FEL CEO Discusses Leicester’s Drop in Manufacturing Orders with Drapers

Published on 20th January 2023, Zoe Hu reports on Leicester’s manufacturing sector and the current drop in orders in the Draper’s article ‘Leicester manufacturing ‘mothballed’ as orders plummet’.

Zoe approached Fashion-Enter Ltd (FEL) CEO Jenny Holloway for her opinion on the issue as demand for fast fashion has dramatically dropped and factories face increasing costs to cover energy bills and the new minimum wage.

Jenny commented in the article: “There isn’t enough work in Leicester at the moment. We are hearing that some factories are mothballing and have decided not to open their factories until March. They are hoping that they can find work then but it’s all very nebulous.”

Adding to the list of issues Leicester also faces repeated negative publicity regarding the treatment of factory workers and poor working conditions. The very issues FEL and the FC Fashion Technology Academy Leicester have been working hard to address by delivering the SEG Level 1 award in Workers’ Rights and Labour Exploitation, and supporting businesses with compliance guidance.

Jenny added at the end of the article: “Considering the advantages of sustainable production that we are not bringing fabric around the world, Leicester is an end-to-end city for garment manufacturing. It can knit, it can dye, it can print, it can do everything. 

“There has been so much talk about ESG (environmental, social, and governance), but where is the support for Leicester now? We need to have retailers that are taking on responsible sourcing that is made in the UK.

“But there is still some very strong manufacturing in Leicester, I’d rather say Leicester is mothballing for a few months rather than being obliterated by a lack of orders.”

Tap here to read the full article on Drapers online