The union was founded in 1865 and was initially named the Power Loom Brussels Carpet Weavers Defence Association.
In its early days, it advocated for the emigration of unemployed carpet weavers, in order that they could find alternative work elsewhere, and competition in the industry would be reduced.
This produced a jump in membership, which reached 4,500 by the end of 1918, and remained fairly constant thereafter, peaking at 6,000 in 1980.
The 1980s proved a difficult time for the union as the industry declined in the Kidderminster area, and membership had fallen to 2,300 by 1991.
[2] It changed its name slightly to the "Power Loom Carpet Weavers' and Textile Workers' Union" then, in 2000, it merged into the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation.