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Private company

Elsbach

Former textile industry company from Herford, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Elsbach was a textile industry company that existed from 1873 until the 1990s in the East Westphalian town of Herford in North Rhine-Westphalia. Before the First World War, it was considered the largest European underwear factory.2 It ceased to exist in 1993.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1873Founded1
  • Industrytextile and clothing industry1
  • HeadquartersHerford1
  • Legal formAktiengesellschaft1

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Elsbach was a textile industry company that existed from 1873 until the 1990s in the East Westphalian town of Herford in North Rhine-Westphalia. Before the First World War, it was considered the largest European underwear factory.2

The story

The brothers Josef and Hermann Elsbach (1846-1926) founded the company in 1873 on Brüderstraße in Herford, which was entered in the commercial register in 1875 as Herforder Hemdenfabrik J. Elsbach & Co. The founders came from a Jewish family that had been running a linen business since 1848.

In 1891, the company's headquarters were moved to Goebenstrasse, where the Elsbachhaus was built in several construction phases from 1909. From 1907, Elsbach was a public limited company. In 1914, the company was the largest underwear factory on the European continent (excluding Great Britain). More than 1200 factory workers and several thousand home workers were employed. Branches were established in Löhne, Lage and Bielefeld. In 1922, 123 employees, 1067 factory workers and 1481 home workers worked for Elsbach. After the period of inflation, the number of employees declined.

From Wikipedia’s article on Elsbach (company), shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Products and brands

In the early days of the company, only women's underwear was produced, later children's, men's and bed linen were added. Shirts were produced at the branch in Lage and collars in Bielefeld. Around 1950, production included sports shirts, shirts, nightwear and work coats.

From Wikipedia’s article on Elsbach (company), shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Timeline

  1. 1993Dissolved Dissolved1
  2. 1873Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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