During her solo visit to the Hiut Denim Factory in Wales earlier today, Kate Middleton took part in the manufacturing process, sewing a label onto a pair of jeans as a gift for Prince William. The label proudly read, “Made in Britain.”
Kate Was Welcomed to the Factory By an Adorable Cocker Spaniel Much Like Her Own, Orla
The Princess has been passionately championing British textiles and manufacturing. Hiut designs and manufactures jeans entirely in the UK. It is a family-owned British business in Wales.
Kate worked the pedal on the sewing machine while wearing her high heels and did a good job of maintaining control. After she successfully sewed the label onto the pants, she remarked,
“I love the label Made in Wales, you can really see the handcraft and care taken.”
Kate was very excited about the gift. She exclaimed,
“My husband is going to love these.” She was also gifted a pair of the company’s new jean design, Mari. One of the workers said, “She got the very first finished Mari jean.”
The Princess also met the longest-working artisan at the factory. 75-year-old Claudio has been there since he was 16. She also met the youngest trainee. The CEO said,
“It was important to show her the intergenerational staff and illustrate the passing on of skills.”
Kate asked some insightful questions and enjoyed her time at the factory. The purpose of the visit was for Kate to highlight the importance of British textiles and to teach future generations skills.
Princess Catherine was welcomed into the factory by an adorable cocker spaniel. Kate and William have their own cocker spaniel, named Orla. The dog at the textile factory was named Barney and looked very dapper, wearing his little denim bow tie.
The Princess lovingly stroked the dog and told the staff about her family pet, Orla. Hiut’s CEO told Kate,
“This is our factory dog.”
The Princess Hopes to Highlight Textile Family-Owned Companies Based on These Families and Intergenerations
The dog-loving royal also confirmed that her family decided to keep one of the puppies from the litter that Orla had recently given birth to. The little pup is eight months old.
The future Queen made an appearance at a woolen mill, where she was shown the production process. Staff member Paula Harding told Catherine that she was the third generation of her family to work there.
Kate responded,
“That’s what’s wonderful about these family-owned businesses, they’re so based on these families and intergenerational passing on these techniques.”
The Princess of Wales wants people to understand and value Britain’s textile heritage. Kate’s family has a deep, rich history with the textile trade. Her paternal ancestors owned a woolen manufacturer, William Lupton & Co.
Kate has made textile heritage a priority. She’s been spending time at weaving mills and manufacturers in the UK, which boosts the profiles of the companies involved.
These engagements demonstrate Kate’s support for local economies and champion sustainable and traditional production methods. The textile factory also highlights creativity and craftsmanship in the trade.
One of the staff members at Hiut pointed out,
“British manufacturing should really be celebrated and be a thing. People should know about places like us. We’re the antithesis of fast fashion. It’s really important to keep businesses like these alive.”
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