Just – Style.com Reports On the Call for UK Fashion Watchdog With Comment From FEL

Just-Style.com article published 9th March 2026 by Isatou Ndure, highlights growing concerns across the UK fashion manufacturing sector regarding unfair purchasing practices by brands and retailers. The report draws on a recent survey of UK clothing manufacturers, Who pays? Brand Purchasing Practices in UK Fashion Manufacturing, analysed by researchers at Transform Trade, the University of Nottingham and the University of Leicester, revealing widespread issues that are placing increasing financial pressure on domestic factories.

Jenny Holloway, CEO of Fashion-Enter Ltd and Chair of the Apparel and Textiles Manufacturers Federation (ATMF), strongly supports the introduction of an independent adjudicator to address the challenges.

Speaking to Just-Style, Jenny said: “I have always supported the call for a Fashion and Textiles Adjudicator by Transform Trade and other NGOs, and the report Who Pays? highlights exactly why we need an impartial body to review imbalances of power. We only have to look at the recent treatment of factories by Quiz Clothing’s third administration to realise that this coercion of the supply chain has to stop. One factory I know has been offered just 15p in the £, and it had a balance of £900k in unpaid invoices. This is truly shocking.”

Jenny also emphasised that while oversight is necessary, it must be implemented carefully to ensure it does not inadvertently discourage brands from placing orders with UK manufacturers.

“We therefore need to find a way forward that instils confidence for the brands to work with the UK for orders ranging from test and repeat to bulk orders, and at the same time ensure that we do not overburden the factories with unnecessary compliance.”

In addition to regulatory oversight, Holloway reiterated calls for greater government support for UK manufacturing through public procurement.

“This is why the Apparel and Textiles Manufacturers Federation, in union with Fashion-Enter, is calling upon the Labour Government to support clothing Public Procurement contracts to be made in the UK. This way, we can create jobs, safeguard jobs, start employing youth again in apprenticeships, and bring social value into the supply chain for the Government.”

She added that the UK manufacturing sector has already demonstrated its capability and resilience during times of crisis.

“Factories were good enough during the Covid crisis to make PPE for the NHS, so let’s replicate this now and be proud to make the public procurement contracts in the UK.”

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