Making things in the right places

Universal Works makes clothes. They don't grow on trees or magically appear in plastic bags, we make them. We believe in producing garments in the right places with people we trust, admire, and are proud to be associated with.

We champion small-scale production as it's more interesting than the often bland uniformity of the mass produced world. This is true both here in the UK and also overseas in Portugal and India. It's never about the cheapest, but always about the right place. One of the best parts of the job is growing and building friendships and connections within the industry.  It is these relationships that made our vision of starting Universal Works possible and continues to do so to this day.

Ethical manufacture is a hot topic for any discerning person looking to buy into a brand, though it is a topic often misunderstood.

When it came to starting UW, it wouldn’t have been possible without a particular small factory in India. UW co-founder and director David had a long-standing relationship with them through his previous jobs and they were prepared to do us a favour. There aren’t many factories that would make five of a Jacket. The same can also be said for our knitwear manufacturer just around the corner from UWHQ in Nottinghamshire that offered us the same help. Because of friendships like these, hard work and a bit of good luck we have been able to grow into a company with two London stores and an ever-growing Nottingham based head office. We are still working with both of these factories today and are proud to do so. It’s relationships that count.

UWHQ