Our history in a nutshell

Kendix International Textiles was founded in 1958 by the owner of Linnenweverij van Dijk Linen Weavers, an artisanal family business established in 1848 in Brabant, the Netherlands. The new name marks a different direction and international artistic ambitions. From the outset, Kendix has focused on the top end of the market. The Company produces high-end fabrics with a distinctive design. This is why Kendix recruits inventive art school graduates. Soon, the Company presents collections in Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Paris. The brand is gaining awareness both at home and abroad, and is experiencing turbulent growth.

THE LINEN WEAVERS

Home-grown from tradition

In the mid-19th century, the Van Dijk family began growing their own flax to make flax linen and household textiles. Some was processed at the factory in Waalre, near Eindhoven, and some by home weavers. Home weavers were farmers who ran mixed farms. In the quiet season, they accepted substitute labour, weaving fabric at home. They received yarn and devices from weaver families, and returned the fabrics when they were finished. The factory then turned the fabrics into finished products.

THE LINEN WEAVERS

Home-grown from tradition

In the mid-19th century, the Van Dijk family began growing their own flax to make flax linen and household textiles. Some was processed at the factory in Waalre, near Eindhoven, and some by home weavers. Home weavers were farmers who ran mixed farms. In the quiet season, they accepted substitute labour, weaving fabric at home. They received yarn and devices from weaver families, and returned the fabrics when they were finished. The factory then turned the fabrics into finished products.

UNLIMITED CREATIVITY

From table linens to exclusive designs

After deciding to produce other fabrics, such as curtain fabrics, in addition to household textiles, a suitable target group and style was sought. It was decided to focus on the Scandinavian market and design, expressed in both dobby fabrics and prints. Frans Dijkmeyer, Yvonne van Uden and later Hans Krapels were the first to be hired as designers. All were alumni of the Academy of Industrial Design in Eindhoven. Later, Wendy Doodson and Christel Verhoeven also worked on Kendix’s collections on a long-term basis.

In the 1960s, Kendix opened showrooms in Brussels, Aachen and Zurich. The success was due in part to the choice of an exclusive market in which design and quality prevailed. In the 1980s, transparent fabrics and the ausbrenner technique became a specialty of Kendix, and the brand was even the first to introduce these aubrenner fabrics to the Dutch market at 3 meters high. Today, Kendix continues to develop unusual and exclusive fabrics, both in fabric and print.

A summary of Kendix’ history

  • 1848

    Linen weaving mill Van Dijk is founded by Dorus van Dijk and Caatje Manders. The weaving mill initially focused on weaving linen household textiles.

  • 1958

    Kendix is established. The new name marks a different direction and international artistic ambitions. From the outset, Kendix has focused on the top end of the market. The Company produces high-end fabrics with a distinctive design. Soon, the Company presents collections in Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Paris. The brand is gaining awareness both at home and abroad, and is experiencing turbulent growth.

  • 2005

    In 2005, after many wanderings, Kendix found a home at Artex, part of multinational Hunter-Douglas. The Company has become a globally renowned producer of exclusive, trend-setting fabrics of superior quality. Design, fabrics and materials meet high aesthetic and technical standards. Kendix designs and develops every collection in-house, from the initial concept through sketch design, colour development and translation into yarns and weave structures to the final pattern and design.

  • 2018

    On Kendix' 60th birthday, it was time for the next step: Kendix Allure, for people with a passion for understated luxury.

  • 2022

    A new collection line completes the Allure lifestyle collection: Kendix Allure upholstery fabrics. In this way, the Allure lifestyle can be applied throughout the interior.

Everything inhouse

In 2005 Kendix found a permanent home in Artex, part of the international Hunter Douglas Group. The company has grown into an internationally renowned producer of exclusive, trendsetting fabrics of superior quality. Design and materials all meet the highest esthetical and technical standards. Every Kendix collection is designed and developed inhouse, from the first sketched concepts, colouring and translation into yarns and weaving structures, to the eventual design.

The driving force of our studio

Our resourceful designers are passionately committed to each collection. Their fundamental approach to colour, texture and design and their expertise in materials and textile techniques form the power of
Kendix.

They are educated at renowned academies such as the Design Academy in nearby Eindhoven and gained priceless experience and knowledge working for internationally famous designers, trend analysts and architects. They continuously feed their creativity by following trends and developments in architecture, art and design.

A complementary design line

On Kendix’ 60th anniversary in 2018, it was time for the next step: the collection under the title ‘inspiration for modern living’ is too limited to capture the full spectrum of our design vision and inspiration. This is why we introduced the second, complementary, collection line: Kendix Allure, for people with a passion for understated luxury. The design DNA of Kendix cannot be denied. This is why both collection lines share the use of premium materials and the colour palette developed in-house.

ADMIRE ALLURE