Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal visited Pincroft Dyeing and Printing’s Addlington site in Lancashire on 9 September 2025, in her capacity as President of the UK Fashion & Textile Association (UKFT). The global leader in military, dyeing and finishing showcased its £1.5 million investment in advanced camouflage printing technology.

With 130 years of experience in commission dying and textile finishing, Pincroft provides services spanning the pre-treatment, dyeing, printing and finishing of fabrics across a wide range of industries. Its expertise includes military printing and flame retardant finishing featured on army uniforms from around the world.

Its 376,000 sq ft textile finishing dyehouse is one of Europe’s largest fully integrated textile processing and finishing operations. With an annual production capacity of 50 million metres, Pincroft exports to over 80 countries, including the UK Ministry of Defence, the Finnish Army, Estonian Defence Forces, Australian Defence and more.

During the visit, The Princess Royal toured the upgraded production line which showcased a new rotary printer and laser engraving equipment. She was given insight into the company’s innovations supporting global defence forces by Group CEO John Vareldzis and Managing Director Mike Collins.

The event concluded with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque celebrating The Princess Royal’s visit and Pincroft’s commitment to British manufacturing and global military excellence.

“We are extremely privileged and honoured to have hosted Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal at our factory and to showcase our latest investment in printing camouflage fabrics,” said John Vareldzis. “This moment also highlights the dedication of our people, whose expertise underpins more than 130 years of textile heritage.”

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

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