Digital technology fuel’s Banana Moon’s growth

The Birstall-based company, which supplies branded workwear to companies like Jet 2, Google and Sony, as well as personalised clothing for schools and sports clubs, is adding designers to its client base after investing in new machinery.

Managing director Alex Grace said the Kornit Digital Direct to Garment equipment would boost productivity and the overall quality of its products.

The aim is to slash turnaround time for many of its customers and underpin the company’s ambitions for future growth.

He added: “More and more students are coming out of university with the skills to create quite technical designs and they want to start their own clothing lines but don’t want huge print runs. This machine gives us the capability to do that.

“Previously, if someone had a technical design, we would have to ask them to simplify it. Now we have no limitations.”

The addition of the new machine - the largest single investment the company has ever made in terms of its process development - has been made alongside several other smaller investments in new technology that will help drive productivity.

Mr Grace is also keen to reduce the company’s carbon footprint. “A big thing for us is understanding the impact making and buying clothing has on the environment,” he said. “We want to have an offer for people who want to buy sustainable clothing.

“I have been desperate to go paperless for about five years. Finally with our new website, it has enabled us to use a lot less paper.”

The new machine uses eco-friendly inks and the company has also added recycled cotton, recycled polyester and 100 per cent cotton garments to its website.

“We created a competition where people can design an eco-friendly kit,” said Mr Grace. “We are encouraging businesses and organisations to look at what they are buying and choose sustainable alternatives.

Mr Grace said the focus for this year was the implementation of the new technology. In the next three years he plans to increase turnover from £3m-£5m. By 2025 the plan is to reach £10m.

“It’s achievable if we do things in the right way,” he added. “We want to continue to slicken the process so everything is automated and seamless.”

The future of the business will be dictated by digital technology and automated processes. It is also likely to include artificial intelligence (AI). “People are starting to talk about trying on clothing without wearing it. I’ll be interested to see what happens with that as it would be great for us as an online clothing business,” Mr Grace said. “We are selling garments that people can’t try on. That technology could be massive for this industry.”