Source Fashion, Fashion-Enter and the Apparel & Textile Manufacturers Federation (ATMF) are launching Made in Manchester & Regions, a new event designed to connect UK manufacturers with brands, retailers and buyers.
Taking place at Manchester Hall on 4 November 2026, the free-to-attend event will showcase UK production capabilities and examine the commercial case for sourcing closer to home.
Made in Manchester & Regions is the first in a planned series of regional roadshows. The programme will bring manufacturers, trade associations and other industry stakeholders together to discuss the future of UK fashion and textile production, as well as the practical action needed to support growth.
The initiative builds on the Leicester Made events and Source Fashion’s work to promote British manufacturing.
It comes as global supply-chain disruption continues to push resilience, flexibility and proximity up the sourcing agenda, while domestic factories contend with rising costs, tight margins and pressure on skills and capacity.
Sessions will consider what is required to accelerate the reindustrialisation of UK fashion and textile manufacturing. Topics include the barriers to placing more orders with British factories, the role of public procurement and how suppliers can compete through speed, flexibility, quality, sustainability and closer customer relationships rather than cost alone.
The event will also look at how brands and retailers can build a stronger boardroom case for UK manufacturing, positioning local production within a balanced supplier mix and assessing its impact on cost, margin, risk and long-term growth. Further discussion will cover demand for durability and quality, alongside the pressures manufacturers face when negotiating pricing, minimum order quantities, lead times and long-term supplier relationships.
Industry collaboration and regional rollout
Organisers also intend the event to encourage closer collaboration between organisations representing UK fashion and textile manufacturing, creating a more unified voice to champion the sector and make the case for greater government support.
Suzanne Ellingham, event director at Source Fashion, said visibility remains a significant barrier for retailers and brands looking to work with UK manufacturers. “This event is aimed at bringing the industry together and shining a light on local capabilities,” she adds, arguing that volatility has strengthened the rationale for including localised production in a balanced supplier mix.
Jenny Holloway, chair of ATMF and founder of Fashion-Enter, described the event as “a new way forward for manufacturers”, adding that Manchester was a timely location given the focus on reindustrialisation and public procurement. Although Manchester and its surrounding manufacturing community will be central to the first roadshow, the event is open to manufacturers and industry representatives from across the UK.
The programme will continue at Source Fashion at ExCeL London from 19-21 January 2027, before heading to Scotland in the first quarter of 2027. Further regional events are planned. The full speaker line-up will be announced soon, with senior figures from manufacturing, retail, sourcing, industry and government expected to take part.
Made in Manchester & Regions takes place at Manchester Hall on 4 November 2026. It is free to attend and open to buyers, brands, retailers, manufacturers and the wider industry.