The future of Australia’s last surviving woollen furnishing textile mill and dye house has been secured thanks to its joint acquisition by Instyle Contract Textiles and Colan Australia.

The site of Geelong Textiles Australia has been in operation since its establishment in 1920 as the Geelong Returned Sailors and Soldiers Woollen & Worsted Co-Operative Manufacturing Company. Renowned for the quality of its wool and other fibre textiles, the mill has a rich history which is soon to feature a whole new chapter.

Instyle Contract Textiles last month joined forces with Colan Australia to combine more than a century of textile expertise to enhance the mill’s capabilities and maintain its development as a major player in Australian textile manufacturing.

The knockout combination of Geelong Textiles Australia’s manufacturing capabilities, Colan Australia’s tried-and-tested manufacturing expertise, and Instyle’s influential market presence effectively safeguards the legacy of Geelong Textiles’ intricate weaving and dyeing traditions.

The first step to the mill’s revitalisation has been its rebrand as LoomTex™. The transformative act is emblematic of the two companies’ dedication to preserving and furthering the mill’s legacy of production into contemporary times.

Founder and managing director of Instyle, Michael Fitzsimons says, “This joint venture represents a significant step forward in our strategic vision to be at the forefront of local, sustainable textile design and manufacturing”.

Managing director of Colan Australia, Genelle Coghlan, adds, “We’re excited about this partnership with Instyle and we’re eager to explore the synergies this partnership brings, while protecting jobs, nurturing local talent and ensuring this important part of the wool manufacturing industry remains operational in Australia”.

There are plans for LoomTex™ to invest in technology, research and development that will see it foregrounded in industry conversations about commercial textile operations. Supporting this will be LoomTex™’s continued operations, manufacturing upholstery, apparel and technical fabrics for a variety of applications, commercial and residential alike.

Instyle
instyle.com.au

Colan Australia
colan.com.au

Geelong Textiles Australia Group
geelongtextiles.com.au

Photography
Kate Ballis

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