Ambassador Textiles

What Ambassador Textiles does

Ambassador Textiles Limited is a privately held UK fabric wholesaler headquartered in Oldham, Greater Manchester, operating continuously for approximately 50 years. The company imports and distributes upholstery, furnishing, outdoor, tapestry and digital-printing fabrics sourced from mills across the UK and globally, including a Shetland wool plaid range from a mill over the Yorkshire border. Its product portfolio spans branded sub-collections such as Portico, Francisco and Ventura (outdoor performance), William Morris Outdoor and Tapestry, Moderno Tapestry, Glen Mhor Shetland Wool, Joyford Faux Linen, and a dedicated Digital Printing Collection, alongside general upholstery and utility fabrics. The synthetic range is Oeko-Tex certified and vegan approved, and recycled fabrics carry Global Recycled Standard certification, supporting a sustainability proposition built around recycled polyester, bamboo, organic cotton, linen and viscose.

The business operates a sales-led B2B model: account managers handle wholesale relationships and provide sample swatches, shade cards and spec sheets, while a redesigned e-commerce website supports browsing, downloadable shade cards and quote-based ordering. Customers are segmented across home furnishings brands, interior design firms, curtain makers, upholsterers, event companies, baby-care manufacturers and the digital print industry, with no disclosed anchor accounts. Pricing is quote-based, not publicly listed, and positioned around affordability and value-for-money rather than premium pricing.

Operationally, the company moved into newly designed premises at Vulcan Point, Oldham, in 2024, introduced a paperless sales and stock management system to reduce paper waste, and donates surplus fabric to local educational institutions and charities. There is no evidence of institutional funding, acquisitions, leadership changes, AI/ML capability development or international sales expansion in the supplied data; the firm is founder/management-controlled with 11-50 employees and appears to grow organically through product-line extension.

Name

Ambassador Textiles

Legal name

Ambassador Textiles Limited

Website

https://ambassador-textiles.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ambassador Textiles Limited is a privately held UK fabric wholesaler, headquartered in Oldham, importing and distributing upholstery, furnishing, outdoor, tapestry and digital-printing fabrics to home furnishings brands, interior designers, curtain makers, upholsterers and event companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Textile Distribution

NAICS

Piece Goods, Notions, and Other Dry Goods Merchant Wholesalers (424310), Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers (42322), Textile Furnishings Mills (3141)

SIC

Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130), Wholesale-Furniture & Home Furnishings (5020)

akta.pro primary industry

Textiles & Fabric / Piece Goods Wholesale (CRAOADAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Upholstery & Furniture Textiles Manufacturing (Upholstery Fabrics/Slipcovers) (IMAOAKAD)

Keywords

• Fabric wholesale
• Upholstery textiles
• Outdoor performance fabrics
• Digital printing fabrics
• Sustainable furnishing fabrics

Headquarters

HQ city

Oldham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Fabric Wholesale: Sale of fabrics to businesses including upholstery, furnishing, outdoor, tapestry and digital printing fabrics. Operates as a wholesale distributor selling to home furnishings brands, interior design companies, curtain makers, upholsterers, and event companies. Also serves retail customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Ambassador Textiles imports and distributes upholstery, furnishing, outdoor performance, tapestry and digital printing fabrics to UK businesses, operating as a fabric wholesaler from its Oldham headquarters. The company supplies home furnishings brands, interior designers, curtain makers, upholsterers, event companies, the baby care industry and digital printers through account managers who provide sample swatches, shade cards and quotes, supported by an e-commerce website for browsing and downloading resources.

Product overview

Ambassador Textiles is a UK-based fabric wholesaler offering a diverse portfolio of products across multiple categories: upholstery fabrics, outdoor performance fabrics (Portico, Francisco, Ventura), heritage pattern collections (William Morris Outdoor, William Morris Tapestry, Moderno Tapestry), digital printing base fabrics, utility fabrics, and bean bag products. The company provides fabrics for home furnishings brands, interior design companies, curtain makers, upholsterers, and event companies, with a focus on quality, affordability, and sustainability including recycled, bamboo, organic cotton, linen, and viscose options. Recent expansion includes entry into the outdoor fabric market with high-spec performance materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• William Morris Outdoor: Iconic William Morris designs printed on water-resistant outdoor linen look fabric Francisco, featuring six iconic designs including Strawberry Thief, Acanthus, Willow Bough, Snakeshead, Golden Lily, and Fruit.
• William Morris Tapestry
• Moderno
• Portico
• Francisco
• Ventura
• Glen Mhor Collection
• Warm Tone Collection
• Outdoor Collection
• Pattern & Print Collection
• Joyford Faux Linen

Products and services

• Portico Outdoor Fabric High-performance outdoor fabric woven from solution-dyed yarns with exceptional UV resistance, long-lasting colour retention, and subtle two-tone weave texture. Water and stain resistant with a refined interior textile feel, designed for modern indoor and outdoor living.
• Francisco Outdoor Fabric Durable, water resistant and UV resistant outdoor fabric with a soft touch and woven texture resembling cool canvas. Ideal for garden, conservatory and any environment requiring protection from stains and spills.
• Ventura Outdoor Fabric High-spec practical outdoor fabric at 245gsm that is water resistant, fire retardant and UV resistant. Pliable and easy to work with, suitable for outdoor seat pads, cushions, beanbags and printable applications.
• William Morris Outdoor Fabric Range Six iconic William Morris designs printed on water-resistant outdoor linen-look fabric Francisco, featuring Strawberry Thief, Acanthus, Willow Bough, Snakeshead, Golden Lily and Fruit in various colourways.
• William Morris Tapestry Range William Morris designs reproduced in tapestry form with meticulous attention to detail. Woven from a blend of polyester and cotton, offering a soft and durable fabric suitable for upholstery, cushions, curtains and crafts.
• Moderno Tapestry Range European mill tapestry collection featuring eclectic designs from flowers and fauna to bold geometrics, packed with remarkable colour. Woven from a blend of polyester and cotton, soft and durable for living spaces, upholstery, cushions, curtains and wall coverings.
• Glen Mhor Shetland Wool Plaids Authentic woven wool plaids sourced from a nearby mill over the Yorkshire border, offering classic craftsmanship and timeless style for upholstery projects.
• Joyford Faux Linen Lightweight woven polyester fabric that replicates the look of traditional linen with an exceptional Martindale score of 50,000, suitable for contract upholstery. Less prone to creasing than traditional linen.
• Outdoor Collection A versatile collection of performance fabrics designed for indoor and outdoor living, featuring water-resistant, UV-resistant and durable materials suitable for garden cushions, beanbags and conservatory furnishings.
• Pattern & Print Collection Curated collection combining heritage prints, contemporary patterns and richly woven tapestries designed to add character and timeless style to interiors and soft furnishings.
• Editor's Pick (Glen Mhor) Collection Curated collection combining Boutique Velvet, Faux Suede and Glen Mhor Shetland Wool fabrics offering luxurious texture, everyday practicality and timeless heritage design for upholstery and interior décor.
• Warm Tone Collection Curated collection of warm, earthy tones and versatile textured fabrics designed to bring comfort, depth and timeless style to modern and traditional interiors.
• Digital Printing Base Fabrics Extraordinary range of base fabrics specifically chosen for digital printing, capable of achieving high quality and visually stunning results for custom patterns and designs, responding to fashion and home décor trends.
• Upholstery Fabrics Quality upholstery fabrics offering exceptional value for money for home furnishings and contract interiors, supplied as the company's core wholesale offering across plain, woven and textured constructions.
• Bean Bags Indoor and outdoor bean bags manufactured using Ventura fabric, providing fire resistance, UV resistance and water resistance. Compliant with British fire regulations and available in bold colours for patios and children's rooms.

Quantifiable outcome

• Martindale score of 50,000 for Joyford Faux Linen, suitable for contract upholstery
• +1 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Skopos Fabrics: UK contract fabric supplier specialising in upholstery and drapery fabrics for hospitality and commercial interiors — overlaps with Ambassador's contract-grade upholstery range and upholsterer customer base.
• Warwick Fabrics: International wholesale distributor of furnishing, upholstery and outdoor fabrics with a broad portfolio across residential and contract interiors — comparable GTM and end markets.
• Prestigious Textiles: UK fabric house distributing design-led furnishing fabrics, prints and weaves to the same upholstery, curtain-making and contract interior customer base as Ambassador Textiles.
• Andrew Martin: British fabric and home furnishings wholesaler known for upholstery and decorative textiles, sold through trade showrooms and to interior designers — closely overlapping product, customer and distribution channels.
• Clarke & Clarke: UK-based fabric wholesaler offering upholstery, drapery and decorative fabrics to interior designers and retailers. Highly comparable product breadth, GTM (wholesale + sample service) and customer base.
• Villa Nova (Romo Group): Design-led fabric wholesaler within the Romo group, supplying furnishing and upholstery fabrics through wholesale distribution to interior designers and retailers — directly comparable mid-market positioning.
• Linwood Fabrics: UK fabric designer and wholesaler offering upholstery, drapery and decorative textiles to interior designers and retailers — directly comparable product type and channel.
• FR One: Specialist wholesaler of fire-retardant furnishing and upholstery fabrics for contract interiors, directly comparable in technical specification positioning (e.g. Ventura's fire-retardant outdoor fabric).
• Harlequin Fabrics (Sanderson Design Group): Design-forward furnishing and upholstery fabric brand, part of Sanderson Design Group, selling wholesale into the same interior design and home furnishings customer segments as Ambassador.

Broad incumbents

• Sanderson Design Group: Listed British heritage home furnishings group with multiple fabric brands (Sanderson, Morris & Co., Harlequin, Scion) covering design, manufacture and wholesale — broader incumbent serving overlapping customers with a larger portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ambassador Textiles