Fabrics & Furnishings - Spring 2013 Issue by Fabrics & Furnishings International

Pro po See ste 201 F&F 3• I a Evt t ek s2 013

Volume 23, Number 2

Spring 2013

The Global Home & Contract Furnishings Newspaper

Dubai Furnishings Market Revives From Lows; Market Turns Highly Competitive, Shaking Off Trade Restrictions to Iran By Vishwanath.S

Partners Subash Asar & his wife Renuka, BBL Enterprises LLC

Ishwar Bharwani, Managing Director & Pawan Lalwani, Associate Manager, Ultra Furnishings

Nazeer Khan-Partner, Silk Weave Furnishing LLC

ubai, UAE — Competition among fabric wholesalers has increased in the major export hub of Dubai as it recovers from the trade embargo against Iran. BBL Enterprises LLC, Ultra Furnishings Fabrics and Silk Weave fight hard for increased sales, market share and survival according to their principals. “During 1981, our family business was looted and destroyed due to the Kuwait war. We moved to Dubai and made a new beginning with home furnishings, but the real opportunity to earn came in 1991 due to Russia’s break-up as CIS countries started buying from Dubai,” recalls, Subash Asar, a partner in BBL enterprises LLC, Dubai. (continued on page 14)

Fiorete brings Cazzaniga silk to Proposte; Thanos Kamiolitis, Fiorete USA, loves wife’s tribute to Picasso. p.34

O’Sullivan Skai® Puts More Skin in the Game p.22

w w w. F a b r i c s A n d F u r n i s h i n g s . c o m

Jennifer Castoldi spots trends at Maison Objet Paris p.12

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Performance FABRICS

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F&FI L E T T E R S The Global Home & Contract Furnishings Newspaper

Table of Contents F&FI Spring 2013 | Vol. 23, No. 2 Dubai Furnishings Market Revives From Lows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover

6 Weave Picks Robin Slough . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Siyarem’s Casamoda® Brand Targets Home Furnishings Growth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Proposte 2013 Hosts 98 Exhibitors; Top End Fabric Makers Consolidate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Notaro Named Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Sunbury Textile Mills;. . . . . . . . 10 Andrea Rubelli Fine Tunes Donghia; Sees More Trouble With Italian Mills . . . . . . . . . . . 10 P/Kaufmann Taps Sanderson Design Head; Lynne Hopkins Sourcing Manager . . . . . . . . 10 New Management, Styling Help Mollino Move Forward. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 McNeely, Greene Buy Heritage House Fabrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Feel Good About the Future - Live a Little . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Fabric.Com Leads Fabric E-tailing Pack, Changes Industry Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Fabric E-Tailers Build Momentum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Interworld’s Shah Brothers Trade Up Collections, Add Wallcoverings, Roc-Lon®. . . . . . . 18 Backhausen Produced and Distributed by Messrs, Effective Immediately. . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Brimar Trim Lines Grow Through Acquisition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Thanos Kamiliotis, The Greek, Is Fiorete’s USA Agency. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Proposte Debuts New Cazzaniga Brand Velvet Collections by Fiorete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 SURTEX®Asia Attracts Chinese As Original Designs Gain Strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

EDITOR & PUBLISHER USA, EUROPE & CHINA Eric Schneider Tel: 001.917.251.9922 E-Mail: eric@sipco.net

Art Director Roxanne Clapp Tel: 001.813.991.1860 E-Mail: rox@sipco.net

A dvertising S ale S

Contract/HospitalityNews Skai® Puts More Skin in the Game With O’Sullivan Purchase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Global Marketplace Callens’ Quick Action Secures Algemene TWO Line Continuity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

28 Augst India Opens Third Store. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Hewlett Packard Opens Doors to Digitally-printed Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Departments Photo Gallery - BDNY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Photo Gallery - Showtime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Photo Gallery - Heimtextil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Advertiser Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

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TURKEY INDIA Italy, Germany, Spain, France Sevim Keskinci Rekha V. Isa Hofmann Tel: 90.532.236.25.24 Tel: 91.80.26685821 Tel: +49 611.890.59640 Fax: 90.216.390.20.27 Cell: 91.93.42821379 Fax: +49 611.87086 Email: skeskinci@gmail.com Email: info@ihofmann.com Fax: 91.80.26684670 Email: s_wishwanath@hotmail.com

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION

Subscriptions to Fabrics & Furnishings International are US$125 prepaid for four issues. Mail or fax orders (US Dollar, Check or International Postal Money Order for payment ONLY) to Sipco Publications, Inc. 3 Island Avenue, Suite 6i, Miami Beach, FL 33139 USA Fabrics & Furnishings International is shipped via air mail to 82 countries. ©COPYRIGHT 2013 by Sipco Publications Inc. All U.S. and International Rights Reserved.

Subscribe online at fandfi.com/subscribe Eric Schneider and Deepak Tiwari will soon launch India Edition, an electronic newsletter about India-made home textiles and fabrics. India’s domestic market is growing faster than the USA and Brazil, second only to China. The pair hope to make India Edition an important part of the business.

india edition

Deepak Tiwari Editor and Partner India Edition LLC Tel: +91-7666031473 Email: Deepak@sipco.net

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SURTEX®Asia Attracts Chinese As Original Designs Gain Strength; First Shanghai Exhibit Expects 1,500 Manufacturers Sipco News Network

EW YORK, New York — SURTEX® Asia is gaining momentum as Chinese manufacturers look for original artwork for their products according to Penny Sikalis, show manager and vice president of GLM, the show organizer. The latest addition to SURTEX will debut August 25-27 at the

Kerry Hotel in Pudong, Shanghai. Sikalis projects that more than 50 top textile design studios from UK, Europe, North and South America and Japan will exhibit and more than 1,500 manufacturers will attend the first time. The Kerry Hotel is located right near the Shanghai New International Expo Center, home of Intertextile Shanghai. “SURTEX Asia was launched

because research conducted by GLM points to thousands of companies in China that are targets for buying good surface design,” Sikalis said. “In the interior textiles sector alone, there are some 3,500-4,000 textiles firms, and some 500-700 wallcoverings firms. Nearly 40% of them are situated in East China, in close proximity to Shanghai, which is the design hub of China.”

The attendees at SURTEX Asia include producers of decorative fabrics, home textiles, wallcoverings, curtains, upholstery fabrics, floor coverings, contract textiles and apparel textiles. Surface design trends will be presented to these manufacturers through a series of lectures hosted by SURTEX. Surtex is 27 years old and is considered a global marketplace Penny Sikalis for selling and licensing designs. Surtex Asia is the sister exhibition to Surtex in the USA May 19-21, 2013 at the Javits Convention Center in New York. SURTEX began in 1986 with less than 100 exhibitors and is expected to grow to 325 exhibitors this year, Sikalis said. This year, there is a new section at SURTEX USA called ‘Atelier,’ dedicated to design studios and designers like Diane Harrison, Giacomo Barzaghi and Design Works International who primarily sell their art and designs outright,” Sikalis said. “This area will be characterized by an intimate, yet more open floor plan in a distinct and private environment. Atelier exhibitors represent the most talented and sought-after textile design studios from around the world, offering the most trendforward prints, patterns, repeats and documents for product development needs across a multitude of categories For further information about Surtex Asia, contact jerich@ glmshows.com in the USA and jsprafkin@media-pacific.com. F&FI

Weave Picks Robin Slough Sipco News Network

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Robin Slough has added the title of President & CEO of Weave Fabrics LLC in addition to her position as President & CEO of American Silk Mills, Inc., reporting to John Sullivan, chairman of both companies. Slough has also confirmed that she has been named to the Board of Directors of both companies based in the Philadelphia office. Production of Weave a n d American Silk fabrics has been consolidated into the newly expanded American Silk Plains, PA. mill. Robin Slough F&FI

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3rd Floor, 47, Opus Centre, Central Road, M.I.D.C., Andheri (E), Mumbai 400093 Tel: +91-22-42759000 â&#x20AC;˘ Fax: + 91-22-42749099 E-mail: exports@beekalene.com â&#x20AC;˘ www.beekalene.com

Please visit us at Villa Olmo, Grand Hotel Di Como, Como, Italy, from 6th to 9th May, 2013 Evteks, Hall 3, CNR Expo, Istanbul, Turkey, from 15th to 19th May, 2013 Spring 2013

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Siyarem’s Casamoda® Brand Targets Home Furnishings Growth Led by Abishek Poddar, 25, Ashok Biyani and Sudeep Gurung Sipco News Network

house with 400 distributors in India Casamoda will show its line at a and 40,000 retail outlets and a well Como hotel during Proposte for the known, much advertised brand in first time. Casamoda is being led by 25 year India today. Casamoda started in the volume old Abishek Poddar, a University of business but expects to end up in Michigan (USA) graduate and perthe high-end business and in the haps the youngest chief executive in process, it expects to build a home the fabrics industry anywhere today. fabrics company in the $100 million The modest, self effacing young range after ten years by giving a true man is in the process of building value to the customer. This year, out his first showroom here under Sudeep Gurung, Ashok Biyani and Abhishek Poddar

UMBAI, India — Publicly held (since 1982) Siyaram Silk Mills Ltd. is a $250 million apparel fabric, garment company with 150 retail stores, It is also four years into a ten year plan to build an important home furnishings fabric supplier of drapery and upholstery under the casamoda® brand. Siyarem is a power-

Proposte 2013 Hosts 98 Exhibitors; Top End Fabric Makers Consolidate Sipco News Network

OMO, Italy — Proposte, the haut couture of the home fabrics business reflects the consolidation of the fabric industry if the latest list of exhibitors is any indicator. Yes, there are four new companies at Proposte this year, namely: Crevin (ES), Real Seta (IT), Redaelli Velluti - a Division of Marzotto (IT), Angelo Vasino (IT) but several have been merged or closed. What remains at Proposte is the best of the best and the strongmen of the European producers. The show must go on!

2013 proposte EXHIBITORS Escolys (BE) Johan Van Den Acker Textielfabriek (NL) Europ Marchini (IT) Evento Arredamento By Limonta (IT) Albert Guegain & Fils (FR) A

Algemene Afw (BE) Astra Nova (IT) Athenea – Texathenea (ES) Aznar Textil (ES) B

B & T Textilia (BE) José Bartual Castellets (ES) Baumann Dekor (AT) Bekaert - Depla Fabrics (BE) Bergerot (FR) Velours Blafo (FR) Bruvatex-Sagaert & Speyer (BE) Bucol Ameublement (FR) C

Canepa Divisione Arredamento (IT) Casalegno Tendaggi (IT) Mario Cavelli (IT) Tessitura Pietro Cazzaniga (IT) Clerici Tessuto & C. Divisione Luna Home (IT) Clerion (IT) D

David Walters Fabrics (GB) Delius (DE) Deltracon Linen Fabrics For Interior Decoration (BE) D’Etoffe (IT) Devantex (BE) E

Conjugi Eger (IT)

Manuel Revert (ES) Martinelli Ginetto (IT) Matisse Tissage (FR) Molteni Tessuti (IT) F Molteni Vincenzo Tessitura Jacquard (IT) Fibertex (BE) Monti Napoleone (IT) Fidertessile (IT) Morton Young & Borland (GB) Fiorete (IT) Muguet (FR) Manifattura Fossa Divisione Della Danzo (IT) Müller Zell (DE) Froca (ES) Gebr. Munzert (DE) G

Gassa V (ES) Giber (IT) Gustavo De Negri & ZA.MA. Manifattura Tessile (IT) H

Haezebrouck (BE) Hield (GB) I

Nelen & Delbeke (BE) P

Parà (IT) Tessitura Pertile (IT) Pongs Velours (DE) Pozzi Arturo (IT) Pozzi Industria Tessile (IT) Prosetex Tessitura Jacquard (IT)

Imatex (IT) Q The Isle Mill - Macnaughton Holdings (GB) Italtessil (IT) Quenin by Tassinari & Chatel (FR) Italvelluti (IT) R J

Francisco Jover (ES) L

Libeco - Lagae (BE) Limonta (IT) Lodetex (IT) M

Magniarredo (IT) Manifattura Tessile Di Nole M.T. (IT)

Rafael Catalá (ES) Ragolle (BE) Ratti D Divisione Ratti (IT) J. A. Raymakers (NL) Rossini Della Quercia (IT)

Seteria Bianchi (IT) Sirio Tendaggi (IT) Mario Sirtori (IT) Michele Solbiati Sasil (IT) Spinelli Vincenzo (IT) T

Manifatture Toscane Ta-Bru (IT) Telor: Tessitura Eredi Lodovico Rossini (IT) Ter Molst International (BE) Tesseci Tessitura Serica Cicala (IT) Texao (IT) Texar Stoffe (IT) Texital (IT) Texnova (IT) Thistle Mills (GB) Tissages d’Ameublement de Lyon (FR) Tissages de Gravigny 2 Plus (FR) Tissat Deslee Interior Fabrics (BE) Tissus d’Avesnieres (FR) Torri Lana 1885 (IT) V

O.J. Van Maele (BE) Weverij Van Neder (BE) Vanoutryve (FR) Verstraete & Verbauwede (BE) Vidal y Sanz (ES) Viganò (IT) Textiles Vilber (ES) Y

Sati Grupo Textil (ES) Léo Schellens (NL) Schiatti Tessuti (IT) Schmitz-Werke (DE) www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

Yutes - Natural Fabrics (ES) Z

Zanchi Tessitura Serica - Rubelli (IT)

Joyce Seigle the watchful eye of Ashok Biyani , managing partner and a career textile veteran charged with bringing the technical aspects of the business to the loom floor. “We started the home furnishings segment of our business in 2009 as a Greenfield project,” Poddar said. We have 48 Somet looms with jacquard heads in double widths plus 64 dobbies weaving the home furnishings fabrics,” Poddar said. He asked to head this new project instead of taking a safer route through the existing apparel business, he explained. “Apparel is a slim margin for us while home promises larger profits,” Poddar said. “Buyers are looking for an alternative supplier in India, and we are it,” he laughed. After all, he started the business in the midst of a recession. “When business is at zero, it’s a great time to start,” he said, explaining that sales are rising every year. The vertical mill is ISO certified, he said and “we have the financial backing from our parent company. In fact, his parents run the parent company! Casamoda brand works with fancy and blended yarns of linen and viscose for $3.50 a yard in drapery and $8 a yard for upholstery with viscose, linen and polyester. This is the complete price range at present in silk and linen looks. Poddar said. Upholstery weight is available in the $4-$10-$12 price point. Currently, Siyarem Casamoda is enjoying export sales in USA through Joyce Siegle; Australia, UK, Europe and the Middle East. “We’re in a customer acquisition mode,” said Sudeep Gurung, the export manager and general manager of marketing. F&FI

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Notaro Named Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Sunbury Textile Mills; Simone Named Business Development Specialist Sipco News Network

unbury, Pennsylvania — Tom Notaro of Sunbury Textile Mills has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing effective January 1. In his new post, Notaro will continue to work in the Sunbury office on Broome Street in New York where he will also continue to work closely with Mark Grigalunas, Senior Vice President - Design, and Jennifer Hendren, Vice President Styling & Design. Prior to joining Sunbury, Notaro was sales manager of Wearbest Mills, Inc., Garfield, NJ

Notaro takes the reins for the lead sales management position from Rocco Simone who will assume the new title of Specialist, Business Development. Simone praised Notaro’s expertise in leading the company. “I have every confidence in Tom’s ability to continue to move the Company forward,” Simone said. “I have truly enjoyed and cherished being part of the Sunbury team and will continue to contribute in any way I can. I look forward to continuing to work closely with Tom.” In his expanded role, Notaro will assume all sales and marketing

responsibilities for Sunbury and will work with the senior management team to continue expanding the company’s reach with its customers. Notaro spoke to his excitement in continuing to work with Simone. “I am truly appreciative for the opportunity to lead the sales team going forward and look forward to what the future will bring for this exceptional company and the people associated with it,” Notaro said. “Rocco has been instrumental in making this happen and I deeply appreciate that. I believe we have made a good team thus far and look forward to utilizing his experience and expertise as we move forward together.”

Andrea Rubelli Fine Tunes Donghia; Sees More Trouble With Italian Mills Sipco News Network

EW YORK, New York — Andrea Rubelli, recently named President & CEO of Donghia, looks to fine tune his company in the years ahead while keeping a watchful eye on potential acquisitions to help grow what is now half of all Rubelli Group sales. Donghia now generates $50 million sales annually out of a total of $100 million that is Rubelli Group, he says. He sees his toughest competition in the USA from Kravet brands like: Brunschwig & Fils, Lee Jofa and Kravet Couture. Internationally, he sees Z+R, Pierre Frey and Colefax & Fowler as the tougher brands to beat. “Kravet is getting stronger in the USA but it is not as strong in Europe,” in his opinion. Rubelli continues to visit Group headquarters in Venice monthly where he is a director and a close advisor to his father, Favoretto. The younger Rubelli also keeps on top of the company owned weaving

Andrea Rubelli

mill in Como which produces 80 percent of the Rubelli line. Rubelli owns other brands like Dominique Kieffer, a French editor, since 2001. This is a natural line of cottons linens and wools. Five years ago, Rubelli bought the Armani Exclusive Casa license for home textiles. LULU DK is another high end brand owned by Rubelli. Rubelli is always on the look-out for something that makes sense, he says. “We have the latest technologies in our mill which is geared to produce short runs of many styles on Bromas and Karl Mayer warping machines and Smit looms made in Novicento, Italy,” he says. “There other Italian mills that will not survive because they have not kept up with the technology of the weaving industry and with the recession, even the most high end Italian mills are having some difficulties.” “If the recession is short lived, then these mills will survive. If it lasts three to four years in Europe, then some more Italian weavers will close. It’s no longer just the competition from the Far East that makes it difficult. One must have the latest technologies to survive in this environment.. The mass market has gone to the Chinese and one must be able to survive on smaller product volume using highly efficient methods.” Italy still has a large supplier base of yarn producers and dyers, he says, making it still possible to produce a line in Italy Rubelli is a regular exhibitor at Proposte. As a brand Rubelli itself is a high level fabric editeur and Donghia is a distributor of Rubelli and Sahco fabric brands in the USA through 12 showrooms and 12 other international Rubelli showrooms. Sales of Rubelli and Sahco fabrics alone are $20 million, he says. Sahco is owned 51 percent by Rubelli and the balance by other partners. Bergamo, another name associated with Rubelli is today a distributor but at one time it was an actual mill in Pennsylvania that was closed in the 90’s. Bergamo was founded by an Italian but operated in the States, Rubelli said. “There are many opportunities for us but we must find the ones that are worthwhile,” Rubelli says. F&FI

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Notaro will report to Hank Truslow, President and CEO. Truslow said he’s looking forward to seeing Notaro excel in his new position. “I would like to congratulate Tom on this promotion and let him know that he has the full support of every associate in the company to work together to achieve our goals,” Truslow said. “I know Tom will continue to ‘move the needle’ and make his own contributions to Sunbury Textile Mills in the years to come. I also want to thank Rocco for his many contributions and counsel over the last 26 years and for those to come. Both Tom

Tom Notaro and Rocco are consummate sales professionals, and it is a privilege to work with each of them.” F&FI

P/Kaufmann Taps Sanderson Design Head; Lynne Hopkins Sourcing Manager Sipco News Network

EW YORK, New York — P/Kaufmann Inc. has consolidated Braemore and P/ Kaufmann Inc. print and woven design departments into one unit under the direction of Julie Sanderson while Lynne Hopkins has been named head of worldwide sourcing. Hopkins was previously responsible for wovens design while Sanderson was previously a print designer, at Braemore. These two changes “will better meet the demands of customers for well designed, well priced product,” said Ron Kaufmann, principal, in an office memo. “Although this is a new arrangement for PK Fabrics, it is typical of the way the studios are structured in our other divisions (as well as other companies within the home furnishings industry) and we believe it will enable us to introduce more cohesive and

focused collections,” he said. “At the same time, we have reviewed the way we purchase product throughout the world. We are always striving to find new suppliers that offer desirable textiles but recognize that our traditional ways of purchasing products have become outdated. We now feel that one person needs to focus on this increasingly important aspect of our business. Going forward Lynne Hopkins will be responsible for the critical role of global sourcing,” he wrote. The memo said that 2012 was “another successful year for PK Fabrics and we strongly believe that the combination of this restructuring and the expertise that Julie and Lynne bring to their positions will provide the groundwork for future growth.” Kaufmann was unavailable for further comment. Historically, he is a man of a few well chosen words. F&FI

Lynne Hopkins, head of global sourcing for P/Kaufmann Inc., NY with Joyce Seigle, Winston-Salem based agent

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New Management, Styling Help Mollino Move Forward Sipco News Network

away from other wholesalers selling poorly styled Chinese wovens. The OBURG, FDR — Mollino key for Mollino was to add fashion changed its management and goods, leaving the competition in its business model two years ago the dust, he said. A two year old management team and this has led to a sales increase to about $10 million in sales according is headed by Alexandra Matosoglu, to Joe Moran, founder of the a designer and merchandiser focused on innovation and Ralf company in 1999. In order to join the top ranks Ploetner, originally a lawyer, and of European wholesalers, Mollino then managing director since is now targeting sales in the $40 2011. He is focused on Mollino’s million range within five years increasing business and expanded global sourcing with strategic according to Moran. The line is priced from three planning and control. Also about two years ago, the to six Euros per meter and Moran says Mollino is taking business Mollino fabric line was completely changed over from a European converted print line to Chinese wovens in contemporary patterns. About 60 very focused, recolored prints remain from what were over 600 designs, Moran said. With different brands, the group is also represented in the EU with four fulltime sales people; Asia, and Middle East and has Alexandra Matosoglu and Ralf Ploetner its own facilities in

Mollino fabric sample China, for purchasing and quality control. Moran has also channelled promotional dollars previously spent at trade shows into direct advertising. He feels he is getting more mileage out of this effort. Mollino is located in the heart of Germany’s upholstery industry, about one hour from Nuremberg. Since its founding, Mollino has developed into an international company with one million meters of stocked items in the 30,000 square foot warehouse and more than 2000 customers worldwide, Moran said. “We offer more than 2,500 different products with two main collections a year, Moran added. The core business is with furniture manufacturers in Germany, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. A new website showcases a selection of contemporary styled fabrics and corporate identity of the company www.Mollino.de. F&FI

McNeely, Greene Buy Heritage House Fabrics; Hilb Becomes Consultant Sipco News Network

ONCORD, North Carolina — Heritage House Fabrics LLC, a contract and residential fabrics distribution business and importer, has been sold to Wayne McNeely and Don Greene the president and executive vice president respectively of the new entity to be called Heritage Fabrics LLC. The company will remain in the current warehouse and office here and with the High Point, NC showroom. Heritage sells through U.S. jobbers and this is not going to change according to the new buyers. McNeely and Greene also hope to take advantage of the uptick in US housing starts to expand the business in the next five years. McNeely had previously been in the residential furniture industry for 35 years, most recently as vice president with Braxton Culler, Inc., a medium priced upholstery manufacturer while Greene was a vice president at Robert Allen Home, heading up the piece goods business.

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The pair expect to beef up Heritage’s upholstery and print fabric distribution through the ITC division without losing focus on the curtain fabric business Heritage is noted for, they stressed. Heritage imports tons of curtain fabrics from Turkey and India with some additional imports from Taiwan, China and Europe. Tom Hilb, founder of Heritage in 2003, was negotiating the deal for the past year, he said.

He expects to retire from the business but will stay on for a time as a consultant, probably until 2015, he said. Hilb is a veteran fabric man with a skill for making acquisitions, namely, ITC, Belle Fabrics and Dana Mills, the companies he brought into the Heritage family in the last decade. Prior to starting Heritage, he was an executive with Richloom and Western Textiles, a converter no longer in business. F&FI

Wayne McNeely and Don Greene (right) new owners of Heritage Fabrics, Concord, NC and Heritage seller Tom Hilb (center)

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Let’s Feel Good About the Future People, Planet, Profit - Live a Little By Jennifer Castoldi

The Trendease Team travels to over 100 international design events each year to research market directions and report our findings back to our community. With the first quarter of 2013 under our belts you can rest assured that there is a lot of exciting movement going on in the creative sphere, and that is not a side effect of jetlag speaking. Many designs fall

under the umbrella of what I like to call Creative Social Responsibility. Targeted at design professionals, Creative Social Responsibility (CrSR) is a combination of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and what is known as The Triple Bottom Line (TBL): People, Planet, Profit. This involves transparency and sustainability. Although we like to give people the benefit of the doubt, there are ample firms that will use smoke and mirrors to blind us into

thinking that their product line is responsibly manufactured. The best tool against this is a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). If you do not have such robust information at your fingertips, the best weapon you hold is curiosity—ask questions! Peel off the leaves of the artichoke until the beautiful purple of the center stares up at you; there lies the truth and the heart of the matter. They say that “curiosity killed the cat”, but worry not, they also say that cats have nine lives, so live a little. After purring around some of this year’s exhibitions h e r e are some on-trend products with an essence of feel-good design. Eco-friendly, trend-right, and merchandised for retail inspiration: “Be inspired” was located in an exclusive display area in Heimtextil and samples were marked with icons of colored leaves. A blue leaf means a product is made from eco-friendly processes, a green leaf represents eco-friendly raw material, and a brown leaf encompasses fair trade products, reporting standards, and CSR certifications. The Green Directory lists all exhibitors in these categories, a heaven-sent for any textile professional.

People Planet Profit

Here is a type of innovative labeling. These decorative pillows from Wonderable by Carla Peters get their surface interest from the fashion industry’s leftover hangtags. At a distance the inverse side of the tags appears to be a unique trim; it is only upon close inspection one comprehends the story. Now that is waste management with style!

Other labels for which to keep a look out are those that tell about more than meets the eye. For example, the OekoTex Standard 100 signifies that a product has been tested for harmful substances. Pad launched a new collection at Ambiente that carries this label, and the company has also focused on bringing manufacturing closer to home, a trend growing momentum in Europe and the US. Having sourced from India, China, and Thailand in the past, these new fabrics are all purchased and sewn together in Pad’s home country.

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F FI D E S I G N Collaborative efforts and knowledge transfer make designs evolve, in this case from the Stone Age. The students of the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design department have made their predictions for A/W 2013-14 based upon the direction titled “Flint” from Global Color Research’s Mix Publications. This is one of the trend boards unearthed at Interiors UK.

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are presented on www.Trendease. com each month, additionally videos and podcasts are available on www. Trendease.TV. F&FI

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readers spanning over 170 countries. Trendease is an influential resource reporting on global trends and key international design events. Hundreds of images and forward-thinking articles

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Storytelling and transparency go hand in hand at the Italian rug company I+I. At Maison&Objet this partiallycompleted rug was draped on the booth’s wall to exemplify the intricacy and love of the handmade process. So many people were struck with it as a piece of art that I+I is now considering making such pieces available as wall art. What a serendipitous line extension!

Impressively, every bit of the flax plant is used when it is harvested. This is where linen is born. The European Confederation of Flax and Hemp (CELC) is the representative for 10,000 companies and is the founder of the Linen Dream Lab in Paris and Milan. At events like Milan Design Week, MoOD, Expofil, and Maison&Objet it is possible to review the novelties from textile to technical/composite innovations.

Jennifer Castoldi is the CEO and Chief Creative Director of Trendease International. Since 2004, Trendease has been providing cutting-edge and competitive design information to

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“Arty Natural” is a color story for S/S 2014 published by the Linen Dream Lab. In tune with other directions we are seeing, it is described as “The mineral naturalism of washed-effect overdyes correspond to earthen, tan tones for an Arty Natural effect.”

Upcycling. Moving on to yet another great illustration of adaptive reuse is Papilio’s bicycle inner tube floor coverings. First seen last year, the new collection, launched at Domotex, has grown to boast a range of colors and styles.

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This picture is worth a thousand words, and probably contains one thousand more. Why not give materials a second life, a new chapter? Helsinki Metropolia University turned a new page – and some heads – with this creative embroidery.

Jennifer Castoldi, Trendease

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Dubai Furnishings Market Increases, Revives From Lows During this period, Dubai wholesalers exported furnishing fabrics at retail prices to CIS countries and export now constitutes about 30% to its neighboring countries. The Dubai market is also vibrant due to hotel, tourism as well residential growth. “Imports from India are increasing and credit goes to aggressive Indian manufacturers who are more creative. The sample presentation of their collections are now attractive while Chinese

suppliers excel in commodity goods at very low prices and a few highend Chinese exporters have excellent business here,” according to Subash. The UAE brought in the maximum of its textiles from China followed by India; Iran was the biggest recipient of UAE’s home textiles but this has now come to a halt and has hurt the business, he said. “This has added to the tremendous pressure on exporters in Dubai and resulted in increased level of

inventory and reduced sales,” he said. The recent feedback from Iran said their weaving mills are fully occupied and Iran furnishing fabric mills are the greatest beneficiaries of trade restrictions imposed by the western world. Now, buying has become a real challenge and cheap imports don’t necessarily mean ‘safe business.’ Also, Chinese wholesalers who stocked to export have begun to set up shop in Ethiopia and Nairobi, which earlier was served from Dubai.

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“Dubai wholesalers, largely import from China followed by India and limited quantity of high-end from Turkey and Europe : Turkish exporters are trying hard to compete with Chinese in lower range but have not succeeded so far ”, said Subash. Ultra Furnishing Fabrics, a leading Dubai based furnishing fabric wholesaler began business in 1990-91 with Korean made furnishing fabrics. “Those days we sold in local markets and exports were limited to Qatar and

Muscat but the dynamics changed with the Russian break-up”, said Ishwar Bharwani, partner. “Today Africa, Russia as well as CIS countries are the main stay while Libya and Iraq are adding up. “Conducting business has changed more than in the past and it has become expensive to be a successful wholesaler: The profile of the buyers is very diverse as we have to finally meet the consumer preferences from Africa, Central Asia, Arabs & Europeans as well as mixed tastes of immigrant population from dozens of countries,” he said. “This year we are spending $1 million on sample books alone and though we grew by 15% in 2012, the future is challenging.” Meanwhile, Pakistan is a big market for Indian furnishing fabrics but there is a need to keep a wide range of stocks to meet multi-likes of consumers which include bold, flashy and sober, he added. “Dubai has more windows coming up and we have to dress them as well replace many of the existing windows,” said Nazeer Khan, a partner in Silk Weave Furnishing LLC, in Dubai. “I originally started as an interior designer but I turned to distribution of furnishing fabrics to high end wholesalers in the contract segment and also to designers of palaces and hotels.” Khan was attracted to Italian furniture which is the choice of Arabs for home and Silk goes along with expensive Italian furniture. Silk remains the main choice to decorate royal places in Saudi Arabia, Africa and in the Emirates. “Our sales constitute 60% of silk fabrics and 70% is derived from domestic sales and balance form abroad and we are growing at 20%”, he said. Silk Weaves caters to the demand from Indian, Lebanese, European and Iranian designers. Dubai is the commercial gateway for the neighboring countries. With only a population of 7.5 million the wholesalers have established trading links with the 1.5 billion people in the neighboring region covering the Gulf, Middle-East/Eastern Mediterranean, CIS, Central Asia, Africa and Asian sub-continent. Dubai logistics facilitate over 120 shipping lines and are linked via 85 airlines to over 130 global destinations. In the UAE, the population under 20 years of age makes up more than 40% of the total population. The UAE textile market in 2011 was valued at $13 billion which has grown 9.9% during the period 2006-2011. The UAE textiles industry, which exported $3.27 billion in 2011, is growing at 7% from a high of 15% during 2008. Home textiles imports are estimated to be around $1 billion a year. F&FI

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Fabric.Com Leads Fabric E-tailing Pack, Changes Industry Model Sipco News Network

ENNESAW, Georgia — Amazon’s acquisition of fabric. com just three years ago appears to be paying off and is changing the face of fabrics retailing in America today and even off shore according to fabric suppliers serving this growing e-tailer which has reported sales in the $50 million range and about 100 employees. That annual sales figure includes quilting, apparel, home decorating,

sewing, craft fabrics including basic trimming lines. The exact percentage of home fabric sales is not known but it is substantial and growing. With that growth comes some recent personnel changes Fabric.com founder Stephen Friedman, retired about one year ago as president, CEO. He founded Phoenix Textiles Group, Inc. in 1993 as a wholesaler of apparel fabrics. In 1999 Phoenix Textiles went online to test the concept of selling cut-yardage fabrics directly

to consumers and this ultimately became fabric.com. This e-tailer of fabrics blossomed into a major seller of home décor fabrics based in a 65,000 headquarters and offices just outside of Atlanta. “Fabric.com is the place to go if you sew,” the site says. “We are the world’s leading online fabric store,” it says. Michael Miller, a graduate of MIT, joined fabric.com in June, 2012 as general manager and director. He was unavailable for comment. He was previously

the COO of Vogue International Ltd. Ann Berry is the home décor fabric buyer and she is well received by her suppliers. E-tailers are notoriously tightlipped about information concerning their business. Even some other brick and mortar retailers like Osgood in Springfield, MA refused to share any information with F&FI about their business. Fabric.com is not just about closeouts. Over half of the goods offered are first quality, running

in line goods from converters and jobbers, a source told F&FI. The company holds an in stock position with Waverly and offers many different brands of fabrics directly to the consumer including Roc-lon®, Marcovaldo, Softline, Swavelle/ Mill Creek, Covington, Braemore, Richloom Fabric Group including Solarium® outdoor fabric; Robert Allen, Duralee and P/Kaufmann. Aside from the swatches provided for the web display, the principal lines allow (continued on page 18)

Fabric E-Tailers Build Momentum P/Kaufmann and others supply the goods Sipco News Network

EW YORK, New York — Home furnishings fabric sales on the web are continuing to grow, especially on websites sponsored by existing brick and mortar retailers like Osgood, Joann and Calico, according to Lance Garcy, executive vice president, P/Kaufmann, one of the major suppliers to web retailers. He observes that accounts which added web commerce to their regular in store sales have doubled their business with P/ Kaufmann since going online based on the fact that retailers can draw business outside of their conventional marketplace, 30 miles and more from their store locations. Goods sold on the web start at under $7 per yard but will cover all price points up to $23. “The web attracts the younger customer who is not as keen to shop in the store,” Garcy said. He points out that jobbers were upset when converters sold independent retailers but with these retailers, the industry would not have survived, he pointed out. “There might be some objections to web retailers just as there was to other retailers but web is a growing part of our business. There are at least six legitimate online retailers we do business with today.” P/Kaufmann actually has a separate agreement which online retailers must sign in order to do business with this well known converter. (continued on page 24)

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Fabric.Com Leads Fabric E-tailing fabric.com to use their brand logos on the site. It appears that the top brands are not featured by fabrics. com, except as closeouts. “Don’t tell everyone how well fabric.com is doing in the industry because they are stealing all of our business,” one jobber laughed. He had no problem doing business with fabric. com however. “Fabric.com redefined the retail fabric business by offering in stock position on major lines and shipping to the consumer; some

other e-commerce retailers only act as middlemen—they take the order and turn it over to the vendor,” one source said. Fabric.com offers the consumer and designer alike free shipping on orders over $35, discount coupons, a return shipping service at no extra charge if the purchase is not up the customer’s liking and all purchases accrue towards points which can be traded for more merchandise—frequent shopper program—according to

the website. It also gives one inch overage on all cut orders—called the generous cut program with very competitive prices, starting under $7 and as high as $33 a yard. It charges $1.75 per swatch and ships within three days, the site says. When you order, you see the exact amount of yardage in inventory and a ‘no hassle’ money-back guarantee is offered with purchase if returned within 30 days, the site says. F&FI

Interworld’s Shah Brothers Trade Up Collections, Add Wallcoverings, Roc-Lon® Mitul, Bhavin, Eye High End Showrooms in 2014 Sipco News Network

UMBAI, India — As Interworld Furnishings India Pvt., Ltd. gradually upgrades its products and price levels for its 100 dealers, owners, Mitul, 30 and Bhavin Shah, 32, manage to bring a fresh perspective and energy to their dad’s company which started in 1998. Their near term goal is to open a high end showroom in Mumbai in 2014 in order to showcase their collections in the $12-$25 price range for designers and contract specialists. “Traffic is a killer in Mumbai. To go just the 30 kilometer distance from one end of Mumbai to the other takes 90 minutes,” Mitul said. Once perfected, the pair plans to open other showrooms in key cities of India. Their father, one of the first fabric importers in India, is now in the background, watching his boys rise to the challenge of being an Indian wholesaler in a dynamic economy, growing at a faster rate than the USA and Europe. The pair was recently selected by Mark Kresel to carry Rockland Mills Inc. black out drapery linings for the

India residential and hospitality trade. Interworld has also just launched its first four all silk collections geared to Indian taste and made by the local mills. “We fill in the voids of our customers even though they might Interworld’s attend Heimtextil in Frankfurt every year,” Mitul said. Interworld works with 15-20 manufacturers from Turkey and Europe serving a network of 300 designers very focused on their own fabric designs. Recently, the company’s first wall coverings were added and more are on the way, Mitul said. “We book each collection and we have 250 books on offer,” he added. Interworld now carries Ralph Lauren, Philip Jeffries and Mayer Romanoff wall coverings from the USA; Concertex and Flocart of Belgium and Vatos, Jenellopi and Volpi of Italy. “Wallcovering is well received in India by architects and interior designers,” Mitul explained. “Consumers highlight at least one of their walls in their homes and

Shah Brothers: Bhavin and Mitul hotel rooms use wall covering on all four walls,” he said. Interworld fabricates most of what it sells in fabrics for hotels. It is now working for Shangrila on a 400 room hotel and Marriott executive apartments, both projects in Mumbai. “Turkey is a good place for us to shop. We bring in 1-2 pieces of our own designs from Turkey and deal with 15-20 Turkish suppliers,” Mitul, the more vocal of the two men. They focus on the m id to upper range and keep everything they sell in stock. Local retailers carry 70 percent Indian goods and 30 percent imports. “I don’t see much coming from China into India. We make everything they make in China,” Mitul continued. F&FI

Backhausen Produced and Distributed by Messrs, Effective Immediately Sipco News Network

Austria — Backhausen Interior Textiles will be produced and issued by Messrs, effective immediately. “We have thoroughly checked the situation of the company Backhausen and are not only convinced of the product, but also of the potential capacity,” said Alon Shklarek, CEO of Cudos Capital AG. “Now we are looking forward to lead the company to new success in teamwork with the members of staff. As ienna,

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Austrian investors, we know the value of such a traditional company very well, and highly appreciate the regional signboard of Backhausen.” A previous story said that a Saudi investor had provided capital to buy Backhausen and settle with the creditors but at the last minute, this did not happen. Instead, both Backhausen principals left the company in the wake of a successful bid by Cudos Capital. F&FI

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Contract/HospitalityNews C/HNEWS I Skai® Puts More Skin in the Game With O’Sullivan Purchase; In Just Two years Hornshuch Group Already Reaps Dividends; Makes $20 Million Wager on U.S. Manufacturing Sipco News Network

inchester, Virginia — Hornschuch Group’s shrewd and timely 2010 purchase of O’Sullivan Films, Inc. has already resulted in capturing five percent of the $400 million PVC upholstery market, according to Tim Lettie, vice president, interior and exterior business. O’Sullivan is the American producer of Skai artificial leather, a product honed to success through Hornshuch in Europe and Asia. Lettie and his boss Bruno Lehmann, head of interior marketing and sales for Hornschuch in Weissbach, Germany say they are looking for double digit growth from the new spread coated product line while the traditional calendared vinyl line should grow at a more modest rate producing a 30 percent increase in business overall within five years. “We expect to catch up with the rest of the industry in terms of product depth and then surpass it, due to our deep technology and design capabilities,” Lettie said. Lettie is one of the original ten members of the buyout group which sold the business to Hornschuch for what turned out to be a song. All ten members are still on board. The $300 million

Hornschuch Group now looks to O’Sullivan for about one third of the Group’s sales. O’Sullivan is in a very diverse product mix including decorative pool liners, blood bags and outdoor decking. “O’Sullivan looks at itself as the Avis® of the artificial leather industry and expects to try harder than the competition to gain share of the market,” Lettie emphasized. He expects Skai to capture 15 percent of the PVC upholstery market in the U.S. and ultimately win the game now dominated by China’s Enduratex brand, Naugahyde, Omnova, Spradling and Morbern. “Except for Naugahyde®, Skai is the only artificial skin produced in the USA. Made in USA is ringing cash registers again,” says Jude Sparrow, Skai sales manager. “U.S. buyers seek same week delivery, consistency in color matching and good technical advice from domestic manufacturers,” he said. “Off shore suppliers can’t do that as well as we can.” Skai is being sold to furniture manufacturers and to jobbers who supply healthcare, hospitality and contract markets as well as marine and automotive upholstery markets. The company said all Skai products meet U.S. FR standards. Two year Skai team

member Sparrow is handling sales to jobbers and Naama BenDaat, armed with a freshly minted design and marketing degree from the University of Massachusetts completes the Skai team as design and marketing coordinator. Both Sparrow and Ben-Daat report to Tim Lettie along with 25 year veteran Joan Drinkwater, the senior product manager. Like a super restaurant chef, Drinkwater gets her hands around everything being made on the spread coated line as well as the conventional calendared line. “She makes sure the customer gets exactly what they want in terms of product and coloration,” Lettie said. “The formulation of Skai can be tweaked to meet the exacting needs of the customer,” she said. “It’s like baking a cake.” Skai is a four layer product with a lacquer coating applied to the vinyl face; sometimes urethane is applied to the face to produce a hybrid product; a PVC foam core follows with an adhesive layer and the fabric or felt back. Most of the U.S. PVC industry has mothballed plants and elected to produce artificial leather offshore in China and Thailand while Hornschuch invested $25 million in the first artificial leather spread coat line to be built in the USA in decades. It was completed

O’Sullivan’s 50 acre Winchester campus contains 14 acres of buildings

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less than a year ago right after the purchase of O’Sullivan which is already paying back Hornshuch a return on its original investment, Lettie agreed. O’Sullivan was founded in 1896 and was not previously a supplier of artificial leather; it was best known for producing rubber heels for shoes. The synergies between the European parent and the American ‘kid’ are expected to lead to joint product lines being offered in the USA and in Europe with little or no overlap in the products. It is expected that the American lines of Skai will also find new markets overseas through Hornschuch distribution. Skai ‘Osprey’ for example, a new American made product, is already exported to Europe. Of course, there is a different aesthetic in the Euro lines versus the American lines of Skai. Skai is said to be environmentally friendly, producing little or no VOC’s and no harmful chemicals like formaldehyde. Lettie is especially keen on removing as much PVC leather waste from landfill as possible.

Bruno Lehmann O’Sullivan has a 35 man R&D staff to help that cause and O’Sullivan shares a 14 man design department with the parent company. Most of the in-line product will be stocked in the warehouse for rapid delivery with custom products available in 800 yard minimums per color. Skai is sold in 30 yard rolls, 54 inches wide, the industry standard. Prices are continued on page 23

Jude Sparrow, Naama Ben-Daat and Tim Lettie

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Skai® Puts More Skin in the Game, New U.S. Vinyl Line in the mid range from $7-$12 a yard. The latest collection, called Osprey, is available in 18 fashion colors. Ipsum, with pebbled finishes and geometric design is complimented by Bison with a leathery grain produced through embossing. All three products have been introduced in 2012 with six more lines planned for 2013 and three to four a year after that, well beyond what is the norm for artificial leather introductions. This is all part of the plan to turn the staid PVC industry on its ear. F&FI

Skai keeps large format samples of each production run for extra quality control

U.S. Skai Team: Tim Lettie, Joan Drinkwater, Naama Ben-Daat and Jude Sparrow

Joan Drinkwater with Skai skin on the spread coat line

Naama Ben-Daat in Skai sample room

O’Sullivan Films was founded by the inventor of the rubber heel, Humphrey O’Sullivan in 1896

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Callens’ Quick Action Secures Algemene TWO Line Continuity; Minimal Order Loss Recorded Sipco News Network

NTWERP, Belgium – Algemene TWO is fully operational after a two month loss in weaving time and will exhibit at Proposte and Evteks in the same spaces as in previous years, according to Luc Callens, managing director in charge of marketing and sales.

“There is full continuity guaranteed for all collections for all customers. Maybe we lost in total 500 yards of orders during the two months that we could not weave; all customers were loyal and continue to give us orders now. Of course, we also will exhibit in Showtime (USA) in June together with the High Five group. “Our

customer base will continue to be furniture manufacturers, distributors, jobbers, retail chains and also the contract market. We will start creating new collections for Proposte, Evteks, Showtime but the new approach including great packages of high end fabrics with coordinating structures and plains should surprise the visitors at the

next MoOD exhibition.” On February 5, Algemene TWO completed its purchase of production equipment from Frank Hefflink and Nathalie Beernaert, the receivers of the bankrupt Algemene mill. The Ledegem based factory is now owned by a third party that is leasing the space to Algemene TWO for a nine-year

term, Callens said. Production was already going full blast by mid February . Algemene TWO key management includes Emmanuel De Spiegeleir, supervising production, buying, quality and all technical aspects of the business and Sabine Vermeersch supervising product development and design. (continued on page 29)

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Fabric E-Tailers Momentum

Other major suppliers to the internet retailers include Richloom Fabric Group, Covington Fabric & Design, Swavelle/Mill Creek, Robert Allen, Duralee and Edgar Fabrics. Pindler & Pindler is also a supplier to Osgood in Springfield, MA., which maintains a website called ‘fabricstoreonline’ and there are a dozen others including www. onlinefabricstore.net; www.fabric. com; www.thehomefabricstore. com; www.homefabricsonline. com; www.housefabric.com; www. onlinecommercegroup.com; www.carolefabrics.com; www. fabriccarolina.com; www.fabricguru. com; www.upholstery-fabrics-store. com and www.decoratorsbest.com. One supplier likes the fact that he can sell closeouts on the websites of these retailers and get a better price than how closeouts might be traditionally dumped on the market. “E-tailing has gotten more bang for the buck when it comes to selling closeouts,” he said. The sites promote branded goods but do not sell up-market lines which are still carefully controlled by their principals. However, Garcy said that P/Kaufmann has special agreements with web retailers which spell out minimum purchases in order to be a customer of P/Kaufmann. For example, no retailer can purchase less than 50 half pieces of fabric or 25 full rolls and be a customer of P/Kaufmann, Garcy stated. This eliminates rogue sellers of fabrics who act as nothing more than middlemen and who really have no skin in the game. In other words, they get the order and then they try to fill it. Garcy said that problems emerge internationally when web retailers start selling goods which have been promised on an exclusive basis to wholesalers in specific countries. P/ Kaufmann tries to police this activity with pretty good results, he said. F&FI

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Opening the Door to Digitally-printed Design By Joan Perez Pericot

here is a nearly limitless realm of design possibilities just waiting to be explored by forward-thinking designers and manufacturers – one you may have never even considered. This emerging opportunity lies in unique, customized design pieces you can create using the latest digital printing technologies from

HP booth at Heimtextil 2013

Children’s room wallcovering

Cafe wallcovering

companies like HP. Digital printing puts custom-printed wallcoverings, curtains, rugs, lampshades, pillow covers, ceiling tiles, ceramics, glass and wood within reach. With this wide variety of substrates and digital artwork available, you are no longer limited by what can or cannot be printed, but by your imagination. Pushing boundaries with... digital printing In a highly competitive and commoditized world, design is becoming a key way for brands to differentiate themselves. They want to provide a unique experience, touching everything from the product itself to the shopping experience, and they want their stores to deliver this same look and feel. Restaurants and hotels are also investing to create environments that make the stay unique. And consumers are looking to add their personal touch to favorite objects or spaces, be it their gadgets, cars or rooms. The new printing technologies help address this increasing demand for one-of-akind designs built around a brand image or reflecting individual tastes, changing the scope of design. To demonstrate this, HP recently partnered with world-renowned designer Karim Rashid to create a lounge area in HP’s exhibition booth at Heimtextil that would inspire visitors and show off the possibilities of digital printing. Karim Rashid commented: “When I designed the HP lounge at Heimtextil, I decided I would try to exploit all the possible materials and substrates that could be printed with the HP technology. I thought about flooring, textiles, wallpaper, decorative surfaces, the ceiling and even lamps. Digital technology is a beautiful way to bring radical ideas to life and push boundaries; but at a practical level, it also lets you very quickly print an entire floor or wall to have clients experience and approve a project immediately before production.” Digital makes the difference Digital printing not only fits with today’s design process because of its flexibility, but it also saves time, inventory costs and reduces waste. Traditionally, printed wallcovering and textile manufacturers have relied on analog printing equipment to produce high volumes of a single print or style at the same time. These analog devices require an elaborate platemaking process before printing can begin and thousands of copies must be produced to make money. With digital printing, you can create wallcoverings for a single customer or a retail chain, printing

only what is needed, when it is needed. Beyond production of final design pieces, digital printing technologies like HP Latex Ink solutions are also changing the way manufacturers and high-volume design firms proof projects. HP Latex Printing Technologies can print on cotton, polyester, coated and uncoated materials, so you can proof directly to the production substrate rather than paper. By printing to the production substrate, both you and your clients can get an exact idea of how the final output will look. In addition to reducing waste, today’s digital printing technologies can help designers and manufacturers show clients that the printed output meets high environmental standards, suitable for use in restaurants, medical facilities and even schools. For instance, waterbased HP Latex Inks produce odorless prints and have achieved the UL Sustainable Product Certification. Wallcoverings produced using HP Latex Inks on HP PVC-free Wall Paper are GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certified, meet AgBB criteria and can help building owners obtain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) credits. Print what you never... thought possible If you are interested in exploring digitally printed design, getting started may be easier than you think. The first step is to begin thinking about design projects as if the option to print on the floor, walls, ceilings and everything in between is a realistic option. When you are ready to print, a local print service provider with HP flatbed devices can print to rigid materials including wood, metals, glass and much more, and those with HP Latex technology can print on a wide variety of flexible substrates. With HP media, you have a broad range of substrates available for use with HP Latex inks, including HP PVC-free Wall Paper. For manufacturers or large design firms, bringing these printers in house may prove more cost effective, particularly as new software options become available that go beyond

printing. HP Latex users can now co-design wallcoverings with clients through the cloudbased HP WallArt Solution. This tool lets those new to wallcoverings easily manipulate designs around windows or doors with great detail. Digital printing technologies are bringing new design opportunities to life for designers willing to print what they never thought possible. By using HP technology, you can express your creativity and create customized pieces in a more efficient way to match the demanding needs of today’s buyer. Joan Perez Pericot is the worldwide marketing director for the HP Sign & Display Business. In this role, he is responsible for both strategic marketing and current business management. Perez Pericot joined HP in 1992 as a process engineer and holds a degree in mechanical engineering from The School of Industrial Engineering of Barcelona as well as an MBA from ESADE Barcelona. F&FI Joan Perez Pericot is the worldwide marketing director for the HP Sign & Display Business. In this role, he is responsible for both strategic marketing and current business management. Perez Pericot joined HP in 1992 as a process engineer and holds a degree in mechanical engineering from The School of Industrial Engineering of Barcelona as well as an MBA from ESADE Barcelona.

Joan Perez Pericot

Printed lampshade

Wrapped trash cans HP Latex Printer printing wallcovering

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F FI G L O B A L M A R K E T P L A C E (Continued from page 24)

Callens’ Quick Action Secures Algemene TWO Line Continuity; Minimal Order Loss Recorded Algemene TWO will be a shareholder and part of High Five Textiles as before, no change planned, Callens said. During Showtime in December, Callens was informed about the filing of the bankruptcy. He took immediate action and in a short time, arranged the leaseback and financing from eight industry friends. Nobody thought he could do it so quickly, according to one industry observer; but Callens did it! Then there was talk of moving the machines to another location but that also passed along with other rumors about who financed the purchase and for how much. “At that moment it was a matter of remaining positive, turning the button and looking for solutions,” Callens explained. “The idea was to find a combination of the key management of Algemene and international worldwide investors; but not just money investors...people that have passion for textiles. After phoning a couple of days we had the group together. We immediately informed the receivers that we were interested to buy all the assets (except the buildings that were sold in the meantime, but we made a nine year rental contract with the new owners, worked out a fair offer and came quite quickly to a deal with the receivers.” Callens said the rest was a matter of going through legal procedures and putting the money together. He said the sale terms are private and “the purchase is 100 percent financed with money from the international team with no banks involved.” “Algemene TWO will not be just a weaver of high end fabrics. We expect it to grow to a global distributor of high end and possibly other great valued products,” Callens said. “We are aiming to provide product with great value; this means European design at fair prices with low minimums and combined with great packages of different structures and qualities. We will work globally and look for cooperation with the best distributors, agents and fabric manufacturers all over the world. Of course the approach for each country can be and will be different and adapted to the local culture and business spirit.

“Our priorities will be to service our existing customers; better understand their needs, develop more business with them by increasing the partnership approach, offer them wider ranges of products both quality and price wise and at the same time improve our services and logistics by offering worldwide stock programs with 25 meter minimums.

“We are already strong in USA, England and Europe. In general, we want to be stronger and focus on Eastern Europe, China, Russia and Brazil. It looks very challenging but our international team has lots of experience and knowledge of what is needed in Europe, USA, China, Middle East, Russia...and everybody is very motivated and ready to go for it.”

“My life motto always is every problem is an opportunity...the new Algemene TWO company and the international club that we will build around it is exactly the answer to all the negative news we hear all the time about the disappearing textile business in Europe.” F&FI

Luc Callens

Spring 2013

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F FI G L O B A L M A R K E T P L A C E

Brimar Grows With Three Recent Acquisitions; Thiergart Sees $50 Million U.S. Trim Market Sipco News Network

AKE FOREST, Illinois — Brimar trimmings has set a goal to become the largest trimming supplier in the USA according to president Marc Thiergart, 38. In the past three years, Brimar has recently entered the ranks of large trimming distributors in the USA with the purchase of three smaller companies, Zimmerman trimmings, Tassel Time and Bargia. The acquisitions have increased sales for Brimar according to Thiergart. Brimar was founded in Chicago by his mother Ursel in 1985 as a recent emigre from Newmunster, Germany. While she retired in 2011, her husband is still active in the business on the financial side. “Today, we have over 8,000 sku’s to offer every interior designer in all market segments,” the president said. ‘Choice’ for the interior designer is an important part of the growth process for Brimar as it buys market share in a no growth environment. Thiergart believes the market for trim in the USA is a $50 million business at wholesale and he expects to get a significant piece of it in the future. This is a space shared by Kravet, Fabricut, Sam Cohen & Son and Duralee, the recent acquirer of B. Berger, an important hardware jobber. Thiergart sees great things for trim lines in the future as the US consumer turns to more opulent trimming and away from the sparing, minimalistic tapes and trims of the past few years. He sees a big market for American trim lines in China but does not think he will pursue it. His focus is on the States. Brimar’s purchase of Florida based Bargia in 2012, a $3 million trim and hardware company, places Brimar firmly in the hospitality arena for the first time and gets it more entrenched in the hardware business, Thiergart explains. Bargia had served interior designers, architects and specifiers for the past 25 years and brought 25 collections of new product to Brimar’s inventory in Chicago, where the inventory was

moved. The additional assortment includes Sunbrella™ trimmings built for the outdoors, custom-dyed solutions, and designs unlike Brimar’s current offering. The acquisition created an opportunity for Brimar to broaden its product mix and strengthen its market position during a time when fabric

companies continue emphasizing their core business, with a de-emphasis on trim, Thiergart said. “Brimar will also accelerate its contract business based on pre-established Bargia relationships,” he said. The company expects to increase sales with hotels and cruise ships with Bargia lines under its management. F&FI

Dieter Thiergart - Chairman; Christine Hoffmann - Director of Marketing; Rod Marzahl - Director of Sales; Marc Thiergart - President

July 16 - 18, 2013 Javits Convention Center New York, NY

Online registration opens April 15! HomeTextilesSourcing.com

Riviera Collection

Serenity Collection

HTSE13_Fabrics and Furnishings_7.875x10.indd 1

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

3/6/2013 9:08:34 AM

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An Interview with Gianmarco Zamaroni

Managing Director Fiorete, Italy

New velvet collections incorporating the “Fiorete Touch and Look”

Zamaroni

What was the major strategic decision for Fiorete to purchase Cazzaniga Velvet recently? Zamaroni: The recent purchase of Cazzaniga and Molteni production and finishing facilities is a strategic milestone for us. We are now completing our high end jacquard woven upholstery and drapery lines by including an equally high end velvet line. Thus we are able to multiply and enhance the possibilities to coordinate and play with our different qualities and to complete the range of products. It is also much more convenient for our customers to receive everything from one source. Fiorete with its headquarter in Fino Mornasco, Italy, stands for innovative interior decorative fabrics, outstanding quality, research, innovation and not to forget - glamour. Our mission is to create unique fabrics, always new and unforgettable. Our brand has an excellent record in contract – prestigious hotel and cruise line projects as well as in residential. Interior designers and architects appreciate the multifarious range of 2,000 patterns and around 10,000 designs available endorsed by in-house custom-made production facilities. This special “Fiorete touch and look” experience will be incorporated in the new velvet collections. We want to become the partner when it comes to velvet with added value Fiorete is focusing on innovation and functionalization in the high end niche of the market. of the fabrics. Let us share your vision of decorative und upholstery fabrics in the next five years. I am referring to your “wellbeing line” in particular. Zamaroni: More than 15 percent of our staff is committed to research and testing of new products, manufacture and finishing techniques. We spend a lot for research & development and offer a variety of special finishings to convey added value to our products based on the special requirements of our customer. You will find fabrics treated with aloe vera, odour absorbing fabrics, anti-mite treatment, fabrics giving a relaxing sensation due to an ionization process, light resistant silk fabrics due to a HiQ refinement developed in our research department and a lot more. We invested in the development of fabrics with ceramic yarns to provide natural temperature insulation, since they work as a UV blocker and insulate. Another innovation are our fabrics with Cazzaniga optical fibers. We also launched flax curtains “easy to iron”.

Fiorete as a vertical integrated mill from yarn preparation to the final product is now heading to include wet printed and digitally printed velvet. Which new (export) markets or customers are you heading for? In which regions of the world are you looking to expand? Zamaroni: Already more than 70 percent of our production is exported all over the world. What we intend is to put the same experience in velvet production that Velvet is very much depending on trends. Do you we achieved for our jacquard fabrics. Our collections are intend to break this vicious circle by producing never conventional. We are always seeking innovative special qualities that are less dependent from trends? solutions, from the yarn to the textile structure up to Zamaroni: When you create a beautiful, luxurious statethe sophisticated finishing. This “Fiorete spirit” will be applied to our velvet collections as well, creating state- of-the-art fabric that helps to decorate a hotel or cruise line velvets are of-the-art velvets with a contemporary, attractive and forever. In my opinion velvets are not more depending on trends than any other fabric. We are somehow in a preferential position to partner with sexy appeal. our customer: we have fully integrated production facilities at our command – including weaving, printing, piece and yarn dyeing as well as finishing. We offer our customer the opportunity to create their own fabrics and we will now incorporate fabulous velvet lines and round off our portfolio. This strong heritage in conjunction with our inhouse professional design and innovation competence confers on us the flexibility in complying with individual customer requirements and delivering customized solutions. This is our strength, asset and recipe for well-balanced prosperous business relationships. Could you tell us already something about the totally new product line (themes, colours, design) that will be shown at Proposte? Zamaroni: You can expect a bouquet of inspiring fabrics impregnated by the rich history of the last decades. Cazzaniga is a textile company with a fine heritage of 100 years and it is a challenge for us to keep this technical perfection and heritage alive. In these difficult times for the textile industry in Europe, when the market is shrinking, we uphold the banner of quality made in Italy. We will continue to inspire our designers to reinterpret historical patterns with different colours and yarns types. Our fabrics are a perfect blend of classical motifs based on antique documents and precious paintings chosen in our archives, combining the elegance and taste of the Italian Renaissance or other genres with state-of-the-art technology. You can expect high density warps in new colour combinations, outstanding velvet qualities from cashmere to merino and silk velvets. As a gold member of Trevira® CS we offer those qualities inherently flame-retardant, that meet internationally established standards for the application in public areas.

What is Fiorete doing in particular to incorporate the green mission, to reduce the footprint and respect social standards? Zamaroni: Fiorete is oriented towards sustainability for years already. We are a team of 180 people with a great expertise. Our “Drapery”, “Home Collection”, “Bedding” and “Ready Made” lines are 100 percent created, developed and manufactured in Italy. Our energy and environment management follows clear guidelines and we strive to keep our footprint small.

F FI G L O B A L M A R K E T P L A C E

Augst India Opens Third Store Sipco News Network

UMBAI — Mona and Sadiq Meherally have opened a third Augst fabric showroom in RHouse, a decorating center in the Balbunuth section. Augst is looking forward to doing two more stores within ten more years, she said. “We do not want to do our own designs however.” She feels that once you do your own

lines, there is a bias towards selling your own lines. The well displayed showroom carries Demor, Z+R, Villa Nova and Zinc lines. “We pioneered selling through a catalog,” said Mona who came to fabrics from a fashion background. Wallpaper is sold through eight to ten sample books. “We’ve gotten a great response to wall covering, especially Hooked On Walls brand,” she said. Augst is also

selling imported cut length fabrics Mona does a lot of in home consulting and finds that owners of larger homes are keeping a part of the construction budget for home furnishings now. “Before, home furnishings were an afterthought. It’s changing.” She notes that her customers in India are also doing homes throughout Europe which means she is getting jobs out of Mona Meherally India. F&FI

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ZHEJIANG BABEI TEXTILE CO., LTD Babei is a weaver, jointly invested by Babei Group Ltd. and Art Touch Investment(H.K.) Co. Ltd .,with a total investment of USD20,000,000.00. We are handling four main categories: a) high end silk jacquard fabrics double widths for bedding; b) high end silk jacquard fabrics for drapery and upholstery; c) fire retardant jacquard fabrics for contract ;d) jacquard fabrics for high end ladies’ bags. Babei is a vertical company well equipped with most advanced dyeing ,weaving and finishing facilities and is one of the few companies in China approved by Testex Zurich and awarded certificate for all our woven fabrics to meet Oeko-Tex standard 100. Babei is also approved and awarded certificate of ISO9001-2000 for quality management, ISO14001-2004 for working environment and OHSAS18001-1999 for occupational and safety management Babei’s vision is to create the most value to our customers and has adhered to this vision from the very beginning. Babei is transforming herself to be an interior fabric resolution supplier. To meet this goal, we have installed 82 most sophisticated Dornier and Sulzer looms with different hooks Staubli jacquard machines which enable us to produce a variety of jacquard fabrics with different design repeats and constructions (86 ends/inch, 173 ends/inch, 203 ends/ inch, 244 ends/inch and 300 ends./inch). we have also installed Dobby looms for weaving plain fabric or fabric with small repeats. We are able to produce different widths, including 140cm ,150cm, 280cm and 300cm,which are suitable for different customers. Besides silk fabrics, Babei has also developed a rich collection of multi-functional fabric for contract purpose. Babei has attached great importance to the creation and development of our products. We have our fully owned office in Como who serves as sourcing and designing and we also work closely with other designing studios in Como and Japan. We have our own intellectual copyrights for all our products. Babei has invested heavily on designing software German EAT and has adopted the ERP computerized management system specially designed for Babei .The system carries out the task of scientific management which coordinates and supervises all flows in production and operation ,and this will not only improve our working efficiency and reduce the chances of mistakemaking , but also provide good conditions for operating the whole company at high efficiency. Babei will debut our new collections at Intertextile Shanghai every year. Please send your enquiry to e-mail: yak@babei.com.

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F FI NE W S

Thanos Kamiliotis, The Greek, Is Fiorete’s USA Agency He Married a Romanian, But Sells All Italian Sipco News Network

EW YORK, New York — Thanos Kamiliotis, the 72 year old who runs the USA agency for Fiorete recently received a beautiful Picasso tribute painted by his wife Daniela on the side of their Bethel, Connecticut home. She has also painted scenes from Matisse and Cocteau on different exterior walls of the couple’s home. Art is a passion for the couple

and Kamiliotis supports no less than five art schools including Philadelphia University, Art Institute of California and New York and the High School of Fashion Industries. The unusual mural inspired by Picasso was presented for their 25th wedding anniversary in 2012 and has become the talk of their artistic community. Daniela, when she is not painting, is the senior vice president of the women’s

Thanos Kamiliotis

Daniela Kamiliotis

collection for Ralph Lauren. “I met Daniela when I first came to the U.S. prior to learning the textile trade in the 1950’s working for Abraham Silks in Zurich,” he explained. “We bought Robert Schwartzenbach a company which served the editeur market in Lyon, France. I started with Fiorete in 1978, 35 years ago and we also represented apparel fabric producers like Boseli from Italy at that time.” Today, Kamiliotis has two associates in Giovanni Turchet and Roberto Gottardo who help him cover Russia and China respectively while he is busy himself with the American wholesalers for Fiorete USA. (Yes, the Chinese buy Fiorete, he said.) “Fiorete is one of the most significant textile firms in the world with wall, window and upholstery products at a very high level. Fiorete supplies the top editeurs of the world in price ranges from $20-$50 a yard. F&FI

Proposte Debuts New Cazzaniga Brand Velvet Collections by Fiorete Sipco News Network

INO MORNASCO, Italy — Fiorete Group will bring its first Cazzaniga brand silk velvet collections to Proposte 2013. Fiorete Group manager Gianmarco Zamaroni previously announced the February 8 purchase of Cazzaniga production and finishing assets based in Bulciago, Italy. “Fiorete is a totally vertical mill from yarn preparation forward and wet printed and digitally printed velvet are planned for the future,” Zamaroni said. As part of the deal, Enrico Cazzaniga, former owner; Singita, Cazzaniga’s Indian designer and 12 Cazzaniga velvet technicians are all joining the new Fiorete operation to continue Cazzaniga’s 100 plus year velvet tradition, Zamaroni explained. The purchase price was not discussed with F&FI but the kind of equipment Fiorete acquired with the asset purchase included 24 Van de Wiele velvet looms that typically sell for $350,000 each. The acquisition will allow Fiorete to expand its high end offer of jacquard woven upholstery and drapery

Zamaroni

Cazzaniga

to include woven silk velvet for the first time in its nearly 80 year history as a mill. Five years ago, Fiorete adjusted its radar to produce only high end fabrics and Cazzaniga fills out the total offer with a line of $50-$100 per meter velvets, Zamaroni emphasized. Although at one time Cazzaniga might have been as much as a $50 million business, Zamaroni is projecting only $8 million in sales for 2014 for the new velvet collections. Existing collections will continue to be produced to fill customer orders, he stated, with no down time, he said. Cazzaniga had been looking for a financial partner at yearend 2012 under the terms of Italian

bankruptcy law and this deal guarantees the continuation of Cazzaniga at least as a high end velvet brand now produced by Fiorete in its own finishing plant built just two years ago. Now Fiorete will continue to make the high end silk and cashmere velvet qualities demanded by the world’s best editors and jobbers. Once the Italian industry shuts down for summer holidays in July, all of the equipment will be moved to Fiorete’s facility in Fino Mornasco from Bulciago, Zamaroni said. This includes a 45 meter long finishing line which will be trucked in pieces to the new home of Cazzaniga velvet by Fiorete. F&FI

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

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Company Tosunoglu A/S, founded by Mister Tosunoglu Senior, started as a weaving mill for terry toweling fabrics in the Denizli region of Turkey. Throughout the years getting involved in the production of chenille yarns, the step to manufacturing upholstery fabrics came along, and the company Tosunoglu A/S changed into an up to date and state of the art weaving facility, fully integrated, producing quality woven jacquard upholstery fabrics, serving the major European furniture manufactures, whole sale and distributor companies all over Europe and parts of the world. Continuous investment and adaption towards the machinery park has provide the company Ragolle a leading role on the major European markets such as their home market Turkey but as well Germany, France, Benelux and Scandinavia. Creativity and daily research for new constructions, together with a full modern equipped in house design department, innovation in weaving technic, developments of particular yarns and special finishes has allowed the company Tosunoglu A/S to established a worldwide known and respected name in our industry. At the time that the second generation came on board, the 2 sons, Mehmet and Murat joined the company and the focus and emphasize of the business turned towards the residential upholstery fabrics for the European sofa manufacturers and the they created a brand name: INTEGRO for their entire collections. Being one of the main supplier for several years on the European market, having been seriously confronted as most of the European weaving mills, with the tremendous import from Far East and more particular, South East Asia (China – India), company Tosunoglu A/S has reacted on the serious fall down of the European textile industry, becoming a confident and trustful supplier, emphasizing on a quality woven “European” product, innovative in design and color, keeping service and delivery time in mind requiring small quantities and still offering very attractive pricing. Close relationship with their customers, custom made developments and continuous research for new markets and niches, show the firm motivation of the family Tosunoglu and its entire team to further expend growth in this industry. Since last November 2012, Guy H. Parmentier – a well known export consultant in our industry, joined the Tosunoglu Team to focus on the more international – oversees and intercontinental part of the export business for company Ragolle. One of the main goals of this export strategy is to seriously develop the business in North America and the Asian markets, without losing eye on the South Pacific and South Africa area and introducing their collection into South America. Step by step, exploring those markets, focusing on the volume and medium end niches, bringing at quality European woven products, offering 2 pieces minimum ordering and quick delivery, company Tosunoglu A/S is gaining market share within its new developed markets such as North America, more specific USA market. Mainly operating throughout distribution with selected partners on an exclusive basis. Looking forward to presenting their New INTEGRO collections – residential as well as contract and hospitality fabrics at the upcoming EVTEKS 2013 exhibition in Istanbul Turkey, starting from May 15th till May 20th 2013. The management and the entire Tosunoglu Team is convinced to become a main player, all over the world in this industry, focusing on fine quality woven products, innovative and creative in design and color, correct but affordable pricing with a first class service and keeping the demands and requests of their highly respected customers in mind. The world has changed, the economy becomes daily a global enterprise, our textile industry has seriously changed but quality, creativity and service oriented companies, always will remain in this new world! Well, company TOSUNOGLU A/S has decided to be one of them and is daily working hard to succeed and satisfy its highly respected customer basis worldwide.

F FI p h o t o g a l l e r y

BDNY BoutiqueDesign New York Hosts 250 Exhibitors The hospitality design trade is flocking to BDNY for the unique and unusual in fabrics and wallcoverings if this year’s third rendition is any indication. Here were some of the entrants in this year’s show. Like Showtime, BDNY is held in December.

Geoff Peck, marketing director for Townsend Fabrics, Johnstown, NY shows off his new harlequin printed leather collection

Cynthia Degenhardt, principal of Rodolph, Sonoma, CA. exhibited her first collection of pvc wall tiles and contract fabrics.

Showtime Sees Major Print Fabric Emergence

Chella’s Lee Menichella, the outdoor fabrics specialist, displayed this open weave casement designed for outdoor or indoor use.

Showtime

HIGH POINT, North Carolina — It seems that prints are driving woven sales and not the other way around. As the whole world moved towards wovens, prints fell out of favor but they are back strong in a specialized way as the consumer chooses an eclectic mix of textures, prints and wovens. Matchy, matchy is passé. Botanical prints from Edgar and Covington; bird prints from Richloom are examples of the trend. These are standalone collections which coordinate with wovens. Color brings it all together with many different basecloths as the print canvas. Covington features six different basecloths on its new print collections and had their biggest print introduction in years. Even Valdese Weavers CEO and president Mike Shelton said he would love to get into the Maida Cameron, Valdese Weavers sales repreprint business! Valdese customer CottonBelle says sentative in New York with Neil Nahoum, NMN that Valdese is providing the fashion push lacking Sales Group, New York City and Scott Kravet, Zack Taylor was vice president of marketing for Valdese as in off shore merchandise —Eric Schneider vice president of design, Kravet Inc., Bethpage, NY; Maggie Reilly, Valdese sales with Alice Guercio, vice president, product development, Kravet Fabrics Corp., Bethpage.

Art student champion Wes Mancini wore his North Carolina Arts Medal

Louise Cullen Robinson, newly named vice president, creative development for Richloom Fabrics Group shows off a new bird print

of this past winter’s Showtime but has since gone on to being president of a furniture company! He’s shown here with Lynne Carroll, Valdese sales representative with Mary Lou Roth with CottonBelle, pillow producer in Belle, MO. Roth says business is up!

Iraj Farshchian, principal of All Seasons Interiors, Arlington, TX with Brett and Jeff Rubin, principals of Edgar fabrics Inc., Hauppauge, NY converter with new botanical printed suede cloth.

Lawrence Brill, long-time member of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Textiles section has become an independent consultant specializing in setting up exporters in foreign markets. He was spotted at Showtime ion December.

Stacey Sheron, owner of 70,000 square foot retail showroom Lewis & Sheron Textiles, in Atlanta with Luc Callens, director of marketing of High Five with Bobbi Sheron of Lewis & Sheron and Jeff Rocque, High Five sales agent in North Carolina.

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

Larry Shapiro, Covington sales, New York with Tom Bruno (right) vice president, sales, Covington and customers Allison and Mitchell Bassen, Bassen Fabrics Inc., New York

Nancy Kanter, Robin Chandler and Better Dalman of Forsyth Fabrics, Atlanta retailer, with Mike Harding (left) and John Ringer, Richloom Fabrics

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Heimtextil 2013: The Largest home furnishings show was Nice Ice Baby!

Morad Noras, chairman of El Nora’s Texture, a mill in Cairo, Egypt purchasing some qualities from Sercan Basaran, a principal of Erteks Tekstil, Bursa, Turkey and Karam Noras, also with El Nora’s.

Messe Frankfurt produced another blockbuster event with 2,700 exhibitors and visitors from all corners of the earth. The Mideast was especially in evidence in terms of buyers with some new exhibitors from Egypt and Turkey. If you went to the exhibitors’ party, some of the most interesting fabrics were frozen in solid blocks of ice and became part of a terrific ice show that was very original in flavor like some of the frozen designs. It seemed that people were having a good time again in spite of the European economic woes. Let’s hope the spring brings even more good economic news for the Fabric in ice block is another textiles industry. way to keep a design ‘fresh.’

Heimtextil

Aysim Tukek, Sibelius Anabolu and collection manager Ceren Erten, all from Sertex, a division of Flokser Group with Affabre Design Studios’ Wolfgang Kosak from Vienna, Austria

Karen De Pooter and Kim Lossy, Bru Group buyers based in Kontich, Belgium with Nimish Arora, sales manager, Dicitex Furnishings, Mumbai

Abhisek Poddar, executive director, Siyaram Silk Mills Ltd., Mumbai with customer Brian Danielan, Valiant Fabrics, Ashville, NC wholesaler

Jane Clark, studio assistant with Chris Worrall, group managing director of Crowson, Monkwell and Design Archives, East Sussex, UK. Crowson is trying to regroup and relaunch.

Claire Greenfield, weave design manager with Rebecca Cox and Claire Vallis, design director, all with Harlequin Group, Leicestershire, UK and Andrew Molyneux, director of Weavers Gallery, British agents for GM Fabrics, India

Asif Kamal, Arif Kamal, principals of Woodson Impex, New Delhi with Sumaiya Gelu, agent based in London for Woodson Impex

Murat Tosonoglu, principal of Integro Editions, Denizli, Turkey with his colleague Guy Parmentier and daughter Ece, who is studying textile design

Henk Van der Stek, a director of Kobefab, Holland with Archie Tchernov, principal of Arben, the Moscow based fabric wholesaler.

Spring 2013

Olaf Schmidt, textile design manager and boss Detlef Braun, general manager of Heimtextil laugh it up for a job well done. That’s 2,700 exhibitors folks at Heimtextil. Take a bow gentlemen!

Murat Kaba, export manager, Epengle, Istanbul with Amal Bengelloun, principal of Divertissement, Casablanca fabric wholesaler

Leslie ‘Tim’ Graham, national sales manager, drapery hardware, B.Berger Co., Macedonia,O., now owned by Duralee, Bayshore, N.Y, with Lee Silberman, Vice President of Duralee

Gurvinder Singh, principal of GM Fabrics, Mumbai weaver with Billy Lindsay, buying and product development manager with Enashaw, important supplier to retailers based in the UK

Onder Ozbarut, owner of Oz-Is, trim producer, Istanbul with Ookubo, Ms. kashiwazaki; Mr. Vienola Jr. his dad Jaska of Oy Hansard Ltd., Helsinki Finland agents with Mr. Matsuyama of Joyful Honda Co., Ltd, Kantoh, $1.2 billion retailer in the Kantoh area of Japan

Kush Arya (son) director and Harish Arya, (dad) managing director of Sushitex, Mumbai with Monica Elizondo, owner of Vistatex, LeGlans(r) book jobber based in Monterrey; That’s Sushna, Arya’s wife and Suvi Arya, wife of Harish top of photo

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F FI c a l e n d a r April

02 – 05 Decotex Russia Home Textiles & Furnishings: Decotex is the leading one stop resource and forum for interior designers, architects and specifiers in Russia. Products offered by exhibitors include Textiles floor surfaces, Wall coatings, Window decoration, Finishing fabrics, Domestic fabrics, Stunning fabrics, Imaginative lighting, Luxurious bedlinen, Innovative furniture and Bespoke products and services. Expocenter Krasnaya Presnya Moscow Moscow, Russia 14, Krasnopresnenskaya nab., Moscow, Russia, 123100 http://www.mosbuild.com/exhibitions/ design---decor/decotex e. building@ite-exhibitions.com t: +44 20 7596 5000 f: +44 20 7596 5111

20 – 23 Hong Kong International Home Textiles and Furnishings Fair Organised by the HKTDC and held at the HKCEC, the Hong Kong International Home Textiles Fair offers a wide range of high quality products such as bathroom textile, bedroom textile, kitchen textile, carpet & floor covering. It is a specialist trade platform giving exhibitors and buyers of home textiles immediate access to markets in Asia and beyond. Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre 1 Expo Drive, Wanchai Hong Kong, China (Hong Kong S.A.R.) Customer Service Line Tel: (852) 1830 668 Ms. Vivian Lam Tel: (852) 2240 4189 Ms. June Wong Tel: (852) 2240 4622 www.hktdc.com/hkhometextilesfair

20 – 25 High Point Market High Point Market is the largest furnishings industry trade show in the world, bringing more than 85,000 people to High Point every six months. Serious retail home furnishings buyers can be found in Hig Point twice a year because if you can’t find it in High Point, it probably doesn’t exist. Trade Visitors - Importers, Agents, Wholesalers, Manufacturers, Distributors,

Major retailers of Advertising, Home Furnishings and Interior Design, Gifts, Games, Hobbies, and Toys & General Public are the target visitors. Profile for exhibit include Real Estate; Intelligence-oriented Community; City Planning and Publicity; Cooperation on Real Estate Projects; Gardening and Virescence; Bathroom Ceramics; Kitchen Utensils; Window & Cabinet System; Glass Products; Floor Material; Chemical Coating; Energy-saving Construction; Electrical Lighting; housing decoration; Sports & Leisure Products; Household Electrical Appliances; Furniture, Kitchen Apparatus; Office Furniture; Hotel Furniture. High Point Market Authority Downtown Showroom Shuttle High Point, United States Of America Contact Person: Ms. Dawn Smith Tel: +180-087-46492 PO BOX 5243, High Point, Nc, United States Of America Tel:+(1)-(800)-8746492

May

7 – 09 Proposte Como Proposte Expo is a dedicated event showcasing the finest in homeware products. This captures the imagination and fuels a demand, which encourages visitors to return year after year. The fair is not open to the public. Visitors to PROPOSTE ACCESS THE FAIR ONLY IF INVITED by the Operative Secretariat of the same fair, and rigorously chosen among the following categories: Textile editors, Producers of upholstered furniture, Wholesalers, Wide distribution chains, Converters, Contract operators. EXHIBITORS FEATURE thousands of product lines showcasing a wide array of lifestyle merchandise including gifts, fine furniture, tabletop, collectibles, floor coverings, lighting and home decor, decorative accessories, stationery, holiday items, gourmet foods, floral, linens, paper products, bath & body items, apparel, children’s giftware and handcrafted products. Organizer: Proposte SRL Viale Sarca, 223 - 20136, Milan, Italy Tel:+(39)-(2)-6434054

Advertiser Index For more information about one of our advertisers, see the page number listed: Aqua Clean Fabrics . . . . . . . . . 6 Aydin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Babei. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 & 33 Beekalene. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Brooks Fabrics. . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Classical Elements . . . . . . . . . . 1 Covington. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Dicitex Furnishings. . . . . . . . . 39 D’Decor. . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 & 21 Express Air Freight. . . . . . . . 29 Fiorete. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 GM Fabrics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Integro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Kravet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Messe Frankfurt. . . . . . . . . . . 30 Mod Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 MoOD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 O’Sullivan Films. . . . . . . . . . . 16 Oz-Is. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Pavilion Textiles. . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Proposte. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Richloom Fabric Group. . . . . 15 Rockland Mills. . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 3 Showtime/ITMA. . . . . . . . . . . 24 Tessitura Di Nole. . . . . . . . . . . 9 Tosunoglu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Valdese Weavers. . . . . . . . . . . 17

15 – 17 - HD Expo Las Vegas The 21st Hospitality Design Expo is a largest expo which originates innovative and creative designs in the hospitality sector. Over 900 leading manufacturers and artisans from all the five continents will gather under one roof and offer the latest and best inventions and ideas related to hospitality industry. It is one of the biggest shows which maintain their strong relationships with leading firms which includes The American Institute of Architects (AIA), International Interior Design Association (IIDA), National Council of Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ), American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and many more. Hospitality Design Expo will invite more than 7,000 design professionals and interior designing companies from all around the world. Over 7,000 design professionals, Interior Design Companies, Hotels/Resorts, Purchasing Firms, Developers and more will discover the creative and innovative range of hospitality sector. More than 80% of attendees will be key decision makers in decor and design purchasing. Near about 80% visitors will be from foreign countries which include Australia, Asia, Europe, South America and the Middle East. The 20th Hospitality Design Expo will witness over 900 exhibitors from all over the world. Leading manufacturers and artisans of Accessories Furniture, Amenities Lighting, Appliances Seating, Art Signage, Bath/Spa Software, Bedding Tables, Building Products Tabletop Products, Fabrics Wall Covering, Flooring Window Treatment and more will participate at the expo as exhibitor. It will be a great networking place for the exhibitors to interact with the potential buyers. Mandalay Bay Convention Center Las Vegas, United States Of America Nielsen Business Media, USA Contact Person: Mr. Jeff Brown Tel: +1-770-2915435 1145 Sanctuary Parkway Suite 355, Alpharetta, United States Of America Tel:+(1)-(646)-6545000/4934100

diser, premium buyer will also become the part of the show. Manufacturers of upholstery fabric & leather, bed linen & blanket, bathroom products, & towels, kitchen textiles, table linens, decorative pillows, carpets & rugs, solarprotective materials and curtain accessories will be exhibiting in the EVTEKS. Exhibitors will provide their different types of services like decorative fabrics & trimmings, wall coverings, floor coverings, interior decoration & handicrafts, deco contract, trade publications, curtains & tulles and embroidery. CNR Expo Center Istanbul, Turkey I. T. F. Istanbul Trade Fair CNR International Exhibition Center, Ataturk Havalimani Kars isi D.T.M., Istanbul, Turkey Tel:+(90)-(212)-4657475 Fax:+(90)-(212)-4657476

19 – 23 SURTEX SURTEX is the annual trade show for the surface design industry, bringing together the owners and creators of surface design (artists/ designers/ studios/ agents/ brands/ licensors) and manufacturers, retailers, marketers, etc., that utilize surface design for their product development needs. The show also serves to connect, educate, inspire and support this community on a year-round basis through webinars, newsletters and other activities. Since 1986, SURTEX has been the single event and global resource offering the full scope of art selling and licensing under one roof. Jacob K. Javits Convention Center New York, United States Of America 11th Avenue & 655 West 34th & 38th Street, New York, New York 1133, Westchester Ave. White Plains, New York, United States Of America (1)-(914)-4213200 Fax (1)-(914)-9482867Contact Organizer Contact Person: Mr. Penny Sikalis +1-914-4213297

15 – 19 Evteks Istanbul

23 – 25 India International Home Textile Exhibition

More than 1,000 exhibitors and 100,000 professional visitors will become the part of EVTEKS from all around the world. The show will discuss the latest designs and products to create the most effective business platform for the industry. EVTEKS will witness showcase of products and service like decorative fabrics & trimmings, wall coverings, floor coverings, interior decoration & handicrafts, deco contract, trade publications, curtains & tulles and embroidery, bathroom products, & towels, kitchen textiles, table linens, decorative pillows and carpets & rugs. The event will invite national as well as the international visitors for the show. EVTEKS will invite many visitors from all over the globe. The main visitors will be importer, exporter, wholesaler and distributor, agent and buying office. Apart from these some other important visitors will be owner of department store, chain and specialty store, design and lifestyle store. Interior designer, mass merchan-

India International Home Textile Exhibition can be stated as the perfect platform for the leading suppliers who are going to target the domestic as well as international markets. This event is going to invite both national and international buyers who are going to take full advantage of the exhibition that is going to take place in this event. This is going to take place in Bangalore, India and the time is for three consecutive days. India International Home Textile Exhibition is going to hold a business networking forum as its important highlight which is going to invite the Chairmen, Managing Directors, Directors, CEOs, General Managers, Sourcing Manager, Purchase Manager, Marketing Head & Merchandisers and more benefit from it. Palace Grounds Bengaluru, India Jayamahal Road Bengaluru Karnataka

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

India SS Textile Media Private Limited No. 34, Second Floor 17th Cross, Cmh Road, Laxmipure Bengaluru, Karnataka, India Tel: +(91)-(80)-41151841 / 25544711 Fax: +(91)-(80)-25544711Contact Organizer Contact Person: Event Manager Tel: +91-80-25544711 Mob: +91-9845446570 Fax: +91-80-25541841

June

10 – 12 NeoCon Chicago Neocon 2013 will display large collection of furnishing products and accessories such as Art, Architectural Products, Building Products and Services, Carpet/Flooring, Ceiling Systems, Casegoods, Flooring, Furniture, Lighting, Seating, Stone and Ceramic Tile, Sustainable Products, Technology / Textiles, Wall Treatments and more. More than 40,000 attendees will attend the Neocon 2013 and discover the latest furnishing concepts. It will cater to both commercial and residential furnishing sector. Visitors can get an array of furnishing products for home and office at one single place. Attendees can make some fair deals at the expo and get some discount as well. Newly born companies will get innovative business deals and forge some new business contacts at the expo. Neocon 2013 invites more than 40,000 of visitors from the entire world. The main visitors to the show will be Architects & Interior Designers, Builders, Hotels, Resorts & Restaurant Key People & Property Managers, Manufacturers of Related Products & Furniture, Importers & Exporters, Dealers & Traders of Furniture & Furnishings, Managing Directors, Proprietors, Presidents of Corporate & Private Sector Companies and lots more. Visitors will be able to outlook the diversify furniture products at the expo. Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. Contact Person: Ms. Victoria Kas Tel: +1-312-5277599 Suite 470, The Merchandise, Chicago, United States Of America Tel:+(1)-1-800-677-6278 Fax:+(1)-(312)-5277980

August

25 – 27 GLM GLM has revealed plans to launch Surtex Asia, a new trade fair which will aim to meet the growing demands in the territory for surface design for product development. The show will take place from August 25 to 27 at the Kerry Hotel in Pudong, Shanghai. Surtex Asia will feature more than 50 top textile design studios from the UK, Europe, North America, South America and Japan. It is likely to attract more than 1,500 manufacturers from China, South East Asia and the Middle East. Head to surtexasia.com for further details.

Spring 2013 n

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