A joint venture between Marks & Spencer and one of its long term suppliers is creating 120 jobs in the North.
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The Zip Project, formed by M&S children's wear and Desmond & Sons, today opened its state-of-the-art garment development and sourcing facility in Claudy, Co Derry.
England soccer captain David Beckham joined forces with the Zip Project earlier this year and is working with its in-house design team to create a new collection for launch in September, to which he will lend his name and image.
Clothing will be designed in Northern Ireland and then produced elsewhere in the world where production costs are lower.
The opening of the £2.4 million facility in Claudy means that key, knowledge-based jobs in the clothing industry will be created in Northern Ireland, enabling Zip to insist it can compete successfully at a world class level.
The new design and sourcing centre will utilise the technical skills and expertise of the local workforce, designing and producing clothing patterns and prototype garments, which will then be contracted out for production.
Mr Roger Holmes, managing director of M&S UK Retail, said at the launch: "I am delighted that we are working so closely with one of our long standing supply partners on this new and innovative venture.
"It supports our shared objective to continually seek to produce better products for our customers, faster, with more flexibility and at lower cost."
Ms Michele Jobling, MD of the Zip Project, added: "We chose Desmond & Sons as our joint venture partner in recognition of the excellent design, sourcing and technical skills of its workforce."
Mr Denis Desmond of Desmond's said the project had been formed to address the challenges of an increasingly competitive and fast-moving children's wear market.
The new centre demonstrated how "innovative thinking can transform the performance of our traditional industries and create new knowledge-based jobs here in Northern Ireland."
PA