This year marks the 40th anniversary of the recovery of the Mary Rose warship from the bed of the Solent, where she sank in 1545.

Following one of the most complex and expensive maritime salvage projects in history, the warship of the Tudor navy, serving under King Henry VIII, was finally recovered and laid to rest at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, where the ship’s restored remains are visited by thousands of tourists every year.

As part of a wider partnership with Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Taylor Made Designs is proud to supply all the uniform needs of the 200 strong staff team and volunteers who manage the attraction and the award-winning museum built in 2013 to house recovered artifacts and tell the remarkable story of the ships journey to its final resting place.

James Taylor, Managing Director, Taylor Made Designs, says: “The Mary Rose represents an incredible part of our British history. It’s hard to believe 40 years have passed since it was recovered from the seabed off the south coast of England, a feat I remember witnessing on the news as a youngster. At Taylor Made Designs, are all incredibly proud to be able to play a very small part in supporting the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard in its quest to enable as many people as possible to visit the 473-year-old shipwreck and immerse themselves in the history and life of such an incredible artefact.

Dominic Jones, CEO of the Mary Rose Trust - the charitable organisation responsible for the Mary Rose and the development of the museum, says: “Taylor Made Designs consistently ensures all our staff and volunteers are kitted out in the custom-branded technical garments they need to go about their business. Ordering and deliveries are managed through an online portal, making it incredibly easy to manage stock and make sure everyone gets the garments they need, when they need them. I look forward to working with James and the team as we now head towards the 50th anniversary of the raising of the Mary Rose!”

In a move to further strengthen its mission to be ‘caringly responsible’ Taylor Made Designs (TMD) is committed to meeting the requirements of ISO 14001, the internationally agreed and recognised standard for Environmental Management Systems (EMS).

Ed Taylor, Managing Director, TMD, says: “At TMD we are absolutely passionate about creating a more sustainable future through ethical business practices and responsible sourcing. We already hold ISO 900, the International Standard for Quality Management, but we feel it is important that our specific environmental commitment be recognised by the global market. Whilst we are already implementing many procedures and initiatives that support our ‘caringly responsible’ commitment, such as our ‘End of Use’ garment recycling programme, achieving the ISO 14001 certification will just be the icing on the cake.

ISO 14001 provides a framework for organisations to design and implement an EMS and continually improve their environmental performance. By adhering to this standard, TMD will be committing to taking positive measures to minimise its environmental footprint, meet relevant legal requirements and achieve environmental targets. The framework includes many components from resource usage and waste management to the monitoring of environmental performance.

“All being well we hope to secure ISO 14001 compliance by 2025” continues, Ed. “In today’s world, there is a growing environmental consciousness as climate change, biodiversity loss and declining resources continue to dominate the news headlines. Through the achievement of ISO 14001, TMD will be signalling to the world that we recognise the role we have to play in addressing these issues and that we are committed not only to achieving regulatory compliance but also to continuous environmental improvement.”

For more information regarding TMD’s accreditations and supply chain standards, visit tmd1993.com

Taylor Made Designs (TMD) has been confirmed as sponsor of the Best Sustainability Initiative at the UK Theme Park Awards 2024, a move that fully aligns to the company’s own ‘caringly responsible’ core value.

“Ethical practice and sustainability sit at the heart of all TMD processes and supply chain decisions” says Ed Taylor, Managing Director. “We are 100 per cent committed to continually learning and developing our corporate strategies to ensure we, and the suppliers we choose to work with, meet the highest professional standards and drive a more sustainable future.

“The ‘Best Sustainability Initiative’ award provides the perfect platform to showcase excellence and innovation in the UK Theme Park industry, celebrating good practice and creating an aspiration to which others can learn from and potentially strive to emulate.”

Now in their fifth year, the UK Theme Park Awards, owned and managed independent consumer guide to UK theme parks, ThemeParks-UK.com, invites members of the public to nominate theme parks across 22 award categories. A short list will then be drawn up from the nominees by a panel of expert judges and winners will be announced at an awards ceremony later in the year (date to be confirmed).

Contenders for the awards are likely to include some of the biggest brands in the UK theme park industry, such as: Alton Towers and Drayton Manor in Staffordshire, Blackpool Pleasure Beach in Lancashire, Thorpe Park and Chessington World of Adventures in Surrey, LEGOLAND Windsor in Berkshire and Paultons Park in Hampshire.

Ed Taylor, adds “Everyone at TMD wishes all theme parks ‘good luck’ in the 2024 awards. Last year, the awards attracted 229,427 public votes and included nominations for 35 theme parks. This year the awards are expected to drive even more engagement.”

TMD’s mission is to manufacture, with care, the very highest quality branded corporate clothing and merchandise, supported by a vision to ‘taylor’ the future of sustainable and ethically sourced workwear through constant improvement, inspiration and innovation.

The company has been applying its specialist in-house leisure expertise to deliver uniform and merchandise solutions to the theme park industry for many years, building a trusted, eco-conscious brand based on long term client relationships, driven by outstanding service.

Public voting under the 22 award categories including the TMD sponsored Best Sustainability Initiative award will open on July 22 and will close on September 1. Visit: ukthemeparkawards.com to find out how to get involved.

Taylor Made Designs (TMD) has become a member of the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA), reinforcing the company’s dedication to creating exceptional places and experiences.

“This new membership provides the perfect platform for us to further deepen our professional connections within the Attractions market” says Ed Taylor, Managing Director, TMD.

Ed continues: “We have been supporting the Attractions sector for many years, working with some of the biggest brand names in the sector including Merlin Entertainments, Warner Bros Studio Tour, Southport Pleasureland, Brighton Palace Pier, Hobbledown Heath Adventure Park and The Mary Rose Trust.

“This latest collaboration deepens TMD ‘s connection to the sector. Through this partnership with the TEA, we are joining a network of suppliers, all working together to ensure the Global Attractions market continues to deliver outstanding experiences for visitors and make a growing contribution to the world’s economy.”

The TEA is an international non-profit association representing the world’s leading creators, developers, designers and producers of compelling places and experiences. It is the TEA’s mission to provide a safe, diverse environment for members to enjoy unmatched professional growth and education, and to form new friendships and partnerships. 

More information about TMD

More about the TEA

The team from Taylor Made Designs (TMD) enjoyed two days at the UK’s premium trade show this month, catching up with customers and showcasing samples from their new Leisure Essentials range. The team also introduced industry professionals to the extensive merchandise range and other off-the-shelf workwear.

“For us, trade shows are the arteries that keep our business pumping.” Says TMD, Managing Director, James Taylor. “They provide a critical opportunity to connect face to face with clients and potential clients whilst also creating opportunities for people to experience the real-world quality of our products. They also provide the perfect opportunity for our team to expand their industry knowledge and connections, beyond the walls of their regular working environment. Across the two days of Elevate, we have connected with literally hundreds of people, something that would otherwise take us months.

“Over the last few months, we have really focused on developing our Leisure Essentials range and our merchandise offer to create an affordable, easy access range of garments and products that can be customised to create bespoke collections.

“All our leisure wear items are designed and created for the people who wear them by our team of in-house experts through the application 30 year’s experience and an ongoing commitment to innovation. We also hold high stock volumes at our UK depo and all embroidery is applied by our experienced in-house team of machinists. These factors ensure we can meet high demand and turnround orders quickly and efficiently.”

On-stand at the show Taylor Made showcased a number of Leisure Essential products including our zip tops, bespoke branded leisure essentials and merchandise items including trampoline and indoor play socks, drinks bottles, gym bags, sweat towels.

James adds: “The reception from the industry towards our Leisure Essentials and merchandise has been extremely positive. We already partner with many of the multisite leisure operators and it’s great to have been able to extend our reach to many others. We look forward now to following up all the show-generated conversations over the coming weeks and months.

For more information about TMD’s Leisure Essentials range, merchandise and other available products, visit: taylormadedesigns.co.uk or call the team on: +44(0)1202 473311

Dorset based business, Taylor Made Designs, is backing a brave team of four, committed to enduring on of the world’s most gruelling ocean challenges, aptly named: The World’s Toughest Row.

On 12th December 2024, the Ebb and Flow team will join 40 other crews in San Sebastian, La Gomera, Canary Islands where they will begin their 3,000 mile (4,800km) row across the Atlantic Ocean to reach the shores of Antigua in the Caribbean. The journey is expected to take the team around 3 months with the crew expected to make in excess of 1.5 million oar strokes.

“Taking on the might of the Atlantic Ocean in a rowing boat that measures just 28.5ft is an incredibly ambitious undertaking and one which we are extremely proud to support”, says TMD Managing Director, James Taylor. I am privileged to call one of the crew members a personal friend and have been party to the huge amount of training, planning and preparation being committed to making this epic challenge a safe and successful journey. This is going to be an extreme test of both physical and mental resilience for each and every crew member and we, at TMD, are delighted to be able to support such an epic journey.”

The four Ebb and Flow crew members are Julie Eddicott, Ed Dewar, Mary Sutherland and Sally Percival. All are keen outdoor enthusiasts with a variety of other epic physical and mental water-based challenges under their belts. Julie Eddicott says: “The World’s Toughest Row has been on my radar for many years and its only now I have found the courage, the time and the perfect crew members to make it happen. The support of commercial partners such as Taylor Made Designs makes this challenge commercially viable and all crew members are truly grateful for the opportunity to live-out this life-long ambition.

“We are also using this opportunity to raise funds for four charities, Teenage Cancer Trust, Blesma, Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust and Oarsome Chance. All donations are very much appreciated.”

Over the next few months, the team will be busy mentally and physically preparing for their epic journey and kitting out the boat with all the safety equipment and provisions they need to be sae and totally self-sufficient for several months at sea.

To read more about Ebb and Flow, their preparations, the challenge itself, the crew and the charities the crew ae supporting, visit: ebbflowatlantic.com.

If you would like to donate to the charities, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ebb-flow-atlantic-row-2024

To find out more about Taylor Made Designs, visit: https://linktr.ee/taylormadedesigns1993

Key statistics and information about the World’s Toughest Row:

• Each Team will row more than 1.5 million oar strokes during the race

• Waves that the crew will experience can measure up to 20ft high

• Rowers will burn in excess of 5,000 calories per day

• There is no toilet on board – just a bucket!

• Rowers can expect to lose up to 8kg in bodyweight during the journey

• Air temperatures will range form below 10 degrees during the night to well over 30 degrees with added humidity as crews approach the end

As part of Taylor Made Design’s (TMD’s) ongoing commitment to its ‘carefully responsible’ sustainability vision, the company has introduced an end of use textile recycling program.

The last report by textile disposal and recycling program partner, Avena, shows , in the first quarter of 2024 approximately 1,200 kg of materials recalled from clients were collected from the TMD offices, sorted, securely shredded down and, where practical to do so, recycled.

When textiles are disposed of via landfill or incineration a side effect is the release of harmful carbon dioxide gases into the environment. By disposing of garments responsibly using this deconstruction and recycling process, a total of 500.345kg of CO2 has been saved from entering our atmosphere.

Ed Taylor, Managing Director, TMD, says: “We are fully committed to the idea of a circular economy where manufacturing materials are recycled rather than dumped as landfill and introduced our ‘end of life’ textile recycling program to provide a secure and sustainable disposal solution for clients. Right now, every second a lorry load of textile waste enters landfill. As an environmentally aware company we are doing our bit to reduce this and it is encouraging to see the positive impact our end of use textiles recycling process is already having on the world around us. TMD already conforms to ISO 9001, the globally recognised standard for quality management and we are in the process of working towards ISO 14001, the internationally recognised standard for environmental management systems (EMS). Achieving this standard is really important to us. In today’s world where climate change, biodiversity loss and resource depletion are affecting the health and sustainability of our planet, company’s like TMD have a significant role to play. The way we structure our processes, dispose of our waste and seek out supply partners with the same sustainability ambitions as ourselves, all contribute to the environmental impact we have on the planet. Working towards ISO 14001 provides a structured approach that guides our practices not only towards regulatory compliance but also towards environmental improvement, whilst also highlighting our environmental commitment to stakeholders, clients and potential clients around the world. We are absolutely committed to meeting this standard.”

In addition to its textile recycling process, TMD also selects partners who share the company’s ‘carefully responsible’ vision, working with a range of suppliers who have strong sustainability ethics.

Ed continues: “Our clients are becoming more and more ethically aware. Right now, it costs more to provide sustainable, ethically sourced workwear because of the costs involved in the manufacture and supply processes. To help clients manage their move to a more sustainable future we provide a full support and consultancy service. Working with clients, we devise strategies that switches-out selected products for more sustainable alternatives in planned and budgeted phases, at a pace that suits both finances and ambitions. The road to a sustainable future is a marathon, not a sprint and we support those willing to make the journey, every step of the way.”