Selected vendor: Flymasters of Indianapolis

About Us

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Kreinik Manufacturing Company makes thread. Our family-owned business began in my parents' home in the early 1970s, and now sells world-wide, shipping from our factory in Parkersburg, West Virginia, USA. 

My mother, Estelle, was a professor of couturier design and did needlework as a hobby. My father, Jerry, was an inventor and engineer for the US Navy and private companies. These talents merged to establish a thread company founded on meeting the creative needs of needleworkers at a time when there was very little variety in materials. They knew from history that needlework could be more than plain wool or cotton—colorful silks, textural metals, and dimensional embellishments have been used in embroidery for centuries. They wanted to bring these materials to needleworkers in the modern age. 

Jerry and Estelle were true innovators of the embroidery business in the United States. Estelle created one of the first needlework organizers on the market, and they developed a drapable needlepoint canvas for clothing. In the late 1970s, they started importing and selling silk threads. When they saw a need for less expensive and easy-care threads that could replicate real metal embroidery, they created metallic braids and then metallic ribbons. In 1983, when I joined the company, we moved out of the house with our growing thread line and into our present facility in Parkersburg, West Virginia

Today Kreinik makes a variety of silk and metallic threads for the needlework, crafts, fashion, costume, film, and fly fishing industries. Kreinik threads are used worldwide, from homes to schools and universities, to fashion houses like Kate Spade, and movie costumes like Game of Thrones and Hocus Pocus 2. My personal motto that summarizes our company's goal is, “Threads Visualize Thoughts.” We make threads that help you bring your ideas to vibrant life. 

Happy creating,

Doug Kreinik, President, Kreinik Mfg. Co., Inc.

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We are members of:

  • American Needlepoint Guild (ANG)
  • Embroiderers Guild of America (EGA)
  • Project Healing Waters (PHWFF)
  • American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA)

Frequently asked questions:

Q: Can I buy directly from Kreinik?

A: We sell only to businesses, and require a copy of your business license and tax id number to establish a wholesale account. You can purchase Kreinik items from our website but orders don't come from us directly. When you create an account on the site, you can select from a group of shops (many prefer to choose a shop geographically closest to them), and this shop will fulfill the order. 

Q: How long does it take to get an order from your website?

A: Since shops fulfill the orders, and there are thousands of products on the Kreinik website, it may take one to three weeks to get some items (if a shop doesn't have it in stock). It's impossible for a shop to stock every Kreinik item, and that's why it may take longer. We actually make Kreinik threads, too, so there is some manufacturing time involved in some cases. We know you are anxious to get your order, and we do our best to get products to shops as soon as possible. 

Q: Do you offer factory tours?

A: We don't have official factory tours. For several years we had a Factory Outlet Store open at the front of the facility, and if Doug Kreinik was there he would give visitors a sneak peek at production. The Outlet Store has now moved online, to the SHOP section on our Facebook page; there you can find unique fibers, overstocks, and other interesting materials at a discount. We do plan on reopening the Outlet Store, but for now any visits to the factory now must be by appointment only: call 304-428-8900. 

Q: Are you a German company?

A: We get this question a lot! Our name must sound German. No, the Kreinik family lived in New York and then Maryland before settling in Parkersburg, West Virginia due to Jerry Kreinik's job. When they started Kreinik, the thread company, it was in the basement of the family home. Now, we make our threads in a renovated church building in a scenic city along the Ohio river. Doug Kreinik runs the company as his parents have passed away and his brother and sister-in-law have retired. We have a terrific staff, dedicated to getting you the best threads for your creative dreams.


Founded in Parkersburg, West Virginia, in 1972, Kreinik is proud to be a small business in a lovely state.