“We find it important to provide these jobs to local companies, local businesses and local people because I've been born and bred here in Birmingham.”
Jatinder Tank, Oxford Blue
Oxford Blue, a Birmingham-based company, uses a network of British suppliers to create high-quality garments at affordable prices. Established in 1968, Jatinder explains how his grandfather's ‘by chance’ business started when he immigrated from Punjab, India. The business has been passed down through the generations, with his father following in the early 1970s, and he himself is now a director of the company.
Going from two to approximately sixty machines in just two decades, the company began to thrive; however, cheaper materials and labour costs in the Far East resulted in reduced output and partial closures for Oxford Blue. In recent years, the demand for garments sourced and made in Britain is on the incline, and Jatinder discusses the advantages of providing small runs to companies compared to those required from businesses overseas.
As Jatinder says, “We're very proud of what we do. It's not just my efforts; it's a team effort. Without our factories being on our side, helping us through the tough times, we wouldn't be here.”