Wykes was established in 1932 by Mr E Wykes who saw the potential of producing a high quality covered rubber thread to replace whale bone and steel in corsets. The business grew throughout the thirties and by 1939 the working area covered two floors and employed fifty people.

Continuing at the forefront of technology and maintaining their position as market leader, Wykes developed and expanded as rubber was replaced by elastanes, including Lycra, and covering process speeds increased with the introduction of air-intermingling, and BILOREX®, Wykes' own patented one-step-combining process.

IOver the past two years Wykes has diversified into the technical textile market, using knowledge of hollow spindle covering to create highly innovative, non elastic composite yarns for protective gloves and apparel.

In 2006 Wykes changed ownership and the company was renamed Wykes International Ltd.