Yesterday, something remarkable happened here in West Wales.

A royal visit. Cameras. Polished shoes on the factory floor. And a spotlight on British manufacturing - an industry that usually works quietly, far from the noise.

It would be easy to treat moments like this as symbolic. A nice photo. A short burst of attention. Then back to business as usual. But standing there, watching our work and the people behind it - being acknowledged, it stirred something more personal for me.

Because this isn’t just about British-made jeans.
It’s about caring so deeply about how things are made at all.

 

When Values Start to Take Shape

I’ve studied and worked in fashion for over a decade. Like many people, I didn’t begin my career with crystal-clear values. At first, it’s about learning. Absorbing. Saying yes. Proving you belong in the room. 

Confidence comes later. And with it, questions start to sharpen.

Who do I want to work with?
What do I want to stand for if I’m going to remain in this industry?
And what does quality really mean - beyond the way something looks on a hanger?

Denim was where those questions became real.

 

Denim Teaches You the Truth

Denim doesn’t let you hide.
It shows every decision. Every shortcut. Every moment of care - or lack of it.

Yesterday, that truth was reflected back to me in a quiet, unexpected way.

During the visit, Catherine, Princess of Wales spent time looking closely at our Déjà Blue jeans. Not just glancing, but really looking. She noticed the whiskers. The fading. The way the denim had softened and lightened through real wear.

She understood instinctively what makes denim special.
That it isn’t finished when it leaves the factory.
That it records life.
That it gets better with age.

Working in denim taught me that craftsmanship isn’t about perfection - it’s about patience. It’s choosing processes that take longer because they result in something truer. Something that lasts.

That understanding has shaped my values ever since.

 

The Royal Spotlight on UK Manufacturing

When someone like Catherine, Princess of Wales visits a UK manufacturer, it sends a message that reaches far beyond the room.

It says that skills matter. That people matter. And that making things properly still has value.

This morning, reflecting back on the visit, it was a quieter moment that stayed with me most. Watching the images and videos again - seeing Phoebe, one of our trainees, showing HRH how to sew in the Made in Wales label.

Although this is a small detail and a simple action, it’s one that holds so much meaning.

That label is stitched into every pair of our jeans as a quiet reminder of where they’re made. Of the hands behind them. Of the place they come from. Seeing it passed on, explained, and respected in that moment felt special.

For me, the visit was about recognition - not just of a factory or a process, but of the choice to keep manufacturing going, even when it’s harder. That persistence - passed from one generation to the next, from skilled makers to trainees - is what UK denim heritage really looks like.

 

Why British-Made Matters Now

Choosing to make Welsh-made jeans - and to continue championing UK manufacturing - is about values.

Over time, I’ve learnt that doing things well often means doing less of them. Fewer decisions. Fewer compromises. A clearer sense of what you’re here to do.

For us, that means one thing: making the best jean we know how.

We use the best denim we can find from around the world - fabrics chosen for their integrity, their longevity, and the way they age - and we bring them back to the edge of Wales to be made properly. Slowly. Carefully. By people who understand denim not as a product, but as a craft.

British-made, for me, means knowing who made the jeans, how they were made, and being able to stand behind every decision with confidence.

Slow fashion denim asks more of everyone involved. It asks you to think long-term. To value wear over novelty. Repair over replacement.

That way of working mirrors how I want to exist in this industry now - with clarity, care, and conviction.

Doing one thing well. Standing behind it fully. And trusting that, over time, quality speaks for itself.