A sustainable clothing manufacturer has tripled its turnover and workforce after embarking on a digital transformation journey with the government-backed Made Smarter North West.
WAWWA has created 20 jobs in two years while modernising its factory, developing its digital leadership and creating a long-term roadmap for growth.
The Manchester manufacturer has invested £120,000 in two technology projects, backed by £60,000 in grants from Made Smarter, to transform the way it designs and makes garments.
Charlie Pyatt, production manager at WAWWA, said: “Technology has been a big part of the journey, but that’s only one piece of it. Made Smarter gave us the time and support to step back, understand the business better and focus on the changes that would have the biggest impact.
“It’s helped us become better leaders, build relationships with other manufacturers and experts, and given us a roadmap that’s still shaping where we go next.”
Founded in 2015 with a mission to prove high-quality clothing can be manufactured responsibly in the UK, WAWWA’s production processes evolved organically as the business expanded.
While it had previously embraced digital technology in other areas, manufacturing remained highly manual. Patterns were created using cardboard templates, production was managed using whiteboards and Post-it Notes, and garment layouts were marked onto fabric by hand before cutting.
WAWWA’s relationship with Made Smarter began in 2024 with a digital transformation workshop, which examined its people, processes and technology to create a digital roadmap to prioritise improvements and investment.
A £10,000 Made Smarter grant supported an initial £20,000 investment in a Vetigraph CAD/CAM system, replacing manual pattern drafting, grading and fabric marker planning with a digital process.
The system has reduced pattern storage by 90 per cent, cut grading time by 75 per cent, improved fabric utilisation by five per cent and created capacity to introduce 25 per cent more styles without increasing staffing levels.
That investment laid the foundations for the next phase of automation. Following further advisory support from the Northern Engineering and Robotics Innovation Centre (NERIC), a Made Smarter technology partner based at the University of Salford, WAWWA secured a £50,000 grant towards a £100,000 Assyst Bullmer fabric spreading and cutting system.
Integrated with the Vetigraph software, the investment will complete the digital workflow from garment design through to finished cut pieces.
The new technology is forecast to save more than 90 per cent of the time needed for laying and cutting fabric and almost halve fabric waste. With around 35 per cent of production currently outsourced for cutting, the additional capacity will enable WAWWA to bring more manufacturing in-house while supporting a business currently growing at around 30 per cent a year.
Made Smarter’s support has extended beyond technology. Operations coordinator Alex Parry completed its Leading Digital Transformation programme, strengthening the company’s leadership capability, while the programme connected WAWWA with fellow textile manufacturer Lusso to trial automated cutting technology and learn from its experience.
WAWWA’s digital roadmap continues to shape its future plans, including integrated MRP and ERP systems, RFID-enabled stock management and further development of its Airtable-based production management platform.
Alongside manufacturing, the business plans to expand its Manchester retail presence as a blueprint for future locations.
Donna Edwards, director of Made Smarter North West, said: “WAWWA is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when a manufacturer takes a long-term, strategic approach to digital transformation.
“Our partnership has evolved from understanding the business and developing a roadmap, through technology investment and leadership development, to identifying the next opportunities for growth and improvement.
“What’s particularly pleasing is how WAWWA has embraced the wider support ecosystem. We’ve brought together Made Smarter’s expertise with NERIC’s technology specialists and peer learning with manufacturers such as Lusso, giving the business the right expertise and experience at each stage of its journey.
“Tripling turnover and growing the workforce threefold is a tremendous achievement, and it’s exciting to see WAWWA continuing to invest, innovate and build its manufacturing capability.”
WAWWA is among more than 2,500 manufacturers to have engaged with Made Smarter North West since the programme launched in 2019. The programme helps manufacturing SMEs adopt digital technologies and develop the leadership and skills needed to drive sustainable growth through expert digital advice, technology adoption roadmaps, grant funding and workforce development.
WAWWA is among more than 2,500 manufacturers to have engaged with Made Smarter North West since the programme launched in 2019.
