6 reasons why you should support British sofa manufacturing

More and more British industries are closing down or moving their operations overseas to save on labour so you’d be forgiven for thinking British manufacturing is all but dead. In reality it’s far from it.

According to EEF, manufacturing has been growing in the UK and was “9 per cent higher at the end of 2014 than the lowest point in the recession.” So whilst other industries are suffering, some are bouncing back. Sofa manufacture is one of them, DesignerSofas4U included.

So here are 6 compelling reasons why you should support British manufacture:

  1. Boost the British economy

The more we manufacture in Britain the less we need to import and the more we can export. This strengthens our economy, both keeping money in the UK as well as bringing money into the country through exports. The stronger the British economy gets, the easier it is to sustain and grow.

Reviving the UK manufacturing industry, or ‘reshoring’, could not only boost our economy by over £15 billion in the next decade, but also tackle unemployment and help balance the country’s current account according to Lauren Davidson at The Telegraph.

  2. Be sure of the quality

British manufacturing has an excellent reputation, not just here but across the globe. British-made products are in high demand worldwide simply because the quality and craftsmanship are outstanding. 

It’s not just overseas either: according to a recent poll seven out of ten people would prefer to buy their products made in Britain as opposed to those manufactured overseas.

There are a few reasons why British manufactured products are held with such high esteem, but it’s likely mainly due to strict laws demanding excellent standards in the manufacturing process. Also, many skills, including certain sofa manufacturing techniques, have been handed down from generation to generation and are unique to UK manufacturing processes.

  3. Help create jobs in Britain

This one shouldn’t need much explaining. The more a British company sells, the higher demand is for its product. And the higher its demand, the higher the need for employees, whether skilled or educated craftsmen or unskilled labour helping with warehousing or logistics.

Manufacturing trades often bring a level of skill with them, where practices and principals need to be learned. This means young adults are far more likely to enter education or apprenticeships to learn the trade if jobs are created in the manufacturing sector.

Manufacturing is so varied that smaller, creative businesses operating with one or two employees can compete with larger companies and still succeed. And even employees from larger companies can go into business for themselves using the skills they’ve learned.

  4. Celebrate British heritage

Britain has been manufacturing high quality products for centuries. Buying from a company manufacturing in the UK celebrates this heritage.

Take the Chesterfield Sofa for example. It was designed for Britain, made in Britain and is seen as an iconic piece of British furniture around the world. DesignerSofas4U create Chesterfield Sofas using the same manufacturing techniques to offer a classic piece of furniture that is undeniably British.

By supporting British manufacturing you’re celebrating a fantastically diverse and rich heritage that’s unique to this little island, alongside ensuring that this heritage has a future in British manufacture.

  5. Keep your Carbon Footprint small

One of the main advantages to buying from a UK manufacturer is that it doesn’t need to be shipped far. Sure, London to Manchester is quite a distance but it’s nothing compared to how far a sofa from China needs to travel.

Importing goods from other countries requires a huge amount of carbon emissions. Just imagine the journey your imported sofa needs to take from its country of manufacturer – from the factory to your doorstep. You can guarantee it involves lorries, trains, ships and planes or a combination thereof. Choosing a product manufactured in this country reduces the need to burn fuel for transportation significantly.

Products from overseas may be cheaper to buy, but often the shipping cost can more than make up for the difference. Even if it doesn’t, you should always consider the cost to the environment before ordering. Is it really worth the damage it can cause?

  6. Find unique products

British manufacturers are often small operations, sometimes even just one person working tirelessly to perfect their craft. With so many different companies creating such a huge variety of products you can be sure you’ll stumble on some truly unique finds that you won’t get when looking abroad.

The skills to create some of the unique products manufactured in the UK have been passed down from generation to generation and you simply won’t find the same product for sale anywhere else. If you want to find unusual products that aren’t simply carbon copies of things everyone else buys then British-made is certainly the way to go.

DesignerSofas4U manufacture each and every sofa in the UK using the finest methods of British craftsmanship. If you’d like to know more about what we do you can fill in our contact form or call 01254 268590 to speak to a member of our team.