Sewing Bee judge revives Welsh underwear

September 12, 2023 2:51 AM

BBC: Patrick Grant, best known for being a judge on the BBC's The Great British Sewing Bee, has launched a campaign to reignite underwear manufacturing in the south Wales valleys ... Welsh stars, including singer and radio presenter Wynne Evans and comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean, have joined Patrick to be photographed in their pants for the Hello Boyos! campaign, a nod to Wonderbra's Hello Boys campaign from 1994. Nation Cymru: Not many people know this but until not that long ago the best pants in the world were made in Wales. They made the world famous Wonderbra in Pontllanfraith. But then one by one the factories closed and a proud manufacturing tradition was lost. BBC: The Great British Sewing Bee, and trailer.
posted by Wordshore (10 comments total)

This is a very similar story to my favourite jeans company, Hiut. They were trying to restart denim marketing in Cardigan in Wales, and seem to be doing so? One thing they have that I really like is unlimited repairs, so though the jeans feel really expensive to me, I am currently waiting for the first set of patches to be fitted to one of my pairs.

I'll have to sign up for some pants to go with them!
posted by fizban at 4:28 AM on September 12, 2023 [1 favorite]

The Welsh have always understood the importance of the Underworld….
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:41 AM on September 12, 2023 [1 favorite]

The Rutles, "The Knicker Elastic King"
posted by Faint of Butt at 5:02 AM on September 12, 2023 [1 favorite]

Patrick Grant is great! And I need to find more Great British Sewing Bee to watch.
Love the photo campaign.
posted by Glinn at 6:51 AM on September 12, 2023 [1 favorite]

Patrick in his pants. Many a Sewing Bee contestant is sighing right now. You can tell he was a star athlete; he's still got it. All of the pictures are great. It's good to see interest in reviving an old industry.
posted by ceejaytee at 7:36 AM on September 12, 2023 [2 favorites]

There's a village adjoining Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales simply called Pant. And another Pant in Shropshire near the Welsh border. A nice pair of Pants. If they'd not already had a manufacturing facility in mind, then the Pant Industrial Estate in the former location might have been a good choice of venue.
posted by misteraitch at 11:53 AM on September 12, 2023 [2 favorites]

Hope it works. I had socks from his Community Clothing and found them good. We had locally Who Made Your Pants, which employed marginalised women, but they ceased trading in 2015. It was a real shame - the founder was social entrepreneur of the year in 2014, so to go from that to having to give up the next year was sad.
posted by paduasoy at 2:09 PM on September 12, 2023 [1 favorite]

Oh god, please, please let someone name one of these companies "Cymraeg Underwear."
posted by yellowcandy at 2:58 PM on September 12, 2023

I agree, Patrick Grant is a marvel.
posted by Ice Cream Socialist at 3:13 PM on September 12, 2023

Many a Sewing Bee contestant is sighing right now.

Especially the one with the mini figure of him on her station!

This is a great initiative.
posted by ellieBOA at 5:45 AM on September 14, 2023