Polanex is one of the oldest and most recognisable clothing companies in Greater Poland, which has played an important role in the social and economic life of Gniezno for decades. The plant, with which generations of the city’s residents have been associated over the years, also enjoys international recognition and prestige as a manufacturer of shirts for renowned European brands. Now, after 80 years in business, the company is entering a new phase by launching its own premium brand ‘Polanex since 1945’ and entering the retail market. Sales are made through a proprietary online shop and production remains entirely local and industrial.
A plant with a tradition dating back to 1945
The plant’s history begins just after the end of the Second World War. It opened on 5 April 1945 in Gniezno and in the first years produced a wide range of products: towels, mattresses, uniforms, aprons, trousers, caps and even dresses and beachwear. It was only in 1951 that the company began to specialise in the production of shirts, which became its trademark in the following decades. In 1957, a competition was held to find a new name for the company. The winning proposal was “Polanex” by Izabela Gadzińska, a teacher from Primary School No. 4 in Gniezno. The name was intended to symbolise exports from the Polanian lands and became a permanent part of the company’s identity. The company’s headquarters changed location several times, finally moving to Słoneczna Street in 2009, where it still operates today. In the 1970s, the plant expanded with a sewing plant in Konin, which at its peak employed over a thousand people and produced around nine thousand shirts a day. This plant later operated under the name Konwart until its closure in 2009.
Polanex – transformation and development
Recent years have brought a number of organisational changes. The company has gone through several stages of restructuring and management changes. A turning point for Polanex was when Jan Sobusiak took over as CEO at the end of 2024. The new management introduced a business diversification strategy, part of which was also a merger with Nitex. As a result, Polanex expanded production to include women’s fashion, including dresses, jackets and blouses, sewn for foreign brands. In May 2025, Polanex launched an online shop at www.polanex.com. The brand offers five lines of shirts based on 80 years of experience in producing this category of clothing exclusively. The company emphasises that each shirt is made in Poland – from design, cutting and sewing to finishing. It is an offer for customers looking for high quality, classic products with a long-lasting character.
“Our company has maintained a unique business model, the components of which are several key factors: full production in Poland, our own factory, our own team, 80 years of learning and quality confirmed by the biggest fashion houses. We are one of the few factories in Europe that combine full control over production (from design to finished product) with flexibility towards the requirements of luxury brands. Today, we are putting the same quality in the hands of individual customers,” says Jan Sobusiak, CEO of Polanex.
Hybrid model and production
Polanex is not abandoning its existing business for business partners. It continues to fulfil orders for renowned fashion brands such as Karl Lagerfeld and Morris, as well as public institutions. However, the new e-commerce channel makes it possible to build relationships with the end customer and take on the full retail margin. The model combining wholesale and retail operations addresses the challenges of the textile industry, such as seasonality of orders or price pressure. Polanex today employs around 150 people and produces exclusively in Poland. Full process integration – from design to finished product – allows the company to maintain high quality standards and control over employment conditions. Transparency and localism are values increasingly sought after by consumers today, and Polanex’s business model definitely fits in with these expectations.
Polanex: a future on old foundations
The brand “Polanex since 1945” does not follow changing trends. Its shirts are designed with everyday use and durability in mind. The offer is aimed at conscious customers who focus on quality, simplicity and functionality. The company declares that it creates products to last for years. The decision to develop its own brand and enter the consumer market is a continuation, not a break with the company’s previous history. Polanex is using the experience it has gained and its industrial background to build its new identity, while maintaining respect for local traditions and its own 80-year heritage.
Source: Polanex press materials
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