Meet Ana: The Creative Force Behind Scrunch Squad

When we talk about small businesses doing seriously cool things, Scrunch Squad is right at the top of our list. Handmade bows, scrunchies, clips, you name it, Ana makes it.

We first discovered her magic when she helped us create custom our SPORTTAPE scrunchies, and we’ve been low-key obsessed ever since. So, we thought it was about time we shone a little spotlight on the woman behind the thread.

Allow us to introduce Ana. The sewist, scrunchie queen, and creative force behind Scrunch Squad (@scrunchsquaduk). Let's take you back. The business began with her daughter’s gymnastics, when matching scrunchies were nowhere to be found. So, Ana made her own and they quickly became a hit with other parents, friends, and family.

But Ana’s sewing journey started way before that. She grew up surrounded by fabrics, needles, and creativity. Her aunty worked for a German catwalk designer in the ’90s, and Ana learned to sew on a foot-powered machine with her grandmother at just six years old.

Despite a career in Medical Science and Epidemiology, Ana always had a creative spark. When she became a mum, she craved something calmer, more flexible, and something that brought her joy. That’s when Scrunch Squad moved from hobby to business.

Now, Ana makes accessories that are totally custom and 100% all her. For her, sewing is therapy, and for us, it’s been a joy watching that passion come to life, one scrunchie at a time.

If you thought scrunchies just magically appear in the world, think again. Behind every one of Ana’s handmade beauties is a seriously slick process. Equal parts precision and pizzazz. First up? The fabric. Soft and silky is her go-to, but she loves mixing it up with different patterns and textures too.

Once she’s picked the perfect fabric, it’s time to get cutting. Her standard scrunchie size uses a 12cm x 125cm strip (yes, really), which she cuts, sews, flips inside out, adds elastic, and finishes with a little stitch of magic. Each scrunchie gets a test for both style and function. If it’s not glam and grippy, it’s not going out.

She makes at least 12 different sizes (yes, TWELVE) because one size definitely doesn’t fit all. And while one scrunchie takes about 15 minutes from start to finish, Ana can whip up to 100 in a day when she’s in the zone.

But it’s not just scrunchies. Ana also makes bows, clips, and even the occasional pony bow for actual ponies. Every single item is handmade, tested, and given her full creative attention. No mass production here, just one-woman magic from start to finish.

I guess the cats out of the bag?

Working with Ana on our custom SPORTTAPE scrunchies was, in short, an absolute delight. From the moment Lucy met her, we knew she got it—the balance of fun and function, quality and creativity. Plus, she made us feel like we were part of her squad from day one.

We didn’t just send over a logo and wait for magic to happen. Ana brought us into the process, shared ideas, samples, and made sure every scrunchie was on-brand but still had her signature touch. The result? Scrunchies that look slick, feel amazing, and have been a total hit with our community. They've already found themselves on the other side of the world!

We’ve gifted them to loyal customers, affiliates, and friends of the brand, and every time, they get a “where did you get this?!” reaction. That’s the Ana effect. She’s proof that small businesses can do big things when the passion’s there (and the stitching’s spot on).

Honestly, it felt less like a business deal and more like teaming up with a mate who happens to be insanely talented. And that’s exactly the kind of partnership we love.

When it comes to the future of Scrunch Squad, Ana’s dream isn’t about going global or building an empire (though we wouldn't put it past her). It’s about keeping things personal, meaningful, and handmade, just the way she started. She's on a mission to build a well-loved local brand and help people rediscover the magic of buying from real humans, not just algorithms.

Ana’s biggest inspiration? Nature... and her customers. Whether it’s a Princess Jasmine-inspired bow or a yellow pony accessory for a national show (yep, that happened), she thrives on creative challenges. Custom orders aren’t just requests - they’re fuel for new ideas, collections, and those “how did she even make that?!” moments.

She’s already shown her daughter that it’s possible to build a life that balances creativity, family, and purpose. And now, she wants to inspire others to shop local, think small (in a good way), and support UK makers doing brilliant things by hand.

We can all get behind that.

And that's it! Scrunch Squad is here to take over. Ana's a big advocate for pushing women and girls in sports, which is a big reason why she produces items for so many different disciplines, like football, rugby and gymnastics. 

We'd love to just thank Ana for all her hard work. We'd recommend checking out her Instagram page or heading to her TikTok store if you're interested in picking one up for yourself! If you have a question about Ana or Scrunch Squad, get in touch! We're happy to help.