Army tailor struggles to support textile industry

Lee Dawson says the company supports the UK textile industry when making uniforms

A bespoke military tailor based at Sandhurst Academy, says UK supply chains in the textile industry are becoming "increasingly difficult".

Samuel Brothers, established in 1830 in London, has previously had locations in Oxford Street, Clerkenwell Green and later in Aldershot, and now has a shop in Frimley Green as well as Sandhurst.

Along with those in the army, the company makes ceremonial dress and uniforms for the police and fire service.

Despite it making the end product more expensive, managing director Lee Dawson said the company supported the UK textile industry including for the cloth, braids, cotton, buttons and threads that make up the uniforms.

"It's not for everybody and it does make the product more expensive," he said, adding that a suit would cost from £1,000.

"But if we don't support the supply chain in the UK, it disappears.

"If it disappears then, after nearly 200 years of doing what we've been doing, we will just disappear, and become a victim like so many other businesses and supply chains."

He said over the last 20 to 30 years he had seen a demise in the industry which was "becoming increasingly difficult".

The company is a royal warrant holder to the King, which Mr Dawson said was a privilege.

"It's all about excellence and promoting UK business, and promoting excellence and standards within textile industry," he said.

Harriet Ramshaw, tailor and workroom manager at the company, previously trained at Sandhurst having joined the army in 2010 as a qualified nurse.

She toured Afghanistan in 2013, later training as a specialist surgical nurse and was deployed to Sierra Leona to support the Ebola outbreak.

Her army career ended in 2021, when she left for family matters and trained "under the wing" of Mr Dawson.

It was "very much a change" from her nursing career, she added.

She said the role was "very varied", going from being based in the company shop measuring cadets or travelling to fit uniforms for other services.

"I get to see people when they first come in, a little bit nervous potentially about getting measured up for a uniform.

"But then I also get to see them at the end of the day wearing their uniform and looking really proud to be serving in the armed forces, fire service or police."

Speaking ahead of Armed Forces Day on Saturday, Mr Dawson said it was important to recognise not just the soldiers but the service community, veterans charities and businesses which supported the forces.

"It's not just about our serving armed forces," he said.

"It's about families who support our soldiers and officers who spend months away during very difficult and challenging times, and it's also about veterans and recognising and appreciating commitment they have made."