Skyros Designs was founded in 1994 and imported dinnerware and decorative accessories solely from Greece. Our daughter, Catherine was living in Greece at the time and contacted a small family of artists after seeing their items displayed in the local shops. At that time there were no other companies importing ceramics from Greece for the wholesale market. Catherine started with 2 patterns and they were an instant success in the US market.

After working closely with Catherine for almost a year, I bought Skyros in 1998. Then the fun started…… I was naïve enough to think that I could go to work after my kids left for school and be home for them when they returned. After all, I had been a stay at home Mom for 14 years and had juggled 40 – 60 volunteer hours a week and still had time to take care of the most important thing in my life, my family. Little did I know how all consuming Skyros would become. I was determined to deliver the highest quality merchandise possible and offer the best customer service in the industry. Unfortunately, the Greek family who produced our items could not keep up with our product demands and had no plans to increase production.

In April 2001 we took a trip to Portugal and went in search of ceramic factories that would allow us to develop and produce the quality of products we wanted to offer our customers. We instantly knew that Portugal was our new home. We fell in love with the beautiful countryside and the dedicated artisans we met. Their passion for design and quality was exactly what we were looking for. It was then that we made the decision to move the entire Skyros production to Portugal. It took almost a year before we were able to offer the complete line to our customers again.

It is hard to believe that the first trip to Portugal was 13 years ago. In these few short years the Portuguese currency changed from Escudos to the Euro, the Portuguese flew their flags at half-staff, and cried over our losses from 9/11, and the factories suffered a great deal with the downfall of the economy in the US. Sadly, I have watched more than a dozen factories close their doors. Through it all, we have continued our loyalty to Portugal because we have a strong belief that the Portuguese produce the finest ceramics in the world. We continue to design and bring new products to the market. Our goals and values remain the same. We are committed to design and quality and strive to offer the best customer service in our industry. Each and every customer is important to us.

Kathy Pitts