Clothing Manufacturers in UK: Are Any Clothes Still Made Here?

Are any clothes still manufactured in the UK, and who are the real clothing manufacturers in UK today? I can answer this from firsthand experience. While studying for my MA in International Business at London Metropolitan University in 2003 and 2004, I travelled across the United Kingdom, London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds, and more, and saw with my own eyes how many British clothing factories had already closed. This guide gives the honest answer, the current data, and a list of the genuine manufacturers that remain, from someone whose own business began with a UK order.

What I Saw in the UK in 2003 and 2004

This is where my answer comes from, not from a report but from being there. During my MA in International Business at London Metropolitan University in 2003 and 2004, I travelled extensively across the United Kingdom, to Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds, and around London, looking closely at the clothing trade because it was the industry I intended to enter. What I found was striking. A great many British factories were already completely closed, and a large share of the businesses that still called themselves manufacturers had quietly become importers, bringing garments in from overseas rather than making them at home. The manufacturing base that had once made England a global textile power had largely moved abroad.

One of those importers changed my life. A company then known as Leisurewear International, which today is the well-known childrenswear brand Minoti, gave me my very first orders and effectively started my business. They were exactly the kind of company I had seen everywhere on my travels, a British name that had shifted from making garments in the UK to sourcing them from overseas. That personal history is why I can speak honestly about this question rather than repeating the usual claims, and it is why my answer is a candid one.

Are Any Clothes Manufactured in the UK Today? The Honest Answer

When people ask who the real clothing manufacturers in UK production actually are, the honest answer is that clothes are still manufactured in the UK, but in far smaller numbers than most people assume, and the trend has continued downward since I first observed it two decades ago. The data confirms what I saw firsthand. The share of clothing imported into the UK rose from 57 percent in 1993 to 92 percent by 2001, and it has climbed further since, which places my 2003 and 2004 observations right at the tipping point. Today the UK clothing manufacturing industry is valued at around 2.6 billion pounds and is in ongoing decline, contracting at roughly 2.5 percent a year, weighed down by higher labour costs, input prices, and intense import competition. There are only a few thousand clothing manufacturing businesses left in the whole United Kingdom, and many of those are very small.

There is also an important distinction that most articles miss. A significant number of companies that market themselves as UK clothing manufacturers are, in practice, importers. They bring in finished or part-finished garments from overseas and then carry out the final steps, printing, embroidery, or finishing, on British soil, which lets them attach a UK association to the product. That is a legitimate business, but it is not the same as full cut-and-sew manufacturing, and a brand looking for genuinely British-made garments needs to know the difference before it commits.

List of Genuine Clothing Manufacturers in the UK & England

Despite the decline, a number of real clothing manufacturers do still operate across England, Scotland, and the wider United Kingdom, usually in niche, luxury, heritage, or specialist segments. The names below are among the genuine producers worth knowing.

Johnstons of Elgin in Scotland is a heritage cashmere and fine knitwear manufacturer with advanced knitting facilities. John Smedley in Derbyshire is a luxury knitwear maker that has invested in reviving British production. Sunspel produces its well-known luxury basics, t-shirts, polos, and loungewear, at its factory in Nottingham. Community Clothing is a social enterprise making British-made basics across a network of domestic factories, founded specifically to keep UK manufacturing skills alive. London Tradition manufactures duffle and trench coats in London. David Nieper in Derbyshire makes women’s fashion and nightwear in its own English factory. Fashion Enter in London offers everything from sampling to larger production runs and trains British garment workers. Cookson & Clegg in Blackburn is a long-established maker of workwear, military, and outdoor clothing. Joseph H. Clissold & Son produces luxury menswear, and Trotters Childrenswear makes children’s clothing in England. Manchester also retains a cluster of full-service producers under groups such as the Manchester Manufacturing Group. These are genuine manufacturers, but note that most operate at premium prices and modest volumes, which is the reality of British production today.

What “Made in the UK” Can Actually Mean

Because the label is used loosely, it helps to understand what a “UK manufacturer” might actually be doing. The table below sets out the three common realities behind the phrase.

This distinction is exactly what I witnessed turning over in the early 2000s, when so many British manufacturers became importers, and it is still the single most useful thing for a brand to check today.

Why Most UK Brands Still Source Overseas

Given how few genuine manufacturers remain and how premium their pricing is, most British brands producing at any real volume still source overseas, particularly for cotton knitwear such as t-shirts, hoodies, and kidswear. India is one of the strongest options, offering deep cotton knitwear expertise at competitive cost, and the relationship has grown closer with recent trade developments. Our overview of the advantages of the 2025 India-UK free trade agreement explains why sourcing from India has become even more attractive for UK brands, and our look at the top countries the United Kingdom imports clothing from shows where British garments actually come from.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are any clothes manufactured in the UK?

Yes, but in small and declining numbers. The UK clothing manufacturing industry is worth around 2.6 billion pounds and is contracting at roughly 2.5 percent a year, with over 90 percent of clothing imported. Genuine manufacturers still operate, mostly in luxury, heritage, and specialist niches, but many companies calling themselves UK manufacturers are really importers who finish or print imported garments.

Who are the best clothing manufacturers in the UK and England?

Genuine UK manufacturers include Johnstons of Elgin and John Smedley for luxury knitwear, Sunspel for premium basics in Nottingham, Community Clothing and Fashion Enter, David Nieper in Derbyshire, Cookson & Clegg in Blackburn, London Tradition for coats, and Trotters Childrenswear. Most operate at premium prices and modest volumes.

Why did clothing manufacturing decline in the UK?

British clothing manufacturing declined as production moved overseas to regions with lower labour and production costs, accelerated by the rise of fast, low-cost fashion. The share of clothing imported into the UK rose from 57 percent in 1993 to 92 percent by 2001 and has climbed further since, and the domestic industry continues to contract.

Are UK clothing manufacturers actually making clothes or importing them?

Many are importing. A significant number of companies marketed as UK clothing manufacturers bring in finished or part-finished garments from overseas and only carry out finishing, printing, or embroidery in the UK. This is different from full cut-and-sew manufacturing, so a brand seeking genuinely British-made garments should confirm exactly what a supplier does.

Is it more affordable to manufacture clothing in the UK or overseas?

Overseas manufacturing, particularly in India for cotton knitwear, is generally more cost-competitive because of lower labour costs and specialist cluster expertise. UK manufacturing costs more per unit and suits premium, low-volume, Made-in-Britain positioning. The 2025 India-UK free trade agreement has made sourcing from India more attractive for UK brands.