Paper Starlights
21 November 2025
Sector: Retail & Decor
Location: Chesterfield
Chesterfield-based Paper Starlights has been trading for nearly 30 years. It makes, sells and distributes traditional, handmade paper star lantern and light decorations.
Its primary business activities are retail, wholesale and decorative installations mainly in the UK. Five years ago, kickstarted by the pandemic, the business went online expanding from retail into wholesale across multiple platforms.
Its small team of designers and makers spans three continents, working together on design, materials, and sustainable product and production development.
There are three permanent members of the UK team, founders Andy Jupp and Jules Cooper together with Head of Digital & Operations, Becky Wood.
The business was recently recognised nationally after being shortlisted for Retail & Wholesale Champion at the prestigious Good Business Awards in Liverpool.
Challenges faced
Paper Starlights’ analytics indicated that a large percentage of its online traffic was coming from the USA presenting an exciting opening. Therefore, during the last year, the business has been pursuing three growth opportunities:
- Working with an American partner to engage in physical and digital retail activities which included an American ‘.us’ website using the Paper Starlights name, branding and know-how.
- Developing an artistic installation using the company’s paper star product for heritage buildings and visitor attractions on a site-specific basis in the UK. A pilot took place in Bath Abbey with the installation running from November 2024-January 2025.
- Initiating a mentoring programme to support young, socially driven entrepreneurs by supporting them with their own business franchises.
Outcomes of this growth was the opportunity for further expansion in the USA by applying the partnership model to other localised US micro-businesses to ensure more widespread market penetration; future proofing the .us website and applying the installation model to US visitor attractions and seasonal events.
However, these opportunities came with a great deal of risk. Without a robust legal framework and methodology behind it, the company was unable to take any further steps without making itself vulnerable. It was accepted that the risks would outweigh the opportunities, which stopped any progress into these areas.
Solution – Support Given
Paper Starlights has been working with East Midlands Chamber’s Senior Business Adviser, Peter Lawrence and the Accelerator programme. Peter introduced the business to the support on offer from the Export Accelerator project which supports businesses to expand or explore overseas markets.
With Peter’s guidance and support, the business was able to apply for and secure funding of £4,760 (80% of the total project cost £5,950) from Export Accelerator to create a legal ‘toolkit’ of commercial contracts that would enable the team to explore, navigate and implement potential business relationships in the US with confidence and immediate effect.
To support skills development, the team also attended the Chamber’s AI & Digital Marketing Conference this year and Jules attended the UK-US Free Trade Agreement Accelerator webinar.
Impact - The Difference it’s Made
The business now has a full legal toolkit of documentation drafted specifically for a range of commercial transactions requiring the interpretation of US law. This has enabled it to continue exploring the US market with confidence.
Crucially it enables the company’s creative and intellectual property to be developed into income streams with full legal protections. It has identified a niche market for potential partnership working in the US, centring on the nascent European Christmas Market industry across America. It is now exporting to markets like Michigan, Ohio and California, providing future opportunities for developing ‘décor for sale’ and sustainable fair-trade models.
Due to increased wholesale and export orders, current turnover at this point in the company’s financial year, compared to the same period last year has increased by 28%. It is anticipated that within the next financial year, Becky will require the support of an assistant Operations Manager to manage her increased workload.
“What’s really exciting for us is that we can bring together several of our core activities, and cross pollinate and experiment.
In the UK we’re working with young socially driven entrepreneurs, helping them to set themselves up with sustainability focussed business models, and as we expand into the US and the emerging European style Christmas market industry there, to do the same there.
The support enables us to pursue our passion as a business, to spread light and joy in a mutually profitable, and ultimately sustainable way. Our franchise model in the UK Christmas market industry now becomes a very real template for our further expansion across the water.”
- Andy Jupp, Co-founder
