UKFT helps new and established business to make sense of the changing market. We can help companies to build and review their sales and export strategy to make the most of their limited budgets and to reach out to new customers and markets.

The UKFT team has extensive practical experience of working with UK fashion and textile manufacturers, designers and brands. We know what has worked for which companies and where the pitfalls lie. Working with members on a one-to-one basis, we can help companies to understand which elements of a combined B2B and B2C strategy are necessary for you to be successful and will allow you to work within your budget. We have a track record of helping companies to avoid very expensive mistakes.

We can guide you through the essential research you will need to build your own database and contacts, without getting caught out by GDPR and other privacy laws. We can help you with essential questions on the practicalities of exports, getting the paperwork right, understanding duties and tariffs, which markets would be most suitable for your collection or products, which tradeshows to look at to conduct research and/or reach international buyers. We can help you to protect your intellectual property, designs and trade marks to build the foundations of a successful brand and advise on the legal documents you will need to have in place as you start. The full list of our one-to-one services includes:

• Export Strategy and research
• Business planning
• Working with agents, distributors and direct with buyers
• Routes to market
• Labelling requirements
• Care labelling licences
• Legal requirements for specific markets
• Export documentation, such as CITES and ATA Carnet (UKFT members receive discounts on ATA Carnets)
• Customs and Duty
• Terms and Conditions
• How to get paid
• Wholesale range-planning and pricing
• Multichannel strategy and issues

Much of this work we do in-house, but UKFT also has a group of trusted affiliates who can help you with specialist legal and financial knowledge.

Where government funding is available, we can help you through the process. We can identify the right shows for your collection or product, help you with the application process and help you to apply for grants, where possible. The UKFT will then promote you as part of the group as part of our @UKFTorg #ukftglobalbrands promotions. We often have someone at the show to help and we can help you with the follow up to enable you to make the best of the show. Tradeshows remain an important part of the marketing mix but we can also help you to understand how they can and should work with the other tools at your disposal as part of your multichannel business.

Our detailed one-to-one services are available to members only. Click here to learn about our membership.