Queens Award for Innovation

EDS provides a range of innovative embroidery and digitisation services, including a full concept to manufacturing solutions for luxury British brands. With no previous track record of the medical sector, EDS adapted digital embroidery processes to answer a complex brief. Adhering to the stringent manufacturing requirements of clinical trials, they developed a sophisticated silk fibre weave. This is a key component of a tissue regenerative cartilage repair implant, and resulted in the Queens Award for Innovation.

Innovation means taking it to a different level

Design teams are always looking to take things to the next level, whether it’s an innovative decorative treatment, functional aspect, technical requirement or any combination. The challenge is making a concept, something consistently replicable when manufacturing. This is where EDS have carved a niche, as they help digitise and train the most talented in-house embroidery teams working for some of Britain’s most iconic luxury brands. In doing so, they recognised the gap between what was possible and what was being produced, and set-up Q&E to fill it.

Concept to manufacturing solution

Q&E was specifically developed as a ‘concept to manufacturing’ solution, incorporating quilt, embroidery, placed perforation and innovative combinations to be manufactured from a ‘one off’ to medium volume production runs. The focus is always to produce something which positions the ‘client brand’ with a unique sales proposition through a highly collaborative design and development process. Working closely with design teams, Q&E encourage them to unleash their creativity within the bounds of what’s possible. As the experts in materials, techniques and manufacturing to a target unit price, the design teams are free to explore, whilst Q&E are there to facilitate.

So just how far can embroidery be pushed?

Q&E have the ability to work with specialist materials, non-standard consumables, adapt, develop and modify software and machinery to produce a unique and innovative product. This is because Catherine Johnson and David Crabtree, Directors of EDS, are time served experts in their respective fields. Catherine Johnson had spent many years as an Embroidery Digitiser, Designer, Tutor and Consultant to a largely saturated UK Market within the Sports, Promotional Clothing, Uniform, Workwear and High Street Fashion Sectors. David Crabtree invested years as an Embroidery and Sewing Engineer then went onto manage the UK division of one of the market leaders of embroidery machine distributors for over a decade.

This combined knowledge base, skill, and helicopter view of the industry gave them an idea which lead to the conception of EDS unique innovative offer, Q&E. In recognising digital design advanced at a faster pace than that of the machinery manufacturers, we developed our own software and hardware solutions. This means Q&E can develop and optimise embroidery techniques, applications and scale to a level beyond the reach of its competitors.

Passionate about UK manufacturing and a desire to place embroidery in areas not seen before, the strategy was adopted to supply high-end luxury UK brands and specialist companies requiring complex, sophisticated solutions.

Our innovation has contributed to assisting the unique way in which luxury vehicles can be given bespoke decorative treatments, pioneering the way for clients including Aston Martin and Bentley to differentiate themselves in the luxury automotive sector.

Our innovation in high end fashion has re-patriated a once global supply chain back to the UK, supporting Great British Iconic Brands including Burberry, Paul Smith and Globetrotter. Designing, embellishing and enhancing beautiful products in distinctive and revolutionary ways whilst bringing sustainability and environmental benefits, minimising carbon footprint to each brand.

And finally this design led innovation has resulted in the Queens Award for Innovation. Working closely with the client, we have been instrumental in developing a complex medical weave that forms a reliable, integral component of an implant for the human body. This innovation will reduce pain and improve the lives of patients, which in turn will benefit our NHS and health organisations globally.