Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal visited ApparelTASKER in Bromley-By-Bow in East London on 18 September 2024, in her capacity as President of the UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT).

London-based manufacturer ApparelTASKER was established in 2015 to offer an ethical and sustainable approach to fashion, while offering high-quality garment production from a convenient East London base.

Her Royal Highness received a tour of the factory floor where she saw everything from 3D development, cutting, sampling and pre-production stages through to the manufacture of swimwear, fashion and tailoring, as well as pressing and quality control.

She heard how the 18,000 sq ft factory aims to be as accessible as possible to fashion brands through offering a minimum order quantity (MOQ) of just 100 per style, with up to three colours and three sizes per order. This flexibility allows brands to experiment with their designs without overproducing.

ApparelTASKER also takes pride in its zero-waste approach to garment production. “We recycle 100% of unusable textile off-cuts into new materials such as insulation, sports equipment filler and carpet underlay,” explained founder Zack Sartor. “Additionally, all our garments are packaged in biodegradable, eco-friendly packaging, ensuring that even the final step of the process aligns with our commitment to sustainability.”

“We also choose to work only with suppliers who share our ethical values, supporting local suppliers whenever possible,” he added.

HRH unveiled a plaque to commemorate the visit and was presented with a gift of a riding garment made by the company.

The Princess Royal’s visit forms part of UKFT’s mission to support the sustainable growth of the UK fashion and textile industry.

Zack Sartor said: “We are honoured to welcome HRH The Princess Royal to ApparelTASKER to showcase the hard work our team are doing in areas from 3D development, through to the manufacture of swimwear, fashion and tailoring.”

Adam Mansell, CEO of UKFT, said: “We are delighted to be able to accompany HRH The Princess Royal to ApparelTASKER, a great example of a company committed to flexibility and adaptability, as well as ethical and environmentally responsible manufacturing. From the outset, ApparelTASKERset out to do things differently and from their on-site canteen to embracing new technology, and it is fantastic to see this recognised more widely.”

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ApparelTASKER is a UKFT member. To find out more about UKFT membership, click here.