1822 - 2022: Celebrating 200 Years of Transport Textiles

An era of prosperity.

In the 1860s, the success of Holdsworth was marked by the construction of new offices by Sir Charles Barry – the British architect responsible for such significant works as the Houses of Parliament and Trafalgar Square Fountains – and the company employed over 2,000 staff, illustrating its extensive size and reach. 
 
Throughout the late 1800s, Holdsworth consolidated its position as a supplier to the transport industry, providing to many British railway companies, including the Great Northern Railway (GNR) and the Great Central Railway, as well those further afield, such as the Natal Railway in South Africa. 

World War Two takes place.

When war broke out once again in 1939, The Ministry of Supply became Holdsworth’s largest customer, accounting for nearly 80% of sales, with the company supplying everything from white duck canvas for camouflaging to linings for flying suits, as well as materials for motor vehicles.

Creating iconic fabrics with Transport for London.

Establishing a relationship which would last until this day, it was in the 1900s when Holdsworth began to weave the moquette fabrics which are now synonymous with England's capital city. Icons in their own right, the Transport for London textiles are known and loved across the globe.


Pictured above: Transport for London's Enviro400H City Bus. 

A worldwide presence.

By 1999, overseas markets combined to make three-quarters of the company's sales. This global growth was complemented by significant investments in machinery and state-of-the-art CAD equipment, making the Holdsworth factory one of the most modern and largest weaving units of its type in the world.

The journey continues...

Whilst our head office and our core manufacturing facilities remain located in Yorkshire - not far from where Holdsworth first began - our reach has continued to be truly global, building on the strong relationships established by our founding company, with warehouse and distribution facilities in the USA, Australia, a manufacturing plant in Lithuania, and distributors in North America, MEI, Europe and Asia Pacific. 


Pictured above: Aura

Now offering an incredible range of capabilities and constructions - from the classic moquette Aura and the pioneering wire-woven, all-loop fabric Hybrid, to flat woven textiles and ancillary materials and trims, such as leather and vinyl - we are proud to say that the forward-thinking ethos, passionate commitment, and continuous development that so defined the Holdsworth name remains alive and well in the Camira brand. Continuing to be the supplier of choice for Transport for London, with a new bespoke moquette set to feature on the upcoming Elizabeth Line, the foundations laid by our rich heritage have built a partnership that has continued to flourish.

We can't wait to see where our journey will take us.