UKFT champions UK textile businesses and supports this part of the sector with a tailored membership offer.

Textile members have full access to the core UKFT membership benefits, as well as the following:

• Matchmaking: targeted introductions to new clients as well as exclusive access to events
• Tradeshows: advice on access to financial support for international textile tradeshows through government funding, in addition to support to export and reach new markets
• Promotion: promote your business to our network through all UKFT channels
• Networking: exclusive networking opportunities with other manufacturers and businesses across the rest of the industry
• Partnerships: facilitating introductions between member businesses for collaboration, partnerships and best practice sharing
• Textile Trend forecasting: Access to textile trend information including colour trend analysis and forecasting, inspirational mood boards for all categories and innovative tools via Peclers Paris. Read more
• Textile Forum: UKFT runs Textile Forum, a show established to provide short-run textiles to the fashion design community which is held twice a year in London. Members may be able to access reduced rates to exhibit. Contact info@ukft.org for details.
• Manufacturing Heroes: a campaign to uncover the hidden heroes behind the UK fashion and textile industry. UKFT is working with members and their teams to highlight the inspiring images of the environment and people that work within the production side of the industry
• Letsmakeithere.org: UKFT’s free to use database for sourcing UK manufacturers, now available in 7 languages. UKFT members are invited to contribute to the Resources section to enhance their listings
• Access to funding: UKFT can offer advice on attracting investment for your business, as well as highlighting relevant funding opportunities for the industry, both local and nationwide
• Bid support: UKFT will support members’ funding bids where appropriate
• Textile Technician training programme: Funding is now available for businesses to train young textile technicians across the UK. Find out more here
• Skills development: UKFT aims to raise the skills and productivity of the people who work in the fashion and textile industry to the highest level. Find out more about what we are doing and how you can get involved here
• Apprenticeship and training advice: Access to UKFT’s skills and training team for tailored support from developing a training strategy for your business, to identifying appropriate training and qualifications, to introductions to training partners
• Export support to enter new markets and expand globally
• Work with our Education Partners: support the development of industry-fit training and career advice. Donate surplus materials to training programmes; host student tours of your premises; introduce students to your business; host good quality internship
• Representation: UKFT represents the needs of the manufacturing industry to both local and national government, as well as promoting the industry as a whole to the national and trade press
• Make your voice heard on a variety of issues from pay (UKFT gives regular evidence to the government’s Low Pay Commission on the impact of the National Living Wage) to employment conditions (UKFT is working closely with the Home Office and the GLAA with the aim of eradicating labour exploitation in garment supply chains as a signatory to the Apparel and General Merchandise Public and Private Protocol). More here.
• Environmental programmes: UKFT promotes the environment and sustainability through initiatives including the Climate Change Levy and provides guidance on REACH chemical policy. More here
• Secretariat: UKFT provides the secretariat for two textile trade associations, the Lancashire Textile Manufacturers’ Association (LTMA) and the Silk Association of Great Britain (SAGB).

More about UKFT’s work with textile businesses can be found here.

For more information and to join, please contact membership@ukft.org.