Is the news that Clark's may close its brand new footwear factory in Somerset a sign that the UK manufacturing revival is over?

Up to 300,000 pairs a year of the footwear firm's iconic desert boots were to be made at the semi-automated facility, creating up to 80 technical and managerial jobs.

But Clark's have recently announced that it may have to close only a few months after it opened.

Clark's started making shoes in Somerset in 1825 but production was moved from to the Far East in 2005.

The last remaining Clarks factory in the UK - Millom in Cumbria - closed in 2006.

In this episode I look at why this may have happened, and what it means for the future of UK manufacturing.

www.makeitbritish.co.uk/024

BBC News article about the closure of Clarks Factory

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I'm delighted to welcome long-standing Make it British member Sian Reekie of The Hettie Trading Company to this podcast. Sian is a chemist by trade, but has set up a lifestyle business making accessories for both humans and dogs which she runs with other members of her family.

In this interview Sian talks about her experience as someone who set up a UK-made brand without any previous experience in the manufacturing industry. 

She has some great advice for anyone else thinking of doing the same, including what the biggest challenge was when launching a British-made product business.

More about Hettie:

The Hettie Trading Co

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.

Is it really more expensive to make in the UK? Or is there a reason that some of the most profitable retailers are using more local manufacturing?

In this episode I dive deeper into prices. More specifically - how you can sell a garment made in the UK and still make as much profit as you would do by making the same product overseas.

It all comes down to gross versus the net margin, something that is rarely taken into consideration.

I break down what some of the hidden costs are with manufacturing overseas, and explain why buying product made locally can drastically increase profitability.

If you'd like to see the breakdown of the calculation that I discuss on the podcast you can read it in the show notes at www.makeitbritish.co.uk/022

  Cost Price Calculation of a T-Shirt made in the UK Vs Overseas

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.

Meet Jenny Holloway, owner of Fashion Enter, a social enterprise garment factory based in North London.

Jenny not only manufactures for small brands and start-ups, helping create samples and small production runs, but she's also manufactured for some of the UK's most well-known retailers - such as ASOS and M&S.

In this very frank interview, Jenny discusses how tough it was to set up a clothing factory having previously come from a background in buying. She also discusses the principles that she believes make an efficient and ethical factory.

Anyone interested in understanding more about garment making in the UK will find this interview fascinating as Jenny is truly one of the trailblazers when it comes to reshoring textile manufacturing back to the UK.

I hope you enjoy the interview.
As always, any links mentioned are in the show notes for this episode which are available by going to makeitbritish.co.uk/021

Our Get Set for Manufacturing Online Course

Jenny Holloway - Fashion Enter

Belles of London

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Website: makeitbritish.co.uk

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/katehills

Instagram: @makeitbritish

Twitter: @makeitbritish

Facebook: facebook.com/makeitbritish

Our Trade Show

Business Design Centre, London N1

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Want to find out how your business can benefit from being at the show? Apply here

Subscribe to this podcast – and support UK manufacturing 

Meet Jenny Holloway, owner of Fashion Enter, a social enterprise garment factory based in North London.

Jenny not only manufactures for small brands and start-ups, helping create samples and small production runs, but she's also manufactured for some of the UK's most well-known retailers - such as ASOS and M&S.

In this very frank interview, Jenny discusses how tough it was to set up a clothing factory having previously come from a background in buying. She also discusses the principles that she believes make an efficient and ethical factory.

Anyone interested in understanding more about garment making in the UK will find this interview fascinating as Jenny is truly one of the trailblazers when it comes to reshoring textile manufacturing back to the UK.

I hope you enjoy the interview. As always, any links mentioned are in the show notes for this episode which are available by going to makeitbritish.co.uk/021

Jenny Holloway - Fashion Enter

Belles of London

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.

Putting it all together

Over the last 4 episodes we've looked at products, materials, prices and MOQS.

Today's show covers how to put it all together - and make sure that everything is delivered on time

This episode is the fifth in a series of 5 podcasts that accompany my Get Set for Manufacturing Challenge.

Each episode tackles one of the 5 key things that you need to consider if you want to start working with a a UK manufacturer.

To take part in the challenge go to makeitbritish.co.uk/getset and I’ll send you all the details.

The show notes for this podcast along with a full transcript can be found at makeitbritish.co.uk/020

Get Set for Manufacturing Challenge

If you are looking to manufacture in the UK but don’t know where to start, join our Get Set for Manufacturing Challenge and be factory-ready in 5 days!

Subscribe to this podcast – and support UK manufacturing 

More Make it British

Website: makeitbritish.co.uk

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/katehills

Instagram: @makeitbritish

Twitter: @makeitbritish

Facebook: facebook.com/makeitbritish

Our Trade Show

Business Design Centre, London N1

makeitbritishlive.com

Want to find out how your business can benefit from being at the show? Apply here