From the very first day, in 1880, when Sam Haber opened his storefront shop to sell trimmings to Chicago merchant tailors and home sewers, our company has been dedicated to serving the apparel industry as a reliable and innovative source of
construction components.

QST continues to be family-owned and operated. The five generations of capable, visionary leadership began with Sam Haber and continued with his sons Michael and William, followed in the 1940s by Ely Lionheart, Michael’s son-in-law, and Samuel Haber, William’s son. The generational leadership has continued with Tom Danch, and Bill Haber. The fifth generation, the generation for the new millennium, continues with brothers Michael and Alex Danch.

By the 1930s, the company’s service area extended across the midwest, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to St. Louis, Missouri.

Guided by Ely Lionheart and Samuel Haber, both returning to the company after serving in World War II, the company became a supplier of national stature by purchasing Atlantic Bias Products of New York, Standard Bias Binding of Los Angeles, and Dallas Bias Fabrics of Dallas and El Paso.

Going Global...

The 1980s saw QST go "global" with our "Global Sourcing & Distribution Program" in response to the encouragement of our long-time customers who needed a more efficient supply chain.

QST Asia Ltd., established in 1984, began serving customers in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Rim from a manufacturing and warehouse facility in Hong Kong. QST Asia Ltd. has continued its expansion by adding sales offices in China's major manufacturing centers.

On June 26, 1987, ground was broken outside of Mocksville, North Carolina, for a new QST manufacturing plant to manufacture waistbands, Ban-Rol®, and cut components to serve the growing customer base developing in the southeast. Since it became operational, in February of 1988, the facility has been expanded twice to 250,000 sq. ft. to meet the manufacturing requirements created by new developments and products and by 807 and 807A programs, as well as the needs created by our successful entry into Mexico, Central America, The Caribbean Basin and South America.

Originally, QST serviced Mexican customers from a sales office in Mexico City and warehouses throughout Mexico. As activity increased, QST Industrias de Mexico, with 150,00 sq. ft. of manufacturing and warehouse space was completed in Toluca, Mexico to serve the Mexican, Central American and South American markets.

As activity increased in the Caribbean and Central America, QST responded by establishing QST Dominicana LLC with manufacturing and warehouse facilities in the Domincan Republic.

QST Asia Ltd. has successfully integrated our own on-site manufacturing with the ability and expertise to source the region for quality components from Japan, Taiwan, and Korea. Containerization of trim for men’s and women’s slack and suit manufacturers, combining QST products with zippers, stays, etc., sourced in the region, continues to serve as a prototype for similar opportunities in other global manufacturing centers.

The New Millennium...

The world of apparel manufacturing is still expanding and QST is responding. QST has recently established a global sourcing, warehousing and distribution presence in the Mediterranean region.

Today, QST has operations in more than 32 countries worldwide. QST continues to live up to our dedication to being "everywhere apparel is manufactured". Our presence in the world's manufacturing centers is becoming more important everyday as the apparel markets are becoming "Americanized" and manufacturers are in need of local access to U.S. styled trim components.

As QST enters the new millennium, we are uniquely positioned to serve the apparel industry on a global basis. With the establishment of our “Global Sourcing & Distribution Program”, we can serve customer needs anywhere in the world with a guarantee of product integrity and uniformity; products from Ban-Rol to bridal tape, shoulder pads to sleeve wigans, and waistband curtains to kitchen curtains.

We at QST view our future as that of a global supplier with responsibility for seeing that all the pieces of the garment puzzle are in place, anywhere in the world,when they are needed, and, in addition, to create, innovate, and at all times lead.