UKFT's objective is to secure policy changes that will benefit manufacturing across the wider fashion and textile industry, alongside other advanced manufacturing sectors.
UKFT’s submission argues that current Treasury spending rules and public procurement practices place too much emphasis on lowest upfront cost, often overlooking wider benefits of UK manufacturing such as supply chain resilience, innovation, skilled employment, tax revenues and long-term value for the UK economy. As a result, UK manufacturers are frequently excluded from supplying government contracts, even where they offer high-quality, internationally competitive products.
The paper highlights that UK companies successfully supply technical and defence textiles to many of the UK's NATO partners, yet often struggle to win equivalent contracts at home. UKFT believes procurement should become a strategic tool that supports national resilience, industrial capability and economic growth, rather than focusing solely on short-term unit price.
Among the recommendations are reforms to Treasury guidance on value for money, greater recognition of strategic manufacturing sectors, increased transparency in public procurement, stronger engagement between Government and industry, and measures to give greater consideration to UK manufacturing capability when public contracts are awarded.
Although the immediate emphasis is on defence textiles, UKFT is using this work to reinforce its broader engagement with Government and industry partners, including the CBI, on creating a more supportive environment for UK manufacturing more broadly. Many of the barriers identified are common across fashion, textiles and other manufacturing industries, and addressing them would help strengthen UK supply chains, encourage investment, support innovation and create skilled jobs across the UK.
As we prepare for a new Prime Minister and the potential for policy changes, UKFT will continue to work with Ministers, Parliament and industry partners to ensure that future procurement policy better supports British manufacturing and delivers long-term value for taxpayers, industry and the wider economy and use those changes to push for a broader commitment to a level playing field for UK manufacturing, where it has a role to play, as part of UKFT’s lobbying for a stronger and more dynamic fashion and textile ecosystem.
UKFT’s CEO Adam Mansell said: “UKFT continues to believe that UK manufactured textiles and garments have an important future. Our campaign to change the rules on public procurement is an important step towards creating better awareness in Government of the many benefits of buying British, alongside our other campaigns to reduce the cost of energy in UK manufacturing and supporting education and training. These are issues we have been campaigning for and we intend to make the new Prime Minister aware of the need for urgent change and the benefits of a stronger UK fashion and textile industry."
