Recently CFS were at Meet The Manufacturer in Shoreditch. It was an exciting event and it was fantastic to meet so many new customers.
For those who haven't been to Meet The Manufacturer, the event is designed to promote UK manufacturing in the fashion industry. As well as being able to meet the best of British manufacturers, you could also hear talks from leading experts like Sewing Bee’s Patrick Grant and Kate Hills of Make it British. Meet The Manufacturer is the trade show of Make it British, an organisation that provides information on the UK’s best brands.
UK manufacture has been on the decline since the late twentieth century, but in recent years a ‘Made in the UK’ trend has been emerging in fashion.
Why is it so important to support British manufacturing and companies like CFS?
Manufacturing can provide a great number of jobs for people. If more money is invested in this sector, it could be used to employ more workers and buy better machinery, the number of workers in industry will increase resulting in a decline of unemployed people.
Many young fashion students start their studies dreaming of becoming a designer and then they soon realise the multitude of careers within the fashion industry. Fashion is a team effort as a high level of technical skills are needed to be able to transform a sketch into a practical 3D garment. Pattern Cutters, Seamstresses and Tailors are specialists in creating garments using techniques that have evolved through out the history of clothing.
During the 18th and 19th centuries Britain was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. Textiles became mass produced on new machines like the Carding Machine, Power Loom and Spinning Frame. The advancement in technology meant that the quality of fabrics improved therefore resulting in the UK being the best manufacturers. If the UK had the same amount of factories dedicated to fashion and textiles as it did in the 18th and 19th centuries, then what advancements in fashion could be achieved?
Many people say that the reasons for producing garments in the Far East is because of cheaper labour costs. On the other hand, UK made clothes may cost more to produce but if they are sold within the UK this would eliminate the cost of overseas shipping and duties. Below is an image from Make it British which compares the cost breakdown of a £25 T-Shirt that is made in the UK and one made in the Far East. A more detail explanation of the diagram can be found here.
As well as overseas manufacturing being costly, it can be very time consuming. For emerging designers and start up brands it would be more beneficial to work with a UK company like CFS, as we are highly skilled team with a quick turnaround.
Do you think the government should invest in manufacturing? What do you think the UK needs to do to be able compete within the world’s fast fashion industry?
Image and Video Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7gVRYHHDvM
http://www.theindustrylondon.com/suits-you-sir-bespoke-tailoring/
https://makeitbritish.co.uk/clothing/making-clothing-uk-really-expensive/
https://meetthemanufacturer.co.uk/exhibitor-partner-resources/