Why do two similar looking items often cost totally different prices, even in the same shop? 

A lot of it is to do with the cost price of the product. Yet so many different factors can affect that cost price.

This episode runs through all of the different things that can make the difference to what a product costs - and how that can affect the final retail price.

Here's my checklist of factors that can affect a garment's cost price:

1. Country of manufacture
2. Raw materials used
3. Quantity of fabric used
4. Amount of time it takes to make
5. The processes involved
6. Skill of the person needed to make it
7. Cost of any specialist machinery needed
8. The quantity ordered
9. Packaging costs

Watch the clip from SuperShoppers

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Join me on a journey around the Gosha London studio to find out what the life of a high-end garment manufacturer is really like.

Mustafa Fuat started his manufacturing studio 23 years ago, knowing nothing about fashion OR manufacturing. He was in fact a pro footballer for Aston Villa!

He’s obviously been doing something right, as he now manufacturers for some of the world's top womenswear brands and celebrities and royals have worn his beautifully made dresses.

In this episode, which was recorded at the Gosha studio, I find out how Mustafa motivates his staff, and the secret trick he has to keep designers on their toes! Gosha London on Instagram

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British Brand Accelerator - Find out how you can work with me to build your British-made brand

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Join Make it British - become a member of our community and promote your business in our directory or UK-made brands and manufacturers

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If you're purchasing something new does seeking out a product that is made in the UK offer sustainability benefits over one made overseas? There’s a lot of talk about sustainability at the moment when it comes to the products that we buy. And you can’t seem to turn without one brand or another launching something that is supposedly sustainable/green or eco.

The cynic in me would say that a lot of this is greenwash

After all, if you were living a totally sustainable life you wouldn’t buy anything new at all would you?

And it’s certainly why climate protestors Extinction Rebellion have called for London Fashion Week to be cancelled - the hamster wheel of fashion, that implores people to buy new clothing to keep up with the latest trends, is not conducive to saving the earth’s natural resources.

But I would say that it is not the high end garments which you see on the catwalks that are the problem - because they are often produced in small quantities and to a high quality, but it’s the cheap high street copies of these catwalk items that cause the issue, often replicating luxury fabrics such as silk into plastic fibres such as polyester, they are priced so cheaply that consumers don’t think twice about chucking them out. And it's not just clothing which has become throwaway

Similarly household items like furniture, and digital products are designed for obsolescence.

So if you are making a decision about purchasing something, does seeking out a product that is made in the UK offer sustainability benefits over one made overseas?

In many ways I think it does.

In this episode I run through the 8 reasons why I think buying a product made in the UK is more sustainable. Can you guess what they might be?

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British Brand Accelerator - Find out how you can work with me to build your British-made brand

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Katie Walker studied furniture at The Royal College of Art in the mid-90s and has had her own business making furniture in the UK ever since.

She has three sides to her business; iconic Katie Walker Furniture pieces which sell directly to the public; made-to-order pieces sold as one-offs; and collaborations with other businesses, such as Heal’s and John Lewis

Katie holds a Design Guild Mark, which is a mark of quality awarded by The Furniture Makers’ Company to recognise design and innovation within the UK furniture industry.

In this interview Katie talks about the challenges faced as a designer in the British furniture industry, and how she has diversified the business to remain competitive over the last two decades. Shownotes including images of Katie Walker Furniture can be found at www.makeitbritish.co.uk/078 

More about Katie Walker Furniture 

Katie Walker in the Make it British Directory 

Subscribe to this podcast – and support UK manufacturing! 

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British Brand Accelerator - Find out how you can work with me to build your British-made brand

Make it British website

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Join me on a factory tour around the Her Majesty The Queen's button maker. Established in 1655, Firmin & Sons are the oldest, privately-owned manufacturing company in the UK. At their prestigious metalworks in Birmingham they make not only buttons, but also ceremonial armour, helmets and other accoutrements. Firmin & Sons' sales manager, Tony Kelly, takes us on a tour to discover the rich heritage of a manufacturing firm that has held a Royal Warrant since the reign of George II. Discover:

• The history behind the UK's oldest, privately-owned manufacturer
• How a Royal Warrant is awarded
• What it takes to make a 364 year old company relevant for today
• How Firmin & Sons is putting sustainability at the forefront of its manufacturing processes

More about Firmin & Sons  

Stay in Touch

British Brand Accelerator - Find out how you can work with me to build your British-made brand

Make it British website

Join Make it British - become a member of our community and promote your business in our directory or UK-made brands and manufacturers

Make it British on Instagram

Make it British on YouTube - subscribe to my YouTube channel to watch many of the podcast episodes as videos.