Founded January 1st, 1892 in Naugatuck, CT under the name U.S Rubber Company. The Textile Division of U.S. Rubber produced cotton and synthetic fabrics such as nylon and rayon. The company was known in particular for the invention of Naugahyde in 1914, the first rubber-based artifical leather, using leather fibers and rubber compounds applied to a fabric. It was first used for handbags and later for upholstery for automobile and furniture.
Alexander Girard used the Naugahyde fabric with a knitted elastic fabric backing for Herman Miller. Jack Lenor Larsen also collaborated closely with US Rubber Company. In 1956 he developed the upholstery fabric called Trilok, a blend of linen, mohair, cotton, viscose and polyethylene. A selection of samples from U.S. Rubber were presented at the TEXTILES USA exhibition at MOMA in 1956.
The company changed its name to Uniroyal Corporation on July 13, 1964 with units in the U.S, Britain, Canada, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.
Through the label Naugahyde, Uniroyal keeps developing innovative vinyl stain-resistant top coats materials.
