeply about how I was positioning myself, what my values are, and who I really wanted to work with.

    She took the vague, sketchy outline in my head and brought it to life — creating a brand that truly reflects what I want my business to be."

    – Emma, Fieldfare Communications

  • “We have received so many compliments about the visual identity she created.”

    “Sara was quick to understand our needs and has been endlessly patient. She understood how important it was for us to feel happy that the new brand had the vibe we wanted. We have received so many compliments about the visual identity that she has created for us and have great brand recognition in our industry. Sara is great to work with and I would highly recommend her to anyone.”

    – Anna, NESTT

  • “Type & Thread has been an invaluable partner in transforming our visual identity.”

    “Type & Thread has been an invaluable partner in transforming our visual identity. Sara has guided us through a complete rebrand, creating a cohesive and professional image that truly reflects our mission and values.

    Her attention to detail and commitment to understanding our needs has resulted in materials that are not only visually stunning but also highly effective in communicating our message. Thank you for bringing our vision to life!”

    – Phili, Inspiring Futures through Learning

  • "A brilliant designer who is incredibly responsive, insightful, creative and detail‑driven."

    Sara is an absolute expert in her craft. A brilliant designer who is incredibly responsive, insightful, creative and detail‑driven. She listened closely to what we needed and delivered a comprehensive, friendly and approachable service, tailored to our needs.

    She built a strong brand identity that has helped crystalise our vision and bring it to life on a page. I hope to work with her again & wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her.

    – Katherine, Pentacle Insight

  • She works quickly but meticulously and her work is visually stunning!

    “Sara is an exceptional and extremely creative graphic designer. She works quickly but meticulously and always meets deadlines. From creating social media carousel adverts to interactive resources, logos, prospectuses, roller banners, print adverts, posters and flyers, Sara is extremely talented at all aspects of design work and her work is visually stunning, as well as aligned to existing branding. She is also fantastic at the technical aspects of social media and digital marketing design and adds great value.”

    – Katy, Thomas Deacon Education Trust