SHOW TIME: Evolution Branded Clothing - Kent's supplier to the West End
From garden shed to the West End - Thanet’s Evolution Branded Clothing celebrates 20 years of success
From garden shed to the West End - Thanet’s Evolution Branded Clothing celebrates 20 years of success
What started in a garden shed with a single embroidery machine has grown into one of the UK’s leading suppliers of branded clothing for the entertainment industry.
This year, Evolution Branded Clothing, founded by Thanet entrepreneur Jason Sutton, is celebrating its 20th anniversary - marking two decades of supplying high-quality embroidered and printed workwear to everyone from local dance schools to some of the biggest productions in London’s West End.
Today, Evolution’s garments can be found backstage at hit shows including Mamma Mia!, Sister Act, The Devil Wears Prada, Chicago, Jesus Christ Superstar, Kinky Boots and Operation Mincemeat. But the journey began much more modestly.
“I used to always do drawing as a kid,” recalls Jason. “I was always into that creative side.”
After leaving school, he learned the trade in print shops across Kent, developing skills in screen printing and garment decoration. While working long hours for other companies, he quietly built Evolution in the background, determined to create something of his own.
The company’s distinctive name and branding emerged while Jason was walking through Canterbury and noticed HMV’s striking black-and-pink rebrand. Inspired by the bold new look, he began creating a business that would eventually become Evolution Branded Clothing.
The first breakthrough came through work with the University of Kent, where Jason built strong relationships supplying clothing for student groups and events. One particular connection would prove transformative.
A student he worked with on a production at the Gulbenkian theatre later became a successful lighting engineer in the West End. While working on Blood Brothers, she contacted Jason to supply hoodies for the production team.
That single order opened the door to the theatre world.
“The first-ever West End job was through her,” Jason says. “She said ‘Look, we need some hoodies. Can you do them?’ and of course I said yes.”
Word quickly spread between productions. Crew members moved from one show to another, taking Evolution’s reputation with them. Soon, one production led to the next, establishing the company as a trusted supplier for backstage teams, lighting crews, riggers and front-of-house staff.
A key factor in that success has been Jason’s obsession with embroidery quality.
Rather than opting for smaller, cheaper designs, Evolution became known for producing large professional pieces that really stood out. While competitors often looked for shortcuts, Jason invested heavily in equipment and craftsmanship.
“We’re a quality company,” he says. “What we try to put across is quality personal service. We’re not bang-out merchants.”
That commitment to quality over quantity remains at the heart of the business today. Every garment is embroidered or printed in-house, allowing the team to maintain complete control over standards and turnaround times.
Before conquering the West End, however, Evolution found a gap in another market: dance schools.
Recognising that dance academies and stage schools needed specialist branded clothing, Jason began contact schools directly. Orders soon started arriving, prompting him to attend the UK’s biggest dance exhibition, Move It, at London’s Olympia.
The annual event proved to be a turning point.
Initially, it was a financial gamble, with exhibition costs running into thousands of pounds. But Jason persevered. In year two, Evolution secured a major crowd-puller on its stand: Got to Dance winner Akai Osei.
The appearance generated huge interest, helping Evolution become a recognised name throughout the dance industry.
The company went on to supply major dance colleges, including Performers College, and worked with many rising stars of the industry.
Another proud moment came closer to home. Evolution won a significant contract to supply uniforms, jackets and polo shirts for Dreamland Margate, one of Thanet's most iconic attractions. It was a full circle moment for Jason, whose grandfather Bobby Kaye had performed there during the park’s heyday.
Securing work with the famous amusement park represented both a personal and professional milestone for a business that had grown from local roots.
The company later expanded into workwear, particularly during the Covid period, when construction and trades continued operating. Today, Evolution supplies premium brands including Blåkläder, Portwest, Helly Hansen, Snickers Workwear, Pro RTX and Rock Fall, alongside bespoke embroidered and printed garments.
Now employing a team and serving clients across the UK, Jason remains grateful to the people who helped build the company.
“I want to say a massive thank-you to all the staff that have come through over the years and helped build it and make it what it is,” he says. “Everyone’s had their part in it.”
Twenty years after launching in a shed at the bottom of the garden, Evolution Branded Clothing continues to live up to its name - evolving from a small Kent start-up into a trusted name behind some of Britain’s biggest shows.
