Cooper Hewitt says...
In 1923 Herman Blum purchased an old mill in the neighborhood of Kensington in Philadelphia, where he began the textile company Craftex Mills Inc. The manufacture produced rayon upholstery fabric for offices, commercial airline and automobile seats. It collaborated with General Motors in the 1950s. The firm was also known for the production of a bright polychrome brocade in a “Renaissance” style with a silk-like effect, which was produced on specialty items Jacquard looms. The fabric required skilled burlers in the final inspection and repair of small flaws.
Craftex Mills Inc. still exists nowadays. The firm has been run throughout the twentieth century by the Blum and Seder families. It extended with a branch in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. The original Kensington location still operates as the administrative headquarters. Approximately 100 people are employed here in the design and finishing, including burling of Craftex products.
