We’re really pleased to share that Paper Starlights has been featured in the Create Growth Lookbook, celebrating creative businesses across the region.

As a small creative business based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, it is wonderful to be recognised as part of a wider community of businesses using creativity, craft and design to grow, evolve and reach new audiences.

Celebrating creative growth in Chesterfield

Paper Starlights has always been rooted in creativity.

From our handmade paper star lanterns to our seasonal market displays, wholesale collections, lighting installations and festive window displays, our work is all about creating atmosphere and bringing a sense of wonder into everyday spaces.

Being included in the Create Growth Lookbook feels like a lovely moment to reflect on how far Paper Starlights has come. What began as a small handmade star lantern business has grown into a creative brand working across retail, wholesale, markets, installations and international partnerships.

We are proud to be part of Chesterfield’s creative business community, and even prouder to represent a business that combines traditional handcraft with modern retail, digital marketing and new opportunities for growth.

Creating happy spaces for people

At the heart of Paper Starlights are our handmade paper star lanterns, created by skilled artisans in India and sold from our base in Chesterfield.

Each star is carefully made, folded and finished by hand, then sent to customers, stockists, Christmas markets, homes and venues across the UK and beyond.

Our stars have appeared in shop windows, Christmas markets, public buildings, homes, weddings and large-scale festive displays. They are loved for their colour, pattern and ability to transform a space.

As Andy says in the piece:

“We want to create happy spaces for people.”

That really is the heart of it.

Whether it is one star in a home, a collection in a shop window or a large-scale festive installation, our aim is always to bring warmth, colour and a little bit of magic into the spaces people share.

A business built on craft, colour and connection

Behind the magic of the finished star is a lot of careful work: product development, photography, website improvements, wholesale planning, stock management, market logistics, packaging, customer service and digital storytelling.

That mix of creativity and operations is a big part of what growth looks like for us.

The Create Growth programme has given us the opportunity to think more deeply about where Paper Starlights can go next. We are continuing to develop our product range, improve our online experience, grow our wholesale relationships and explore new creative projects, including lighting installations and bespoke decorative displays.

We are also looking ahead to our 30th anniversary in 2026, which feels like a really special milestone for the business. It is a chance to celebrate the story of Paper Starlights, the people behind it, and the customers, makers and partners who have helped us share the light over the years.

Thank you to the Create Growth team

A huge thank you to the University of Derby Create Growth D2 Hub team for including us, and to everyone involved in bringing the lookbook together.

Special thanks to Jim Cork for the layout, Rosie Yates for the illustrations, Samantha Deakin for the write-up, Jen Mason for the photography and Michelle Hallam for facilitating the project.

It means a lot to see Paper Starlights recognised alongside other brilliant creative organisations and businesses.

We’re excited for what comes next, and we’re proud to keep growing from our home here in Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

Thank you for helping us share the light.