16
What Work Leicestershire
TEXTILES MANUFACTURING AND FASHION
This sector was at the heart of Leicester and Leicestershire’ s economic development throughout the 19th and 20th century, predominantly in knitwear and hosiery. Much manufacturing went overseas in the 1980s, but there is still a significant industry locally today. New innovation will mean that Information Technology and Computer Aided Design skills will be in demand to meet the needs of high-tech machinery. The textiles sector is much wider than fashion, including home furnishing, leather and sports garments; even car seat covers!
What is happening?
• The sector includes occupations such as textile research and development, fashion designer, graphic designer, pattern cutter, sampler, machine operative, knitter, fabric dyer and printer, buyer, merchandiser, textile technologist, supervisor, quality control inspector, production manager, mechanical and electrical engineer, and many others!
• Smart textiles technology is advancing and the markets for eco- friendly garments and British goods is growing.
• The sector composition in this area is mainly around manufacturing and finish of fashion apparel, knitwear and hosiery. It is the second largest employment area for textiles manufacture in the UK, contributing over half a billion pounds to the Leicester and Leicestershire economy every year, with 9,500 jobs across 1,480 businesses in the area.
• Some UK retailers are choosing to switch production from abroad back to the UK, for flexibility and speed, and several local businesses have invested significantly in high technology machinery.
• Some roles are ideal for‘ on the job’ training, but as machinery and techniques are increasingly‘ state of the art’, higher level skills are required.
• De Montfort University in Leicester has renowned textiles courses, and some of their students have won awards at national Graduate Fashion Week.
• The Leicestershire Textiles Hub was created to better link manufacturers with global retailers and online brands, and to support local employers, join up local information and initiatives and help to further develop the sector.
In demand...
Local employers include
• Basic Thinking
• Just Hype
• Basic Premier
• Fashion Fabrics
• Studio One
• VM Fabrics
• Euro-Rose Knitwear
• Vinola Knitwear
What could you earn?
Footwear designer Dressmaker / tailor Textiles technician Sample machinist Print engineer
Importer / exporter Production manger
On the web
• Galaxy Knitwear
• Fanela
• Meesha Graphics
• Elite Labels
• Barcode Fashion
• Faering Ltd
• Early Days
• HB Shoes
£ 16K- £ 50K £ 20K- £ 40K £ 25K- £ 40K £ 15K- £ 30K £ 22K- £ 40K £ 20K- £ 35K £ 22K- £ 65K www. creativeskillset. org www. drapersjobs. com www. leicestershiretextileshub. co. uk