William Skinner and Sons facts for kids
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Primary mill of William Skinner and Sons, c. 1937
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Formerly
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Unquomonk Silk Mills |
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| Private | |
| Industry | Textiles; raw silk processing and satins |
| Founded | 1848 in Haydenville, Massachusetts |
| Defunct | February 1961 (purchased by Indian Head Mills) May 1963 (mills closed) |
| Headquarters | Main Sales Office: 45 East 17th Street New York, New York Mills: Holyoke, Massachusetts, United States |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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William Skinner (Founder) |
William Skinner & Sons was a famous American company that made fabrics, especially silk and satin materials. Their products were often sold as Skinner's Satin, Skinner's Silk, and Skinner Fabrics. The company had its main factories in Holyoke, Massachusetts, and a big sales office in New York City. They also had smaller offices in many other cities across the United States.
The company was started in 1848 by William Skinner. He began the business with his brother-in-law.
Contents
Early Years of Skinner Fabrics
The company first set up a long-term factory in Haydenville in 1854. It was called the Unquomonk Silk Mills back then. This was where they started making their special silk products.
Moving to Holyoke
In 1874, a big flood happened called the Mill River Flood. This flood caused a lot of damage. After the flood, William Skinner decided to move his home and his company to a new place. He chose Holyoke, Massachusetts. The company's factories stayed in Holyoke for the rest of its history.
Growing into a Global Leader
By the early 1900s, William Skinner & Sons had become the biggest maker of satins in the world. They were very successful and known for their high-quality fabrics.
Reaching Customers Directly
In 1903, Skinner & Sons was one of the first companies to start selling their products directly to regular people. Before this, many fabric companies mostly sold to other businesses. This new way of selling helped their brand become even more popular.
The World's Largest Silk Mill
By 1912, the company operated the largest silk factory under one roof anywhere in the world. This huge factory showed how big and important William Skinner & Sons had become in the textile industry.
Skinner Fabrics in Pop Culture
During the 1920s and 1930s, Skinner's fabrics became very famous. This was partly because they were used a lot in Hollywood movies.
Hollywood Stars and Satin Gowns
Many famous movie stars, like Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, wore beautiful gowns made from Skinner's satins in their films. Seeing these stars in Skinner's silk helped make the brand even more popular with people watching movies.
Supporting the War Effort
William Skinner & Sons also played an important role during the Second World War. They worked closely with the United States military.
Developing Parachutes
The company helped create better parachutes made from silk and other fabrics for the US Armed Forces. This was a very important job, as parachutes were vital for soldiers and supplies during the war.
The End of an Era
After many successful years, the company faced challenges. The world market for textiles became very competitive.
Company Sale and Closure
In 1961, the Skinner family and other owners sold the company to another business called Indian Head Mills. Indian Head Mills continued to use the factories to make other types of fabrics, like rayon. However, in 1963, the factories in Holyoke finally closed down.
The Skinner Name Lives On (Briefly)
In the 1970s, another company, Springs Global, bought the part of Indian Head Mills that used the Skinner name. They used the Skinner brand and product ideas until the late 1980s. Since then, the William Skinner & Sons company and brand have not been active.
