Make it British Live! Online, which takes place on 24-25 September 2020, marks the first-ever virtual event for the trade show. Offering everything from the physical show plus more, it will be available for attendees to access from the comfort of their office, factory, or home.

Make it British Live! was due to take place on 17-18 March 2020 at the Business Design Centre, London. However, like all trade shows and events that were due to take place this year, it was sadly postponed.

The digital event will provide a platform to connect buyers and designers with UK manufacturers of fashion, textiles and homeware.

Commenting is Kate Hills, founder of Make it British. “Connecting with people in the industry is still very important; especially right now, when so many businesses that previously sourced from overseas are moving their production closer to home. So, we wanted to find a way to still bring everyone together.”

What to expect from Make it British Live! Online

As with the physical trade show, the virtual event will have all of the features of Make it British Live! plus more. Once logged into the event platform, attendees can do the following:

• Meet manufacturers and browse brands that make in the UK. Also, chat and book meetings with exhibitors in their virtual booths.
• Access live keynote speakers on the main stage. The webinar-style talks will also include Q&A opportunities.
• Q&A sessions on specific topics – drop in and ask the experts.
• Connect with other attendees via three-minute, 1:1 video speed-networking calls. Exchange virtual business cards.

The speaker line-up and sessions include:

• Sketch Pad to Shopping Bag – The Future of Fashion Production & Fulfilment with Kate Hills (Make it British), Jenny Holloway (Fashion Enter), Barbara Shepherd (MMU) and Omer Kulker (Kornit)
• Fashion Roundtable Presents: Fashion and Brexit. What you need to know for you and your business with Tamara Cincik, Dr Lisa Cameron MP, William Bain (British Retail Consortium), Alison Cole (UDL Intellectual Property)
• Why UK manufacturing is more sustainable with Christopher Nieper OBE
• How crowdfunding helped us set up a micro-manufacturing business with Jack Millington (Billy Tannery)
• Running an ethical business in 2020 and beyond with Elizabeth Styles and Lucy Greenwood (Lucy & Yak)
• How to grow your online sales with Catherine Erdly (Future Retail Consulting)
• Reducing waste in design and manufacturing with Dr Mark Sumner (Future Fashion Factory), James Appleyard (Deluxe Beds), Lucy Blackley (BombyxPLM) and Rita Britton (Nomad Atelier)
• How to use data and digital tools to transform your business with Jodi Muter-Hamilton (Black Neon Digital) Craig Crawford (Crawford IT), Peter Needle (Segura) and Chloe Watts (Chloedigital), Cathy McCabe (Proximity Insight)
• Regenerative Agriculture: how textiles can actually be a benefit towards the problems of global warming with Charles Ross

Click here to register free of charge for Make it British Live! Online.