CHSI Stitches - Birmingham NEC

CHSI Stiches is Europe’s largest and most influential dedicated trade show for the art, craft, needlecraft and hobby sector.

Over 250 suppliers from across the globe were showcasing exciting new products and innovations from the creative industries. The show ran for 3 days from 21-23rd February and included celebrity apperances from the Great British Sewing Bee judges as well as a number of free seminars and workshops on subjects as diverse as social media through to crochet.

Our sales team visited CHSI to gain a feel for the textile related product on show as well as meeting with some of our existing customers.

As always, there was time to sample the refreshment choices on offer!

Bulmer & Lumb Group supports new local designers - Fibre & Hide

On 11th December 2015,  Bulmer and Lumb Group’s Technical Director Paul Hamilton was pleased to welcome new up and coming, award winning designer Geri Copsey & show her around the production facility at our site in Bradford.

The inspiration and driving force of the Fibre and Hide design studio; where she combines her flair for design with her love of textiles and weaving. Geri is the creator of an exciting and inspirational range of designer handbags, which combine soft Italian leather with locally sourced Yorkshire yarn.

Geri approached Bulmer and Lumb with a request to tour a local dyeing facility to enable her to better understand the dyeing process, its capabilities, limitations and its importance to the local textile industry.

Geri looking at some of the recently dyed fibres in the dye house.

Bulmer and Lumb Group have been dyeing at its current site since the 1950s. The company are proud of its history and heritage and also of its commitment to the advancement of the dyeing process;  with recent considerable investment in both package and top dyeing machines.

Technical Director Paul Hamilton gave the following statement:

“We get many requests of this nature but not many from designers with such a commitment to the UK Textile industry and in particular the industry based around Yorkshire, as one of the biggest and most flexible dyeing facilities in the region I considered it important to encourage and support such a talented young designer.

Whilst Bulmer and Lumb Group are major exporters, we are also proud to support the local domestic industry. Geri has a studio located within 5 miles of our Bradford dyeing facility, and we would be pleased if she could use yarns sourced using British wool and dyed at our local dyehouse. We are currently in discussion about looking at a range of colours for her future designs.”

Geri brought with her examples of her designs in which the inspiration comes from geometric forms found within architecture, both past and present. As a further reflection of the pride she takes in her local region, Geri has named ranges after local villages and landmarks such as Grassington, Ingelborough, Pen-y-Ghent and Masham.

The 'Malham' woven clutch

Detail of the beautiful handmade products.

Bulmer and Lumb Group are committed to the creation of the next generation of textile technicians through a combination of in-house and external training. We therefore feel it is important to encourage the next generation of designers too.

 We have partnerships with both the Society of Dyers and Colourists and Huddersfield Textile Centre of Excellence.

Geri’s designs and a range of her products can be found at www.fibreandhide.com

Bulmer & Lumb visit ITMA 2015 - Milan

On the 12th November 2015, a small but select party of Senior Managers and Directors from Bulmer & Lumb  descended on Milan for the ITMA Textile Exhibition.

ITMA takes place every four years and is the premier exhibition for the Textile Industry.

The Exhbition covers over 300,000 square feet

As well as the chance to meet with other industry members based throughout Europe & the rest of the world,  ITMA provides the following opportunities to forward thinking textile companies:

1.            Emerging trends and innovation solutions

2              Acquiring new knowledge and best practice

3.            Establishing new relationships with Industry leaders

John Leather & Dave Lambert visit the Thies stand

The Exhibition took place between the 12th &  19th November, and over 1300 exhibitors from over 45 countries were present at the Fiera Milano, a purpose built Exhibition centre just outside the centre of Milan, which covers over 345,000 square meters.

Representatives from all areas of Bulmer & Lumb’s  production processes were present,  and over the first two days of the event, covered as much of the exhibition as time allowed.

David Midgley, Paul Hamilton, Dave Lambert & John Leather at Fiera Milano

Technical Director Paul Hamilton commented:

  "The show was a definite success, it is important that a company like Bulmer and Lumb is aware of current trends and developments in the worldwide textile industry. Of  particular interest are advances in energy use reduction, environmental progress and future trends in textile effects. We hope that ideas generated by and contacts made through attendance at a show such as ITMA 2015 can be utilised when developing our investment strategy for the coming years."

The location and organisation provided by the Fiera Milano were excellent and I will certainly be returning to Milan again to spend more time for visiting the city itself.

Despite their busy schedule, the team did manage to find the time to sample a little of Milan's architecture & culinary delights!

Bradford Textile Society Annual Dinner 2015

A group of staff from Bulmer & Lumb's management team, along with their guests, recently attended the annual Bradford Textile Society Dinner. The event was held at the Midland Hotel, Bradford.

Gareth Jones of Bulmer & Lumb's Sales Team catches up with former colleague David Lister.

The party enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with colleagues and customers outside of the working environment.

L - R: John Leather, Matthew Whitehead, Marcia Jennings, David Lister, David Lambert, Lee Hewitt.

The event, Bill Skidmore's last as outgoing President, was well attended and featured guest speakers and a charity auction & raffle.