Behind The Brand - Westex

Westex have been with us since the beginning, and we are very proud to be associated with their brand and superb carpet ranges.

We have recommended them to everyone from families to hotels, from landlords fixing up luxury flats to couples starting out in their dream-home - but what makes them so special?

There are several strings to this remarkable company’s bow, so we thought we’d take some time to look at them closely...

Westex Logo - Image © Westex Carpets

The Company

Westex were founded back in 1977 as ‘ST Carpets’ - making the company an impressive 41 years old! They also had the partner company ‘DT Yarns’, focused - one might imagine - on making the yarn itself, a precursor to Westex’s fully integrated system of manufacture.

Based in West Yorkshire, one of England’s most important and long-standing areas for wool textiles, the company started out with only five employees.

It was officially incorporated by Companies House 1980 and took the name ‘Westex’ in 1986, presumably as a contraction of ‘West Yorkshire Textiles’.

One mysterious feature of Westex is that it was apparently originally founded by a ‘master carpet dyer’ whose name remains a mystery...although it may well have been Brian Thomas of Shipley, whose name appears on the original incorporation papers along with colleagues Sheelagh Davidson and Ian Taylor.

Millgate Homes Carpeted In Westend Velvet - Image © Westex Carpets

Coming from a noted textile family, Mr. Thomas was also apparently quite the sportsman - something guaranteed to gain prestige in Yorkshire!

They quickly established a name for themselves, but the turning point was releasing their flagship Ultima Twist range in 1987, which is still in production now - in the year of its launch is won the ‘Best Tufted Carpet’ award at the Brighton Show, and still breaks records today, with Westex selling more top-end 2-3 ply carpet than any other UK manufacturer.

Despite being acquired by Victoria Carpets in 2013, Westex has stolidly remained its own brand, doing what it does best - top quality carpet in an amazing range of colours.

Today you can find Westex carpets all over the world - from Selfridges and Harrods to Dubai Airport, the Royal Yacht Britannia to the Saatchi Gallery, not to mention the homes of thousands of happy customers.

The Philosophy

There are several important principles underpinning Westex’s business. From the start, they were a company who embraced innovation, but knew which tried-and-tested methods to keep. For example, they were the first company (in 1997) to apply stain protection to wool carpets, which they continue to this day.

One of the main focuses of the company at its inception was to offer more choice to retailers and customers - a through line can be drawn from those early days to now.

For example in 2011 the company made significant investment in a new state-of-the-art dyehouse to support its amazing range of colours, and their three manufacturing hubs are based on a small batch, quick turnaround model with high availability - i.e. many machines are not in use all the time, meaning they can be accessed immediately.

Kingfisher Colour Yarn Being Tufted - Image © Westex Carpets

This is a great set-up for lots of product variation - as a demonstration, including all widths, colours and qualities there are currently 4,800 varieties of Ultima Twist.

Alongside variety, quality is the major driver of the company as a whole - Westex make sure they have complete oversight and control of the entire ‘field to floor’ process, with quality checks at every stage. Their stock is drawn ‘from the wealth of diverse breeds of sheep’ and work with trusted wool merchants to ensure they get the best possible raw material for their carpets.

This system of total vertical integration, with manufacture all in-house and never outsourced, also helps to root Westex in its birthplace - it remains proudly British and even more proudly Yorkshire. Its factory is still in Cleckheaton, just south of Bradford and Leeds, right next to the Spen River which gives the surrounding Spen Valley its name.

Finally, Westex’s philosophy in recent times has been guided by a strident commitment to the environment - you can read their full environmental policy here, but in short they ‘embarked on a process of environmental improvement’ which every employee - starting with the Managing Directors and going on from there - has a duty to support.

The Products

Having heard a little about Westex’s history and philosophy, you won’t be surprised to hear that they have excellent products with extra benefits - as noted above, since the 1990s all Westex carpets are treated against stains and spills and are available in five different widths (1.00m, 3.66m, 4.00m, 4.57m and 5.00m).

Ultima Twist

Ultima Twist is Westex’s flagship range and shows their mastery of both carpet manufacture and dyeing - there are ne hundred and twenty colours to choose from, from rich and vibrant to subtle and calm. Unlike inferior products these colours won’t fade but are as long-lasting as the carpets themselves.

The range comes in eight different qualities - some may find this excessive but it provides a version of the product to suit every need and every budget.

Pure Luxury

Eschewing the usual 80%-20% wool/nylon blend they usually employ, Westex’s Pure Luxury is a 100% wool, giving them an incredibly soft velvet finish which will be the envy of any visitor.

With a more muted colour palette than the Ultima Twist or Westend Velvet ranges, it's ideal for bedrooms, guest rooms and lounges, as well as for contract purposes such as hotel rooms and communal areas.

Special Dye

Special Dye is not a product, as such, but a service offered by Westex which is - as far as we know - unique in carpet manufacture.

Because they have their own dye-house, it allows them to match any colour sent to them, whether from a fabric swatch or something more unusual (they have notably matched a carpet to a snooker ball for one client) they will create a carpet specifically for their client’s needs.

Colourful, durable, wonderful - that’s Westex. But you don’t need to take our word for it - you can order a free sample of any of their products, whether you are looking for a Westex remnant or offcut or a cut from a carpet, at the click of a button. Try it out today and find out why Westex is one of our favourites - we’re sure it will become a favourite of yours too.

Carpet Underlay

Door Strips

Behind The Brand - Westex