ACW is a family-owned and operated business, established in 1917 by founder Max Krauss after he immigrated from Europe through Ellis Island, New York. At the tail end of World War I, Max purchased a warehouse filled with excess military boots. He stripped the laces off the boots and eventually sold them back to the US military at a profit. As a result, the company began buying and reselling various military surplus items, including cord, telephones, stationery and various textile products. At the time, ACW operated from a warehouse and office at 374 Broadway in Manhattan’s Chinatown.

Eventually, Max’s son, Jack Krauss, took over the business at just 28 years old in 1950. After serving in World War II, Jack focused on wholesale sales supporting the domestic apparel industry, selling mostly cotton-made products after graduating from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Jack ran the company from 1950 to 1988, eventually transferring ownership to his son Mark Krauss, the company’s third President. Jack also served on the Textile Council and the advisory committee for trade policy for various administrations.