Fashion Groups Urge UK to Make NHS and Military Uniforms at Home
Over 1,200 signatories, including Ben Fogle, are pressing Andy Burnham to source defence and NHS uniforms from British manufacturers.
A coalition of more than 1,200 people from the fashion and broader public sphere is calling on the British government to manufacture NHS and military uniforms domestically, arguing the move would help sustain the country's dwindling textile and apparel production base. Signatories include television presenter Ben Fogle, lending a public profile to what is largely an industry-driven campaign.
The push is being led by Fashion Roundtable, a thinktank focused on policy issues affecting the UK fashion sector. On Wednesday, the organization hand-delivered a letter to Downing Street addressed to Andy Burnham, urging him to commit to sourcing defence and health service uniforms from British manufacturers rather than overseas suppliers.
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The campaign arrives just days before London Fashion Week, underscoring the contrast between the country's high-profile luxury and designer sector and the quieter, more utilitarian side of clothing production that outfits frontline workers and armed forces personnel. Advocates contend that large government uniform contracts could provide a reliable revenue stream for domestic factories struggling to compete with cheaper foreign production.
Proponents of domestic sourcing argue that public-sector procurement represents one of the most direct levers available to government for supporting homegrown manufacturing, particularly in regions where textile production has historically been a significant employer. The letter frames the issue as both an economic and a national resilience matter.
No formal government response had been reported at the time of publication. Continue reading at Business | The Guardian.