Carl Stuart Tailors

Our journey began with my business partner and I sharing a mutual love for all things hand-made and of high quality. We both appreciated anything that was built to last and authentic. This search for a flattering, highquality suit made exactly to our preferences in cloth and style was how we found Carl Stuart Tailors.

When we came across the company, it was — at first glance — a formerly family-owned tailoring company in the middle of a quaint West Yorkshire town and doing a modest turnover. But we were captivated by the almost 100-year-old history of the business, its potential and what we could do to revive it.

However, the financial management required to realise our dreams was daunting and difficult until we met Esther in August of 2021.

Made to measure

This was because Esther was readily available when we needed her. She could always connect us with an expert on her team to provide support for any given scenario, one of which was tax implications of structuring for growth. Since the company’s inception, it had been run as one entity. While this model had existed for many years, it no longer worked for us as it did not allow the flexibility and security we wanted to diversify and grow. With Goodman Jones guiding us each step of the way, we created two separate companies that could work in harmony with each other and protect the assets in each.

Made in the UK

The new structure enabled us to support other tailors across the UK that shared our belief that “Made in the UK” actually meant more than just hemming the trousers on UK soil.

Not only do we source every single component of the suit from partners here in the UK and a few in Europe, we also, and most importantly, perform every single step in creating the suit — from cutting the cloth to the final press — in our workshop in Ossett, West Yorkshire.

Long-term, positive impact

What goes hand-in-hand with making these incredible garments here in the UK, from locally sourced cloth and components, is sustainability. It forms the backbone of our ethos in creating these tailored suits in an environmentally conscious way. So, in addition to preserving the precious heritage of tailoring, protecting the environment as much as we can is another motivator.

We are carbon neutral and on the way to carbon negative by producing our own garments, reducing fabric and product waste, and only using suppliers that are carbon neutral. By 2025 we will have reduced our plastic waste by 99%. Using cotton thread instead of polyester, horn or nut buttons instead of plastic, and all-natural canvas for the inside of the jacket. We also regularly donate to local charities and theatres any garments that are out of date or not a fit.

Having your head in the clouds only works when you also have your feet firmly planted on the ground.

We are delighted with our awards from the industry and have a very bright and exciting future. But we also understand that when running a business, having your head in the clouds only works when you also have your feet firmly planted on the ground. Goodman Jones has gracefully and professionally allowed us to dream but at the same time kept us anchored, guiding us through financial challenges and goals with the same eye for detail that a tailor applies to their stitches.