Wippell & Co, a well-known producer of clerical robes and church furnishings, is slated to shut its doors by the end of the year because of financial issues made worse by the pandemic. The company started in Devon in 1789 and has been in business for nearly two centuries, making handmade cassocks, vestments, and altar frontals.
Wippell & Co has been a long-standing supplier to the Anglican Church, Church of Scotland, United Reform Church, Episcopal Church, and Methodist Church in the UK. The company's clients included denominations established in the US, Australia, Sweden, and other countries. The company not only manufactures clerical clothing but also academic gowns and mortarboards.
Shut Down Amid Pandemic Woes and Overseas Competition
According to the article in Christian Today, the pandemic caused an economic slowdown for the corporation, and the cancellation of university commencement exercises and other in-person events resulted in significant financial losses. Despite a history spanning over 220 years, the challenging circumstances have compelled the company to cease operations by the year's end. They also need help competing with less expensive, machine-made foreign alternatives. The business, which has been in operation for more than 220 years, specializes in making altar frontals, vestments, and cassocks by hand.
In the article shared in Business Live, Robin Richardson, chairman, and director, expressed his sorrow over the developing situation and his intention to aid everyone involved during the difficult times. Richardson expressed his gratitude to the highly skilled cutters, tailors, and embroidery artists on his long-standing staff for their dedication and talents. Despite the impending closure, Richardson insisted that the business would carry on as usual in the upcoming months in order to service and complete graduation ceremonies for 2023. Customers have been assured that the high standards of the business will be upheld during this time.
Richardson stated that despite the impending closure, the business would carry on as usual in the coming months, honoring all agreements to service and complete graduation ceremonies for 2023. Customers have been assured that the high standards of the business will be preserved throughout this time.
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Church Robes Manufacturer Wippell & Co, a Supplier to HBO and Madame Tussauds
According to the story shared in MSN, Wippell & Co, which started out as a grocery store and tea distributor, quickly added tailoring, funeral planning, and church decorating to its offerings.
The business has had a wide range of clients over the course of its history, including the Anglican Church, Church of Scotland, United Reform Church, Episcopal Church, and Methodist Church. Wippell & Co. produced and supplied military gear, such as parachutes and torpedo mechanisms, during the World Wars, aiding in the war effort.
The business has been supplying a wide range of clients in recent years, including HBO for historical dramas, British television programs like Coronation Street and Emmerdale, as well as Madame Tussauds and theater productions like the musical Sister Act. World-famous cathedrals and archbishops are also on its distinguished clientele list.
In acknowledging the difficult few years endured as a result of the pandemic and increased competition from lower quality machine-made overseas clothing, director Christine Morrish expressed her regret over the challenges brought on by the changing times. Despite these hurdles, she reaffirmed the company's dedication to its employees and promised to ensure the completion of customer orders in the upcoming months.
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