Our Story and Our Purpose
Caroline and Alan
The Beginnings
Croft Mill UK carries the legacy of several well-known mail order fabric companies, including J. W Coates, Bradley Textiles, and of course, Croft Mill itself.
Our heritage harks back to a time when a night out cost less than ten shillings, fabric remnants were bundled for sale, and Lancashire's streets were lined with working mills. It was a time when tripe and onions were everyday fare, not a delicacy on Michelin-starred menus.
As a family-run business by brothers Alan and Trevor, Croft Mill supplied tens of thousands of home sewers and businesses alike with carefully curated fabrics, all featured in Alan’s beloved mail order catalogue.
In April 2008, after 35 successful years at Croft Mill in Foulridge, Alan retired, and Croft Mill closed its doors.
The Digital Age
Caroline breathed new life into Croft Mill after her job ended during maternity leave. With over ten years in fabric design and production, she recognized a fresh opportunity. So, with her baby by her side, she relaunched Croft Mill from a small room in Colne, reopening our virtual doors in May 2009.
Today, we operate from a 5,000-square-foot warehouse, supported by a dedicated team focused on delivering outstanding service. Our commitment is to be friendly, helpful, and transparent, offering you a curated selection of beautiful and unique fabrics at great prices.
We proudly stock over 3,500 fabrics, more than 700 dress patterns from independent brands, and thousands of haberdashery items.
Our Vision
Our vision is to become a leading global destination for makers by offering not only the finest fabrics and tools but also fostering a creative community. We aspire to expand our range of sustainable fabrics, provide a wealth of sewing knowledge through an educational platform, and establish community sewing groups that bring people together to share and grow their skills. By blending quality, creativity, and sustainability, we aim to inspire and support makers worldwide in their journey to create beautiful, lasting garments.
Our Mission
We are in business to empower makers to create and craft with confidence, by providing the tools and the finest fabrics you need to turn your creative visions into reality.
We want to provide makers with an exceptional selection of high-quality, globally sourced fabrics, including unique deadstock and premium textiles from Italy, the UK, and Europe. In addition to our fabrics, we offer a comprehensive range of dressmakers' tools, patterns, and haberdashery, ensuring that our customers have everything they need to bring their creative visions to life. We are dedicated to offering the best materials at competitive prices, with a focus on serving our audience. As we grow, our vision is to design and create sustainable fabric collections and expand internationally, becoming the go-to platform for those passionate about crafting and creating beautiful things.
Please email us or give is a call if you need to. We will be happy to help.
01282 859281