CFE launches new Manufacturers trade show

The Centre for Fashion Enterprise (CFE), the incubator for fashion and fashion technology, is launching a new trade show for manufacturers to take place in London next month.

Taking place on July 11 at York Hall in Bethnal Green, the one-day event is targeting small brands and retailers and will showcase more than 20 exhibitors with the aim of introducing fashion brands to manufacturers who can produce smaller scale quantities in order to progress their businesses.

“London is known for nurturing the most innovative and authentic creative fashion designers and emerging businesses but without manufacturers to support and work with them their creative talent and growing businesses would not be realised,” said Judith Tolley, head of the Centre for Fashion Enterprise. “Our vision is to connect business with manufacturers with a view to developing long-term working relationships.”

The Manufacturers trade show is part of CFE’s Fashion Technology Emerging Futures (FTEF) project, which is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) with the aim of supporting the “new eco-system emerging in London”, recognising the convergence of fashion and technology SMEs.

Centre for Fashion Enterprise to host manufacturing trade show in London

Confirmed exhibitors at the launch event, which is planned to take place twice yearly from now on, includes: Fashion Enter, the social enterprise that provide sampling and small production runs for leading designers and new business startups; Zedonk that provides fashion labels with affordable modular online software; Offset Warehouse, an ethical textile company; Source Studio, which offers an all in one solution from fabric and trim sourcing, sampling through to production in Vietnam; Plus Samples that supples CMT, pattern cutting and grading services and Making for Change, a fashion training and manufacture unit, which opened in partnership with London College of Fashion and the Ministry of Justice.

Other exhibitions the have signed up are Pro Sampling Ltd, Eden Studio, New Planet, and London Sewing Services.

In addition, Making for Change has been commissioned to create a collection of tote bags featuring exclusive designs from CFE alumni including Phoebe English, Steven Tai, Teatum Jones and CFE Fashion Pioneer designer, Ovelia Transtoto.

Images: courtesy of Emmi Hyyppa of Sadie Williams AW17