Leicester garment makers warn of crisis as fast-fashion brands squeeze suppliers

City's industry alleges firms forcing through discounts and imposing financial penalties over small errors

Leicester's garment makers have said they are in crisis as a growing number of fast-fashion brands are forcing through discounts, making last-minute cancellations and imposing financial penalties for what suppliers claim are tiny errors.

In the east Midlands city - where manufacturers make clothes for a range of brands including Boohoo, Misguided and Frasers Group, the owner of Sports Direct and the online specialist Missguided - hundreds of garment businesses have shut in recent years, local organisations say, and suppliers warn that more are likely to follow.