DIGEST: CLOTHING - A LEICESTERSHIRE FACTORY, A DERBYSHIRE MILL

John Smedley Factory Tour from Gavin Bush on Vimeo.

The tale of a clothing factory in Leicestershire that closed and reopened (S.E.H Kelly)

WEEKLY DIGEST

A slightly extended round-up this week, potentially containing 'old' news.

A video on knitwear manufacturer John Smedley (Mr Porter)

The latest issue of The Brooks Bugle is available online (Brooks)

Umbrella magazine's latest issue has an interesting feature (p50) on the Ford factory in Dagenham (Umbrella)

According to this article, the Japanese are flocking to appreciate industrial beauty (FT)

Profile on James Eden of Private White VC (Telegraph)

On Hiut Denim and its founder David Hieatt (Business of Fashion)

Video interview with Irish crafts duo Jonathan Legge and James Carroll at New York Design Week where they were making simple stools (Makers & Brothers)

The Design Summit 2012 (on 'Who do we think we are?') looks like it could be interesting (Design Council)

Good news in the form of design copyright law change (Design Council)

Made in Britain's New Wave of designers (Telegraph)

And finally, a round-up inspired by a gentleman named Baz Clarke who has been sharing several excellent sources on the M&I Facebook page:

A couple of companies I was not aware of: Huddersfield's Richard Carter who makes tools by hand and Sugden Audio, a West Yorkshire based designer and manufacturer of audio equipment

A lovely article on Devon's Richard Morris who makes traditional tools in his mill in Dunsford (Western Morning News)

Nick Hedges' photos of factory workers

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Photo of Hiut Denim factory from Hiut Denim

WEEKLY DIGEST

GF Smith's 'Beauty in the Making' show (Protein)

Patrick Grant on Savile Row and Abercrombie & Fitch (GQ)

Tom Dixon design talks (Nowness)

Photos of the Doxford engine factory (Retronaut)

A video on 'How a Bicycle is Made' (British Council)

A visit to John Smedley in Derbyshire (Cherchbi)

On Trunki's move to manufacture its children's suitcases in the UK (Channel 4)

Manufacturing returning to the UK (Telegraph)

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Photo from Retronaut

JOHN SMEDLEY IN INVENTORY MAGAZINE

There's a great article on John Smedley by (the excellently surnamed) Leanne Cloudsdale in the latest issue of Inventory magazine. Here's a couple of select quotes from the interview she conducted with Dawne Stubbs, creative director of the Derbyshire knitwear manufacturer:

"Up until 2003 we had our own spinning division here, spinning for ourselves and for a number of other big British manufacturers like Marks & Spencer. When those companies no longer needed our services, it became more commercially viable for us to move the spinning activities overseas. We now use the world's leading fine yarn spinners - Zegna Baruffa in Italy."

"When it arrives back here in the raw ecru state, it is washed and conditioned. It is only then, at the top stage, that we apply the dyes. This is why our colours are so vibrant and rarely fade. The water we use in the factory procedures is gravity fed from the underground springs, and our continued use of this spring water has definitely helped us to attain and maintain that super-soft handle."

"We might sit here in our lovely old mill, but in reality no Smedley has ever rested on their laurels. The family business strategy has always remained the same. We are insistent on moving on, evolving and continuously investing in the company's future."