The Big Interview
“Personally, I’m a big believer in providing services closer to end markets and the flexibility that brings.”
The benefits
Nearshoring has opened multiple avenues for clothing brands to explore, in terms of speed to market, sustainability and personalisation.
Bringing the whole process to UK shores allows for greater flexibility, shorter production times and less waste, as customers are no longer relying on long-distance shipping and large quantities of inventory to arrive. Steve explained: “We’re part of an industry that throughout the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s saw a lot of production move offshore.
“For about the last 15 years, there has been a more serious conversation about sustainability, coming to a nearshore market, and what difference it makes in transit speeds and making product availability more efficient. “As sustainability becomes more of a strategic consideration, manufacturers don’t want to buy larger quantities on longer lead times. Nearshoring is about bringing that production closer to the end consumer. It’s about how we minimise risk in the supply chain while reducing waste and avoiding overstocking, and the need for heavy markdowns on brands in retail.”
Steve described how nearshoring has additional benefits, one of which is more efficient management of product personalisation, such as names, numbers, images and logos. Meeting this demand by using overseas print suppliers can be costly and risky. Smaller, quicker batches give greater flexibility and power back to the customer and is something nearshoring helps to sustain. Steve said: “There has been a macro trend towards personalisation and customisation over the last five or so years, we’ve all seen that rapidly accelerating. “In the offshore model, a buyer had to get their buys right because they were buying for long periods of time and in large quantities.
“Where the game has changed, and workwear does it really well in staff uniforms, they can perhaps source the garment offshore but bring it in to us completely blank. Then they have extremely flexible stock that they can then use to supply numerous businesses and brands, as we can embellish differently to suit multiple markets.” “It’s about that sense of identity and uniqueness in a world where in the ‘70s and ‘80s, mass volume was popular.
“We’ve entered a phase where this needs to be about ‘me’ and how can I obtain something that gives me my own identity.”
Giving back
Bringing all production nearshore has given Avery Dennison the opportunity to offer customers these benefits, all while giving back some creative power.
But not only does Avery Dennison provide an end-to-end service, the company has also designed the facility as a way for customers to explore the full Avery Dennison portfolio and interact with products and processes. Steve continued: “Over the last three years, we have
www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk A creative space for clients
The full Avery portfolio is available virtually at the facility
really tried to bring design and creation labs onshore, so people can work with products in real-time, closer to home and far more regularly.
“We’re a large business offering a diverse product range, but with locations like Harrogate, we aim to present a creative lab, where customers can access the full online portfolio. They can view physical samples – on garments or standalone – and see their potential in action online. “Harrogate is our first example of taking a very localised site and giving it the full creative capability. It’s a really inspirational facility that plugs into everything Avery Dennison can do. Customers have the opportunity to work with new tools like 3D sampling and designing.” “For us, it’s about bringing production closer to home and really taking waste out of the supply chain while putting power back into the hands of designers and suppliers. Essentially, we’re giving back real-time value.” The clothing production industry is evolving, and navigating these changes is no small task. Yet some businesses are finding ways to empower their customers, turning the challenges of supply chain sustainability and clothing personalisation into opportunities for real progress. Perhaps a change in mindset around how products are created and supplied, along with practical steps like adopting nearshoring, could bring significant benefits to the future of printwear.
February 2026 | 63 |
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