Starting a Brand
How much does it cost to start a UK-made fashion brand?
Can you launch a brand with £500? Or do you need more like £50,000? We surveyed Make it British members to reveal how much it cost them to launch their brand and the results may surprise you… I’m sure many of you have heard the Cambridge Satchel story – how it’s founder Julie Deane launched…
Read More5 Trade Shows to visit if you’re looking for new suppliers in 2020
One of the best ways of finding suppliers and manufacturers is by attending a trade show. This can mean an investment of your time and money, so here we take a look at the five best sourcing shows for you to attend if you’re developing a made in UK brand. Trade shows should be planned…
Read MoreTop tips to help you prepare for your visit to a trade show
Trade shows are very busy events, with thousands of visitors trying to gain the attention of the exhibitors. To achieve the most out of your visit you need to get organised. Read our top tips to help you prepare for a successful trade show visit. 1. Write down your goals for the trade show Be…
Read More5 Reasons why you should attend a trade show
One of the best ways of finding suppliers and manufacturers is by attending a trade show, but there are many other benefits. We give you 5 reasons why attending a trade show is essential to your business. If you’re at all serious about making in the UK, trade shows should be planned as a necessary…
Read More7 Stages of fashion production for your British-made brand
Are you starting a new British-made fashion brand? You may have had a brilliant idea, but how do you get from that initial idea to having physical product to sell? We have laid out the 7 stages of fashion production to explain what you can expect on your journey. We get a lot of people…
Read MoreWhy all brands need a clear vision of the future to succeed with Charlotte Meek
Charlotte Meek, the founder of Yorkshire brand The Stitch Society, delivers a fascinating talk. She discusses branding and growing your business in the textile industry, but the lessons are relevant to all British businesses across any sector. It’s essential watching for anyone looking to build a brand in the UK today. Charlotte owns the successful…
Read MoreHow should you price your British-made products? Use our easy cost price calculator to find out
Confused about where to start when costing your British-made product? Our easy cost price calculator can help you work it out. One of the biggest issues I see with businesses launching a British-made product is not building in enough margin to wholesale. The typical newbie usually does something like this…the manufacturer gives you…
Read More7 Reasons why you should set up your own factory
Do you have your own brand but are struggling to find a manufacturer? It may be time to consider the benefits of setting up your own factory. When I first left college there was a recession on. This made it pretty tricky to get employment amongst all the other design students looking for a job.…
Read MoreHow to become an independent jewellery maker, with Isabella Day
Have you considered making the leap to a more creative career? Isabella Day shares the story of how she started her jewellery business – I hope it inspires you! Many of us dream about leaving corporate careers to make our living doing something more hands-on and creative. But, where do you start? Is it even…
Read MoreWhy all designer start-ups should have the know-how to make a garment, with Jenni Sutton of Fashion Enter
Jenni Sutton discusses the importance of technical knowledge and production skills to designers and start-up fashion brands. Fashion Enter is a large, ethical factory in North London, with a mission to support designers and train the next generation of fashion professionals. They manufacture for many brands, including ASOS, but, alongside production they offer training, apprenticeships, and mentoring.…
Read MoreHow to gain investment for your start-up brand with Simon Middleton
Brand guru, Simon Middleton, shares his advice on how to gain investment for your start-up brand and the importance of professionalism. Simon Middleton is an entrepreneur and a brand expert. In this interview, which was done originally as a Facebook Live, Simon shares his wisdom by telling us about his new venture, Blackshore Coastal Clothing, …
Read MoreHow I launched my luxury accessories brand with Patrick Morrison of Furious Goose
We interview Patrick Morrison of Furious Goose to find out more about the brand that is disrupting the world of high-end accessories with a healthy streak of British eccentricity. Based in Brighton, Furious Goose products are designed using crisp vectors of vivid colours and bold patterns. From there the designs are digitally printed onto high…
Read MoreHow I grew my British childrenswear brand with Kirsty Hartley of Wild Things
Kirsty Hartley, founder of Wild Things Dresses, talks to us about making the switch from designing for big name brands to growing her own British childrenswear brand. Kirsty has some great advice for other British-made brands. Top tips in this article include: Have a passion for what you do Source in help for areas that…
Read MoreWhere to buy British-made fashion trims
Having trouble finding fashion trimmings made in Britain? Thought no one made zips, buttons or bindings here anymore? We’ve found several suppliers who can help We’ve compiled a list of trims manufactured in the UK. From buckles to buttons, shoulder pads to zips, our list will help you source the components to make your products…
Read MoreLooking for a UK garment manufacturer? Don't start with Google
Are you looking for a UK garment manufacturer? Thinking of starting with a Google search to find a factory to make your clothing brand? Let me stop you right there. A search engine is not a good place to start in pursuit of your ideal UK garment manufacturing partner, and here’s why… Do a Google…
Read MoreNot all manufacturers are cut from the same cloth, here’s why…
If you’re looking for a UK manufacturer here are 3 things you need to know before you begin your search for one… I get a lot of people contacting me at Make it British looking for a manufacturer to make garments or accessories for their brand. Often they are a start-up and have no experience…
Read MoreThe best tips and advice from Make it British Forum 2017
The Make it British Forum 2017, in association with the Manchester Fashion Institute, was packed full of debate, expert advice, shared stories and networking. What does ‘Made in Britain’ mean? A fantastic line-up of speakers and diverse delegates from established to start-up brands, manufacturers to students, led to a lively day, packed with information. The…
Read MoreHow to build a successful relationship with your manufacturer with Tiffany London founder of Tiffany Rose and Alie Street
We visit Tiffany London, founder of British brands Tiffany Rose and Alie Street, to hear her advice on how you can build a successful relationship with a UK manufacturer How did you come up with the idea for Tiffany Rose’s maternity wear? The idea came to me when my big sister was attending a wedding,…
Read More'How I went from corporate life to launching my own womenswear brand' with Justine Tabak
Find out why Justine turned her back on corporate life to launch her eponymous label. What were the challenges? and what tips would she give others planning to do the same? Can you tell us a bit about your professional background prior to launching your own brand? I went through the British design school system,…
Read MoreLooking for UK manufacturers? Come to our trade show!
Clothing manufacturers, bag makers, fabric mills, knitwear factories, a wool room and an enterprise room specially for small businesses…find it all at ‘Meet the Manufacturer 2017’ One of the questions that I most often get asked is: ‘Where can I find UK manufacturers to make my products, I’ve looked everywhere!?‘. So in 2014 I set up an event…
Read More9 Tips for exhibiting at a trade show for the first time
Trade shows are one of the best ways to get exposure for your business, and a great opportunity to network too. Yet many companies feel daunted at the prospect of exhibiting at a trade show for the first time. Having attended dozens of shows myself – as a visitor and exhibitor, and now as an…
Read More12 Questions to ask a UK manufacturer
So you want to get something made in the UK? Even if you have the experience of developing a product before you might not have visited a manufacturer. Choosing a manufacturer is one of the most important decisions you can make in the development of a product, so it’s not something to enter into without…
Read More'How I launched my British-made handbag business' with Isabelle Ugochukwu of Isabella Queen
Founder and creative director of Isabella Queen, Isabelle Ugochukwu, on how she launched her luxury British handbag brand, life after Brexit, and what her top tips are for others launching a similar business Isabelle, can you firstly give our readers a brief overview of Isabella Queen and the accessories your brand creates? Isabella Queen is a British-based…
Read More10 Steps to Success for Working with a UK Manufacturer
Looking to manufacture goods in the UK? Here are our top tips for making it all run smoothly We get loads of enquiries here at Make it British from businesses looking to launch a product that is made in the UK. Here is some of the advice that we give on how to make sure that the…
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