The UK is set to introduce its first national textile quality mark in a major initiative aimed at bolstering domestic manufacturing, industry bodies have announced. The scheme is designed to position British mills, factories and workshops as leaders in ethical, sustainable and high-quality production, in a bid to reverse decades of decline in the UK’s textile industry.
The UK Textile Quality Mark will be developed by a consortium including the Garment & Textile Workers Trust, the Apparel & Textile Manufacturers Federation (ATMF), Fashion-Enter Ltd and De Montfort University. The initiative seeks to establish a trusted symbol of excellence covering key areas such as ethical and safe working conditions, environmental sustainability, low-carbon manufacturing, technical innovation, durability and craftsmanship.
Proponents say the mark will help the UK reclaim its global reputation for textile excellence and support domestic job creation. The consortium plans to pilot the Quality Mark with a range of UK manufacturers and leading retailers to demonstrate its commercial value and real-world impact before broader rollout.
In outlining the broader goals of the project, Kevin McKeever, Chair of the Garment & Textile Workers Trust, said that funding and backing for the quality mark represent “an investment in people, in skills, and in a fairer future for British manufacturing”, expressing hope that it would help restore pride in UK-made textiles and create safer, more sustainable jobs for skilled workers.
Jenny Holloway, CEO of Fashion-Enter and Chair of the ATMF, said the mark would offer buyers in both the public and private sectors a credible signal of excellence and a reason to source more products from British manufacturers. She added that the initiative offers a real opportunity for the UK to excel not by competing on price alone but by leading in ethics, sustainability and reliability.
The Quality Mark is also expected to support a wider push for a “UK-First” public procurement policy, which could see sectors including healthcare, emergency services and government uniform contracts prioritise UK-made garments and PPE.
Industry observers say the quality mark could play a key role in strengthening supply chain resilience and boosting demand for domestically made goods at a time when geopolitical instability, rising costs and shifting consumer preferences are prompting many brands to rethink long international supply routes.
The development of the textile quality mark comes as part of broader efforts to revitalise UK manufacturing and enhance competitiveness, aligning with government priorities around industrial resilience, net zero ambitions and regional economic regeneration.
