Springs Creative acquisition creates largest design archive in industry history in Rock Hill

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An unprecedented milestone in the design industry has been achieved with the just-announced acquisition of Frank Cassata Archives by Springs Creative, resulting in the formation of the largest design archive in the history of the industry, according to a Springs Creative news release.

The acquisition strengthens the prominence of Springs Creative and its partnership with Baxter Mill Archive Design Center as the leading hub for artistic inspiration and innovation, the release stated.

With the addition of the Frank Cassata Archive library, which specializes in traditional to modern designs, one-of-a-kind apparel and home decorative archives as well as an extensive collection of over 700 wallpaper and fabric swatch books, this propels the Baxter Mill Archive Design Center to an unprecedented level, the release stated.

Boasting a repository of over one million documents, textiles, fabrics and artistic creations, the center now encompasses the legacy works of the former Springs Global archive collections including Springmaid, Wamsutta and Lowenstein, Concord House and Daisy Kingdom, the release stated. Additionally, it houses two previous acquisitions; The Ilene Danchig and Alicia Messina Studio Archives.

“The incorporation of Frank's remarkable assortment now grants us access to well over one million designs,” Derick Close, chairman and CEO of Springs Creative, said in the release. “In our commitment to fostering a collaborative environment, the Baxter Mill Archive Design Center stands as a testament to our dedication to providing clients with the opportunity to directly engage with seasoned textile designers and artists: from inception of great creatives to just-in-time digital printing of new curated collections.”

Frank Cassata, who will be consulting with Springs Creative, began collecting textiles as a hobby in the 1990s after careers in architecture/interior design, travel and culinary arts said he was looking for a way to share what became his massive collection with designers.

"I love traveling, I love discovering and I love finding these wonderful textiles and making this information available and being the eyes for the great companies we help,” he said. “Since I know the history and provenance of every piece in the archive, I am looking forward to presentations on the collection and helping to set it up in its new home.

“And of course, there is designing. I am looking forward to helping design wallpaper and prints for a broader audience.”

Eager to embrace the cultural landscape, the Baxter Mill Archive Design Center will be housed in the new "The Thread" complex, situated in the heart of Rock Hill, the release stated.

“We envision this new location as an 'inspiration destination,' where designers can access abundant resources, nurturing their creative ideas and envisioning limitless possibilities,” said Kathy Phillips, chief curator of Baxter Mill Archive Design Center, in the release. “They can literally design their collection in the morning, utilize our creative services and CAD technology in the afternoon, and leave with manufacture-ready files or have our state-of-the-art textile digital printing operation put those designs to fabric the next day.”

Springs Creative is an internationally affluent, deluxe soft-furnishings company, known for designer quality printed fabrics, the release stated. The company traces its roots back to 1887 and the founding of the Fort Mill Manufacturing Co., the forerunner of Springs Mills, which grew to become the largest home textiles supplier in the world.