The history of dyeing

In the early 1880s most of the large dyeing firms in Bradford formed a combination to fix prices and wage levels. This led to the founding of the Bradford Dyers' Association Ltd in 1898.

The company was the result of the amalgamation of 27 firms controlling most of the fabric dyeing in the area. The new company, with over 7500 employees immediately began centralizing management, installing new machinery and organising joint buying, distribution and financial arrangements. It was the largest company of its kind in the country and its trademark became known all over the world.

 

 

 

The Bradford Dyers' Association did not own any of the cloth which it dyed or finished and operated wholly on a commission basis. It dominated the dyeing industry in Bradford for over 60 years and its red and green trademark was a familiar sight on a fleet of wagons and vans which covered the area collecting and delivering cloth. In 1964 the Association was taken over by Viyella International and works began to be closed. By the 1980s only four of the BDA's factories remained: Hunsworth Dyeing Company, Naylor Jennings (at Yeadon), The Standish Dyeing Company (at Wigan) and Thomas Robinson and Company (Ramsbottom).