ImagesMagUK_August_2021

IS DECORATOR PROFILE www.images-magazine.com 36 images AUGUST 2021 and application methods unless asked otherwise. We are a strong believer that our products will stand the test of time. In doing that, we might turn away 95% of people, but the 5% is all we want.” He also believes that his background and interest in fashion gives White2Label an edge over many competitors. “I live and breathe fashion branding so I’m always paying attention to what trends are coming, which allows us to purchase products at the right time to help brands stay on trend, whether that’s seasonal colours or new styles.” About 80% of that work now goes to factories in south-east Asia after Brexit made it more challenging to source from other European countries. “The only benefit we found from manufacturing in Europe was it was a bit closer so easier to travel to and also a lot quicker and cheaper for importing,” Anthony says. “Although your products might be 20% more expensive than they would be if they came from south-east Asia, you would save money from the shipping, but now that’s not so much the case.” He also points out that the high quality of garments from China and other Asian countries is another reason to manufacture there. However, his long- term plan is for White2Label to have its own factory, possibly in Turkey, which is close enough for regular travel and relatively easy and low-cost to set up. The micro factory in Basingstoke supports the bespoke side of the business as samples can be quickly decorated without needing to be sent back overseas. “We don’t have to wait four weeks for the supplier to send it – we can do it tomorrow,” Anthony explains. “It allows us to get faster feedback.” He believes many of White2Label’s customers are drawn to dealing with a UK-based manufacturing company. “People love supporting UK businesses, but the question is are people willing to pay more for something just because it’s manufactured in the UK.” Sourcing from within the UK rather than shipping from overseas fits into the wider debate about sustainability, he adds. For White2Label, it is about supplying garments with a longer lifespan than fast fashion. “We create products that are seasonless. When you buy one of our products, it’s going to last a long time.” White2Label also checks all its garments have been ethically produced from the raw materials onwards: it has committed to sourcing products with accreditations such Nobody was really white- labelling properly for fashion as Sedex, Wrap and Amfori. It also partners with social enterprise Ecologi to plant a tree for every sale made. Multiple accolades Although self-taught, Anthony has received valuable business support after winning the Young Start-up Talent Award last year. Not only did the prize include £50,000 in sponsorships, he was given mentorship for a year and access to business experts. “It’s been good to refine my business model because I was getting live feedback on my business plan,” he says. Other accolades include the Corporate LiveWire Prestige Award for London and the south-east this year and highly commended in the Institute of Directors’ Young Director of the Year in 2019. Another important driver of success has been investing in search engine optimisation, and White2Label now uses an SEO agency. Anthony says his biggest challenge has been recruitment. “It was a difficult decision whether to go with someone experienced or inexperienced, how much to pay them, how much work they needed to be doing to make it profitable.” In June, he brought in apprentice operations assistant Tom Bracher. He had previously appointed an experienced decorator but he didn’t turn up on his first day. “I’ve decided it was better to get somebody who can be trained up and moulded to fit with our culture.” A fan of Eric Ries’ book, The Lean Startup, and its concept of ‘minimum viable product’ – ie learning as much as possible about a new product with the least amount of investment – Anthony managed to restrict his start-up costs to just £40 for the Companies House registration, his original Wix website and a custom Gmail account, yet has seen sales surge ahead in 2020 and 2021 as he scaled up. “I didn’t realise how hard it would be,” he admits, “but you have to take calculated risks. It’s a staple whatever I’ve done in business: let’s jump with it and see how we get on.” www.white2labelmanufacturing.com From the blank catalogue: a standard-fit 100% cotton essential T-shirt New recruit Tom Bracher