Make it British Podcast

Kate Hills

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. 12 小時前

    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 range Why 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

    29 分鐘
  2. Launching a Brand with Traceable British Wool with Dee McGilvray, CLÒ FOLD

    2月27日

    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

    27 分鐘
  3. Series 8 Trailer: Women in Wool

    2月20日

    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

    10 分鐘
  4. SOS: Never ask a factory for the price until you do THIS 💷

    2025/09/26

    SOS: Never ask a factory for the price until you do THIS 💷

    What UK Manufacturers Really Think When You Ask About Price If the first thing you ask a factory is “How much?” — you’re not alone. But it might explain why you’re not getting the response you hoped for. In this episode of Manufacturing SOS, I’m unpacking what actually happens when you lead with price, and why it’s one of the fastest ways to put off the best manufacturers. You’ll learn how to work backwards from a realistic retail price, how to spot when your margins just don’t add up, and what to do before you ever ask for a quote. You’ll also get a reality check on what it really costs to make something in the UK — and why bartering isn’t a strategy. If you want to be taken seriously by UK factories and avoid wasting everyone’s time (including your own), this episode is for you. ▶️ Watch this video on YouTube Listen now to find out: 💸 Why asking for price too soon makes you look unprepared 🧮 How to calculate a realistic target cost price 🧵 Why most founders get their garment costings completely wrong 📉 What happens when you treat manufacturing like price shopping 🔁 What to say to a factory instead of “how much is this to make?” 🎧 Subscribe to the Make it British podcast so you don’t miss the rest of this special MANUFACTURING SOS series ▶️ Watch the full series on YouTube 🚀 Ready to scale your UK-made brand? Apply for the British Brand Accelerator at makeitbritish.co.uk/apply

    9 分鐘

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簡介

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'.

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