Community Clothing (locally-made work uniforms)
Community Clothing is a fashion brand that makes everything right here in the UK (mostly vegan materials). The idea is to support local artisans, rather than farming off the making of ‘ethical clothing’ abroad, instead providing income and jobs right on our doorstep.
It has now become the first to offer workwear uniforms for staff across England, made from biodegradable materials (in plastic-free packaging) right here! Every single item is made in its network of 42 local factories.
The range includes polo-shirts, t-shirts and sweatshirts, plu hardwearing elasticated work trousers, cargos, jeans and chinos. There are also a range of aprons (in three lengths) in a whole host of colours. Many items can be offered in organic fabrics (minimum order at 100 units per style – items can be branded).
If you think about the amount of companies, shops and offices across England who have staff that have to wear uniforms (from shops to the service industry to manual labour), could you imagine the amount of income brought into this country if companies switched?
And it would also be better for the planet – firstly by making things locally, and secondly as the fabrics are better.
This brand has already custom-designed the opening uniforms worn for the Commonwealth athlete ceremony. Why not join them? And become part of a growing band of companies that wish to keep money within communities, and support our local artisans.
Where do big companies have staff uniforms made?
So for the spirit of this post, we looked up where the main company uniforms are made for UK staff in major companies (that earn billions, if not millions so could afford to pay local staff).
Tesco outsources its company uniforms to a company that employs manufacturers in ‘global factories, largely concentrated in countries across Asia’. Mmm, that doesn’t sound very ‘fair trade and pay the staff well’, does it?
Ok, let’s try some more ‘ethical’ supermarkets:
- Waitrose again has staff uniforms made im ‘Europe and Asia’ with John Lewis monitoring that there are ethical working standards. Wouldn’t need to do this, if they outsourced to local makers here. But presumably they don’t think local staff are worth paying.
- M & S staff uniforms are made ‘globally in factories located across several key international sourcing countries’ blah blah.
McDonald’s staff uniforms are again made in ‘countries with major garment industries like China, Bangladesh and Vietnam’.
Ok, let’s try British Airways, our national airline that prides itself on the spirit of localism. They make uniforms in all kinds of different places, depending on the materials.
NHS does have some in-house makers.
