Not British made anymore!

[Erbswurst]

I asked a couple of weeks before in this forum about products MADE IN BRITAIN.

And I tried to get informations about other European made stuff.

Now a days it is still possible to buy most of the equipment made in Europe and we should concentrate in buying their products, because they are the last who offer it.

Regarding cotton clothing it's no wonder that most come from overseas. We have no cotton fields in Europe.

I think Tencate is still weaving in Holland and is the last one together with the swiss fabric.

Tencate tents become older than 50 years, I see them often at camping grounds in France.

 

[Paul_B]

Personally I don't hold with buying local to keep them going. I buy because of many reasons. First it's function, price, quality and what it looks like down the list a little. Where it's made only matters wrt environmental considerations. However plastic macs use oil and pollution to make. Transport is actually the efficient part in terms of pollution I believe.

If britco doesn't suit my needs then britalikeco who designs from Britain but travels the globe for manufacturers does I'll buy them. If not I'll buy whichever company does suit my needs. Quality matters and a Vietnam made cag lasting 10 years or a British made cag fails after 2 years then environmental considerations don't actually work out for british made product.

I guess I'm not sentimental about these things.

 

[GuestD]

A few years ago I bought a Sgian-dubh for a friend, which I got made in Sheffield. The gentleman I spoke to was one of the last master curlers working there and I asked him "what happened ?" his answer was; "The British believed no one could do it better, but they could, and they did. ", and that about nails it.

 

[Robson Valley]

Sitting where we do on the "Pacific Rim," we get goods made in all sorts of countries.
Some of it really is crap, some of it is very, very well made.
It gets so I look at the source to decide on that county's reputation for purchase.

Winter clothing = Viet Nam
Cotton shirts = Pakistan
Cotton towels and bedding = United States.
Small steel parts and tools = India
Big steel and metal goods = Italy and United States.
Shoes = China
Small kitchen appliances = Mexico

Consequently, it's rare to see much from the EU or from Britain.
I'd like to buy straight, British-made woolens. Wool. With the wool mark.
Most fabrics are fekked up with some sort of plastic fiber. NO! I don't want that.

 

[Janne]

True, Deekin.

It is a pity though, Britain had some fabulous production!

RR, Bentley, Landrover, so many brands are not British anymore...

'Own country brands' bring a sense of pride to the people.

I was never a Volvo customer, but if I was, I would never buy one today anyway.

Yes, we happily buy shirts from VietNam. Then throw them away next year and buy a new one, with upgraded print.

My forefathers bought a shirt from a seamstress, that fitted, and wore it for the next 10 years.
Of course, they took it off at least once a month before they bathed.
Had they still lived in France they would have kept it on and just used perfume!

 

[Janne]

Al least your Research is top.
Congratulations, England, on another Nobel Prize winner! Dr Peter Ratcliffe.
( Medicine, shared prize)

 

[GuestD]

I / you can still buy lengths of Scottish tweed, which I do, and have someone local run something up, and its not that necessarily expensive. It's been a few years, but I have shirts and jackets bought from Hilltrek in Aboyne. You can still purchase boots from William Lennon in Stoney Middleton, Old Town Clothes in Norfolk, and if you hunt around etsy, there's plenty of UK based folks making decent stuff.

 

[Alan De Enfield]

A few years ago I bought a Sgian-dubh for a friend, which I got made in Sheffield. The gentleman I spoke to was one of the last master curlers working there and I asked him "what happened ?" his answer was; "The British believed no one could do it better, but they could, and they did. ", and that about nails it.

Exactly the same as the UK motorcycle industry in the '60s.

"No one wants those lightweight, 2-stroke, shiny chrome things from Japan"

 

[Paul_B]

There was a cobbler in Settle a few years back who made custom shoes. The shop window was full of old tools and old style boots/ shoes. Unfortunately I was never there when he was open. Suspect he's an old fella and long retired by now.

There's a lot of manufacturing going on across the country. Small companies supplying various widgets into JLR, BMW etc. The UK might not own the brands but they're certainly integrated into the European car manufacturing supply chain. I hope that will continue but not looking good for smaller companies right now.

Looking at outdoor and craft sector there's so much going on in the lifestyle businesses across the country. For example, I went into a rug shop in my town, a little single trader. Among the rugs from Afghanistan, Iran, India, etc there's pottery from Ingleton 15 miles away and other local produce. Real quality and good value. There's a lot of local, craft going on across the country to a high standard but you tend to only find them by accident. Might be a business idea for a country based craft marketplace online. Cheap way to sell stuff and one place to find it all. Any IT experts with an entrepreneurial streak out there?

Clothing too. I've seen a few specialists

 

[GuestD]

Suspect he's an old fella and long retired by now.

Wrong

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/image-gallery/nelson-shoemakers-1-9080825/9080826

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/new...s-last-remaining-bespoke-shoemakers-1-9080826

 

[Chris the Cat]

Bison Bushcraft.
British design, materials and build I think I am right in saying.

 

[GuestD]

I have a few custom made bush shirts made from materials purchased here,

https://kingcraig.com/fabric/

Exactly the same as the UK motorcycle industry in the '60s.

"No one wants those lightweight, 2-stroke, shiny chrome things from Japan"

Well, just look at the sort of people who ran the British Motorcycle Industry.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Docker

 

[Janne]

Many other European motorcycle manufacturers survived, and thrived, despite not making shiny 2 stroke bikes.
They survived because the customers were happy with the quality.
This does not apply to Eastern European manufacturers, those survived because buying a new car was virtually impossible. Even if the bikes were rubbish they sold.

The Honda 750 came in -69 or -70?

The commercial decline started as soon as civilian production started again after the end of WW2 and people had a choice of products.
They chose Italian and German, because of higher quality.

 

[GuestD]

Part of the problem is not supply. How many of us actively look to source home manufactured goods. I do, but it comes at a cost. I would like to say that the clothing or footwear lasts longer, but I haven't bothered to pay any attention to it. My old Hoggs boots recent re-sole cost more than the cheap Karrimore boots I bought earlier in the year, and (the Hoggs) have outlasted a pair of grossly overpriced Redwings. I still wear a much cherished, and repaired Barbour Jacket that still does the job at over 40 years old.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance...-the-Barbour-factory-in-pictures.html?image=4
I can go down the town and buy all I need to eat healthy, sourced locally as well, again, it comes at a price, but I cannot ever remember throwing out any food waste in my life. Anything that was left over went in the cat/dogs bowl.

 

[Paul_B]

Wrong

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/image-gallery/nelson-shoemakers-1-9080825/9080826

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/new...s-last-remaining-bespoke-shoemakers-1-9080826

Very good to hear. I've yet to see it open so figured it was kind of defunct. Plenty of working life left in him at 55!

There's a cobbler in morecambe called thre lady cobbler. Took over from an old guy she learnt from I believe. She gives talks about the business of cobbler to groups. She's really the only proper cobbler round there.

Timpsons aren't cobblers really. My partner had zip repaired through timpsons via them sending it off. £65 cost. Other boot zip got repaired for £12 with polish included. One took 6 weeks the cobbler took one.

 

[GuestD]

Very good to hear. I've yet to see it open so figured it was kind of defunct. Plenty of working life left in him at 55!

I had a chat with him a couple of years ago, the shop is a bit Dickensian, in a good way.

There's a cobbler in morecambe called thre lady cobbler

There is a good cobbler in my nearest town, usually a week turnaround for a re-sole, and he's always busy which is usually a good sign.

 

[Paul_B]

The lady cobbler is also very busy but she's efficient and turns around work when promised. Always a good thing. She's had plenty of business from my partner since.

My partner lived in south America for years in the capital city. Over there you could easily find a workman to make anything. There were bed makers in one part of the city, shoemaker other part and so on. There was even a guy repairing umbrellas for a job. He'd take your umbrella in and repair it from parts gathered from thrown out ones he's picked up left in bins or side of the road. Very cheap indeed.

Whatever you needed just ask around and you'll get told where to go. Craft made items. The beds are 100% custom made for your requirements by one guy in his own apartment or backyard. Amazing how that's cheaper than machine made in a factory!

 

[GuestD]

Whatever you needed just ask around and you'll get told where to go. Craft made items. The beds are 100% custom made for your requirements by one guy in his own apartment or backyard. Amazing how that's cheaper than machine made in a factory!

I wonder what the comparison in overheads/cost of living are. One thing I have learned that pushes up prices here is the addition of "Artisan" into your business title. Words cost more than product.

 

[Janne]

I have noticed that in poor countries, much goods are made the oldfashioned way, and cheap. Lots of skilled people.

In more affluent countries, few people still know how to make stuff, know their value and can charge more.

But, I have been surprised many times in UK over the affordability of many craftsmen.

 

[Robson Valley]

I think there's a big difference between city people and country people for crafting.
So much so that a saddle & tack leather worker can't survive in a city. So don't go looking for them there.
A farrier has a tough time of it in a city as well. The local guy is very busy in spring and fall.
Does blacksmithing and builds home accessories like stair railings in the off season.

The reverse is also true: I can't buy much for clothing here in the village. No underclothes or socks at all.
The grocery store only gets what's on the truck. What ever you might want maybe not be there ever.
So, off to the city for socks and Kumquats again!