What’s the big deal about ‘Buying British’? Here’s what it means to us

The Morris Minor. Another brilliantly British icon

Somewhere along the line, the phrase ‘Made in Britain’ lost its meaning. It even got a bit tangled up with the far right. Not so good.

But up and down the UK there are still manufacturers who believe that ‘Made in Britain’ stands for integrity, quality, and an honest price for an honest product. And we’re one of those manufacturers.

We’re proud of our British heritage. And we’re hugely proud of the fact that our duffle coats are made right here in the UK rather than imported from overseas. So here’s why we think it matters…

Duffle coats are an icon of British fashion. They hark back to the British Navy triumphing over adversity in two world wars. And then there’s Paddington. Arguably the nation’s favourite bear. So it would be a bit weird if we DIDN’T feel proud to be manufacturers of a quintessentially British coat.

But beyond the light hearted reasons, we believe that British-made products have a positive impact on the environment. Although we source our recycled wool in Italy before transporting it to the UK, that’s a lot closer than sourcing wool in the Far East. So, although not carbon neutral, our duffle coats have a smaller carbon footprint than duffles shipped in from the East.

Because we insist on making our duffle coats in the UK, we can check on the working conditions of our workers. We know that they are safe at work and that their wages are fair. And as British employment laws are some of the most stringent on the planet, we know that our coats are manufactured in a factory where standards and safety procedures are rigorous.

Our commitment to ethical manufacturin is one of the reasons why we’re supporters of Fashion Revolution day. Because we like to know who made our clothes. And we’re guessing that you do too?

And because we manufacture in Britain, we can insist that our duffle coats are manufactured to extremely high standards. One example of this is that each duffle coat is passed through an x-ray machine to check for needles that can get lodged in the wool-rich material. We believe that it’s this attention to detail that helps set us apart from our competitors.

The final reason why we’re proud of our ‘made in Britain’ duffle coats, is because of the quality. You can’t see it online, but our coats are reassuringly heavy. They’re built to last. And to hand down to the next generation.

That’s why we pay so much attention to the quality of the fabric, the stitching and the toggles. Because you’re not buying a duffle coat for a season, it’s to last you years.

What do you think? Does ‘Made in Britain’ reassure you? Or has the phrase lost its meaning over the years?