This year, Zwartz celebrates 190 years in business. A milestone we’re proud of. Since 1835, we’ve been producing textiles in Oldenzaal. We’re still independent, manufacturing in-house, and operating as a family business. That combination, independent, innovative, and passed down through generations, is rare in the Dutch textile sector today. For us, it’s simply the way we work. We take a brief look back at how it all began, and the choices that brought us to where we are now.

From Nickname to Company Name

The name Zwartz goes back to Izak Salomon, who moved from Guntersblum, Germany, to Oldenzaal in 1801. He quickly became known as “the Black” (de Zwarte) to distinguish him from another man with the same name who had a white beard. That nickname later became his official surname: Zwartz.

His son, Salomon Izak Zwartz, started production in 1835. He placed around 40 looms at local farms and supplied the yarn to weave bombazine, a strong fabric made of linen and cotton. It marked the start of Zwartz as an independent manufacturer, at a time when textile production was still mostly artisanal.

Growing on Our Own Terms

In 1845, Zwartz took its first step toward professionalisation by acquiring a factory and yard on Hofstraat in Oldenzaal. Records from 1848 indicate that about nine people were employed there at the time.

Until 1864, Zwartz closely resembled many other textile companies in the Netherlands. After that, change came quickly. The rise of industrial production made small manufacturers increasingly vulnerable. Those who couldn’t invest in steam engines had to adapt—or disappear.

Zwartz chose to invest, switching to the production of linen and jute. Jute, in particular, could still be processed in home-based settings, unlike cotton fabrics, which were increasingly produced by machines. This allowed Zwartz to continue in the traditional way for a while longer.

As jute production also became industrialised, and traditional methods could no longer compete with steam-powered jute mills, the second generation—Nathan, Izak, and Salom, sons of Salomon Izak—faced a new challenge: what now?

Zwartz transformed into a trading company. By sourcing ready-made materials and selling them under its own name, the company avoided direct competition with emerging industrial jute mills. Over time, yarn purchasing was phased out, while trade in finished jute and linen products expanded. By 1907, Zwartz had fully ceased in-house production and was operating as a trading business.

Under the third generation—cousins Salomon Izak Jr. and Albert Zwartz—the company shifted direction again. Spotting new market opportunities, they began assembling mattress covers in 1924. After three years, partly for financial reasons, they brought production back in-house. Zwartz was once again a manufacturing company.

Production quickly ramped up. In 1927, Zwartz built a new factory on Parallelstraat in Oldenzaal. The business expanded its output of mattress underlays and grew its trade in jute fabric, tarpaulins, mattress linen, and wallpaper linen. By 1938, the facility covered over 1,500 square metres, following warehouse and logistics expansion.

A New Direction and International Growth

After World War II, Herbert Frederik Zwartz, son of Albert, took over the company. Growth and innovation defined this period. The built area expanded significantly, from 1,500 to over 9,000 square metres. This went hand in hand with investments in new machinery and extra storage capacity.

In the 1960s, Herbert launched a new line of textile wall coverings. To support this, a separate subsidiary, Murlin Company, was established. The product found a market both in the Netherlands and abroad, in offices, homes, hotels, and hospitality settings.

Zwartz’s innovative approach proved crucial during the textile crisis of the 1970s. While many companies in the region folded due to growing competition from low-wage countries, Zwartz remained independent. By continuously adapting, monitoring the market, and focusing on value-added products, the company stayed afloat.

In 1985, Zwartz celebrated its 150th anniversary with the release of a book titled “Elke dag een draadje” (“A Thread a Day”), documenting the family’s role and craftsmanship throughout its history.

In the 1990s, the fifth generation, Ronald Albert Zwartz, took over from his father Herbert. He chose a path of modernisation and further international expansion. By broadening the product range with specialised textile solutions, Zwartz remained competitive, even as many textile companies in the region disappeared.

Relocating, Broadening, and Moving Forward

In 2002, Zwartz moved to its current premises on Münsterstraat in Oldenzaal. The new facility, with modern production halls and technical infrastructure, gave the company the space to grow and develop new textile solutions.

Five years later, Zwartz Laminating & Converting was established. A dedicated hall was built for laminating, consolidating, and converting textiles and other non-woven materials. Laminating has since become a key part of our operations. It allows us not only to manufacture fabrics, but also to customise them to fit our clients’ exact needs.

Innovation and the search for new applications have always shaped the history of Zwartz. In 2012, this led to the launch of Zwartz Decorations. With a wide range of materials, weaving styles, and colours, we quickly introduced a large collection for the decorative sector.

In 2024, we sharpened our mission: to be a sustainable leader in the textile industry, both in production and in our product range. That’s why we’re fully committed to using natural fibres—in both our Eco-Line for Zwartz Decorations and in our large-scale textile production for technical applications. We’re also actively working to reduce microplastic pollution in soil and water by using, where technically possible, natural and biodegradable geotextiles.

At the start of 2025, we took another concrete step by installing over 800 solar panels on the roof of our production hall. This enables us to operate more and more on our own renewable energy.

Six Generations In

The sixth generation is now leading the way. Roderik Zwartz recently took over from his father Ronald. Like his predecessors, he combines market insight with a strong connection to production, people, and clients. Under his leadership, the focus is even more on innovation and development: exploring new applications, using natural fibres as alternatives to synthetics, and strengthening our role as a trusted partner in the market.

Moving Forward with a Practical Focus

Zwartz has always adapted to the needs of the time. That’s why we’re still here after 190 years. Today, we focus on three core activities that shape our future. With Zwartz Decorations, we offer high-quality, sustainably produced decorative materials—locally made in Oldenzaal and meeting European standards. With Zwartz Laminating, we use our expertise to advise clients on material choices and production processes. Our laminating machines enhance various materials with tailored properties.

And through our in-house weaving mill, we continue to produce technical textiles from natural fibres. These are used in engineering, agriculture, infrastructure and more, designed to meet both technical and ecological demands.

Our 190 years of experience make us more than a producer. We think alongside our clients, offering guidance and insight. Innovation is woven into how we work, and into the people who shape our company every day.

We’re building on that legacy. Here’s to 200 years.