Member Article

Yorkshire Suit goes International

A pioneering new fabric designed and manufactured in Yorkshire is winning international fans because it marries luxury with functionality.

Indian and Chinese entrepreneurs are ordering Yorkshire suiting to impress business clients and the chair of the Yorkshire Society, Canon Keith Madeley, MBE, is hoping it can develop a more local following and is urging all MPs to support the weave.

Bradford based Clissolds have developed the Yorkshire suiting which features the revolutionary Aquarret process making it showerproof and stain resistant.

Already popular with Saville Row tailors for its luxury look customers as far away as India and China have bought lengths of the cloth to be made up in their home nation or ordered suits from Yorkshire tailors.

“It’s appeal is that business men and women always look smart because stains which previously ruined beautiful cloths are now a thing of the past,” said Mr Madeley, showing his own suit off at the launch at the House of Commons in London, where it was backed by Bradford East LibDem MP, David Ward.

“Stains such as red wine which were the death knell for expensive suits are a thing of the past because Aquarret prevents them being absorbed so they can be wiped off and cleaned away,” he added.

“It really has revolutionised high end men’s tailoring and given the Yorkshire textile industry a welcome shot in the arm,” said MP, David Ward.

A new weave with the word ‘Yorkshire’ shot through the fabric celebrated Exporting Week and was supported by UKTI who are keen to encourage even more British businesses to go for growth through international sales.

With international support and support from the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Textile Manufacturing Clissolds are optimistic for further growth overseas and in the UK.

Even Yorkshire women MPs including Rosie Winterton and Meg Munn have had suits made up in the fabric.

Keith Madeley said: “The journey with the Yorkshire Suiting continues to be a very exciting one. The Archbishop of York has a suit in each of the original blue and black designs and Rosie Winterton, MP has had a lady’s suit tailored. It is truly unisex.

“With more and more consumers wanting to know the provenance of the goods they buy, it is only right that we fanfare the cloths we make here in Yorkshire.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Carmel Harrison PR .