Audited fashion suppliers exhibiting at a responsible sourcing event in the UK

Source Modewhich takes place this week from 12 to 14 February at London’s Olympia aims to help fashion suppliers and manufacturers do responsible business faster and help British shoppers buy better, explained Ellingham.

What makes this responsible fashion show different?

During an exclusive interview on the show with Just Style, she said: “Sustainability means a lot to a lot of people. Our goal is to bring producers to the show from around the world. All exhibitors are audited and we work closely with international governments, such as China, to make sure we find the best manufacturers doing all the right things.”

He added, the responsible sourcing fashion show is for retailers and buyers who want to find better products that are sourced in a more responsible way and it is also a way to help manufacturers who are really struggling during the Covid years, like Bangladesh, Pakistan and Madagascar.

He points out: “Responsible sourcing is not just about large-scale producers producing responsibly. It’s about how we can support small manufacturers who are able to come up with something special that supports their creators. Exhibitor sources represent more than 20 countries, each telling their unique story and will play a critical role in moving the industry forward.

Ellingham also revealed that the show had received a fantastic response with attending retailers from Harrods and John Lewis to Bella Freud and Burberry.

He explains: “We’ve brought producers together with buyers, but we’ve also put together a fantastic ongoing seminar program. It’s industry leading and covers a controversial tropical area. This means that Source Fashion can be used to host the conversations we choose to work with with people who have interesting things to say.”

Her session included leading British fashion designer Alice Temperley speaking about the impact of Brexit and how she sources the materials for her designs. Plus it features catwalk shows to bring the manufacturer’s clothing to life with each one telling its own ongoing story.

In terms of trends at responsible fashion show sourcing, Ellingham points to good-quality Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified cotton and says the material is extraordinarily soft.

Manufacturers from Peru are also showing their Pima cotton in full display and Ellingham explains the overarching theme of the show is that all manufacturers make sure their material comes from a good place.

He highlighted that the wider fashion industry and garment manufacturing in particular is a difficult industry to enter into at the moment as the large amount of excess stock at the retail level means manufacturing order sizing remains a challenge.

However, he is optimistic that if garment manufacturers can find the right people to work with, they will thrive.

He said: “Not every manufacturer can do ten small orders so we have a responsibility to assist garment manufacturers with good practices to find brands and retailers willing to work with them.”

He also pointed out that if brands and retailers want garments to be produced in a good way they have to pay more for it, adding: “The UK garment manufacturing industry for example shouldn’t be competitive on price, it’s about craftsmanship and knowing where they can win. ”

Ellingham explained the strong sense of responsibility behind event organizers doesn’t just stop when the event closes.

In fact, the company is running a positive marketing campaign called The Power of One, which is about how making one small change can make a collective difference.

He said: “Consumers don’t have to wash their clothes all the time, and by reducing the number of washes it reduces pollution from microfibers and it’s a great example of how positive change needs to happen from the consumer level.”

Ellingham was very positive about the inaugural Source Fashion fashion show and explained: “We knew this event would get a positive reaction from both buyers and retailers. It’s one of the first launches we’ve done as a business in a while and we know it will grow as it connects buyers in the supply chain to better garment manufacturers in the supply chain.”

Fashion Show The next resource

The next Source Fashion Show takes place July 16-18 2023 and Ellingham revealed it will feature a large Pakistani manufacturing pavilion with a focus on sportswear.

Plus, the organizers will be working on a three-year female in e-commerce program with three Bangladeshi entrepreneurs and the idea is to help them market themselves to the UK market.

She said it was nice to see small producers coming not just about the bigger ones this event was also about helping and promoting positive programs that give back to society, such as the Helping Hands Nepal initiative, which is looking for brands and retailers willing to place orders with disabled and ex-trafficking women. people who are ready and eager to make garments from their homes.