In this episode of the Women in Wool series, I'm joined by Harriet Fletcher-Gilhuys from Fashion Roundtable.

Harriet is the project lead for The Great British Wool Revival and is also working with the King's Foundation on an event in May 2026 to promote the use of British wool.

If you're a designer, maker or brand wanting to work with British wool but not sure where to start, the Great British Wool Revival is the resource you need to know about. It maps the entire wool supply chain from sheep to spinning, dyeing, knitting and weaving and Harriet is here to walk us through exactly how to use it.

In this episode we cover:

• What The Great British Wool Revival is and how to use it to find farms, spinners, dyers and manufacturers near you
• How to plan a traceable British wool supply chain from scratch, and why you should allow a full year from first conversation to finished product
• How to get around minimum order quantities by pairing up with other small designers
• Why the website is already being used in 80 countries and what that tells us about the global shift towards homegrown fibres
• The two-day wool summit at Dumfries House in Scotland bringing together farmers, designers, makers and policymakers, and how to get involved

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 the Great British Wool Revival

The Great British Wool Revival is a free online platform built to make British wool more accessible, from farmer through to finished product. Launched in September 2024 in collaboration with the King's Foundation and funded by Yoox Net-a-Porter, it maps the entire wool supply chain and includes a terminology guide, a directory of mills, spinners and dye houses, and step-by-step guidance for designers wanting to work with British wool.

The Great British Wool Revival Website

Fashion Roundtable website

Instagram: @greatbritishwoolrevival

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In this episode of the Women in Wool series, I'm joined by Isabelle Randall, a fashion designer and tailor based in Scarborough, Yorkshire, who has been running her own label for over 21 years.

Isabelle works in British tweeds and wool fabrics, making everything bespoke in her atelier. We talk about the Yorkshire mills she loves working with, her tailoring process, and why her bespoke approach keeps customers coming back again and again.

We also get into what it feels like, as a designer who makes everything herself, to hand over the responsibility of production to a manufacturer for the first time.

In this episode we cover:

1. Which Yorkshire mills Isabelle works with and why she chooses British tweeds and wool fabrics
2. How her bespoke tailoring process works from initial consultation to finished garment
3. Why her made-to-order approach builds long-term customer loyalty
4. What it's really like to hand over production to a manufacturer when you've always made everything yourself
5. Why holding out for customers who understand and value the work is better than chasing every sale

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 Isabelle Randall

Isabelle Randall is a fashion designer and tailor based in Scarborough, Yorkshire, with over 21 years of experience running her own label. She works exclusively in British tweeds and wool fabrics, creating bespoke garments from her atelier.

You can find Isabelle and her label at:

Website: isabellerandall.com

Instagram: @isabellerandall

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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:

1. How the British Wool cooperative operates and makes it easy for brands to use traceable wool.
2. The British wool supply chain and how new digital systems making it easier to track wool back to the farm.
3. Why wool is a wonderful fibre and how British Wool are pushing up the price the farmer's receive for their fleece.
4. 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

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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.

1. How Kate started OUBAS with one knitting machine and began selling at local markets and craft fairs
2. Why she chose to base the business in the Lake District rather than moving to London
3. What it takes to run a knitwear micro factory with industrial knitting machines
4. What “linking” is and why fully fashioned knitwear is so labour intensive
5. How knitwear is finished after it comes off the knitting machine
6. The reality of pricing knitwear when every garment takes hours to produce
7. How made to order production helps reduce waste and allows a wider size range
8. 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.

OUBAS 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

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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.

1. Why so much British wool goes to waste and why farmers are often paid very little for it
2. How Dee built a fully traceable supply chain starting with British Wool
3. What traceable wool actually means and how customers can scan a QR code to see which farms their garment came from
4. Working with UK mills, manufacturers and suppliers
5. Why launching with one product was a smart move
6. The reality of starting a brand quickly and testing demand in small batches
7. Why 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.

CLÒ 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

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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:

1. The 'Traitors effect' with Claudia Winkleman’s tartans, tweeds and knits dominating headlines.
2. The Princess of Wales visiting Welsh mill Melin Tregwynt and wearing Welsh wool.
3. Growing attention on natural fibres and fully traceable supply chains.
4. 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!

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Got a question before applying?

DM me on Instagram: @makeitbritish

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

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