What do razor blades, promotional giveaways, and sustainable gifting have in common? In the case of Sow Easy’s SeedSticks® – everything.
In the latest episode of The Underground, we sat down with Jamie Gray, Managing Director of Sow Easy and second-generation custodian of one of the garden sector’s most quietly innovative product stories. What started as a side project at Wilkinson Sword has become a growing gifting brand with serious retail potential. But behind the charming matchbook design lies a blueprint for business creativity, brand reinvention and thoughtful growth.
Here are four business takeaways from our conversation.
1. Innovation Can Come From the Archives
Jamie’s father acquired the patent for SeedSticks® in the late ’80s after being made redundant from Wilkinson Sword. What was once a matchbook-shaped R&D novelty is now a fully compostable, British-made product that’s carving out space in retail gifting.
The lesson? Sometimes innovation isn’t about starting from scratch. It’s about revisiting dormant ideas, reframing them for today’s consumer, and giving them design and marketing energy they’ve never had before.
2. Don’t Wait for Scale. Start with Beauty and Belief
Rather than chase mass production or razor-thin margins, Jamie and his team focused on getting the product and presentation right. The packaging is attractive enough to gift. The tagline: “Tear it. Plant it. Grow it.” is charmingly literal. Even their early point-of-sale learnings at Glee turned into design-led merchandising tools.
In a sector where functionality often overshadows emotional appeal, SeedSticks® succeed by being both useful and delightful. That approach gives the product shelf presence, gifting potential, and a strong story, particularly important in independent retail where design sells.
3. Growth Isn’t Always About Going Big. It’s About Going Right.
From retail trials with Blue Diamond to point-of-sale tweaks led by reps in-store, Jamie’s approach to growth is refreshingly hands-on. Rather than push into mass retail prematurely, they’re carefully choosing partnerships, learning what sells, and adapting along the way.
SeedSticks® might be small, but the business principles here are big: treat early retailers like collaborators, use real-world feedback to sharpen your proposition, and don’t be afraid to merchandise your own product if you think it’ll help.
4. Products that Teach Have a Bigger Purpose
Perhaps the most striking thread in Jamie’s story is the idea that SeedSticks® aren’t just a gift, they’re a gateway to growing. Whether it’s helping a child plant their first seed or sparking a moment of calm for an overwhelmed adult, SeedSticks® offer more than product. They offer experience, engagement, and memories.
In a market hungry for sustainable, meaningful purchases, that emotional and educational layer gives brands a competitive edge. It also opens new routes to market, from schools and curriculum tools to D2C ecommerce and influencer partnerships.
Final Thought:
It’s clear that Jamie Gray has an unwavering belief in his product, paired with design-led thinking, product integrity, and considered business development, is exactly what’s giving SeedSticks® their moment in the sun.
For garden sector brands looking to bridge the gap between retail, experience, and sustainability, there’s a lot to learn from this story.
Check out the full episode of The Underground Podcast, featuring Jamie Gray below: