Family-Owned.
Globally Trusted.
For three generations, Testfabrics has remained a family-owned company, trusted worldwide by chemists, conservators, designers, and educators. Since Werner Klaas founded the business in 1935, our mission has been simple: listen closely, solve problems, and deliver reliable test fabrics.
From the invention of the original multifiber test fabric, still the global standard today, to serving industries across 40+ countries, our commitment to quality and service has never wavered.
What began as one man responding to chemists’ needs in New York City has grown into a legacy of trusted global solutions spanning over 90 years.
Meet the Klaas Legacy
Three generations of service, innovation, and commitment to quality.
Werner Klaas, Founder, 1st Generation
Finley & Tom Klaas, 2nd Generation
Jeremy, Stuart, Mandy, Miranda, & Charly Klaas, 3rd Generation
Rooted in Innovation.
Built to Last.
Werner Klaas was born in 1905 in Elberfeld, Germany, a center of silk production. His father, Emil, worked in silk neckwear and later moved the family to Zurich, Switzerland, where Werner studied at the Zurich Technical School for Silk. By the time he graduated in 1925, he had mastered weaving design, loom operations, spinning, dyeing, bookkeeping, accounting, marketing, and sales. His meticulous workbooks, still preserved by the family today, show the foundation of a career built on precision.
After military service as a translator in Switzerland, Werner followed his father into Stehli Silks, one of the largest producers in the world. His dream of America came true in 1928, when he was sent to Stehli’s giant mill in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Though the Depression forced him back to Switzerland temporarily, Werner soon returned to the United States, working in Chicago, New York, and New Jersey.
It was in New Jersey, in the laboratories of Paterson’s dye houses and dye producers, that the turning point came. Chemists asked Werner for fabrics in cotton, rayon, wool, and acetate (he was already supplying silk); materials they could not source easily for testing. Speaking their languages and understanding their needs, Werner began supplying these fabrics on his own initiative.
By 1935, word spread quickly among chemists, dyers, and early members of AATCC. Werner had solved a critical problem: providing fabrics that eliminated variables in testing. With a desk, a phone, and a few storage bins above a fabric jobber’s shop in New York, Testfabrics was born.
In 1937 Werner married, and by 1938 his side business had become a thriving company. His customers trusted him not only for fabric, but for listening. In 1940, working directly with AATCC, he designed the first multifiber test fabric, an innovation that became, and still remains, the international benchmark for colorfastness testing.
Werner’s foresight, problem-solving, and personal relationships built the foundation of a company that has lasted nearly a century. From handwritten correspondence with international labs to supplying today’s global testing standards, Testfabrics carries forward the values Werner set in motion: reliability, innovation, and service.
Werner’s sons, Finley and Tom Klaas, carried their father’s vision into a new era. As second-generation leaders, they expanded Testfabrics’ operations, strengthened quality control, and built global partnerships that ensured the company’s resilience for decades to come.
Photo: Tom & Finley Klaas at the Testfabrics production facility,
Middlesex, NJ ~ circa 1972. Sons of Werner Klaas, founder of Testfabrics.
Scaling with Purpose.
Adapting for Tomorrow.
When Werner Klaas established Testfabrics, he created more than a company, he laid the foundation for an industry. His sons, Finley and Tom Klaas, carried that vision forward with equal measures of determination and innovation.
As the second generation of leadership, Tom and Finley oversaw decades of growth that transformed Testfabrics from a pioneering supplier into a globally recognized authority in testing materials. They expanded beyond the company’s original base in Middlesex, New Jersey, relocating operations to a state-of-the-art facility in West Pittston, Pennsylvania. This move was more than logistical, it signaled a commitment to scaling production capacity, strengthening quality control, and ensuring long-term sustainability for the industries Testfabrics served.
Together, they built upon their father’s legacy by:
While Werner pioneered the first multifiber test fabric, Tom and Finley ensured that it became and remained the global benchmark. They listened to the needs of textile customers, broadening their reach into multiple industries.
Their leadership style was both hands-on and forward-looking: Tom and Finley could be found on the production floor solving problems, in customer meetings forging partnerships, and in international trade shows representing Testfabrics to the world. Through this balance of practical craftsmanship and global vision, they positioned Testfabrics as the trusted source for international communities and industries requiring Testfabrics products and services.
By the late 20th century, under their stewardship, Testfabrics had become more than a manufacturer. It was a global resource for quality assurance, material innovation, and customer trust, carrying Werner’s founding principle of service into a new era of industrial and scientific demand.
With Tom and Finley Klaas, Testfabrics endured and evolved. Their legacy was an expansion, embedding resilience, adaptability, and purpose into the company’s DNA, ensuring it would remain relevant and reliable for generations to come.
Today’s Team.
Tomorrow’s Legacy.
The third generation of the Klaas family is stepping forward with a renewed commitment to innovation, transparency, and service; supported by next-generation strategy. Together, they recognize that sustaining Testfabrics’ heritage requires both honoring tradition and embracing change.
Jeremy Klaas, Account Manager & Fulfillment Operations
Jeremy is focused on meeting customer needs with speed and accuracy. From coordinating fulfillment to managing daily activity, he represents the operational heart of the business. Jeremy values consistency, accountability, and a hands-on approach to client service. His voice is pragmatic, detail-oriented, and rooted in keeping promises made to customers.
Stuart Klaas, Production Manager & Logistics
Stuart oversees the physical flow of goods, from receiving to shipping, ensuring that Testfabrics’ products maintain the reliability customers expect. His role is grounded in precision and structure, making sure timelines are met and processes remain efficient. Stuart’s commitment lies in reliability and discipline, helping Testfabrics scale with stability.
Normandy (Mandy) Klaas, Sales & Social Media Engagement
Mandy grew up with tales of Testfabrics business trips as her bedtime stories. As a kid, she was taken to dye houses and trade shows and began to see the importance textiles play throughout industry, entertainment, and education. Normandy uses these experiences to help shape Testfabrics’ ongoing story through social media, sales, and education. With an ability to translate between the creative and technical, she serves as the interface connecting artists, designers, and educators across theater, museum, and apparel industries.
Miranda Klaas, Historian & Resident Artist
Miranda is the company’s living historian, curating Testfabrics’ story, preserving its 90-year archive, and connecting the company’s present to its roots. As the resident artist, she is also the creative force behind Mr. Multifiber and other visual expressions that bring Testfabrics’ identity to life. With a strong foundation in textile testing and quality assurance, she has extensive experience in the laboratory and committees associated with our materials. Miranda bridges legacy and innovation, ensuring that both customers and the company’s story are treated with care.
Charla-Alexis (Charly) Klaas, Frontline Support & Client Management
Charly is a fast-moving presence on the customer service frontlines, ensuring requests are handled quickly and efficiently. Known for her responsiveness and ability to get things done, she keeps operations flowing smoothly and clients supported. With curiosity and adaptability, Charly is eager to expand her skills into cross-functional areas, positioning herself to grow alongside the business as Testfabrics enters new markets.
Jeremy, Stuart, Mandy, Miranda, and Charly each bring unique perspectives, shaped by their experiences both inside and outside the company. Together, they understand the importance of collaboration, trust, and clear roles. With the guidance of senior advisors and trusted partners, this generation is working to align Testfabrics’ legacy values with contemporary needs, ensuring that the company remains a trusted global standard for decades to come.
We carry forward not just a business, but a promise: materials you can trust.
Our Backbone.
Our Bench Strength.
Beyond family, Testfabrics thrives because of the experienced professionals who make our mission possible. From production to customer experience, Testfabrics is powered by a team of trusted staff, many of whom have dedicated decades of service. These are the people who know our fabrics by feel, understand our clients by voice, and protect our quality with pride.
We’re honored to highlight one of them here:
Abid Ajafeez-Arin (Abe), Technical Director & Production Manager
Abe has been a cornerstone of Testfabrics for decades, bringing unmatched technical expertise and steady leadership to the company’s operations. As Technical Director, he oversees quality control, lab performance, and product development, ensuring that every yard of fabric meets the rigorous standards our customers depend on.
While not a member of the Klaas family by blood, Abe is family by commitment. His deep knowledge of fibers, dyes, and testing protocols has shaped the reliability of Testfabrics’ products and earned the trust of industries worldwide. Known for his precision and quiet authority, Abe embodies the values of consistency, integrity, and technical excellence that define Testfabrics.
