15,000 stitches later: Inside Percival's Made in England collection
Look, we’re not going to sit here and pretend we’re purely traditionalists. We love modern supply chains, clever global tech, and finding top-tier garment makers across the world. It’s how we keep your wardrobe sharp without demanding a second mortgage.
But every now and then, you have to look a bit closer to home.
Back when Manchester was known globally as Cottonopolis, Britain guarded its textile innovations so fiercely that machine-makers were legally barred from leaving the country. Fast forward a couple of centuries, and while much of that industry has moved offshore, a few legendary factories are still running the show.
So, we joined forces to create something proper.
Introducing Made in England: a highly limited capsule collection crafted alongside some of the UK’s longest-standing heritage manufacturers. We’ve taken our signature, contemporary Percival silhouettes and let Britain’s finest craftsmen do what they do best.
Each piece reflects our commitment to considered design and responsible craftsmanship. We are sincerely grateful for your support of independent enterprise and the skilled craftspeople who bring our vision to life.
Here is a breakdown of the collection, the historic factories behind it, and why these pieces won't be around for long.
British outerwear & headwear: Made in Manchester
Factory Partner: Cooper & Stollbrand
Manchester remains the heartland of British rainwear for a reason. Cooper & Stollbrand have been cutting, sewing, and finishing heavy-duty outerwear in the city for over a century and a half - and they still operate some of their original machinery alongside modern equipment.
To give you an idea of the labour involved: a single jacket from this range takes roughly 15,000 stitches and passes through the hands of ten individual master machinists before it earns its label.
- The Hunter Jacket: A sharp, cropped field jacket crafted from water-repellent fabric in a rich forest green. Built to handle British drizzle while keeping the profile clean. Hand-numbered and strictly limited to 100 pieces.
- The Herringbone Wool Car Coat: A timeless grey herringbone wool car coat sourced and constructed in Manchester. It’s heavy, structured, and drapes exactly how a proper coat should.
- The Wool Soft Trucker Cap: Cut from the exact same grey herringbone wool as the Car Coat. Ideal if you like your accessories matched to your outerwear.
Superfine lambswool knitwear: Made in Leicestershire
Factory Partner: Team Thorpe
Leicestershire has a long-standing reputation for producing world-class knitwear, and Team Thorpe represents the top tier of that tradition.
- The Lambswool Jumper: Knitted using dense 6-ply superfine lambswool, this jumper delivers maximum thermal insulation without feeling bulky or scratchy. Available in two punchy, versatile colourways: deep Cobalt Blue and Forest Green. It’s classic British knitwear updated with a distinctly Percival cut.
Heritage Military Leather Shoes: Made in Northamptonshire
Factory Partner: Sanders & Sanders Ltd
When it comes to formal leather footwear, Northamptonshire is unmatched. Sanders has been bench-making Goodyear-welted boots and shoes in Rushden since 1873, supplying everyone from high-end tailors to the British Military.
- The Derby Leather Shoes: We took Sanders’ iconic, heavy-duty military Derby silhouette in classic black leather and added subversive Percival accents: contrast military green laces, military green welt stitching, and gold foil internal embossing. It’s rugged, elegant, and built to survive years of daily wear.
Why British manufacturing matters to us
Our founder, Chris Gove, sums up the ethos behind the capsule best:
"Technology has moved on, and every part of the world offers new ways to make clothes. There's nothing wrong with that, and Percival takes full advantage of it. But UK manufacturing has a special place in my heart, and it makes sense to keep producing here.
Percival is a small brand. We can't single-handedly revive British manufacturing, but the Made in England range honours it where we can."
Ultra-limited quantities: 100 pieces or fewer
Because of the labour-intensive nature of these historic factories, every single piece in the Made in England capsule has been produced in extremely small quantities - 100 items or fewer per style.
Once a size sells out, it’s done. No restocks, no second production runs.
Explore the full collection online at percivalclo.com or pop into our Soho, London store to feel the weight of the wool, test the stitching, and pick up a piece of British craft in person.
