Coats supports the VAs new Clothworkers Centre for Textiles and Fashion Study and Conservation
- 19 Jun 2013
World leading industrial thread and consumer textile crafts business Coats plc announces its support of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s (V&A) new venture – The Clothworkers’ Centre for Textiles and Fashion Study and Conservation.
The V&A holds one of the most important collections of textiles and fashion in the world, ranging from archaeological textiles to contemporary haute couture. The Clothworkers' Centre will be a dedicated facility to study, conserve and store the V&A’s textiles and fashion collection. Housing over 104,000 objects ranging from small archaeological textile fragments from Egypt to enormous tapestries created for medieval European palaces, the Centre also preserves a variety of historical fashion pieces from hoop petticoats from the 1740s to the latest creations by leading contemporary designers.
The donation from Coats, which has come from a combination of funds from Coats plc, Coats Crafts Division and The Coats Foundation Trust, has enabled one of the antique wooden display cabinets from the former Textiles Gallery to be restored to accommodate textile samples in the Study Room. The cabinet will contain 160 framed textiles showing the quality, geographic range and diversity of the collection and demonstrating a variety of textiles techniques and designs dating back to 500 AD.
Coats has a rich heritage dating back to the 1750’s and has been closely involved with textile crafts over the years. During the 1800’s the company was responsible for producing the world’s first cotton sewing thread and later introduced spooled cotton sewing thread to consumers, when previously all thread was sold in packets. Today Coats and its portfolio of brands maintains a pioneering culture and continues leading the way in providing complementary and value added products and services to the apparel, footwear and speciality industries and extending the crafts offer into new markets and online.
Paul Forman, Group Chief Executive, Coats plc, said: ‘Coats is extremely proud to be supporting the V&A in its development of the Clothworkers’ Centre which will be the world’s leading facility for the preservation and study of fashion and textiles.
‘There are many areas of commonality with Coats’ institutional expertise, international mindset and continuous innovations in the world of thread and related products. The access and educational aims of the Centre align with The Coats Foundation Trust’s objective of advancing education and the study of textiles, as well as with Coats Crafts’ ambition of bringing crafting to a wider and more diverse audience.’
The Coats Crafts Division is dedicated to raising interest in, and awareness of, crafting and will work with the V&A to provide tutors and products for Coats Crafts workshops at the V&A throughout 2014.
The Clothworkers’ Centre for Textiles and Fashion Study and Conservation has been developed at Blythe House in London’s Kensington Olympia and opens to the public from 8 October 2013. It has been made possible thanks to a generous lead grant from The Clothworkers’ Foundation and further support from many others.
To download high resolution images for Coats go to: www.coats.com/imagelibrary
ENDS
For more information about Coats please contact:
Anna Mitchell, Head of Group Communications, anna.mitchell@coats.com
T +44 208 210 5015, M +44 7740 747 976 or
Kristina Blissett, Communications Manager, kristina.blissett@coats.com
T +44 208 210 5084, M +44 7714 539 887
For press images and information about The Clothworkers’ Centre for Textiles and Fashion Study and Conservation please contact the V&A Press Office on press.office@vam.ac.uk or call 020 7942 2502/00
Notes to Editors
About Coats
With a rich heritage dating back to the 1750s, Coats is the world's leading industrial thread and consumer textile crafts business, at home in more than 70 countries, employing over 20,000 people across six continents. Revenues in 2012 were US$1.7bn.
Our well-known brands and strong relationships with customers and consumers mean our products and services meet current and future needs. Our company-wide understanding of our business partners and consumers, coupled with the deep expertise of our people, builds trust and certainty.
Coats’ pioneering history and innovative culture ensure the company continues leading the way around the world: providing complementary and value added products and services to the apparel and footwear industries; extending the crafts offer into new markets and online; and applying innovative techniques to develop products in new areas such as tracer threads, aramids and fibre optics.
- One in five garments on the planet is held together using Coats’ thread
- 75 million car airbags are made using Coats’ thread every year
- Coats produces enough yarn to knit 65 million scarves a year
- In three and a half hours, Coats makes enough thread to go to the moon and back
- 300 million pairs of shoes are made every year using Coats’ thread
- One million teabags using Coats’ thread are brewed every 10 minutes
- Thousands of surgical operations take place every day using Coats’ thread
- Thomas Edison used Coats’ thread in 1879 to invent the light bulb
- Coats produces enough thread to reach around the Equator every 11 minutes
- Coats is the second largest and fastest growing global zip manufacturer
About Coats Crafts Division
Coats Crafts division is the world's leading consumer textile crafts business, its history is interwoven with many key innovations in knitting, crochet, quilting, embroidery and sewing dating back to the beginning of the industrial revolution.
Our well-known brands, which include Rowan, Red Heart, Patons, Anchor and Schachenmayr, have been inspiring generations of crafters around the world who have looked to Coats for our signature quality and inspiration for over 200 years.
About The Coats Foundation Trust
The Trust was initially set up in 1974 and provides grants to individuals or institutions which cover the three main charitable areas:
- the relief of persons who are aged, powerless or in conditions of need, hardship or distress
- the advancement of education
- the provision (or assistance in the provision) in the interests of social welfare, of facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation
About the Clothworkers’ Centre for Textiles and Fashion Study and Conservation
Based at Blythe House in Kensington Olympia, the new Centre will bring the V&A's extensive textiles and fashion collection together under one roof, providing appropriate bespoke storage to enhance the long-term care of the collection. At the heart of the project will be new and upgraded Conservation studios, a public Study Centre, and a Seminar Room, offering visitors and researchers increased access and improved facilities to study and enjoy this important collection. The original grand entrance to Blythe House - a Grade II Listed Building - will also be reinstated, making it fully accessible and welcoming for visitors. The Clothworkers' Centre will be the most important national and international centre for fashion and textiles.
The Blythe House Textiles and Fashion development will be named 'The Clothworkers' Centre for Textiles and Fashion Study and Conservation' following a generous lead grant from the Clothworkers' Foundation.
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