Made in Britain debate to launch Buy British Day 2015 set for October 3rd

An event to endorse buying British products will be held on October 3rd at London's King's Cross.

This year, partnering with Made In Britain will be Wayne Hemingway’s The Classic Car Boot Sale in Granary Square, London – and central Preston (way north), in a pop-up retail outlet in the middle of the Fishergate shopping centre and on the Preston Train Station concourse.

Cherchbi - one of the British-made brand currently on show at Design Junction, Victoria House, Holborn.

Buy British Day 2015 was kick started earlier this week at ‘The Great British Debate’ hosted by Best of Britainia at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts.  The conversation subtitled ‘Can we make it all here?’ where British brands, manufacturers and industry figures came together and discussed the opportunities, limitations and future of British manufacture and design.

Engaged in a lively debate was a panel of experts, campaigners and commentators including shirt-maker Emma Willis MBE, Patrick Grant of Norton & Sons and E.Tautz (of BBC The Great British Sewing Bee series) , Drapers editorial director Eric Musgrave, Jonathan Jones of Tregothnan Tea, Made In Britain’s John Pearce, managing director of The Manufacturer Nick Hussey, British Chambers of Commerce Adam Marshall and Kate Hills from Make It British. 

With Best of Britannia’s own Antony Wallis as host, the panel’s discussion touched upon:

·         the use of the Union Jack in branding as a mark of excellence, and the esteem with which the flag as a ‘made in Britain’ marker is received; UK brands’ reticence in using it, as negative perceptions can arise from so-called ‘nostalgia branding’ and the assumptions that a product is made in Britain when in fact it has been made elsewhere

·         proximity to market and its associations with growth in industry – with mention of boat building in the UK

·         there is no reason NOT to make everything in the UK, but the progression and growth of smaller British manufacturers are restricted by lack of investment to make it viable; growing British manufacture is a long, slow process, but worth the investment – we just need the investors; predictions that investment in British manufacture will come from abroad

·         the value of media in demonstrating to the consumer the manufacturing process and where and how their product is made: from pattern-cutting to building, the role of storytelling – and how brands need to get better at telling their stories

·         the pro’s and con’s of the GREAT campaign – it achieved astonishingly positive results as a vehicle for promoting British innovation, but small brands got lost in the system

An initiative from Best of Britannia – an annual event and website that showcases more than 200 of the very best British-made brands and products – Buy British Day aims to engage with consumers who care about the provenance of what they’re buying.  See you there!