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Russums is a leading supplier of clothing and equipment to the hospitality industry. We supply chefs and food service workers throughout the UK and Europe and believe passionately that quality matters.
From the latest high performance materials to cutting edge designs, we offer the widest choice of branded chefs clothing from the worlds best manufacturers.With our own production facilities and industry leading embroidery department we are able to offer the widest choice of personalised, fit for purpose garments.
Russums was first established in 1830 as a brush maker and toy dealer, trading from 20 Bridgegate. At the time, the business operated under the name 'Ward, Late Mason', laying the foundations for what would become a long-standing business.
Edward Russum acquired the 'Ward, Late Mason' business and rebranded it as E. Russum, establishing the company as a wholesale brush manufacturer. In 1890, E. Russum moved across the street where the business remained for almost 100 years.
Around the turn of the century, Edward Russum was joined by his son, also named Edward (known as Ned). Their partnership strengthened the business and laid the groundwork for future growth. In 1906 the business was formally incorporated as E. Russum & Sons Ltd.
After the Second World War, the business expanded into several adjoining properties, reflecting a period of significant growth. During this time, Russums supplied brushes and hardware to businesses across Yorkshire and beyond. Continuing to serve the locals, a busy retail shop, managed by Philip Russum, provided Rotherham households with essentials goods for cooking, cleaning, and home maintenance.
Peter Russum, Philips son, joined the business alongside his father and uncle, guiding the company through a period of significant change. As traditional industries began to decline, Peter's entrepreneurial curiosity led to the introduction of new product ranges and customers. Notable innovations that paved the way for future business was the production of the first canvas knife wallet, which led to Russums supplying catering clothing and equipment to new catering students across the UK.
Russums opened its in-house embroidery department. This allowed the company to offer a wide selection of personalised garments, meeting needs of customers across the catering and hospitality sectors.
Sally Russum joined the business in a sales and marketing role. A graduate in graphic design, she brought creativity and innovation to the company, producing the first full-colour mail-order catalogue - or "pricelist" as her father called it! This initiative modernised the business marketing and connected with customers nationwide.
Continued business growth prompted the expansion of the warehouse and office building on Tenter Street, almost doubling the capacity.
The sewing room was expanded to increase production capacity and reduce lead times. This allowed Russums to offer a fast production and small minimum order quantities to cafés and restaurants across the UK, supporting a growing customer base.
A growing embroidery business led to the purchase of two new 8-head machines, joining the existing three and quadrupling production capacity. Russums now boasts the largest in-house garment personalisation department of any UK catering supplier, delivering high-quality customised products to customers across the UK.
