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Marks and Spencer is one of the most popular fashion stores in the United Kingdom. Most shoppers will tell you the price is excellent for the value of the clothes you get, and I agree with them. But where are M&S clothes made?
To confirm, I have decided to review hundreds of product descriptions on the Mark and Spencer website to verify if the brand lists where the products are made. I also visited two M&S stores (London and Peterborough), checking the label of multiple items. So let’s find out where Mark and Spencer’s clothes are manufactured.
Where Are Mark And Spencer Clothes Made?
Mark and Spencer clothes are manufactured in China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia, Egypt, Madagascar, India, Sri Lanka, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Italy, Pakistan, Indonesia, Portugal, Mauritius, Georgia, Serbia, Jordan, and Morocco.
Mark and Spencer doesn’t list where its products are manufactured on the product descriptions on its website. It doesn’t come as a surprise since other fast fashion retail brands like Primark, H&M, NEXT, Hollister, Pull & Bear, and Uniqlo do exactly the same. Zara is the only mass-market label I can recall that states on its website where its products are manufactured.
However, M&S provides an interactive map where you can check all the 30 countries where M&S manufacture, what type of product each territory makes, and you can even check where in a country the factory is located, and how many males and females work there, which I find incredibly transparent. This is the list of countries that manufactures for Mark and Spencer:
China – 232 Factories – 104 Homeware – 26 Footwear – 56 Clothing – 10 Beauty – 36 Accessories
India – 104 Factories – 20 Homeware – 9 Footwear – 69 Clothing – 6 Accessories
Turkey – 86 Factories – 6 Homeware – 1 Footwear – 77 Clothing – 1 Beauty – 1 Accessories
Bangladesh – 81 Factories – 5 Homeware – 1 Footwear – 75 Clothing
Sri Lanka – 49 Factories – 49 Clothing
Vietnam – 22 Factories – 3 Homeware – 2 Footwear – 17 Clothing
Cambodia – 20 Factories – 4 Footwear – 16 Clothing
Myanmar – 20 Factories – 20 Clothing
United Kingdom – 15 Factories – 9 Homeware – 2 Footwear – 1 Clothing – 1 Beauty
Italy – 9 Factories – 3 Homeware – 1 Footwear – 2 Clothing – 2 Beauty – 1 Accessories
Pakistan – 7 Factories – 3 Homeware – 4 Clothing
Indonesia – 6 Factories – 3 Homeware – 1 Giftware – 2 Clothing
Poland – 4 Factories – 2 Homeware – 1 Footwear – 1 Beauty
Portugal – 3 Factories – 2 Homeware – 1 Clothing
Thailand – 3 Factories – 2 Homeware – 1 Beauty
Egypt – 3 Factories – 3 Clothing
Madagascar – 3 Factories – 3 Clothing
Taiwan – 2 Factories – 1 Homeware – 1 Beauty
Mauritius – 2 Factories – 2 Clothing
Germany – 2 Factories – 1 Footwear – 1 Beauty
Tunisia – 1 Factory – 1 Footwear
Bosnia – 1 Factory – 1 Homeware
Estonia – 1 Factory – 1 Homeware
Slovakia – 1 Factory – 1 Homeware
France – 1 Factory – 1 Beauty
Georgia – 1 Factory – 1 Clothing
Serbia – 1 Factory – 1 Clothing
Jordan – 1 Factory – 1 Clothing
Morocco – 1 Factory – 1 Clothing
Spain – 1 Factory – 1 Footwear
Read: Where Is Carhartt Made?
When I checked M&S products in-store, the country I found the most was China, which makes sense according to Mark and Spencer’s factory list. In fact, I only found 9 of the 30 countries when checking products in-store: China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia, Egypt, Madagascar, India, and Sri Lanka. I am surprised I didn’t find any M&S clothes made in Turkey since this is the English brand’s third biggest manufacturer.
If you shop online and want to know where a specific M&S product is made, you will need to check the physical label when you receive it. This is because the EU and US legislations require the brands to tell the country of origin for any imported products regarding physical goods.
Are M&S Clothes Made In The UK?
Yes, Mark and Spencer manufacture some of its products in the UK.
I was sure that M&S manufactures something in the UK since its an English brand, but when checking the products in-store, I couldn’t find anything made there. I reviewed many items to ensure I could discover a made-in-England tag, but it didn’t happen.
Read: Where Is Superdry Made?
Mark and Spencer manufactures in 15 supply locations in the UK with the help of over 3,000 workers in cities like Glasglow, Nelson Lancashire, Wigan, Glossop, Trowbridge, Mirfield, Hayes, Somerset, West Bromwich, Deeside, Holywell, Wirral, Alfreton. I am unsure if M&S owns the factories in these cities or utilizes independent contractors, but I would bet on the last one.
Are M&S Clothes Made In China?
Yes, many M&S clothes are manufactured in China.
China might be M&S’s number one regarding the total of factories, homeware production, footwear production, and accessories production, but regarding clothing, China is only the fourth biggest manufacturer of M&S clothes. India, Turkey, and Bangladesh have more manufacturing locations than China. However, regarding accessories, all M&S accessories I found in-store, including gloves and hats I have at home, are all made in China.
Read: Where Are Jack Wills Clothes Made?
Still, China represents a significant portion of M&S production, and that’s because the country has cheap wages, materials, and facility costs, which increases the brand profit when compared with some other manufacturing countries where all these costs are higher.
Are M&S Clothes Made In Bangladesh?
Yes, many M&S clothes are manufactured in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is an excellent country for mass-recycling and fast fashion manufacturing, attracting more brands to produce their products there. As a business, M&S launched its own sustainability program to minimize its impact in the world today and in the future, ensuring a net zero is achieved, which ensures M&S activities do not affect the environment.
Read: Where Are Crocs Made?
In-store, I also found many M&S clothes manufactured in Bangladesh, which doesn’t shock me, considering Mark and Spencer’s efforts to become a more sustainable brand. Most factories are in the region of Dhaka.
Common Questions About Where Are M&S Clothes Made
These are the most common questions about where are M&S clothes made.
When Did Mark And Spencer Stop Making Clothes In The UK?
Mark and Spencer never stopped manufacturing clothes in the UK. Most M&S production in the UK is for homeware, but the brand still has one factory that manufactures some clothes in England, more precisely in Nelson, Lancashire.
Is M&S A Fast Fashion Brand?
Yes, M&S is considered a fast fashion brand since it’s a low-priced but contemporary brand that moves quickly from design to manufacturing to meet the current fashion trends.
Is Mark And Spencer An Ethical Brand?
Yes, Mark and Spencer is considered an ethical brand. The English label has been working to become more sustainable, achieve net zero, a working culture that promotes diversity, inclusivity, personal development, and respect, respecting human rights, and responsible sourcing.
Conclusion
Where are M&S clothes made? Main in China, Bangladesh, India and Turkey. You can also expect to find some other countries like Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Egypt, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, Italy, Pakistan, Indonesia, Portugal, Mauritius, Georgia, Serbia, Jordan, and Morocco.
M&S will keep being one of the most popular fashion brands in the UK. If for you it matters where the brand manufactures, you will be happy to know that the brand is ethical and making an effort to become net zero.
