Podcast
Kate Hills shines the light on British brands and manufacturers, and goes behind the scenes of their businesses. With tips, hints and tricks to help you manufacture in the UK and buy British.
New episodes every Tuesday and Friday
052 – Why Every Manufacturer Needs a Great Website
Simple tips for how UK manufacturers can attract the right clients by just a few changes to their websites. Sorry manufacturers, but you…
051 – Adam Robertson, Kalopsia Collective – Small Batch Manufacturing
Kalopsia Collective is a social enterprise run by Adam Robertson and his wife Nina Falk. They do small batch manufacturing for designers and…
050 – How to Find an Ethical Factory
With the rise in demand for ethical goods how do you find an ethical factory to produce them? The 50th episode of The…
049 – Bianca Elgar – How to Choose the Right Manufacturer
Bianca Elgar is a print designer, and founder and creative director of the Bianca Elgar brand. I first met Bianca not long after…
048 – Exciting Times Ahead!
Did you know that 2019 marks 200 years since the landmark Factories Act of 1819? Otherwise known as the Cotton Mills Act, the…
047 – Martin Lowe, Roy Lowe & Sons – Why Innovation & Quality Matter
Martin Lowe describes himself as ‘The Bald Headed Sock Seller’ – but he’s much more than that. His family business – Roy Lowe…
046 – How to Make the Most of Events
What’s the best way of maximising your attendance at an event? As an event organiser I get lots of questions from exhibitors (and…
045 – Finella Devitt, Firehorse – Developing a New Product is a Marathon not a Sprint
With a background brand management and a family history in manufacturing, Finella Devitt is the founder of luxury accessory brand Firehorse. Working with…
044 – What To Do When Manufacturing Goes Wrong
Unfortunately, mistakes can, and do, happen in manufacturing, but there are ways to avoid it. In this episode we look at: the main…
043 – Simon Middleton, Brand Advisor – How to Build a British-made Brand
What makes a great British brand? In this episode I chat to brand guru Simon Middleton about what makes an average brand stand…
042 – Why are UK Manufacturers so Hard to Find?
If you’ve ever tried to look online for a UK textile manufacturer you’ll know how difficult it can be to find them. In…
041 – Paul Smithers, Halcyon Blue – The Challenges of Making Swimwear 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…
040 – How I set up a trade show for UK-made brands and manufacturers
How our trade show came about – and how it nearly went horribly wrong! In 2014 I had the idea to set up…
039 – Genevieve Sweeney, Knitwear Designer – Building a Premium British Knitwear Brand
In this episode of the Make it British podcast I discuss a love of knitwear, in particular the lost art of hand-intarsia, with…
038 – Why you should visit a factory
I think visiting a factory is essential for anyone that is developing a new product One of the benefits of making in the…
037 – Debbie Humphreys, Redhound for Dogs – Finding a Winning Business Formula
Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best Debbie Humphreys stumbled across her business idea when she took ownership of a whippet called Bruno…
036 – Can I label my product as made in the UK?
What are the rules surrounding whether you can label a product as made in the UK? “Can I label my product as made…
035 – Katherine Hooker – Creating the Perfect Coat
Katherine Hooker started her business with one garment and has been perfecting it ever since In this episode designer Katherine Hooker tells the…
034 – Should I Use Made in Britain or Made in UK?
When it comes to labelling your products what is the best term to use? Made in Britain, made in the UK, or something…
033 – Andy Ogden, English Fine Cottons – Made in Britain Starts Here
Cotton spinning has returned to the UK! Greater Manchester was once known as cottonopolis because it was the home to the world’s cotton…
Ethical Audit Committee Report on Sustainability in the UK Fashion Industry
This week the Government released the Ethical Audit Committee’s report into sustainability of the UK fashion industry. The report raised the issue of…
031 – Mick Cheema, Basic Premier – Life as an Ethical Clothing Manufacturer in Leicester
What’s it really like being a clothing manufacturer in Leicester? In this episode we hear from Mick Cheema, who runs garment factory Basic…
030 – My favourite British-made Footwear Brands
You may have heard of English shoemakers such as Church’s, Cheaneys and Tricker’s, but there are quite a few other footwear brands that…
029 – Adam Mansell, UKFT – Guiding the Textile Industry Through Brexit
How can the fashion industry prepare for Brexit? In this episode I catch up with Adam Mansell, CEO of the UK Fashion and…
UK Manufacturers List
Looking For A Manufacturer?
The Make it British UK Manufacturer & Supplier Guide contains the contact details of hundreds of hand-picked UK manufacturers and suppliers.
Get Set for Manufacturing Course
Our easy to follow online course will help guide you through the whole process of finding and working with a UK manufacturer step by step. From your initial idea, right through to getting your first products made.