Our Heritage

Three Generations, One American Company

Fred Glaser started distributing fabric from New York in the late 1940's. His son, Roy, grew the business into the flag industry leader in nylon production. His grandson Michael brought it into the digital age and beyond. Same company, same family, same phone number.

Through the Years

Three generations of fabric.

Wilhelm Bursch textile store, Germany, circa 1930

Glaser Mills is the premier supplier of fabric to the largest flag and banner manufacturers in the nation. Our wide range of textiles and expansive color options are industry leaders. We convert, distribute and sell digital print, cut and sew, custom dyed and custom coated outdoor fabrics.

Our team leverages generations of knowledge and experience passed down from our founders to our current leaders. With our large manufacturing capacity and strong inventory position, we provide higher quality, better reliability and stable prices.

Glaser Mills has been proving it to our customers for over 70 years, by standing behind every yard of fabric sold. Let us prove it to you, too.

The company that would become Glaser Mills was founded in the late 1940s by Fred Glaser (1917-2005). Fred's family had been involved in the textile trading business in Germany for generations before. The pictures above feature the store owned by Fred's grandfather, Wilhelm Bursch (1852-1926) around 1930. This store sold linens, upholstery and other items related to sofas and beds. Growing up in a textile family and working in his grandfather's store, Fred Glaser acquired the skills he would need later in life.

Fred fled to America, through Sweden, at the age of 22, after the family store was destroyed by the Nazi's. After several years outside the textile industry, Fred started exporting any and all fabrics to Iceland and Europe. The business turned to predominately domestic nylon sales by the 1960s and Glaser Mills was born.

In 1975 Fred's son Roy Glaser joined Glaser Mills and took the business to new heights, expanding the customer base and adding dozens of new products still in use today.

Roy's son, Michael Glaser joined in 2003 and brought the company into the 21st century, automating the inventory management system and creating new products to service the digital print market.

With over 70 years of experience our team knows everything about textiles and we are ready to prove it. Contact us if you have any questions or need assistance.

Color Card Archive

Historical color cards

Glaser Mills color cards have been growing throughout the years. See if you can spot the subtle changes across the four decades these cards represent. Click any card to enlarge.