Bringing cosy blankets from Lithuania to the world

There are few experiences better than wrapping yourself in a cosy, soft, woollen blanket on a cold day. Today in Lithuania blankets of this calibre are being produced by Barker Textiles.

Barker Textiles’ long history started in 1843 in Turku, Finland. In 2001 the entire company moved to Kaunas in Lithuania and their focus on high-quality textiles has remained intact despite the move. They make natural blankets from wool and cotton, with various Scandinavian designs. Their customers range from small textile houses to large retail chains. Moreover, their designs are versatile and can be adapted to customers’ requirements, even producing private labels for certain clients.

In line with ideology of excellence, Barker Textiles have invested heavily in state-of-the-art machinery. "Our production equipment is probably the newest in the Baltic states," said Edita Short, sales director at Barker Textiles. "We innovate heavily and look for sustainable solutions."

Quality is a key pillar for Barker’s business. Their blankets are certified according to the Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 Class I. This certification is given to textile products intended for use by babies and children of up to 3 years of age. All woollen products are Woolmark® certified. Their raw materials are also sourced responsibly, with premium quality in mind. The company uses yarn made from New Zealand lamb's wool, merino sheep's wool, as well as cotton yarn. In 2024, Barker Textiles obtained the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) certification.

But while the company has long had a reputation for superior products and flexible production, to grow they needed to move beyond Lithuania’s borders. "Lithuania is quite a small market," said Short. "Companies aiming for growth, both domestically and internationally, must explore alternative sales channels, such as new export markets and client bases. To do this, the Enterprise Europe Network proved to be a perfect partner."

Cooperation between the Network and Barker Textiles started in 2017, when Barker approached them with the goal of finding more clients. Since then, the partnership between the two has flourished, allowing the textile company to expand its exports.

Partnering events and a prestigious exhibition

Barker Textiles benefited from the Enterprise Europe Network’s services in several ways. Seminars and webinars the Network hosted in foreign markets helped the company broaden its horizons. The Network helped the Lithuanian company find partners by giving them free access to its partner database. Barker also participated in partnering events such as Textile Connect 2023 and B2B meetings during Baltic Fashion & Textile. Finally, the Network helped them monitor calls for funding.

From this, Barker Textiles gained many useful contacts. For example, in 2021, they won a partnership agreement in the United Kingdom. In 2023, they signed an agreement for the manufacturing of high-quality blankets for children in Sweden, directly due to the contacts of Enterprise Europe Network. With the support of the Network, Barker Textiles also took part in the prestigious French home decor exhibition, Maison&Objet.

"Through the Network we gained dozens of new contacts," said Short. "Many of these have grown into partners and customers."

"Since 2017 we have been helping Barker Textiles build international bridges," said Irma Taparauskienė, Enterprise Europe Network partner at the Kaunas Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts. "And in the future, we will continue to do so. We are happy that the Network’s assistance has helped the company find international partners."

International expansion and growth

Enterprise Europe Network support has driven international growth for Barker Textiles. When the company began its cooperation with the Network in 2017, Barker had about 50 employees with a turnover of EUR 2.4 million. By 2024 those numbers had grown to 87 employees, with a turnover of EUR 4.7 million the previous year.

"We encouraged Barker Textiles to use our full range of services," said Taparauskienė. "This helped them find partnerships, enter new markets and grow significantly. The complexity of the Network’s services, proactivity from the company‘s side, and consistent communication between our staff and Barker helped them to achieve partnership agreements."

Barker Textiles is enthusiastic about continuing the cooperation. They are optimistic about the future and the prospect for further development. "We are confident that our continued partnership with the Network, which was built in 2017, will not only persist, but also unlock new business opportunities," concluded Short.