Key takeaways
- Lace and textiles heritage with surviving specialist trades
- The East Midlands cluster adds knitwear, engineering, and plastics
- Close to Leicester's garment cluster — the two often work together
- Good region for combining development talent with production capacity
From lace to modern making
The lace market's legacy survives in specialist textile firms and a city culture of making. The wider county supports engineering, packaging, and plastics production, with Leicester's garment capacity half an hour away.
Sourcing tips
Treat the East Midlands as one cluster: development in one city, making in another is normal and efficient. Specify what you need end-to-end and let suppliers propose the split.
Reaching manufacturers through Combinate
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Disclaimer: This is a general educational guide to a region's manufacturing character. It is not a directory of suppliers, does not describe Combinate's membership, and is not legal advice. Combinate does not vet or certify manufacturers.