How often do you buy clothes manufactured in Britain? Are
you aware of where the last item you purchased was made? Where the fabric came
from? I’m going to guess that you haven’t got a clue; me neither. Our impulse
to buy those cashmere gloves you *need* as it is winter, and you have... hands –
to quote Confessions of a Shopaholic – often overrides the ethical question
that surfaces to the front of our minds every now and again when headlines like
the Bangladesh Primark disaster hit the news.
The late 1980s and early 1990s saw a huge rise in cheap
textile production over-seas but recent talk has been suggesting that a return to
UK manufacturing is on the cards, for reasons such as lower travel cost and
market access. Companies, databases and associations are popping up all over
Britain in attempts to make an impact on our textiles industry. The UK Fashion
and Textile Association is a prime example of the UK voice working to provide a
network for brands and manufacturers striving for a home driven industry.
Despite an obvious lack of the big high street brands
switching to British manufacturing there is an overruling sense of home pride
floating within the waves of new, young and British designers. I am constantly
reading articles and blog posts of the next generation of designers and more
than often it features their organic and local choices and the pride which
comes with being a Brit. This generation cares! Now more than ever we have the means
and the ability to dig further into facts thanks to our friend, the internet.
We can, and we do, sign petitions and campaign online against corrupt
governments or to give support in conflicts, at the click of the mouse or tap
of the screen. So why don’t we have the same approach when it comes to the
fashion we wear? We refuse to buy real fur yet effectively support manufacturing
labour.
It seems that it is inevitably down to us, the consumer, to give
the movement an extra push. So maybe next time your eyes meet that perfectly
embroidered jacket across the shop and you are certain it just must be love at
first sight, look at the label just a little closer and allow that little moral
voice at the back of your head to have its chance to speak.
In response to BBC Radio 4's In Business 'Stitch in Time' episode. Listen to it here.
In response to BBC Radio 4's In Business 'Stitch in Time' episode. Listen to it here.
