Why Meet the Manufacturer is so important & a documentary: The True Cost

This week has seen two events which highlight important issues at the heart of the clothing industry. The first is this week's Meet the Manufacturer, the second the release of the documentary, The True Cost. My conclusion from these two events is that we, consumers, need to take more pride in the skills that we have in this country and be prepared to pay for them by buying high quality British menswear. If we do not, and we buy only cheap clothes, we run the risk of funding unethical, unsustainable factories that are dangerous for their workers.

Meet the Manufacturer

Meet the Manufacturer finishes tomorrow at The Tobacco Dock in East London. This event brings together buyers and manufacturers of British-made textiles and clothing. An excellent conference schedule has seen Patrick Grant, Caroline Rush, Christopher Nieper, Nigel Cabourn, Emma Willis and many others discuss the challenges and delights of making in the UK. If you don't know who these people are, don't worry, they are the top of their game in making and exporting British-made fashions and textiles.

Turnbull & Asser in Gloucester

To make a financial success of such a business is a challenge. What was common to many of the speakers was their pride in making in Britain, their pride in the skills of their workers, their care for their workers and their belief that British products are top quality. Some advocate managing higher production costs by making and selling the high end products that we have the skills to make in the UK.

All put a very high priority on their workers' welfare and training. By buying good quality British clothing we support this country, maintain skills, can take pride in our clothes and (in general) know that the people who made the clothes have been fairly paid and treated.

For more information, see Meet the Manufacturer

The True Cost

This brings me to the second event of the week, the release of the documentary 'The True Cost' which asks who really pays the cost of our buying cheap clothing. The collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in 2013, in which 1100 workers lost their lives, highlights the problems; with some British high street retailers using factories with questionable employment safety and welfare practices. These retailers buy their clothes from such businesses so that they can meet the demand for cheap clothing here in Britain. 

Consumers want cheap clothes so that they can fill their wardrobes, give themselves choice and save money for other things. We need to promote the sustainability of buying clothes which last and have been made by well-paid workers. This is a question of education and documentaries like The True Cost will help to bring about such changes of attitude.

Meanwhile, we should try to buy British-made clothing (or from US, Australian, Italian, or wherever we live) so that we can be sure that most workers are well-paid. Their welfare is worth paying for.

For more information, see The True Cost

Meet the Manufacturer 2014 - an important event this week for British fashion manufacturers

I am privileged to have been invited to contribute to an important conference and trade fair later this week. Meet the Manufacturer aims to boost the renewed interest in British-made fashion and textiles. I will be taking part in one of the panel discussions, chaired by broadcaster and award-winning journalist, Lucy Siegle, giving my view as a blogger and consumer on what Made in Britain means to me. 

The event which will take place on 11th and 12th June 2014 at The Old Truman Brewery in London’s East End. It will be attended by many well-known British manufacturers (some pictured below). Ticket to the trade fair are free, more details below. If you attend, please say hello; I will be there on the 11th June. 

Daniel Harris, London Cloth Mill

Mary Portas, and Ian Maclean, managing director of John Smedley, who operate the oldest manufacturing factory in the world, have been announced as keynote speakers for the event. One and two-day conference tickets can be purchased at www.meetthemanufacturer.co.uk. Day one is targeted at bigger brands aiming to reshore back to the UK, and day two focuses on smaller companies looking to launch and build British brands and work with UK factories. 

James Shaw of Albam who manufacture in UK

Keynote speaker Mary Portas, said: “The lazy shorthand that “British Manufacturing is dead” is simply wrong. Everybody selling anything – particularly clothing and homewares – should ask themselves “could we have made that in the UK?” and ask the question seriously because there’s a good chance the answer is yes. Making things in this country creates jobs and skills of course, but it’s also good for brand reputations, customer relationships and the environment. 

Mary Portas will open the conference and will be joined by an inspiring line-up of manufacturers, fashion brands and industry experts from Private White V.C., Roland Mouret, ASOS, Fashion Enter, Reshore UK and MAS, John Smedley, Joseph Cheaney & Sons, Gaddum & Gaddum, Albam Clothing, Creative Skillset, London Cloth Company, Eve Pollard Designs, David Evans of Grey Fox Blog, The Great British Banjo Company and The All in One Company – providing advice and real-life experiences of building British brands, how to successfully manufacture in the UK and work with British factories, and why producing locally makes good business sense. 

Ian McLean of John Smedley

Kate Hills, founder of Make it British, the campaign for the return of UK manufacturing, said: “We are poised at the start of a new industrial revolution in textile and clothing manufacturing, but this will only happen if retailers, buyers, brands and manufacturers get together to make it happen. Concern over complex supply chains and the use of unethical sweatshops, as well as rising costs overseas and quality issues has fuelled an 850% increase in demand from clothing retailers and fashion brands looking to source locally in the UK. Yet, after years of outsourcing overseas, the industry is disconnected, and more than 60% of manufacturers aren’t yet seeing the impact in terms of this demand. Meet the Manufacturer aims to change this, introduce brands to manufacturers and share knowledge and advice, so that UK fashion and textile manufacturing does indeed return.” 

Further details, including the full line-up of speakers, agenda and tickets for one and both days of the conference, can be found at www.meetthemanufacturer.co.uk.

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