I think Leni's question is actually what makes Whitefriars better and so desirable.
Simply ....quality
Quality of the the glass, of the molding, of the finish and of the colors.
On the textured pieces the texturing is more interesting and complex than the wanna be's.
The weight is important and has been mentioned several times.
All this from a non-WF collector - so no bias here !!!
BUT the thirst for quality, modern mid-century glass has been such that WF has now become over-rated in the marketplace.
In textured, iittala is of similar quality but only in clear.
In design and color some Blenko is equal if not better but not readily available in UK.
In non-textured Holmegaard, Caithness and other Scandi are equal if not better in quality and certainly stylish but not quite as adventurous in design.
Quality-wise Royal Crowne / Royal Castle & Oberglas are a travesty in comparison. Ingridglass just inferior but by not so much - some styles are good but the colors nowhere near as brilliant. Ravenhead is mass produced, light weight and glassware only.
All in all Whitefriars did carve out a special niche in the UK market which worked well for a long time and it's a great pity they didn't survive.