055 – Lance Mitchell, Mitchell Interflex – The Future of the UK Woven Textile Industry

Lance Mitchell from weavers Mitchell Interflex discusses the promising future of the UK woven textile industry.Lance’s family business was established in 1907, and now has a fifth general family member working for them. From a picturesque mill dating back to 1786 in the Lancashire/Yorkshire borders, Mitchell Interflex were once weavers of striped deckchair fabric. They now weave a multitude of fabrics from all kinds of raw materials. As Lance says “If you’ve got a loom, you can weave anything.”The UK textile industry produces £9 million of textiles every year. Lance shares his knowledge of the industry and his thoughts on its future.In this episode Lance discusses:The size and vast nature of the modern woven textile industry, including technical fibres from carbon fibre to artificial turfThe importance of investment for the futureThe need to change the perception of careers in the textile industryHow the industry is progressing by diversifying into new yarns, raw materials and final productsWhere the next opportunities may come fromMore about Mitchell InterflexMitchell Interflex will be exhibiting at Make it British Live! Meet them there on 29 & 30 May at Business Design Centre, London.Shownotes for this episode: www.makeitbritish.co.uk/055Stay in TouchBritish Brand Accelerator - Find out how you can work with me to build your British-made brandMake it British websiteJoin Make it British - become a member of our community and promote your business in our directory or UK-made brands and manufacturersMake it British on InstagramMake it British on YouTube - subscribe to my YouTube channel to watch many of the podcast episodes as videos.