Marie Claire: A 20th-Century Textile Legend Under Pressure in Els Ports
Marie Claire stands for more than a sock, underwear, and swimsuit maker. It is the Ford of Els Ports—an inland region in Castellón with a little over 7,000 residents whose fate has long been tied to a renowned factory that has faced hard times for months. Founded in 1907 by Francisca Íñigo and her husband Celestino Aznar, the company began as a modest hosiery workshop, named after Eugenia de Montijo, and grew into a symbol of regional resilience. For decades, the factory claimed the title of Europe’s first pantyhose producer, surviving wars and a dramatic shift in consumer habits. Yet rising costs, fierce global competition, and changing markets pushed the business to the brink.
The historic textile firm, headquartered in Vilafranca, laid off the majority of its staff in June, logged almost no activity for more than a year, and entered bankruptcy proceedings in September. A potential investor group now eyes a path to reinvention, giving the region a glimmer of hope after years of depopulation and dwindling industrial options.
Three production lines
Few anticipated a turnaround for Marie Claire until recent troubles hit 190 workers and prompted a three-month wage deferment for 105, later extended into early 2024. The bankruptcy administrator is in talks with several groups eager to join the project, and he has warned that surprising moves could materialize. There are hopeful signs from firms carrying fresh ideas ready to be part of the solution, and some may come to fruition. Jordi Casserras, the attorney overseeing the restructuring, recently spoke of renewed momentum.
One big question remains: how will the company repay creditors, including a substantial public aid package amounting to 21 million euros?
Marie Claire clings to a single economic argument to avert closure: limit production at the Vilafranca site to three lines—medical socks, compression socks, and line-restricting tights. This lean operation would employ roughly 40 to 50 people, while the rest of the catalog (pajamas, underwear, and swimwear) would be produced outside Spain, potentially in Asia where production costs are lower.
The textile group is holding onto its last cartridge, yet several issues still must be resolved. Chief among them is how and on what terms debt will be renegotiated with creditors, particularly the 21 million euro loan extended by the Valencian Institute of Finance (IVF) to support continued activity during 2020 and 2021. The Generalitat Valenciana’s public bank has signaled openness to renegotiation, but without terms that erase the debt.
The outcome remains uncertain, but everyone knows the company will not return to the 1980s glory when Vilafranca was alive with buses and workers moving across the Ports of Els and the Maestrazgo. It was a period when the workforce carried people from across the region to a thriving hub of hosiery.
Golden season
The 60s and 80s marked Marie Claire’s peak, yet the company’s roots run deeper to 1907. Francisca Íñigo urged her husband to invest profits in a new venture after a long career as a mule and mare trader. A small hosiery factory emerged, initially named Eugenia de Montijo Underwear in honor of Napoleon III’s wife and empress of France. Orders grew steadily, and the business soon employed a handful of workers. The keys to success were clear: competitive quality paired with attractive pricing.
When Covid appeared, the firm tried to pivot to health gowns and masks, but the pivot wasn’t enough to reverse the decline. The Civil War and early post-war years hit many regional companies hard, yet Fabricanta endured through a blend of daring and innovation that kept a flame burning. By the 1950s and 60s, the company underwent a transformation: nylon and then lycra enabled smarter, more durable products. It was a period of rapid modernization.
Aznar’s firm became known for modern sock materials and rode the miniskirt trend to boosted demand for pantyhose. A new chapter opened when Eugenia de Montijo gave way to Marie Claire, and an idea to produce men’s clothing led to the launch of Kler socks. The factory grew. A robust advertising push across television and magazines—taglines like pantyhose for every woman—helped propel growth. The move of part of the operation to Castelló in the 1970s reflected a widening footprint, while Vilafranca remained the center of production. It was the era when the brand became Europe’s leading sock producer, opened its own stores, and secured major retail agreements with partners like El Corte Inglés.
Spain joined the European Union, and capital needed to face intensifying competition, so Aznar’s group sold Marie Claire to a British conglomerate, Harston. Years later, part of the company’s ownership returned to new hands. The 1990s brought international expansion. Marie Claire, by then employing around 1,000 people and producing tens of millions of pairs annually, extended into swimwear and underwear with offices in several European capitals. The Vilafranca factory had grown from a modest plant into an industrial force. But the new century brought a steep slide. Asian competition surged and the 2008 financial crisis dealt a heavy blow. In 2010, layoffs reached 225 as the company faced another wave of restructuring.
What followed were further reductions and a reliance on public aid to stay afloat. In 2018, a contract with the multinational Reckitt & Benckiser through Scholl helped stabilize the business briefly, but that arrangement ended and the downward trend resumed.
I’m waiting for a miracle
During the pandemic, the company attempted another pivot toward masks and gowns for healthcare staff, but the dual pressures of waning demand and rising costs persisted. Enter B2Tex, a logistics specialist in the textile supply chain that also worked with Inditex in 2021. It took control of Marie Claire with the Valencian Generalitat providing a 21 million euro package. The fresh management undertook important adjustments, yet the strategic plan to grow sales abroad and strengthen online channels, along with public funding, did not unleash a revival. The region remains wary, hoping for a miracle that would resume production and restore a thriving industrial presence.
As the story continues, the future of Marie Claire in Vilafranca remains uncertain. The outcome will likely redefine a region long defined by a single historic company, its workers, and the stubborn belief that resilience can outlast even the toughest economic storms. The next chapter hinges on debt renegotiation, continued investment, and perhaps new partnerships that can breathe life into a once-great European hosiery powerhouse. The people of Els Ports watch closely, hoping the old factory’s legacy can be reborn in a modern, globally competitive form. (Citation: industry analysts; regional development authorities)