Vintage New Old Stock vinyl by the yard — yummy retro colors, patterns and embossing

Hey: The company’s been adding more patterns since we first posted this story! Look again!

When I researched sources for midcentury furniture leg ferrules, I discovered IFSCO Industries, Inc. — a real deal ‘retro’ company that has been in business since 1946. Turns out, the company’s roots are in “cushioning products” — and it is sitting on a large a stockpile of vintage vinyl patterns from the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s — perfect to recover vintage dinette chairs… make a banquette… or possibly use for patio furniture. The the company also has lots of New Old Stock vinyl wall wallcoverings. 

IFSCO Industries, Inc. will celebrate its 70th anniversary in just two years. It was founded in 1946 by now the father and uncle of Tim Casper, who is now president of the company, which was originally known as Illinois Fibre Specialty Co, Inc. — ergo IFSCO.

About IFSCO Industries from their website:

Chicago entrepreneurs Casimir Kasper and his brother John identified the need for quality, affordable cushioning products to supplement the limited offerings available to the furniture industry. Their collaborative efforts led to the formation of Illinois Fibre Specialty Co., Inc.

From this modest beginning, opportunities were identified in expanding their product offering by partnering with vinyl fabric manufacturers, now IFSCO Coated Fabrics, investing in the machinery to product plastic and metal parts and assemblies, IFSCO Furniture Parts Unlimited, fabricated foams, felts, chipboard and insulation products, Illinois Fibre Fabrication and Insulation Services.

Having been in business since 1946, the Company has accumulated a vast library of dies, molds and patterns to product the most modern to the very retro-styles furniture parts as well as contemporary to traditional vinyl fabric patterns.

Every employee in our manufacturing and distribution process is an important part of creating IFSCO’s reputation for exceptional value….

As of this publish date, there are just a handful of vintage vinyl patterns available on the IFSCO Industries website. But talking with company president Tim Kasper, I learned there is more yet stashed in the warehouse waiting to be assessed, photographed and listed online for sale.

According to Tim, the company is an active national distributor of both domestic and imported vinyl today. But because of its long history, it also has a large stockpile of vintage vinyl colors and patterns from the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s — some is leftover stock, some is vinyl that the company received to settle debts from other companies that were going out of business. Tim says there are many colors and patterns, including flowered, woodgrain and “unusual stuff” that is all discontinued New Old Stock.

Included in the company’s stockpile is a selection of vintage vinyl that is specified for use as a wall covering — mostly for kitchen backslashes, or wall coverings that were often used in RVs and Airstream vintage trailers. He said this ‘wall’ vinyl is not rigid, and is much thinner than what would be used to cover chairs because it doesn’t have to stand up to the friction and constant abuse from people sitting on it. This type of vinyl would typically be adhered to a wall board-like substrate and can be likened to a heavy duty vinyl wallpaper of sorts.

If readers are looking to replace the vinyl on a vintage dinette set that they have acquired, Tim says it is possible for IFSCO Industries to try and match the material with some of their NOS vinyl. He advises anyone wanting to try to find a match for their vintage dinette set to turn over one of their chairs and take a small snipping off the bottom of the seat to send to the company. Since the vinyl under the seat has not been subjected to years of dirt, grime, fading from the sun and abuse, it should most closely reflect the fabric’s original coloring. Once IFSCO receives this swatch, they can check to see if they have anything in stock that would be a match in color or pattern.

IFSCO Industries has worked with indiviuals looking for specialized vinyl in the past, including a man who specialized in restoring vintage Studebakers from the 1950s. In addition to finding vintage vinyl for this customer, the company had some of their new vinyl dyed and regrained to very closely match the original seat coverings from the Studebakers.

If you can’t find the right color in the company’s retro vinyl archives, Tim suggests checking out the Premiere and Pentagon styles, which offer a rainbow of colors to choose from.

IFSCO Industries, Inc. does most of their business with large scale orders, which explains why some products have a minimum order amount, but both their vintage vinyl and new vinyl can be purchased by the yard.

Mega thanks to IFSCO Industries, Inc. company president Tim Kasper for answering my many questions for this story.

Nom nom nom. All these vintage patterns sound scrumdilicious!

More dinette info from our archives:

• DIY reupholster a vintage dinette chair
• Melissa DIY reupholsters hers! The before and after…
• 217 vintage dinettes
• In praise of vintage Daystrom dinettes … and check out this wodd Daystrom “Playdine”
• Kate likes this chrome cleaner