Derek Cyril Crowson, 87: Major International Fabric Converter
December 8, 2025
Derek Crowson and his daughter Sharon
LONDON, UK—Derek Crowson, a major figure in the international furnishings fabric industry for many years, succumbed to the effects of cancer after an 11-year battle.
Donations can be made to Royal Trinity Hospice.
Crowson was born March 30, 1938, and died December 1, 2025. Funeral services will be held Friday, December 12 at St. Luke’s Church here. He is survived by his wife Dorothy and two daughters; Sharon, Lorraine, and five grandchildren.
Derek founded Crowson Fabrics Ltd. in 1978. He announced his retirement and the closure of his furnishing fabric business due to ill health in 2014 after 36 years in business.
Cornelius Dekort, owner of Dekortex, a major wholesaler based in The Netherlands, was one of Derek’s very best friends. Here’s what ‘Corney’ had to say:
“Derek and I were friends for 45 years. We were in business together for 15 years but then we parted company and remained friends until now. He was an exceptional business man and treated his partners and staff as if they were family. He was well loved by all his employees and everyone he came into contact with because he respected everyone for who they were,” DeKort says.
“My heart is heavy with sorrow to have lost someone so special to me. He was closer than a brother to me and no amount of words could suffice the pain I feel in losing this very special and wonderful person. He was an amazing friend whom you could call on at any time.”
Crowson Fabrics was honored to receive the prestigious Queen’s Award for Export Achievement in 1994 and 1995. “During the 1980’s and 1990’s we were producing approximately ten million meters of fabric annually at our own print works and partnership factories worldwide; supplying over 8,000 independent retailers and most of the major High Street stores and furniture manufacturers in the UK and around the world,” Derek previously said. “Our studios created our own in-house designs, with a team of designers based in the UK and worldwide. It gave me much satisfaction and pride that our unique apprenticeship scheme led to the launch of so many careers within the textile industry.’’
In 2016, Derek’s daughter Sharon Crowson continued the Crowson effort with her new company ‘The Design Archives.’ She launched her first collection of prints with ‘Archive 1’ created from the original Crowson Ltd. design archive in 2016 at Decorex. She is continuing the spirit of Crowson, by recoloring some of the firm’s best-selling designs.
Sharon was involved with the Crowson family business for more than 30 years until Derek Crowson’s retirement in April, 2014.
Donations can be made to Royal Trinity Hospice.
Crowson was born March 30, 1938, and died December 1, 2025. Funeral services will be held Friday, December 12 at St. Luke’s Church here. He is survived by his wife Dorothy and two daughters; Sharon, Lorraine, and five grandchildren.
Derek founded Crowson Fabrics Ltd. in 1978. He announced his retirement and the closure of his furnishing fabric business due to ill health in 2014 after 36 years in business.
Cornelius Dekort, owner of Dekortex, a major wholesaler based in The Netherlands, was one of Derek’s very best friends. Here’s what ‘Corney’ had to say:
“Derek and I were friends for 45 years. We were in business together for 15 years but then we parted company and remained friends until now. He was an exceptional business man and treated his partners and staff as if they were family. He was well loved by all his employees and everyone he came into contact with because he respected everyone for who they were,” DeKort says.
“My heart is heavy with sorrow to have lost someone so special to me. He was closer than a brother to me and no amount of words could suffice the pain I feel in losing this very special and wonderful person. He was an amazing friend whom you could call on at any time.”
Crowson Fabrics was honored to receive the prestigious Queen’s Award for Export Achievement in 1994 and 1995. “During the 1980’s and 1990’s we were producing approximately ten million meters of fabric annually at our own print works and partnership factories worldwide; supplying over 8,000 independent retailers and most of the major High Street stores and furniture manufacturers in the UK and around the world,” Derek previously said. “Our studios created our own in-house designs, with a team of designers based in the UK and worldwide. It gave me much satisfaction and pride that our unique apprenticeship scheme led to the launch of so many careers within the textile industry.’’
In 2016, Derek’s daughter Sharon Crowson continued the Crowson effort with her new company ‘The Design Archives.’ She launched her first collection of prints with ‘Archive 1’ created from the original Crowson Ltd. design archive in 2016 at Decorex. She is continuing the spirit of Crowson, by recoloring some of the firm’s best-selling designs.
Sharon was involved with the Crowson family business for more than 30 years until Derek Crowson’s retirement in April, 2014.
