Biederlack
Biederlack is a German home-textiles brand and manufacturer known especially for jacquard-woven acrylic blankets and throws.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Biederlack is a German textile manufacturer and brand based in Greven, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is principally associated with jacquard-woven blankets, throws and other soft home-textile products, particularly high-pile acrylic designs. The company’s documented corporate history begins in 1887, when Ignaz Hermann Biederlack founded Hermann Biederlack GmbH + Co. in Greven, although the family traces its commercial roots to a merchant enterprise established in the sixteenth century near the River Ems. The business developed as a family-controlled textile enterprise. During the twentieth century, members of the Biederlack family expanded production beyond Germany, including the establishment of a factory in Cuba by Felix and Carl Biederlack in 1930. That facility produced blankets until the Second World War. The postwar period brought a new generation into management: Hans-Felix Biederlack joined the company in 1958, followed by Robert Biederlack in 1967. Their shared management helped carry the business through modernization and international expansion. Biederlack’s manufacturing strategy increasingly emphasized vertical integration and production efficiency. In Germany, the company invested in warehousing, weaving, sewing and dyeing capacity. In North America, Biederlack of America Inc. was established in Cumberland, Maryland, in 1979. The American operation combined distribution with manufacturing and later added high-speed jacquard looms, finishing equipment, cut-and-sew capabilities and a spinning mill. This investment was intended to serve the established North American blanket market with locally produced goods and imported semi-finished materials from Germany. The North American business also broadened Biederlack’s licensing activities. In 1998, Biederlack of America acquired Cushion Craft, a supplier of pillows carrying professional-sports and college licenses. The move made the American subsidiary a major distributor of licensed blankets, throws and pillows. Licensed products were associated with properties including the National Football League, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, NASCAR, collegiate licensing organizations and Harley-Davidson, alongside Biederlack’s own copyrighted designs. The company continued operational restructuring in the 2000s. New management joined the German business, the Bocholt-based Borbo-Blankets operation was taken over in 2006, and a new dye house was completed to increase productivity. Biederlack announced the closure of its North American manufacturing operations in 2009, marking a retreat from manufacturing in the United States while leaving the brand’s broader international textile activities as the continuing focus. Publicly available reference material provides limited information about current ownership, corporate structure, financial performance and present-day management. Accordingly, Biederlack is best characterized from the available evidence as a specialist German home-textiles brand with a long family-business history, manufacturing expertise in woven blankets and throws, and a former significant presence in licensed North American soft goods.
History
The Biederlack family’s commercial tradition is traced to 1532, when Heinrich, also recorded as Hinrik or Hinrick, settled near an oxbow lake formed by the River Ems and established a merchant trading business. The family name became associated with the location, and the trading activity is presented as the foundation for the later textile enterprise. The modern company was founded on 22 August 1887, when Ignaz Hermann Biederlack established Hermann Biederlack GmbH + Co. in Greven, Germany. The enterprise developed as a family-owned manufacturer and later became identified with woven blankets and related textile products. In 1930, the founder’s descendants Felix and Carl Biederlack established a factory in Cuba. The Cuban facility produced blankets until wartime disruption. The family’s history also includes severe internal conflict. In 1948, Carl Biederlack shot and killed his brother Felix. In 1952, Carl died after jumping from a courtroom window. These events form part of the historical account of the family but are not presented in the available material as business scandals involving the brand’s products or customers. A new managerial generation entered the company after the Second World War. Hans-Felix Biederlack, Felix’s son, joined as managing director in 1958. Robert Biederlack, Carl’s son, joined in 1967, and the two relatives managed the enterprise together. The company invested in its production and logistics infrastructure, constructing a new warehouse system in 1981 and adding a new weaving department in 1987. International expansion became especially visible through Biederlack of America Inc., founded in Cumberland, Maryland, in 1979. The subsidiary initially operated a distribution center and then developed local production capacity. Its American manufacturing facilities included jacquard looms, finishing equipment and cut-and-sew operations. In 1996, Biederlack of America began installing a large spinning mill in former Kelly-Springfield Tire buildings, with the stated aim of creating a more vertically integrated production system. Richard Alford served as general manager and Greg Lindsay later became plant manager. The American subsidiary expanded beyond traditional blankets through licensing. In 1998, it acquired Cushion Craft of East Newark, New Jersey, a supplier of professional sports and college licensed pillows. This acquisition made Biederlack of America a major distributor of licensed blanket, throw and pillow products in North America. The company’s licensed portfolio included products connected with major American sports leagues, collegiate licensing, NASCAR and Harley-Davidson, in addition to original copyrighted designs. Biederlack continued to modernize its German facilities. A fully automatic transfer sewing line was installed in 2001. Michael Ottenjann, the son-in-law of Hans-Felix Biederlack, joined as managing director in 2000. Hans-Felix died unexpectedly in 2005, and Robert retired as managing director that year. Robert died in 2007. In 2006, production manager Rolf Gottmann became a managing director, the company took over Borbo-Blankets in Bocholt, and a new dye house was completed to support productivity improvements. In 2009, Biederlack announced the closure of its North American manufacturing operations. This decision ended the company’s American manufacturing phase after three decades of investment in weaving, finishing, cut-and-sew and spinning. The available reference material does not establish the precise current corporate ownership, present management team, financial scale or manufacturing footprint. It does, however, document Biederlack’s enduring identity as a German specialist in woven blankets and throws, with a history spanning family commerce, industrial textile production, international expansion, licensed merchandise and operational restructuring.
- 2009
North American manufacturing closed
[1]The company announced the closure of its North American manufacturing operations.
- 2006
Borbo-Blankets taken over
[1]Biederlack took over the Bocholt-based Borbo-Blankets operation and completed a new dye house.
- 2001
Automatic transfer sewing line installed
[1]A fully automatic transfer sewing line was installed as part of the company’s production modernization.
- 1998
Cushion Craft acquired
[1]Biederlack of America acquired Cushion Craft, broadening its licensed sports and collegiate soft-goods business.
- 1987
New weaving department built
[1]Biederlack expanded its weaving capacity with a new department.
- 1981
Warehouse system expanded
[1]A new warehouse system was built to improve delivery service.
- 1979
Biederlack of America established
[1]The company founded its American subsidiary in Cumberland, Maryland, to serve the North American blanket market.
- 1930
Blanket factory established in Cuba
[1]Felix and Carl Biederlack built a Cuban factory that produced blankets until the war.
- 1887
Hermann Biederlack founded in Greven
[1]Ignaz Hermann Biederlack founded Hermann Biederlack GmbH + Co. in Greven on 22 August.
- 1532
Family commercial roots near the River Ems
[1]The family tradition is traced to a merchant trading business established by Heinrich, or Hinrik, near an oxbow lake formed by the River Ems.
Products and positioning
A specialist German home-textiles brand positioned around woven blanket expertise, decorative design, soft materials, manufacturing quality and, historically, licensed sports and lifestyle merchandise.
Home textiles
Jacquard-woven blankets
Jacquard-woven blankets are central to Biederlack’s documented product identity. The weaving method supports patterned and decorative surfaces, allowing the brand to combine textile functionality with interior-oriented design. The company’s German manufacturing history includes dedicated weaving, finishing, dyeing and sewing investments.
Home textiles
High-pile acrylic blankets and throws
Biederlack is particularly associated with high-pile acrylic blankets and throws. These products are soft furnishing articles intended for warmth, comfort and decorative use in the home. The available reference material does not identify individual current collections or model names.
Licensed merchandise · 1998
Licensed sports blankets, throws and pillows
Through Biederlack of America and its acquisition of Cushion Craft, the company distributed blankets, throws and pillows carrying professional sports, collegiate and lifestyle licenses. Referenced properties included major North American sports leagues, NASCAR, collegiate licensing organizations and Harley-Davidson.
Controversies
1952
Death of Carl Biederlack after courtroom incident
The historical account states that Carl Biederlack died after jumping from a courtroom window in 1952, following the earlier killing of his brother Felix.
1948
Killing of Felix Biederlack by his brother
The historical account states that Carl Biederlack shot and killed his brother Felix in 1948. This was a family tragedy associated with the company’s ownership history rather than a product or consumer scandal.
Brand decisions
2009
Closure of North American manufacturing operationsStrategyBackground
After decades of investment in American distribution, weaving, finishing, cut-and-sew and spinning capacity, Biederlack reassessed its North American manufacturing activities.
Action taken
Biederlack announced the closure of its North American manufacturing operations.
Aftermath
The decision ended the company’s documented manufacturing presence in Cumberland, Maryland, although the available material does not specify the subsequent supply-chain structure.
2006
Takeover of Borbo-BlanketsM&ABackground
Biederlack continued to consolidate and develop its textile production capabilities in Germany.
Action taken
The company took over Borbo-Blankets, associated with Geiger, Borgers GmbH & Co. KG in Bocholt.
Aftermath
The takeover formed part of the company’s continuing production and manufacturing development.
1998
Acquisition of Cushion CraftM&ABackground
Biederlack of America sought to strengthen its position in licensed soft goods, including products linked to professional sports and college programs.
Action taken
The subsidiary acquired Cushion Craft, a supplier of licensed sports and collegiate pillows.
Aftermath
The acquisition expanded Biederlack of America’s distribution of licensed blankets, throws and pillows in North America.
Recent events
- 2009
Biederlack announces closure of North American manufacturing operations[1]
Other
Biederlack announced the closure of its North American manufacturing operations, ending a period of vertically integrated production in Cumberland, Maryland.
- 2006
Biederlack acquires Borbo-Blankets[1]
M&A
The company took over the Bocholt-based Borbo-Blankets operation as part of its manufacturing and production expansion.
- 1998
Biederlack expands licensed sports soft goods in North America[1]
M&A
Biederlack of America acquired Cushion Craft, strengthening its distribution of licensed sports and collegiate blankets, throws and pillows.
Sources1 sources
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