The UK textile trade is dead. We don’t make anything here anymore; it’s all gone off shore. We couldn’t compete with the prices, minimum quantities have come down, and the quality of overseas design and manufacturing has improved.
It’s true, but there are still pockets of home grown resistance, plotting in un-marked industrial units, inserting the subversive ‘made in Britain’ label, and quietly exporting to the world.
A few spring to mind, but our work most recently with Baraj is particularly interesting. The t-shirt is part made, then deconstructed and re-built, incorporating layered fabrics, and well thought out stitching detail. Each T is then individually hand printed with overlaying colours, creating additional shades and ink textures. No two shirts are quite the same; this combined with the above processes means they command a premium value, and fit neatly into a full range of tailored men’s and women’s wear.
We’re seeing new UK labels, without fail, every week – small, flexible outfits, with strong design, commercial awareness and a decent chance. It’s not over yet….not by a long way.
www.october.co.uk
t-shirt printing, screen printing and embroidery
