Make it British Podcast

This is a recording of an Instagram live that I did on the last Friday in November. A day often referred to in the retail calendar as Black Friday. I discussed why the heavy discounting from many stores at this time of year are not really deals at all, and why many UK-made brands don't do heavy discounting. Discover: - The tricks big retailers use on Black Friday  - Why most UK-made brands do...

How do UK manufacturers and brands compete with huge overseas factories and the likes of Black Friday discounting? In this episode, I revisit an interview I did back in 2018 which is still very relevant today. It's a ‘no holds barred’ interview with James Eden, owner of Private White V.C . who tells me how he’s turned a clothing factory that solely manufactured for other brands, including Burberry...

This week we've been spending time updating the About page on the Make it British website. It's still not finished yet so please don't look at the old one! It caused me to revisit the first-ever episode of this podcast when I talked about my background and why I set up Make it British. So I'm sharing that episode with you again today as it is two years ago since I first started recording this podc...

Based in Cornwall in the South West of England, Celtic & Co is the original sheepskin boot company. Kath Whitworth and her husband Nick bought the business 30 years ago and trademarked the UGG boot in the UK. In this episode, Kath tells the story of how the brand has evolved over the last three decades. Discover: The history of the Celt boot Why Cornwall has such an entrepreneurial spirit How...

Julie Deane OBE, set up the Cambridge Satchel Company in 2008 with £600 and went on to make it a global, multi-million pound business. But behind the success story, there was a lot of hard work, including having to set up her own factory in Leicestershire almost overnight. In this interview, she tells the story behind the brand, and talks about how the business has evolved over the last 12 years.&...

Emma Mathews is the founder of sustainable sock brand Socko and the author of 'How to quit fast fashion; 100 expert tips for a sustainable wardrobe' In this episode, she talks about how she went from a career in advertising to launching a sock business, and why we should all learn the lost art of darning socks. Discover:  - How Emma found her manufacturer and learnt the process of industrial...

Christopher Nieper OBE is the managing director of David Nieper , a womenswear business in Alfreton in Derbyshire. The firm was set up by Christopher's parents sixty years ago and is now one of the most vertical textile operations in the UK. Christopher recently invested in state-of-the-art digital printing equipment so that the factory can print it's own fabric onsite. David Nieper already p...

Rachel Attwood is the founder of luxury childrenswear brand Britannical, and a long-standing member of Make it British . The business started life making outwear for babies and was originally called The Great British Baby Company. The brand is known for its coats, which are now made for children up to 12 years old, and an adults line is in development too. Britannical is an ethical brand...

Elizabeth Stiles is a straight-talking fashion buyer turned small business consultant. She helps fashion brands with their marketing, manufacturing and mindset, and has worked with clients such as Lucy & Yak and Olivia Rose. Discover:  How to find your USP Why Elizabeth won't buy from Amazon How not to commit your life savings to stock when you launch a business Why you should focus your...

The second in our series of live panel discussions in association with Kornit Digital, manufacturers of advanced digital printing solutions. ‘Sketchpad to Shopping Bag: The Future of Fashion Production and Fulfilment’ continues the important debate around the future of the UK textile industry. I'm joined by panellists from education, design, manufacturing and retail, as well as the Chief Marketing...

Davinder Madaher has been a textile and print designer in the fashion and homeware industry for 30 years. In this episode, he talks about his career - from working in print studios in New York to high street retailers in the UK. Davinder clearly loves what he does, and this enthusiasm and passion for the industry clearly comes across in this interview. His motto is ' Finding the creativity in the...

Putnams is an award-winning homeware manufacturer based in Plymouth, Devon. The business was started over 40 years ago by Hedley Putnams' parents, and he and his sister Bubbles now run the business. Hedley had no intention of working in the family business but found that he loved working in manufacturing and employing people locally. Discover: Why you should listen to customer feedback and how you...

Are you currently making your product overseas but thinking about bringing it back to the UK? The pandemic has caused ongoing supply chain disruption and many businesses are now looking to make locally. In this episode, I look at what some of the pros and cons are of moving your manufacturing closer to home. I also give some tips for how to reshore your production as smoothly as possible if that's...

How do you feel about virtual trade shows? 2020 has certainly changed the way the whole world works and does business, but if you are in the business of developing or sourcing products, how does that look for you?  I can’t see that long haul buying trips will be happening in the way they used to. Far too risky that the whole team might end up quarantined for weeks after they get back, or...

Do you find Made in the UK labelling confusing? Do you have a product and want to find out whether you can label it as 'Made in the UK?' In this recording of a live masterclass I set the record straight on what can and can't be labelled as made in the UK. You’ll find out… What the law is surrounding made in the UK labelling What percentage of a product has to be manufactured here Whether the raw m...

In this episode, I introduce you to Jack Scott, the co-founder of Dash Water, a British brand with great provenance. Dash water uses only misshapen fruit and veg to flavour its water - produce that would otherwise go to waste because it's not 'perfect' enough for the supermarkets. Jack talks about how he set up a successful British brand in an over-crowded market, and how they managed to get Dash...

What is the true cost of that cheap coat that you buy on the high street? Whilst the price of clothing has gone down over the last sixty years, so has the quality.  If you calculate the cost per wear of a cheap coat versus a quality, UK-made one you may be very surprised at what great value the more expensive one is. Purchase our Cost Per Wear Calculator here. Stay in Touch British Brand Acce...

Wouldn’t it be great if the UK textile industry could create less waste, increase sales and become more profitable?  Local manufacturing is an increasing focus for brands and designers looking for a fast turnaround on products that don’t leave a large carbon footprint. Textile manufacturers now have the opportunity to capitalise on this by creating ‘just in time’ products that meet the needs...

Samantha Brooke is a knitwear designer who has worked in Italy for Alberta Ferretti, and in China for a mass-produced knitwear brand. She created her own micro knitting factory in rural Nottinghamshire three years ago producing personalised accessories and knitted dog products. Samantha is a great example of a small brand that is rapidly growing her business by giving the customer exactly what the...

The Trunki needs little introduction; since its invention in 2006 over 4 million of the animal-shaped ride-on suitcases have been sold and it has become a design classic. What many people don't know is that the majority of the Trunkis have been made in the UK since 2012. Rob Law MBE is the founder of Trunki. He was born with cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease which killed his twin sister at t...

Amy Fettis is the founder of fashion-led sportswear brand AIM Athleisure. When she first launched the brand she made all of the mistakes that many new businesses make - including developing a collection that was far too big, which killed her cashflow. She now uses the lessons she learnt from her own business to help others. Amy supports other brands on a private label basis to go from concept to s...

Johnstons of Elgin is the largest textile manufacturer in the UK. The 223 year old company employs over 1,000 people and was the first to bring cashmere weaving to Scotland. Simon Cotton is the chief executive of Johnstons, and in this interview these are some of the points we cover: The history of Scottish cashmere How the business is making its products more sustainable The need to focus on high...

Labour Behind the Label is a workers rights organisation that fights for living wages for garment workers. They have produced a report about the unethical working practices of factories in Leicester making for Boohoo . The industry has often called into question how Boohoo can sell dresses for £4 and still make them ethically in the UK, and this report by Labour Behind the Label makes for distress...

Whether to wholesale is one of the biggest decisions that brands have to make, and it is often much more of a difficult decision for businesses that make in the UK as their cost price is often higher. Wholesale was the route that traditionally most brands went down if they wanted to build their profile quickly. But as retailer mark-ups have been increasing over the years, and more direct-to-c...

It’s back to business this week for many retailers - but how will shopping change post-lockdown? And what effect will this have on businesses that manufacture locally? Whilst some people are rushing out hoping to secure a bargain on the seasonal stock that retailers are trying to shift before the summer ends, many others will be slightly more reticent about heading out to busy high streets and sho...