This week I’m bringing some very sad news - that the UK’s only cotton spinning mill, English Fine Cottons, which brought cotton spinning back to Greater Manchester in 2018, has very sadly gone into administration.
In case you don’t know about the history of English Fine Cottons, it was set up by the technical textile spinners Culimeta-Saveguard, who invested £4.8m of its own money, £2m of which was a loan from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, to regenerate a former Victorian cotton mill and install new technology to create luxury yarn. A further £1m was awarded as a grant by the N Brown Textile Growth Programme.
English Fine Cottons was the start of something very exciting in UK manufacturing, and for this to have happened is tragic. The collapse into administration is caused by the parent group Culimeta-Saveguard going down, and unfortunately that has taken the cotton spinning down with it. Something needs to be done to save our only cotton spinning mill, otherwise this is history repeating itself.
So today's episode is a remastered version of a visit that I did to English Fine Cottons in 2019, along with an interview with Andy Ogden, who was the general manager at the time.
295 – 4 Reasons NOT to Make in the UK
294 - Should you offer discounts to get people onto your mailing list?
292 – Reviving the UK Button Making Industry with Courtney & Co Button Makers
291 - Micro Factories & Supply on Demand: UK Manufacturing at its Best
290 – From the archive: Why UK Manufacturing is More Sustainable with Christopher Nieper OBE
289 – Creating Adaptive Clothing with Caron McLuckie from Bealies Adaptive Wear
288 – Why You Should Visit Your Factory
287 – How To Sell Your Products
286 – 21 Tips for Building a Great British Brand
285 – I Never Looked at Manufacturing Anywhere Else with Catherine Bedford, Dashel Cycle Helmets
284 – Repair Is The New Cool with Thami Schweichler, United Repair Centre
283 – Tackling Textile Waste as a Slow Fashion Designer with Lydia Bolton
FAQ: Where’s The Best Place To Source Fabrics?
FAQ: How Many Factories Should I Sample WIth?
FAQ: Do I Really Need To Provide The Factory With A Tech Pack?
FAQ: Should I Get My Manufacturer To Sign An NDA?
FAQ: How Do I Approach A Manufacturer?
FAQ: How Much Does It Cost To Start A Brand?
FAQ: How Do I Find The Right Manufacturer For My Brand?
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