From Garment Production to Skills Development with Fashion-Enter | UKFT Member Spotlight
17/04/2023
This week’s spotlight is on UKFT Member Fashion-Enter, an award-winning not for profit, social enterprise. “I have worked with John West (Director of Skills and Training at UKFT) in particular for over 15 years now, nearly as long as FEL and the advice and support we receive for education is much appreciated and needed. Going forward we want to work closer with UKFT and really work together to provide the best way forward for ethically made production in the UK,” commented Jennifer Holloway, Fashion-Enter’s CEO.
Click on the link below to learn more about the UKFT membership:
The award-winning social enterprise Fashion-Enter Ltd (FEL) works towards being a centre of excellence for sampling, grading, production and skills development within the fashion industry. It operates across a wide range of activities and includes The Fashion Technology Academy (FTA), two factories, a fashion studio and the FEL’s atelier.
Beth Davy-Day, FEL’s Head of Creative, commented:
“FEL is the only UK company with a leading status in the Fast Forward audit, it is also SMETA audited. The Factory produces up to 30,000 quality garments a week with a minimum order of 500 units from two factories in London and Newtown, Wales. Clients include ASOS, Simply B, Very.com, Community Clothing, JD Williams and Jaeger (M&S).”
The Factory.
Its London factory opened its doors in 2010, focusing on fast-track quality fashion bulk production. Using the internal system Galaxius Management Information System, FEL is able to establish complete transparency, including data on who made what product and when.
In November 2020, FEL opened a second factory in Wales, working with global businesses such as N. Brown, I Saw It First and Risdon & Risdon. In addition to featuring its in-house homeware brand Spyce Jones, the factory also produced personal protective equipment (PPE) during the pandemic for the luxury brand Private White VC. Beth said:
“FEL works alongside various partners to provide state-of-the-art technologies to encourage speed of response and lean manufacturing that is ethical and sustainable. These include Optitex, Kornit Digital, Zund and Galaxius.”
FashionCapital © Sherion Mullings.
In parallel to its two factories, FEL operates an atelier and a fashion studio:
“FEL’s Atelier order size is 200-499 units for premium garment production such as silk blouses, semi-tailored and tailored items.
FashionStudio can work from 1-199 units, current clients include Louisa Parris, Gormley & Gamble, Matthew Williamson and many start up brands.”
Fashion-Enter.
Fashion-Enter also offers skills development opportunities through The Fashion Technology Academy (FTA)
Founded in 2015, the FTA is an ESFA approved college and is part of Fashion-Enter. It provides accredited qualifications and apprenticeships (Level 1-5). “Learners and brands have the opportunity to learn informally with the Saturday Stitching Surgery or undertake professional qualifications from SEG Awards at the FTA sites at Islington, Haringey, Wales and Leicester,” said Beth.
The FTA is the first UK apparel manufacturing and training academy to operate alongside a live factory and fashion studio. This ensures that learners are exposed to real manufacturing skills while undertaking their training.
Discover Fashion-Enter:
FASHION TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY FASHIONCAPITAL
Fashion-Enter is a UKFT Member. Click on the link below to learn more about the UKFT membership: