Two of the UK's best-known fashion brands - Jaeger and Viyella - have been put up for sale by clothing group Coats.

Chief executive Martin Flower said the group's efforts to revive both chains had fallen flat despite the consumer boom.

"Their potential is most likely to be realised by an owner with the skills and resources found in the UK fashion retail marketplace," he said.

The group's fashion retail division ran up losses of �8m ($12.4m) in the first half of this year after Jaeger's spring range failed dismally.

Knitwear factory

Coats, which as Coats Viyella was once one of the UK's top 50 companies, wants to concentrate on building up its international sewing threads business.

Jaeger is sold through 52 stores and 94 concessions, mainly in the UK, while Viyella retails in 35 stores and 136 concessions.

Some 2,600 people are employed across both brands, with Jaeger operating a knitwear plant in Belper, Derbyshire.

Coats also wants to sell its Bedwear division, which owns the Dorma brand, as part of the restructuring along with its India Textiles business.

The Bedwear business employs 1,700 staff with plants in Maydown, Northern Ireland, Chinley, Derbyshire and Burnley.

Name change

Losses at the Bedwear arm spiralled to �1.1m in the six months to June 30 from �200,000 last year on lower sales to Marks & Spencer.

With the economic downturn affecting Coats' core threads business, group pre-tax profits fell 6% to �4.7 million in the half-year.

Mr Flower said a deal for both Jaeger and Viyella could fetch �50m but added he would also consider separate transactions.

Turnover across Uxbridge-based Coats' continuing operations fell 7% to �577m in the half-year.

The business traces its roots back to 1755.

It bought Jaeger in the 1960s and took on the Coats Viyella name after merging with Vantona Viyella in 1986.

It changed back to Coats last year.

The company's shares fell one penny to 54.75p.