For a new designer finding a manufacturer can be a daunting task. Indeed, for the more established designer, finding an alternative manufacturer can also be pretty difficult. Many fashion manufacturers in the UK have tended not to be too good at promoting themselves. So how are you supposed to find them?

Well it must be possible, otherwise how would the big design names of today have got started? And how could the UK fashion industry be lauded as ‘the bright new hope of British manufacturing’ in the business pages of the Sunday Times (Sunday Times, Business Section, page 1, 12 September 2010)?

UK manufacturers are out there. They may not be the big factories, employing hundreds of people that were around years ago, but they are there.

The changing face of UK manufacturing

In common with the whole of British manufacturing, the fashion industry has had to adapt to massive economic changes over recent decades.

Today’s manufacturers tend to be sophisticated, specialised, smaller, more flexible companies. They have to concentrate on making higher value products – products that are better, more innovative, possibly more difficult to make – products that people will pay more for. And this inevitably means lower volumes, smaller factories, a greater emphasis on flexibility and skills, and a general move towards high-end design.

It is also interesting to note that quite a few of today’s fashion manufacturers started up less than 10 years ago – a sure sign that there is a place for new companies with new ideas.

UK versus Overseas

The comments above tend to apply to every developed country – so let’s quickly look at whether you should be looking for your manufacturer in the UK or abroad.....

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By Nigel Rust B.Sc (Eng) CEng MIMechE, Business Mentor, Coach and Manufacturing Specialist.