CWB MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2017 ISSUE 108

A FRESH LOOK AT KIDS’ FASHION, FOOTWEAR AND LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS

cwb-online.co October 2017 Issue 108 £9.95

Incorporating

SCHOOLWEAR BUYER:

THE SCHOOLWEAR SHOW Exclusive preview of the exhibition’s offer for BTS 2018 MARKING 20 YEARS OF THE SCHOOLWEAR SHOW The Schoolwear Show’s founders discuss the event’s past, present and plans for the future ROWLINSON RELOCATES Rowlinson’s plans for growth, including a move to new premises

Sponsored by:

CONTENTS | CWB-ONLINE.CO

CONT ENTS:

47

14 20 25

REGULARS

FEATURES

05: Comment

16: Social media: How to stop misuse of your brand Fashion law expert Rosie Burbridge on how to avoid online exploitation

06: News

10: Legal advice Fashion, designs and Brexit

18: Working in a sustainable fashion Why producing better quality, longer-lasting clothes is a winwin situation for manufacturers, retailers and consumers

12: Retail Therapy Store profiles and retail news

20: Grass & Air The latest addition to the kids’ outerwear market

08: NCWA

14: Brands to Watch Editor’s pick of brands 24: Style Guide Changing bags for dads 25: Laura Loves The coolest products for kids 62: Talking point Glenn Leech, CEO of Banner

22: The Christmas Gift Guide Children’s Christmas gift ideas, available in-store now SCHOOLWEAR 28: News 30: A new Innovation How Innovation Schoolwear has moved on since a large fire destroyed its warehouse, and all of the contents, in 2015

32: Twenty questions with Steve Optix, of Brenda’s, winner of the Best Schoolwear Store category in the CWB Independent Retail Awards 2016 34: Q&A: Joel Chadwick, MD, Chadwick Textiles With a growing sales team and a new head office mid-build, Back to School isn’t the only thing keeping Chadwick Textiles busy this year 39: Marking 20 years of The Schoolwear Show The Schoolwear Show’s founders discuss the event’s past, present and plans for the future 42: Rowlinson relocates Rowlinson’s plans for growth, including a move to new premises at the end of the year 47: The Schoolwear Show A preview of what will be on offer at this month’s show Front Cover image: Banner 0333 7000 888 www.banner.co.uk OCTOBER 2017 - 03

www.julietwiolandphoto.co.uk

See things differently... #discoverbubble 28 & 29 January 2018, Business Design Centre Apply for a stand at bubblelondon.com

COMMENT | CWB-ONLINE.CO

COM MENT: Welcome to the October issue, CWB’s dedicated schoolwear edition coordinated with the annual trade exhibition, The Schoolwear Show.

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For the past decade, I have been reporting on the schoolwear industry, and for the majority of those years, I have attended The Schoolwear Show. Over that time I’ve witnessed the exhibition – in line with the schoolwear industry as a whole, I feel – evolve and grow, despite the competitive and challenging market.

But, unlike any of the other trade shows we work with, The Schoolwear Show was founded, and continues to be organised, purely by members of the industry – five suppliers, to be precise. So, with this year marking the 20th anniversary, we felt it an ideal opportunity to recognise these suppliers who tirelessly give their time, in addition to running their companies, in order to provide the industry with a trade show event. The article, which you’ll find on page 39, offers insight into the event’s past, present and future plans, along with some fond memories from over the years.

Sticking with this year’s Schoolwear Show, as well as it being a milestone for the event, the Sunday night will also feature the presentation ceremony for the much-anticipated, inaugural Schoolwear Association Awards. The ceremony will take place during Strictly Schoolwear, this year’s glamorous, ballroom-themed SA fundraising evening, with the winners revealed exclusively on the night. If you haven’t already secured a place to attend Strictly Schoolwear, I would recommend doing so, it’s set to be an exciting night.

In addition to the aforementioned, you’ll

Editor Laura Turner laura@ras-publishing.com Contributors Isabella Griffiths isabella@ras-publishing.com Christina Williams christina@ras-publishing.com Victoria Jackson victoria@ras-publishing.com Designers Michael Podger mick@ras-publishing.com Clive Holloway clive@ras-publishing.com James Lindley james@ras-publishing.com Richard Boyle richard@ras-publishing.com Sales executive Michele Ali michele@ras-publishing.com Subscriptions data@ras-publishing.com Head of childrenswear Lindsay Hoyes lindsay@ras-publishing.com Editorial director Gill Brabham gill@ras-publishing.com Marketing director Stephanie Parker stephanie@moda-uk.co.uk Reprographics/printing Image Data Group Ltd 01482 652323

CWB is published 6 times per year by ITE Moda Ltd, The Old Town Hall, Lewisham Road, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield HD7 5AL. Call 01484 846069 Fax 01484 846232 cwb-online.co Copyright© 2017 CWB Magazine Limited. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any written material or illustration in any form for any purpose, other than short extracts for review purposes, is strictly forbidden. Neither ITE Moda Ltd nor its agents accept liability for loss or damage to transparencies and any other material submitted for publication.

find plenty more schoolwear content this issue, including an interview with Banner’s new CEO, Glenn Leech; insight into Innovation Schoolwear and the company’s road to recovery following a warehouse fire back in 2015; a catch-up with Steve Optix of Brenda’s, who won Best Schoolwear Store in the CWB Independent Retail Awards 2016; a look at Rowlinson Knitwear’s plans for growth, including a move to new premises at the end of the year; and an interview with Chadwick Textiles who, with its growing sales team and a new head office mid-build, has lots to talk about.

Aside from schoolwear, we also have some great content from the world of children’s fashion this issue, including our latest Brands to Watch, a Christmas gift guide, retail news and an introduction to the new kids’ outerwear brand, Grass & Air. On that note, I’ll leave you to read on, and to those of you attending the Schoolwear Show this month – I look forward to seeing you there.

Laura Turner Editor

CWB is a joint venture between RAS Publishing and the National Childrenswear Association.

A Buyer Series Fashion Business Publication CWB is a fashion business publication produced by ITE Moda Ltd. Other titles include WWB and MWB. ITE Moda Ltd is an ITE Group company.

OCTOBER 2017 - 05

CWB-ONLINE.CO | NEWS

CWB NEWS: BRAND MACHINE GROUP LAUNCHES IN LONDON

CHILDRENSALON CEO NAMED BUSINESS WOMAN OF THE YEAR Michele Harriman-Smith, CEO of online designer children’s fashion retailer Childrensalon.com, has been crowned Business Woman of the Year at the 2017 UK Private Business Awards (UKPBA), which celebrate excellence in UK privately owned businesses.

Winners of UKPBA 2017 were revealed among the nation’s top private companies on Thursday 14 September at East London’s the Brewery.

The Business Woman of the Year award recognizes an exceptional business woman who has played an integral part in building a company, driven its growth and has understood the importance of a customer-centric business. It is also acknowledges a forward-thinker and a strong role model for other women in the industry.

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Brand Machine Group, which delivers designer brands for kids to retailers across the globe, has enhanced its presence with a brand new base in London.

The new showroom, located at Derbyshire House, King’s Cross, presents leading international brands such as Lyle & Scott, Ben Sherman, Original Penguin, Farah Jeans and Sugar Pink, with Franklin & Marshall and U.S. Polo ASSN having joined the group for s/s 18.

To mark the showroom’s opening last month, Brand Machine Group invited bloggers, press and key retailers to an evening of a/w 18 collection previews, alongside entertainment, cocktails and canapes on its roof terrace.

To book an appointment to view Brand Machine Group’s childrenswear ranges, email marketing@brandmachinegroup.com or call 020 7833 5772.

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HUNTER APPOINTS NEW DESIGN DIRECTOR Daniel Shaw has been named as the new design director at Hunter. Shaw joins Hunter from Christopher Raeburn, where he led the design studio. Working across the men’s and women’s collections, he was instrumental in delivering the London Fashion Week shows, as well as key collaborations with brands such as Rapha, Eastpak and MCM. In his new role, Shaw will be responsible for design across all collections within Hunter Original and Hunter Field.

“I believe in Daniel we have found that very rare commodity – a designer who not only understands how to deliver design integrity, but can do it while always maintaining a commercial position and retain visibility of the consumer,” says Hunter’s creative director, Alasdhair Willis.

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BUBBLE LONDON TO LAUNCH CATWALK

MUDDY PUDDLES X TOOTSA For winter 2017, UK childrenswear brands Muddy Puddles and Tootsa have collaborated to create a high-performance, unisex ski jacket.

Stylish and practical, the new Blizzard Sunrise jacket combines Muddy Puddles’ technical fabrics with Tootsa’s vibrant rainbow and sun appliqué design, originally used on its iconic quilted denim jacket. Created to protect children from driving snow, the jacket includes a waterproof coating, taped seams and insulation.

Other key features include an iPod holder, a pull-down ski pass holder and wrist warmers. For added versatility, a removable hood and zip-off snow skirt mean the jacket can also be transformed into an everyday winter coat.

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06 - OCTOBER 2017

For a/w 18, children’s trade show Bubble London will return to the BDC, Islington, with the addition of a catwalk event.

Featuring both guest and exhibiting brands, catwalks are scheduled to run several times a day throughout the two-day show on Sunday 28 and Monday 29 January.

Renowned for its comprehensive seminar programme, Bubble’s model of incorporating added value content within its shows has already proven popular with visitors.

Building on this content with the addition of a catwalk is set to reinforce this reputation, while confirming Bubble’s position as the leading UK trade exhibition for the sector.

Commenting on the development, event director Lindsay Hoyes adds, “For many retailers, Bubble may be the only opportunity to see brands’ a/w 18 collections on a catwalk this season.”

Further information on the a/w 18 edition of Bubble, including the catwalk events, seminar programme and latest brand signings, will be available soon at www.bubblelondon.com and via the event’s social media platforms.

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MARKET BY KLEINE FABRIEK CLOSES MARKET by Kleine Fabriek, the Amsterdambased children’s fashion and lifestyle trade show, is being discontinued. The show’s organiser, Modefabriek Bv, has cited recent developments in the children’s fashion and lifestyle sectors, and changes to the retail environment as the main reasons behind the decision.

Going forward, Modefabriek Bv plans to expand with new, national and international shows in the creative sector, including consumerrelated events.

Over recent years, in addition to the eponymous Modefabriek show, Modefabriek Bv has successfully launched a number of new events, including Amsterdam Denim Days, New York Denim Days (first edition September 2017) and creative conceptual partnerships such as LINDA.festival.

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NEWS | CWB-ONLINE.CO

CHIPMUNKS TEAMS WITH CHILDREN’S CHARITY

BELSTAFF LAUNCHES KIDSWEAR British luxury lifestyle brand Belstaff has launched its first unisex kidswear collection under creative director, Delphine Ninous. The collection, which sees the introduction of new outerwear styles and jersey for 6-12 years, includes a hand-painted motorbike print, the Belstaff Phoenix and new logo design features.

Highlights include the updated wax cotton Junior Roadmaster. The iconic, four-pocket jacket has been developed for kids with a drawstring waist, while retaining the classic Belstaff check lining, brass hardware and articulated shoulders and elbow details. The Tourmaster, another waxed cotton jacket offering, features two front pockets and a hood. Meanwhile, the Holland jacket provides a lightweight, hooded technical quilt with a water-repellent Teflon finish. The jersey collection includes a hoody and T-shirts with differing, hand-painted prints.

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Children’s footwear brand Chipmunks has joined forces with Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity to support the organisation’s vital work with seriously ill youngsters. The collaboration will see Chipmunks, which is part of Courtaulds Footwear, introduce a brand new capsule collection.

Available later in the year via Chipmunks’ website, the collection will initially include an exclusive pair of wellingtons and slippers featuring the charity’s mascot, Marvin the Marvellous Crocodile. Ten per cent of all proceeds from these products will be donated to the charity.

To help further endorse the partnership, Marvin the Marvellous Crocodile will also appear on all of Chipmunks’ shoe boxes.

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KERIKIT HELPS THE HONEYPOT CHILDREN’S CHARITY

NEW PHASE FOR ALL BY MAMA

A new partnership between leather changing bag brand KeriKit and The Honeypot Children’s Charity will see £10 of the profit from each KeriKit bag sold online donated to the charity.

Since 1996, The Honeypot Children’s Charity has been working to enhance the lives of young carers and vulnerable children aged 5-12 years by providing regular respite breaks at one of its two Honeypot Houses.

The charity also provides ongoing outreach support through the Honeypot Playbus, which visits children in their local communities up to three times a year.

“I believe that every child deserves a childhood and yet it is a harsh reality that not every child gets one,” says KeriKit’s managing director, mother-of-three Keri Jamieson, on her decision to support the charity. “I want to ensure that KeriKit had philanthropy built into its foundations.”

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All by Mama, the online marketplace for parent-run businesses founded by mother and entrepreneur Gemma Whates in 2014, relaunched this month with a new brand identity.

The aim of the website, which features a range of products created by parents, is to support and promote flexible working for mums and dads who don’t want to have to choose between family or work life.

Through its rebrand, All by Mama is seeking to broaden its appeal to an even wider market, providing its seller base with an even more aspirational website, which will be recategorised and organised by product price and delivery time.

Plans for the business include expanding the product range, securing a third round of investment, adding to the service provided to sellers as well as collaborating with like-minded brands, aligning with and supporting relevant charity projects and campaigns and, longer-term, entering into international markets.

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NEWS IN BRIEF

— Research by KPMG and the Government’s Cyber Aware campaign suggests the retail industry is not taking the threat of cyber crime seriously enough, with 1 in 7 not taking steps to protect their data. The Cyber Aware campaign and the British Independent Retailers Association (bira) have teamed up to create tips to help independent retailers protect their businesses from cyber threats. https://bira.co.uk/ wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Cyberaware-Towergate-infographic.pdf

MEET MINI MILLS BOUTIQUE Launched last year, Mini Mills Boutique is a new London-based brand of fashionable childrenswear for 0-15 years.

The collection, which spans a wide range of styles and encompasses all occasions, includes girls’ tops, bottoms, skirts, jackets, dresses, sets, shoes and accessories. For boys, meanwhile, it focuses on tops, bottoms, sets, shoes and accessories. Unisex items – such as joggers, tops and sweat suit sets – also feature.

A “mummy and mini range” is available, too, featuring retro trainers, chokers and bags.

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CHI CHI LONDON LAUNCHES KIDSWEAR Online women’s fashion retailer, Chi Chi London, has launched its first kidswear collection.

Available for girls aged 3-12 years, the debut collection consists of 16 dresses and takes inspiration from Chi Chi London’s latest womenswear designs.

Highlights include coloured tulle, crochet, floral prints, 3D detailing, bows and flowers.

The new kidswear collection joins Chi Chi London’s already diverse line-up, which comprises petite, maternity, bridal and bridesmaid ranges, as well as shoes, accessories and separates.

Founded in London over 25 years ago, the Chi Chi London brand specialises in evening, prom and occasion dresses in a range of lengths and styles.

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— Sustainable wooden toy manufacturer PlanToys has launched a new mid-year collection featuring 20 new and redesigned products. From “my first” toys to role play items, all of the new products are produced from highquality, tactile rubber wood and finished with organic colouring.

A pastel colourway has also been introduced to help soothe children while playing.

— Latest research from Mintel reveals that this year Brits are set to spend an impressive £16.2 billion on online sales of clothing, fashion accessories and footwear. According to the projections, in 2017 the online fashion market will increase 17.2 per cent, continuing the sector’s spot as the most popular category bought online.

OCTOBER 2017 - 07

CWB-ONLINE.CO | NCWA NEWS

NCWA NEWS: The latest news from the National Childrenswear Association EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S COMMENT A year ago, I wrote that there was “much speculation and scaremongering about the impact of Brexit on the economy and life in the UK in general”.

Not much has changed! Indeed, we still know comparatively little about the legal framework, customs and tariff regime and economic climate in which we shall all operate once the UK has left the European Union, nor indeed how long the latter process will last.

We have had some good news, with the Government’s announcement that it will seek to ensure duty free or reduced duty access to the UK from some of the poorest countries in the world. These are important manufacturing partners for much of the clothing and textile industry, particularly for childrenswear.

Whatever the outcome of the arguments about the customs union and the single market, it is vital that UK exporters have easy access to EU member states and that this is replicated in both our major export markets and in those countries where our exporters have struggled to gain a foothold.

NCWA will be fighting over the months ahead for the childrenswear industry. To this end, do please let me know what your priorities are, whether they be import tariffs, barriers to exports, sourcing from overseas, CE marking, the current framework of standards and legislation, skilled labour from overseas or indeed anything else.

In the meantime, the show must go on. First out of the blocks is The Schoolwear Show, from 15th to 17th October. Now in its 20th year (for which congratulations are due), it is the place to go for all those in the schoolwear industry, go to www.theschoolwearshow.co.uk.

Next in the diary is the autumn/winter edition of Bubble, on 28th and 29th January, at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London N1. Details on how to book space or how to register as a visitor can be found at www.bubblelondon.com.

Information on all NCWA’s activities is available on the NCWA website, www.ncwa.co.uk (you can also join online). If you prefer, speak to Michelle Payne at NCWA, 3 Queen Square, London WC1N 3AR, tel: 020 7843 9488, e-mail: info@ncwa.co.uk. Membership is open to manufacturers and suppliers, retailers (of all sizes) and agents. Associate membership is available to those providing services to the industry and to those based overseas.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Elizabeth P Fox

NCWA Council: Chairman: DAVID HULL Agent Vice Chairman: VIRGINIA ROSS Pollyanna Retailer Imm. Past Chairman: SHARON BEARDSWORTH Emile et Rose Manufacturer Treasurer: DAVID BURGESS David Luke Ltd Manufacturer

Make your voice heard

Council Members: MARK BARNETT Barnett Agencies Agent NUALA MCKENNA Nuala McKenna Agencies Agent DIANE SHAW Agent SARAH TAYLOR Agent MALCOLM TRAVIS Travis Designs Manufacturer RACHEL RILEY Rachel Riley Manufacturer JILLIAN PETRIE Young Trend Retailer DAVID PARKER Baby Melanie Retailer President: KEN SCATES Marketing consultant Vice Presidents: LESLEY FALLON Retail consultant JACKIE COOK Retail consultant Executive Director: ELIZABETH FOX

08 - OCTOBER 2017

• Membership is open to everyone involved in the British childrenswear industry.

Read our blog and follow us on Twitter

• Associate membership, open to non-British organisations, is now available.

• Membership costs from £95.

NCWA NEWS | CWB-ONLINE.CO

ZIPPY BABY WINS DOUBLE AWARD

FTCT OFFICE RECEIVES FACELIFT

The new Zippy Sherpa Fleece Blanket range by Zippy Baby has won both a Gold and Consumer Choice award in this year’s UK parenting awards programme, The Best Baby & Toddler Gear Awards.

A new addition for Zippy Baby, the blanket range is made from 100 per cent combed cotton yarns, chenille and Sherpa fleece. Available in 14 designs, including stripes, polkas, stars and an animal print. Colours range from subtle hues and classic pastels through to bright and bold shades.

All blankets are sized 100cm x 75cm and are presented rolled with a Zippy branded ribbon and tag. The new blanket range complements Zippy Baby’s existing range of gift boxed bandana bibs, socks, muslins, swaddles and zipped all-in-ones.

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The Fashion & Textile Children’s Trust (FTCT) office has been refurbished following a £2,500 gift from The Patron’s Fund, an organisation that supports the work of the charities for which Her Majesty The Queen is Patron. The fund was launched at the Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations, The Patron’s Lunch; which FTCT attended.

The FTCT office is now bigger, allowing the team the space to focus on making a difference to families working in the fashion and textiles industries. FTCT has also been able to extend its lease, securing a more permanent home in the Victoria Charity Centre.

“The Patron’s Fund is very pleased to be able to support the FTCT with its valuable work,” says Sir Etherington, chair of the Board of Trustees for the Fund. “FTCT is among hundreds of organisations for which the Queen acts as a Patron, which between them make a difference to causes and communities in the UK and throughout the Commonwealth.”

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MIDNIGHT NOIR SHOWCASE Made in the UK, luxury childrenswear label Little Wardrobe London has unveiled its a/w 17 collection, Midnight Noir. The collection is inspired by 19th century literature and pays tribute to a child’s magical and limitless imagination.

Premiering at Harvey Nichols Knightsbridge and Manchester in July, the collection features a monochrome assortment of detailed pieces, including black silks, ivory chiffon and ostrich feather.

Alongside the return of high-impact party dresses in metallic finishes and shimmering sequins, the brand has added versatility of styling suited to both boys and girls, with a focus placed on gender-neutral pieces. These can be found in the form of a luxurious velvet tuxedo suit and a black and white chequered houndstooth jodhpur trouser.

For the very first time, the collection also features two exclusive couture pieces; made-toorder dresses inspired by the ballet, Swan Lake.

Both are made of multiple layers of silk taffeta and graced by ostrich feathers, available in black or white representing the swans Odile and Odette.

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JOULES’ REGIONAL SUPPORT OF ENTERPRISE PROGRAMME

NOODOLL TEAMS WITH TOOTSA ON NEW KIDS’ RANGE

Over the last six months, through its charity partnership with The Prince’s Trust, Joules has supported 128 vulnerable young people in Leicestershire by helping them complete the Enterprise programme. Subsequently, from January to June 2017, The Prince’s Trust was able to deliver over 35 Enterprise courses across Leicestershire.

Those who have successfully completed this year’s programme are on track to set up their own businesses with help from a dedicated mentor, or are moving into work using the skills they have gained through the programme.

And, based on past results, their future is promising: 73 per cent of Trust-supported businesses continue to operate into their third year, compared with the national figure of 61 per cent.

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Design-led gift, plush toy and stationery brand Noodoll has teamed up with unisex childrenswear label Tootsa to create a limitededition range of kids’ pyjamas.

Launching this month, the collaboration is in aid of the UK charity Gingerbread, which helps to support single parents and their children. A donation from every sale of the pyjamas will go to the charity to help it raise funds in time for Christmas.

The 100 per cent organic pyjamas – which are available for 0-6 months up to 8-10 years in a choice of green or purple – are available for a limited time only via www.noodoll.com.

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NEWS IN BRIEF

— The Essential One has launched its new collections for autumn 2017, which include a new maternity collection with nursing tops, pyjama sets, nighties and sleep bras; a new baby collection with sleepsuits, pramsuits, vests and all-in-ones; and new baby, toddler and children collections featuring both casual and smartwear.

FRUGI HAS CHRISTMAS WRAPPED Organic childrenswear brand Frugi has a festive range available for delivery in early October.

Accessible to current stockists looking to top-up a/w 17 pre-orders, as well as new stockists, highlights include a skater dress in a reindeer print, a penguin jumper and Christmas pyjama sets featuring reindeers, polar bears and snowboarding bison. New for this year is a Christmas gift for newborns in the form of a GOTS-certified organic blanket with a hood decorated with grey reindeers.

“Christmas is the biggest sales period for our retailers and we want to ensure our gift offering stands out in store,” says Frugi’s commercial director, Caroline Flood. “We are also pleased to bring back our gift bags following the amazing feedback we received from retailers last year,” she continues. “The gift bag completes a customer purchase perfectly, ensuring it will be beautifully presented and work brilliantly with our retailer’s in-store Christmas displays.”

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— Childrensalon.com, the largest online retailer for children’s designer fashion, has launched the latest capsule collection, Party, from Kenzo Kids. Designed exclusively for babies and kids, the limited-edition collection features 17 exclusive pieces for children aged one month up to 16 years, plus footwear in sizes UK8 to an adult UK5. Kenzo Kids Exclusive Edition is available online at Childrensalon.com as the exclusive UK stockist.

— Childrenswear label Girls Talk to Boys has launched The Denim Collection for both children and adults. Adult pieces, which are all made in London, includes denim trousers, a denim skirt, an oversized chambray dress and denim dungarees.

OCTOBER 2017 - 09

CWB-ONLINE.CO | LEGAL ADVICE

FASHION, DESIGNS AND BREXIT One of the most important things to fashion designers are their designs. Articles of clothing or footwear which appear in fashion shows can, within a very short time, appear in low-cost stores as copies of the originals.

Fashion designers have a number of ways to try to prevent this, including using various design rights available to them in the UK and the EU. However, once the UK exits the EU, it is likely that EU designs will no longer be a protection option available to them in the UK. There are currently four design regimes in the UK: UK registered designs, EU registered designs, UK unregistered design rights, and EU unregistered design rights.

If EU registered designs no longer apply to the UK after Brexit, it will still be possible to rely on UK-registered designs. However, many fashion designers do not seek registration of their designs because, although it is relatively quick and cheap, it is not feasible to register designs for every item in a collection. Therefore designers often rely on unregistered design rights. Until the UK exits the EU, relying on EU unregistered designs is possible. However, the UK unregistered design right differs from the EU and therefore the same protection may not be available going forward.

Designers need to therefore consider their design protection strategy now to avoid being damaged at a later date by the uncertainty of Brexit.

UK AND EU REGISTERED DESIGN RIGHTS Brexit is unlikely to have much effect on UK-registered designs. This is because both the EU and UK-registered design rights mirror each other. Therefore brand owners who wish to protect new designs can either (a) apply in the EU now and wait for (we hope) a conversion process to UK design rights or (b) apply in the EU and UK concurrently (which may result in a temporary duplication of rights). We recommend at this stage that designers opt for (b) as the form the conversion process will take and whether it will involve a further cost, examination process, or a specific opt-in process is uncertain.

However, this step can only be taken in relation to new designs as it is not possible to re-file now for UK designs which have previously been registered as EU designs.

UK AND EU UNREGISTERED DESIGN RIGHTS Brexit will have a bigger impact on unregistered designs as the UK-unregistered

design right does not mirror the EU right.

The scope of protection provided by the UK unregistered design right is different and it is not possible to protect surface decoration, patterns and colours. Therefore when the UK exits the EU, the protection afforded by EU design rights in relation to surface decoration or patterns will no longer apply in the UK and, unless registered, will be readily available for copying by third parties. In some situations, copyright may be used for protection but this will not apply in all cases.

Also, products that have been first made available in the UK will no longer be available for protection under the EU unregistered rights regime and therefore copies could be made throughout the EU with UK rights holders possibly being unable to prevent such copying.

WHAT NEXT If the UK government listens to brand owners, it is hoped that some mechanism will be put in place for amending UK law so that unregistered design rights incorporate the same rights as EU unregistered design rights after Brexit.

However, before then, brand owners should consider filing in the UK and the EU for important designs.

Explanatory table of rights: TYPE OF RIGHT UK unregistered design

SCOPE

DURATION

• Whole or part of the product

10 years after design first sold or 15 years after design created

• Does not protect patterns or colours

POINTS TO NOTE • No need to register • Must be original (not copied or commonplace)

• Includes internal, no visible parts UK registered design

• Whole or part of the product

25 years (renewable every 5 years)

• Covers shape, appearance, decoration or texture EU unregistered design

• Whole or part of the product • Covers shape, appearance, decoration or texture

EU registered design

• Whole or part of the product

• One-year grace period to register after first disclosure 3 years from day disclosed to public

• 2D drawings, photographs and graphics such as logos • Some 3D works can be protected (as works of artistic craftsmanship)

SARAH REDMOND is a senior trademark attorney and STEPHEN SIDKIN is a partner at Fox Williams LLP www.fashionlaw.co.uk www.foxwilliams.com 10 - OCTOBER 2017

• Must be “new” and give different overall impression • One-year grace period to register after first disclosure

25 years (renewable every 5 years)

• Covers shape, appearance, decoration or texture Copyright

• Must be “new” and give different overall impression

• Must be “new” and give different overall impression • One-year grace period to register after first disclosure

Creator’s life plus 70 years

• Must be original • Requires some creative input although threshold is low

© 2017 Fox Williams

ial support Do you ne ed financ ucation or for your child’s ed wellbeing? textiles, shion or If you work in fa help.

FTCT is here to

To find out more, call our friendly team in confidence on 0300 123 9002 or visit www.ftct.org.uk (calls are free from landlines and cost no more than your standard network rate)

CWB-ONLINE.CO | RETAIL

RETAIL THERAPY We reveal our favourite independent boutiques as well as news and store events from the world of childrenswear retail.

CHOCOLATE CLOTHING 50 Drury Lane, Solihull Established in March by Bill Bassi is Solihullbased designer children’s boutique, Chocolate Clothing. The retailer offers luxury children’s fashion alongside swimwear, nightwear, footwear and gifts, available both in-store and online. An impressive brand line-up includes Aston Martin, Boss, Billie Blush, Billy Bandit, Christian Lacroix, CP Company, Chloe, DKNY, Diesel, Fendi, Guess, Junior Gaultier, Lanvin, Miss Grant, Monnalisa, Moschino, Paul Smith Junior, Rachel Riley, Ralph Lauren, Simonetta, Step2wo and Young Versace.

The design of the shop has been carefully engineered to create a shopping experience that is as welcoming as it is efficient. A modern black and white colour scheme provides a minimalistic backdrop for the clothing to take centre stage, while a wall of HD screens project a fun mixture of catwalk shows and family movies to add a welcoming, informative feel to the space.

The majority of the stock runs around the perimeter of the boutique, hanging from rails.

Each rail has separate clothing stories, allowing customers to find a complementary outfit within the space of a single display, as well as providing a helping hand to those who require assistance styling a complete look.

Towards the centre of the store, accessories take pride of place, along with the retailer’s “top picks”. Providing maximum visibility for soughtafter items, these displays are also closely located to the cash register for optimal selling opportunity.

Defined by its attention to detail, Chocolate Clothing’s branding is no different. The logo is ever present within the store, from the cash register backdrop to clothing hangers, providing a high-end, coherent feel.

Chocolate Clothing invests ample time creating and delivering extra services for its clients. Examples include personal shopping and digital content ranging from inspirational blogs and social media posts through to the website’s interactive chat feature.

The retailer’s aim is to keep evolving to meet the changing needs of the modern customer.

Investing in new technology, constantly improving its customer service policies and reviewing the collections are just some of the ways it plans to keep at the forefront of luxury childrenswear. www.chocolateclothing.co.uk 12 - OCTOBER 2017

RETAIL | CWB-ONLINE.CO

LUNA & CURIOUS 24-26 Calvert Avenue, London E2 7JP Established in 2006, Luna & Curious in Shoreditch, London is owned and run by three creatives – Polly George, Kaoru Parry and Rheanna Lingham. The trio’s personalities are reflected in the space, which they like to think of as a miniature department store, offering a mix of childrenswear, womenswear, beauty, stationery, homeware, jewellery and accessories.

In March, Luna & Curious expanded the store’s retail space to create a whole shop dedicated to babies and children, with new brands and collections added to the existing offer.

The shop features a selection of children’s clothes, accessories, gifts, books and toys, as well as an extensive range of babywear and accessories. Brands include Marloe Jr, FUB, What Mother Made, Holztiger and Mini Stitches. These are available alongside Luna & Curious’ ownbrand products. www.lunaandcurious.com

INDI + WILL Whitewood, North Beach Rd, Balmedie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland A few weeks ago, Fiona Stewart, owner of online kids’ concept store Indi + Will, opened a bricks and mortar shop. Situated at Stewart’s Aberdeenshire home – an eco-house built a year ago – the store is housed in a building previously used as her studio, allowing a physical store presence without incurring Aberdeen’s high rent and rates for retail property.

Open three days a week and by appointment, the store also plays host to various events and children’s creative workshops. A Halloween-themed party with spooky crafts for kids marked the shop’s opening. A creative Christmas workshop and various shopping nights are planned for the coming weeks. www.indiandwill.com

News:

HARRODS OPENS NEW DEPARTMENT Harrods has unveiled a new baby layette, nursery furniture and prams department intended to provide the ultimate destination for baby gifts and accessories. The retailer worked with Ink Architects to design the new space, which includes illustrated paintings of woodland animals across the walls and four new feeding and changing rooms. Brands include Kissy Kissy, Paz Rodriguez and Tartine et Chocolat, as well as Bugaboo, Baby Zen and an exclusive collaboration from Silver Cross and Aston Martin.

MI-BAMBINO Launched last month, Mi-Bambino is a new online luxury children’s clothing store. The a/w 17 line-up includes Sproet and Sprout, Plumeti Rain, The Bonnie Mob, Kenzo, Guess, Roberto Cavalli and Iceberg. Currently catering for 0-24 months, the retailer is extending the age range up to 12 years from s/s 18 onwards.

Mi-bambino is the creation of Lauren Morrison, a children’s fashion aficionado influenced by a strong family heritage in fashion – namely her grandmother, a buyer and seller of clothes for children and families in Jamaica, her seamstress mother, and her father who was designing and manufacturing leather garments for men, women and children in the late 80s. www.mi-bambino.com

FARFETCH ADDS TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS David Rosenblatt has joined the Farfetch board of directors as a non-executive board member.

Boasting 25 years of experience, Rosenblatt is currently the CEO of 1stdibs, a leading marketplace for luxury goods. Since joining 1stdibs in 2011, he has successfully transformed the business from an advertising model to an ecommerce marketplace, globalized the platform and scaled operations.

Prior to 1stdibs, Rosenblatt was CEO of DoubleClick, a leading ad technology vendor and display advertising marketplace, which was acquired by Google in 2008 for $3.2b.

News in brief: LAURA WADE-GERY JOINS JOHN LEWIS BOARD The John Lewis Partnership has appointed Laura Wade-Gery as a non-executive director of the board. Wade-Gery, who is currently a non-executive director of the board of British Land and a member of the government’s Digital Advisory Board, has a wealth of experience in business and retailing, having worked for a number of businesses, including Tesco and most recently Marks & Spencer.

CHRISTMAS ON THE HIGH STREET

GENDER PAY GAP IN RETAIL

New research has revealed that 30 per cent of British consumers are worried about Christmas disappearing from the high street and, as a result, just 7 per cent will do all of their Christmas shopping online this year. The rise of online shopping has hit the high street hard over recent years, but research carried out by retailer Christmas Tree World has revealed Christmas helps to drive more people to the shops, with 39 per cent of Brits stating shopping on the high street at Christmas is part of the “festive experience”.

The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) has revealed the gender pay gap for managers in the retail sector is 19.4%, an average of £4,315 per year.

A percentage considerably lower than the average gender pay gap across all UK industries, which stands at 26.8%.

Under the government’s new reporting regulations, large employers (250+ employees) must now publicly disclose the size of their gender pay gap. As of 25 September 2017, just 80 of the 7,850 UK companies to which the new law applies have fulfilled their obligations.

OCTOBER 2017 - 13

CWB-ONLINE.CO | EDITOR’S PICK

02 01

BRANDS To Watch CWB editor Laura Turner selects the must-have collections to get in store.

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14 - OCTOBER 2017

01: U.S. POLO ASSN.

02: MABLI

U.S. Polo Assn. products are authentic and officially sanctioned by the United States Polo Association, the governing body for the sport of polo in the United States since 1890.

Currently, the childrenswear collection caters for boys aged 3-15 years, with baby and girlswear set to enter the UK market in the future. Expect classically styled, high-quality casualwear and accessories in a wide range of colour options inspired by polo clubs around the globe. Key pieces include T-shirts, polos, sweatshirts, sweat shorts, hoodies, joggers, and swim shorts. Brand Machine Group is the chosen official global partner for U.S. Polo Assn. childrenswear. Wholesale prices £7-£30. www.brandmachinegroup.com

Last year, following a relocation from London to the edge of the Brecon Beacons, women’s knit designer Lisa Roberts launched children’s brand, Mabli. Catering for 0-12 years, the label mixes practicality with luxury, specialising in extra fine, 100 per cent merino wool knits and cotton knee-high socks. Mabli’s look is a mixture of vintage-inspired designs combined with modern fits and practical details. Welsh tapestry is, and will remain, a core design inspiration. Alongside the a/w collection of machine-washable merino wool knitwear, the brand is launching its first spring knits offer for s/s 18 using fine pima cotton and linen.

Wholesale prices £5.75-£67.50. www.mabli.co.uk

EDITOR’S PICK | CWB-ONLINE.CO

05 03

04

03: AMAMAYA CLOTHING

04: LITTLE KNITTLE

05: FARAH

Launched last year, Amamaya Clothing offers childrenswear designed for the great outdoors.

Specialising in base layers and hats, this UK brand uses 100 per cent merino wool combined with child-friendly features like hidden seams and longer material in the body.

Collection highlights include UK-manufactured merino wool hats for 0-12 years available in four bright colourways and knitted in a double layer with seamless technology to ensure comfort. Merino base layers, meanwhile, offer a child-specific design in four colourways for 1-12 years. New for a/w 17-18 is a merino wool seamless hoody, gloves in a choice of two styles and a snood. Wholesale prices £10-£30. www.amamaya.co.uk

Established in December 2016, Little Knittle offers luxury knitwear for 0-5 years. The unisex product range comprises jumpers, cardigans, scarves, hats and baby blankets in 100 per cent lambswool. Little Knittle is made in a small, family-owned factory in the Scottish Borders, one of only a few remaining that still uses traditional knitwear manufacturing techniques.

Everything is handmade on vintage looms before being pieced together and finished by hand, with this ‘hand framing’ process creating a chunky, textural knit. Style-wise, the brand mixes classic designs with modern twists, with textured stitches, contrast details and colours being key. Wholesale prices £17-£41. www.littleknittle.com

Amid Brand Machine Group’s portfolio of global licensed childrenswear brands is the Farah collection for boys aged 2-15 years.

Offering timeless styles blended with fashion forward, trend-led pieces, highlights include outwear, shirts, sweats, polos, T-shirts, trousers and denim. Embodying Farah’s DNA and menswear influences, the boys’ collection has its own, distinct ‘junior identity’ designed to engage a younger generation. Utlising colour, pattern, detail and fabrication in an upbeat manner, the collection embraces effortless, easy-to-assemble looks, which are neither over-styled nor over-complicated.

Wholesale prices £7-£60. www.brandmachinegroup.com OCTOBER 2017 - 15

CWB-ONLINE.CO | REPORT

SOCIAL MEDIA: HOW TO STOP MISUSE OF YOUR BRAND Social media has huge reach and can create catchy memes or other sharable content very quickly. However, with great power comes great responsibility, and it’s all too easy for other people to exploit your online fame. Fashion law expert Rosie Burbridge offers tips to ensure your brand’s viral posts don’t become a harmful outbreak.

— If social media is not properly monitored or controlled, it is possible to rapidly lose control of your brand. Similarly, there is a big risk of individuals intentionally or unintentionally hijacking your brand name on social media.

For example, the owner of the @johnlewis account on Twitter (a Mr John Lewis based in the USA) regularly has to patiently explain to customers why he cannot help them with their enquiries. He is perfectly entitled to use that Twitter handle and, luckily for John Lewis the department store, Mr Lewis approaches the many people who mistake him with good grace and humour.

At the other end of the scale, there are people who deliberately register variations of common account names, or in some cases get in there with the obvious account name first.

They may sow further seeds of confusion by adding words like ‘official’ to their biography or in the ‘about us’ section.

The sale of counterfeit goods on social media has become much more common in recent years. It is a particular problem on Facebook where many closed groups operate ORANJ toCURIOUS sell counterfeit goods and hide infringing activities.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? Without a registered trade mark, much of the following will be difficult to achieve, so trade mark registration is the key to comprehensive social media protection.

Set up a social media monitoring programme. Ideally this will track both: 1. usernames (for trade mark infringement); and 2. social media posts (for trade mark and copyright infringement. For example, misuse of your photographs).

This programme should keep track of both people trying to trade off your name or other intellectual property rights such as photographs of your products and people involved in a deliberate strategy to disparage your brand.

There are various software tracking solutions although they come with a price tag.

However, two low technology solutions are: 1. conduct regular (for example, weekly) searches on the main social media sites; and 2. include a reporting tool on your website and social media sites so that your fans 16 - OCTOBER 2017

can easily let you know if they identify any infringing sites.

Good documentation – In all cases, it is essential that you have clear records of your rights and the infringing activity that has occurred. In many instances, you will not need to rely on this and people will move on to new brands which do not put up as much of a fight. However, if you are dealing with a persistent infringer, full and accurate records of their activities are essential in pursuing more formal legal action.

It is easy for a user to delete social media posts and whilst it is possible to obtain historic posts from a platform, this is a time-consuming and expensive process.

Use the social media platform’s automatic reporting mechanism (also known as filing a takedown notice) – All of the main social media players have some form of semiautomated notice and takedown process. This involves an online form whereby you identify your rights (for example by means of a link to your product on your official website to prove copyright ownership or one of your registered trademarks) and the infringing page or username. It is even possible to use this process to remove a listing from Google’s search index. You need to be careful that all takedown requests are completed carefully and accurately as they are often published in ‘transparency reports’: Google does this on a regular basis.

Send a cease and desist letter – This is the first line of attack by a lawyer. It puts the infringer on notice of your rights, identifies why the other person’s activities infringe your rights and the consequences of noncompliance. It is very common for cease and desist letters to be published online so even if you address it as private and confidential it may be widely circulated on the internet.

There are two approaches to cease and desist letters. In more sensitive circumstances,

consider sending a relatively nice letter directly to the infringer. If this tactic has failed in the past, the issue is a particular concern for you or things have escalated to an extent that this is unlikely to be successful, ask your lawyer to write to them directly. It is wise to get legal input on both letters, as if you overstate your rights or suggest that you have a claim for trade mark infringement when you don’t you open yourself up to a legal claim for ‘groundless threats’.

Nothing – In many instances, doing nothing may be the best policy. If a post has not gained much attention, it is likely to blow over with time. Indeed, if you engage too early you may turn a small grievance into a much bigger issue. This is the risk of automated systems.

They do not necessarily pick up on the relative nuances of a situation and can lead issues to blow out of proportion if a standard approach is applied to all potentially infringing situations.

It is important that you plan how you are going to approach different types of infringement in advance – not all infringements are equal. Some are annoying but the follower numbers are low so will have minimal impact. Others may involve high profile or vocal bloggers who will publish anything you send to them on social media. It is therefore important that you carefully balance what you do and put a plan in place for dealing with each type of infringement.

Rosie Burbridge is a senior associate at the Fashion Law Group at Fox Williams.

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CWB-ONLINE.CO | REPORT

WORKING IN A SUSTAINABLE FASHION The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) reveals why producing better quality, longer lasting clothes is a win-win situation for manufacturers, retailers and consumers alike.

The Waste and Resources Action Programme, better known as WRAP, is a UK charity whose vision is a world in which resources are used sustainably. Working with governments, businesses and communities, it seeks to find practical solutions to accelerate the move to a sustainable, resource-efficient economy.

Essentially, it wants to reinvent how we design, produce and sell products; rethink how we use and consume products; and redefine what is possible through re-use and recycling.

With clothing and textiles being one of WRAP’s priority sectors for driving change, it has carried out extensive research into the environmental impact of the whole journey of clothing – from raw materials and manufacturing, to purchase, use and disposal.

In June, it published ‘Sustainable Clothing – a practical guide to enhancing clothing durability and quality’. Researched and developed with industry, the guide shares simple steps and best practice on how to design, produce and sell sustainable clothing that lasts longer and can easily be repaired and reused. CWB takes a look at the key findings.

WHAT DOES DURABILITY MEAN? For some clothing brands, ‘durability’ and ‘quality’ are interchangeable. As well as reducing the environmental footprint of clothing, durability helps to drive quality, safeguarding against garment failure, strengthening brand reputation and helping cement customer satisfaction and loyalty. For a consumer, the durability of a product is measured by how long it provides a useful service to them. Expectations for individual items vary – jackets, coats and outerwear, for example, are expected to last for over five years, while underwear and tights have an active lifespan of less than three years.

ENHANCING THE DURABILITY OF CHILDRENSWEAR In terms of childrenswear, WRAP has five top actions for enhancing durability: design in a growth allowance; select fabrics and components that are proven to offer durability 18 - OCTOBER 2017

and colour fastness; apply fabric finishes to reduce the likelihood of staining; design garments for multi-functionality, such as reversible items; and reinforce weak areas, or areas liable to extra stress, such as elbows and knees. If used skilfully, the style and cut of childrenswear can also have impact beyond the look and feel of the garment. Unisex, multi-functional and updateable designs all increase potential wearability, along with built-in size adjustments.

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS The design stage is pivotal to the eventual durability of a garment. Choices around style, cut, fit, fibre and yarn, construction, trimmings and finishings all have an impact on the final product. Many designers and buyers will focus much of their attention on selecting and specifying the main fabric for their products.

However, a garment may be returned or disposed of not because the main fabric falls short, but due to a failing in a low-cost component, or as a result of a poorly specified aspect of construction or manufacture. A good way to improve durability and potentially reduce cost and returns is to introduce specifications for all production tasks and materials.

RAW MATERIALS Raw materials include fabrics, linings and components (trims). Fabric quality depends on many variables, such as fibre type, blends, yarn structure and fabric construction, as well as dyeing and finishing. Fabrics may carry the same description – 100 per cent cotton, for instance – yet can vary greatly in performance and durability.

Man-made fibres such as nylon, polyester and acrylic have good physical durability attributes such as strength, abrasion resistance and shape resilience. Polyester in particular is commonly used because of these attributes, as well as being wrinkle-resistant, good at retaining colour and relatively low in cost. Natural fibres like cotton, however, need to be carefully selected to allow for variations in harvests. A poor quality, short staple,

immature and weak fibre is more likely to cause fabric pilling than long, staple cotton.

Wool is a hard-wearing fibre, but can also be fine and delicate.

The durability and performance of products can be enhanced by blending different fibres. Nylon and polyester fibres can be successfully blended with natural fibres to enhance the durability of fabrics and improve the comfort of the final product.

However, poor selection of fibres can have a detrimental impact on quality and it’s worth noting that the blending of fibres compromises opportunities for recycling the garment at the end of its life.

Wovens, plain and twill weaves are commonly considered the most durable options and are used in garments that require high levels of physical durability, such as denim jeans and school uniforms.

COLOURATION AND DYE SELECTION Colour is one of the most important influences when it comes to choosing new clothes and it also plays a significant role in deciding when a garment has reached the end of its life. The choice of a cheap or unsuitable dye, or cutting corners in dye application, has a significant effect on the durability of a garment: correctly specifying dye use and application should be a key part of product specification.

FINISHES Finishing processes are used to improve the look, performance, or ‘hand’ (feel) of the finished clothing. They are usually applied directly to fabrics after, or in combination with, dyeing. Mechanical and chemical finishing treatments produce a range of effects, such as changing the texture, drape and feel of the fabric; stiffening/ softening, brushing or smoothing; improving appearance, including colour, sheen and pattern; adding functional properties, like crease resistance, stain resistance and waterproofing; and facilitating care requirements, including easy wash, quicker drying times, colour-fast or pre-shrinking,

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applying anti-pilling or anti-microbial treatments.

Technologies available for mechanical and chemical finishing of fabrics are very diverse and extensive, with new finishing opportunities constantly being developed. The majority of chemical finishes are relatively easy to apply and most good suppliers can provide the bulk of chemical finishing. Many finishing treatments can affect performance and durability, or help extend the active use of a garment. Understanding likely impacts and giving clear instructions on where and how the final product will be used needs to be an integral part of overall product specification.

MANUFACTURING Designers have numerous stitch types, sewing threads, machine models and settings to choose from, as well as an array of methods for garment construction. Each technique will be best suited to a particular fabric or garment type, and can be exploited to achieve greater durability.

Product failures can occur when the seam technique used is incompatible with the fabric.

Particular care should be given to the construction of performance garments, such as waterproof products and close-fitting or stretch garments.

The quality of trimmings and the way they are attached need to be given special consideration to give the finished garment the longest possible life. To enhance durability, the use of reinforcement stitches and bar tacks at stress points on the garment is recommended.

PRODUCT TESTING The use of clearly defined testing protocols for components and manufacturing elements can be built into product specifications to ensure consistency of quality. Industry standard tests cover physical testing, colour fastness, chemical testing and flammability, and can form part of a product specification. Standards may be British (BSI), European (CEN) or international (ISO), and even retailer-specific.

WASH AND WEAR GUIDANCE The way consumers wash their clothes at home has the potential to change the characteristics of fibres and fabrics and, as a result, to reduce durability. Improving care information on labels, packaging, at point of purchase, or on supporting websites is a low-cost method that could further decrease the carbon footprint, while increasing the item’s durability.

Advising customers that some garments are likely to experience pilling may help to

reduce customer returns, while providing advice on how to remove fabric pills could also be appropriate.

CLOTHING REPAIRS AND ALTERATIONS Although most people are able to sew a button on, fewer have the skills to make more complicated repairs, such as altering a hem or darning holes. Instead, people may store or discard items in disrepair or in need of alteration.

At a national level, TV shows such as The Great British Sewing Bee have helped promote clothing repair and alteration as a hobby and lifestyle choice. This trend could be supported through the provision of basic repair kits, including threads or yarn, buttons and instructions in garment packaging and/ or on product labels. It can also be supported by fact sheets offered in-store, online or in packaging. Some department stores with haberdasheries are promoting sewing materials and running open courses in stores.

Where self-repair or alteration may not be appropriate, some brands and retailers are entering into national agreements with chains of tailors, or even offering this service themselves.

Sustainable outdoor clothing brand Patagonia is one such company that believes in offering its customers the chance to have their items repaired to extend product life. In 2016, its repair department mended over 45,000 garments. Patagonia has also empowered consumers to repair clothing themselves by launching a new repair programme in collaboration with iFixit, whereby customers can download free, easy-to-follow online repair guides for Patagonia clothing. It also offers an Expedition Sewing Kit for on-the-spot emergency repairs.

REUSE SUPPORT A number of brands and retailers have formed partnerships with charities to support and encourage consumer reuse by providing in-store take back options; promoting the delivery of second hand clothing to charity shops; and incentivizing reuse through the use of money off vouchers for new products.

GETTING STARTED WITHIN YOUR ORGANISATION For recommendations for getting started with durability in your organisation, download the full Sustainable Clothing guide at www.wrap.org.uk.

OCTOBER 2017 - 19

CWB-ONLINE.CO | PROFILE

20 - OCTOBER 2017

PROFILE | CWB-ONLINE.CO

GRASS & AIR CWB learns more about Grass & Air, the latest addition to the kids’ outerwear market.

— Gone are the days of drab and dull outdoor clothing reserved only for those embarking on serious outdoor sports and pursuits. Today, this competitive market is considered a lifestyle movement. It is one associated with everyday wear that promotes style, health and outdoor activity, with leading labels such as Rains and Sways demonstrating how outerwear can perform harmoniously on both the technical and fashion fronts.

While many leading outdoor brands cater for the whole family, there’s a new label on the market dedicated specifically to children. The aptly named Grass & Air is a freshly launched brand of urban, outdoor children’s clothing from the people behind school uniform specialist, David Luke.

The David Luke team – all parents themselves – share a passion for getting their children outdoors. This, coupled with the desire to stretch David Luke’s product design and branding teams’ creative skills beyond the constraints of schoolwear, resulted in Grass & Air’s creation.

The brand is a combination of various sources of expertise: an in-house design team, with input from a network of freelance designers specialising in childrenswear and outdoorwear. This is backed by David Luke’s long-standing relationships with high-quality factories.

Style-wise the look is minimalistic, taking inspiration from classic Scandinavian design with an added injection of fun. Playful twists include specialist prints featured on the waterproof fabrics, which range from reflective elements to help keep children seen as the nights draw in through to designs which are revealed when it rains.

The debut collection comprises an infant range, for 12-18 months up to 5-6 years, featuring colour-revealing mini welly boots, stomper slacks dungarees, all-in-one stomper suits and raincheater jackets. The durable, hard-wearing nylon fabric used is designed to withstand all of the wears and tears of childhood, while taped, waterproof seams keep children dry.

The junior range, for ages 2-3 years up to 9-10 years, includes junior welly boots, a girls’ and boys’ rainster jacket and rain stomper waterproof trousers. Created from lightweight, waterproof polyurethane fabric, garments have fully bonded seams and are waterproof to 5,000mm column pressure. Wholesale prices start from £8 for the mini welly boots through to £18 for the all-in-one stomper suit.

As well as its expertise, Grass & Air has also assumed David Luke’s principle of providing independent retailers with competitive advantages. Underlying the brand, therefore, is a strong commercial sense, one which has been tailored specifically to the needs of independents. Highlights include all year round stock availability, online ordering, next day low-carriage delivery and supportive payment terms. Essentially, Grass & Air is designed to help independent retailers to compete. It’s reactive – a factor even more relevant for a weather-related clothing brand – and its short-order option provides flexibility and a genuine cash-flow benefit.

Plans are for the collection to evolve, with future developments including unique, specialist weather-reactive prints. In fact, the new collection, which includes something intriguing called the Rainchanger, promises to give retailers “a real point of difference in the outdoorwear they offer”.

Another company ethic Grass & Air has adopted from its sister company is the schoolwear supplier’s ethical approach to doing business. David Luke has, for instance, saved over 20 million plastic bottles from going into landfill by manufacturing schoolwear with polyester from post-consumer waste; it has worked with the Fairtrade Foundation; it remains dedicated to community action to help fight child poverty; and it has worked with some of the same factories for over 20 years.Needless to say, the same values will be projected onto Grass & Air, with a number of projects already in the pipeline.

A Manchester-based brand, Grass & Air has chosen local children’s fashion and lifestyle store, Our Kid, for a consumer launch event, with the retailer embodying its target market in terms of style and ethos for community commitment.

Buyers, meanwhile, can view the collection, including the latest product developments, at the forthcoming AW18 editions of Bubble London and INDX Kids.

OCTOBER 2017 - 21

CWB-ONLINE.CO | PRODUCT

p ZIPPY BABY CHRISTMAS BABY DRIBBLE BIBS £1.75 FOR SINGLE BIBS / £6 FOR A SET OF FOUR NICOLEGRAHAM@ZIPPYSUIT.COM

p DJECO SNAKES AND LADDER GAME £5.50 ANDREW.HINKS1@BTCONNECT.COM

p WOOLY ORGANIC FUNKY FEET TOY WITH A “COMPANION” IN ITS POCKET AND TEETHER TOY £15.50 / TEETHER £9 SALES@MERRYGOROUNDUK.CO.UK

p BLADE & ROSE CHRISTMAS PENGUIN LEGGINGS AND KNITTED TOP SET £11 AMANDA@BLADEANDROSE.CO.UK

p ELF FOR CHRISTMAS ELF PJS CHILDREN’S £12.50 / ADULTS £15 NORTHPOLE@ELFFORCHRISTMAS.CO.UK

p TITLEE TOBEY PIN ¤8 MARYLINE@CARTABLEENFANTS.COM

p CANDY BOWS CHILDREN’S PERSONALISED CUPCAKE APRON £8 INFO@CANDYBOWS.CO.UK

p BEST YEARS CHRISTMAS GINGERBREAD RATTLE £5.50 SALES@BESTYEARS.CO.UK

p I SEE ME! MY VERY MERRY FIRST CHRISTMAS PERSONALISED BOARD BOOK (PRINT-ON-DEMAND AND SOLD THROUGH RETAILERS’ ONLINE PORTALS ONLY) £12.50 ORDERS@ISEEME.COM

22 - OCTOBER 2017

PRODUCT | CWB-ONLINE.CO

p JIM JAMZ REINDEER PYJAMAS IN A JAR £14.00 JIMJAMZKIDS@GMAIL.COM

p SEVERINA KIDS ANGEL DOLLS £31.50 SEVERINAKIDS@SEVERINAKIDS.COM

p DOTTY FISH PERCY PENGUIN BOXED GIFT SET £16.80 VICKIE@DOTTYFISH.COM

THE CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE CWB’s pick of children’s Christmas gift ideas, available to get in-store now.

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p PLANTOYS MONOCHROME BALANCING CACTUS £13.20 HELLO@LITTLECONCEPTS.CO.UK

p CLARA REINDEER JUMPER DECORATION KIT £6.00 ALISON@CLARACREATE.COM

p ROSA & BO NESTING BABIES WHOLESALE PRICE ON REQUEST SALES@HALILIT.CO.UK

OCTOBER 2017 - 23

CWB-ONLINE.CO | PRODUCT

Style GUIDE:

PACAPOD Gladstone bag containing two, flat-pack “pods” that can be detached £75 info@pacapod.com

DADDY COOL: Baby changing bags for dads.

Unless stated otherwise, all prices are wholesale

JEM + BEA Marlow duffel bag £59 dominique@jemandbea.com

JU-JU-BE Helix bag from the XY collection £43.50 dagmar@ju-ju-be.com 24 - OCTOBER 2017

THE DADDY BAG Cross body, messenger-style bag in camouflage ¤25 jennifer@thedaddybag.com

SKIP HOP UK Duo changing backpack £32.50 ukoffice@skiphop.com

PRODUCT | CWB-ONLINE.CO

LAURA

LOVES

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01: HUNTER Kids’ vinyl poncho by Hunter Original. £26 corporatesales@hunterboots.com

02: MISTER TODY Ready-to-assemble cardboard car. ¤17 astrid@mistertody.be

04: NOODOLL Ricepuffy blanket available in white or champagne. £44 hello@noodoll.com

05: YO KAWAII Cushion friend. £11.50 admin@yokawaii.co.uk

03: JEM + BEA Faux fur Dummy Bear Bag to store a dummy or other essentials. £35 info@jemandbea.com 06: DEAR TO ME STUDIO Minimalist collection birthday cards. £1.50 each hello@deartomestudio.com

Unless stated otherwise, all prices are wholesale OCTOBER 2017 - 25

SCHOOLWEAR BUYER: THE LATEST NEWS AND OPINION FROM THE SCHOOLWEAR INDUSTRY

28: News 30: A new Innovation How Innovation Schoolwear has moved on since a large fire destroyed its warehouse, and all of the contents, in 2015.

32: Twenty questions with Steve Optix, of Brenda’s, winner of the Best Schoolwear Store category in the CWB Independent Retail Awards 2016.

34: Q&A: Joel Chadwick, MD, Chadwick Textiles With a growing sales team and a new head office mid-build, Back to School isn’t the only thing keeping Chadwick Textiles busy this year.

39: Marking 20 years of The Schoolwear Show The Schoolwear Show’s founders discuss the event’s past, present and plans for the future.

42: Rowlinson relocates Rowlinson’s plans for growth, including a move to a new premises at the end of the year.

47: The Schoolwear Show A preview of what will be on offer at this month’s show.

62: Talking Point Glenn Leech, the newly appointed CEO of Banner

OCTOBER 2017 - 27

CWB-ONLINE.CO | NEWS

Schoolwear NEWS: The latest news from the schoolwear industry.

UNIFORM ADDITIONS GENERATES FUNDS FOR SCHOOLS In light of cuts to school funding from the government, school hair accessories brand Uniform Additions has developed a concept to help parents fundraise for their children’s schools.

When a school signs up with Uniform Additions, it is provided with a unique discount code to share with parents.

For every purchase parents make on Uniform Additions’ website using the unique code, the brand donates 20 per cent back to the school.

The Uniform Additions range includes hair clips, hair ties, headbands and basic hair accessories, all available in a choice of 15 school uniform colours.

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POD LAUNCHES HERITAGE BRAND FOR BTS Pod footwear has created a comprehensive BTS collection for 2018, which includes the launch of the Heritage brand.

Following the success of the women’s Heritage relaunch earlier this year, the original 80s Pod T-bar sandal has been officially launched as part of the 2018 BTS offer. Subtly modified to comply with school uniform regulations, Marley (pictured) retains its heritage identity through authentic detailing such as the jubilee tab, twin strap buckles and star fall punching.

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AWARD SHORTLIST FOR ROWLINSON EMPLOYEE

NEW PREMISES FOR WILLIAM TURNER Due to business growth, William Turner is set to move into newly built premises early next year.

The high-spec factory is an impressive upgrade for the family-led business, which will be moving one of its factories to the new site in Nelson, Lancashire. The new 10,000 sq ft property will enable William Turner to increase the quantity and range of ties it manufactures.

The move, only a short distance from William Turner’s current site in Colne, will allow for a smooth transition.

“We are proud of our reputation as a leading UK manufacturer of school ties and are proud to employ 35 people locally,” says William Turner’s managing director, Daniel Turner (pictured).

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28 - OCTOBER 2017

Nicola Ryan, head of people services at Rowlinson Knitwear, has been named a leader in people management practice globally, being shortlisted in The People’s Manager of the Year category in the annual Investors in People (IIP) awards.

The awards celebrate the best people management practices among IIP-accredited businesses and provide the opportunity to benchmark against high-performing organisations globally. Winners will be announced at a ceremony and dinner at Old Billingsgate, London, on 23 November 2017.

“We’re delighted Nicola has been shortlisted for this award; it’s a clear indication of the dedication and hard work she has invested in the business,” says Rowlinson’s MD, Donald Moore.

“Without a doubt, Nicola is responsible for starting the process of continual improvement that has enabled us to become the UK’s market leader for personalised schoolwear. An exemplary ambassador for Rowlinson, she exhibits dedication and sensitivity to the needs of all our employees, treating everyone individually. We are extremely proud that her care and dedication has been acknowledged by Investors in People.”

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REBRAND HERALDS NEW ERA FOR BMB Blue Max Banner has rebranded to Banner Ltd across all areas of its portfolio. The decision is the result of a customer insight and consumer research programme designed to seek clarity on the company’s branding and brand architecture.

The outcome was that ‘Banner’ was clearly identified as the most relevant name for taking the business into the next stage of its development.

“As is often the case with businesses that have grown through acquisition, we have a lot of brands,” says Glenn Leech, the company’s new CEO, whose appointment coincides with the rebrand. “Our intention is to create one distinct and recognisable brand. Banner, with its long-standing reputation in the schoolwear sector and its established brand recognition, was the clear choice. The Banner brand portfolio now comprises our renowned stock-supported Banner Uniform and Banner Sportswear ranges, including our latest APTUS Performance collection. Beau Brummel and Orion Teamwear represent our bespoke uniform and sportswear brands.”

A new corporate website, www.banner.co.uk, has also been launched.

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THE TRUE COST OF CHEAP UNIFORMS David Burgess, chairman of the Schoolwear Association (SA), is calling on MPs, parents and schools to consider the true cost of cheap school uniforms.

In a letter to the Daily Mail, Burgess thanked journalists of a recent report highlighting that women in Bangladesh are being paid poverty wages to make bargain-basement school clothing for some of Britain’s biggest supermarkets.

“We hope the Labour MP Sarah Jones has read your investigation,” says Burgess in his letter.

“Last week, she said it was ‘incredibly frustrating’ for parents to see supermarkets offering very low prices when schools required items to be bought from school uniform specialists. We remind schools, parents and MPs that members of the SA sign up to a Code of Conduct that requires them to source clothing ethically.”

Perhaps the most shocking revelation in the report was that mothers who work in atrocious conditions to make the cheap school uniforms cannot afford to send their own children to school.

“When it comes to paying a fair price for uniforms, we passionately believe every child – whether in Britain or Bangladesh – is worth it,” concludes Burgess.

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NEWS | CWB-ONLINE.CO

NEW BROTHER EMBROIDERY MACHINE Stocks Embroidery Solutions, together with Brother, has launched a new six-needle commercial embroidery machine. Equipped with powerful design and editing capabilities, the Entrepreneur PR670e allows increased productivity with industrial-level acceleration, reaching up to 1,000 stitches per minute in seven seconds.

Key features include customizable needle settings; large embroidery area of 8” x 12”; a 10.1” built-in high definition LCD display with large icons and scrolling menu; 16 built-in video tutorials; 60 built-in embroidery designs; 12 monogramming font styles; 140 frame pattern combinations; 37 lettering fonts; 50 built-in utility stitch designs; 10 buttonhole styles in three sizes; on-screen letter input and editing; and intuitive Colour Management for easy design customization.

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PERSONALISED BACK TO SCHOOL GIFTS

WINTERBOTTOM’S ROLLS OUT SKIRT PRODUCTION

IJustLoveIt.co.uk offers over 4,500 customisable products, including a range of personalised back to school gifts available wholesale.

Highlights include a personalised comic strip Beano pencil case with multiple characters to choose from; a personalised pencil case and contents, including pens, pencils, a ruler and sharpener; 12 personalised pencils in a matching box available in four colours; a personalised children’s colouring-in set; personalised lunchboxes; and educational activity school books. To mark a child’s first day at school, there is also a First Day at School Children’s Book, featuring hand-painted illustrations to reflect every aspect of a child’s first day.

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Winterbottom’s Schoolwear is expanding its skirt production facility in Bulgaria for the 2018 season. Maya Garments, which is located in Kaloyanovo, opened in 2016 in order to meet the demand for ethically sourced, flexible production of girls’ skirts and trousers.

Maya has its own in-house pleating machine and demand for the service has surged in 2017 according to Rob Mullins, Winterbottom’s sourcing director. “Maya is an employer of choice in the area and, after a successful first year, we are looking to expand the production by around 20 per cent this year to accommodate more of the made-to-order specials we’re increasingly being asked for,” he says.

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SCHOOL UNIFORM HELPS REDUCE ANXIETY ABOUT APPEARANCE New research by the Schoolwear Association (SA) has revealed both children and teachers see school uniform as a tool for promoting wellbeing, tackling the kind of appearance-related pressures that could lead to mental health issues.

Wanting to find out what role, if any, uniform plays in promoting children’s well-being in school, the SA commissioned a two-stage research programme carried out by independent researchers OnePoll and Family Kids & Youth. The study explored teachers’ and young people’s views on mental health issues and the link to appearance, identity and bullying in schools.

In the survey with teachers, 75 per cent reported they had seen an increase in the number of children with mental health problems in the last five years, and two thirds felt kids face increased pressure about fashion and appearance. The majority – 83 per cent – said a good school uniform reduced this pressure in schools and could prevent bullying based on appearance or economic background.

In focus groups carried out by young people and children’s research agency, Family, Kids & Youth, fifty 12-14 year-olds in an Essex school also shared their views on uniform. Many said they would feel pressured to wear branded clothing and footwear to avoid being bullied if there was no uniform. This, they said, could pose problems for those who couldn’t afford such brands, but also for those who could, with no one wanting to be labelled the “rich kid” either.

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BOWS 4 SCHOOLS

NATIONAL WEAVING EXPANSION National Weaving, which offers fully customisable and personalised woven labels and name tapes, has taken steps to expand its production capacity, as the volume of its orders steadily increases.

Securing a grant from the Welsh Government in the spring, the company has purchased four additional looms, creating four more full-time jobs at its factory in Pembrokeshire, West Wales.

“It’s really exciting to see these new looms in operation, as they are integral to the implementation of our expansion plans,” says company MD, Louise Bradley. “We are proud to be manufacturing here in the UK, and with the third generation of the Astley family now becoming involved in the company, the weaving of name tapes is set to continue here for many years to come.”

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New UK start-up, Bows 4 Schools, supplies a wide range of school-specific hair accessories to school outfitters. Designed to perfectly match girls’ school uniforms, the collection of headbands, bobbles and clips are available in a wide choice of school uniform colour combinations.

Deborah Holborn launched the company after being unable to source a school bow in the colour and quality she needed for her daughter.

Since creating www.bows4schools.com and gaining feedback from local school outfitters, her business has flourished.

“Demand got so high I had to grow the team, who create the bows to my specific requirements in lots of different school uniform colours,” says Holborn. “From royal blue and white, to brown and yellow, I’m always adding new combinations to meet demand. I now sell bow headbands, bow bobbles and bow clips to schoolwear outfitters across the country, who see them as the perfect complement to the existing schoolwear product line.”

— OCTOBER 2017 - 29

CWB-ONLINE.CO | INTERVIEW

A NEW INNOVATION Laura Turner speaks to Michelle Cohen, head of accounts and export at Innovation Schoolwear, to discover how the business has moved on since a large fire destroyed its warehouse, and all of the contents, in 2015.

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Laura Turner: What’s the history behind Innovation Schoolwear?

Michelle Cohen: The company was founded nearly 50 years ago by our grandfather, Raphael Cohen. He started the business selling men’s, ladies’ and children’s fashionwear and a small amount of schoolwear – namely, knitwear and trousers. When his son, Jack Cohen, joined the company, he saw the potential in the market; especially with school uniforms taking precedence in government at the time. Additionally, there weren’t many companies wholesaling school uniforms then, so he decided that would be our future business.

LT: How has the company evolved since?

MC: Each generation has brought new blood and ideas into Innovation Schoolwear – we now have the third generation of family working in the business. Previously, we used to solely stock knitwear and trousers, however, nearly 50 years later, we have a comprehensive range of schoolwear that we are now looking to expand, both in terms of colour and lines available.

LT: Who are the key people running the company today?

MC: As we are a partnership, the two directors of the company are Jack Cohen, who is the buyer, stock controller and organiser of the warehouse and workforce, alongside Ben Cohen, who does the purchase ledger and payroll, is head of IT systems and new customer development. I am head of accounts and export and, over the last year, I’ve been working on media and advertising. Sam Cohen is the company’s CEO, as well as looking after product development and running the embroidery and printing section of the business.

LT: What would you say are Innovation Schoolwear’s key strengths and capabilities?

MC: Customer service, unquestionably. Being a family-run business, we realise the importance of building close relationships with both our customers and suppliers. We are fully 30 - OCTOBER 2017

L-R: MICHELLE COHEN, HEAD OF ACCOUNTS AND EXPORT AND EMMA JONES, SALES AND ADMIN.

committed to providing a personal service to all our customers and we’re always happy to go the extra mile to make things work, be it on pricing or customer satisfaction.

LT: You sadly experienced a warehouse fire in November 2015 - what happened and what damage was caused?

MC: On Friday 6th November 2015, at around 9.53pm, our warehouse and its contents were completely destroyed due to a firework entering the building through a skylight. By the

Monday, we had started working from of one of the partner’s houses. With the support of our insurers and suppliers, we managed to get our business up and running again very quickly. We secured a premises in Potters Bar in December and had resumed business by the end of January 2016.

LT: How has the company bounced back?

MC: It wasn’t easy. Thankfully, most customers stuck with us, but sadly, some believed the lies that a certain wholesaler spread that we would

INTERVIEW | CWB-ONLINE.CO

INSIDE A SECTION OF THE CURRENT WAREHOUSE

PART OF THE BUILDING DURING THE FIRE

CURRENT BUILDING

not open again, so we lost that business. The whole of 2016 was slow, but we worked on marketing and advertising in the hope that 2017 would be much better. Thank God it has paid off – this year has been even better for us than 2015.

LT: In terms of your schoolwear range, what does Innovation Schoolwear offer?

MC: We supply smart, comfortable and durable garments covering everything needed from general schoolwear to sportswear. This also includes accessories – book bags, P.E bags, document cases and so on – through to belts, braces and our popular Hi-Vis vests.

LT: What would you pinpoint as your bestsellers?

MC: Our junior and senior trousers, because we have all sizes and fits available; the polo shirts, which are heavyweight quality and stocked in 16 colours; our UK-made sweatshirts, which do not fade; and all of the bags, from both our schoolwear and Phoenix ranges.

LT: You mention UK-made sweatshirts as one of your best-sellers – do you manufacture any of your other lines in the UK? MC: Yes, four of our main lines are actually UK-manufactured: sweatshirts, boys’ trousers, girls’ skirts and pinafores. We believe it’s important to keep skilled workers employed, help keep the UK factories in business, reduce our carbon footprint and, perhaps most importantly, get any gaps in our stocks replenished faster. Imported goods take three months, while UK goods take two weeks.

LT: Will you increase your UK-manufactured lines?

MC: We are always looking for opportunities to increase our manufacturing in the UK, but

AFTERMATH OF THE FIRE

price-point and quality are key. Sourcing a factory that has a balance between the two is difficult, especially because we have to sell it on at wholesale price. It’s a trade-off between cost, speed, flexibility and quality.

LT: What does Innovation Schoolwear offer in regards to embroidery and printing services?

MC: We quote within 24 hours, sample within 48 hours, and post first class to the customer for their approval. Plus, no set-up fees apply on school embroidery if an order is placed.

Turnaround is seven days on embroidery orders and 14 days on printed orders – completed. We embroider our own garments and third-party garments, and do not have a minimum order at any time of year.

LT: As a business, what is your stance on social, ethical and environmental responsibility?

MC: All of the factories we use are longrunning businesses we have dealt with for a number of years. Our purchasing agent visits all the factories we use abroad and has reported to us that no child labour and no (obvious) mistreatment of employees takes place. We have further instructed him to only deal with factories that he knows have a good track record. We thrive on repeat business and that repeat business only comes about through consistency of supplying good-quality products. Using the cheapest factories doesn’t always turn out to be the most economic choice.

LT: You’re exhibiting at the Schoolwear Show for BTS 2018?

MC: Yes, we are really excited to be exhibiting at the Schoolwear Show this year: all orders over £2,500 placed by the end of November 2017 will be held at 2017 prices and delivered by 1 st June 2018, with 60 days’ credit.

LT: How many stockists do you currently have?

MC: The majority of our stockists are in the UK, Ireland or Channel Islands, and we have just over 1,000 active customers. We do export to Europe and Africa and, in most cases, sort the logistics too. Our export customers appreciate the quality and workmanship of our garments as they know standards in the UK are high, albeit more expensive than using a local tailor or a cheap import.

LT: Where are you looking to next for growth and development?

MC: UK school uniform shops and outfitters.

Since March 2017, one of our directors, Ben Cohen, along with sales representative, Hanif Tanveer, have been visiting new and existing customers, showcasing our product range.

There are retailers up and down the country who are aware of us, but haven’t approached us or had a reason – for instance, a supply issue with current supplier – to contact us.

Those new customers who have started using our services and selling our products have been pleasantly surprised by how easy and efficient we are to work with.

LT: What are the overall plans for the business?

MC: We are really excited to be moving into a new, vast, purpose-built warehouse in December. We want to get bigger and better at what we do by listening to customer feedback and bringing in new lines to accommodate popular requests. For example, from February 2018, we are stocking poly/ cotton sweatshirts, water bottles and a new colour (turquoise) in polo shirts. Customers really do value “quality”, “service” and “reliability”, which are the three key values we direct our family-run business on.

OCTOBER 2017 - 31

CWB-ONLINE.CO | CWB RETAIL AWARDS

TWENTY QUESTIONS WITH...

Steve Optix, who runs Brenda’s in Camberley, Surrey, alongside his mother and business partner, Jan Green, and won the Best Schoolwear Store category in the CWB Independent Retail Awards 2016.

— What’s your greatest career achievement?

I don’t want to sound big headed, but there are many things I’m proud of in my varied career.

Certainly winning the CWB award was a great high point. I’ve had articles published in magazines, my photography has been used for tourism guides, I’ve DJed alongside some of the top DJ names in the UK and I sold 2,500 records. I like to try my hand at everything.

Do you have a business mentor?

My mother has been a huge influence on me. I never stop asking questions of people for wide and varied sources of inspiration and guidance. The usual names also inspire me greatly – Alan Sugar, Elon Musk, Peter Jones, Richard Branson and James Dyson.

What’s an average day in your job?

It’s a combination of checking in with our warehouse, catching up with our store manager and shoe shop manager, touching base with our web order department and checking in on embroidery and purchasing. I’ll also discuss short-, medium- and long-term plans with my co-director and liaise with schools, suppliers and parents. At other times, I’ll be out visiting schools and suppliers or continuing to implement new systems and improvements to our service.

Did you always want to work in retail?

I’ve loved buying and selling from a very young age. As well as running our two shops, I run another business specialising in vintage glass, ceramics and homewares, and my wife and I have a promotions company for music nights where I spin old-school vinyl records.

What do you love about your job?

Dealing with people from all walks of life, constant new challenges and the satisfaction of providing a great service.

And your least favourite part?

Being lumped in with the clichés of being a school uniform retailer and listening to repetitive comments such as “you’ve got us over a barrel” and “it’s disgusting the school is making us buy this stuff”. It’s only a select few every year, the majority of our customers are amazing, but it does get tiresome having the same old conversations with people who only want to hear one side. We can’t convince them all that a quality uniform is a good thing.

What motivates you?

Always looking forward; every day we can improve, learn and achieve new things.

What do you like most about your industry?

The camaraderie and support from within. No one outside this trade knows the challenges this particular niche brings. The historical aspect of many companies, but also the way in which many are forward thinking. Traditionally, I believe the schoolwear market has been the last to get on board, be it design, technology or POS, but over recent years some have become trendsetters and forerunners.

Who would be your dream customer?

Anyone who is happy and friendly, openminded and appreciates quality, service and value for money.

Which schoolwear suppliers do you admire?

Very tricky question. I love Rowlinson’s heritage and quality, William Turner’s consistency and service, Trutex’s forward thinking and retailer support, and David Luke’s ethics and friendly, fast service. These qualities permeate through many of the suppliers we’re lucky enough to work with.

If you launched your own schoolwear brand, what would it be?

Practicality coupled with technology. Smart clothing, built-in sleeve calculators, safety chips, tough materials with comfort linings and blazers with built-in sound systems.

What would your dream shop be?

It would be 10,000 sq ft, single storey, with 30 parking spaces, 25 changing rooms, 10 till points, a play area, coffee and chill zone, store music and kids’ films playing on TVs. It would have different zones – clothing, stationery, footwear, bags and accessories – plus free Wi-Fi and open seven days a week.

What’s your strangest customer request?

I’m not sure I want to repeat this, but we’ve had one or two customers over the years who’ve been very keen on purchasing schoolwear - not for their children though!

Some of the more unusual requests that have become more common over the years include swapping buttons for Velcro and cotton lined man-made fabric garments for children with various allergies and needs.

What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve received?

It’s hard to pick one, but something my brother said to me once stuck and I reiterate to all shop floor staff – “treat every refund as you would a sale”. It may sound daft, but each time when dealing with a customer, no matter what it’s for, they should be made to feel important.

There’s another that I run my life by – “treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself”.

And the worst?

Someone who befriended me and then tried to poach some of my business said “all’s fair in love and business”. It most definitely is not!

What do you wish you had known before you started your business?

More experience in HR techniques would have been useful – don’t be afraid to be upfront with everyone you work for and with. To be honest, we’ve learnt most things along the way.

How do you find inspiration?

Family, friends, music, books and travel.

What’s your productivity secret?

My eternal optimism helps, but in reality, my business and life revolve around Evernote to track everything, and I love spreadsheets. Excel is my second best friend (after my wife).

Where do you see Brenda’s in five years?

Even more streamlined, creating more autonomy within, uber-efficient and still well-stocked with the best value-for-money schoolwear you can buy.

What difference has being a CWB Independent Retail Award winner made?

We’ve told all of our schools and customers at every opportunity about the award. It has helped us underline our own belief that we have one of the best services and well-stocked schoolwear shops around.

Sponsored by: Independent REtail Awards

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32 - OCTOBER 2017

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CWB-ONLINE.CO | INTERVIEW

Q&A: JOEL CHADWICK, MD, CHADWICK TEXTILES With a growing sales team and a new head office mid-build, Back to School isn’t the only thing keeping Chadwick Textiles busy this year. As the company celebrates 50 years, Laura Turner speaks to owner and MD, Joel Chadwick, to learn more.

— Laura Turner: What’s the history behind Chadwick Textiles?

Joel Chadwick: The company was founded in 1967 by my father, David Chadwick. Essentially, Chadwick Textiles’ rich heritage lies in the rainwear manufacturing industry of the 60s and 70s when Manchester, in particular, was awash with raincoat and jacket manufacturers.

David J Chadwick Ltd, as it was known back then, soon became one of the key fabric merchants in the north west of England and eventually throughout the UK, predominantly importing from large textile manufacturers throughout Europe. The company grew steadily and forged a strong reputation for developing and stocking a wide range of in-demand fabrics, offering just-in-time delivery to a huge base of manufacturers in the UK, Europe and Asia. Simultaneously, the business had also started to source further afield from more competitive sources, including China, Taiwan, Korea, India and Pakistan. Due to the everwidening and more competitive sources available, this enabled it to continue to grow year-on-year.

Customers ranged from international and household brands through to specialist and niche manufacturers in almost all clothing sectors: technical and non-technical fabrics for fashion, sportswear, workwear and nonapparel.

While finished sportswear garments now represent 75 per cent of the business, to this day, Chadwick Textiles’ fabric division is still the UK’s leading supplier of polyester knit fabrics for sublimated sportswear to sports kit manufacturers throughout Europe.

LT: How has the company retained its market share?

JC: High volume UK and European garment manufacturing has now all but disappeared, being in steady decline from around the year 2000. Identifying this trend in UK manufacturing, we had already started to invest in alternative, textile-related businesses, including offshore garment manufacturing, nursery bedding and furniture products. In 2007, myself and the company’s sales

34 - OCTOBER 2017

director, Tim Roberts, identified an increased call to stock “off-the-shelf” sportswear products, some of which could be offered to existing fabric customers enabling them to broaden their offer with a wider range of styles. Utilizing the strong relationships we had built up in Asia, together with a comprehensive knowledge of garments in general, the emphasis was set firmly on unbranded, premium quality, functional garments as opposed to widely available, basic and budget alternatives.

Fabric technology and garment construction was evolving fast, as was consumers’ knowledge of such products. So, along with developing a core product range and investing heavily in UK stock, Chadwick Textiles – now in its 50th year – is enjoying considerable success in the team and training wear sector with an ever-growing customer base of multi-sports brands, retailers, resellers and garment embellishers.

LT: Today, yourself and Tim Roberts lead the company bolstered by almost 50 years’ fabric and garment experience between you, but who else makes up the team?

JC: We employ an experienced six-person strong, China-based QC team to help control quality with a proven supply chain of specialist sportswear manufacturers. We also have a growing UK team of 20 with a wealth of knowledge in sportswear and clothing in general, many of whom have worked for major brands such as Reebok, Adidas and Boden.

Our UK team design, develop and control all aspects of quality while our sales and marketing unit, along with our warehouse team, all work closely to ensure the business is connected.

LT: What are you investing in to support growth?

JC: We’ve been consistently adding to the sales and marketing team as the company expands.

Having built up a loyal customer base in a short time frame, we need to keep investing in people who understand our business and remain focused on customer service.

The UK market for teamwear and schoolwear still remains largely a “just-intime” business, so high levels of customer service go hand in hand with ensuring suitable UK stock levels to enable a fast, efficient delivery across all sizes and colours at all times. We continue to invest heavily in greater levels of stock to that end, working closely with our supply chain to reduce lead times and seek other value-added benefits with our import process. We back this up with an emphasis on strong, direct marketing activity, both online and over the phone. We want to communicate with our customers and

INTERVIEW | CWB-ONLINE.CO

keep them updated with regular informative product updates and launches, as well as meeting face-to-face via our external sales department. The way in which we operate as a garment business now is far more complex compared to supplying fabrics historically.

LT: Part of your expansion strategy includes a new head office. How will this enhance the business?

JC: We’ve expanded quickly in the clothing sector and simply ran out of room, so we’re very excited to be moving into new, purposebuilt offices at our HQ in Altrincham, Cheshire. We want to make the business “future-proof”, not only by having the appropriate space to function and grow, but to attract further high-calibre employees, for whom we can provide a modern, stylish and enjoyable working environment.

As part of the development, we’re creating a fantastic new showroom to help encourage customers to come and spend time with us, and understand more about what we can offer: we find we’re able to convert new, potential customers more easily once they have seen our products in the flesh. Along with our new offices, we’re also refurbishing and extending our existing warehouse facilities, creating more space, thus allowing us to introduce more products and hold larger stock levels across the range.

LT: Moving onto Chadwick Textiles’ product offer, what does it encompass?

JC: We offer a brand quality, fully coordinated range of core team and training wear products.

This includes mid-layers, base-layers, tech tees, training tops, jackets, shorts and pants and sports bags, also all unbranded key products, including our best-selling pro rugby shorts, power stretch female leggings and skinny training pants. Mid-layers, in particular, are fast becoming the must-have product in a teamwear offer.

In 2017, we launched our new i-gen P.E. and games kit range, which is doing fantastically well, raising the bar in the quality and style of school teamwear.

We don’t sell to end-users, our two main target markets are small and medium-sized multi-sport brands and resellers, plus a wide variety of schoolwear suppliers. Many of the latter adopt our range as their own, enabling them to approach clubs, schools and universities at all levels with a genuine alternative to the major brands. We see our products in a broad cross section of team sports nationally, from the likes of Premiership rugby through to schools and grass-roots sports clubs.

LT: What would you say are Chadwick Textiles’ key strengths?

JC: Our strengths lie in our considerable knowledge and experience to design,

“ We want to make the business “future-proof”, not only by having the appropriate space to function and grow, but to attract further high calibre employees, for whom we can provide a modern, stylish and enjoyable working environment.”

NEW, PURPOSE-BUILT OFFICES AT CHADWICK TEXTILES’ HQ IN ALTRINCHAM, CHESHIRE.

manufacture and deliver genuine “fit-forpurpose” garments. We have a strong commercial knowledge and an instinct for developing great styles. We also fully understand the needs of our customers and their desire for a reliable and safe pair of hands, which will maintain and produce a consistent product, especially where schools are concerned.

Undoubtedly, our fabric background has enabled us to see first hand what works and equally, what doesn’t work, when manufacturing or sourcing clothing.

LT: Where are you looking to next for growth?

JC: Looking ahead, we’re already excited by the potential to develop and expand our range.

We have lots of new ideas in development that we want to add to our growing offer, but we are also conscious that we need to build and grow at a manageable pace and ensure we meet all the criteria of a reliable supplier.

We appreciate and acknowledge that many of our schoolwear customers are having to work even more closely with their schools and parents by offering online shops and a full bespoke embellishment service, so the market as a whole is more complex than ever before.

Of course, we want to continue to grow our customer base too, but equally, we still see enormous untapped potential with our existing customers: we’re seeking to build relationships and offer value-added benefits when buying our range.

LT: How is the schoolwear market changing?

JC: It is evolving fast and we strongly feel that we are well placed to meet the demand for more technical and functional sports gear while balancing cost and quality. As relative newcomers to the scene in comparison to some of the more established and traditional schoolwear suppliers, our background in technical and sports textiles enables us to offer a fresh approach. Our team at the Altrincham base are all sports mad, so there is an enthusiasm that runs throughout the company for what we do. Our market research and wearer trials entail standing on the touchline at the weekend, in the rain, watching our kids play sport, so we also get to see what’s happening at the consumer level. We want to offer products that cross the divide and sell equally well into professional club sport as well as school sport, which many already do.

Feedback on our performance and our products helps us adapt and improve – we listen carefully to our customers.

LT: What would you sum up as the key shortand long-term plans for the business?

JC: In the short term, the focus is on establishing ourselves as a key player in the UK market. In the long term, we seek to have a wider and more expansive range of teamwear products, which fit into our ethos of “brand quality without the brand”.

OCTOBER 2017 - 35

SCHOOLWEAR | CWB-ONLINE.CO

MARKING 20 YEARS OF THE SCHOOLWEAR SHOW This year marks the 20th anniversary of The Schoolwear Show, the annual trade exhibition for independent school uniform retailers held at AIS, Solihull. In honour of the milestone, Laura Turner speaks to the five schoolwear suppliers who founded the event, discussing the show’s past, present and plans for the future.

— DAVID BURGESS EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, DAVID LUKE Laura Turner: How did David Luke get involved in the launch of The Schoolwear Show?

David Burgess: At a credit meeting in 1997, Nick Hastings (Gymphlex) and Andy Smith (William Turner) asked my opinion of their idea to start a Schoolwear Show. I said it would never work; I was wrong again! The idea was to show retailers what was available in the market and hopefully, they would understand that coming to the show would help them make better buying decisions and improve their own business. Being able to talk to so many suppliers on the same day would help them focus on their potential to develop, increasing sales for everyone. From six suppliers exhibiting, to 12, then almost 30 and today, where we have around 50, confirms that the expansion of the show continues.

LT: What would you highlight as the show’s biggest achievement over the years?

DB: I think it has intensified competition and made all of the exhibitors up their game. So much new product has been developed and is still coming through every year. It’s an extremely stimulating and competitive environment.

LT: And the biggest challenge?

DB: Increasing our personal capacity to handle the show’s growth at the same time as AIS expanded the actual showroom. There have been some hairy moments.

LT: How has the schoolwear industry changed since the show launched 20 years ago?

DB: There’s been consolidation of suppliers and retailers, partly through lack of succession and partly not, but the good ones are flourishing. In general, it’s better organised now and there have been some interesting business models evolving. There are also new retailers opening up every year, which is most encouraging and bodes well for the future of the market.

LT: What’s your favourite memory from working on The Schoolwear Show?

DB: At the actual show, I’d say meeting so many lovely customers has always been fantastic. Of course, they weren’t all lovely! We’ve had some great nights out, too – from a mad curry house in Solihull to the Fat Cat Café, and then the more formal Schoolwear Association fund-raising evenings, which were sponsored and themed. It’s great to be really serious about business during the show and then relax and enjoy the evening with people who you might compete with work-wise, but then you realise they’re not all

evil despots! There are so many memories, but I think my favourite one must be Nick (by then at Stag) arriving at the hotel after an evening out with customers. He was in the back of a police van! Evidently things had got out of hand at the restaurant and he’d been “helped” to leave the premises. Great fun!

LT: What’s your vision for The Schoolwear Show going forward?

DB: I believe there’s significant scope to introduce new areas of product and services for the schoolwear specialists who attend.

The five companies who organise the show have always given their time for the benefit of the market as a whole, and I think we’ve achieved that. What we need now is to keep developing the show to lead the market and help make it stronger for a new generation of business drivers for another 20 years.

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CWB-ONLINE.CO | SCHOOLWEAR

ANDY SMITH SALES DIRECTOR, WILLIAM TURNER ANDREW MCCONNELL SALES DIRECTOR, ROWLINSON KNITWEAR LT: How does Rowlinson Knitwear feel being one of the founders of The Schoolwear Show?

Andrew McConnell: We’re very proud to be one of the five organisations that joined forces to create The Schoolwear Show, and we’re even prouder that it has gone from strength to strength since 1997. The founders set out to ensure that the schoolwear industry had an annual event where they could showcase their products, catch up with customers and increase the professional profile of the schoolwear industry. As we’re now celebrating our 20th anniversary, I’m pleased to say we had a winning formula. Previously, the only show for the industry was incorporated within a children’s fashion show held at Birmingham’s NEC, at which many smaller independent schoolwear suppliers found too expensive to exhibit. Over time, the exhibitors stayed away [from that show], as did the visitors, and the event dwindled. We felt it was important to provide a platform that would endure.

LT: What would you highlight as the show’s biggest achievement over the years?

AM: Providing an affordable, friendly and extremely focused environment for retailers and suppliers to meet up annually, together with growing the show to approximately 50 exhibitors covering every part of school uniform and accessories. The footfall has steadily increased over time and we’re delighted to welcome back customers year-on-year. We’re also really pleased that the industry, along with the show, has become more and more professional and customer focused. The feedback we receive is that everyone values the show and gets a great deal from taking part, as an exhibitor or as a visitor.

LT: And the biggest challenge?

AM: Running an exhibition requires year-round effort. There’s no doubt that it’s a big commitment for all those involved with it being in addition to our “day jobs”. Of course, ensuring the event is worthwhile for all parties requires a careful balance, so everyone works very hard to attract new exhibitors, which are the lifeblood of any exhibition.

LT: How has the schoolwear industry changed since the show launched 20 years ago?

AM: When I think about what it was like at the beginning, I’ve seen a lot of change among the early exhibitors, with some no longer trading or under different ownership. It’s a similar story among retailers, which confirms the frequently challenging economic environment that everyone has had to weather. On a positive note, the industry has developed significantly, with suppliers putting a greater emphasis on quality, ethics and customer service, which is only a good thing to witness.

LT: What’s your favourite memory from working on The Schoolwear Show?

AM: There are so many happy memories, but one that stands out is the James Bond-themed evening event we sponsored, which was called “From Rowlinson with Love”. It was a great night with everyone really getting into character. It’s the fun social aspect of the show that has helped to cement so many great and enduring business relationships over the past 20 years, and I’m so glad I’ve been part of it.

LT: What’s your vision for The Schoolwear Show going forward?

AM: To continue with the winning formula of providing a highly professional exhibition event to showcase suppliers across the schoolwear spectrum and to keep increasing the number of exhibitors, so there is always something original for the visitors. We’ve already signed up three new exhibitors for next year.

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LT: How did William Turner get involved in the launch of The Schoolwear Show?

Andy Smith: We had started attending the three-day schoolwear buying meeting for AIS members. Nick Hastings (Gymphlex) and myself realised that the industry could possibly organise itself along similar lines and provide a national show. We discussed the idea with six other suppliers and organised our first roadshow in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Newbury in 1997.

LT: What would you highlight as the show’s biggest achievement over the years?

AS: I think our biggest achievement has been to give our industry a national presence and, without the Schoolwear Association, this would probably never have happened.

LT: And the biggest challenge?

AS: Our biggest challenge is organising everything. The five companies who run the show on a voluntarily basis give up their own time, and most of this drops when we are at our busiest running our own companies. I don’t think it is common knowledge the level of work that goes into organising a national show on this scale.

LT: How has the schoolwear industry changed since the show launched 20 years ago?

AS: If you go back 20 years, most of our customers probably only dealt with a handful of suppliers. The Schoolwear Show has allowed access to a huge range of products and supply base to our customers; likewise, the supply chain has benefited, with greater access to a national and international market.

LT: What’s your favourite memory from working on The Schoolwear Show?

AS: I have many, but I would like to think it is the fun I have had, both organising and delivering the show with such a great team.

LT: What’s your vision for The Schoolwear Show going forward?

AS: It would be great to reach out and try to get our customers who have never attended to do so. Otherwise, I think to keep on doing the same. The phrase “if it’s not broken, then don’t fix it” springs to mind.

SCHOOLWEAR | CWB-ONLINE.CO

NIGEL PLENDERLEITH DIRECTOR, BANNER JAMES GREENLEES CEO AND CHAIRMAN, GYMPHLEX LT: How did Gymphlex get involved in the launch of The Schoolwear Show?

James Greenlees: We have supplied schoolwear since 1906, so there isn’t much that we don’t know about the industry in one form or other. However, by 1997, we felt it was time that the industry had a bigger presence. There was no show in the market at that time that catered for this very specialist industry, so we thought we should set one up. I don’t think we quite realised how it would evolve into what it is today, but we were determined to offer our retail customers a place to view the various brands that specialised in schoolwear. We wanted to provide a professional environment where they could relax, browse the ranges and talk to the manufacturers about their own customers’ needs.

LT: What would you highlight as the show’s biggest achievement?

JG: I think the quality of the show has improved year-on-year. For example, we started out in a hotel, yet today the show is housed in a purpose-built exhibition facility in the heart of the country. It offers guests a warm, friendly environment with complimentary refreshments all day, as well as a complimentary two-course lunch. We run entertaining evening events for the guests, which will now include the prestigious annual Schoolwear Association awards. And, while there are more exhibitors than ever before, the show’s atmosphere remains very calm and informal. Visitor numbers have been up every year, so we must be doing something right!

LT: And the biggest challenge?

JG: We’ve had to ensure that the show remains relevant, always looking to introduce new brands and new ideas to present to the retailers. This has meant a lot of work marketing the show and vetting potential exhibitors to ensure their offer is at the right level and of interest to our visitors. Failure to do this could have meant the end of the show long ago.

LT: How has the schoolwear industry changed over the last 20 years ago?

JG: The industry has gone through many challenges over the last 20 years.

Governments review uniform provision on a regular basis, often making it hard for small independent retailers to provide the service required. Supermarkets offer cheaper and cheaper uniforms to attract buyers into their stores, again making the provision of competitively priced uniforms by local specialised retailers even harder. Despite this, our customers have shown remarkable resilience and continue to flourish in what is a very competitive sector. From a supply perspective, the manufacturers have had to change a great deal too; increasing their quality, checking their factories for ethical manufacturing, and maintaining or reducing prices to remain competitive with the supermarkets.

LT: How did Banner get involved in the launch of The Schoolwear Show?

Nigel Plenderleith: The show was originally conceived in 1997; the five founding suppliers got together in a hotel meeting room and invited retailers to view their products on the same day, thus making it efficient for everyone. Banner was one of the founding companies when it was based in Stockport.

Blue Max was only allowed to exhibit when it bought Stag Knitwear in 2006, as it was not regarded as a schoolwear supplier to the retail trade.

LT: What would you highlight as the show’s biggest achievement over the years?

NP: The growth in exhibitor numbers and the fact that so many retailers come each year to see what’s new and discuss business. It is the launch platform for the school selling year, so everyone is ready to start the season at the same time.

LT: And the biggest challenge?

NP: The biggest challenge has to be keeping the show fresh, alongside encouraging the retailers to attend and for the exhibitors to be innovative in their approach to the show.

LT: How has the schoolwear industry changed since the show launched 20 years ago?

NP: Overall, the industry has become a lot more professional over the past 20 years. The Schoolwear Show has catered for this by bringing in new and innovative suppliers to demonstrate fresh ideas for retailers’ businesses. At the same time, the main backbone of the industry has continuously improved its offer, ranges and overall professionalism.

LT: What’s your favourite memory from working on The Schoolwear Show?

NP: It has to be going to the Ritz with Christine Campbell after she outbid everyone at the auction.

LT: What’s your vision for the show?

NP: I’m keen to see a continued growth in visitor numbers; how we do that is the challenge. I would also like to see a broader range of products and a wider audience without losing the main focus.

LT: What’s your favourite memory from working on The Schoolwear Show?

JG: I’ve always enjoyed meeting both suppliers and retailers in such a relaxed format. The exhibitors respect each other greatly, as do the variety of independent retailers from across the UK. Everyone genuinely seems to enjoy their time at the show and gets something out of it, even if some of the evening ‘wine-downs’ are a little harder to recall later on!

LT: What’s your vision for The Schoolwear Show going forward?

JG: I would really like to see it continue to grow, perhaps even moving to a larger venue alongside other events of a similar nature. I wouldn’t be surprised if the show ended up merging with another event in order to offer an even greater spread of exhibitors, or perhaps being split into a north and south show. I also believe the show should be opened up even more to overseas schoolwear retailers. Here in the UK, we have an amazing array of high-quality school and sportswear manufacturers, so it is imperative that we also look abroad to offer these goods and services. Watch this space for a possible Schoolwear Show Dubai and Schoolwear Show Singapore!

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CWB-ONLINE.CO | PROFILE

ROWLINSON RELOCATES CWB learns more about Rowlinson Knitwear’s plans for growth, which include the impending move to a new and improved premises at the end of the year.

— Established in 1935 and employee-owned since 2015, Rowlinson Knitwear is one of the largest personalised schoolwear manufacturers in the UK, specialising in selling high-quality polo shirts, sweatshirts and knitwear to independent school uniform retailers. This year, the company is consolidating its position further, embarking on an ambitious expansion plan that will see it move to new, enhanced premises in December.

Purchased for a seven-figure sum thanks to the support of a multi-million funding package from HSBC, the firm’s new, 76,000 sq ft site is located at Discovery Park in Stockport, only a few miles away from its current premises at Woodbank Mills.

Rowlinson Knitwear intends to complete significant refurbishments to the property,

including installing new site security and modifications to the layout. As well as expanding the business’s logistics capabilities, particularly during peak times, the new site will also provide improved working areas for its 50 staff. The latter point is a crucial one.

Along with its strong partnerships with suppliers and customers, Rowlinson Knitwear is defined by its commitment to caring for its people, something reinforced with its Investors in People Gold award, Workplace Wellbeing Charter national award for England and being ranked as the 23rd Best Workplace by Great Places to Work in 2017.

“As our company has grown massively in the last two years, we faced multiple obstacles to growth with our previous two site set-up,” says Rowlinson Knitwear’s managing director, Donald Moore. “Not only was the small size of

the sites restricting our ability to increase our stock, but it was also inefficient as our staff were split between the two. Our new premises will solve these challenges and forms a strong foundation in which we can continue to win market share and provide a great place to work for our staff.”

Commenting on the company’s new chapter, Jason Trigg, HSBC’s area director for Manchester, adds, “We have a long-term relationship with Rowlinson Knitwear after we supported it in becoming majority employee owned in 2015. We are therefore delighted to be part of the company’s relocation to new and improved premises. We look forward to seeing the business grow and our continued support demonstrates our appetite to back local businesses in Stockport and beyond.”

CURRENT SITE

NEW SITE

Location: Woodbank Mills, Stockport Established: 1988 Square footage: 40,000 – over two floors in some areas Number of staff: 47, with no additional capacity Production capabilities: Storage capacity of 1.2 million garments Facilities: An older building with difficult access and inefficient layout, including many offices and work areas lacking natural daylight. No shared employee spaces for rest, meals or informal collaboration

Location: Discovery Park, Stockport Due to open: 11 December 2017 Square footage: 76,000, which includes double the amount of office space Number of staff: 47, but with capacity to accommodate up to 90 Production capabilities: Storage capacity of 2.4 million garments Facilities: A modern, fully refurbished building with excellent access, efficient warehouse areas, light-filled offices and collaborative informal meeting spaces, plus a large shared employee rest area/social space

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1997 - 2017 Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of The Schoolwear Show

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Marton Mills, Pool Mills, Pool in Wharfedale, Otley, West Yorkshire, England. LS21 1TA Tel: +44(0) 113 284 3364 (UK Local rate 0845 090 8121) Fax: +44(0) 113 284 3044 Our email: enquiries@martonmills.co.uk

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THE SCHOOLWEAR SHOW | CWB-ONLINE.CO

THE SCHOOLWEAR SHOW 15-17 October Cranmore Park Solihull www.theschoolwearshow.co.uk

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CWB-ONLINE.CO | THE SCHOOLWEAR SHOW

Ascent Australia

AWDis Academy from PenCarrie

Launched in the UK a year ago with just two retailers, Australian footwear brand Ascent is now embarking on its next stage of UK growth with its debut at this year’s Schoolwear Show, where it will present its full UK school shoe range, training videos and point-of-sale materials.

Taking its sporting shoe heritage and applying it to school shoes, Ascent’s formal leather styles are available for both boys and girls in a variety of width choices. Endorsed by the Australasian Podiatry Council (APodC), the shoes offer stability, cushioning and responsiveness under the foot.

AWDis Academy is a dedicated schoolwear brand consisting of five key styles and 14 colours for primary and secondary school. It offers a smart look and easy-care fabric designed to ensure cool, comfortable wearability for sports, learning and play. AWDis Just Hoods is a go-to brand for hoodies, zoodies, jackets and casualwear for college and university sweats.

APTUS Performance Building on its successful launch in 2017, APTUS Performance, Banner’s stock supported performance sportswear collection for schools, is further enhanced with new additions to the range for 2018. Highlights include the Swacket jacket, a side line garment for outdoor training. Created by Banner’s new in-house design team, the Swacket is available in a choice of black/silver or navy/ silver. It has a windproof bonded fabric construction, internal fleece layer and a waterrepellent finish. Style detailing includes a three-panel hood with adjustable bungee cord and toggle, two side pockets and full reverse side front zip with reflective detail zip puller. Reflective tape details offer low-light visibility and panels of breathable, 3D Dimple Mesh create contrast with the soft yet technical main fabrication and offer ventilation. Also new is a rugby shorts and shirt combination constructed from an embossed, durable, stretch fabric. The rugby top offers underarm mesh inserts for ventilation and has been designed with panel construction to enable freedom of movement, while the reinforced collar and cuffs are constructed with rib panels for easy wear. The rugby shorts feature a stretch fabric gusset for full range motion and an interior draw-cord, as well as an internal gripper for a precision fit. Tops are available in six colour combinations – black/gold, black/red, black/ white, navy/gold, navy/sky and navy/white – with the shorts available in either black/silver or navy/ silver. Both feature silver reflective tape detailing.

The third introduction is an everyday football short made from a lightweight performance fabric featuring moisture wicking and mesh panels that enhance ventilation, along with a stretch fabric gusset to facilitate movement. The shorts also feature reflective details for low-light visibility.

Available in black/silver or navy/silver colour combinations.

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THE SCHOOLWEAR SHOW | CWB-ONLINE.CO

Banner At this year’s show, Banner is introducing a new, contemporary water-resistant hooded jacket into its schoolwear collection. Designed by Banner’s new in-house design team, the Vortex is constructed from 100 per cent polyester with a PU water-resistant coating and a polar fleece inner layer. It offers a foldaway hood secured with Velcro, a full reversible side front zip with reflective tape detailing, elasticated cuffs and zip entry for embroidery access. The jacket will be available from stock in black/silver and navy/silver, in both junior and senior sizes ranging from chest size 22/24” through to 54/56”.

Meanwhile, Banner’s Signature Suiting Collection caters to students looking for a stylish modern cut coupled with a durable fabric that performs. For boys, there is a jacket and trouser combination, and for girls, a jacket that can be paired with either a trouser or a choice of two skirts – straight or pleated. The jackets offer a contemporary look with slimmed-down lapels and pocket flaps, with a single button front opening for girls and two buttons for boys. A striped jacquard sleeve lining adds to the tailored style.

The trouser options for both boys and girls are a classic cut and contemporary, slimmer fit options, which feature adjustable waists. All garments within the collection are available in three colours – navy, black and steel grey – and feature Maxtech Plus stain resistance.

Chadwick Textiles

Beechfield Beechfield offers a selection of more than 130 caps, hats, beanies, morfs, snapbacks, flat peaks and pom-poms available in more than 100 colourways. The new Junior Reflective Bobble Beanie with highly reflective fibres is ideal for schoolwear and can easily be rebranded to feature school and education logos.

Available via PenCarrie.

Chadwick Textiles offers a brand quality, fully coordinated range of core team and trainingwear.

Products include midlayers, base-layers, tech tees, training tops, jackets, shorts, pants and sports bags, as well all unbranded key products including the pro rugby short, power stretch female leggings and skinny training pants, alongside the i-gen P.E. and games kit range.

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CWB-ONLINE.CO | THE SCHOOLWEAR SHOW

Charles Kirk With over 75 years of manufacturing experience, Charles Kirk is proud to be manufacturing stock and bespoke garments in its factory in Worthing, West Sussex. By investing in the latest Tajima embroidery and Stoll knitting machine technology, it continues to produce high-quality garments at affordable prices. Charles Kirk’s most popular range is the UK Heritage Definition Acrylic knitwear, which is now complemented by COOLACRYL, developed to replicate the same performance at a competitive price. Blends of wool/acrylic and cotton/acrylic, including the popular COOLFLOW, are also available from both UK and offshore production. The Colour+ sweatshirt range continues to expand as schools demand higher standards in colour retention.

Charles Kirk offers a five-day embroidery and printing service on all stock garments, all year round, including Russell Europe’s Jerzees Schoolgear and the Result Jackets that are adorned in-house. New this year are pom-poms for both stock and bespoke hats in a choice of colour combinations.

Embroidery Badge UK (NetDigitizing UK) Having been in the industry for more than 30 years, Embroidery Badge UK has a proven fast delivery – as low as seven working days – with qualified management making it possible for companies to convert more and more orders into badges. With free design setups that include multiple layouts, it helps convert designs into an embroidered or a woven badge with a choice of borders and high-quality heat press backing designed to stand the test of time.

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THE SCHOOLWEAR SHOW | CWB-ONLINE.CO

Falcon BTS 2018 sees Falcon extend its offering of the EncoRe range with new colourways: black/black/white and navy/ navy/white. To complement the range is a stylish ZR46 full zip jacket. The sportswear supplier will also be launching its Sublim8 range, featuring a comprehensive line of MTO sublimated garments.

David Luke David Luke, which celebrates 35 years in business this year, is set to continue its long history of working with independent retailers to produce bespoke blazers for prestigious schools as it refreshes its look and offer at this year’s Schoolwear Show. Using the best fabrics and investing in the right blend, weave and finish to create the appropriate look, David Luke manufactures to the highest quality, using premium interlinings and internal structural padding to help ensure its blazers not only withstand everyday wear, but retain their look.

The depth of David Luke’s Eco Uniform range continues to set it apart, demonstrating the company’s commitment to offering sustainable school uniforms. Providing retailers with real competitive advantage, its wide collection of products include skirts, trousers, blazers, jackets, polo shirts and sweatshirts. David Luke continues to grow the range with new styles, with the recent addition of a slim fit boys’ trouser and a junior pinafore to meet the requirements of current trends.

David Luke’s commitment to independent retail as the optimum channel for schools wanting the best service for parents also remains, with the company showcasing options for product and service presentation; discussing and obtaining feedback on product developments in the pipeline; and welcoming opinion as to how it can keep strengthening what it does for retailers to support what they do for their schools.

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CWB-ONLINE.CO | THE SCHOOLWEAR SHOW

Gregory Pollard/Magicfit A leading manufacturer of school socks in the UK, Gregory Pollard/ Magicfit is a one-stop supplier for all schoolwear needs with ranges of bespoke uniform socks, girls’ tights and team sports and games socks, along with quality core basic multipack school socks.

This year sees major improvements to the supplier’s school knitwear, with subtle new style details to ribs and welts heralding the launch of its “colour-lock” technology for all of its knitwear ranges. This is the result of significant investment in research with leading expert science houses in Geneva and New York. The introduction of this technology increases the colour fastness of the knitwear, eliminating colour fading and keeping the shade intact throughout the daily wash and wear cycles of schoolwear.

Gymphlex At this year’s show, Gymphlex’s GFORCE Sportswear brand is showcasing its Essentials range. This helps schools stand out from the crowd by creating their own unique sports kits. It offers a range of seven designs and a core range of 20 colours, which cover all school sports.

Embroidery and printing are also available on the garments, with only a minimum quantity of 50 for the first order and 25 thereafter.

Alongside this, the entire GFORCE range will also be presented, from tracksuits and hoodies to fully sublimated T-shirts.

Innovation Schoolwear Having supplied uniforms for almost 50 years, family-run Innovation Schoolwear combines high-quality products with efficient stock availability. On offer at the show will include blazers, blouses, shirts, skirts, trousers, cardigans, headwear, knitwear, polos, T-shirts, shorts, sweatshirts, art smocks, bags and socks.

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THE SCHOOLWEAR SHOW | CWB-ONLINE.CO

Jerzees Schoolgear by Russell Europe and Fruit of the Loom from PenCarrie Jerzees Schoolgear and Fruit of the Loom are available from PenCarrie.

Jerzees Schoolgear by Russell Europe features essential school styles, from ring spun T-shirts and poly/cotton polos through to raglan sweatshirts and outdoor fleece jackets. Jerzees focuses on choice, value, availability and standards of ethical production.

Fruit of The Loom, a brand with more than 160 years’ experience and a long history of manufacturing quality textiles, offers a range of children’s styles perfect for the schoolwear market. The Fruit Active range offers performance styles for kids, making it the perfect option for sports, clubs and teams.

Maped Helix This year’s Schoolwear Show will see Maped Helix launch its new Picnik range of lunch boxes, lunch bags and water bottles. Designed to keep food fresh for the school day, the Picnik lunch box incorporates a simple one-movement lid design for easy opening, three compartments to store food and removable, dishwasherfriendly trays. The lunch bag features a handle, shoulder strap, water bottle holder and name card holder, while the water bottles – available in 430ml and 580ml sizes – are designed with a handle, protective cap and one-button opening system, as well as an automatic seal to ensure no spillage after drinking.

Visitors to the show will also be able to view Maped Helix’s extensive range of stationery products, including its classic Oxford range of fountain pens and maths sets, and the new limited-edition Oxford Colours Maths Set, now available in four shades, including bright pink, blue, green and purple.

National Weaving Name tapes and school labels specialist National Weaving offers UK manufacturing, quality products, sensible pricing and fast delivery times, even during the busy back to school period.

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CWB-ONLINE.CO | THE SCHOOLWEAR SHOW

Quadra From the classroom to the sports hall, Quadra has it covered with a wide range of bags constructed to fulfil all school bag needs. In addition, BagBase has gone colour crazy, adding another 72 colourways across the collection, offering a twist on the standard school bag. Available via PenCarrie.

Pod For 2018, Pod footwear has created a comprehensive BTS collection with a focus on tough leathers for low maintenance, specialist constructions for comfort, and a hint of heritage. Expanding on the strength of last year’s collection due to its wipe-clean, water, scuff and stain-resistant Sebago leather, the Pilot collection sees four new additions; a four-eyelet lace-up, a sporty slip-on, a double strap and a two lace wallaby.

Introducing a fresh new range comprised of two styles, the River collection is constructed using the complex Californian method for super soft comfort, fit and flexibility. Finally, following the success of the women’s Heritage relaunch earlier this year, the original 80s Pod T-bar sandal has been officially launched as part of the 2018 BTS collection.

Result As a result of customer requests from last year’s show, Result is adding new black and navy colourways to its Padded Jacket. Shower and windproof, the lightweight jacket features a hinged inner neck panel for self-branding, soft bound cuff and hem, contrast lining and trim, reflective hip detail, integral hood, zip pockets and a hangtag. A gilet version, the Padded Bodywarmer, has the same features as the jacket, plus elasticated armholes for comfort.

New to the kids’ headwear range is the Junior Boston Printers Cap. The five-panel cap with a seamless and stiffened front panel has a pre-curved peak, six stitch lines and is recycled. Featuring stitched eyelets, a tear-away label and a tear-release adjuster, it is available in 10 colours. A new 2XS size is also available in Result’s Junior Art Smock, while the new Junior and Youth TX Performance Hooded Soft Shell Jacket ticks all boxes when it comes to overall ‘year-round’ performance.

The bedrock of the range is the Reversible Stormdri 4000 fleece jacket. The reversible waterproof and windproof school jacket features a 280g/m2 fleece to one side and a fully waterproof polyester with taped seams to the other, a newly styled lined concealed hood in the collar with tear-release fastening, storm stuff reflective patch on the upper back (fleece side) and 3M Scotchlite reflective materials for added visibility in low-light conditions.

Another popular school jacket is the waterproof and windproof Rugged Stuff Long Coat.

Other key products include the CORE Junior High-Viz Vest, which provides visible protection during day or night, and the Junior and Youth Polartherm Top, which is an easy-to-wear fleece. For keeping the rain out, there is the Waterproof 2000 Team Jacket and the Junior Waterproof 2000 Sport Trouser.

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THE SCHOOLWEAR SHOW | CWB-ONLINE.CO

Rowlinson Knitwear Amongst its offer at this year’s show, Rowlinson Knitwear will be presenting leading knitwear brand, Performa 50. Pre-washed for extra softness and tested to meet rigorous quality standards, it offers outstanding colour retention. With superior fit in mind, garments include snug fit hems, cuffs and necklines, and are super-resistant to pilling. Unlike other garments, Performa 50 has linked seams, giving a smarter finish, which is also more comfortable for the wearer. Available in a range of colours, plain garments are available from stock with a 24-hour delivery and no minimums. Crew-neck, slipovers and specials are available to order with small minimums of 12 and a four to five week delivery, supported by Rowlinson’s fast embroidery service.

It’s also time to take another look at Rowlinson’s Woodbank Sweats. With a few changes to the composition, the improved range offers a premium blend of 50 per cent polyester/50 per cent cotton for quality, practicality and value. Two new colours – ink and green – offer a darker and lighter option to complement navy and bottle.

Grey is now supplied as a 35 per cent cotton/65 per cent polyester blend, performing to the same high standard as the solid dyed colours. Available in crew neck, V-neck, cardigan and jog pant with sizes 2-3 years up to XXL, Woodbank Sweats are available from stock in 24 hours with no minimums.

Finally, take a look at the new Woodbank Signatures range.

Based on Woodbank Sweats, it offers an affordable bespoke sweatshirt in any colour combination from 17 different stock shades, with custom colour styling on welts, cuffs and ribbing to give a personalised look. Ideal for house or club colours, Woodbank Signatures come in crew neck, V-neck, cardigan and hooded sweatshirt, and can also be embroidered.

Stabilo From the first attempts at pre-school, all the way to improving and perfecting writing skills, the Stabilo EASYstart range of products are designed to support children every step of the way. The range is recommended by teachers, occupational therapists and special needs experts, and is approved by the National Handwriting Association.

Key favourites include Stabilo Scribbi, ideal for younger children with its indestructible nibs that cannot be squashed. Stabilo Cappi is the ideal choice when out and about as they come with a plastic loop to thread them onto, so they are easy to ‘grab and go’ and you can’t lose a lid. Finally, the Stabilo Woody is a 3-in-1 pencil that can be used as a pencil, crayon or, by adding water, turns into a watercolour. This multifunctional pencil can be used on glass and can easily be wiped clean with a little water. Stabilo has also introduced the new Trio Frutti, which is a felt tip pen featuring fruity scents.

The Magic Touch TheMagicTouch offers image transfer solutions for garment decorators involved in the schoolwear, sportswear, workwear and promotional markets. At this year’s show, it will be presenting the latest in white-toner printer technology with the new A3 TMT/OKI 8432WT model. The printer maintains the five-star rating for compatibility with all the nine different transfer papers available from TheMagicTouch, with each paper offering unique market opportunities with multiple printable product options.

The A3 Pro8432WT model, together with the existing A4XL Pro7411WT printer, feature new toner configurations, installed and powered using the bespoke SpaceControl RIP software to assist in colour management and transfer paper selection.

The SpaceControl software offers the user a host of unique product applications specific to TheMagicTouch. These include options to control the running order of the toners enabling the white toner to be applied first or last to the transfer. All TMT/OKI printers come with a standard three-year warranty.

>>> OCTOBER 2017 - 55

CWB-ONLINE.CO | THE SCHOOLWEAR SHOW

Winterbottom’s Schoolwear Following the successful roll out of its contemporary fitting Knightsbridge jacket, Winterbottom’s Schoolwear is now stocking a special boys’ version in Harrow grey to match its BT7 slim fit trouser. Starting from a junior size 28”up to 52” chest, the mix-andmatch suit services the trend for a smart tailored look away from the conventional, three patch blazer. Other shades are available as Made To Order.

Winterbottom Schoolwear’s “simple to buy” senior tartan collection for girls features its stock SSK308 pleated style in five versatile check designs and a further three Made To Order styles, which can be turned around quickly from the same stock fabric range. Meanwhile, its simplified Easy Care shirt and blouse offer in smart retail packaging is set to form a major part of the company’s supported range this year following a surge in take up by customers during 2017.

Spiro Result’s activewear brand, Spiro, blends performance fabrics with stylish designs. Highlights include the Junior Quick Dry T-shirt, which is fast wicking and offers windproof, breathable protection. Ideal for transfer print and embroidery is the S253J T-shirt available in sizes S/M/L/XL in black, white, navy and lime. The Junior Bodyfit Base Layer Shorts are performance shorts treated with Quick Dry technology to wick moisture and keep skin cool and comfortable. Meanwhile, the S250J shorts are available in sizes S/M/L in black and are suitable for transfer print and embroidery. Spiro’s Junior Skort is windproof, quick drying, lightweight and breathable and is available in sizes S/M/L/XL in black and navy.

Spiro garments are held in stock in every size and colour, with the complete range of activewear available through Spiro’s own European network of distributors.

Tie & Scarf Company In line with plans to expand its current premises in Bury to meet increased business, Tie & Scarf Company is introducing new products for BTS 2018. BTS 2017, meanwhile, has been the busiest ever for the firm, with sales increased by 25 per cent.

56 - OCTOBER 2017

THE SCHOOLWEAR SHOW | CWB-ONLINE.CO

William Turner Leading UK manufacturer William Turner specialises in producing premium quality school ties and accessories. The family-led business returns to the Schoolwear Show this year with an impressive stock range and nearly 50 years in UK manufacturing under its belt. Visitors to the show will be able to view William Turner’s new products and its 2018 brochure.

The Schoolwear Show 15-17 October Cranmore Park Solihull www.theschoolwearshow.co.uk

FLOOR PLAN

FIRE EXIT

ROLLER SHUTTER DOOR EXHIBITOR SET UP

RESTAURANT HALBRO

RESULT CLOTHING

CHARLES KIRK

TOP TO TOE

STORAGE

FIRE EXIT

PEX EUROPA

LABFAX

TRUTEX

THE MAGIC TOUCH PENCARRIE, FRUIT OF THE LOOM, RUSSELL JERZEES

AMAYA

ASCENT RAGTAGD AUSTRALIA

PENCARRIE, AWDIS ACADEMY, BEECHFIELD, QUADRA, BAGBASE, YOKO

OPTIMUM

INNOVATION SCHOOLWEAR

NATIONAL WEAVING

LORNA LOWE

DAVID LUKE

MENS TOILETS

GYMPHLEX

MAGICFIT

HELIX

LADIES TOILETS

BLUE MAX BANNER

DIAMOND TEXTILES

MARTON MILLS

CHADWICK TEXTILES

ESKIMO EPOS

PRESTIGE KT LABELS LOLLIPOP

WILLIAM TURNER

GARDINER BROS

ZECO

WINTERBOTTOM SCHOOLWEAR

COFFEE LOUNGE

ROWLINSON

DOUGLAS & GRAHAME

SCHOOLWEAR ASSOCIATION

DISPLAY AREA

FALCON

ROWLINSON

POD SHOES

NET DIGITIZING

TIE & SCARF COMPANY

CLOAK ROOM

YOUR EMBROIDERY SERVICES

STABILO

CLOAK ROOM

MAIN RECEPTION FIRE EXIT FIRE EXIT

OCTOBER 2017 - 57

CWB-ONLINE.CO | INFORMATION

NAMES AND NUMBERS A AWDis from PenCarrie 0800 252248 www.pencarrie.com Amamaya Clothing 07817 104595 www.amamaya.co.uk APTUS Performance 0333 888 7000 aptusperformance.co.uk Ascent Australia 07801 483201 www.ascentfootwear.co.uk B Banner 0333 888 7000 www.banner.co.uk Beechfield 0800 252248 www.pencarrie.com Best Years 01327 262189 www.bestyears.co.uk Blade & Rose 01539 730880 www.bladeandrose.co.uk C Candy Bows 0113 203 7194 www.candybows.co.uk Chadwick Textiles 0161 927 2565 www.chadwicktextiles.co.uk Charles Kirk 01903 244863 www.charleskirk.co.uk Clara 08454 900 901 www.claracreate.com D David Luke 0161 272 7474 www.davidluke.com Dear to me Studio hello@deartomestudio.com www.deartomestudio.com Djeco 01263 741548 www.jack-in-the-box.co.uk Dotty Fish 0845 130 9535 www.dottyfish.com E Elf for Christmas 07802 331431 www.elfforchristmas.co.uk Embroidery Badge UK (NetDigitizing UK Ltd) 01254 846175 www.embroiderybadge.uk F Falcon 01274 306440 www.falconsports.co.uk Farah 01992 507 895 www.brandmachinegroup.com/farah FTCT 0300 123 9002 www.ftct.org.uk Frugi 01326 558462 www.frugiwholesale.com G Grass & Air 0161 272 5873 www.grassandair.com Gregory Pollard (MagicFit) 0116 277 3857 www.magicfit.co.uk Gymphlex 0116 2556326 www.gforcesportswear.co.uk H Hunter 0131 240 3672 www.hunterboots.com I Innovation Schoolwear 0208 8878778 www.innovationschoolwear.co.uk I See Me! orders@iseeme.com www.iseeme.com J Jem + Bea 07718 3183828 www.jemandbea.com Jim Jamz 07899 922734 www.jimjamzkids.com Ju-Ju-Be 0031 629080862 www.ju-ju-be.com

60 - OCTOBER 2017

L Little Knittle 07919 572534 www.littleknittle.com Little Wardrobe London 020 8061 2062 www.littlewardrobelondon.co.uk M Mabli 07554 429564 www.mabli.co.uk Maped Helix 01384 286860 www.mapedhelix.co.uk Mini Mills Boutique info@minimillsboutique.com www. minimillsboutique.com Mister Tody hello@mistertody.be www.mistertody.com N National Weaving 01834 861446 www.nationalweaving.co.uk Noodoll 020 7253 1890 www.noodoll.com P Pacapod 01271 322834 www.pacapod.com PlanToys 0117 230 2112 www.littleconcepts.co.uk Pod 01234 240440 www.pod-footwear.com R Result 01206 798131 www.resultclothing.com Rosa & Bo 01254 872454 www.rosaandbo.com Rowlinson Knitwear 0161 4777791 www.rowlinson-knitwear.com S Severina Kids severinakids@severinakids.com www.severinakids.com Skip Hop UK 01582 434250 www.skiphop.com Stabilo 01753 605656 www.stabilo.com/uk T The Daddy Bag 0035 3868758246 www.thedaddybag.com The Magic Touch 01582 671444 www.themagictouch.co.uk Tie & Scarf Company 0161 7615151 www.tieandscarf.co.uk/ Titlee 07925 828008 www.cartableenfants.com U U.S. Polo Assn. 01992 507 895 www.brandmachinegroup.com W William Turner 0161 4808582 www.william-turner.co.uk Winterbottom’s Schoolwear 01423 276160 www.winterbottoms-schoolwear.co.uk Wooly Organic Funky Feet 01295 810008 www.merrygorounduk.co.uk Y Yo Kawaii hii@yokawaii.co.uk www.cushionfriends.co.uk Z Zippy Baby 01625 569530 www.zippybibs.com

DIRECTORY | CWB-ONLINE.CO

ACCESSORIES

SCHOOLWEAR

www.candybows.co.uk Hand tied, classic hair bows for school, parties & everyday.

Pettiskirts, dresses, baby onesies, tutus, wings & wands & t-shirts.

BABY & KIDS SHOES

SCHOOLWEAR ENTERPRISE HOUSE 34 FARINGDON AVENUE HAROLD HILL ROMFORD ESSEX RM3 8SU T: 01708 739 390 F: 01708 341 382 E: sales@zecoschoolwear.com

zecoschoolwear.co.uk

SCHOOL TIES

DISTRIBUTOR WANTED

SUBSCRIP TION:

New organic label with a unique concept are looking for a distributor in the UK.

CURIOUS ORANJ

EU £55 (inc. p&p) Outside EU £94 (inc. p&p) NCWA & The Schoolwear Association members in EU £27 (inc. p&p) NCWA & The Schoolwear Association members outside EU £50 (inc. p&p)

To subscribe simply call us on: +44 (0)1484 846069 or email: data@ras-publishing.com

The Telegraph(UK) March 2015 “I am impressed by this organic babywear brand”.

Tel: +31(0)30 7514025 Email: natalie@daddyproof.nl www.daddyproofkidswear.com

CWB BUSINESS DIRECTORY WELDON AGENCIES Established for over 25 years, two generations, covering all areas of the UK. Representing leading brands from Europe, Canada and Russia. Catering for boys and girls 0 to 16 years. Styling from contemporary to traditional.

FUN & FUN, LE CHIC, DEUX PAR DEUX, FOQUE, SARDON, LARANJINHA, JEYCAT, GULLIVER Weldon Agencies, Southport, Merseyside Tel: 01704 576033 Email: barrieweldon@btconnect.com, andrewweldon@btconnect.com www.weldonagencies.co.uk OCTOBER 2017 - 61

CWB-ONLINE.CO | TALKING POINT

GLENN LEECH CEO of Banner CWB meets Glenn Leech, the newly appointed CEO of Banner, replacing Nigel Plenderleith who retires at the end of the year.

—

Laura Turner: What is your professional background?

Glenn Leech: My early career was at Ford Motor Company, which was a fabulous learning ground for someone straight out of university. I then joined Connect Group plc, a specialist distribution group which we grew significantly through organic growth and several acquisitions. In my last role at Connect, I ran their Education Resources and Consumables business.

LT: What attracted you to Banner as an employer?

GL: Banner is a fabulous business, with great people and a strong reputation. It is the largest schoolwear supplier in terms of size and stockholding, but has aspirations to innovate, grow and improve. These are all things that excite me and made me keen to join the already strong team.

LT: What kind of CEO are you?

GL: Any good CEO seeks to surround themselves with people better than them. Your job is then to help facilitate getting the right strategy in place and motivating everyone to get behind its delivery. So, I spend quite a bit of time on ensuring everyone is aligned to our plan and empowering colleagues to deliver it.

I’m also very customer focused – any successful business must understand what its customers want and work tirelessly to deliver or exceed these expectations.

LT: What do you identify as your key strengths and how do they align with Banner’s needs?

GL: I have some useful skills in driving digital transformation, which I think are really relevant to our market and Banner. I have run multisite, multi-channel businesses and I have been through a number of major IT transformations.

I have also run a business that supplies schools, so I am familiar with the challenges in delivering strong service through our summer peak period. My post-acquisition integration experience is helpful given the company’s relatively recent acquisition of SWI, a superb business with great people. I would reflect on my other key strengths as more generic leadership strengths, particularly getting everyone in the business behind our plans for the future.

LT: How do you plan to apply these strengths to your new role?

GL: I only joined on 4 September, so it is very early days. I am currently spending as much time as possible learning the ropes, meeting customers and learning all about the clothing 62 - OCTOBER 2017

industry. Once I have completed this onboarding, I will work with our leadership team to update our strategy.

LT: What’s first on your agenda?

GL: Firstly, we need to ensure a smooth transition between myself and Nigel Plenderleith, who has done an outstanding job leading Banner and will be missed by many people in the industry, not just our business.

Nigel and I are working closely together and will continue to do so over the next few months. Secondly, I want to meet as many customers as possible to understand their perspective on the industry and the role that they want to see Banner take in moving it forward. We also have our important rebranding to deliver. As with any business that has grown through acquisition, getting this right is important and I am confident that we will. Banner is a well-known and wellrespected brand in our market and we intend to enhance its reputation further with innovation and continuous improvements in service.

LT: And your longer-term plans?

GL: This is tricky for me to answer, as I haven’t been in the business long enough. What I can say is that we intend to maintain and enhance our reputation for product innovation, service and having great people who are passionate about what we do.

LT: What trends do you see driving the future of the schoolwear industry?

GL: I think customers’ expectations will become increasingly demanding. I believe students and schools will expect more fashionable designs and that the trend towards more technical sportswear fabrics will grow.

This goes hand in hand with students having a louder voice in their school’s decision making around uniform requirements. It is inevitable that technology will play a bigger role in our supply chain and in enhancing the customer experience. There will also be plenty of pressure to improve the flexibility and speed of our supply chain.

LT: What are the industry’s main challenges?

GL: As everyone knows, Back to School is always a challenge. With the growing number of students, particularly in secondary school, I don’t see this getting any easier in the next few years. Couple this with expectations of shorter lead times and the pressure on the overall supply chain, servicing the industry is only going to intensify. As a parent of three school-age kids, I do appreciate that the

industry could do more to improve the perceived value for money it provides to parents – that means better service, more choice and competitive pricing. Brexit and the impact on both exchange rates and the availability of labour is also a big challenge.

LT: How would you describe the culture at Banner?

GL: When I joined, I was greeted warmly and openly. Banner is a friendly place to work with people who genuinely care about what we do.

There is a naturally strong service ethic and an incredible readiness to go the extra mile to deliver. I really like that. At the same time, our culture is evolving in a good way to become a little more forward thinking and innovative. We recognize that our future success relies on the capability, commitment and creativity of our people. As such, we will be investing more in their engagement and development.

LT: What’s the company’s ultimate mission?

GL: This is something we are reviewing at the moment, but I like what I inherited. The current Banner mission is for “students to look good and feel proud to wear Banner schoolwear”.

We believe we will achieve this by focusing on innovation, passion, service and quality.

LT: Where would you like to see the business in five years’ time?

GL: I want us to be the best schoolwear supplier in the UK, with Banner being the brand of choice for retailers, schools, parents and students.

Every day’s a school day at The Schoolwear Show.

Visit the David Luke stand and discover something NEW! Independent blazer expertise We’ll be launching our new Independent blazer collection.

Eco-uniform leaders Discover how our Eco-uniform range continues to thrive.

Working in partnership Learn about our latest product developments and how we’re continuing to support independent retailers.

Durability in mind.

Ethics at heart.

Register now to visit: theschoolwearshow.co.uk/register.php

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We look forward to welcoming you at our stand in THE SCHOOLWEAR SHOW - 15TH - 17TH OCTOBER 2017 CALL US TODAY

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