Fashioning a new trade relationship
Edinburgh-based sustainable fashion brand Meander Apparel sources the highest-quality fabrics from suppliers throughout Europe.
That’s why co-founder
Jill Henry is taking positive actions to prepare for the end of the transition period, both for the business’s international supply chain and its customers around the world.
“With a supply chain, there are so many moving parts,” says Jill. “We have Italian fabrics shipping to factories in Portugal, where we make clothes predominantly for the UK market, but also America, Greece and Spain.”
“The sooner you know what to expect at the end of the transition period, the easier you make it on yourself – there’s no panic at the finish line.”
Jill launched Meander with her husband Steve in 2018 after discovering a gap in the market for premium performance-based cycle gear that’s stylish enough to wear off the bike – and she’s been busy preparing for new opportunities from next January.
“One of the first and most straightforward ways we prepared for the deadline was to get an EORI number, which facilitates the exporting of goods. It can be done on the UK Government website and it takes just a couple of weeks to come through,” she says.
“Next, we made sure we were complying with new garment labelling regulations, such as adding the country of origin and CE markings, which show that our manufacturers meet EU health and safety.
“From my time at larger fashion brands, I know there could be additional tariffs and duties to send goods ahead. It’s about making sure we’ve got the right paperwork, or being ready to take samples across in person if necessary.”