BFC teams up with UKFT, M&S and CS on new High-End & Designer Manufacturing Report

By

Cajsa Lykke Carlson

Published
Mar 11, 2015

The British Fashion Council is working on protecting and developing the UK's reputation as the best place to "start, develop and grow a designer fashion business."

To help with this project, the BFC has teamed up with the UK Fashion and Textiles Association (UKFT), Creative Skillset (CS) and Marks & Spencer (M&S) and released the High-End & Designer Manufacturing Report. 

The report expects a 65% increase in demand for UK made high-end product over the next five years, which would deliver an additional turnover of over £400m and support an additional 1,700 jobs across the UK. The report also shows how fragmented the UK manufacturing sector is and highlights the need for manufacturing benchmarking.

Caroline Rush CBE, CEO, British Fashion Council commented: "A concerted effort to rebuild the UK’s fractured manufacturing capacity for the fashion sector requires action from both industry and policy makers to support recommendations made within the report. Underpinning opportunities around manufacturing will not just see job and wealth creation, but will help British fashion designers to work with British suppliers based on proximity, price competition and skilled labour whilst also enjoying the currency of the Made in England label."

The report also addresses some of the core challenges raised through the research and the steps that can be taken to combat them.