G. J. Littlewood & Son, Inc.

      Commission Raw Stock Dyers

 About the Company....

Back in 1869, Graham J. Littlewood bought out a dyer in Falls of the Schuylkill. The business was moved to Manayunk, just outside of Philadelphia.

In the company's first fifty years, some thirty textile mills in the immediate area surrounded the plant. It is certainly remarkable that G.J. Littlewood has not just survived, but steadily grown in size during a time when much of the textile business nearby was closing down. There are only two mills left in the area today.

Initially, the plant was involved in the bleaching and dyeing of cotton warps, cotton skein, and raw cotton as well as some wool. Natural dyes such as Indigo, Logwood, Sumac and Fustic were used in the earlier days. Water was obtained from the nearby Schuylkill River, as well as from a natural spring in the hills, which still flows today into a pond behind the mill.

Of the buildings now occupied by G.J. Littlewood & Son, several date back to the early 1800s.  The building now used for offices and a lab was once an inn for canal boat crews. These earlier surroundings are in sharp contrast to the ultra modern equipment and labs of today.

The continued growth of the company throughout the 1970's and 1980's necessitated the introduction of a second plant in Bloomsburg, Pa., owned operated and managed under the same charter as the Philadelphia. plant. G. J. Littlewood & Son, Inc has always remained a family run operation.

The advent of synthetics proved a new challenge to the company. G.J. Littlewood was one of the first dyers of raw stock to put in high temperature/high pressure machinery for dyeing polyester fiber.

The result of continuous process improvement, adaptability to changing conditions, dedication to customers and family involvement has led to their continued success, nearly 132 years from their founding. The fourth and fifth generations of Littlewoods have the ability to produce state of the art dyeing of synthetics,i.e..polyester, acrylics, rayon and nylon, along with natural fibers such as wool cotton and jute.

Present family members involved in the business are Robert B. and Wallace, of the fourth generation, and David P., Robert Bruce, Richard G., James and Robert G. of the fifth generation. Our present Head Dyer, has been involved in the Littlewood business for 38 years, working through all aspects of the dyeing and finishing operation, along with our Lab Manager, who has been with the Littlewood company for 29 years.

Copyright©2000  G. J. Littlewood & Son, Inc

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