Make it British Podcast

Kate Hills
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Kate Hills is on a one-woman mission to save UK manufacturing. In this podcast she shines the light on British brands and manufacturers, and goes behind the scenes of their businesses. With tips, hints and tricks to help you manufacture in the UK and buy British. Never has there been a more critical time to get behind 'made in Britain'.

  1. HÁ 1 DIA

    How British Wool Helps Brands Source Local Fibre with Louisa Knapp, British Wool

    In this episode of the Women in Wool series, I’m joined by Louisa Knapp, Marketing Executive at British Wool. Based in Bradford, British Wool operates as a farmers' cooperative that collects, grades, and auctions fleece for around 35,000 sheep farmers across the UK. Whether you’re a designer wondering how to source British wool or you’re just curious about what happens to a fleece after it’s sheared, you’re going to love this episode. In this episode we cover: How the British Wool cooperative operates and makes it easy for brands to use traceable wool.The British wool supply chain and how new digital systems making it easier to track wool back to the farm.Why wool is a wonderful fibre and how British Wool are pushing up the price the farmer's receive for their fleece.Launching new regional labels to guarantee Scottish and Welsh wool traceability. About British Wool British Wool is a member-led organisation that handles the collection, grading, and marketing of UK fleece to support 35,000 farmers. They work with brands and manufacturers to provide traceable supply chains and increase the global demand for British wool. You can find out more about British Wool at Website: www.britishwool.org.uk Instagram: @britishwool 🚀 Ready to scale your UK-made brand? Apply for the British Brand Accelerator at makeitbritish.co.uk/apply Follow Kate @makeitbritish on Instagram

    31min
  2. The Reality of Running a Knitwear Micro Factory with Kate Stalker from OUBAS Knitwear

    6 DE MAR.

    The Reality of Running a Knitwear Micro Factory with Kate Stalker from OUBAS Knitwear

    In this episode of the Women in Wool series, I’m joined by Kate Stalker, founder of OUBAS Knitwear. Kate runs a knitwear micro factory in the Lake District, where she designs and manufactures fully fashioned knitwear using natural fibres, including British wool. After studying knitwear at Winchester School of Art, she returned to Cumbria and started the business with a single hand flat knitting machine in her parents’ utility room. Today OUBAS produces knitwear on industrial knitting machines, with everything knitted, linked and finished in house by a small team. The business combines design, manufacturing and small batch production all under one roof. If you’re interested in British wool, knitwear manufacturing or what it takes to run a small clothing factory in the UK, this episode gives a real behind the scenes look at how it works. In this episode we cover:How Kate started OUBAS with one knitting machine and began selling at local markets and craft fairsWhy she chose to base the business in the Lake District rather than moving to LondonWhat it takes to run a knitwear micro factory with industrial knitting machinesWhat “linking” is and why fully fashioned knitwear is so labour intensiveHow knitwear is finished after it comes off the knitting machineThe reality of pricing knitwear when every garment takes hours to produceHow made to order production helps reduce waste and allows a wider size rangeWhy small batch knitwear manufacturing is becoming increasingly important for emerging brands If you care about British farming, UK manufacturing and using fibres that actually grow on our hillsides, this episode will give you a practical look at how it can be done. About OUBAS KnitwearOUBAS Knitwear is a British knitwear brand and micro factory based in the Lake District. The business produces fully fashioned knitwear using natural fibres including British wool, with garments knitted and finished in house. Alongside its own collection, OUBAS also works with other brands and designers, offering knitwear sampling, development and small batch production. You can find Kate and Oubas Knitwear at: Website: www.oubasknitwear.co.uk Instagram: @oubasknitwear 🚀 Ready to scale your UK-made brand? Apply for the British Brand Accelerator at makeitbritish.co.uk/apply Follow Kate @makeitbritish on Instagram

    29min
  3. Launching a Brand with Traceable British Wool with Dee McGilvray, CLÒ FOLD

    27 DE FEV.

    Launching a Brand with Traceable British Wool with Dee McGilvray, CLÒ FOLD

    In this first episode of the Women in Wool series, I’m joined by Dee McGilvray, founder of CLÒ FOLD. Dee has launched a womenswear brand built entirely around 100 percent British traceable wool. In just five months, alongside a full time job, she has taken an idea rooted in farming and the British countryside and turned it into a finished product made entirely in the UK. Her first piece is a wool gilet woven in Yorkshire using traceable wool sourced through British Wool. Every part of the supply chain, from farm to finished garment, has been kept in Britain. This isn’t just a story about launching a fashion brand. It’s about supporting farmers, restoring value to British wool and building a genuinely local supply chain. In this episode we cover:Why so much British wool goes to waste and why farmers are often paid very little for itHow Dee built a fully traceable supply chain starting with British WoolWhat traceable wool actually means and how customers can scan a QR code to see which farms their garment came fromWorking with UK mills, manufacturers and suppliersWhy launching with one product was a smart moveThe reality of starting a brand quickly and testing demand in small batchesWhy wool is one of the most underrated fibres in British fashion If you care about British farming, UK manufacturing and using fibres that actually grow on our hillsides, this episode will give you a practical look at how it can be done. About CLÒ FOLDCLÒ FOLD is a British womenswear brand built on the principle of land led living. Every garment is made using traceable British wool, with full transparency from farm to finished product. You can find Dee and CLÒ FOLD at: Website: www.clofold.com Instagram: @clofold Make sure you join her mailing list to hear about upcoming launches including traceable British wool welly socks and future outerwear pieces. 🚀 Ready to scale your UK-made brand? Apply for the British Brand Accelerator at makeitbritish.co.uk/apply Follow Kate @makeitbritish on Instagram

    27min
  4. Series 8 Trailer: Women in Wool

    20 DE FEV.

    Series 8 Trailer: Women in Wool

    Series 8 of the Make it British podcast is here! After many of you asked, “Where’s the podcast gone?”, it's coming back with a brand-new themed series: Women in Wool. Over the past few months, I've been recording interviews behind the scenes. As the conversations unfolded, a clear thread emerged. Every guest was a woman. And every one of them was working with the same fibre - Wool. This new series shines a spotlight on the women driving innovation, craftsmanship and revival across the UK wool supply chain – from farming and spinning to weaving, knitting and manufacturing. 🐑 Why Wool? Why Now? The UK textile industry was built on wool. Entire towns, trades and skills grew around it, yet over recent decades, wool has been pushed aside by cheaper synthetic fibres. Now, the tide is starting to turn. Recent cultural moments have helped bring wool back into the spotlight: The 'Traitors effect' with Claudia Winkleman’s tartans, tweeds and knits dominating headlines.The Princess of Wales visiting Welsh mill Melin Tregwynt and wearing Welsh wool.Growing attention on natural fibres and fully traceable supply chains.The launch ofThe Great British Wool Revival, a platform dedicated to strengthening British wool supply chains. At a time when brands are preparing for Digital Product Passports and increased traceability requirements, wool stands out as one of the very few fibres we can genuinely grow and process here in the UK. 👩‍🦰 Why Women in Wool? While the textile industry has historically been male-dominated, more and more women are now leading businesses across every stage of the wool supply chain. From micro-factories to knitwear brands, from farming to finishing, female founders are shaping the future of British wool. This series celebrates them. 🎙️Be My Guest If you work in wool, or know a woman who does, and would like to be featured in the Women in Wool series, email kate@makeitbritish.co.uk with the subject line Women in Wool. 🧡 Love the Podcast? If you’re a regular listener and this show has helped you, please take a moment to leave a review. Reviews help more people discover the amazing prhttps://www.instagram.com/makeitbritish/oducts still being made and manufactured in Britain. Want to start or grow a British-made brand? There are several ways that we can work together depending on what stage your business is at. ➡️ Let's Work Together! Follow Kate on Instagram @makeitbritish

    10min

  5. 25/11/2025

    BONUS: The 3 Part Framework for Developing Profitable UK-Made Products

    🚀 Want to join British Brand Accelerator? Apply here: makeitbritish.co.uk/apply Got a question before applying? DM me on Instagram: @makeitbritish

    1h24min
  6. SOS: Stop Wasting Time Contacting the Wrong Factories 🏭

    17/10/2025

    SOS: Stop Wasting Time Contacting the Wrong Factories 🏭

    Not all factories are created equal! And if you’re contacting 20 different manufacturers hoping one will say yes — you're doing it the hard way. In this episode of MANUFACTURING SOS, I’m talking about one of the most common mistakes I see when people start looking for a UK manufacturer: assuming every factory can make every kind of product. You’ll learn why factory specialisms matter, how MOQs and capacity make a difference, and what you actually need to look for when shortlisting a manufacturer. I’ll also share why I took down my free directory of UK manufacturers and the surprising truth about what manufacturers really said about being in it. ▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube Listen now to find out: 🏭 Why not every factory with a sewing machine is right for your product 🧵 What kind of research you really need to do before reaching out 🛑 The red flag that means a manufacturer isn’t a good fit 🍷 What looking for a factory partner and choosing a wine having in common! Get a copy of my UK Manufacturers List ▶️ Watch all 5 episodes of MANUFACTURING SOS on YouTube 🚀 Ready to scale your UK-made brand? Apply for the British Brand Accelerator at makeitbritish.co.uk/apply

    12min
  7. SOS: Why Ordering Too Much Stock is a Costly Mistake

    10/10/2025

    SOS: Why Ordering Too Much Stock is a Costly Mistake

    In this episode in the MANUFACTURING SOS series, I’m breaking down why placing a big order with your manufacturer, especially on your first production run with them, can be a costly mistake. You’ll learn why it’s always smarter to treat your first production run as a test, how to avoid tying up all your money in stock, and how to respond when a manufacturer insists on high MOQs. If you’re at the stage of placing your first order with a factory, or wondering how many units to start with, don’t miss this one. ▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube 🎧 Listen now to find out: 📦 Why ordering big on your first run is rarely a good idea 🧪 How to treat your first production like a product test 👚 How to avoid ending up with stock you can’t sell ⭐️ Why less really is more when you're building a UK-made brand 🎧 Subscribe to the Make it British podcast so you don’t miss the rest of this special MANUFACTURING SOS series Get my Range Plan Template Here ▶️ Watch the full series on YouTube 🚀 Ready to scale your UK-made brand? Apply for the British Brand Accelerator at makeitbritish.co.uk/apply

    12min
  8. SOS: What’s the REAL Cost of Skipping Tech Packs? 📐

    03/10/2025

    SOS: What’s the REAL Cost of Skipping Tech Packs? 📐

    Think tech packs are optional? Or that your manufacturer can just "sort it for you"? Think again. In this episode of Manufacturing SOS, I’m breaking down exactly what happens when you don’t have a proper tech pack, and why skipping this step is one of the most expensive mistakes you can make. You’ll learn why a tech pack is your blueprint, not just a boring admin task, and how trying to wing it will cost you more in sampling, quality control, and wasted materials. I’m also busting the myth that you need to spend thousands on a designer to create one – and showing you what to include (in plain English). Whether you’ve been told you don’t need one, or you’ve been avoiding it because it sounds too techy, this episode is your wake-up call. ▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube Listen now to find out: 🧵 What a tech pack actually is and why it matters 💸 How skipping it costs you money, time, and control 🧠 Why pay £100s to get one made 📋 What to include in a tech pack (and how to keep it simple) 🎧 Subscribe to the Make it British podcast so you don’t miss the rest of this special MANUFACTURING SOS series Get my Tech Pack Template Here ▶️ Watch the full series on YouTube 🚀 Ready to scale your UK-made brand? Apply for the British Brand Accelerator at makeitbritish.co.uk/apply

    11min
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Sobre

Kate Hills is on a one-woman mission to save UK manufacturing. In this podcast she shines the light on British brands and manufacturers, and goes behind the scenes of their businesses. With tips, hints and tricks to help you manufacture in the UK and buy British. Never has there been a more critical time to get behind 'made in Britain'.

Informações

  • Criado por
    Kate Hills
  • Anos de atividade
    2018 - 2026
  • Episódios
    300
  • Classificação
    Livre
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Kate Hills
  • Site do podcast
    Make it British Podcast

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