On October 31, 2017 the Town of Sutton acquired the abandoned Filtex factory that was located in the heart of the village and launched a reflection about how the site should be redeveloped.
With financial support from the Town of Sutton, the Pacte Rural de la MRC Brome-Missisquoi and the programme QADA (Québec ami des aînés), Héritage Sutton researched the history and evolution of the former spinning mill during its 65-years in operation. The main intent was to provide information to help Sutton’s citizenry consider how best to use the property once the plant was demolished.
This file summarizes the factory’s history, starting in 1926. By the end of the 1930s textiles had supplanted lumber as the area’s key industry. At the height of production the Filtex mill employed more than 160 people. Blueprints, photos and first-hand accounts from former employees tell the story of the factory’s beginnings and growth; of working conditions there; how it adapted to ever-changing market demands; and the economic impact it had on the Town of Sutton.