[Ventile through the years]

As we commemorate our 80th anniversary this year, let’s embark on a journey through time to explore the story behind our origins and the innovations that have made Ventile an icon of the textile industry.

The Birth of Ventile: A Life-Saving Fabric

The story of Ventile began in the late 1930s at the Shirley Institute in Manchester. Developed by a dedicated team of scientists through the challenges of World War II, Ventile was manufactured as immersion suits for pilots as they flew over Europe.

The Pioneering Years

[Talbot Weaving in Chorley]

In 1943, Ventile went into mass production and was woven on wooden looms by Talbot Weaving in Chorley, on the outskirts of Manchester. Thanks to its dense construction, Ventile was used for garments worn on outdoor expeditions.

Ventile Finds a Home in Switzerland

Between the 1980s and 1990s, dyeing houses in the UK started to go out of business, causing quality issues. As a result, Talbot Weaving began sending the loom state fabric to Switzerland for finishing.

At this point, Stotz & Co. stepped in to support the dyeing and finishing of Ventile fabric, while also producing their own equivalent materials.

In 2017, the Ventile brand underwent a significant change when the owners of Talbot Weaving retired, and Stotz & Co. acquired the Ventile brand.

Today, we continue to innovate by introducing more sustainable fabrics, nature-based finishings, and joining with key partners like the Egyptian Bio-Dynamic Association. Eighty years since the beginning, we remain an integral part of the textile landscape, with a legacy that encompasses innovation and functionality.

As seen on the news

[Credit: Swiss Textiles]

Off the back of our 80^th anniversary, the Swiss Textile Federation interviewed our Brand Director, Daniel Odermatt, and Stotz & Co.’s owner, Thomas Stotz. If you want to discover what makes them proud when they look back on the company's history, follow this link: https://swisstextiles.ch/themen/wir-bewegen-uns-immer-knapp-an-der-grenze-des-technisch-machbaren