Cooper Hewitt says...
Designtex was founded in 1961 by Ralph Saltzman and Harry Paley, who wanted to offer finely designed textiles at affordable prices. While having a core selection of furnishing fabrics, the founders also commissioned architects such as Aldo Rossi, Richard Meier, Robert Venturi, and Denise Scott Brown to design special fabrics for the company. In 1988 Designtex was acquired by Steelcase and currently functions as an independent subsidiary of Steelcase. Its continued focus on research-based materials for the built environment includes a particular emphasis on sustainable textiles at reasonable costs due in large part to Susan Lyons, president of Designtex since 2012. Formerly the creative director of Designtex between 1989-2002, she left the company to start a collaborative studio focused on sustainable product development. She continues to spearhead these initiatives in her current role.
