90 years of Botany Weaving
Botany Weaving Mill, established in the liberties area of Dublin in 1934 by James Hackett, has a long history of blending tradition with innovation in the textile industry.
Beginnings
From the 1930s through to the 1960s, Botany Weaving focussed primarily on producing high end ladies apparel fabrics to retail outlets in Ireland including Switzers and Arnotts. We quickly earned a reputation for quality and craftsmanship. Our Irish designed tweeds featured in many articles and magazines showcasing our colourful take on fashion textiles.
Refined fabrics
We soon distinguished ourselves as a producer of high-quality fabrics and branched out into producing material for uniforms, catering to prestigious clients such as British Airways, the Garda Síochána (Irish Police) and the Irish armed forces. Using our decades-long technical expertise and commitment to excellence, we produced durable, comfortable and aesthetically refined textiles that met the stringent requirements of these sectors. To this day, we still have the same passion and consideration to the needs and requirements of our clients, guaranteeing that our fabrics are fit for purpose as well as being visually appealing.
70s and 80s
Continuing into the 1970s, the company grew once more and we began to produce fabrics for the contract furnishing sector, creating designs for some of the most iconic names in the interior design world – including Knoll, Herman Miller, and Kvadrat. We designed collections of sophisticated and robust furnishings that we feel are still an important part of modern interior design today.
90s — entering aviation
In the 1990s, we ventured into the aviation industry, marking a significant expansion of our product offerings. Our first major project in this sector was designing and producing textiles for Tunisair, setting a new standard for quality and durability in airline upholstery. After over 30 years of loyal business, today we are still Tunisair’s chosen supplier, providing them with their updated cabin interiors.
Expansion
Building on our success, we further diversified in 2005 by starting the production of high-performance carpets specifically tailored for the aviation industry. These innovations gave us a reputation as being a leader of bespoke aviation textiles, renowned for combining aesthetics and comfort to enhance passenger experience.
James Hackett, Founder
Fabrics featured in Woman's Journal, 1965
Uniform fabrics
Tunisair, 1991
Aer Lingus - Irish Writers
Aer Lingus today
Iconic textiles found in the past and present fleets of Aer Lingus, British Airways, Qantas and Air France all started in our ever-growing Dublin mill. As the largest supplier of fabrics and carpet for line fit to Airbus and now as the supplier of choice for all of the world’s top ten airlines, we continue to strengthen our position as the world leader in the aviation industry.
A heritage of innovation and growth
Throughout its 90 years, Botany Weaving has expanded its product range with the times to include a variety of textiles, passing on invaluable knowledge to its employees which has brought the company to where it is today. We employ over 150 people across 3 facilities in Ireland and an additional 50 people at a further 3 facilities in Europe, producing over 2.5 million metres of carpet, seat, curtain and nomex fabrics per annum for the aviation sector. Despite the challenges faced by the textile industry over the last 90 years, the mill has remained a steadfast icon of Dublin's industrial heritage, now fully dedicated to aviation and transportation textiles. We continue to evolve to meet modern demands while preserving our rich legacy of Irish textiles.
