Meeting with New Leicester Deputy Mayor and Leicester City Council

Thank you to all the manufacturers and stakeholders that attended the meeting on 16th April at FEL’s Fashion Hub. This was an opportunity to discuss new ways forward for the sector and review potential funding opportunities for the future. 

Main points from the meeting:

• Review of best working practices supported by Katherine O’Driscoll and Transform Trade.

• Public procurement contracts. Work currently ongoing directly with Anthony Young, David Lammy and Lord Coaker. Also networking with Fashion Rountable, Make It British and Make UK.

• New revenue streams by converting deadstock into sales with a new proposed website by Apparel & Textile Manufacturers Federation. Thanks to Kelly Yiu and Miles from Midori Design Studio. 

• New service supporting brands to find the right ethical factories for orders with a ‘guarantee’ from Apparel & Textile Manufacturers Federation. 

• Increased networking events for members on a regular basis. This will be implemented after the Leicester Made event on 14th May. 

• New working practices by the factories to stop undercutting and work transparently and ethically together. 

• Review of costs of audits and compliance on the factory without guarantees of orders. Should the Apparel & Textile Manufacturers Federation review a kite mark of excellence? Should brands pay for the audits themselves as they request them? New website will have customer reviews available similar to TrustATrader 

• Improved payment terms from brands. Factories used to be paid deposits for work and smaller brands operate this way now. Improved payment terms required with 90 – 120 days not acceptable. Ideally 7 days or payment on approved delivery .

• An end to sharp brand practices by brands canceling part-orders or changing payment terms part way through orders. An order is a contract. Late payments will be subject to payment charges as per Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. 

• Work on the skills agenda to plug any gaps in current workforces. A move towards woven garments and higher levels of construction. Skills Bootcamp funding from Leicester City Council will facilitate individual bespoke training for the council for Level 3 skills and above.

• A drive to generate core funding from central government to recognise the importance of the sector in Leicester. Equally a drive for Make Manufacturing Great Again highlighted by the Barclays Report on 15th April which confirmed the British consumer wants to buy British Made goods. 

• Firm commitment towards a new positive future for the sector with the members working as one! 

Thank you to Elly Cutkelvin and Peter Chandler for their attendance to this meeting, plus the attendance to the awards ceremony by FEL’s Fashion Hub.

It was wonderful to see almost 50 learners and their children in attendance. An amazing achievement! 

Finally thank you to Simon Platts who spent a day working to support Leicester in all ways possible.