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About Appletex

Appletex is a UK textile manufacturer with over 50 years of experience producing stockinette, circular knitted fabrics, cloths, covers and bespoke textile products for businesses across the UK and international markets.

Founded in 1975 by Alan Appleton as a specialist knitting operation, the business has grown into an established manufacturer supporting customers in food and beverage, upholstery, industrial, engineering, automotive, marine, pharmaceutical and cleaning sectors.

Today, Appletex combines practical manufacturing knowledge with dependable UK production, helping customers source textile products that are made to work in real production environments.

Over 50 Years of Practical Textile Manufacturing

Practical textile products, manufactured in the UK

Since 1975, Appletex has helped businesses source reliable textile products for wrapping, covering, protecting, handling, cleaning and processing.

Machinery, markets and customer requirements have changed over the years, but the focus has stayed the same: producing practical textile products that help customers do the job properly.

Some customers come to us knowing exactly what they need. Others come with a practical problem to solve, but not the exact product name, size or format.

That is where our experience helps.

Our team can talk through the application, understand how the product will be used and recommend a suitable option, from standard stockinette rolls and cloths to sewn bags, covers and bespoke textile formats.

Manufacturing experience since 1975

Over 50 years of textile manufacturing experience

Appletex has been part of UK textile manufacturing since 1975.

The business began as a specialist knitting operation and has grown into an established manufacturer supplying customers across the UK and international markets.

Over the years, the machinery, ownership and markets have changed, but the focus has remained practical: making reliable textile products that help customers do a job properly.

That long-standing experience gives us a strong understanding of materials, formats, machinery and the day-to-day challenges customers face when sourcing textile products for commercial and industrial use.

What We Make

Stockinette, cloths, covers and bespoke textile products

Appletex is best known for stockinette and circular knitted fabrics, but our products are used in many different ways depending on the customer and application.

Our products are used for wrapping, covering, protecting, handling, cleaning and processing across a range of sectors.

This includes food production stockinette, upholstery and foam handling products, machine and robot covers, engineering cloths, cleaning textiles and bespoke textile formats made for specific applications.

The common thread is simple: our products are made to be useful, practical and fit for purpose.

How We Help Our Customers

Helping you find the right textile solution

Not every requirement fits neatly into a standard product.
You might need a textile product for a specific process, a particular environment, an unusual size or a product that needs to perform in a very specific way.
Our role is to understand what the product needs to do, then help identify the right material, format and supply option.

1. Tell us what the product needs to do

Let us know the application, environment, handling requirements, size requirements or issue you are trying to solve.

2. We help identify a suitable option

We can recommend a product type, format or starting point based on how the product will be used.

3. We manufacture and supply the product

Products are manufactured in the UK, with standard and bespoke options available depending on the requirement.

4. We support you going forward

Our team is here to help with repeat orders, new requirements, product questions and future developments.

Why customers work with Appletex

Practical support, flexible manufacturing and reliable supply

Customers work with Appletex because we understand both the product and the process.

We are not just supplying textile products from a list. We help customers find products that work properly in real working environments.

UK manufacturing

Our products are manufactured in the UK by an experienced textile team, giving customers confidence in communication, quality control and supply.

Practical experience

With manufacturing experience dating back to 1975, Appletex brings long-standing knowledge across stockinette, circular knitted fabrics, cloths, covers and specialist textile products.

Flexible product options

We can supply standard and bespoke products in a range of widths, lengths, rolls, hanks, sewn bags, covers, cloths and other formats depending on the application.

Quality and consistency

We support customers in sectors where product quality, hygiene, consistency and reliability matter.

Helpful team

Our team is approachable, knowledgeable and used to helping customers work out which product or format is right for their requirement.

Made in the UK

UK manufacturing matters

UK manufacturing is an important part of Appletex.

It allows us to stay close to production, maintain practical control over quality and communicate clearly with customers about what is possible.

For customers, this means a more direct relationship with the people making the product, clearer conversations around requirements and a supplier who can respond to real-world production needs.

From standard stockinette products to bespoke textile formats, our aim is to manufacture products that work properly in the environments they are made for.

Quality and standards

Supporting customers where standards matter

Many Appletex products are used in sectors where quality, hygiene and reliability are important.

As a BRCGS accredited manufacturer, we understand the importance of maintaining standards and supporting customers who need confidence in the products they source.

Whether supplying food-related stockinette, upholstery products, industrial textile covers or cleaning cloths, we work to provide practical products that meet customer requirements and perform reliably in use.

Meet the Appletex Team

Debbie Rouse

General Manager

Debbie oversees the day-to-day running of Appletex and helps guide the business as it continues to develop. She works closely with the team across production, sales and customer support, making sure customers receive practical help, clear communication and the right support throughout the process.

Asa Hibbert

Production and Innovation Manager

Asa is part of the Appletex team involved in production, product knowledge and practical problem-solving.

His role helps support the link between what customers need and how those products are manufactured, finished and supplied.

George Hilton

Sales and Customer Service Coordinator

George supports the practical and technical side of the business, helping connect customer requirements with the products and processes used inside Appletex.

His knowledge of the products and how they are made helps ensure customers receive suitable, workable solutions.

The Wider Production Team

The Appletex production team is at the heart of the business.

They work with the machinery, materials and processes that turn customer requirements into finished textile products, supporting everything from stockinette rolls and sewn bags to cloths, covers and bespoke formats.