Fashion Roundtable Urges Andy Burnham to Onshore Public Uniforms

The thinktank Fashion Roundtable delivered a letter to Downing Street urging Prime Minister Andy Burnham to commit to manufacturing National Health Service and Ministry of Defence uniforms within the United Kingdom. The proposal, signed by more than 1,200 people, argues that shifting public procurement onshore would preserve the domestic manufacturing industry, support skills retention, and increase regional resilience.

Fashion Roundtable estimates that the NHS and Ministry of Defence spend approximately £120 million annually on uniforms, with 55% of those goods currently produced overseas. Proponents of the shift cite security concerns regarding uniforms manufactured in China and point to the US Berry Amendment as a successful legal model for domestic military procurement.

Supporters including entrepreneur Patrick Grant and Make It British founder Kate Hills argue that domestic contracts would provide the long-term stability and visibility required for manufacturers to increase employment. Grant specifically noted that relying on countries with unstable relationships leaves UK supply chains without resilience.