This year, Jakar proudly celebrates 75 years of business, noting a remarkable journey of resilience, innovation, and family dedication. The company was founded in 1949 by Lydia Sacki, who fled Nazi Germany and rebuilt her life in England. Starting from her kitchen table, Lydia began trading drawing instruments, toys, and cuckoo clocks while caring for her husband, who had multiple sclerosis, and raising their two sons. A key figure in Jakar's early days was lodger Julius Kaufmann, who helped establish important connections in the toy industry. To honour his contributions, the company name "Jakar" was formed from his initials.
Credit: Kenneth (left), and Paul Sacki with Jacques Hubscher (centre)In the mid-1950s, Lydia's son Kenneth joined the business, just in time for a pivotal moment for the company. In 1959, Jacques Hubscher, the head of the Swiss stationery company Caran d'Ache, came to Britain in search of distributors. He approached the Sacki family in 1960, initiating a partnership and so Jakar became the official UK distributor for Caran d'Ache, a collaboration that remains strong to this day.
Now in its third generation, Jakar continues to be family-led. Paul Sacki, the current Managing Director, joined the business in 1979, starting from the ground up and working alongside his father Kenneth. Under Paul's leadership, Jakar has continued to be established as a trusted name in professional-quality arts, crafts, and stationery products.
Credit: The Rosa Watercolours brand is a recent Jakar success story!Jakar proudly stocks the full range of Caran d'Ache drawing materials, renowned for their Swiss-made quality and rich pigments. Additionally, the company has recently added the artist-quality Ukrainian brand Rosa to its portfolio, with their watercolour, oil, and acrylic ranges proving popular for their excellent value. Jakar continues to offer its own branded products and maintains a long-standing relationship with M+R quality stationery products, which are all manufactured in Germany, including the new eco-friendly range.
