Alfred Apelt

What Alfred Apelt does

Alfred Apelt GmbH is a German family-owned textile manufacturer founded in 1951 in Oberkirch, Baden-Württemberg, that designs and produces decorative home textiles under the umbrella brand concept 'Decorate Your Life.' Its core product portfolio spans seven categories: decorative and transparent fabrics, cushions, bed linen, seasonal table linen (spring/summer and autumn/winter), the exclusive 'Edition Unique' line, and an award-winning outdoor collection. All products are designed in-house and manufactured at a high-tech jacquard weaving mill in Oberkirch with additional production capacity at the wholly-owned subsidiary Apelt-Polska in Poland, established in 1999 through acquisition. Technical differentiation rests on jacquard weaving, digital printing, cut-thread techniques, and the use of NEW LIFE yarn from 100% recycled PET bottles (80% of warp yarns since August 2018). All products carry OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 certification, with bed linen additionally GOTS-certified.

The company operates a hybrid B2B/B2C revenue model: B2B sales to furniture manufacturers and automotive interior customers (the latter handled through Apelt-Polska) complement B2C distribution via specialized dealers, furniture stores, interior design shops, home boutiques, large online retailers (ambiendo, Baur, Otto, Home24, Höffner, Inhofer), the proprietary DTC shop at apeltstoffe-shop.de, and exclusive sales partners across France, Austria, Switzerland, Greece, New Zealand, Russia, and the USA. Apelt France in Paris serves as the subsidiary for the French market. The company is led by Managing Director Ottmar K. Ihling alongside Design Director Donata Apelt-Ihling, with third-generation family members Karoline and Sebastian Ihling active in product development.

The business is a privately held GmbH under German law, wholly owned and operated by the Apelt-Ihling family, with no external investors, no funding rounds, and no parent company. Headcount is approximately 150 employees across Europe as of 2009, down from a historical peak of nearly 400 in 1972, indicating a mature, rightsized mid-market specialty textile enterprise rather than a growth-stage venture.

Name

Alfred Apelt

Legal name

Alfred Apelt GmbH

Website

https://apeltstoffe.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Alfred Apelt GmbH is a third-generation, family-owned German textile manufacturer founded in 1951, producing decorative home textiles — jacquard fabrics, cushions, bed linen, table linen, and an outdoor collection — for consumers via dealers, online retailers, and international sales partners, and for furniture and automotive industries through its Polish subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Decorative Home Textiles

NAICS

Curtain and Linen Mills (31412), Textile Furnishings Mills (3141)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Men's & Boys' Furnishgs, Work Clothg, & Allied Garments (2320)

akta.pro primary industry

Decorative & Soft Furnishings Manufacturing (Cushion Covers/Throws/Quilts) (IMAOAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bed Linen & Bedding Manufacturing (Sheets/Pillowcases/Duvet Covers/Comforters/Blankets) (IMAOAKAA), Outdoor & Performance Home Textiles Manufacturing (Awning/Patio Cushions/UV-Resistant Home Fabrics) (IMAOAKAJ)

Keywords

• Decorative home textiles
• Jacquard woven fabrics
• Table linen collections
• Bed linen manufacturing
• Outdoor textile fabrics

Headquarters

HQ city

Oberkirch

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Textile Product Sales: Revenue from selling decorative fabrics, cushions, bed linen, table linen, and outdoor textile products through direct sales and distribution channels. Products are designed in-house and manufactured in Germany and Europe.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Alfred Apelt GmbH designs and manufactures high-quality decorative home textiles in-house, including jacquard-woven decorative fabrics, decorative cushions, premium cotton satin bed linen, and seasonal table linen collections. The company also produces technical outdoor textile products and exclusive fashion-forward textile lines under its Edition Unique brand, with manufacturing based in Germany and a wholly-owned subsidiary facility in Poland (Apelt-Polska).

Product overview

Alfred Apelt GmbH is a German family-owned textile manufacturer producing high-quality interior design textiles. The company's product portfolio consists of seven core product lines: Decorative Fabrics (jacquard woven and digitally printed fabrics for windows), Cushions (decorative cushions in seasonal and year-round collections), Bedlinen (100% premium cotton satin bedding with Coloured Nights, Loft Dreams, and Moonlight themes), Table linen (divided into spring/summer and autumn/winter seasonal collections), Edition Unique (exclusive fashion-forward statement pieces), Outdoor Collection (technically advanced outdoor textiles), and Transparent/Sheer Fabrics (window treatments including crochet-look curtains). All products are designed in-house and manufactured in Germany and Europe, with a focus on jacquard weaving technology. The company operates direct-to-consumer sales through their online shop at apeltstoffe-shop.de alongside traditional retail distribution channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Edition Unique: Exclusive line featuring fashionable statements and unusual design as textile concepts for individual interior decoration
• Decorate your night

Products and services

• Decorative Fabrics Jacquard-woven and digitally printed decorative fabrics for windows and interior design, available in various styles including Loft Style, Colourful Living, and Easy Elegance, manufactured with 80% recycled PET warp yarns since August 2018.
• Cushions Decorative cushions available in seasonal collections coordinated with decorative fabric and table linen lines, featuring various colors, fabrics, designs, and sizes.
• Bedlinen (Decorate Your Night) Exclusive bed linen collection made of 100% premium cotton satin, mercerised, certified according to Ökotex Standard 100 and GOTS, featuring themes including Coloured Nights, Loft Dreams, and Moonlight for design-oriented bedrooms.
• Table Linen Spring/Summer Seasonal table linen collection for spring and summer including Summertime, Loftstyle, Springtime, and Happy Easter designs with various natural and easy-care synthetic materials.
• Table Linen Autumn/Winter Seasonal table linen collection for autumn and winter including Indian Summer, Loft-style, Winter World, and Christmas designs with elegant woven and printed motifs.
• Edition Unique Exclusive fashion-forward textile line featuring unusual designs and high-quality fabrics as fashionable statements for individual interior decoration concepts.
• Outdoor Collection Outdoor textile collection designed for exterior use with durable yarns, high light fastness, breathability, water-repellent and environmentally friendly stain protection, and award-winning technical design.
• Transparent / Sheer Fabrics Transparent jacquard woven fabrics for windows, including crochet-look curtains and decorative sheers, suitable as acoustic fabrics, OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 certified.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of warp yarns in jacquard fabrics made from recycled PET bottles since August 2018

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Lebenshilfe OffenburgminorOthers · 1 January 2011Pilot project since 2011 for successful integration of disabled people into the labor market. Social engagement initiative supporting local community.
• DecoTeamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member for over 25 years. DecoTeam is an interest group of leading German home textile providers, providing strategic collaboration and market positioning benefits.
• Apelt France (Daniel Gény)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales office located in Paris, France, handling distribution in the French market.
• Neufellner GmbH (Austria)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive sales partner in Austria, located in Ebreichsdorf, handling distribution throughout the country.
• Heimtextilien + Agentur Jöhl (Switzerland)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales partner in Switzerland, Christian Jöhl representing Apelt products.
• Landenberg (Switzerland)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAdditional sales partner in Switzerland, located in Teufen.
• Hitiroglou S.A. (Greece)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive sales partner in Greece, located in Athens.
• Importico Home & Gifts (New Zealand)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorImport distributor in New Zealand, located in Levin.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Designers Guild: UK-based designer and wholesaler of decorative fabrics, cushions, bed linen, and table linen with in-house design and a global specialty retailer network, directly comparable to Apelt's product portfolio and design-led positioning.
• JAB Anstoetz Group: German family-owned textile group producing decorative fabrics, curtains, upholstery and home textiles with international specialty distribution, directly comparable to Apelt's German manufacturing base and B2B/dealer model.
• Estha (Estha Heimtextilien): German home textile brand producing decorative and table linen collections sold through European specialty dealers, directly comparable to Apelt's German home textile positioning.
• Borås Wäfveri: Swedish jacquard-weaving textile manufacturer producing decorative fabrics, cushions, table linen, and curtains, directly comparable to Apelt's jacquard weaving heritage and home textile category mix.
• Marimekko: Finnish design house producing printed and woven decorative fabrics, bedding, and home textiles with proprietary seasonal collections, directly comparable to Apelt's design-forward, in-house pattern portfolio.
• Carlucci: Italian decorative fabric and home textile wholesaler offering jacquard and printed fabrics, cushions, and table linen to European specialty dealers, comparable to Apelt's product mix and channel strategy.
• Bassetti Group: Italian home textile manufacturer specializing in bed linen, table linen, and decorative fabrics sold through European specialty retailers, closely comparable to Apelt's bed linen and table linen lines.
• Osborne & Little: British designer and wholesaler of decorative fabrics, wallcoverings, and coordinating home textiles, comparable to Apelt's design-led, premium decorative fabric offering.

Broad incumbents

• Laura Ashley: British heritage home and fashion brand offering decorative fabrics, bedding, curtains, and table linens with international retail presence, comparable in product breadth and premium-heritage positioning to Apelt.
• Ralph Lauren Home: Global lifestyle brand with a broad home textiles portfolio including bedding, table linens, and decorative accessories, comparable overlap with Apelt's premium positioning but at significantly larger scale and brand reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/apelttextil
• Instagraminstagram.com/apelt_textil
• Pinterestde.pinterest.com/apeltdecorateyo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alfred-apelt-gmbh

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 records

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 Alfred Apelt