When Selle Royal, the world’s biggest producer of bicycle saddles, took over Brooks’ historic Smethwick factory, they imposed one golden rule – no robots. Ever.

For well over 100 years, Brooks has been producing its iconic B17 saddle by hand, and Selle Royal were smart enough to recognise that some manufacturing processes just work.

On today’s The Factory Next Door, we head to Smethwick to meet the workers hand-making a saddle that’s regarded as the longest-living bicycle product in the world.

Number 57 on our list of the greatest things we make here is The B17 Bicycle Saddle.

Brooks’ Operations Director Martin Shepherd shows us around as we consider the challenges of maintaining vintage tools, we learn about the importance of being Tigger, and I fall in love with a machine that breathes life into saddles.

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It’s truly one of our greatest materials. We make shoes from it; clothes, books, bags and furniture. Leather is extraordinary.

Over the millennia, we’ve become adept at using it. Today, in a West London workshop, a group of craftspeople continue to experiment with leather – learning how to manipulate it to create floors, stairs, tables, and freestanding stools.

On today’s The Factory Next Door, we meet the team at Bill Amberg Studio, the globally celebrated experts in architectural leatherwork.

Number 56 on our list of the greatest things we manufacture here is The Rivet Stool.

Bill Amberg shows us around his studio as we learn what it takes to build a client list that goes from Apple to Aston Martin, Boodles to Burberry – and then right down through the alphabet!

Also on the show, we consider the importance of the Mingei movement, contemplate the things we think about before we go to sleep, contemplate politicians working in a factory, and hear why leather work is far from a dying craft.

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For 500 years highland dress has been synonymous with Scotland, but these days there are more kilt-makers in India than within its home country.

On today’s The Factory Next Door we head to a workshop just off Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, where efforts are being made to preserve the art of traditional kilt-making.

Number 55 on our list of the greatest things we manufacture here is The Hand-Sewn Kilt.

As we tour Nicolson Kiltmakers, directors Gordon and Louise reveal the gamble they took to set up the Edinburgh Kiltmakers Academy, we learn the maths behind the pleats, request a brief history of the kilt, and hear the importance of provenance.

Also on the show, MoD contracts leave us confused, a refugee from Europe’s war reminds us to value our roots, and I get my trousers off… again.

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Support the show:

https://buymeacoffee.com/thefactorynextdoor

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.