Testfabrics, Inc. was founded by Werner Klaas, a Swiss silk textile technologist selling silk piece
goods in
the US in the 1930s. Mr. Klaas’s sales territory included metropolitan New York and New Jersey and the
many
textile mills, dyers, printers and their dye and process chemical suppliers were among his clients. They
purchased silk piece goods for use in their laboratory work and for their clients. The chemists in the
laboratories became very active consumers and began to ask for more things than his employer provided
and
Mr. Klaas was resourceful enough to go and get these customers what they needed and wanted, other
fabrics
than just silk. He did an excellent job and soon these clients began to rely on him to solve their
textile
sourcing problems.
These chemists and colorists had a new professional association called the American Association of
Textile
Chemists and Colorists and this group had standing research committee to ‘common problem solve’ industry
wide problems too big for any one company to solve independently. With growing demand for quality
control
tested raw materials, they needed specific ‘test fabrics’ to use to prove their product’s value to the
buyers. They turned to their textile problem solver, Mr. Klaas, for help and he provided them with
special
‘test fabrics’ to satisfy their needs. These included the first ‘multifiber adjacent test fabrics’ used
in
AATCC colorfastness tests for washfastness, water fastness etc.
Supplying the necessary piece goods for dye, detergent and chemical testing and producing and
distributing
the same ‘multifiber test fabrics’ and their subsequent descendants remains as the very core of our
business
today.
Over the decades, Mr. Klaas’s business common sense and ability to comprehend the needs of his clients
allowed the business to grow and develop into the worldwide supplier it is today. Testfabrics, Inc. was
a
niche business before it was an economic ‘buzz word’ and it was ‘globalized’ by 1946, long before
‘export’
became the mantra of the US economy.
Our main office, laboratory and warehouse are now located in West Pittston, Pennsylvania, 2.5 hours
northwest of New York City, 2 hours north of Philadelphia and conveniently accessible to major
interstate highways 81, 476, 80, 380 and 84, and 15 minutes from the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Int’l Airport
(AVP).
Mr. Thomas A. Klaas is the Director of Marketing & Technical Services, a graduate from Georgia Institute
of Technology.
Mr. M. Abid Hafeez is our Technical Director and Equipment Sales Manager, a graduate in Polymer and
Textile Chemistry from Clemson University, SC.
Mr. Shawn Meeks is our Laboratory Manager, Dyer & Colorist and Technical Service Associate. He holds a
degree in Textile Chemistry from North Carolina State University.
Mr. Jeremy Klaas is our Accounts Manager, a graduate of Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA.
Ms. Miranda Klaas is our Quality Assurance Laboratory Technician and Customer Service Coordinator, a
graduate of Wells College, Aurora, NY.
Ms. Charly Klaas is our Quality Assurance Laboratory Technician and Customer Service Coordinator.
Ms. Normandy Klaas is our Sales and Marketing Coordinator.
Our order entry receptionist is Mrs. Verlean Winslow.
Our Warehouse and Shipping Manager is Mr. Brian Freeman.
Since 1965, Testfabrics, Inc. has owned and operated Elkay Weaving Co. Inc. in Wilkes Barre,
Pennsylvania, 15 minutes from our main office. The mill produces our multifiber fabrics that are used in
testing protocols worldwide. This active facility represents a major part of our team effort to provide
consistent and reliable products to our customers. Mr. Tom Gill is Manager of this facility.
Our dedicated corps of personnel works well with our managers and directors to help bring you the
valuable products and services we provide.
In addition to our US production and distribution facilities, Testfabrics, Inc. has agents in almost
every industrialized country. Some of our agents have more than 40 years of continuous service to our
mutual clients in their regions. These sales agents provide us with valuable access, communication and
technical service to our growing number of international clients.