300 - Words of wisdom from UK manufacturers featured on this show Jun 28, 2024

Welcome to episode 300!

Celebrating the 300th episode of this podcast I look back at some of the amazing guests that I've had on this show from the world of UK fashion and textile manufacturing. Manufacturers that have shared their stories, their challenges, and their successes with us.

Episodes / Manufacturers featured in this episode:

Episode 102 - David Collinge | John Spencer Textiles

Episode 005 - Keith Hanshaw | The Leather Satchel Company

Episode 088 - Chris Woodford | Crown Northampton

Episode 193 - Ian Maclean | John Smedley MBE

Episode 55 - Lance Mitchell | Mitchell Interflex

Episode 113 - Ruth Masson | Harris Tweed

Episode 290 - Christopher Nieper | David Nieper OBE

Episode 96 - Richard Ince | Ince Umbrellas

Episode 004 - Jo Ashburner-Farr | Red Dragon Flagmakers

Episode 254 - Chris Childs | Contrado

Episode 21 - Jenny Holloway | Fashion Enter

Episode 31 - Mick Cheema | Basic Premier

Episode 299 - A visit to Vagabond bags with Simon Michelson

Episode 118 - David Williams | Stoll GB

Episode 203 - Saed Saleh | Mars Knitwear

Episode 060 - Diana Kakkar | Maes London

Episode 252 - Maxine Wells | Intimate Apparel Samples

Episode 080 - Mustafa Fuat | Gosha London

Episode 054 - Peter Philips | Abbey England

Episode 292 - David Courtney | Courtney & Co

This episode also marks the final episode of series 6. I'll be taking a break from podcasting for a while. Whilst there won't be making any new episodes for you to listen to, there are over 150 hours of previous episodes to catch up and re-listen to.

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator - Work closely with me to start or grow your UK-made brand.

Newsletter - Subscribe for a weekly dose of inspiration and advice on making in the UK

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

Mentioned in this episode:

British Brand Accelerator

299 – A Visit to Vagabond Bags Jun 21, 2024

Join me on a tour round a factory!

In this episode I'm chatting with Simon Michelson, owner of Vagabond Bags, a sewing factory in Swindon that makes cosmetic bags, shower caps and hot water bottle covers.

Meet some of the people working in the factory, hear about the jobs they do and find out how many shower hats one person can make in a day. Spoiler - it's quite a lot!

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator - Work closely with me to start or grow your UK-made brand.

Newsletter - Subscribe for a weekly dose of inspiration and advice on making in the UK

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

298 – What’s going on with UK manufacturers? [with special guests] Jun 07, 2024

I'm joined today by 3 amazing people that work tirelessly in the UK fashion and textile industry.

You may have seen in the press recently that several high profile brands have been affected by the close of Matches, but did you know about the knock on affect that has had on the UK manufacturers?

I also heard yesterday the sad news that the Mackintosh factory in Lancashire is closing. What the heck is going on?

So I went live on Instagram with 3 special guests to discuss the topic, and this episode is your opportunity to hear the full discussion if you missed the live.

My guests are:

Tamara Cincik from think tank Fashion Roundtable

Mustafa Fuat from Gosha London

Diana Kakkar from Maes London

Some of the keys points we discussed:

How the Matches collapse has impacted local manufacturers.
The financial instability of fashion brands.
Why the industry needs to be regulated.
How other countries support their local production.
How public procurement buying British could help the entire industry.
The grants and tax credits needed to make local production more affordable.
Why lobbying for changes in government policies is essential.
The need for STEAM education, putting creativity back on the curriculum.

Watch the original Instagram live here

297 – The Biggest Mistake Made by Product Businesses May 31, 2024

The title says it all. Listen to find out what it is!

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator - Work closely with me to start or grow your UK-made brand.

Newsletter - Subscribe for a weekly dose of inspiration and advice on making in the UK

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

296 – Behind the Scenes at KC Manufacturing with Adam Robertson and Nina Falk May 24, 2024

Join me on a visit to KC Manufacturing (previously Kalopsia Collective) in Dumferline, Scotland to meet with husband and wife team Adam Robertson and Nina Falk.

KC Manufacturing is a social enterprise specialising in small batch manufacturing.

Discover:

How Adam & Nina met and ended up setting up their business.
What it's like to run a factory together as husband and wife.
Why 'made in Scotland' is so important.
How KC Manufacturing are supporting other UK textile firms.
The challenges of working with deadstock materials.
Where Adam & Nina got the funding to set up their factory.
How they get young people to work in the industry.

About KC Manufacturing

KC Manufacturing website

Episode 51 - Small Batch Manufacturing with Adam Robertson, Kalopsia Collective.

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator - Work closely with me to start or grow your UK-made brand.

Newsletter - Subscribe for a weekly dose of inspiration and advice on. making in the UK

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

295 – 4 Reasons NOT to Make in the UK May 03, 2024

Regular listeners to this podcast will know that I am all about encouraging brands to manufacture locally. But in some cases, it might not make good sense to do so.

In this episode I explain the 4 reasons why you might NOT want to make in the UK.

Want my advice on whether your product should or could be made here? Reach out to my with a direct message on Instagram @makeitbritish here

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator - Work closely with me to start or grow your UK-made brand.

Newsletter - Subscribe for a weekly dose of inspiration and advice on. making in the UK

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

294 – How to get people onto your mailing list Apr 12, 2024

One of the questions that came up on one of our recent British Brand Accelerator group coaching calls was so good, I thought I'd bring it to you on the podcast this week.

The question was about whether a small business that makes in the UK should be offering a discount when someone opts in to their newsletter, and whether this strategy works.

It opened a whole discussion amongst the group about the pros and cons of discounting and other ideas for getting potential customers to sign up to your newsletter.

So if you are wondering the same thing about discounting, this episode is for you!

Sign up the the British Brand Accelerator waitlist here - www.makeitbritish.co.uk/waitlist

293 – Save English Fine Cottons Apr 05, 2024

This week I’m bringing some very sad news - that the UK’s only cotton spinning mill, English Fine Cottons, which brought cotton spinning back to Greater Manchester in 2018, has very sadly gone into administration.

In case you don’t know about the history of English Fine Cottons, it was set up by the technical textile spinners Culimeta-Saveguard, who invested £4.8m of its own money, £2m of which was a loan from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, to regenerate a former Victorian cotton mill and install new technology to create luxury yarn. A further £1m was awarded as a grant by the N Brown Textile Growth Programme.

English Fine Cottons was the start of something very exciting in UK manufacturing, and for this to have happened is tragic. The collapse into administration is caused by the parent group Culimeta-Saveguard going down, and unfortunately that has taken the cotton spinning down with it. Something needs to be done to save our only cotton spinning mill, otherwise this is history repeating itself.

So today's episode is a remastered version of a visit that I did to English Fine Cottons in 2019, along with an interview with Andy Ogden, who was the general manager at the time.

292 – Reviving the UK Button Making Industry with Courtney & Co Button Makers Mar 29, 2024

Today's guests are Andrea and David Courtney from Courtney & Co buttonmakers

Back in 2012 I was contacted by someone who was trying to save the UK’s last remaining horn button maker - Grove & Sons. He was looking for investors to buy up the machinery and pattern books from the business so that the art of natural button making in the UK was not lost.

Well it turns out that the investor that this guy eventually found was someone called David Courtney, who saw an ad to buy the machinery and patterns, and decided that he wanted to help.

But things are never as easy as the seem, and this initial investment took David Courtney down a very long and winding path to bring button making back to the UK.

Over a decade later and David Courtney now has an amazing button-making factory in the Cotswolds, with state of the art machinery, producing buttons from 3 different types of materials. He’s also enlisted his lovely wife Andrea to head the factory up, and they now supply the most beautiful buttons to brands and designers wanting an authentic UK-made button, still made using the original patterns that David saved from Grove & Sons.

This interview was recorded onsite in their factory in Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, and Andrea and David recount the full tale of how Courtney & Co buttons got to where they are today.

About Courtney & Co

Courtney & Co Website

Courtney & Co on Instagram

FURTHER RESOURCES

Quiz: Are you ready to work with a UK factory?

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

291 – Micro Factories & Supply on Demand: UK Manufacturing at its Best Mar 22, 2024

This episode celebrates 15 years since I registered the domain makeitbritish.co.uk and busts some of the myths about UK manufacturing.

You'll find out:

Why I started Make it British and why I'm such a firm believer in UK manufacturing.
The current UK manufacturing landscape.
How the UK fashion and textile industry is made up of 1,000s of micro factories.
How many garment factories there really are in the UK.
The benefits of making in the UK.
And why supply on demand is best done locally.

To see the video recording of this talk, go to makeitbritish.co.uk/microfactories

Want to work together? Fill in this form so I can find out more about your business goals, and I'll get back to you with ways I can help.

290 – From the archive: Why UK Manufacturing is More Sustainable with Christopher Nieper OBE Mar 15, 2024

Christopher Nieper OBE is the managing director of David Nieper, a womenswear business in Alfreton in Derbyshire. The firm was set up by Christopher's parents sixty years ago and is now one of the most vertical textile operations in the UK. Christopher recently invested in state-of-the-art digital printing equipment so that the factory can print it's own fabric onsite. David Nieper already prints all their own catalogues and produce their own knitwear in house, alongside the garment production.

In this episode you can hear about the research Christopher commissioned from Nottingham university looking at the greenhouse gas emissions produced to make clothing at the David Nieper factory in Derbyshire. The study then compared these findings to the emissions produced by making garments in China, Turkey and Bangladesh and then shipping them to the UK. It makes for very interesting insights into how making in the UK can be quantified as more sustainable. A big advocate for slow fashion, Christopher has also found that his customers keep and wear his clothes 10 times longer than average. Listen to this episode to discover:

How the David Nieper factory uses 'just-in-time' manufacturing to achieve a 98% sell-through on their garments
Christopher's plans to make the David Nieper factory the greenest factory in Europe, recovering the heat generated by the factory to use as renewable energy
How he's changing the attitudes of young people in his local town by giving them a taste of what it's like inside a real manufacturing environment
The charity that the business has set up to help rebuild a local secondary school that was in the bottom 2% of schools in the UK and make it over-subscribed for the first time in 30 years
Christopher's idea for a labelling scheme for clothing that ranks the environmental sustainability of every garment

This episode is the recording of a talk that Christopher did at Make it British Live! Online event in October 2020.

About David Nieper

Watch my Instagram reel showing behind the scenes at the David Nieper factory.

David Nieper website

Stay in Touch

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

Make it British website

289 – Creating Adaptive Clothing with Caron McLuckie from Bealies Adaptive Wear Mar 08, 2024

In this episode of the Make it British podcast, Karen McCluckie, the director of Bealies Adaptive Wear, shares her inspiring journey of creating adaptive clothing for wheelchair users and disabled individuals.

Motivated by her son's disability and the lack of suitable clothing options in the market, Karen embarked on a mission to design stylish and functional joggers tailored to the needs of wheelchair users. From the initial idea to overcoming challenges and securing funding, Karen discusses the process of bringing her innovative designs to the market while juggling her role as a social worker.

With a commitment to UK manufacturing and a vision for expanding her product range, Karen's story highlights the power of innovation and determination in creating inclusive fashion solutions.

About Caron McCluckie

Caron on Linkedin

Bealies Adaptivewear Website

288 – Why You Should Visit Your Factory Mar 01, 2024

This week I’ve been in the Midlands visiting factories, which is always one of my favourite things to do.

I’d planned to take my podcast mic with me and get an episode to you today with an interview with one of the manufacturers, but sadly I was in such a rush when I set off early Sunday morning that I left my mic behind!

So on today’s episode instead I'm discussing one of the amazing factories I went to see, and also sharing a recording from the archives - which is to encourage you to get out there and visit factories yourself!

287 – How To Sell Your Products Feb 23, 2024

Today's episode is all about selling and sales, and how it's closely linked to product development.

A lot of creative business owners say that they aren't any good at selling, so the natural tendency is to drop their prices or default back to making more products.

I'm going to give you a different way of looking at sales, so that selling doesn't make you feel like a used car salesman.

286 – 21 Tips for Building a Great British Brand Feb 16, 2024

Hear from 21 business founders as they give their tips on starting and growing a British-made brand.

These snippets were taken from 21 different guest interviews on this podcast.

If you want to listen to the full episodes you can find them as follows:

Ep.142 Julie Deane, Cambridge Satchel Company

Ep.076 Jack Millington, Billy Tannery

Ep.143 Kath Whitworth, Celtic & Co

Ep. 41 Paul Smithers, Halycon Blue

Ep 179 Rebecca J Mills

Ep 171 Rich Keegan & Linda Souto Maior, Usual Objections

Ep 23 Sian Reekie, Hettie Co

Ep 78 Katie Walker Furniture

Ep 27 Matt Booth, Both Barrells

Ep 139 Rachael Attwood, Britannical

Ep 108 Steff McGrath, Something Wicked

Ep 82 Joel, Chudleigh, Made to Last

Ep 96 Richard Ince, James Ince & Sons Umbrellas

Ep 120 Emma Willis

Ep 39 Genevieve Sweeney

Ep 129 Samanth Brooke, Waring Brooke

Ep 88 Chris Woodford, Crown Northampton

Ep 141 Emma Mathews, Socko

Ep 153 Gillian Tusting, Tusting

Ep 86 Pippa Dziubinski, The Little Art Collection

Ep 183 Brant Richards, HebTroCo

Here you will find a list of all of the episodes of this podcast, which you can filter by guest, subject and topic

So I hope that has inspired you to make in the UK if you aren’t already!

If you'd like to launch or grow a British-made brand, I'm here to help. Reach out to me via Instagram DM @makeitbritish or drop me an email and I will get back to you with ways that I can help.

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

Mentioned in this episode:

British Brand Accelerator

285 – I Never Looked at Manufacturing Anywhere Else with Catherine Bedford, Dashel Cycle Helmets Feb 09, 2024

On today’s episode I’m chatting with Catherine Bedford, founder of Dashel Cycle Helmets

Catherine had the idea for an innovative and stylish cycle helmet whilst watching the London 2012 Olympics. She set about creating her vision, and it took 5 years to develop and launch the Dashel helmet. All Dashel helmets are made in the UK, and in this episode Catherine talks about:

How she set about developing a new and innovative product.
How she found factories to then make the helmets
Some of the safety testing that bike helmets have to go through.
How she got PR and found stockists when she first launched.
How she got her first stockists.
And how the bike industry has been affected by Brexit.

Mentioned in this episode:

British Brand Accelerator

284 – Repair Is The New Cool with Thami Schweichler, United Repair Centre Feb 02, 2024

Welcome to Episode no.284!

Circularity is the buzzword on everyone's lips right now. It's no wonder, when you hear that 350,000 tonnes of clothing goes to landfill in the UK every year. Something needs to be done to stop the mass-consumption that the UK in particularly seems to be pretty bad at!

The United Repair Centre, a collaboration between outdoor brand Patagonia, social enterprise Makers Unite, and the Amsterdam Economic Board, is a much needed resource for the clothing industry. And they've opened one up in London!

On this episode I chat with one of the United Repair Centre co-founders, Thami Schweichler.

We chat about how the URC repair process has combined technology with sewing skills to make repair and circularity available to all, and how any brand can get involved in offering a repair service to their customers.

ABOUT UNITED REPAIR CENTRE

United Repair Centre Website

United Repair Centre Instagram

Thami Schweichler Linkedin

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator - My mentoring programme

Kate's Sunday Journal - My newsletter

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

Mentioned in this episode:

British Brand Accelerator

283 – Tackling Textile Waste as a Slow Fashion Designer with Lydia Bolton Jan 26, 2024

Today's guest is Lydia Bolton, a slow fashion designer tackling textile waste by upcycling unwanted fabrics and garments and turning them into one-off pieces.

As well as having her own label, Lydia also teaches others how to upcycle with workshops that she runs and in her partnerships with big brands such as Lidl, Nike, Adidas and Lime bikes.

We chat about:

How Lydia started out in fashion and textiles and where she learnt to sew.
The challenges of upcycling and making one-off pieces.
Where she sources her raw materials from and how deadstock can be a misleading term.
Her decision to only rent and not sell her garments going forward.
How she collaborates with big brands to spread the word about upcycling.
How she is teaching people to sew with her upcycling workshops.

ABOUT LYDIA BOLTON

Lydia's Website

Lydia on Instagram

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

FAQ: Where’s The Best Place To Source Fabrics? Jan 19, 2024

How to find fabrics, leathers and other raw materials for your brand, and avoid the most common mistake that many people make when sourcing fabric.

FURTHER RESOURCES

UK Fabric Mills on the Make it British website

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

Rate This Podcast

FAQ: How Many Factories Should I Sample WIth? Jan 18, 2024

Sampling with UK manufacturers can be quite a different ball game to sampling with manufacturers overseas. Here's why you might not want to sample with lots of different factories.

FURTHER RESOURCES

Quiz: Are you ready to work with a UK factory?

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

FAQ: Do I Really Need To Provide The Factory With A Tech Pack? Jan 17, 2024

Tempted to skip this step? Find out why that might be a bad idea, and how having a tech pack can save you money in the long run.

FURTHER RESOURCES

Tech Pack Bundle

Quiz: Are you ready to work with a UK factory?

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

Rate This Podcast

FAQ: Should I Get My Manufacturer To Sign An NDA? Jan 16, 2024

A Non Disclosure Agreement is a legal document you might ask a manufacturer to sign in order to protect your designs.

Find out what the pros and cons are of asking a manufacturer to sign an NDA, and what the alternatives are.

FURTHER RESOURCES

How to find a UK manufacturer

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

Rate This Podcast

FAQ: How Do I Approach A Manufacturer? Jan 15, 2024

What are the secrets to getting a response from a manufacturer when you reach out to them? I explain how to word your approach and why you might not be getting a response.

FURTHER RESOURCES

How to get manufacturers to respond to your emails

How to find a UK manufacturer

Why manufacturers aren't getting back to your emails

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

Rate This Podcast

FAQ: How Much Does It Cost To Start A Brand? Jan 12, 2024

What are the main costs that you will incur to start a brand, and how can you save money by making your product in the UK?

FURTHER RESOURCES

25 Hidden Costs of Starting a Brand

How Much Does it Cost to Start a UK-Made Fashion Brand?

How to Start a UK Made Brand

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

Rate This Podcast

FAQ: How Do I Find The Right Manufacturer For My Brand? Jan 11, 2024

Discover the best ways to the ideal UK manufacturers for your brand, and how to ensure that they get back to you every time.

FURTHER RESOURCES

Make it British Manufacturer Directory

5 Steps to Finding a UK Manufacturer

How to Start a UK Made Brand

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

Rate This Podcast

FAQ: Can A Manufacturer Source My Fabric For Me? Jan 10, 2024

You might think that having the factory source your fabric for you sounds like the easiest option, but that's not always the case.

In this episode I explain what your options are when it comes to fabric sourcing, and why many UK clothing manufacturers operate on what is known as a CMT basis.

FURTHER RESOURCES

CMT or Full Service Manufacturer: What's the difference?

5 Steps to Finding a UK Manufacturer

How to Start a UK Made Brand

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

Rate This Podcast

FAQ: How long does it take to launch a brand? Jan 09, 2024

Find out how long on average it might take to launch a brand and what the main variables are that will affect it.

FURTHER RESOURCES

5 Steps to Finding a UK Manufacturer

How to Start a UK Made Brand

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

Rate This Podcast

FAQ: How Do I Go From Idea To Prototype? Jan 08, 2024

Discover the essential steps to turn your idea into a successful prototype.

Get practical advice on how to bring your concept to life efficiently and cost-effectively and how to common pitfalls.

FURTHER RESOURCES

5 Steps to Finding a UK Manufacturer

How to Start a UK Made Brand

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

Rate This Podcast

272 – Happy New Year! What’s coming in 2024? Jan 05, 2024

Welcome to Episode 272 of the Make it British Podcast

Starting off the new year with something a bit different. This episode explains everything.

Looking out for my special FAQ series, starting on Monday 7th January.

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

Rate This Podcast

271 – 3 Things I Learnt This Year Dec 22, 2023

Hello and Welcome to Episode 271!

As 2023 draws to a close, and for my last podcast episode of the year, I reflect back on the 3 biggest lessons that I've learnt this year.

I also want to say a massive thank you to everyone that has listened to this podcast over the last 12 months. I cannot believe I am now at episode 271!

The Make it British Podcast will be back on 5th January 2024.

See you then!

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Plan Your Year - My annual planning workshop is the one thing you need to get your vision, goals, projects and tasks mapped out for 2024.

British Brand Accelerator - The best way to work with me in 2024. Apply now!

Reels Rockstars - The Instagram Reels course that I took that I highly recommend if you want to up your Instagram marketing next year.

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

Rate This Podcast

270 – Sustainability Insights for Small Businesses with Mark Shayler Dec 08, 2023

Welcome to episode 270!

In this episode I'm chatting with the fascinating Mark Shayler about all things sustainability.

Mark is the author of You Can't Make Money From a Dead Planet, he consults with businesses big and small to help them do better when it comes to their environmental footprint, and he is one of the co founders of Reasons to be Cheerful, a platform for spreading good cheer and hope in a world that can sometimes feel bereft of both.

We discuss the environmental cost per wear of a garment; why wool is such a great fibre; which is better - recycled polyester versus cotton ( the answer may surprise you); and what other fibres we could be growing in the UK to be more regenerative.

About Mark Shayler

Mark is a sustainability consultant, author of You Can't Make Money From A Dead Plant, and one of the founders of publishing and events company Reasons to be Cheerful.

Mark Shalyer's Website

Buy Mark's Book - You Can't Make Money From A Dead Planet

Mark Shayler on Instagram

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator

Make it British Website

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Instagram

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269 – Stop Winging it & Have Your Best Year Ever! Dec 01, 2023

Hello and welcome to episode 269 of the Make it British podcast!

At the time of recording this we are just a month away from the start of 2024, and that can only mean one thing - time to start planning!

If that idea fills you with dread, because you are a 'wing it and see' type of person, maybe next year needs to start a little differently.

In this episode I give you tips on how to stop winging it and start planning.

And if you need someone to hold you accountable to making that plan, I have an offer for you.

I am hosting my ever-popular online planning party very soon. It’s my Plan Your Year workshop, and you’re invited!

In this pre-Christmas online workshop, we'll get goals set, projects planned and tasks mapped out for your coming year.

I’ll be showing you how to make planning easy and fun, and you’ll walk away with a completed plan of action for the coming year.

Sound good?

If you want to join us, you can secure your spot by going to makeitbritish.co.uk/planyouryear

Everyone with a ticket will also receive the recording and a special workbook.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Plan Your Year - My Online Planning Party

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

Rate This Podcast

Mentioned in this episode:

British Brand Accelerator

268 – From Start-Up to Export Champion with Laura Ward from Exeat Nov 24, 2023

Welcome to Episode 268 of the Make it British Podcast!

In this episode, I am joined by Laura Ward, founder of the luxury British tennis brand Exeat.

Exeat is the UK's most exported luxury tennis apparel brand, and Laura herself is the winner of many awards, including Global Startup of the Year. She's also one of the government's UK export champions, and the brand has been feature in Vogue, Forbes, The Financial Times, and Vanity Fair.

In this episode, she's going to give you tips on how to export your brand globally and how she's managed to get such amazing press in such a short space of time.

ABOUT EXEAT

Exeat Website

Exeat Instagram

RESOURCES MENTIONED

UK Export Academy

Ciment Pleating

Made in the UK, Sold to the World

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator - Apply now to work with me to launch or grow your British-made brand.

UK Manufacturers List

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

Rate This Podcast

Mentioned in this episode:

British Brand Accelerator

267 – Insights from my Houses of Parliament meeting with the APPG for Ethics and Sustainability in Fashion Nov 17, 2023

Welcome to episode 267 of the Make It British Podcast!

In this episode, I share my recent experiences at the All Party Parliamentary Group for ethics and sustainability in fashion at the Houses of Parliament, organised by Fashion Roundtable.

You can hear the full speech that I gave on the importance of localism, transparency, and ethical practices in the fashion industry. In which I highlighted the challenges faced by UK manufacturers, the need for skilled workers, and the potential for a thriving local manufacturing supply chain.

You'll gain insight into the current British manufacturing landscape and discover how small businesses are leading the way in ethical and sustainable production.

The meeting was chaired by John McNally MP and the secretariat for the APPG is Fashion Roundtable, led by Tamara Cincik.

The other speakers were:

Mary Creagh CBE - Chair of the Ethical Trading Initiative, Former MP and Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee.
Patrick Grant - Founder of Community Clothing and presenter on The Great British Sewing Bee.
Professor Dilys Williams - Fashion Roundtable Board Member and Director of Centre for Sustainable Fashion.
Sam Ludlow-Taylor - Head of Human Rights at John Lewis.
Anna Bryher - Policy Lead at Labour Behind the Label

Watch the Speech on YouTube here

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

Rate This Podcast

Mentioned in this episode:

British Brand Accelerator

266 – The Business-Transforming Benefits of Investing in Yourself Nov 10, 2023

Welcome to Episode 266 of the Make it British Podcast!

In this episode I discuss how and why investing in your own personal development can dramatically transform your business. I share insights from my own personal development journey and provide valuable advice on how investing in yourself can make a massive difference to your business growth.

We'll explore the risks of not investing in yourself, and the importance of matching your personal development with your business goals. Plus, I'll share some practical tips on how to make time for self-investment, even if you are super-busy.

HANDY LINKS

Work With Me

British Brand Accelerator

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

Rate This Podcast

Mentioned in this episode:

British Brand Accelerator

265 – Mastering the Art of Selling at Pop-ups with Pip Chawner, Philippa London Nov 03, 2023

Welcome to Episode 265 of the Make it British Podcast!

In this episode I'm chatting with Pip Chawner, who is the founder of womenswear brand Philippa London.

Pip has got some fantastic tips to share about her experiences of setting up her brand; some of the challenges she's had along the way, including a bit of a tricky experience with a manufacturer in India; and how she has had great success selling her products at pop-ups and live events.

So if you've ever thought about doing a live event, but you're a little bit nervous about how to do it and how to sell at these events, then Pip has got some great advice for you.

ABOUT PIP CHAWNER

Pip Chawner is the founder of Philippa London, a luxury brand, sustainably and ethically sourced within the UK.

Pip previously worked for many years in sourcing and production for Nichole Farhi, French Connection and Gap Inc in London and San Francisco.

Philippa London Website

Philippa London on Instagram

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

Rate This Podcast

Mentioned in this episode:

British Brand Accelerator

264 – 12 Manufacturer Red Flags and How to Avoid Them Oct 27, 2023

Welcome to Episode 264 of the Make it British Podcast!

What are the red flags to watch out for when searching for a manufacturer, particularly if you're starting your search on Google or another search engine?

From misleading claims of being a UK manufacturer to refusing to sign NDAs and the importance of visiting the factory floor. In this episode I provide valuable tips on how to spot these red flags and avoid potential pitfalls.

So join me as I uncover the secrets to finding a reliable manufacturer for your product, here on the Make it British Podcast!

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Checklist: 12 Questions to Ask a UK Manufacturer

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

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263 – The Joy of Partnering with UK Manufacturers with Clare Winton, Grow Wild Outdoorwear Oct 20, 2023

Welcome to Episode 263 of the Make it British Podcast!

Today I'm chatting to Clare Winton from Grow Wild Outdoorwear, a new brand for women in pregnancy and the early stages of motherhood.

Clare had the idea to develop her maternity brand three years ago, and started, as many start-ups do, by searching Google to find a manufacturer. This led her to a frustrating two years trying to develop her collection in China.

She then stumbled across Make it British, and I introduced her to factories in the UK who she's been partnering with ever since.

Clare provides valuable advice on conducting customer research, navigating the challenges of garment production and the importance of face-to-face interactions with your manufacturer.

ABOUT CLARE WINTON

Clare Winton is the founder of Grow Wild Outdoorwear, a range of outdoor clothing and accessories for pregnancy and early motherhood.

After a semi-feral childhood growing up in West Ireland, she now lives in wild West Wales. She has spent 15 years working as a Quality Assurance Auditor, has a PhD in population genetics and is a volunteer trained Samaritans "Listener". Her outdoor passions include exploring local mountains and camping with her family.

Grow Wild Outdoorwear website

Grow Wild Outdoorwear on Instagram

HANDY LINKS

British Brand Accelerator

Make it British Website

YouTube

Instagram

Rate This Podcast

262 – Nailing Your Pricing Strategy Oct 13, 2023

Welcome to episode 262 of the Make it British Podcast!

In this episode, l explore the factors that go into setting the perfect price, from understanding your customer and competitors to considering the cost of alternatives.

Join me as we unravel the secrets behind pricing strategies for product-based businesses that make in the UK. Get ready to gain invaluable insights and advice to help you nail your pricing for once and for all!

HANDY LINKS

🚀 British Brand Accelerator

🕸 Make it British Website

📺 YouTube

📸 Instagram

⭐️ Rate This Podcast

Mentioned in this episode:

British Brand Accelerator

261 - When is the Right Time to Make Big Changes in Your Business? Oct 06, 2023

Welcome to episode 261 of the Make It British Podcast!

In this episode, you get the lowdown on why I ended up taking a 6 month break from podcasting. And why I've decided to make some big changes in my business.

There's also some valuable advice on knowing when it's time to make changes in your own business, and the questions you need to ask yourself before you do so.

HANDY LINKS

🚀 British Brand Accelerator

🕸 Make it British Website

📺 YouTube

📸 Instagram

⭐️ Rate This Podcast

Mentioned in this episode:

British Brand Accelerator

Series 6 Coming Soon! Oct 03, 2023

Hello and welcome to Series 6 of the Make it British podcast.

After a 6 month break the Make it British Podcast is coming back! The first episode will be released on Friday 6th October 2023.

I have so much to fill you in on! Thanks to everyone that has requested more podcast episodes. It wasn't until I stopped doing them that I truly realised how much everyone loved and missed them.

A lot has changed at Make it British since I last recorded an episode of the podcast. And it's been so long since I recorded one that I almost forgot how to do it! But I've dusted the old mic off and will be bringing you an episode weekly (usually on a Friday) for the foreseeable future.

In the new series I'll be sharing tons of tips and advice for making in the UK, and getting into the nitty gritty of running a small business that is made in Britain. With lots of special guests who have been there, done it and are wearing the British-made T-shirt to prove it!

You'll also hear from UK manufacturers in the fashion and textile sector and there'll also be a few surprise guests from other sectors sharing useful advice that I think you'll want to hear.

Some of the episodes will also be recorded as videos and shared on my YouTube channel.

So if you want to make sure that you don't miss an episode, subscribe to the Make it British podcast in your favourite podcast app and also over on YouTube.

In the meantime, you can find a whole back catalogue of over 260 episodes of this podcast on my website at makeitbritish.co.uk/podcast or in the app that you are listening to this in now.

And if you want to contact me about anything you hear on the podcast please drop me an email to kate@katehills.me that way your message will go into my VIP folder.

Thank you so much for listening to this little trailer. And I look forward to bringing you series 6 of the Make it British podcast!

www.makeitbritish.co.uk

260 – 5 Hidden Manufacturing Costs and How to Avoid Them May 05, 2023

In this episode I discuss some of the hidden costs of manufacturing, and offer tips on how to avoid them.

Whether you're starting a new brand, or growing an existing one, there's typically five common areas where costs can spiral out of control, but the good thing is, they are all easily avoidable.

Topics covered in this episode:

The five hidden costs in UK manufacturing and how to avoid them
How you can minimise sample costs
Why it's easy to overspend on raw materials
How to avoid buying too much stock
Why making in the UK eliminates some of your logistics costs

Resources mentioned in this episode

25 Hidden Costs of Starting a Brand

Enjoyed this podcast? I also have a private podcast called ‘British Brand Bedrock’.

The British Brand Bedrock private podcast feed answers more than 30 of your most commonly asked questions on starting and growing a British-made Brand.

Subscribe to British Brand Bedrock podcast here

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