p.18-19 made in britain 6:FOOTWEAR NEW TEMPLAT 10 08 20/05/2009 13:32 Page 18
Made in Britain
the world economy going again – it took World War
II to kick start industry.
While protectionism benefits no one in the long
run, there are factors that will help British industry: in
the current crisis the fall of the pound against other
major currencies is making it much more expensive
to import. This is creating an opportunity of which
British manufacturers should be quick to take
advantage.
Barker shoes, who pride themselves on making
British shoes in Britain, tell us that they have been
approached by “other shoe companies” to make shoes
MADE IN BRITAIN
for them because these firms are finding that the
imports of shoes are too expensive for the man and
woman in the street.
However, even Barker are affected by sterling’s
weakness as they import leather from the eurozone.
They import leather from Alpine regions because it
I
t does nothing for the national pride, let alone more likely to be blemish free than hides from low
the balance of payments, when every item you altitudes. Few British manufacturers use British pelts
examine in the shops bears the words, “Made in these days, because we don’t have a significant
China”. But, the global economic crisis, not least tanning industry in Britain anymore.
in the way it is affecting the UK, is changing all that. Buying British is it not only a question of price. The
While, we may all have a patriotic imperative to reason English firms like Barker, Loake and Grenson
“Buy British”, history tells us that during the Great survive is because they charge relatively high prices,
Depression one of the factors that prolonged the and they charge high prices because they deliver the
economic hardship was the national protectionism quality that people want and are either willing or
that shrank the amount of world trade leaving able to pay.
millions without work. Without the incomes to get There is also some cache in having leather goods
“Made in Britain” which is why some companies with
LOAKE - MANUFACTURER TO THE QUEEN
British antecedents, but who manufacture their shoes
abroad, plaster their products with Union Flags or
embrace Britishness in their marketing, or even the
The Loake name has been synonymous with traditional English
craftsmanship and fine handmade shoes for five generations and
name of their company.
over 125 years. The company is most famous for its Goodyear welted
British manufacturing has suffered not only
footwear and estimates it has made over 50 million pairs.
because the pound has been high in the recent past,
A Loake Goodyear welted shoe takes eight weeks to produce. Some but also because foreign firms have been delivering
130 skilled craftspeople, up to 75 shoe parts and 200 different operations
quality. There may be questions that can be raised
are involved. Only the very highest quality materials are used.
Loake remains passionate about the quality that only time-honoured
about pay and working conditions that the people in
skills can achieve, but in other respects the company has a very modern
China and elsewhere receive, but the simple fact is
approach. The range of footwear on offer has been extended to include
that most people don’t take those issues into
new constructions and a choice of both classic and contemporary designs. consideration when they buy: it’s price that counts.
Web: www.loake.com
Will there be a revival in British shoe manufactur-
ing or have the skills that are required been out of use
for so long that resurrecting them would require a
huge investment in training?
It is not only the investment is skills, the sheer scale
on which popular makes of shoe are produced means
that the factories and work forces they employ are
veritable armies. Even if they have low skills, the
volume of output and the wage rates that foreign
shoe manufacturers confront cannot be matched by
British firms.
While price and quality are the main determinants
of what we buy (you can take fashion as read as its
availability is worldwide), there is a new trend that will
benefit British shoe manufacturers.
There has been a rise in green consciousness. Local
farmers’ markets are springing up so we can buy their
local produce, there are questions raised about the
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FOOTWEAR TODAY
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JUNE/JULY 2009
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