Headwear brand Kempadoo Millar eyes overseas growth

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Mar 8, 2019

Leeds-based headwear firm Kempadoo Millar has joined overseas trade network ExportExchange with the aim of boosting its international growth.

The brand, whose clients include Prince Charles, Idris Elba and champion boxer Anthony Joshua, currently exports to 28 countries and overseas trade accounts for 20% of total sales.

The business was established in 2013 by designer Rhian Kempadoo Millar, and it creates tweed flat caps and baker boy hats from its base at the AW Hainsworth woollen mill in Leeds.

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“We’ve certainly learnt a lot along the way about overseas sales and we’re excited to be part of ExportExchange because it will enable us to receive first-hand advice and support from businesses that have so much more experience of successful exporting than we currently do,” said founder Rhian Kempadoo Millar.

“We have been developing our export strategy for five years now and it’s an area where we see huge potential for growth. We’ve had particular success in the US, which is now our largest overseas market.”

The company is looking to join an international luxury menswear trade show in Italy in June.

“There is undoubtedly a demand worldwide for quality British-made headwear and we are excited to be part of the Yorkshire textile industry’s resurgence,” Kempadoo Millar continued.

ExportExchange is a free-to-join is a peer-to-peer export network supporting 100 UK businesses. The programme is backed by the European Regional Development Fund.