Member Article

Dugdale Bros launches 100% British-made cotton collection

Heritage Huddersfield textiles brand Dugdale Bros & Co has launched a new collection of 25 cotton cloths, bringing its total number of fine fabric ranges up to 24.

Entirely made in Britain using premium-quality Supima yarn from English Fine Cottons, this latest release is the first cotton collection for tailors in 50 years to have been spun, dyed, woven and finished in England.

Named ‘Cottonopolis’ in honour of Manchester’s cotton-making legacy – aside from the agricultural aspect involved in growing the cotton – the collection’s provenance lies entirely in the North of England.

Using extra-long staple yarn spun by English Fine Cottons in Cheshire – the last remaining cotton spinner in Europe – these individual strands have been dyed by Blackburn Yarn Dyers, woven at John Spencer in Burnley and finished at H & C Whitehead in Brighouse.

With a tightly woven gabardine construction and lustrous, water-resistant finish, the versatile cloth is available in 25 different colour variations, ideal for tailoring suits and trench coats.

Commenting on the launch of ‘Cottonopolis’, Dugdale Bros’ managing director Simon Glendenning said: “This is a truly exciting and innovative cotton range, and the first of its kind for decades. Provenance and premium-standard production are central to all our collections, and we place a huge amount of impetus on sourcing the best materials available.

“As the last remaining independently-owned cloth merchant in the centre of Huddersfield, we chose to work with English Fine Cottons on ‘Cottonopolis’ because their values and dedication to quality align closely with ours. The finished range is a testament to the North of England’s prevailing cloth-making legacy, and we’re delighted to be able to supply this 100% British-made collection to tailors and fashion houses around the world.”

Having achieved an uplift of 22% in export sales in 2017, Dugdale Bros is building on its significant growth with these burgeoning overseas markets in mind – including China, South Korea, Japan and Australia. Although traditionally renowned for its heavier weight worsted cloths, the brand’s broadening portfolio incorporates a number of linens, cottons and silk blends, which are especially popular with tailors and fashion houses in more temperate climates.

Simon continued: “This is a pivotal time for UK manufacturing, and we’re thrilled to be amongst the makers that are helping to drive the country’s export market forward.”

The ‘Cottonopolis’ release follows the 122-year-old cloth merchant’s launch of two linen collections earlier in the year – ‘Lisburn’ and ‘Crommelin’ – along with a high-twist Merino range, ‘Tropicalair’. Available now, the full collection can be viewed on the Dugdale Bros website.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Katie Mallinson .