Cookson & Clegg LTD was founded in 1860 when they began their journey as leather curriers & makers of boot uppers. By the 1940’s they had become one of the key suppliers of military outerwear, flying helmets & leather goods for the British armed forces. Their reputation is built on 160 years of high-quality manufacturing, and now specialising in denim & contemporary outerwear, they have carried their core values & skill-sets through the centuries.

The current owners Patrick & Victoria Grant are both passionate about manufacturing high quality yet affordable clothing and goods within Britain. Their aim is to revitalise the UK garment industry whilst providing thousands of lost jobs.

We first heard of C&C about 6 years ago, as they have a reputation for working with some of the brands we personally love and look up to. Having seen the results of their craft in stores & knowing about their rich history being involved with the outfitting of the British Army, they were a factory that really appealed to us. 

The relationship is still very new, but being based in the UK means that we are able to make regular visits- meeting the factory coordinators & workers, and also to watch our first, second and final samples come together in real-time- which is always a fun experience.

Having the opportunity to work closely with the factory on the fitting & detailing of the range was important to us. We are able to get as hands-on as possible, whilst also ensuring the quality of the products & working conditions meet our high standards.

They operate an 18,000(approx) square metre space and employ 35 individuals, including office & technical staff, of Asian, Romanian & White-British ethnicity. They ensure that all of their staff live in their own private homes- not factory-owned housing- and are all signed under full employment contracts, with full employee rights. Regular risk assessments are also carried out to ensure the safety of their workers. 

C&C are in the process of upgrading their heating systems in order to move away from fossil fuels & to also reduce costs, however, the majority of their electricity is provided by sustainable sources & renewable energy suppliers.

Cookson & Clegg have a wide range of classic & modern machinery such as run & feel machines & seam taping. They still use many of the traditional manufacturing processes such as hand-marking pocket placements & the manual attachment of rivets and jean buttons. 

They are currently in the middle of implementing an ERP system called Galaxius which works off a QR sheet, so that they are always aware of the different stages of their client’s garment production, resulting in good communication & a strong relationship between brand and factory. It also enables them to accurately time and price the production & sees where it could be more efficient. 

They do not use any damaging or harmful processes & the close working relationship between ourselves and the C&C team allows us to make the final decision on fabric & finishing suppliers.