If you were to rummage through your wardrobe today, how many items would you find with the label, ‘Made in China’?
MADE IN BRITAIN
Whats the cost of buying highstreet?
Figures, found by the Daily Mail, show that 90% of everything we wear is imported from foreign countries, meaning that most of us don’t own a single item that has been manufactured in Britain. In a world where fast fashion and low prices are key, is there any room on the high-street for British-made goods?
Many British c o m p a n i e s manufacture large amounts of their products in countries such as China and India. One of the reasons for this is because the cost of manufacturing and labour in foreign countries is minor compared to the UK. Through manufacturing c h e a p l y , companies such as Primark are able to save money and sell their products to the public for cheap whilst making a large profit. Before 2005, there were limits on the amount of clothing that could be imported into the UK.
Since then, there’s been no restriction m a k i n g manufacturing abroad more and more popular. By producing abroad, are c o m p a n i e s destroying the manufacturing in in Britain? Or, through p r o d u c i n g affordable clothing, have they helped the economy?
ME: Do you think there’s enough clothing manufactured in Britain? PUBLIC: I think that there is some but not enough, I think that it should happen more in Britain and less abroad because as Brit ish people we should wear our own clothes. No, I don’t really know of any clothing or maybe clothing compa- nies or ranges that specifically manufacture in Britain at all, I don’t know actually
Not as much as there used to be, most of its abroad.
ME: Do you think that’s an issue to day? PUBLIC: I think maybe it’s an issue for industry here as a whole, but from what I gather its all manu factured in sweatshops in the Far East.
ME:
Do you know where your clothing is made and do you know if any of it is made in the UK?
PUBLIC:
I know where most of it is made, I know most of it probably comes from China, but at the end of the day that’s just the way the econ omy is at the moment.
Mostly from High Street stores
Yes, but they’re not vintage pieces I probably have some old coats! ME:
Do you have a problem with any clothing from the high street being made in sweat shops?
There is an issue but I tend not to dwell on it.
Do you think there’s an issue there?
To listen to the interview visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk0k4pZl1gg
Of the people asked, thought there’s not enough clothing manufactured in Britain
Bought most of their clothing from highstreet stores
Of people asked, owned clothing manufactured in Britain
Gave no comment when asked to discuss the issue of clothing manufactured in sweatshops.
In 2011, Britain imported £12.5b more clothing into the country than exported, f l o o d i n g B r i t a i n ’ s highstreets with items made abroad. Although many want to support the British manufacturing i n d u s t r y , it seems unaffordable and unrealistic to only buy B r i t i s h .
Many people in the UK have little disposable income and cannot afford to be ethical when buying clothing. It’s not just customers who can’t afford the British made label, companies would not be able to survive or compete if they manufactured in this country.
Kate Hills, founder of ‘Make it British’, a campaign supporting UK manufacturing disagrees, stating that “manufacturing in the UK is thriving, costeffective and sustainable” This is not just one person’s view, the campaign has been supported by celebrities such as Mary Portas and Eve Pollard who have tried to make a change in how people shop. These women have tried to change people’s habits of buying cheap imports over quality British goods, yet their view is not popular with the general public.
Kate Hills spoke out about the issue in 2013 in an interview with BBC Breakfast s a y i n g , “Consumers have got used to shopping soley on price.� As a nation, we no longer care about the quality of our clothing, as it is cheap enough for us to throw it away and replace it without t h i n k i n g .
The clothing manufacturing industry in the UK has almost disappeared and there are only a few companies, such as Burberry, who still manufacture their clothing here. This is sad for the country as a part of our heritage has gone and is unlikely to reappear. Although it would be great to be supporting our economy through manufacturing here, its simply not feesable anymore as costs are higher and salaries are lower than they were 50 years ago.
People can no longer afford to buy goods made in this country so they have no choice but to buy cheap imports that are often made in sweatshops. Although the public have to buy imported clothes, we all still have a choice how and where to buy clothing, t h r o u g h boycotting stores which manufacture through using sweatshops and buying clothing which is more environmentally friendly or fairtrade.
DESIGNED AND PRODUCED IN BRITAIN