Pulling The Plug | Stopping Selling Smartphone Cables

'Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations’

Steve Jobs | 1955 to 2011

As of 25 June 2014 we’ve discontinued our range of fabric smartphone and tablet cables. They were beautiful, but they didn't meet our standards for simplicity and durability, so we pulled the plug on them. We still stock a huge range of high quality Italian-made fabric lighting and power cables. None of this cable is affected by the withdrawal of the smartphone cables. SHOP FABRIC LIGHTING AND POWER CABLE Why are the smartphone cables being withdrawn?

1. The quality of the manufacturing was not consistently good enough.
2. There were compatibility issues with some device / operating system combinations.
3. We lost confidence in our manufacturing partner's ability to work with us to resolve these issues.

We originally looked at partnering with a UK or EU manufacturer. We couldn’t find one, so we took the decision to work with a far-east based partner (something we'd never done before). The low volume prototype run we commissioned were of a good quality. When issues arose with the full manufacturing run, we tried to exercise more control over quality. This was unsuccessful. We implemented a UK based testing programme to catch the offending cables. This was not 100% successful. Is there a recall of the smartphone cables? We know that the vast majority of you are happy with your cables and they are safe, so there is no reason to issue a product recall. Do you want a refund for your smartphone cable? We're feeling a little sheepish about selling the cables. To make us feel better and to remind you of the many great products we bring to the world, we're offering a complementary Prelogram personalised Moleskine (usual price £16) as an alternative to a refund. To take advantage of this offer, drop an email to hello@urbancottageindustries.com and we'll get things organised. A Moleskine costs more than a cable but, hey, you're worth it. If you'd prefer a refund, let us know via hello@urbancottageindustries.com and we’ll explain how. What plans to you have for the future? We're on with improving our other innovations - including Factorylux 'Made For You' - a complete range of bespoke lighting, hand-built in the UK, tested and certified to BS EN 60598, and delivered next day in the UK. SHOP MADE FOR YOU LIGHTING