Drapers: Time to take a fresh look at Leicester manufacturing, says ATMF Chair Jenny Holloway
Leicester’s garment manufacturing sector has come a long way since 2020, and it is time the industry recognised the progress that has been made. That is the message from Apparel and Textile Manufacturers Federation (ATMF) Chair and Fashion-Enter Ltd CEO Jenny Holloway, who has written for Drapers following renewed legal claims against Debenhams Group relating to historic issues within Leicester’s garment supply chain.
While stressing that the ATMF cannot comment on the specifics of the legal case, Jenny believes the discussion should acknowledge how much the sector has changed over the past six years.
“The key word is ‘historic’,” she says. “Why is this claim occurring almost six years on from the much-exaggerated claims of sweatshops in Leicester?”
Jenny also points to the findings of Operation Tacit, published by the Department for Business and Trade in November 2025, which concluded there was no formal evidence of modern slavery in Leicester’s garment sector. The report found instances of minimum wage and health and safety breaches but concluded that Leicester was no better or worse than other UK manufacturing regions or business sectors.
For the ATMF, these findings reinforce what manufacturers across the city already know: Leicester has invested heavily in rebuilding confidence through transparency, compliance and responsible production.
Investing in a stronger future
Since the formation of the Apparel and Textile Manufacturers Federation in 2022, members have worked collectively to improve standards, increase transparency and promote ethical UK manufacturing.
“Since the events of 2020, many of our members have invested significantly in improving standards, strengthening compliance and rebuilding confidence in their garment manufacturing,” Jenny explains.
“Our members operate responsibly, pay workers fairly and invest in skills, sustainability and high-quality UK production. You can’t tar an entire industry by a few rogue factories that have long since closed down.”
Many ATMF member factories are now bidding for public procurement opportunities, demonstrating the high levels of compliance, transparency and ethical manufacturing required to secure government contracts.
Showcasing Leicester’s manufacturers
The federation continues to champion Leicester’s manufacturers through practical initiatives that connect buyers with trusted UK factories.
Earlier this year, the ATMF, alongside Fashion-Enter Ltd, Fashion Roundtable and De Montfort University, launched In Factories We Trust a not-for-profit, TrustATrader-style platform designed to help brands source verified UK manufacturers with confidence.
Meanwhile, the successful Leicester Made & Regions event continues to grow. This October, Leicester Made and Regions will travel to Manchester in partnership with Source Fashion, introducing a wider audience of brands and retailers to the quality, capability and expertise found across UK manufacturing regions.
“We are working on the ground and we know our members,” says Jenny.
That work is already making an impact. Only last week, a leading UK retailer visited Leicester to tour ten local factories, providing highly positive feedback on the quality of production, breadth of capability and the ambition demonstrated by the businesses they met.
Building confidence together
The ATMF continues to advocate for a level playing field across the garment manufacturing sector, encouraging government procurement agencies, brands, retailers and suppliers to share responsibility for creating ethical, transparent and resilient supply chains.
As UK manufacturing continues to evolve, collaboration will remain essential in ensuring Leicester retains its reputation as one of Britain’s leading centres for apparel production.
For Jenny, the message is simple. “It’s time to take a new look at Leicester and stop the old rhetoric.”
Leicester’s manufacturers have invested, adapted and improved. Through initiatives such as In Factories We Trust, Leicester Made and the ongoing work of the ATMF, the city is demonstrating that ethical, transparent and high-quality garment manufacturing is not only possible – it is thriving.