Make it British Podcast

In this first episode of the Women in Wool series, I’m joined by Dee McGilvray, founder of CLÒ FOLD.
Dee has launched a womenswear brand built entirely around 100 percent British traceable wool. In just five months, alongside a full time job, she has taken an idea rooted in farming and the British countryside and turned it into a finished product made entirely in the UK.
Her first piece is a wool gilet woven in Yorkshire using traceable wool sourced through British Wool. Every part of the supply chain, from farm to finished garment, has been kept in Britain.
This isn’t just a story about launching a fashion brand. It’s about supporting farmers, restoring value to British wool and building a genuinely local supply chain.
In this episode we cover:
Why so much British wool goes to waste and why farmers are often paid very little for it
How Dee built a fully traceable supply chain starting with British Wool
What traceable wool actually means and how customers can scan a QR code to see which farms their garment came from
Working with UK mills, manufacturers and suppliers
Why launching with one product was a smart move
The reality of starting a brand quickly and testing demand in small batches
Why wool is one of the most underrated fibres in British fashion

If you care about British farming, UK manufacturing and using fibres that actually grow on our hillsides, this episode will give you a practical look at how it can be done.
About CLÒ FOLD
CLÒ FOLD is a British womenswear brand built on the principle of land led living. Every garment is made using traceable British wool, with full transparency from farm to finished product.
You can find Dee and CLÒ FOLD at:
Website: www.clofold.com
Instagram: @clofold
Make sure you join her mailing list to hear about upcoming launches including traceable British wool welly socks and future outerwear pieces.
🚀 Ready to scale your UK-made brand? Apply for the British Brand Accelerator at makeitbritish.co.uk/apply
Follow Kate @makeitbritish on Instagram

Series 8 of the Make it British podcast is here!
After many of you asked, “Where’s the podcast gone?”, it's coming back with a brand-new themed series: Women in Wool.
Over the past few months, I've been recording interviews behind the scenes. As the conversations unfolded, a clear thread emerged. Every guest was a woman. And every one of them was working with the same fibre - Wool.
This new series shines a spotlight on the women driving innovation, craftsmanship and revival across the UK wool supply chain – from farming and spinning to weaving, knitting and manufacturing.
🐑 Why Wool? Why Now?
The UK textile industry was built on wool. Entire towns, trades and skills grew around it, yet over recent decades, wool has been pushed aside by cheaper synthetic fibres.
Now, the tide is starting to turn.
Recent cultural moments have helped bring wool back into the spotlight:
The 'Traitors effect' with Claudia Winkleman’s tartans, tweeds and knits dominating headlines.
The Princess of Wales visiting Welsh mill Melin Tregwynt and wearing Welsh wool.
Growing attention on natural fibres and fully traceable supply chains.
The launch ofThe Great British Wool Revival, a platform dedicated to strengthening British wool supply chains.

At a time when brands are preparing for Digital Product Passports and increased traceability requirements, wool stands out as one of the very few fibres we can genuinely grow and process here in the UK.
👩‍🦰 Why Women in Wool?
While the textile industry has historically been male-dominated, more and more women are now leading businesses across every stage of the wool supply chain.
From micro-factories to knitwear brands, from farming to finishing, female founders are shaping the future of British wool. This series celebrates them.
🎙️Be My Guest
If you work in wool, or know a woman who does, and would like to be featured in the Women in Wool series, email [email protected] with the subject line Women in Wool.
🧡 Love the Podcast?
If you’re a regular listener and this show has helped you, please take a moment to leave a review. Reviews help more people discover the amazing prhttps://www.instagram.com/makeitbritish/oducts still being made and manufactured in Britain.
Want to start or grow a British-made brand?
There are several ways that we can work together depending on what stage your business is at.
➡️ Let's Work Together!
Follow Kate on Instagram @makeitbritish

🚀 Want to join British Brand Accelerator? Apply here: makeitbritish.co.uk/apply
Got a question before applying?
DM me on Instagram: @makeitbritish

Not all factories are created equal!
And if you’re contacting 20 different manufacturers hoping one will say yes — you're doing it the hard way.
In this episode of MANUFACTURING SOS, I’m talking about one of the most common mistakes I see when people start looking for a UK manufacturer: assuming every factory can make every kind of product.
You’ll learn why factory specialisms matter, how MOQs and capacity make a difference, and what you actually need to look for when shortlisting a manufacturer.
I’ll also share why I took down my free directory of UK manufacturers and the surprising truth about what manufacturers really said about being in it.
▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube
Listen now to find out:
🏭 Why not every factory with a sewing machine is right for your product
🧵 What kind of research you really need to do before reaching out
🛑 The red flag that means a manufacturer isn’t a good fit
🍷 What looking for a factory partner and choosing a wine having in common!
Get a copy of my UK Manufacturers List
▶️ Watch all 5 episodes of MANUFACTURING SOS on YouTube
🚀 Ready to scale your UK-made brand? Apply for the British Brand Accelerator at makeitbritish.co.uk/apply

In this episode in the MANUFACTURING SOS series, I’m breaking down why placing a big order with your manufacturer, especially on your first production run with them, can be a costly mistake.
You’ll learn why it’s always smarter to treat your first production run as a test, how to avoid tying up all your money in stock, and how to respond when a manufacturer insists on high MOQs.
If you’re at the stage of placing your first order with a factory, or wondering how many units to start with, don’t miss this one.
▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube
🎧 Listen now to find out:
📦 Why ordering big on your first run is rarely a good idea
🧪 How to treat your first production like a product test
👚 How to avoid ending up with stock you can’t sell
⭐️ Why less really is more when you're building a UK-made brand
🎧 Subscribe to the Make it British podcast so you don’t miss the rest of this special MANUFACTURING SOS series
Get my Range Plan Template Here
▶️ Watch the full series on YouTube
🚀 Ready to scale your UK-made brand? Apply for the British Brand Accelerator at makeitbritish.co.uk/apply