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Spinning a
Legacy
Laxtons ’ remarkable journey of resilience and reinvention
Laxtons , a cornerstone of the UK ’ s textile industry , is a name synonymous with craftsmanship , innovation , and endurance . Established in 1907 , the company has weathered seismic shifts in global trade , two world wars , and the Great Depression , emerging not only as a survivor but as a beacon of British manufacturing excellence . From its heyday in the 1970s , when over 600 employees spun yarns of distinction , to its reinvention in the 21st century , Laxtons has proven that resilience and reinvention are woven into its very fabric .
James Laxton , fourth-generation leader and Managing Director , picks up the thread of this remarkable story . “ My great-grandfather , George Laxton , founded Laxtons as a spinning factory in 1907 ,” James begins . “ It flourished for decades , but by the 1990s , the tides turned . UK retail giants began outsourcing garment production to Eastern Europe and beyond , devastating domestic supply chains . By 2002 , we faced a grim reality : closing our manufacturing plant .”
Yet , where others saw an ending , James saw the seed of a new beginning . “ That same year , I started Laxtons Ltd with a team of two and a 400-square-foot office in Ilkley . We had no customers , no products , and no production processes – just a century ’ s worth of expertise under our belt . We shifted our focus , sourcing yarn from Europe and spent years redesigning products and building an international customer base .”
As the business gained momentum , so did the challenges . Dependence on overseas manufacturers proved a gamble too risky to sustain . “ It wasn ’ t unusual for me to hop on a plane at a moment ’ s notice to relocate raw materials due to factory closures ,” James recalls . “ I realized that for us to deliver the
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