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Factory workers in New Tredegar have restarted underwear production after a celebrity-backed campaign to reignite the industry locally received an “astounding” response. 

The Hello Boyos! promotion to bring underwear production back to south Wales was started by the BBC’s Great British Sewing Bee’s Patrick Grant as part of his social enterprise, Community Clothing.

The drive was backed by BBC Wales’ Wynne Evans and comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean – and promised to bring manufacturing back to New Tredegar’s AJM Sewing once 10,000 pre-orders were secured.

There was an “astounding” response – meaning that by the start of 2024, factory workers had already made 200 briefs, 800 trunks, and 210 camisoles. 

In an email sent to customers who have bought the underwear, Community Clothing wrote: “We are truly grateful for your ongoing patience as we work through the astounding number of orders we have received.

“We are thrilled you have chosen to help us revive underwear manufacturing in the Welsh valleys, where the machines are working their hardest in a long time thanks to you.”

“An incredible skill base”

The campaign to reignite the underwear industry was dubbed Hello Boyos! – a play on Wonderbra’s well-known Hello Boys advertisement of the 1990s.

Many global brands once made their underwear in south Wales, including Gossard which produced the famous Wonderbra in Pontllanfraith.

But through the 1990s and early 2000s all of the major factories in the region closed, as businesses moved production to the Far East.

Community Clothing’s founder Patrick previously told Caerphilly Observer more about the reason for focusing on New Tredegar.

He said: “There’s such an incredible skill base in the area. I really didn’t want to see it go to waste.”

Producing underwear again would also bring employment to the New Tredegar ward, where 50.5% of people are economically active compared to the Welsh average of 53.5%, according to the ONS Census 2021.

Patrick continued: “Supporting our campaign means supporting the growth of good jobs in a corner of the UK that really needs them.

“I want people to know that we have a brilliant heritage in making clothes in the UK, and in particular making underwear in South Wales, and I want them to know that we can all play a part in rebuilding our local economy, and doing a bit of good for the planet, by buying more things made locally.”

More about the underwear available can be found at CommunityClothing.co.uk