Downing Street appointment for UK textiles manufacturers
02/05/2024
The event was the brainchild of the Board of Trade at the request of board members Anya Hindmarch and Libby of Libby London.
Many of the UK manufacturers at the event have their own brands, including Blackhorse Lane, Harley of Scotland, John Smedley, Peregrine Clothing, Corgi Hosiery, Patrick Grant’s Community Clothing and Hiut Denim.
There were an equal number of companies which make predominantly for third parties, including Apparel Tasker, BFashion Studio, Fashion Enter, Gosia London, LLUK, MAES London, Olenka Atelier, Intimate Apparel Samples, Plus Samples, Albion Knitting, Basic Premier, Cookson and Clegg, Shahtex Leicester, Sourgrape and Tower Garments.
Textiles were represented by The Natural Fibre Company, Maake, Silk Bureau and Standfast & Barracks, while buttons were represented by Courtney & Co.
The event was a great opportunity to shine a light on the UK’s potential as a niche sustainable and ethical supply source for more UK brands, especially those which want to work on a flexible just-in-time basis, said UKFT.
UKFT is also working with the British Fashion Council (BFC) on the Circular Fashion Innovation Network (CFIN) and a wide range of other innovation projects relating to circular fashion, textile recycling and sustainable manufacturing, supported by UK Research and Innovation.
UKFT’s CEO Adam Mansell said: “One of our main priorities at UKFT is to ensure that UK manufacturers get the right skills, education and support to continue to produce quality fashion and textiles sustainably, ethically and competitively here in the UK. This is part of a long term partnership between industry and government. At the same time, we recognise that businesses in the UK are often less supportive of domestic manufacturing than in other countries. This needs to change, from public procurement to making sure our imports have to meet the same standards we set for UK businesses to create a level playing field, to ensuring that UK companies can access the UK’s trade agreements around the world.”
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