Make it British Podcast

London-based designer Maria Grachvogel is renowned for her clever use of cutting to flatter the female figure. In this interview Maria talks about why she has chosen to use more UK manufacturers for her collection, and how changing her business model has helped her to build closer relationships with her clients. She also discusses the importance of quality, and how buying less, of better qual...

We've had two pieces of good news this week so I thought I'd share them with you in this episode. The first is that the government has now officially placed orders with UK manufacturers for millions of pieces of PPE. And the second is that the Fashion Roundtable's campaign to get garment and textile roles onto the Shortage Occupation List has progressed to the next stage. Further listening Ep 114...

Emma Willis founded her shirt making business in 1989. She has had a shop on London's famous Jermyn Street for over twenty years and all of her bespoke and ready to wear shirts are made in England. The Emma Willis Factory in Gloucestershire has a team of dedicated seamstresses and cutters and she runs a successful apprenticeship programme which is helping to develop the next generation of shi...

Buying habits are changing and there is definitely a renewed interest in buying made in the UK products. At Make it British we've seen a 200% increase in enquiries from people looking for things that are made in Britain. In this episode I look at the reasons why demand has increased, how made in the UK brands can capitalise on that, and what we're doing at Make it British to help make it easier fo...

David Williams has been supplying the UK knitwear industry his entire career. He is the UK agent for Stoll knitting machines and the founder of the Knit Design Centre - a studio in Leicester where designers can develop their ideas and samples with experienced knitwear technicians. During the Covid 19 pandemic he has worked with a local knitwear manufacturer to produce face coverings for businesses...

During the Covid_19 crisis many UK manufacturers have adapted their businesses to manufacture PPE. Specialised Canvas, based in Chesterfield, are one of the companies that very quickly pivoted their business to help alleviate the shortage of available protective equipment. In this episode, Paul Noble, MD of Specialised Canvas, explains how the firm has risen to the challenge of making PPE.  S...

In episode 114 I asked ' PPE - can we make it in the UK? ' and on today's episode I thought it would be good to update you. It has been 5 weeks since the Government put a call out for businesses to help manufacturer PPE. Since then hundreds of UK manufacturers have filled in the form on the government website and stepped up to offer their help and support. Make it British has created the British T...

In this week's episode I talk to Lucy Blackley who founded technology company BombyxPLM to help fashion business owners manage their product development. A Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system helps your business have total visibility over the development of your brand from design through to production. Traditionally these software systems are expensive, but Lucy wanted to make something that...

Until a few weeks ago most people probably had no idea what PPE stood for. But during the Covid_19 outbreak PPE has regularly been in the news because Personal Protective Equipment can mean the difference between staying fit and well or catching the deadly coronavirus. In this episode I look at why there is such a terrible shortage of PPE in the UK and whether we can make the Personal Protect...

Harris Tweed cloth is renowned the world over. Woven entirely in the Outer Hebrides, using wool from the local sheep, you could say it was the ultimate sustainable fabric. In this episode Ruth Masson, Marketing Manager at Harris Tweed Hebrides, tells us all about the history of the cloth and what makes it so special. More about Harris Tweed Hebrides Stay in Touch British Brand Accelerator  -&...

The number one concern for all manufacturers right now is how they are going to pay their staff. They need help to support the jobs of their workers and retain their skills otherwise they may be gone for ever. We have so few manufacturers that we really can’t afford to lose any more. What is left of our manufacturing base in the UK needs to be protected at all costs. We cannot afford to lose these...

This episode was published on the day our Make it British Live! trade show was due to fling its doors open to 1,000s of visitors. Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 outbreak we have had to postpone the live show until further notice. But never has there been a more important time to manufacture locally and support brands that make in the UK. As much of the world is in lockdown and the UK looks to...

The coronavirus (Covid-19) is having a devastating impact on businesses all over the world. One of the industries likely to be hardest hit is manufacturing, because so many raw materials cross borders. In this episode I look at we can learn from how the coronavirus is impacting supply chains. Could it cause drastic changes in the way people work, manufacture and shop? Stay in Touch British Br...

On today's episode we're covering a topic that I know bothers a lot of you - how can you protect your designs from being copied. Dids MacDonald OBE has dedicated the last 20 years of her career in helping designers to protect their design ideas. Discover in this episode: What the myths are around protecting your design ideas. How you can make sure that your design ideas are covered. The difference...

In this episode I interview Steff McGrath, managing partner at lingerie brand Something Wicked. The collection is entirely made in the UK by Steff's team in Leeds, giving the brand the flexibility to make everything to order. She is now helping other brands to make luxury lingerie in Britain too. More about Something Wicked Stay in Touch British Brand Accelerator  - Find out how you can...

Vanners is one of the oldest textile businesses in the UK. They've been weaving silk since 1740, and moved their weaving business from London to Suffolk in the late 18th Century. In this interview I speak to Laura Gore, Vanners managing director, about what makes their business such a special UK manufacturer. Shownotes at www.makeitbritish.co.uk/107 More Vanners Stay in Touch British Brand Ac...

Nick Morley is the MD of Faering, an innovative, UK manufacturer that prints digitally onto wool and other natural fibres. Using the latest technology and renewable energy they can print direct to garments on-demand and with low minimum order quantities. In this interview Nick talks about how Faering uses the T-shirt printing model to minimise stock by printing multiple designs onto knitwear. Show...

Pantherella was founded in 1937 and has been making high quality, lightweight socks in Leicester ever since. I took a trip to the Pantherella factory to meet the current MD, Justin Hall and to find out about how the socks are made. Shownotes with videos and images from my factory tour can be found at www.makeitbritish.co.uk/105 More Pantherella Stay in Touch British Brand Accelerator  - ...

Tamara Cincik has over 20 years experience in the fashion industry and is the founder of Fashion Roundtable, the secretariat for The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Textiles and Fashion. Fashion Roundtable supports the diverse voices of the fashion industry, and provides a much needed link between fashion, business, consumers and policy leaders. In this episode Tamara discusses the challe...

What does a manufacturer include - and NOT include - in a cost price? In this episode I breakdown what you can expect a manufacturer to take into account when they quote you a price. And how to make sure that there a no nasty surprises when you get your final bill. Stay in Touch British Brand Accelerator  - Find out how you can work with me to build your British-made brand Make it Britis...

David Collinge runs the the Burnley-based weaving business John Spencer Textiles. He is the sixth generation owner of the mill which, was originally founded by his great great great grandfather 150 years ago. I love David’s story because it is one of survival. It epitomises why some UK manufacturers have remained and flourished whilst many others fell by the wayside. John Spencer textiles was once...

What will 2020 hold for UK manufacturing? In the first episode of the year, and the new series, I look at some of the trends that I think will impact manufacturing in the coming 12 months. What's changed since this time last year? And what is the single biggest thing that will impact UK manufacturers and brands that make in the UK? Listen to this episode to hear my predictions - and let me know if...

We're back! Series 2 of the Make it British Podcast begins on Tuesday 7th January. You can expect to hear loads more tips and tricks for making in the UK, along with interview with UK manufacturers - and a few factory tours thrown in for good measure. In the meantime, if you're looking to launch a brand made in the UK in 2020 join our Get Set for Manufacturing Challenge - and be factory-ready in j...

Have you bought your Christmas gifts yet? Well, if you haven't, stop right there. Before you get bombarded by all the Black Friday deals, listen to this episode of the Make it British podcast and find out why buying a British made Christmas gift is more sustainable. This is a bonus Christmas episode. Series 2 of the Make it British Podcast starts in January. Subscribe to the podcast to make sure y...

In this episode I look back over the first 100 episodes of this show to find out what makes British-made businesses great. There are many common themes running running through the last 100 episodes and that I've heard again and again from those I've interviewed. Here are the 10 things that make British-made businesses great: UK manufacturers are partners to the businesses they make for Katya Wildm...