Only manufacturers that own a license and are a member of the Embroidery Cooperative have the right to use the registered trademark, which is protected in the United States.

The city of Plauen in Saxony has ever been the center of German lace production, represented by creative and filigree designs. The city made extensive efforts concerning the education and training of specialists and due to numerous activities of the National Technical Academy for Textile Industry, Plauen advanced to a center for textile creativity and textile art beyond the region. Moreover, innovative management, fast reaction to fashion trends and highly skilled specialists made Plauener Spitze an internationally popular article.

Plauen lace and embroideries have their roots in a centuries-old tradition of making textiles in and around Plauen. Already in the 15th and 16th Century, Plauen was a centre of the cloth making craft and cotton weaving. True lace was not made until the late 15th and 16th Centuries. The clergy of the early Catholic Church used lace as part of vestments in religious ceremonies; however, lace did not come into widespread use until the 16th Century. The popularity of lace increased rapidly and the cottage industry of lace making spread throughout Europe to most European countries and USA.

Around 1780 “Tambour” embroidery in Plauen

Around 1810 Satin-stitch embroidery, done by hand, in Plauen

Around 1828 Hand-embroidery/Needle lace made in Plauen

Around 1857 the first hand-operated embroidery machines are used

From 1880 with the invention of tulle lace, a lightweight, openwork fabric, embroidered with fine threads and its production by machines the production of lace increases rapidly. Tulle lace becomes worldwide known as “Plauener Spitze” and ends the monopoly on lace production of the Swiss companies.

1883 Another kind of lace is invented, the so-called “Aetzspitze” (chemical lace); a fabric is embroidered by machine, and afterwards all parts of cloth between the embroidery are chemically taken away. Nowadays a water-soluble fabric is used for embroidery and the
leftover lace is called “Luftspitze”. The worldwide best known “Luftspitze” is made in Plauen, also known as “Plauener Spitze”.

Chemical lace opened fantastic possibilities for artistic solutions.

1900 Plauen lace designs and the manufacturers are awarded the Grand Prix of the 1900 World Exposition in Paris.

1872 – 1912 Due to a long growth period in lace production and this industry being the main source of income, Plauen reaches its population peak with 128,000 inhabitants in 1912.

1912 More millionaires live in Plauen than in any other German city.

1915 - 1945 The World War I causes a decline in production. However, with new and modern embroidery machines the industry regains strength. Because of slowing demand as consequence of the economic depression in the late 1920’s and later the destruction during World War II almost all factories are in ruins and by 1945 three quarter of the city of Plauen are destroyed.

From 1950 The Lace and Embroidery industry starts rebuilding, at first in family-owned factories, later in nationalized factories (German Democratic Republic). From 1945 on, it belongs to the Soviet occupation zone of Germany, from 1949 to 1990 to the German Democratic Republic. Plauen's population has shrunk dramatically during WWII (2005: 69,000 inhabitants!).

1990 Today After the reunification of West and East Germany in 1990, the state-owned factories are privatized again. The Plauen Lace and Embroidery Cooperative is founded.

References courtesy of Plauener Spitzenmuseum and Willy Erhardt’s “Das Glueck auf der Nadelspitze”, Plauen 1995.