5 THINGS ABOUT UK TEXTILES 2014

Ahead of the Natwest UK Fashion And Textile
Awards 2014 on May 22nd, we've been taking stock
of the amazing things that have happened in the UK
textile industry since the start of the year. And
there's no bad news here...

1. Chanel announced plans to create 100 new
knitwear jobs in Scotland. Think all that Lagerfeld-
dreamed-up magic happens in Paris? Not so much.
The fashion house works with Barrie Knitwear in
Hawick to create its cashmere products. In April,
president of Chanel Bruce Palovsky revealed the
company has plans to expand its business there
over the next three years.

2. Textile manufacturing in the UK is seriously back
in vogue. Businesses who resisted the trend to
produce abroad have reported incredible profits –
prime example? Savile Row's Drake's Of London
made £7m last year - and new labels are following
suit. Hipster brand Bitching And Junkfood quit China
to manufacture from Edmonton, east London, while
the first "made in Britain" stiletto company Yull
Shoes, opened in 2011.

3. Smart textiles AKA the wearable tech business is
booming in the UK. British-made interactive textiles
are now being used by huge brands such as Nike,
Quicksilver, Tommy Hilfiger, Levis and North Face.

4. Companies want textiles made in the UK. Talking
to fashion industry bible Drapers earlier this year
from London's Textile Forum, business manager of
Hainsworth Wool Michael Booth said: More and
more people want the UK made product," he said.
"People have got tired of everything made in
sweatshops, it's about quality now."

5. The UK's first ever fashion and textiles show is
happening. "Meet The Manufacturer" is being
launched by ex-Burberry accessories designer and
Debenhams buyer Kate Hills and set to take place on
June 11th and 12th at the Old Truman Brewery. It's
aim? To "support a revival in UK fashion and textile
manufacturing".
MyDaily is the official media partner of the UK
Fashion And Textile Awards 2014.

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5/14/2014 | 0 comments

The London Textile Fair is set to launch an extra edition for Asian suppliers

The London Textile Fair is set to launch an extra edition for Asian suppliers this October, after KellyKO, the fairs organizers were “completely inundated” with requests from Asian textile manufacturers and mills.

“The London Asia Textile Fair will now be the first fair catering exclusively for manufacturers from the Asian market. With the support of many of the biggest UK textile agents, the fair will undoubtedly be a great success,” commented the fairs' organizers.

Known as the London Asia Textile Fair, the event is set to showcase a number of textile suppliers from China, the Philippines, Korea and Thailand. The fair will be hosted in Shoreditch's town hall in London, from 27 October to 28, 2014.

John Kelley, the fair organizer, revealed that already 35 exhibitors have signed to show and 100 manufacturers are predicted to attend the upcoming edition.

“We kept on getting requests from Asian manufacturers to join the London Textile event but as time scales are different we wanted to keep the Asian and European manufacturers separate,” he commented to Drapers.

'”We have a lot of the big boys in the clothing industry coming, all of the mills that deal with top UK retailers.” The fair will not be as large as its counterpart, the London Textile Fair, and is more selective with its exhibitors.

The Asian Fair is set to occur after the London Textile Fair, which is has over 250 exhibitors and will be held at the Business Design Center, in London on July 16 and 17.

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5/04/2014 | 0 comments