Textile Manufacturing Growth Revealed in Leicestershire Area
25-01-2025
The 2017 BRES shows that employment in the LLEP area in 2016 was 486,000. In 2015 it was 474,000. This is a rise of 12,000 or 2.5%.
Significant rises in employment in the following broad sector areas include:
· Manufacturing (2,125) (3.4%)
· Wholesale (4,755) (21.4%)
· Accommodation and Food Service Activities (8,140) (31.5%)
· Professional & Scientific and Technical (3,355) (8.7%)
To a lesser extent there have also been rises in:
· Transport and Storage (760) (2.9%)
· Arts, Entertainment and Recreation (780) (7.9%)
· Human Health and Social Work Activities (725) (1.3%)
The BRES also shows that there were significant falls in the following broad sector areas:
· Education (-2,125) (-4.5%)
· Retail (-2,090) (-4.6%)
· Financial & Insurance Activities (-1,615) (-15.6%)
· Electricity, Gas, Steam & Air Conditioning Supply (-1,330) (-15.5%)
· Construction (-1,125) (-4.9%)
· Administrative & Support Activities (-1,095) (-2.1%)
Key sectors identified to reveal significant growth over the period 2015 to 2016 were:
· Distribution and Logistics (5,735) (13%)
· Professional and Financial Services (2,965) (7.5%)
· Social Care (2,975) (15.3%)
· Textiles Manufacturing (5,690) (125.1%)
· Tourism and Hospitality (7,980) (25.6%)
To a lesser extent there have also been rises in:
· Creative (1,055) (9.4%)
· Automotive (755) (4.6%)
· Sports and Physical Activity (600) (8.3%)
· Life Sciences (385) (11.7%)
As listed the largest growth has been in Textiles Manufacturing and Tourism and Hospitality. The LLEP area has the highest concentration (1.9%) of employment in the Textiles Manufacturing sector in England. Only two other LEP areas in the Midlands (D2N2 (0.7%) and Black Country (0.6%)) have above average (0.2%) employment.
These results not only reveal an upward turn for British based textile manufacturing units in the LLEP area but a demand for skilled employees in the sector. The need for an ethical Fashion & Textile Hub that supports and trains (similar to the Fashion Enter / Fashion Technology Academy set up in North London) production employees in the area is clearly required to ensure continual growth.
The Fashion Enter Factory in North London by Sherion Mullings
Discussing the possibility of a Leicester based Fashion & Textile Hub Nick Pulley chair of the LLEP said:
“There is profound support for Leicester from many of Britain’s leading fashion retailers and e-tailers, but their support has been tempered by Leicester’s image of unethical trading practices.
“There is a need for a different kind of Leicester textiles industry and the Hub would have an important part to play in changing this perception. It would also work to help manufacturers to recognise the need to adopt a different approach to trading and costing.
“Leicester is one of only five UK centres for mass, fast fashion textile production. This is a fantastic opportunity for the local industry to pull together to maximise positive commercial developments such as re-shoring of UK based production to improve the fashion and textile sector in Leicester.”
Jenny Holloway, CEO of Fashion Enter and the Fashion Technology Academy in North London adds:
“The proposed Hub is just what the industry needs now. A state of the art centre that can engage with all sectors of the industry and raise standards throughout the entire garment life cycle.”
Thanks to Brendon Brockway, Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership for providing the facts and figures.
Related articles:
Fashion Enter Official Training Provider for Savile Row Tailoring Companies
The Next Fashion & Textile Hub: Leicester
