Plymouth to boost British manufacturing with Makers HQ

Plymouth College of Art and non-profit organisation Millfields Trust are launching a local manufacturing initiative, Makers HQ, which will provide cut, make and trim services to the fashion industry, with a strong focus on ethical and British manufacturing.

The initiative, aims to reignite the fashion manufacturing sector within the South West and will bring together academic institutions, businesses, designers, makers and members of the local community to create a sustainable and innovative new business model for the fashion and textiles sector in Plymouth.

The company aims to drive community regeneration, initially within the Stonehouse area, through job creation, increased retention of highly-skilled graduates and training opportunities.

Plymouth College of Art and Millfields Trust raised 184,000 pounds in funding from independent trust Power to Change and an additional 96,000 pounds from Plymouth City Council’s social enterprise investment fund to get the project off the ground.

The hope is that Makers HQ will also re-establish the city’s historical links with the fashion and manufacturing industry, as Millfields Trust is headquartered on Union Street within the former Jaeger clothing factory, which closed in 1997, at the loss of 250 jobs.

To help launch the project, Makers HQ is seeking to recruit a studio manager to establish the sampling unit and training facility. The closing date for applications is February 12.

Images: via Plymouth College of Art website