J. & P. Coats is an originally Scottish fine-thread company that was founded by a weaver called James Coats (1774-1857) and his brother Patrick, in Paisley, near Glasgow. In the early 1800's, James and Patrick specialized in making the cotton yarns that were used for loom heddles. James Coats also set up a business in the early 1820's dealing in silks (yarns and cloth. In 1826, he set up a business based at Ferguslie, Ayrshire, for the production of cotton yarns. This business was called J. Coats.

James Coats retired in 1830 and his sons, James, Peter, Thomas and Andrew took over the company, re-naming it J. & P. Coats. The company specialized in producing a wide range of threads especially for crochet, embroidery and sewing. 

Andrew had the responsibility for developing international sales, including in North America. As a result of his activities and from the 1830's onwards, J. & P. Coats was sending commercial agents to the USA and Canada. In 1866, J. & P. Coats opened a mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, to produce a wide range of threads. It was in the 1880's that more USA based mills were added.

In 1896, the two companies of J. &. P. Coats and that of Clark Thread Co. started working together, but they retained their respective trading names. In 1952, J. & P. Coats and Clark Thread Co. fully merged their names and their products. Embroidery threads are still being produced under the trade name of J. & P. Coats. - https://trc-leiden.nl/trc-needles/organisations-and-movements/companies/coats