FEL / FashionCapital: Highlights of 2025

2025 was a landmark year for Fashion-Enter Ltd (FEL), parent company of FashionCapital, defined by industry-leading events, national quality initiatives, international recognition, deepened collaborations and a continued commitment to skills, people and ethical UK manufacturing. From major trade events and funding wins to welfare initiatives and cross-sector partnerships, the year reinforced FEL’s role as both an industry leader and a values-driven social enterprise.

Below are the standout achievements that shaped the year…

Leadership Recognition – New Chair of ATMF

A major milestone for both Fashion-Enter Ltd and the wider UK manufacturing community came early in 2025, with FEL CEO Jenny Holloway appointed Chair of the Apparel & Textile Manufacturers Federation (ATMF).

This appointment marked a significant moment of leadership and influence within the UK fashion and textiles sector. As ATMF Chair, Jenny has championed:

• Stronger national and regional industry representation
• Improved access to funding, skills and business support
• Greater collaboration across design, production and sourcing
• Policy engagement supporting sustainability, ethics and UK-based manufacturing

Her leadership amplifies FEL’s values-driven approach while placing UK manufacturers at the centre of strategic discussions shaping the future of the industry.

Leicester Made 2025: A Landmark Trade Event

On 14 May 2025, FEL delivered Leicester Made 2025, a full-day trade event celebrating UK fashion manufacturing excellence. More than 1,000 industry professionals, exhibitors and innovators gathered to spotlight ethical production, innovative technologies and local skills.

Featuring panel talks, factory tours and a high-level CEO/C-suite roundtable attended by Labour MP Liz Kendall, the event reinforced Leicester’s role as a critical hub in the resurgence of UK manufacturing and laid foundations for future funding, skills and sourcing initiatives.

Funding & Skills Development – Building Pathways into the Industry

Skills, access and employability were central themes throughout 2025. FEL secured and delivered key funding streams for Leicester, supporting the FTA Fashion Hub through UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) investment.

This enabled:

• Skills Bootcamps preparing participants for real jobs in fashion and garment manufacturing
• Practical, industry-led training aligned to employer needs
• Clear pathways into employment for local communities, career changers and underrepresented groups

These programmes played a vital role in addressing skills shortages while growing ethical, locally based manufacturing talent.

Collaboration With Maeknit at FEL Haringey

Collaboration continued to drive innovation in 2025, with a key highlight being the Maeknit collaboration at FEL Haringey. Bringing together advanced knit technology, education and ethical manufacturing, the partnership demonstrated how modern production and skills training can future-proof UK fashion while offering designers and brands access to new techniques and sustainable solutions.

Record Attendance at Source Fashion & Strong UK Representation

In July, ATMF, FEL and affiliated partners participated in Source Fashion 2025, Europe’s premier responsible sourcing trade show. The event saw record attendance and a strong, visible UK presence.

The dedicated UK showcase highlighted ethical manufacturers, transparent supply chains and Leicester’s evolving production capabilities, strengthening international confidence in UK-based sourcing.

Social Impact, Education & Helping Others

Mid-summer marked a major milestone with £1.3 million in positive social value generated through FEL’s activities at the Islington-based FC Designer Workspace. While Hope-FX, a 6-month programme for young adults navigating mental health challenges by combining hands-on fashion training with tailored emotional support, ran with a second cohort.

Beyond metrics, 2025 also focused on sharing real stories from the factory floor. Powerful content collaborations with new brands and designers, such as New Commodity, gave visibility to FEL’s workers, ethical production and the human side of manufacturing – reinforcing FEL’s commitment to transparency, dignity and opportunity across the supply chain.

Speaker Events, Masterclasses & “Getting Out There”

Throughout the year, Fashion-Enter Ltd and FashionCapital hosted and participated in multiple speaker events, industry talks and masterclasses, encouraging designers, manufacturers and students to connect, learn and build confidence through direct engagement with industry experts.

Training, Skills & Community Learning

Training remained central to FEL’s educational division, Fashion Technology Academy, in 2025, with delivery of Skills Bootcamps and apprenticeships alongside practical courses in stitching, pattern cutting, tailoring and garment construction. These programmes supported new entrants, career changers and experienced workers, helping address skills gaps across UK fashion manufacturing.

FEL also delivered a wide range of short courses and workshops, offering hands-on learning in a professional factory environment. Community-focused free repair and upcycling sessions further promoted sustainability, skills-sharing and local engagement, reinforcing FEL’s role as both a skills provider and social enterprise.

Awards – Recognition and Community Impact

November proved to be a standout month. Fashion-Enter Ltd was shortlisted for two major awards:

• Drapers’ Fashion Supplier of the Year
• Franco-British Business Awards – Small Business of the Year

Later that month, FEL was crowned Small Business of the Year at the Franco-British Business Awards 2025, recognising its innovation, resilience, cross-border impact and leadership as a social enterprise within fashion and textiles.

National Textile Quality Mark

December brought major industry news with the announcement of the UK’s first National Textile Quality Mark. Developed by a consortium including Fashion-Enter Ltd, the Garment & Textile Workers Trust, ATMF and academic partners, the standard sets benchmarks for:

• Ethical working conditions
• Sustainability
• Technical and manufacturing quality

The initiative further strengthened FEL’s collaboration with ATMF, reinforcing collective efforts to raise standards, credibility and commercial trust in UK manufacturing.

Government Engagement – Visit from David Lammy MP

In November, FEL was honoured to welcome David Lammy MP, Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor, Secretary of State for Justice and MP for Tottenham, to FEL’s Haringey factory on Friday 21st November.

The visit highlighted the vital role of ethical, skilled UK manufacturing, showcasing FEL’s commitment to transparency, workforce development and responsible production. It also reinforced the importance of strengthening homegrown manufacturing capacity across key sectors as part of a resilient and sustainable UK economy.

People First – Staff Welfare & Positive Workplace Culture

Behind every achievement in 2025 was a supported and motivated team. Fashion-Enter Ltd continued to prioritise staff welfare and positive workplace culture, recognising that ethical fashion starts internally.

Highlights included Easter eggs, shared meals and festive celebrations, thoughtful touches such as branded mugs, and a supportive, inclusive working environment across all sites.

Looking Forward: Projects to Watch in 2026

Momentum continues to build as FEL looks ahead:

Leicester Made & Regions 2026
Returning 24th – 25th April 2026, the event expands into Regions, celebrating UK manufacturing, technology and skills nationwide.

Source Fashion Expansion
Continued support for UK manufacturers, including free exhibition spaces for ATMF members and increased international exposure.

National Textile Quality Mark Rollout
Certification will become a powerful differentiator, boosting trust and demand for British-made fashion.

New Trade & Brand Opportunities
Initiatives such as ATMF’s ThreadChain platform and collaborative sourcing partnerships will open new routes to market for factories and designers.

2025 has been a year of impact, collaboration and leadership for Fashion-Enter Ltd and its family of brands: FTA, FashionCapital, Leicester Made and FC Designer Workspace. From flagship trade events and international awards to skills bootcamps, welfare initiatives and the launch of a National Textile Quality Mark, FEL has remained at the heart of a genuine renaissance in British fashion and textile manufacturing.

With Leicester Made & Regions 2026, expanded Source Fashion engagement and strengthened quality standards on the horizon, FEL is well positioned to lead even greater transformation in the year ahead.