Los Encajeros was one of the first Spanish companies to import fabrics from Ireland, London, and Switzerland. Today, more than 130 years later, this Bilbao-based firm is celebrated in the United States, Asia, South America, Canada, and across Europe. The fourth generation — led by sisters María and Mónica Mendoza — travels regularly around the world to bring their exquisitely made home linens to the most discerning and exclusive clients, just as Los Encajeros has done with care since 1880.
These itinerant showrooms are well received not only in Madrid and Barcelona, but also in cities like Paris, Berlin, Miami, New York, Dubai, and Moscow. In fact, it was at one of these events that It girl Tatiana Santo Domingo discovered the brand — and has been a loyal client ever since.
The key to their success? Excellence.
This brand has always stood out for offering the very best: Swiss embroideries, Irish linens, Egyptian cottons treated in Switzerland… sourced from small artisanal workshops around the world, personally visited by the Mendoza sisters.
Another defining value is their made-to-measure approach to tablecloths, bed linens, quilts, and towels — all of which are among their bestsellers.
“Our seamstresses take measurements, hand-stitch each piece, and fit the client as many times as needed,” explains María.
As for trends, the Mendoza sisters are clear:
“Clients today are much more practical than previous generations, so we aim to work with easy-care fabrics, like those that require little ironing. We’ve also noticed that younger generations enjoy mixing trendier pieces with timeless classics. That’s why we always offer cruise collections that blend seamlessly with our spring–summer and fall–winter lines.”
The company, which has a boutique on Gran Vía in Bilbao, also designs custom pieces for babies and children, inspired by vintage British patterns — which, by the way, are hugely popular in New York — as well as uniforms for domestic staff.
In fact, their Liberty fabric designs with matching aprons, or those in Swiss piqué and organdy, have been widely imitated by competitors. As María points out, “It’s natural, though still frustrating, because each new collection requires countless hours of work and resources. That said, we’re confident that no one can copy our know-how or our artisanal expertise.”
