Fabric Manufacturing
Tillett Textiles
459 Broadway, New York, NY 10013, United States · Manufacturing companies in New York
- Manufacturer
- Founded 1946
About Tillett Textiles
Tillett Textiles was founded in 1946 on Manhattan's Upper East Side by d.d. Tillett, a Harper's Bazaar writer, and Leslie Tillett, one of the British-born brothers who had been hand-printing fabrics in Cuernavaca, Mexico. The pair lived above their brownstone boutique and custom screen-printing atelier, where they pioneered techniques such as drag box printing, wax resist, layering, and transparent inks to create painterly hand-printed textiles. Today the company operates a studio in New Jersey where textiles are still produced entirely by hand using the same methods. Artisans mix custom pigment-based inks and print on linens, cottons, blends, and silks using silk screens — many dating to the 1960s — and drag boxes, a Tillett innovation. The offering spans a readily available collection sold through F. Schumacher & Co. and a bespoke service that allows clients to customize colorways, patterns, grounds, and stripe sizes from the historic archive. The brand has served interior designers and tastemakers since the mid‑20th century, counting Billy Baldwin, Albert Hadley, Babe Paley, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Bunny Mellon, and Diana Vreeland among its clients. Tillett fabrics have been used in the White House, the Oak Spring Estate, and are held in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum. The company's stated distinction lies in its philosophy rooted in nature, imperfection, and the artistry of the handmade. As the firm describes it, only the hand can moderate the dialogue between fabric and ink, and customization down to the tiniest detail remains its calling card.
Manufacturing capabilities
Core processes
Assembly & services
Industries served
- Interior design
- Luxury residential
- Textile design
- Museum/archival reproduction
- High-end furniture and upholstery
Materials
Linen · Cotton · Blends · Silk · Pigment-based inks
Equipment
- Silk screens (many dating to 1960s)
- Drag boxes
- Squeegees (varied for different effects)
Company details
- Location
- New York, New York
- Company type
- Manufacturer
- Founded
- 1946
Frequently asked questions
Where is Tillett Textiles located?
Tillett Textiles is located at 459 Broadway, New York, NY 10013, United States.
What does Tillett Textiles do?
Tillett Textiles is listed under Fabric Manufacturing, and its listed capabilities and products include Hand screen printing, Drag box printing, Wax resist printing, Layering techniques, Transparent ink printing and Custom color mixing.
What industries does Tillett Textiles serve?
Tillett Textiles lists Interior design, Luxury residential, Textile design, Museum/archival reproduction and High-end furniture and upholstery among the industries it serves.
When was Tillett Textiles founded?
Tillett Textiles was founded in 1946.
How do I request a quote from Tillett Textiles?
Use the Request a quote button on this page to send Tillett Textiles your requirements through FirmsLedger, or call (201) 824-2795 and visit tilletttextiles.com.
What companies are similar to Tillett Textiles?
Other Fabric Manufacturing companies in New York listed on FirmsLedger include Carnegie Fabrics, PICO Manufacturing Sales Corporation and Metro Textile Corporation.