Searches for UK Clothing Manufacturers Are Up 90%. So Why Are Factories Closing Down?

Two different brand owners got in touch this week, both with the same worry. Their manufacturer was struggling to find work, and unless some new customers turned up soon, they would be going out of business. Could I help?

It is so sad when I hear of this happening. When there aren’t tons of garment manufacturers left in the UK, we can’t afford to lose the ones we’ve got.

Demand for UK manufacturing has never been higher

The main reason that clothing manufacturers close down is not that there isn’t enough work to go around. Far from it. There has never been more of a demand for local clothing manufacturers, and a quick check on Google Trends shows exactly what I know to be going on.

Searches for clothing manufacturers in the UK are up 90% on last year, and the last five years have seen 30% more searches than the five years before that.

So why are factories closing down?

Some manufacturers that I speak to are really busy, even turning down work. Whilst others are clinging onto a couple of steady customers and praying that they don’t desert them. They’re not struggling because their work is poor. Or their costs are too high.

The answer comes down to a big mismatch between supply and demand. The busy factories are constantly filling their potential pipeline of new customers by staying visible, spending money on advertising, networking and doing trade shows. Whilst the quiet ones are relying solely on old school word of mouth (and a sprinkle of magic) to hope that the customers will be there when they need them.

Whether you’re a manufacturer or a brand, you can’t expect customers to just appear if you aren’t doing any marketing.

This is not a new phenomenon

Back in 2011 when I first started Make it British, it was one of the first things that I observed when I started on my mission to uncover where all the UK manufacturers were. Conversations with factory owners around how they acquired new customers usually stretched no further than ‘word of mouth’.

At the same time, I was having conversations with brand owners, designers and buyers who wanted to know how they could find UK manufacturers.

That’s what first gave me the idea to set up the Meet the Manufacturer trade show in 2014 (later rebranded to Make it British Live!). If I could get the factories all together in one place, and get them in front of the businesses that wanted to make their clothes, accessories and homeware in the UK, it would mean that the manufacturers would have a pipeline of potential new customers to keep them in work.

And that is exactly what happened. Or at least for the 6 years that the show ran.

Why the show is coming back in 2027

But the last Make it British Live! was 7 years ago, and in that time the demand for UK manufacturing has only grown. Established brands are reshoring production, buyers are under pressure to shorten their supply chains and make them more sustainable, and a new generation of businesses want to make here too. All of them need UK manufacturers they can meet face to face.

Which is why I’m bringing the show back in January 2027, as part of The London Textile Fair at the Business Design Centre.

Manufacturers who exhibited before know it works, and they built pipelines of customers that kept them busy for years. Some are still working with clients they met at the very first show! And judging by the businesses already signing up to visit, there’s a whole new wave of customers ready to place orders with UK manufacturers.

As for the two manufacturers mentioned at the start, they both have capacity right now. So if you’re looking for a garment manufacturer and you’re ready to go, with patterns and fabrics sorted, get in touch and tell me what you’re looking for. If I think one of them could be a good fit, I’ll connect you.

And if you’re a manufacturer reading this and you’d like a stand at Make it British Live! in January, the details are here. Or if you’ve got a manufacturer that you think could benefit from exhibiting at the show, send me their details and I’ll follow it up.