October 2008
Why not grow your own local wardrobe and start slashing those clothes miles
While Britain was once home to a thriving textile industry, this has dwindled in the face of global competition. The globalisation of garb means the world's best (and worst!) fashion offerings are literally at our fingertips - the average British wardrobe is truly cosmopolitan.
But there are still designers and brand-owners out there that produce clothes in Britain. Some don't claim strict 'ethical' credentials - they're simply local manufacturers - while others actually grow and/or manufacture their fabric locally.
Albam (www.albamclothing.com) sells high-quality 'smart-casual' pieces. Almost all of its clothes are produced in the UK - "because we think the extra cost is worth the great quality".
Beth Graham (www.hubshop.co.uk/beth-graham.html) hand-makes small runs of quirkily tailored womenswear in a former mill in Stockport. Her pieces are snapped up through her Hub shops in Manchester and London.
House of Billiam (www.houseofbilliam.com, pictured left) uses classic British suit materials to make bespoke men's and women's hoodies - as seen in the Channel 4 series Skins.
Izzy Lane (www.izzylane.com) produces luxurious knitwear from Scottish (rather than the more common Asian) cashmere and the wool of Wensleydale and Shetland sheep that would've otherwise been sent to slaughter for being uneconomical in standard farming.
Quail (www.quailbymail.co.uk) uses organic Fairtrade cotton and silk to create its range of womenswear - all designed and produced in Devon.
Frank & Faith (www.frankandfaith.com) makes a range of clothes and accessories for women, men and children in the UK, using organic cotton, bamboo and wool. It supports small British factories and businesses, often in areas with deprived communities and high unemployment - bolstering fast-disappearing specialist skills and minimising clothes miles.
Some of Howies' (www.howies.co.uk) clothes are produced in Wales - such as its Rita and Humbug hats and scarves, made using lambswool from Huddersfield.
Makepiece (www.makepiece.com) produces a range of stylish, sustainable womenswear using natural yarns, including locally grown wool and mohair, hemp, linen and tencel.
Shoe-lovers are spoilt for British choice:
New Balance (www.newbalance.co.uk) produces a selection of its running shoes in the UK. While the materials may have long supply chains, many styles are made without animal products.
Beyond Skin (www.beyondskin.co.uk) hand-makes exquisite women's shoes in its London workshop, using environmentally friendly fabrics and avoiding animal products.
Green Shoes (www.greenshoes.co.uk) produces hand-made shoes and accessories in Devon using naturally tanned leathers and vegan alternatives.
Hetty Rose (www.hettyrose.co.uk) and Kitty Cooper (www.kitty-cooper.co.uk) both re-use vintage fabrics in London to make hand-made shoes to order.
Softwalker (www.recycleyourjeans.com) will transform any old jeans you send into a pair of sandals, in the UK, ensuring an extremely low carbon footprint.
UK designers are at the cutting edge of recycled fashion, too:
Junky Styling (www.junkystyling.co.uk) re-works clothes from charity shops and jumble sales into quirky tailored pieces in its London workshops.
Black Dog Textiles (www.blackdogtextiles.com), based in Edinburgh, uses reclaimed materials to produce one-off handbags.
Goodone (www.goodone.co.uk) hand-picks its fabrics from a textile-recycling factory just down the road from its Hackney studio in London - so its pieces clock up clothes metres, not miles!
Amoosi (www.amoosi.co.uk) hand-makes tailored, edgy clothing and accessories from reclaimed and vintage fabrics in London.
Joanna Yarrow is a broadcaster, writer and consultant specialising in green living. She's GMTV's eco expert and presented BBC Three's Outrageous Wasters
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