Founder Stories

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 […]

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

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

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.

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

Join me on a factory tour of print-on-demand UK manufacturer Contrado and learn about the businesses backstory from co-founder Chris Childs.

On today’s episode I am chatting to Maxine Wells, who is the founder of Intimate Apparel Samples, a small lingerie studio in North West London. Getting lingerie made in the UK can be challenging. Whilst the UK once had thousands

Meet Siwan Oldham, the founder of ByBiology, a business that is giving to scientific research by creating the most beautiful luxury silk scarves. Siwan talks about how her business idea came about, the reason she decided to manufacturer in the

Sarah Turner is the founder of Little Beau Sheep, a brand that celebrates the best of British wool through a unique range of hand-made laundry and body care products. Flying the flag for British wool, the Yorkshire-based entrepreneur came up

In this episode, I chat with Oscar Boatfield, who is one of the co-founders of bags and accessory brand BearMade who make all of their bags in the UK. If ever there was a great example of a business doing

In this episode, I chat with childrenswear designer Dawn Clarke, who is a member of Make It British and a part of our British Brand Accelerator programme. Dawn tells us all about her journey going from making everything in-house and

Joining me this week is Veronica Galbraith from fun, colourful homewares brand Republic of Happy. Originally from Colombia and now living permanently in Cornwall, Veronica is a graphic designer turned surface pattern designer. She tells me all about how she

Find out about an exciting recycled cashmere collaboration between three UK businesses. Dr. John Parkinson from iinouiio, Graham Holbrook from Turtle Doves, and Emma Mathews from Socko, share how the project came about, the importance of making in the UK

Linda De Ruiter is the founder of sustainable womenswear brand, The Slow Wardrobe.  In this episode, we talk about Linda’s business, The Slow Wardrobe, how she dresses women to feel more confident, and why she’s chosen YouTube as the main

In this episode, I chat with Paul Brown, founder of Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing, a UK-made brand based in Suffolk. Paul founded his clothing business back in 2012, knowing nothing about clothing manufacturing, butwent on to set up his own

Rosie Macpherson is the founder of Where’s Winnie, a luxury dog travel brand. Rosie came to me when she had an idea to develop an innovative new type of dog car seat. One where a small dog can travel in

Julie Deane CBE is the founder of The Cambridge Satchel Company, which manufactures all its bags in the UK. In this episode, recorded as an Instagram Live on Made in UK Day, I chat to Julie about why the Cambridge

In this episode, I’m chatting with Graham Holbrook from Turtle Doves, a company that recycles cashmere jumpers into brand new products, including their signature fingerless gloves, which sell over 200,000 pairs a year. Graham talks about how Turtle Doves manage

Kitty Bruce-Gardyne is the founder of Scottish Textiles Showcase. Originally set up to give people special guided tours around the textile mills in Scotland, Scottish Textile Showcase is now a retail destination in Edinburgh. The shop represents some of Scotland’s

In this episode, I chat with Chris Kyriacou, founder of activewear brand Soma Sportswear. Chris contacted me in 2019, looking for help to find manufacturers to make his very unique athleisurewear. In this episode, Chris talks through the process of

One of the biggest problems that many fashion firms face is how they can dispose of their deadstock fabric. At the same time, designers often have issues with sourcing materials in small quantities. In this episode, we meet Deborah Lyons

Shanna Bent is the founder of the conscious fashion brand Maison Bent. Having previously worked with Alexander McQueen, Roland Mouret, Agent Provocateur, in 2019 Shanna set up her own luxury label, with a determination to bust the myth that black

Charlotte Raffo is the founder of The Monkey Puzzle Tree, a homeware business that creates award-winning, artist designed fabrics and wallpapers with a twist and a conscience. Working with artists and designers to produce the most beautiful collection of products,

Lucy Jones was the founder of a prestigious, luxury lingerie brand back in the 1980s. Her distinctive silk lingerie was stocked in retailers such as Harvey Nichols and Rigby & Peller. After two decades working in education, Lucy decided to

Join me on a trip to Leicester to meet Said Saleh and Keith Cummings from Mars Knitwear. Based in Wigston, Leicestershire, the chaps at Mars have been making knitwear for over 30 years. Having been manufacturing thousands of pieces of

Monika Young is the founder and creative director of Monika the Label – a sustainable fashion brand inspired by 70s California and made in the UK. In this episode, Monika tells the story of how she set up and her

London-based designer Maria Grachvogel is renowned for her clever use of cutting to flatter the female figure. In this interview, Maria talks about why she has chosen to use more UK manufacturers for her collection, and how changing her business model

One of our epidode’s from the very first series that is well worth a revisit is this one with Andy Ogden at English Fine Cottons. Greater Manchester was once known as cottonopolis because it was the home to the world’s

In this episode, I chat to Ian Maclean, managing director of John Smedley – the oldest operating factory in the world. John Smedley is one of the finest knitwear manufacturers in the world. The company was established 235 years ago, at the

Julie Deane CBE, set up the Cambridge Satchel Company in 2008 with £600 and went on to make it a global, multi-million-pound business. But behind the success story, there was a lot of hard work, including having to set up

Today I’m chatting to Lindsey James, who is the founder of womenswear brand Violet Flamingo. Lindsey was making and selling bespoke clothing for her clients from her studio before covid hit. Finding herself with no way to reach customers during

Rita Britton is somewhat of a fashion legend.  For 50 years she ran an independent fashion store in Barnsley, Yorkshire called Polyanna, which was an International hub for luxury fashion stocked with Rita’s unique style. When Polyanna closed in 2014,

Brant Richards is one of the founders of HebTroCo. 5 years ago, he and his business partner Ed had an idea in the pub – to start making trousers in Hebden Bridge, a town in Yorkshire that was once renowned

Johnstons of Elgin is the largest textile manufacturer in the UK. The 223-year-old company employs over 1,000 people and was the first to bring cashmere weaving to Scotland. Simon Cotton, the chief executive of Johnstons, describes himself as working for

Rebecca Mills has a background in buying and retail for some big-name brands, yet when it came to running her own business she found it very different. In this episode, she talks about how different it is running her own

Debbie McKeegan has over 30 years experience in textile printing – specifically digital printing. She is the founder of TexIntel, a platform that provides fantastic knowledge and advice to the digital print industry and also the host of the Texintel

James Stewart is an experienced lean practitioner who has worked with Burberry and Fashion Enter to help streamline their manufacturing process. ‘Lean’ is a method for producing products in smaller batches, closer to the customer, rather than making zillions of

In an industry that is dominated by big brands, how can you stand out from the crowd and launch something new? In this episode, I chat to Hannah Lovegrove, co-founder of Lovegrove essentials, about what it takes to launch an

Rich and Linda make stunning, digitally printed swimwear under the label Usual Objections. They manufacture all of their products from a micro-factory in their family home in Hackney, which they also share with 2 children and a blind pug! In

On today’s episode, we’re being joined by make-up artist Phyllis Cohen, who is also the founder of a business called Face Lace. Phyllis started her career as a make-up artist in the ‘80s during the New Romantic era when her

Rowena Howie’s Revival Retro store in central London is a destination shop for fans of her flattering dresses and stylish accessories. In this episode we chat about how Rowena has pivoted her business to online whilst the shop has been

Today I’m chatting to UK garment manufacturer Jenny Holloway who I first featured on this show on episode 21 back in January 2019. Jenny runs Fashion Enter, a social enterprise that makes 1,000s of garments every week in their North

John Elliott MBE founded Ebac nearly 50 years ago. The company has also sold 1.5 million dehumidifiers over the years and is the only manufacturer of washing machines in the UK. John is very passionate about UK manufacturing and his

Lee Akpareva is a fashion designer, tailor and technology consultant.  He’s also creative director of Never Fade, a fashion store and creative space on Old Compton Street in London. We chat about collaborations within the fashion industry, helping new designers

What does it mean to be a UK leather bag business in 2021? Today I’m chatting with Gillian Tusting from English heritage leathergoods brand Tusting. Gillian shares the story of how the family business, founded in 1875, evolved from a

How do UK manufacturers and brands compete with huge overseas factories and the likes of Black Friday discounting? In this episode, I revisit an interview I did back in 2018 which is still very relevant today. It’s a ‘no holds

Based in Cornwall in the South West of England, Celtic & Co is the original sheepskin boot company. Kath Whitworth and her husband Nick bought the business 30 years ago and trademarked the UGG boot in the UK. In this

Julie Deane OBE, set up the Cambridge Satchel Company in 2008 with £600 and went on to make it a global, multi-million pound business. But behind the success story, there was a lot of hard work, including having to set

Emma Mathews is the founder of sustainable sock brand Socko and the author of ‘How to quit fast fashion; 100 expert tips for a sustainable wardrobe’ In this episode, she talks about how she went from a career in advertising

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.

Rachel Attwood is the founder of luxury childrenswear brand Britannical, and a long-standing member of Make it British. The business started life making outwear for babies and was originally called The Great British Baby Company. The brand is known for its

Davinder Madaher has been a textile and print designer in the fashion and homeware industry for 30 years. In this episode, he talks about his career – from working in print studios in New York to high street retailers in

Putnams is an award-winning homeware manufacturer based in Plymouth, Devon. The business was started over 40 years ago by Hedley Putnams’ parents, and he and his sister Bubbles now run the business. Hedley had no intention of working in the

In this episode, I introduce you to Jack Scott, the co-founder of Dash Water, a British brand with great provenance. Dash water uses only misshapen fruit and veg to flavour its water – produce that would otherwise go to waste

Samantha Brooke is a knitwear designer who has worked in Italy for Alberta Ferretti, and in China for a mass-produced knitwear brand. She created her own micro knitting factory in rural Nottinghamshire three years ago producing personalised accessories and knitted

The Trunki needs little introduction; since its invention in 2006 over 4 million of the animal-shaped ride-on suitcases have been sold and it has become a design classic. What many people don’t know is that the majority of the Trunkis

Amy Fettis is the founder of fashion-led sportswear brand AIM Athleisure. When she first launched the brand she made all of the mistakes that many new businesses make – including developing a collection that was far too big, which killed

Johnstons of Elgin is the largest textile manufacturer in the UK. The 223 year old company employs over 1,000 people and was the first to bring cashmere weaving to Scotland. Simon Cotton is the chief executive of Johnstons, and in

London-based designer Maria Grachvogel is renowned for her clever use of cutting to flatter the female figure. In this interview Maria talks about why she has chosen to use more UK manufacturers for her collection, and how changing her business model

Emma Willis founded her shirt making business in 1989. She has had a shop on London’s famous Jermyn Street for over twenty years and all of her bespoke and ready to wear shirts are made in England. The Emma Willis Factory

David Williams has been supplying the UK knitwear industry his entire career. He is the UK agent for Stoll knitting machines and the founder of the Knit Design Centre – a studio in Leicester where designers can develop their ideas

During the Covid_19 crisis many UK manufacturers have adapted their businesses to manufacture PPE. Specialised Canvas, based in Chesterfield, are one of the companies that very quickly pivoted their business to help alleviate the shortage of available protective equipment. In

Harris Tweed cloth is renowned the world over. Woven entirely in the Outer Hebrides, using wool from the local sheep, you could say it was the ultimate sustainable fabric. In this episode Ruth Masson, Marketing Manager at Harris Tweed Hebrides,

In this episode I interview Steff McGrath, managing partner at lingerie brand Something Wicked. The collection is entirely made in the UK by Steff’s team in Leeds, giving the brand the flexibility to make everything to order. She is now

Vanners is one of the oldest textile businesses in the UK. They’ve been weaving silk since 1740, and moved their weaving business from London to Suffolk in the late 18th Century. In this interview I speak to Laura Gore, Vanners

Nick Morley is the MD of Faering, an innovative, UK manufacturer that prints digitally onto wool and other natural fibres. Using the latest technology and renewable energy they can print direct to garments on-demand and with low minimum order quantities.

Pantherella was founded in 1937 and has been making high quality, lightweight socks in Leicester ever since. I took a trip to the Pantherella factory to meet the current MD, Justin Hall and to find out about how the socks

Tamara Cincik has over 20 years experience in the fashion industry and is the founder of Fashion Roundtable, the secretariat for The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Textiles and Fashion. Fashion Roundtable supports the diverse voices of the fashion

David Collinge runs the the Burnley-based weaving business John Spencer Textiles. He is the sixth generation owner of the mill which, was originally founded by his great great great grandfather 150 years ago. I love David’s story because it is

Corinne Lewis-Ward is an artist and designer who is the founder of Powder Butterfly; a design studio that creates a range of British contemporary homeware gifts. Corinne was trained as a photography and has used her love of British landmarks to

Take a tour round a traditional East End umbrella factory with me as we visit James Ince & Sons. Richard Ince is the sixth generation of a family business which was founded 215 years ago. East London was once the centre

How can you grow a clothing brand sustainably and ethically? In this interview I speak to the inspiring Sophie Slater from Birdsong who work with women’s organisations and charities to make thoughtful clothes in inclusive sizes. 50% of Birdsong profits

From 18th October 2019 many UK-made clothing items exported to the US will face tariffs of 25% In this episode I discuss what items are affected and what this means for British brands that manufacture in the UK. Stay in

England used to be one of the biggest manufacturers of shotguns in the world, but sadly, like many manufacturing industries in the UK, it has seen numbers decline. Longthorne are the only shotgun maker in the UK that manufacturer everything

Join me on a tour round Crown Northampton’s footwear factory In this episode I chat to Chris Woodford, owner of Chancery Footwear, the factory which makes the Crown Northampton collection, and Mark Higgs, brand manager for Crown Northampton. Launched only

When Pippa Dziubinski started a business making printed bamboo baby muslins 2 years ago one of the most important things was being able to make the product in the UK. But she faced many of the same struggles that other

A trip to Stoke-on-Trent this week to visit one of the last remaining potteries. I meet Andy Tooth and Jason Sims, owners of Heraldic Pottery, a company which bespoke prints fine bone china and glassware for designers and illustrators. More

Isn’t it disappointing when you buy something you love and it then needs replacing? Joel Chudleigh wants to solve that problem, by helping people to slow down on their purchasing. His ethos is to buy something that is made to

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

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

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

Billy Tannery is the first new goat leather company and tannery in the UK for over 50 years. Despite knowing nothing about leather production when they started, Jack Millington and his co-founder Rory Harker set up their micro tannery in 2016

Tom Glover is from a family manufacturing business originally founded in Wigston in Leicester in 1796. He graduated with a degree in product design, and used his design skills to create the Peregrine clothing brand. He knew that the way forward

There are around 3,800 women in UK prisons at any one time and only one in ten are able to get a job when they leave. It costs £46,000 a year to put women in prison in the UK –

Brant Richards and Ed Oxley tell the story of how they launched British menswear brand HebTroCo. In this audio recording of the talk they did at Make it British Live! 2019, Brant and Ed recount the tale of how an

Kate Dawson is the founder of the All in One Company which celebrates its 10th year in 2019. In this inspiring and moving talk Kate tells of the highs and lows of founding the UK’s original onesie company.  Made entirely

Diana Kakkar runs a high end, small batch manufacturing unit in East London. She works with some well-known fashion designers as well as start-ups, helping them to produce their collections. Diana has some great tips for anyone wanting to understand

Peter Grey is new business manager for Just Elegant – a garment manufacturer in Leicester. In this episode he gives an interesting insight from a manufacturer’s perspective into how the garment industry in Leicester has changed over the last few

Natalie Riachi has a real passion for slow fashion, and good quality luxury clothing that is well made. She grew up in Scotland and studied knitwear in Galashiels, where the knitwear industry was once a large part of the local

Lance Mitchell from weavers Mitchell Interflex discusses the promising future of the UK woven textile industry. Lance’s family business was established in 1907, and now has a fifth general family member working for them. From a picturesque mill dating back to

In this episode I interview Peter Philips of Abbey England about his family business based in Walsall – the heart of the saddlery industry. Peter gives some great insights, not just into the leather and saddlery industry, but into the UK

Starting a British-made brand is a big undertaking. Isabella Ugochukwu has done just that, and in this episode shares her advice on launching, and growing, a premium British-made leather goods brand. I’ve known Isabelle for several years now and I’ve watched

Kalopsia Collective is a social enterprise run by Adam Robertson and his wife Nina Falk. They do small batch manufacturing for designers and printmakers and in a simple and transparent way. Their aim is to create a sustainable alternative to

Bianca Elgar is a print designer, and founder and creative director of the Bianca Elgar brand. I first met Bianca not long after I founded Make it British, when she came to me looking with help to develop her first

Martin Lowe describes himself as ‘The Bald Headed Sock Seller’ – but he’s much more than that. His family business – Roy Lowe & Sons, which he runs with his brother Tim – produces socks for some of the most well

With a background brand management and a family history in manufacturing, Finella Devitt is the founder of luxury accessory brand Firehorse.  Working with talented designers, Devitt turns their artwork into beautiful silk scarves which are all made in the UK

Why is swimwear so difficult to make when the products look so simple? This is one of the questions that I put to guest Paul Smithers from Halcyon Blue, a swimwear manufacturer based in Hampshire, UK. Paul fell into manufacturing

In this episode of the Make it British podcast I discuss a love of knitwear, in particular the lost art of hand-intarsia, with Genevieve Sweeney. Genevieve trained as a knitwear designer, and after working for several well-known brands, she took

Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best Debbie Humphreys stumbled across her business idea when she took ownership of a whippet called Bruno and had trouble finding things to keep him warm. With a background in dressmaking and a successful

Katherine Hooker started her business with one garment and has been perfecting it ever since In this episode designer Katherine Hooker tells the story of how she took a garment from her wardrobe that she loved, and turned it into