Fashion firms and industry leaders are urging Labour leader Andy Burnham to commit to manufacturing NHS and Ministry of Defence (MoD) uniforms in the UK, arguing that public procurement could bolster domestic manufacturing and supply chain resilience. The Fashion Roundtable, a thinktank representing over 1,200 signatories including adventurer Ben Fogle and presenter Patrick Grant, will deliver a letter to Downing Street on Wednesday, calling for a shift in procurement practices.

The letter highlights that the NHS and MoD spend approximately £120m annually on uniforms, with 55% currently manufactured overseas. Fashion Roundtable economists estimate this represents a significant opportunity to support UK manufacturing. The thinktank argues that domestic production could enhance skills retention, inclusive growth, and regional resilience, citing the example of Scotland, which generated £66.7m in additional economic value and created 1,400 jobs by producing 88% of its PPE domestically in 2021.

Kate Hills, founder of Make It British, emphasized that such contracts could provide manufacturers with the confidence to invest in long-term employment. She noted that the US enforces domestic production of military uniforms through the Berry amendment, which was passed in 1941. In 2025, the global military uniform market reached $1.62bn, underscoring the potential economic impact of a similar policy in the UK.

Patrick Grant, who invested in Blackburn-based military outfitters Cookson & Clegg in 2015, acknowledged the benefits of government procurement but highlighted the complexity of the current process. He said that even if contracts were limited to UK companies, the bureaucratic hurdles were "unfeasibly complicated" unless firms had large clerical departments. Grant also raised concerns about supply chain resilience, noting that reliance on countries with unstable relationships could pose risks in the event of geopolitical tensions.

Iain Duncan Smith, a former Conservative MP, previously raised security concerns about army uniforms being made in China, comparing it to having "our uniforms made by Nazi Germany in the 1930s." Grant echoed these concerns, stating that producing goods in unstable regions could leave the UK vulnerable to disruptions. He argued that procurement legislation could help future-proof employment by creating jobs for industries that will remain relevant in an AI-driven economy.

The call for domestic manufacturing reflects broader debates about the role of public procurement in supporting UK industry, balancing economic benefits with cost considerations. While the Fashion Roundtable presents a compelling case for reshoring, the practical challenges of implementing such a policy remain unclear. The long-term impact of this shift on UK manufacturing and supply chain resilience is yet to be determined.