Tkalnia’s buildings are in the south-east part of the city centre in the corner of Tymienieckiego and Kilińskiego streets. It is a vast area demarcated by Tymienieckiego street from the north, Milionowa street from the south and Kilińskiego street from the east, while from the west by an inactive railway siding, a power station and bleachery buildings of a former Scheibler factory.

In 1848 Karol Scheibler started his business in the Kingdom of Poland; already in October 1853 he made an agreement with city authorities regarding his settling in Łódź and constructing a big cotton company there. In the years 1870-1873 a huge spinning mill was built (in the corner of Przędzalniana and Tymienieckiego streets). The most impressive building of the Scheibler’s empire, however, was a building in 187 Widzewska street (today Kilińskiego street). In 1899, it was here that a modern mechanical weaving plant called Nowa Tkalnia came into being. Most probably the designer of the project was Paweł Rubensahm who was a chief architect of Scheibler’s factory at that time.

After World War II, the factory changed its name several times over the years: ZPB im. Józefa Stalina, then Obrońców Pokoju, and finally ZPB Uniontex. In this period the premises were rebuilt many times. On 13th June 1987, textile workers from Uniontex were visited by Pope John Paul II. After the political breakthrough in 1989, owners of Tkalnia changed several times. Since 2017 it has been owned by Linesa Investment Sp. z o. o, a company which is now to regenerate the area which is so crucial for the city.