Would people be willing to pay more for ethically produced clothing?

[TomChapman]

Hi my name is Tom,

I am new to the forum, I am in the process of having a few of my designs manufactured and I am having them done over here in the UK. Which lead me to think, how many people would be willing to pay the extra cost for clothes that are produced over here in the UK? As I believe getting the clothes manufactured here in the UK generally means better quality. And find that many brands that are produced abroad may be cheaper but you are loosing the quality.

I also prefer to know that my clothes are being made ethically by someone who chooses to take that career and not forced to work for pennies. I am not a complete snob about it but it is something i prefer.

So here is the million dollar question, would you be willing to pay more for clothing that is manufactured in the UK Or are you more interested in style?

Feel free to explain your reasons why, as I would be interested to know .

Thanks for any replies.
Tom Chapman

 

[Star]

For me it more about the cost to produce in 2nd/3rd world countries versus the markup to retail plus what the brand purports to be particularly if it is a higher end brand. For example Lacoste once upon a time made wonderfull polo shirts and on the label it said 'Made in France'. Today the same wonderful shirt is made either in China, Chile and or other but at the same ridiculous price point. So to your question if you charge a premium for your product it better be made in the UK otherwise it's is unlikely that I would buy it.

Personally I think investing your efforts in marketing your brand as 'ethical' may be a hit and miss. I would concentrate on style, quality, target market and above all cash flow otherwise you are sunk.

 

[TomChapman]

Great answer can see where you are coming from 100%, especially Lacoste is a prime example. Im not planning in marketing it just as an ethically produced garment, as i believe the product quality is second to none. I am not going to put a huge mark up on this at the moment as I am just selling a few products to family and friends.

And i hope to make a nice bit of profit so that I am able to purchase more and hopefully get a better price per unit. Then offer lower prices, which is sort of my aim to offer handmade quality and stylish items at a reasonable price.

Are you currently working in fashion yourself star?

Thanks for the answer.

 

[Star]



Great answer can see where you are coming from 100%, especially Lacoste is a prime example. Im not planning in marketing it just as an ethically produced garment, as i believe the product quality is second to none. I am not going to put a huge mark up on this at the moment as I am just selling a few products to family and friends.

And i hope to make a nice bit of profit so that I am able to purchase more and hopefully get a better price per unit. Then offer lower prices, which is sort of my aim to offer handmade quality and stylish items at a reasonable price.

Are you currently working in fashion yourself star?

Thanks for the answer.

nope. corporate world (

 

[patrickBOOTH]

Many people on here buy bespoke clothing locally. So yes, people are willing to pay the price.

 

[FLMountainMan]

Is it ethical to deny people in impoverished countries a way to improve their standard of living? I don't mean to get political, but it seems like you are equating "made in the First World" with ethical, which is perhaps paternal liberalism at its worst.

 

[Fang66]

I don't want loose quality, I want a shirt with moral fibre damn it!

 

[StephenHero]



I also prefer to know that my clothes are being made ethically by someone who chooses to take that career and not forced to work for pennies. I am not a complete snob about it but it is something i prefe

So what happens when those people who are "forced to work for pennies" aren't allowed to "work for pennies" when you make your clothes in the UK? Obviously you can do whatever the **** you want, but you'd be a moron to think that these people working for almost nothing in China and Vietnam could somehow find better work in the absence of opportunity making clothes for westerners. They'll go back to working for less than pennies, or maybe selling themselves into prostitution, or maybe begging for food or maybe working coal mines. It's such delusion to believe the problem won't still persist if you ignore it by protecting your own. If ethical clothing production was your primary goal, you'd probably make the clothes in China, because that scenario forces far more people out of destitution than the alternatives.

 

[DannyJman]

i would definitely go the extra mile and pay more - It feels like Freedom Lol.

 

[MikeDT]

Made in UK clothes is rather difficult for me, so have to vote no. I'm happy with made in China clothes...but there's a lot of rubbish though.

 

[lasbar]

As being a foreigner in England , I'm the only one of my colleagues to actually buy clothes made in the UK or continental Europe...

All my Rule Britania mates are all wearing cheap Chinese or Vietnamese clothes and driving foreign cars but they see themselves as English patriots especially when they put plastic flags on their cars during football tournaments..

 

[impolyt_one]



Im not planning in marketing it just as an ethically produced garment, as i believe the product quality is second to none.

on what basis?

 

[lasbar]



on what basis?

It is ethically produced.

 

[Tailor Dan]

Could I get some feedback on this net resting point brought up by TomChapman? What clothing products, apart from fully bespoke on Savile Row, are made in UK. I'm sure that there are more then I think but have been thinking that most garments are made outside UK nowadays.

What brands so as to help those that may like to buy hen can. Agree with the chap who said buying 3rd world probably more ethical as then at least they are earning pennies rather than take the job away and earn less.

But still good to know British brands.

Thanks


http://gentlemansgent.blogspot.com/2012_02_01_archive.html

 

[FLMountainMan]



Could I get some feedback on this net resting point brought up by TomChapman? What clothing products, apart from fully bespoke on Savile Row, are made in UK. I'm sure that there are more then I think but have been thinking that most garments are made outside UK nowadays.
What brands so as to help those that may like to buy hen can. Agree with the chap who said buying 3rd world probably more ethical as then at least they are earning pennies rather than take the job away and earn less.
But still good to know British brands.
Thanks
http://gentlemansgent.blogspot.com/2012_02_01_archive.html

This took me a whopping eight seconds to find on google.

http://uk.tradekey.com/clothes.htm