最新糖心Vlog

These are challenging but exciting times. In this fast-moving sector, with new products, trends and innovations emerging each year, collaboration is the key to success. This year鈥檚 event has been inspirational and it鈥檚 great to see so many people championing manufacturing in the UK.

Lucy Siegle, environmental journalist and broadcaster, was back for the third time to chair the conference, with talks focused around how making in the UK is sustainable and the growing importance of technology.

鈥淟et鈥檚 talk about the opportunities of sustainability and explore the reality of re-shoring and bringing manufacturing back to the UK. Let鈥檚 learn from people鈥檚 experiences and understand the barriers and opportunities so that we can be a force to be reckoned with,鈥� urged Siegle.

鈥淟et鈥檚 talk about the opportunities of sustainability and explore the reality of re-shoring and bringing manufacturing back to the UK. Let鈥檚 learn from people鈥檚 experiences and understand the barriers and opportunities so that we can be a force to be reckoned with,鈥� Lucy Siegle.

Julia Redman, head of buying at M&Co took part in the panel discussion, exploring: 鈥楩ast or slow fashion 鈥� which does the UK do best?鈥� She concluded: 鈥淭here鈥檚 room for both, it鈥檚 how we deal with it in an ethical and sustainable manner鈥�.

British knitwear designer, Genevieve Sweeney, agreed: 鈥淭here鈥檚 a place for both if we invest in skills鈥�. Henrietta Adams, who creates her own women鈥檚 clothing, Henri London, added: 鈥淲e need to be more transparent with our customers to help them learn more about their garments and where they come from, to make sustainable, ethical fashion more desirable鈥�.

Communicating better to customers was a theme also picked up by Tom Glover, managing director of Peregrine Clothing, who said: 鈥淲e need to invest in retail theatre to show how the machines work and how the products are made in order to inspire our future customers鈥�. Glover is proud that all the manufacturing for his heritage clothing brand is done at their own factory in the UK: 鈥淚t gives us control over our manufacturing and control over the end product鈥�.

Three other people who have also set up their own manufacturing units in the last few years are Diana Kakkar, founder of garment manufacturer MAES London; Adam Robertson, managing director of Kalopsia Collective and David Williams, managing director of Knit Design Centre/Stoll GB.

Discussing small batch manufacturing, Williams urged: 鈥淭here鈥檚 a balance between creativity and the practicalities of making the product鈥�. 鈥淪tart small and work your way up,鈥� advised Robertson. Kakka added a word of caution: 鈥淕lamorising fashion means we鈥檙e churning out designers not creators. Students are being taught the technical side, but not the skills.鈥�

From skills to craftsmanship, 鈥榗raftsmanship versus technology鈥� was the theme of a panel discussion on day one. Mark Randle has been in IT for 35 years and spent the last five producing the Galaxius solution focussed on getting traceability back into garment manufacturing. This cutting-edge technology was instrumental in transforming the Fashion Enter Factory, which would undoubtedly have ceased trading otherwise.

Professor Stephen Russell, director at the Future Fashion Factory suggested: 鈥淭here鈥檚 no conflict between craftsmanship and technology. Technology is the tool and the craft is what makes it work鈥�.

Andy Ogden, director and general manager at English Fine Cottons agreed: 鈥淭he definition of craftsmanship is not necessarily just because it鈥檚 made by hand in the old-fashioned way. It鈥檚 about value and quality. Capability and excellence鈥�.

Nick Keyte, managing director of Gieves & Hawkes added: 鈥淚t is important that we support craftsmanship and apprenticeships to keep making in the UK sustainable. But we must be relevant in order to survive.”

Visitors to the show also heard from brand guru Simon Middleton who explained: 鈥淎 successful brand is story driven鈥�, a theme that also resonated with Paul Alger, director of international affairs at the UKFT. And there were plenty of inspiring stories over the two-day event.

Ed Oxley and Brant Richards, who co-founded HebTroCo, shared their entertaining story that 鈥渁ll began with a daft idea in a pub鈥� and went on to make them a million in Brexit Britain. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all about the stories behind what you wear,鈥� they said.

Kate Dawson, owner and director at the All-in-One Company was back to share her inspiring journey as she celebrates 10 years of trading with the launch of the Onesie Builder. 鈥淲e need to keep our skills alive and in order to do that we must be unique and outstanding in what we do,鈥� said Dawson.

Barbara Burton, after leaving prison in her mid-fifties, told how she has gone on to set up her social enterprise programme 鈥� BehindBras Fashion Foundation 鈥� to help women build self-esteem and the skills they need to get employment after prison. It officially launches on 4 July.

Hareesh Kallambella, senior production manager at Burberry provided insight into Burberry鈥檚 latest initiative, 鈥榯he factory of the future is the future of the factory鈥�.

Needless to say, the 鈥楤鈥� word raised its head a couple of times over the course of the event and Sarah Talland and Dave Holt from Potter Clarkson, one of the largest intellectual property practices in Europe, were there to advise and reassure businesses about IPs, patents, trademarks and copyrights post Brexit.

If you missed any of the talks they were all recorded and will be available soon on the website and 最新糖心Vlog Podcast

More details about our annual trade show can be found here:聽