Made in Britain

Rather quietly I decided to embark on a quest to only buy British made clothing. It’s killer. Do you know how friggin’ hard it is to find clothes only manufactured in the UK.. yup bloody hard. Quietly also because I thought I’d fail. It all started when I went on a vintage spree with my sister back in March. We bought a ridiculous amount of stuff all second hand and cheap. And it got me thinking, I can dress fashionably and sustainable – really easily.

This really is Made in Britain AND affordable!
Image: topshop.com

Now I’ve always been an advocate for British manufacture and often got into debates about my views of the dark side of the fashion industry. I’ve often been quoted as saying ‘I want to get into the fashion industry to make a difference’ and I still do. I admire and I am inspired by the industry and I respect it – but there is a hell of a lot wrong with it too and I suppose I want to be a bit of a fashion crusader and promote good and best practice. I disagree with fast fashion and cheap clothes. I rather spend a little more to get something that lasts a bit longer. I believe you get what you pay for, and that couldn't be more of the case in fashion. I don’t want to be ‘in’ fashion for a week; I want to remain constantly stylish.

Many of my friends have wardrobes bulging with clothes and often forget what they even own. I am, or was, just as guilty of this. Yet I was a massive contradiction – although always believing in this and stating my morals of the industry – I too would buy into £3.99 vests from H&M and never looked at the label before purchase. I’m not sure when the epiphany was that made me decide to only buy British was but since I’ve felt nothing but a twang of guilt for clothes which aren’t manufactured in the UK.

I’ve turned into my own worst enemy and all righteous and stuff and riddled with guilt for liking stuff manufactured in Romania and China. So basically, I haven’t been shopping in months. Well, that’s not completely true. I’m still happy to buy second hand regardless of where it’s made and I have bought a few new things since March too! Apparently you can buy British on the high street – just not very much.

My favourite buy came in June when I was in Whitstable for a weekend away. I had seen this dress in River Island. It was a nice cut and fit and most importantly it was Made in Britain! Winner! And only £30. I took a chance hoping that it’d be in the Canterbury store and the last one in my size was there – fate! Since I have discover River Island do quite a bit of stuff Made in Britain. Mainly simple cuts and printed fabrics but that’s brilliant really it makes me want to shop there again! And for my birthday I asked for this skirt and I love it!!

I also discovered Oh My Love, a label I had no idea about – but I stumbled across them during a sample sale. It’s a bit hit and miss as to whether they manufacture it all in Britain (I did e-mail them to ask – but they never replied!) but I have discovered if in the bio it says “Made With Love in East London” it’s a good’n! So far I’ve bought this and this and a couple of things they only had at the sample sale.

Finally, I am massively lusting over the Topshop’s Made in Britain range. It’s perfect; it’s everything I want and more; and it is expensive. I am yet to take the plunge even though the clothes are beautiful. And timeless. And I’d wear them forever (exaggerating and justifying obvs!). Top of my wish list are this, this!

I’ve also been discovering small, young and independent labels – places like Etsy and Big Cartel offer the chance for young designers to sell their goods online and affordably and the vast majority of them are manufactured here, in their bedrooms at 2am in the morning (or y’know 3pm in the arvo, no insinuating illegal stuff or anything!) and maybe this is exactly who I should be spending my money with, not the big high street stores doing it to look good and PR – whilst still happily manufacturing the vast majority of their products in Bangladesh.

There are the classics which are still made here like Barbour jackets and the odd Mulberry Bayswater (which is still top of my made in Brit list ahem) but what I’ve mostly struggled with are shoes and undies. Portas piped up a bit and made a good three part documentary about making kecks in the UK and I praise her for highlighting this! But where do you buy a British made bra? I can’t seem to find the store which Underworld on Coronation Street supplies. Secondly, shoes! I love shoes I own probably dozens of pairs. Brogues make me weak, in glitter and patent and leather and print -  I love them. I can’t afford Churches. Maybe one day. But where else make affordable shoes? And sandals? Luckily without a summer I’ve survived w/o investing in a pair and managed to survive on old battered pairs.  I’ve had to bend the rules a tad too, for example, Zara is Spanish. So should I support their economy and only buy Spanish made goods from them and so on and so forth? I can’t find a basic tee to save my life! Where in the UK manufacture sweatshirts and tee’s? How do I get around that one? I’ve toyed with American Apparel but can I justify using them? I mean they freely promote sweatshop free manufacture. But they still have to ship in. Nightmare.

Finally, and this is the biggest problem. Apart from Topshop’s specific collection and the bit on Oh My Love – no brands actually freely admit where they manufacture garments in online descriptions. I literally cannot internet shop! It’s funny how they have to put it on clothing labels but there is clearly no requirement to list it on t’internet. I know that the vast majority of people wouldn’t check the labels of the garment before buying something in store but I do and it’s has massively changed the way in which I shop. I would like to think if it’s clearly marked on a garment people would be able to make an informed judgement on what they are buying – and therefore if it’s listed online the same would apply – but I’m being self-righteous and annoying myself again – no one else shops like that – and that’s ok, but I really think that if it’s on the label of the garment it should be on the listing of the garment online – it’s only fair.

Do you think you could only buy British? Would you even want to try? Or more importantly do you know any brands which are UK manufactures or carry UK manufactured goods – if you do – please let me know. It would be great to be able to list them all together!

Andrea x