Make it British Podcast

220 – What Do Consumers Really Think About Buying UK-Made Goods?

11 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The results of our Made in UK survey are in!Find out what consumers really think about buying UK-made goods.  Read the full survey results h...

219 – 8 Things to do When Sales Aren’t Going to Plan

04 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There are generally 3 main reasons why sales might not be going as expected. But don't panic!As well as discussing what those 3 reasons for a sales sl...

218 – Recycling Old Clothing into Brand New Luxury Products, Graham Holbrook

25 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I'm chatting with Graham Holbrook from Turtle Doves, a company that recycles cashmere jumpers into brand new products, including thei...

217 – You’re Invited to Made in UK Day

18 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I invite you to join us for our second Made in UK Day on 9th March 2022.Following the success of the inaugural Made in UK Day in 2021...

216 – Should You Raise Your Prices?

11 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The price of everything is going up at the moment - from fuel prices and taxes, to raw materials and shipping. But what does this mean for you if you ...

215 – Showcasing Scotland’s Textile Industry, Kitty Bruce-Gardyne

04 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kitty Bruce-Gardyne is the founder of Scottish Textiles Showcase. Originally set up to give people special guided tours around the textile mills in Sc...

214 – 5 Steps to Getting Your Product Made in the UK

28 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

One of the biggest mistakes that I see people making when they want to get a product made in the UK is that they think the first step that they need t...

213 – How to Launch an Athleisure Brand Made in the UK

21 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I chat with Chris Kyriacou, founder of activewear brand Soma Sportswear. Chris contacted me in 2019, looking for help to find manufac...

212 – Where to Source Deadstock Fabric – Deborah Lyons & Piarvé Wetshi

14 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

One of the biggest problems that many fashion firms face is how they can dispose of their deadstock fabric.At the same time, designers often have issu...

211 – The Top 6 Business Trends in 2022 for Brands That Make in the UK

07 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you have a business making or selling products that are made in the UK, what are the biggest trends that will impact you in 2022?Whilst the last 2 ...

210 – Reflecting on 2021

31 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I reflect on how much things have changed over the past couple of years for us at Make it British, as I am sure they have for you. I a...

209 – Running a Brand Championing Diversity, Shanna Bent

24 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Shanna Bent is the founder of the conscious fashion brand Maison Bent.Having previously worked with Alexander McQueen, Roland Mouret, Agent Provocateu...

208 – How to Plan For 2022

17 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When you have a product-based business and you're working with manufacturers, it's important to have a plan in place.There's no better time to do this...

207 – Celebrating the North of England’s Creativity, Charlotte Raffo

10 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Charlotte Raffo is the founder of The Monkey Puzzle Tree, a homeware business that creates award-winning, artist designed fabrics and wallpapers with ...

206 – There’s more to marketing your brand than just Instagram!

03 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Of all the social media platforms that small businesses use to promote their business, Instagram seems to be the one that evokes the biggest love/hate...

205 – A visit to Shahtex to see seamless garment production

26 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today we are going on a trip to Leicester to meet the family behind textile firm Shahtex.The guys at Shahtex are experts in circular knitting. Up unti...

204 – Making luxury lingerie in the UK – Lucy Jones, Lucy Jones Lingerie

19 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Lucy Jones was the founder of a prestigious, luxury lingerie brand back in the 1980s.Her distinctive silk lingerie was stocked in retailers such as Ha...

203 – 30 years of knitwear manufacturing in Leicester with Mars Knitwear

12 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Join me on a trip to Leicester to meet Said Saleh and Keith Cummings from Mars Knitwear. Based in Wigston, Leicestershire, the chaps at Mars have been...

202 – How I Dealt With the Copycats and Came Out on Top, Monika Young

05 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Monika Young is the founder and creative director of Monika the Label - a sustainable fashion brand inspired by 70s California and made in the UK.In t...

201 – 7 things that successful British-made brands do

29 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What are some of the things that I see successful British-made brands do consistently?In the first episode of series 4 of the Make it British podcast ...

New Series Coming Soon!

08 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The new series of the Make it British Podcast is coming very, very soon! Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss it. As well as the usual advice and...

200 – 20 tips for building a great UK-made brand

27 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I've interviewed some fantastic guests over the past 3 series of the Make it British podcast. To celebrate the milestone which is 200 episodes, I...

199 – 11 tips for starting a UK-made brand

24 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Starting any business can be tough - especially one that involves making products! Whether you are just about start a brand, or you've already launche...

198 – How long does it take to launch a new product?

20 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Probably one of the questions that I get asked more than any other is 'how long will it take me to launch a new product if I make it in the UK?' The s...

197 – The Importance of Quality – Maria Grachvogel

17 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

London-based designer Maria Grachvogel is renowned for her clever use of cutting to flatter the female figure. In this interview, Maria talks abo...

196 – How to follow up with a manufacturer

13 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How do you follow up with a manufacturer (and have a better chance of a response)? In this episode I give you some great tips on how to make sure that...

195 – Made in Britain Starts Here – Andy Ogden

10 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

One of our epidode's from the very first series that is well worth a revisit is this one with Andy Ogden at English Fine Cottons. Greater Manchester w...

194 – What To Do When Manufacturing Goes Wrong

06 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Unfortunately, mistakes can and do, happen in manufacturing, but there are ways to avoid them. In this episode, we look at the main reasons that manuf...

193 – Running the Oldest Factory in the UK – Ian Maclean MBE

03 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I chat to Ian Maclean, managing director of John Smedley – the oldest operating factory in the world. John Smedley is one of t...

192 – Why you should visit a factory

30 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I think visiting a factory is essential for anyone that is developing a new product. One of the benefits of making in the UK is that factory visiting ...

191 –Building a great British brand – Julie Deane CBE

27 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Julie Deane CBE, set up the Cambridge Satchel Company in 2008 with £600 and went on to make it a global, multi-million-pound business.But behind the ...

190 – Why UK manufacturers don’t sample for free

23 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Some people think manufacturers should do any initial work for no charge in order to pitch for your business. But that’s often not the case.In this ...

189 – Calling out Boohoo for using unethical garment factories – Dominique Muller

20 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Labour Behind the Label is a workers rights organisation that fights for living wages for garment workers. They have produced a report about the ...

188 – 10 things that make British-made businesses great

16 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I look back over the first 100 episodes of this show to find out what makes British-made businesses great. There are many common them...

187 – How to make sales on live video – Lindsey James, Violet Flamingo

13 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today I’m chatting to Lindsey James, who is the founder of womenswear brand Violet Flamingo.Lindsey was making and selling bespoke clothing for her ...

186 – Taking a break!

09 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Just a quick one today, to say that I'm taking a break from recording new episodes after next week.In the meantime, I have selected 10 of the best epi...

185 – Reeducating Customers to Buy Better and Buy Less – Rita Britton

06 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Rita Britton is somewhat of a fashion legend. For 50 years she ran an independent fashion store in Barnsley, Yorkshire called Polyanna, which was...

184 – Should you use a production consultant to help make your products?

02 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you want to develop a range of products but have little manufacturing experience you might be thinking of employing the services of a production co...

183 – It was a stupid idea, now it’s a million pound business – Brant Richards

29 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Brant Richards is one of the founders of HebTroCo.5 years ago, he and his business partner Ed had an idea in the pub - to start making trousers in Heb...

182 – Why Google is the last place to look for UK manufacturers

25 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Do you want a manufacturer in the UK? On today's episode I discuss the reasons why searching in Google for a manufacturer to make your products could ...

181 – Looking after Scotland’s oldest cashmere brand – Simon Cotton

22 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Johnstons of Elgin is the largest textile manufacturer in the UK. The 223-year-old company employs over 1,000 people and was the first to bring cashme...

180 – LIVE: How to make more money making in the UK

18 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is a lesson to anyone that wants to make in the UK but is struggling to make their pricing work.YES, it is possible to have a thriving an...

179 – Growing a UK-made lifestyle brand – Rebecca J Mills

15 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Rebecca Mills has a background in buying and retail for some big-name brands, yet when it came to running her own business she found it very different...

178 – The real reason you aren’t making any money with your UK-made business

11 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I get contacted all the time by people looking for ‘more affordable’ UK manufacturers. They’re not making any money in their business and they b...

177 – A guide to digital textile printing – Debbie McKeegan, Texintel

08 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Debbie McKeegan has over 30 years experience in textile printing - specifically digital printing. She is the founder of TexIntel, a platform that prov...

176 – When should you choose making overseas versus making in the UK?

04 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There are really four different scenarios in which it's probably better to manufacture overseas than in the UK.In this episode, I run through what tho...

175 – The benefits of lean manufacturing – James Stewart, Lean Practitioner

01 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

James Stewart is an experienced lean practitioner who has worked with Burberry and Fashion Enter to help streamline their manufacturing process.‘Lea...

174 – Why are your products not selling?

28 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If your products aren’t selling - don’t get disheartened! There can be many reasons why products don’t sell, but there are also lots of things y...

173 – Launching an Organic Skincare Brand – Hannah Lovegrove

25 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In an industry that is dominated by big brands, how can you stand out from the crowd and launch something new?In this episode, I chat to Hannah Lovegr...

172 – Should you sell your UK-made products on an online marketplace?

21 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What are some of the pros and cons of selling your products on an online marketplace?And how do you know which ones you should be on?Along with the we...

171 – How we set up a micro swimwear factory – Rich Keegan & Linda Souto Maior

18 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Rich and Linda make stunning, digitally printed swimwear under the label Usual Objections. They manufacture all of their products from a micro-factory...

170 – Are you confusing mark-up and margin?

14 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to working out your selling prices, one of the biggest mistakes people make is getting their margin and mark-up all mixed up!It’s easi...

169 – From make-up artist to product innovator – Phyllis Cohen, Face Lace

11 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s episode, we’re being joined by make-up artist Phyllis Cohen, who is also the founder of a business called Face Lace.Phyllis started her...

168 – How much does it cost to start a UK-made brand?

07 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There are a lot of different costs involved in launching a brand. But in this episode, I break it down into four main segments: prototyping; stock; ma...

167 – Building a Business With Your Customer in Mind – Rowena Howie

04 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Rowena Howie’s Revival Retro store in central London is a destination shop for fans of her flattering dresses and stylish accessories.In this episod...

166 – 12 Questions to ask a new manufacturer

30 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Choosing a manufacturer is one of the most important decisions you can make in the development of your products, so it’s important to find the right...

165 – How the pandemic has changed our manufacturing business – Jenny Holloway

27 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today I’m chatting to UK garment manufacturer Jenny Holloway who I first featured on this show on episode 21 back in January 2019.Jenny runs Fashion...

164 – 8 Things to look out for when visiting a manufacturer

23 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When you go to visit any manufacturer for the first time it’s your opportunity to find out exactly how they operate.The more factories you visit the...

163 – How to Use Data to Transform Your Business – Jodi Muter-Hamilton

20 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Data and digital are drastically changing how we all shop and the way that products are made.In this conversation recorded at Make it British Live! On...

162 – Fail to plan…plan to fail!

16 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A range plan is an essential tool for any product business. Without it you are setting yourself up for failure.Yet many of the small businesses that I...

161 – 50 years of manufacturing in the UK – John Elliott MBE, Ebac

13 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

John Elliott MBE founded Ebac nearly 50 years ago. The company has also sold 1.5 million dehumidifiers over the years and is the only manufacturer of ...

160 – Should You Start With a Seamstress or a Factory?

09 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you want to launch a clothing label should you get your first samples made by a seamstress or should you go straight to working with a factory?In t...

159 – Tips for Trading With the EU as a Small Business – Rachel Bowditch

06 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How Rachel Bowditch discovered a gap in the market and turned it into a thriving business with loyal fans.Alice Bow became an overnight sensation when...

158 – What is a Critical Path and Why do You Need One?

02 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Does the phrase critical path fill you with dread? Or make you jump for joy?When it comes to manufacturing a product a critical path is...critical!In ...

157 – Tapping into Deadstock Materials – Dessy Tsolova

30 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How can you find deadstock materials for your brand? In this episode, Dessy from Fashion Insiders & Co and I discuss some of the challenges o...

156 – 5 reasons why you might not be able to find a UK manufacturer

26 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you're struggling to find a UK manufacturer there's usually one of five reasons why you can't find one.In this episode, I explain what those five s...

155 – Creating change in the UK fashion industry – Lee Akpareva

23 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Lee Akpareva is a fashion designer, tailor and technology consultant. He's also creative director of Never Fade, a fashion store and creative spa...

154 – Made in UK vs Made in Britain

19 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Should you use Made in UK or Made in Britain? And what's the difference?A few people have asked why we chose to call the awareness campaign Made in UK...

153 – Building a family business in post-Brexit Britain – Gillian Tusting

16 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What does it mean to be a UK leather bag business in 2021?Today I’m chatting with Gillian Tusting from English heritage leathergoods brand Tusting.G...

152 – Are you charging enough for your UK-made products?

12 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you manufacture a product in the UK, selling your product for too low a price could be detrimental to your brand.And putting your prices up could a...

151 – 10 years of Make it British – what’s changed?

09 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to series 3 of the Make it British podcast!On the 10th anniversary of the founding of Make it British I take a look back at some of my milesto...

BONUS EPISODE: Made in UK Day

23 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Made in UK Day is taking place on 9 March 2021. In this episode, I explain why I've started an awareness day for UK makers, and how you can get involv...

150 – 11 trends for 2021 and beyond

29 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What will 2021 hold for businesses that make in the UK?In the last episode of 2020, and the last of series two, I look at some of the trends that I th...

149 – A look back on 2020

22 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is part one in a two part series where I'll be looking back on our year in 2020 and then looking forward to 2021.There is no doubt tha...

148 – How to promote a UK-made brand

15 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

UK-made goods have huge value both at home and abroad. If you have a UK-made brand are you doing enough to shout about it?In this episode, I share my ...

147 – Catherine Erdly, The Resilient Retail Club

08 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Catherine Erdly is the founder of The Resilient Retail Club. She has a background in retail as a merchandiser for some of the best-known High Street r...

146 – LIVE: No Black Friday

01 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This is a recording of an Instagram live that I did on the last Friday in November. A day often referred to in the retail calendar as Black Friday.I d...

145 – Revisited: James Eden, Private White V.C.

24 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How do UK manufacturers and brands compete with huge overseas factories and the likes of Black Friday discounting?In this episode, I revisit an interv...

144 – Revisited: The Making of Make it British

17 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week we've been spending time updating the About page on the Make it British website. It's still not finished yet so please don't look at the old...

143 – Kath Whitworth, Celtic & Co

10 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Based in Cornwall in the South West of England, Celtic & Co is the original sheepskin boot company.Kath Whitworth and her husband Nick bought the ...

142 – Julie Deane OBE, Cambridge Satchel Company

02 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Julie Deane OBE, set up the Cambridge Satchel Company in 2008 with £600 and went on to make it a global, multi-million pound business. But behind the...

141 – How to darn socks…and other ways to have a more sustainable wardrobe – Emma Mathews, Socko

27 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Emma Mathews is the founder of sustainable sock brand Socko and the author of 'How to quit fast fashion; 100 expert tips for a sustainable wardrobe' I...

140 – Why UK manufacturing is more sustainable – Christopher Nieper OBE, David Nieper

20 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Christopher Nieper OBE is the managing director of David Nieper, a womenswear business in Alfreton in Derbyshire. The firm was set up by Christop...

139 – Launching a luxury British childrenswear brand – Rachael Attwood, Britannical

13 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Rachel Attwood is the founder of luxury childrenswear brand Britannical, and a long-standing member of Make it British. The business started life...

138 – You don’t have to be a b*tch to succeed in fashion with Elizabeth Stiles

06 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Elizabeth Stiles is a straight-talking fashion buyer turned small business consultant.She helps fashion brands with their marketing, manufacturing and...

137 – Sketch Pad to Shopping Bag – The Future of Fashion Fulfilment

29 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The second in our series of live panel discussions in association with Kornit Digital, manufacturers of advanced digital printing solutions.‘Sketchp...

136 – Working in retail as a textile designer – Davinder Madaher, Madaher

22 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Davinder Madaher has been a textile and print designer in the fashion and homeware industry for 30 years.In this episode, he talks about his career - ...

135 – How to grow a business in difficult times – Hedley Putnam, Putnams

15 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Putnams is an award-winning homeware manufacturer based in Plymouth, Devon.The business was started over 40 years ago by Hedley Putnams' parents, and ...

134 – Should you move your manufacturing to the UK?

08 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Are you currently making your product overseas but thinking about bringing it back to the UK?The pandemic has caused ongoing supply chain disruption a...

133 – The future of trade shows

02 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How do you feel about virtual trade shows?2020 has certainly changed the way the whole world works and does business, but if you are in the business o...

132 – Can I label my product as ‘Made in the UK’?

25 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Do you find Made in the UK labelling confusing? Do you have a product and want to find out whether you can label it as 'Made in the UK?' In this recor...

131 – Launching a drinks brand made in the UK – Jack Scott, Dash Water

17 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I introduce you to Jack Scott, the co-founder of Dash Water, a British brand with great provenance.Dash water uses only misshapen fru...

130 – Calculating cost per wear

11 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What is the true cost of that cheap coat that you buy on the high street?Whilst the price of clothing has gone down over the last sixty years, so has ...

BONUS: How do we future-proof the UK textile industry?

05 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Wouldn’t it be great if the UK textile industry could create less waste, increase sales and become more profitable? Local manufacturing is an i...

129 – Manufacturing on-demand in a micro knitwear factory – Samantha Brooke, Waring Brooke

04 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Samantha Brooke is a knitwear designer who has worked in Italy for Alberta Ferretti, and in China for a mass-produced knitwear brand.She created her o...

128 – Why reshoring is more cost-effective – Rob Law MBE, Trunki

30 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Trunki needs little introduction; since its invention in 2006 over 4 million of the animal-shaped ride-on suitcases have been sold and it has beco...

127 – Amy Fettis, AIM Athleisure – What is an MVP and why should you start with one?

21 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Amy Fettis is the founder of fashion-led sportswear brand AIM Athleisure. When she first launched the brand she made all of the mistakes that many new...

126 – Simon Cotton, Johnstons of Elgin – Looking after Scotland’s oldest cashmere brand

14 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Johnstons of Elgin is the largest textile manufacturer in the UK. The 223 year old company employs over 1,000 people and was the first to bring cashme...

125 – Calling out Boohoo for using unethical garment factories – Dominique Muller, Labour Behind the Label

07 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Labour Behind the Label is a workers rights organisation that fights for living wages for garment workers. They have produced a report about the unet...

124 – To Wholesale, or Not to Wholesale

30 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Whether to wholesale is one of the biggest decisions that brands have to make, and it is often much more of a difficult decision for businesses that m...