04 Oct Insight From the Latest Apparel and General Stakeholder Meeting

On the 3rd October members of the FEL team attended and contributed with the second edition of the Apparel and General Stakeholder Update Meeting. Organised by Fast Forward  these quarterly meetings aim to facilitate ongoing collaborative efforts and shared insights.

Fast Forward is a not-for-profit, next generation labour standards improvement programme operated by the not-for-profit Stronger Together. Participants are welcome to provide updates and content at these meetings and this reflects key issues within the industry, in particular, ethical practices, the improvement of labour market enforcement and support for manufacturing workers through engagement, initiatives and campaigns.

New industry insights and trends were shared via:

Know the Chain Benchmark: https://knowthechain.org/benchmark/

Fashion Transparency Index: https://www.fashionrevolution.org/about/transparency/

The meeting discussed current issues of not enough work to go around within the Leicester textile manufacturing hub and as a result workers have been accepting work for less than minimum wage. From the 550 premises visited by Operation Tacit, 118 have issues, and around 1,250 workers are affected. No intelligence has been received in the garment sector in 2023 and there has been a sharp rise in the number of Leicester businesses that are closing, with those that are open struggling with orders.

Margaret Beers has been collecting opinions and evidence on how to improve labour market enforcement that will form her Labour Market Strategy for 2024 to 2025. While Transform Trade have been providing key research and findings for example, late payments, that are being fed into Government consultations on payment practises and the small business commissioner reports from which of those were now awaiting publication. There is good support from MPs and the potential for a Parliamentary event, to be confirmed.

Transform Trade welcomes organisations to indicate support of a fashion watchdog by emailing policy@transform-trade.org.  Individuals can email their local MP/MSPs support through https://action.transform-trade.org/fashion-watchdog-mp-pledge

FCFTA Leicester went on the discuss a shift in the industry and the growing demand for garment workers to develop their skills and to become universal workers.

These meetings provide honest and timely insight into the UK fashion manufacturing sector that is valuable for fashion businesses, new and established, to know and understand the full picture when working with suppliers. The FEL team regularly update learners and resident designers with the latest industry information within their free seminars and meetings.

The next Apparel and General Stakeholder Update Meeting will take place 12th December.