Fabrics & Furnishings - Spring 2012 Issue by Fabrics & Furnishings International

Spring 2012

See F&FI at Proposte May 8-10, 2012

The Global Home & Contract Furnishings Newspaper

See all vendor listings on page 28

Stout Hangs Tough, Weathers Major Fire, Sees Five Percent Sales Growth in 2012, Adds Hospitality Family owned firm does what it has to survive and prosper after 85 years. Sipco News Network

year old national fabric wholesaler doing about $20 million in sales. “Lack of sales last July as a result of the fire hurt us but we completely recovered by August and managed to meet 2010 sales levels,” he said. He sees a five percent sales gain in 2012 only because

OLMAR, Pennsylvania — Stout beat the effects of a devastating fire last year but continues to grow in spite of a U.S. market which needs to recover from lackluster housing starts, says Mark Rickers, the fabric buyer for this 85

the family held company reacted quickly to the fire damage and was able to contract a New York computer services firm to handle the customer traffic. Rickers and his two partners, brothers Bill and Bob Greenawalt along with customer service (Continued on page 16)

Stout Brothers Partners: Bob Greenawalt (first row extreme left) with brother Bill Greenawalt and Mark Rickers; John Greenawalt (end of first row right) with his sister Kate Greenawalt on top row; Kate and John are Bill’s kids. Mark Rickers’ two boys are: Kyle (black leather coat) and MD (Mark Daniel) at top of pyramid.

J. Queen New York Bedding Designs Drive New Piecegoods Company expects to quadruple business in ten years

Petra Götte

by Eric Schneider

Joins HECO

RANKFURT, FDR — J. Queen New York, the successful new entry in the U.S. bedding industry with a reported $20 million plus sales in its first

Page 22

Bob and Stacy Senior

Elevate Thibaut

Jerry Mobley, Joyce Alcantara and Julie Brady

Page 14

Juan Climent

(Continued on page 26)

D’Décor Expands Solid Color Capacity

Camira Projects $100 Million Through Direct A/D

(Story on page 8)

Company bypasses U.S. contract jobber

Merges KA Biz

Page 30

year of shipping has followed up with a collection of piecegoods based on the best selling bedding designs. The company hopes to build a $100 million business with 20

Sipco News Network

uddersfield, Yorkshire, UK — Camira Fabrics,

a 40 year old, privately held English woolens weaver, expects to achieve $100 million sales (Continued on page 32)

Sanjay Arora

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

Ajay Arora

Roc-lon Blackout Drapery ÂŽ

Contact your local selling agent for more details and information regarding our complete program of Roc-lon products. We have sales representation in every major world market.

Rockland Mills Division, Rockland Industries, Inc. P.O. Box 17293 Baltimore, MD 21297 pHONE: 1-410-522-2505 FAX: 1-410-522-2545

International Customers Please call 1-410-522-0088 E-Mail: MAIL@Roc-lon.com www.roc-lon.com

Fabrics and Linings... The World’s Standard of Excellence The Rockland Mills programs of Blackout drapery linings and fabrics are truly world class. Our customers in over 80 world markets, both commercial and trade, know that they can rely on the quality, variety, delivery and performance built into every yard of fabric. That’s because every yard is manufactured with strict quality control, using the finest textiles and best technology available. There’s over 40 years of manufacturing know how and expertise in every product produced by Rockland’s Maryland and South Carolina plants. Whether for residential or commercial use, for total Blackout or Dim-Out, with or without flame resistant finish, there is a Rockland product for the job. Rockland Mills’ Blackouts are available in widths from 54 inches (137 cm) up to 110 inches (280 cm), and in every color of the rainbow, in plain or textured fabrics. Our Blackouts are even available with printed designs from an extensive pattern library, or if you prefer, we can use your custom designs or colors. Roc-lon Blackout linings can also be purchased as ready-made Blackout liners or draperies which are ready to hang, and which are produced under the same strict quality standards.

Performance FABRICS

where style follows function

©R ock lan

d In du

stri

es,

Inc

. 20 1

F&FI L E T T E R S Letter to the Editor

The Global Home & Contract Furnishings Newspaper

Epitaph for Gratry Lorthiois, the French Weaver The company ‘Gratry Lorthiois’ disappeared to become a brand name in 2009. When the new owners Antoine and Damien Willefert bought the company in January, 2009 I left the company several months later. There are many factors the new company Textiles de France had to face: the economic situation; the disappearance of dyers and yarn suppliers; the lack of experience in the home furnishing world and difficult communication with the unions. It is sure that what will be missed is the real

know-how of workers for traditional jacquard designs for “special” loom set ups. Within the last ten years, more than half of the very fine and old weaving companies have disappeared in France. None was able to adapt their strategies and production to the market evolution. Patricia Duyck, textiles consultant, France (Note: As previously reported on fandfi.com, Gratry Lorthiois, founded in 1780, and parent company Textiles Ile de France declared bankruptcy December 1, 2011.)

Table of Contents

Contract/HospitalityNews Dobin Children Take Valley Forge Reins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Schofield Sees Big Growth at Camira . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . At 50, Fumagalli Family Mill Still Energetic, Hard Working . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Proposte’s Gustavo DeNegri Develops Washable ‘Esant’ Silk for Luxury Yachts . . . . . . . Skaff Group Presents New Façade, Collection, Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pair Form Senzza with Chinese Owners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editeurs push ‘Deco Off’ While Maison Objet Declines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maison Décor, KA International Stores Merge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Technical | Fred Meyers www.TappanZeePC.com 914.631.5595

SIPCO NEWS NETWORK India | S. Vishwanath U.K. | Geoff Fisher Belgium | Jan Hoffman USA | Marc Weinreich E ditorial & P ublishing

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 d v ertising S ales

TURKEY Sevim Keskinci Tel: 90.532.236.25.24 Fax: 90.216.390.20.27 E-Mail: skeskinci@gmail.com

INDIA Rekha V. Tel: 91.80.26685821 Cell: 91.93.42821379 Fax: 91.80.26684670 E-mail: s_wishwanath@hotmail.com

Italy, Germany, Spain, France Isa Hofmann Tel: +49 611.890.59640 Fax: +49 611.87086 Email: info@ihofmann.com

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION

32 36

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.

28 28 29 29 30 30

Departments Photo Gallery - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34-35 Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Advertiser Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

CORPORATE CONSULTANTS Printing/Distribution | Interprint Web Printing

E.U. Legal Counsel | Herman Nayaert

Classical Elements Triples Warehouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 German Area Contract Fabric Weavers See Export Opportunity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 C.P. Davis Leaves Shuford Mills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Abercrombie Expands Outdoor Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Cohen Builds Large, Global Trim Empire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Culp’s European Entrance Signals Transition As Vertical Supplier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Frank Saxon Speaks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Victor Covets More Custom Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Victor Gains Sales Manager; Robert Allen Loses Another Key Exec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Microfibres Outdoor Line Combines Flock, Wet-Prints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Thibaut Launches Upholstery Line, While Expanding Printed Fabrics,Wallcovering . . . . . 14 North Heads Dolan Sales, Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Roc-Lon®Makes One-Two Heimtextil Punch; Mardigras Roc-Suede, Dublin Flax Debuts . 16 Lenauskas Laments North American Textiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Home Expo India Expects Over 5,000 International Buyers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 JAB Graduates Enter New Pastures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Götte Joins Heco After 20 Years at JAB Product Design Post . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Heinz Friedrich Names Schamberger MD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Berndt, Unnamed Partner Buys KOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Covington Names Duban EVP Sales Bruno, Reig-Plaza Add Export Duties. . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Designtex President Tom Hamilton Retires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Galloway Named Robert Allen Contract VP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Duchange Buys Henri Robert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Appelbaum Crafts ‘Hillbrown’ Division, New P/Kaufmann Brand From Clarence House . . 26 DFA Launches Advertising Effort, Expands Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Pretigious Takes Firm Action Against Copyright Infringement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Alps Offers Cotton Solids, Upholstery at Evteks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Depoortere Joins High Five Under New Ownership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Correction In a previous article about Spectro Coating Corp., in Leominster, MA., (USA) it should have said that Susan Strouse represented the company instead of Susan Brehm who does not work for Spectro Coating. We apologize for the error. In the same article, we carried a quote that said: velvet was no longer produced in the USA. The

Publisher & Editor | Eric S. Schneider Associate Editor | Marc Weinreich Art Director | Roxanne Clapp, RoxC LLC Corporate Secretary | Gail Goldman, PhD.

Web Design | Synthovation

F&FI Spring 2012 | Vol. 22, No. 2

Global Marketplace

3 Island Avenue, Suite 6i, Miami Beach, FL 33139 USA Website: www.fabricsandfurnishings.com Telephone 001.917.251.9922 | ISSN: 1523-7303

article neglected to mention that J.B. Martin and Culp Inc. still produced velvets in Anderson, S.C. (USA). This was pointed out to us by Robert Lachow, vice president of sales for J.B. Martin and Liam Waters, senior vice president, sales & design, Culp Inc.

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

John Shane, principal of Shane’s Decorative Sales High Point, NC (USA) sent this original card to his customers featuring daughters Makensie and Katie. John represents Diversitex and Roth & Tompkins Textiles in the USA.

Spring 2012 n

F FI NE W S

D’Décor Expands Solid Color Capacity Sipco News Network

ARAPUR, India — D’Décor with one million square feet of weaving, dyeing and finishing capacity, expects to complete a 100,000 square foot weaving plant here about two hours from Mumbai by September for the production of plain dobby solids according to Sanjay Arora one of two principals with brother Ajay in the growing business. The Aroras are expecting a 25 percent sales increase for D’Décor in 2012. This makes D’Décor one of the largest home furnishings mills in the world today. By reaching such a lofty perch, D’Décor has successfully fended off the Chinese competition in the last five years and has been able to grow while the rest of the world is flat. The two brothers shuttle back and forth weekly by helicopter to Tarapur, thus avoiding the two hours of ground traffic. D’Décor production has been located in Tarapur for 15 years. Sanjay runs the drapery fabric business while Ajay handles the upholstery and bedding business. “The expansion is dedicated to 200 color lines of dobbies which are what the world wants,” Sanjay explains. The plains are available in 300 meter minimums and six to eight colors are added each year. “With this expansion, the goal is to reduce lead-times even further,” he said. Deliveries are currently promised in six to eight weeks. While running full bore producing 130,000 meters a day, running three shifts, six days a week, the brothers also manage to feed 3,500 factory workers three meals a day and pay for their medical care and housing. There is a family atmosphere at the mill. Brother Ajay likens his business to that of Asian Paints, an India based paint supplier with $1.2 billion in sales that is very profitable. He sees that color drives the paint business in the same way

it drives textiles; yet, “paint is far will want and not more of what is more profitable.” He thinks he can currently selling,” Ajay pointed out. do better based on the Asian paint He buys $250,000 worth of original artwork a year to make certain model. “It used to be China, Turkey he has the creativity needed to and India in that order but today, it produce new designs. D’Décor has is India, Turkey and China,” Ajay its own distribution in India and has said. D’Décor started its home customers which feature its entire furnishings business about 12 line of 2,000 sku’s in large format years ago after being in the apparel sample books. “We are looking for fabrics business for 40 years. The partners around the world who two brothers have carried the will feature our entire collection.” ball in the upholstery, curtaining The pair prefers smaller partners and the bedding business today. as opposed to major players who The new lines also feature rugs would tend to dominate their and wallcoverings made by other production. The mill can weave dobby, suppliers. D’Décor produces velvets on brand new Van de Wiele jacquard, embroider and dye all looms; jacquards on the latest of its fabrics. It also has a growing Staubli looms and embroideries business in digitally printed bedding on 58 head Tajima machines. The fabrics using a Mimaki for short company has eight finishing lines runs (600m per day) and Reggiani and extensive dyeing equipment. digital printers for longer runs It can produce 100 percent cotton (2,000 meters per day) to make its goods with Teflon® finish or all FR own printed designs in sheeting and polyester ranges. About 60 percent curtain sets. The fastest growing of the production is in polyester; area however is plain dyed dobby 20 percent cotton and 10 percent fabrics in 200 colors, about 70 viscose. D’Decor is also the Disney licensee in India. “We have proven to be cleverer than the Chinese and less expensive,” Ajay explains, but he likes the competition which has helped improved his business. “China now has higher inflation whereas India has improved its production in the last two years but our job is not over yet. We must continue to innovate and find better customers. We produce the Autostore material handling at D’Decor fashion the world

Transportation to Tarapur percent of the world market today, Ajay confirms. Sanjay said that prices are competitive for solids in the $2.75-$3.25 range. “We have seen a large boost in our business just from the Middle East alone. I can’t believe this is because of an expanding market; rather, it’s from our displacement of the Chinese goods in the market by our customers who recognize us as reliable suppliers.” The average age of the equipment at D’Décor is about four years and the brothers say

they spare no expense to have the latest technology available. “We buy equipment that is flexible so that we can make highly diverse product lines. One of the truly innovative parts of the mill is its state of the art Autostore material handling equipment which is dominated by robotics and handles the 18,000 pieces of warehouse stock. “Many of our competitors surrender all of the value of their textiles just to get the order but we do not follow that philosophy,” Ajay said. F&FI

Digital printing

Classical Elements Triples Warehouse Adds Thom Felicia Hardware Made in USA Sipco News Network

ORRISVILLE, North Carolina — Classical Elements, a trimming supplier has entered 2012 located in a new, 40,000 square foot showroom, office and warehouse here, more than tripling its previous space in order to support a rapid growth rate of 20 percent a year, according to Stuart Gans, president. “We were bursting at the seams

of our previous 12,000 foot space but now we have already almost completely filled the new space with inventory.” He also said that Classical Elements offers same day or next day delivery on all of its products. The new facility has 16 employees and was designed to support that service, Gans said. After successfully launching the Wesley Mancini ‘Minimal’ line of hardware in late 2011, the company

has launched its second designer line of wood hardware created by Thom Felicia. The finials and wood poles of the new line are made in the USA according to Gans who founded the company with his wife Leyla in 2004. They have three boys ages 8, 5, and 3 which has been a challenge for their mom Leyla who is also the designer of many of the trim products. “We expect to continue our designer (continued on page 25)

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

Leyla and Stuart Gans

Spring 2012 n

F FI NE W S

German Area Contract Fabric Weavers See Export C.P. Davis Opportunity; Home Market Looks Lackluster in Future Leaves Shuford Mills inside as outside. While markets in compressed air that we need for reducing energy costs is a matter of by Isa Hofmann

RANKFURT, Germany — German area contract fabric suppliers see a future in export markets, especially in China and India in spite of slow markets at home. SR Webatex, a leading supplier of customized textile solutions in Bayreuth, also recognizes high potential in outdoor markets wherever solar protection is envisaged, according to Berthold Galonska, managing director. “We see high potential in the event market, hotels and holiday clubs for textiles with UV protection as well

Europe are stagnating we experience a growing demand in the emerging markets China and India …where the contract business is of major importance in those regions. Due to their innovation expertise European producers are predestined to pursue the opportunities.” For SR Webatex energy costs will become a serious matter in 2012, above all the tax burden implied. “We certified our products according to EN ISO 16001 and we develop programs to save maximum energy in a sustainable way. 1/3 of our energy is consumed by

our air-jet weaving machines, thus

prime priority (continued on page 12)

Reinhard Backhausen Justus Schmitz

Berthold Galonska

Abercrombie Expands Outdoor Line Sipco News Network

HELBY, North Carolina — Abercrombie Textiles, LLC is expanding its role in the outdoor market with its first full collection of performance outdoor fabrics. The line, which debuted in December of 2011, consists of textured body cloths and patterns in both 100% polyester and polyester-olefin blends. The outdoor collection consisting of over 300 sku’s is priced from $6.50$12.50. Wendy Haithcox, Design director for Abercrombie, describes this offering as a balanced collection of contemporary, transitional and traditional design. “The ideology behind Abercrombie’s outdoor line was to reach the market with a performance fabric at a better value than the acrylic options offered today,” says Haithcox. The Cone Decorative division of Abercrombie historically offered a large selection of acrylic, polyester and olefin outdoor fabrics, but scaled back in

Sipco News Network

recent years prior to being purchased by Abercrombie. The choice to reemerge with a large, exclusively polyester and olefin collection is a decision that owner, John Regan, says he timed very carefully. “We’ve been following the technological progression of high UV polyester and olefin yarns closely for several years, and we like what we’ve seen.” Regan says the new outdoor collection is receiving a warm response from furniture manufacturers in all segments of the outdoor market. “There are many American retailers who have felt they had to specify imported woven and printed outdoor fabrics in order to hit their price points. In return they’re not getting much mileage out of their fabric. With our new performance polyesters and olefins, we believe we have found an optimal balance; attractively priced fabric with exceptional lightfastness and a 5 year warranty.”

Abercrombie has already previewed some of next season’s collection per request from their residential furniture manufacturing customers. “In September we’re adding a group of higher-end polyester fabrics that are deep in body cloths and beautiful patterns with a focus on a great hand”, says Regan. “We’ll continue to bring value to the market with prices between $9.95-$14.95.” In September, Abercrombie is also going to offer an exclusive Crypton outdoor collection. The size of the collection is yet to be determined, but Abercrombie says it will be 100% high UV polyester and be targeted for the fine residential outdoor market. Debbye Lustig, in her new role as Director of Sales and Marketing for Abercrombie, is in charge of overseeing the growth of the outdoor business. F&FI

IGH POINT, North Carolina — C.P. Davis has resigned his post as president of Shuford Mills, Inc. in Hudson, North Carolina in order to pursue other interests. Shuford is the manufacturer of Outdura® fabrics, outdoor fabrics made of solution dyed acrylic fiber. Prior to the sale of Shuford Fabrics to Sattler A.G. of Austria in December, 2010, Davis was an advisor to the Shuford Family, the previous owners. He spent a total of almost five years at the company. Under his leadership, Outdura became a major brand in the outdoor fabrics industry second only to Sunbrella®. Davis is now an operating partner at Succession Capital Partners in Charlotte, North Carolina, a specialist in private equity. Davis is experienced in all textile operations including sales and hopes to combine private equity and turnaround work with his background in the textiles industry. This would include strategic planning, management succession and mergers and acquisitions.F&FI

C.P. Davis

Cohen Builds Large, Global Trim Empire Sipco News Network

Sam Cohen

EW YORK, New York — Samuel Cohen has taken a small, “onesey-twosey” side business of trim for home furnishings and made it into one of the largest suppliers of trim in the world with over 20,000 items in stock. Cohen designs and converts trim in England and France for the high end buyer with novelty items coming from many other parts of the world, including tape made in China. “The tape is sent to India where it is embroidered,” he said. He is shocked he can’t make trim in the USA. “I am looking for partners around the

world who will warehouse and ship trim. This would make us more competitive overseas. I’d also consider acquisitions.” In spite of the difficulties of the trim business, Cohen has built a 10,000 square foot, four and one half stories of trim. Both brothers owned both of the businesses— M&J as well as Samuel Cohen & Sons jointly until they separated the businesses for tax reasons a few years ago. Sam knew he had a potential success based on his experience at M&J because garment designers “were buying tiebacks from us and making belts M&J Trimming-Samuel Cohen & Sons out of them.” (continued on page 25)

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

Spring 2012 n

F FI NE W S

Culp’s European Entrance Signals Transition As Vertical Supplier With Chinese Platform; Poznan Boosts Furniture Business Major supplier opens European based warehouse by Eric Schneider

IGH POINT, North Carolina .— Culp Inc. has targeted Europe as its second largest sales territory after the USA with the opening of its Poznan, Poland based warehouse in March.

Teresa Huffman

Liam Waters

Boyd Chumbley

From this warehouse, Culp is initially offering 40 sku’s from its library of thousands of sku’s from its highly diversified product line, including a new line of Embrace® recycled leather to the European based furniture manufacturer, with no minimum quantity requirement. Gerry Strange is European sales manager, based in Poznan. He works with Jim Nehlsen in the USA. This represents the first time Culp has been able to warehouse product for the European market. The opening of Europe for Culp comes after its successful transition as a manufacturer of upholstery fabrics in the USA to a vertical producer based in China where Culp owns a finishing plant

Spring 2012

since 2004 (near Shanghai) that works with a variety of mills based on their core competency, said Liam Waters, senior vice president of sales and design. “The finishing plant insures that Culp is offering finished product up to world class standards,” he said. “China lacked export finishing capability until Culp got into the equation. In every product, Culp starts with its color line and assigns parts of the color line to each Chinese mill,” he said. “A small number of mills supply Culp in China,” Waters said. “”It’s much like conducting an orchestra. We make the most of the core competency of each mill that we work with, giving each a portion of the color map. When you have to match one dye lot to another from one panel in a sectional to another, this is important.” Recycled leather is Culp’s largest selling category today in a very short time, less than one year. A companion line of warp kitted velvets form China at $4.50$6.50 is being offered along with Embrace. “Recycled leather has replaced artificial suede,” said Liam Waters, Culp vice president, product development. Although Culp still is a player in artificial suede, it sees Embrace recycled leather taking over. “The world buys more margarine than butter when it comes to leather,” Liam laughed. He was describing the 40:1 ratio of recycled leather sales to top grain leather and at a greatly reduced price to the buyer. Culp’s product at $6-$9 a yard in five different weights from dry to lustrous finishes with a polyurethane face for a buttery soft hand and a ground recycled (waste) leather back to give the product heft. “Ours is an upgraded product compared to bonded leather,” Waters explained. Culp is offering Embrace in nine colors for the first time with success. While Culp is a leader in the recycled leather category, Rob Culp admits his company cannot do everything. For example, Culp is not involved in outdoor fabrics. Competitors try to steer clear of Culp when it gets involved in a category to the extent it is involved with leather. ”All we would do is chase dollars going up against Culp,” one converter said. Although Culp at one time generated sales of $300 million in upholstery, today Culp is generating $100 million in sales of upholstery in every conceivable

construction—including flock— with 85 percent of the production in China. Its $130 million in ticking manufacturing business is still based in the USA. Waters said that the ticking business requires faster delivery to the mattress manufacturer than does upholstery to the furniture maker. Culp is a smaller, nimbler supplier, marketer and logistics supplier than it was ten years ago before it transformed itself, Waters explained. “We own the vertical thought process from conception to development,” he added. Culp’s latest quarterly sales report showed an 18.7 percent sales increase overall with $118.2 million and operating income of $6 million for the period ending 10/30. Culp is smaller and more profitable than it used to be. The move to European sales comes ten (continued on page 23)

Culp’s Embrace display in corporate headquarters, High Point, N.C.

Frank Saxon Speaks by Eric Schneider

IGH POINT, North Carolina — “Culp Inc. is the only home fabrics company with a major presence in China, 500 employees in fact,” said Frank Saxon, CEO. Culp serves the U.S. furniture manufacturer and retailer with a vertically integrated China based network of cut and sew and weaving operations. With its new warehouse in Poznan, Poland, Culp expects to make a big dent in the European furniture market as well. Europe is the second largest market after the USA and Canada.

“A lot of our competitors in Europe are converters without our financial strength,” he continued. Culp is a publicly held company in the USA. “That’s important in making our customers comfortable with Culp. Many furniture factories have moved to Poznan or within three hours of this city. Culp is now in the center of the action. Furniture producers in France and Germany are expanding. Northern Europe is in better shape financially than Southern Europe,” he said. Recycled leather has caught on in the USA and Saxon feels it will take some time for it to be successful with the European producers. F&FI

U.S. Tel in US: (800)878-0303 www.expressairfreight.com

Air & ocean freight forwarding worldwide

• L owest prices • Direct computer access to over 100 major airlines

• Automatic e-Mail flight information

• C entralized customer service

• 2-3 day transit time worldwide

• B ilingual staff

ATLANTA OFFICE:

Miami Office:

170-G Penney Road, Forest Park, GA 30297 TEL 1(404) 765-9891 • FAX 1(404) 765-9825

9990 NW 14th St., Suite 111, Miami, FL 33172 TEL 1(305) 592-3344 • FAX 1(305) 592-9988

CHARLOTTE Office:

NEW YORK Office:

1901 Associates Lane, Suite J, Charlotte, NC 28217 TEL 1(704) 359-8900 • FAX 1(704) 359-8600

147-20 184TH St., Jamaica, NY 11413 TEL 1(718) 995-2900 • FAX 1(718) 656-0859

CHICAGO Office:

Seattle Office:

1350 Michael Drive, Suite D, Wood Dale, IL 60191 TEL 1(630) 521-8525 • FAX 1(630) 521-9490

Houston Office:

2700 Greens Rd, Bldg. J, Suite 102, Houston, TX 77032 TEL 1(281) 590-4500 • FAX 1(281) 590-4501

LAS VEGAS Office: 6375 S. Pecos Rd., Suite 106, Las Vegas, NV 89120 TEL 1(702) 307-3809 • FAX 1(702) 638-9000

21086 24th Ave South Suite 127, Seatac, WA 98198 TEL 1(206) 241-5500 • FAX 1(206) 824-1140

washington DC office: 23723 Air Freight Lane Suite 220, Dulles, VA 20166 TEL 1(703) 996-8885 • FAX 1(703) 996-0415

LOS ANGELES Office:

hong kong office:

5733 Arbor Vitae St., Suite 204, Los Angeles, CA 90045 TEL 1(310) 642-8001 • FAX 1(310) 642-8012

Rm B, 11/F, Nathan Commercial Building, 430-436 Nathan Road Kowloon, Hong Kong 852-27700218 • 852-27700215

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

F FI NE W S

Victor Covets More Custom Business Sipco News Network

ALL RIVER, Massachusetts — Victor Group is pushing for more custom work from its customers according to Martin Roy, general manager, residential market. Roy has been in his post for one year. His first order of business was to improve delivery of the three residential brands, Atelier, ($6-$15); Craftex, ($15-$35); and Terrazzo, ($15.95-$32). We have

96 percent on time delivery at this point,” Roy said. “We have stopped all operations in China. Every residential fabric is woven in the USA. Contract and apparel fabrics are woven in Canada and are the concern of Alain Duval, Victor’s owner,” he said. “Business is at a higher level than last year. We now have 20 percent of sales in custom products but we want as much as we can get. We have over 100,000 pieces

Victor Gains Sales Manager; Robert Allen Loses Another Key Exec Sipco News Network

ALL RIVER, Massachusetts (USA) — Dan Payne has been named residential sales manager for the residential division of Victor Group. He reports to Martin Roy, general manager for the residential division of Victor Group. Payne was most recently vice president, residential sales for The Robert Allen Group in New York. Prior to Robert Allen, Payne held sales management positions in two different but highly competitive industries. He will lead Victor’s residential sales division as Victor continues to establish itself as “the premier North American

IGH POINT, North Carolina — Microfibres is showing a line of 20 sku’s of selectively flocked acrylic basecloth with wet printed design for $12.95 a yard. The collection was introduced at the last Showtime. It features a UV rating of 900 hours according to the company. “This is the first time that printed and flocked product

Microfibres outdoor design

Nellie Durocher and Martin Roy

Visit F&FI online! www.fandfi.com Dan Payne supplier of decorative fabric to jobbers and furniture manufacturers,” according to Roy. F&FI

Microfibres Outdoor Line Combines Flock, WetPrints Sipco News Network

of artwork with the acquisition of Quaker and Craftex with 12,000 different yarns. Victor develops its own yarns including novelty space dyed polyester yarns. “Open line is not unique. We want to go beyond open line and bring an edge to our customers. We want to close the gap with our key customers to show them our design capabilities.” Roy feels that custom is the real strength of his company. We work to differentiate ourselves every year. We want our customer to look at us as friends and develop custom looks with Victor,” he said. “We are trying to bring more novelty product to market. With 12,000 different yarns, one can do a lot. Yarn shortages are not a problem for us.” Roy draws on the expertise of three in house designers including Nellie Derocher. She reviews different products with her customers on an iPad. F&FI

has been offered to the outdoor market, a company spokesman said. Previously, we only had plain, printed acrylic fabrics on offer. This takes it up a notch design-wise,” he said. The new line is wet printed and flocked at the Microfibres print plant in Winston-Salem, NC. F&FI

(Continued from page 10)

German Area Contract Fabric Weavers See Export Opportunity; Home Market Looks Lackluster in Future for us.” SR Webatex employs four product developers specialized in the different applications fields. Although the company follows a strong endeavour to conquer the emerging world markets the entire production is and will remain in Germany to guarantee the quality aspect. Backhausen interior textiles, a 160 year old weaver based in Hoheneich, Waldviertel Austria owns the registered brand ‘returnity,’ environmentally friendly produced and recyclable 100 percent polyester fabrics, following the cradle-to-cradle principal. Backhausen changed its entire production to this new quality seal and has been awarded the “cradle-to-cradle-GOLDcertificate”. Reinhard Backhausen, CEO and currently president of the Austrian textile federation does see the most promising potential in specialist retail at the moment. In view of the enormous price pressure, Backhausen considers the contract business to have rather little prospect of success: “It is getting more and more difficult as a producer to gain a foothold in the hospitality market. We opt

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

for market niches with our product portfolio, specialties and innovations. In Western and South Europe we are currently undergoing a process of extreme consumer uncertainty, that is partly fostered by constant negative reporting instead of creating a propulsive business mood. Consumption is slowing down with an impact on all of us in the value chain. Economic experts predict an upswing for the second half of 2012; however we should not expect bigger growth rates in the upcoming 6 years. With regard to this scenario we set the framework by investing in research & development and using new optimized materials. We have always been a pioneer, for example when introducing the first inherently flame retardant polyester or the three dimensional pleated fabrics.” “We are significantly proud of our brand new devoré (burn-out) that we launched December last year”, explains Justus Schmitz, president of Schmitz Werke GmbH & Co. KG in Emsdetten. Drapilux is strong in the contract business and we took a strategic decision not to serve the retail sector any more. “We don’t

appreciate the interchangeability in this sector and want to play our unique trump card.” SchmitzWerke will focus on certain markets successively. Noticeable success has been achieved on the Russian and Scandinavian markets; in China a sales representative office has been established. This internationalization shall be further pursued. Drapilux develops and produces innovative decorative and upholstery fabrics for commercial and residential use that incorporate multiple functionalities such as flame retardant, deodorizing, sound-absorbing or anti-bacterial properties. “We constantly strive to bring innovations to the market place that offers a genuine added value. Committed to progress is our motto. Our statements and product creations are always authentic. They are a dedication and have a longterm commitment and sustainable impact. Take the “we care” collection for example that was particularly created for dementia patients with a dementia-sensitive room design and a complementing color concept.” F&FI

Spring 2012 n

F FI NE W S

Thibaut Launches Upholstery Line, While Expanding Printed Fabrics,Wallcovering by Marc Weinreich

EWARK, New Jersey — “We want to bring back the idea of having furniture made and upholstered in America,” said Bob Senior, president and a principal of Thibaut a wallcovering and fabric converter. This represents a sea change for Thibaut which historically has been dominated by its wallpaper division. Overall, Thibaut reported a 20-percent uptick in business 2011 since the fourth quarter of 2010 and upholstery should account for 15 percent of the Thibaut business. “The time has come where you’re starting to see how long competing products from China last. People don’t want to waste their money.” In January, Bob returned from Heimtextil 2012 and Maison & Objet optimistic that this would be another good year. People at the Heimtextil booth commented on the intertwined leather-looks and embossed vinyls. “People liked that some of our wallpaper is more textural than graphic. They liked the colors that our studio created, the price points and the texture vinyl’s and grass cloths. The key to wallpaper is texture beyond colors.” Aside from the fact that he thinks some clients are now beginning to see the downside of buying cheap products from China, Senior estimates that 98-percent of his products are kept in stock, and companies overseas simply cannot compete with the turnaround time on shipping and freight costs. In fact, he said, he is seeing Russia and countries in Asia looking towards America again for furniture. Currently, three quarters of Thibaut’s business is domestic while the balance is shipped to buyers everywhere from Central and Eastern Europe, Asia, Australia and South America. His company also began 2012 with a new online ordering system. For the first time in its 126 year history clients can now place orders online rather than through mail or fax. Senior retired from RPM International in 2005 and purchased Thibaut in the first quarter of 2006 with his private equity partner, The Riverside Company. Thibaut is now owned by its management and The Riverside

Bob and Stacy Senior Company, which Senior said has been great to him with “understanding when things were tough a few years ago and willing to consider acquisitions and expansionary investments and initiatives.” Previously, Thibaut was owned by RPM International, a publicly traded company that owns The Zissner Group and Rust-Oleum, both paint and finish companies. As president of the Zissner Group in the early 1990’s, Senior became responsible for managing Thibaut. His daughter, Stacy, had recently graduated from Loyola College with a degree in Business Administration and she was one in a small team to report to Senior for Thibaut’s “overall strategic guidance and financial planning and results,” he said. Stacy is now marketing director of Thibaut. She and her father have already expanded the wallcovering and fabric business starting in 2007 with the acquisition of U.K.based Anna French. He said companies aren’t focusing on printed fabrics and to address that void, Anna French has committed to one wallpaper collection and one fabric collection annually. Thibaut has four wallpaper and four fabric collections each year. On average, he estimates that a yard of fabric from Thibaut retails for $90. Stacy said she recognizes that

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

Anna French carries luxury products and that clients may not have the appetite for opulence right now, but she’s confident that “people will pay for something special because they don’t want to feel like they’re being ripped off.” “Anna French hasn’t had an overwhelming impact on revenues until recently,” said Bob. “It’s become more popular now because we have more products, a better base for distribution and they have become more harmonious with Thibaut’s existing business worldwide.” As a company, Anna French is relatively small. It has a warehouse and an office in London and a staff of six people. Jonathan French, the son of Anna French, founder, moved to the U.S. after the acquisition and now serves as brand manager to develop expansionary programs and manage relationships with the showrooms. Thibaut does not have its own showroom but is in over 70 showrooms across the U.S. As part of its market research to gauge how and where to diversify it product offering, the company conducted a study in 2009 in which it surveyed 2,000 people on the most important part of the residence to furnish. The master bedroom was listed as number one and it appears to remain this way today, Stacy said. F&FI

Spring 2012 n

Leading Buyers and Suppliers of Textiles Agree, It’s ‘Showtime’ International Textile Market

of Showtime for ITMA. “It’s

Showtime represents the

casual furniture and marine/

Association

will

a critical opportunity for our

most thorough presentation of

boat/yacht operations find a

and

welcome well over 800 buying

manufacturing exhibitors to

the hottest textiles and leathers

stunning breadth of offerings

textiles,

companies to its upcoming

present to the widest possible

for buying companies in these

that are shown nowhere else.

June show in High Point.

audience

consumer categories: home

“Showtime is where it all

The Western Hemisphere’s largest

and

gathering

most of

manufacturers

important

buyers of

leathers and trimmings, expects

(ITMA),

buyers

a boost in attendance this year

“On average, our exhibitors

compressed time frame. It’s

furnishings, apparel, fashion

starts,” said Leslie Brown,

as the economy continues its

will schedule upwards of 100

super efficient for exhibiting

accessories, hospitality, interior

sales rep with Circa 1801, a

positive climb.

appointments during the run

vendors. And for buyers, there’s

designers, catalogers, fabric

Valdese, North Carolina textile

Showtime, the semi-annual

of the show,” said Catherine

no other show like it on this

retailers, window coverings and

manufacturer. “We find the

textile trade show of the

Morsell, Executive Director

side of the Atlantic Ocean.”

top-of-bed. Even outdoor and

show is especially important for furniture designers who depend on it to develop their lines for Fall Market.” For

buyers

Linda

Lane, Showtime is a can’t-miss date, twice each year. “It is so important for people like me whose livelihoods depend on knowing what’s going on in the world of fabrics,” Lane said. “One of the best trends I’ve noticed with Showtime over the past couple of years, is that we are seeing vendors putting much less emphasis on quantity and a greater stress on quality. When you know you can see the best of the best, it makes every meeting exciting. My meeting calendar is already quickly filling up.” The ITMA’s Morsell has observed that, “As companies scrutinize travel and product research outlays, it has become less feasible for buyers to tour mills and examine new lines. Those buyers who stay on top of the game attend Showtime because they can see all the newest and hottest ideas in fabric, leather and trimmings. Over and over again, we hear from our exhibiting vendors and the buying companies that attend Showtime, this is the one show that they can’t miss.” Now in its 22nd year, Showtime runs Sunday, June 3, 2012 through Wednesday, June 6, 2012 in High Point, North Carolina. Find exhibitor lists, schedules, transportation, lodging

and

information

registration www.itma-

showtime.com.

Spring 2012

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

F FI NE W S

North Heads Dolan Sales, Marketing Sipco News Network

ELHEIM, Germany — Matthew North has has been appointed head of sales & marketing for Dolan® solution dyed acrylic fibers in addition to his duties in the viscose fiber operations of Lenzing. North is also head of sales and marketing for Lenzing Business Unit Filaments. He reports to Luis Puncernau, Dolan plant director. North takes over his new responsibilities in the wake of the departure of Dave Hoyland, previous head of Dolan. Hoyland left the Lenzing Filaments Business

Unit at the end of 2011 where he was the managing director for the last four years. Dolan recently expanded production due to increased demand for its products used in the outdoor fabrics industry. Friedrich Weninger, COO of the Lenzing Group, is now responsible for the Filaments Business Unit. effective 1 Jan 2012. Luis Puncernau, Dolan plant director and Hans Röckl, head of finance and controlling Dolan, report to Weninger. EPG is a joint venture company with SGL carbon & Kelheim Fibres producing carbon fiber precursor. F&FI

Matthew North

(Continued from front cover)

Stout Hangs Tough, Sees Growth and the rest of the staff worked out of a trailer until the offices were restored. In spite of the fire which destroyed the 25,000 square foot corporate office and warehouse interior; one third of the inventory and all of the computer and telephone systems, Stout has moved into newly rebuilt quarters this spring without missing a beat according to Rickers, one of the three principals in the firm. Stout purchases multipurpose and drapery lines from the New York converters: Swavelle, Richloom, Covington and P/Kaufmann after transforming itself into a decorative jobber 20 years ago, Rickers said. U.S. mills like Sunbury, Valdese, American Silk and Weave supply the upholstery lines . It also sells trimmings from Classical Elements, Bellagio and Marcovaldo. Stout is about one third upholstery and two thirds decorative fabrics today, Rickers said. Stout specializes in mid to upper end lines and feels it is gaining share of the business even if the overall business isn’t growing. Customer service makes the difference. Stout can deliver to California within four days, he said. Rickers relies on his suppliers for imports or works through agents who represent overseas lines. Aside from Showtime in High Point twice a year and New York trips, Rickers doesn’t do much traveling overseas. He relies on his local U.S. vendors

to bring him imported fabrics. For that reason, Stout is not well known outside of the USA. However, three years ago, Stout named Harmontex its distributor in China. “We have to plan ahead when we make our books for the30- 40 programs we do each year. It is especially challenging to deal with 14 week delivery from India and China. We order in 2,000 new sku’s out of the 14,000 we offer yearly. “We ask for three year continuity on all of our lines. We find that all of us are keeping programs longer. It used to be three to four years in the collection and now it’s four to five years. “ Barbara Godwin, formerly with Calico Corners, is an important design consultant for Stout and works with Rickers closely on designing the collections. Stout credits its 30 employees with keeping the company going after the fire. “Their response was incredible. They hand rolled fabrics for shipment and wrote orders by hand. We also want to thank our competitors for telling our customers we were out of the business after the fire,” said Bill, who expects to tackle hospitality sales this year, a new market for Stout. “We have replaced all of our systems with the most modern up-to-date equipment available,” said Bob Greenawalt, president and director of operations and finance. Bob said he flipped a coin with his other two partners and he won

the title of president. “We’re not big with titles in this company,” he explained. The upgrade included IBM virtual servers and a VOIP telephone system which operates like a mobile phone system. Even before the fire, Stout had embraced web sales spearheaded by John Greenawalt, Bob’s son. “Web sales are increasing. Web became especially important with the economic slowdown. Our site is for decorators only—not the consumer,” John said. ”We hope that the web will reduce the need to sample because sample books are so expensive,” he said. John feels the web is especially good for selling novelty items. “Our customers can use it at night to order 8x8 or 27 inch square samples. Our national sales force of 40 reps get credit for any sale in their territory.” In addition to John, the next generation of management includes his sister Kate and the Rickers brothers Mark Daniel (MD) and Kyle. Stout was started in 1927 by Stober Harry and Charles Stout. Harry’s son in law Jack Greenawalt soon joined them in what was originally an upholstery supply house to the reupholstery trade. Mark Daniel, 34, with Stout for 11 years; Kyle, 28; Kate, 31; and John, 29 represent the fourth generation in the same family. “All of us spent our summers here growing up licking stamps and talking fabrics around the dinner table,” Kyle explained. F&FI

Roc-Lon®Makes One-Two Heimtextil Punch; Mardigras Roc-Suede, Dublin Flax Debuts Sipco News Network

RANKFURT, Germany — “Heimtextil 2012 produced the best opening day in Rockland Mills Inc. history according to Stan Fradin, president of the world’s leading drapery lining manufacturer and exporter. Rockland took an aggressive posture at Heimtextil with the introduction of two new programs; one is ‘Mardigras,’ a 76 color range of 54 inch 100 percent FR blackout linings in Roc-suede also available in non FR with foam-back as well as a non blackout version. “This has a soft, buttery hand and is great for blackout or for drapery without blackout. We’re also testing it for upholstery,” he said. “Mardigras sells for a fraction of the cost of real suede,” he said. ‘Dublin’ is the other product which features a printed linen face in poly flax basecloth.

Fradin and his team were psyched about the great launch of 2012 at Heimtextil and with RocLon’s increased momentum in the marketplace. “We are the only U.S. manufacturer of drapery linings left in the marketplace,” he said, fresh on the heels of the closing of the only other producer of linings in America. That producer will import linings from China, Fradin said. “Customers can do their own importing from China. What the customer now wants is a reliable domestic source in America lkike Rockland Mills, just like our export customers prefer,” said the veteran lining specialist. In addition to the strong opening day at Heimtextil, Fradin said it carried through the entire exhibition this year. “We picked up business from Darren Fradin, export manager, Rockland Mills, Baltimore, MD (USA) with super linings wholesaler Philippe Debie, principal of Indetex, Kortrijk-Marke, Belgium everywhere,” he added. F&FI and Henner Haufe, European agent for Rockland Mills.

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

Spring 2012 n

F FI NE W S

Exclusive Fabrics’ Lenauskas Laments North American Textiles Industry; Veteran Hopes Industry Wakes up, Then Turns Around by Eric Schneider

ississauga, Ontario, Canada — “Our industry continues to struggle on many fronts in the face of downsizing and shortened workweeks which have become the accepted norm, “according to Ray Lenauskas, veteran fabric importer and agent

Lenauskas based in Canada. He is a major supplier to Sears Canada and well known amongst his peers in North America. “The number of inquiries made by wholesale customers to verify availability and current pricing has added another layer to the daily burden handled by a reduced staff within most organizations,” he continued. “Whereas the industry once had a six to eight week order backlog,

this is no longer so. The trade did not realize what a luxury having such a backlog was. It enabled smoothing out everything including production scheduling (larger runs per item), ordering raw materials (especially fabrics), improved efficiencies, and so on. Today there is much more scrambling to get it made and out the door than ever. Given fewer retail sales the customers want their orders “now”, to maintain cash flows.” A European supplier informed Lenauskas late last year that they lost a very large portion of their receivables due to their customers’ inability to pay. He said their receivables insurer is now reluctant to open credit for new customers, even when the customers are financially stable or even strong. Their sales are down as a result. “China’s minimum order quantities have always been an issue for importers, so with the general overall decrease in business, those minimum quantities have become an even greater hurdle. Many importers are delaying reordering until some or most of their next reorder has been presold. Delivery delays are very common.” “I have also heard that Chinese suppliers are now facing the economic result of their world

conquest. Their worldwide export customer base has been eroded across most industries. Recent radically increased pricing has narrowed the gap between sourcing in China versus sourcing elsewhere, especially when the not-so-apparent “other” factors are considered.” Lenauskas now sees that many manufacturers are trying to “go back” to local suppliers where possible, but the now-established low pricing everywhere precludes doing this easily. Stores say they prefer and want to buy locally. “What they do not say is…“at the China price.” Lenauskas said many Chinese factories have been affected – either downsized or closed. “There will be more. Importers must scramble to find substitute suppliers, and doing so takes time, which adds more delays and variance in product.” “As an industry we cut our own throats by jumping from the stable local supply chain everyone supported and was happy with. In our collective greed (a word rarely used or printed) to buy low and sell high we sold our souls and abandoned known and reputable quality, reliability, consistency, availability, predictability, uniqueness, and more.”

“Many goods have now become commodities, such that there is little or no profit to be made. Profit, not sales volume, is what drives business. We are now paying the high cost for low price (a phrase coined by one of our local manufacturer customers).” “A very common comment heard following our recent Furniture Show here was that “everything looks the same”, referring to the imported goods. I thought so myself, year after year. Several consumers have recently complained they do not know where to see better and/ or different merchandise. Whereas our industry once showed different looking goods manufactured locally or imported from who-knowswhere, at price points all over the map, today almost everything looks “the same” and is offered “at the lowest price”. We no longer promote quality or choice, preferring as an industry to sell price.” “We as an industry did this to ourselves. If we were smart (which is doubtful given what we have witnessed) and looked at the long term, we could perhaps to an extent reverse the above over a decade or more.” F&FI

Home Expo India Expects Over 5,000 International Buyers, All Home Lines by Vishwanath.S

EW DELHI, India — Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH), Ministry of Textiles, and Government of India has created impressive trade show infrastructure to hold large exhibitions. The Council is engaged in

Rakesh Kumar

promotion of Indian home furnishings & handicrafts as well project India’s image in the international markets as a reliable supplier of high quality home furnishings. “ We participates in over 40 specialized international trade fairs, organize 4 major trade fairs in India: Home Expo India will be show cased to source the best that India has to offer for global buyers in home furnishings, textiles, furniture, house ware & decorative’, said Rakesh Kumar, Executive Director, EPCH, New Delhi. Home Expo India will be show cased these during 15-18 April 2012, at Greater Noida, expressway, New Delhi & expects over 5,000 buyers. But the challenges for show organizers lie in expanding the current base of visitors and adding more foot prints from wider international buyers than before. Speaking on visitor’s promotion, Rakesh said that the efforts are on to bring in buyers is undertaken and will further penetrate to reach buyers in untapped markets so far. “ We are watching the situation where

America is showing signs of recovery though Europe is subdued, which are major markets for our exhibitors: And we will exploit Russian and East European markets, while Japan buyers have been historically positive and is growing”, he observed. EPCH wants to focus on nontraditional targets (geographic regions) and when America bounces back and Europe streamlines economically, the buyers will multiply. The promotional efforts have begun and will have a positive effect, he added. The large Indian domestic demand is another advantage and prospectus is bright”, he noted further. Also, EPCH provide professional advice and services to members in areas of technology up-gradation, quality and design improvement, standards and specifications, product development, innovation etc. Over 10 professional home decor specialists from Philippines are also employed to boost creative & design capabilities further in creating new products, he concluded.” F&FI

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

ADVERTISEMENT 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. Spring 2012 n

F FI NE W S

JAB Graduates Enter New Pastures Götte Joins Heco After 20 Years at JAB Product Design Post Sipco News Network

EMMIMGEN, Germany — Petra Götte has left JAB/Gardisette as product development manager after more than 20 years in order to take a new position at Heco, an up and coming cut length wholesaler. Götte started her professional education at JAB In 1988 beginning with the sales department, with her main focus on customer consulting for interior decoration. “Alongside I made experiences in sewing and upholstery to be able to understand our customers and their needs,” she told F&FI. “Since 1994 I have been a member of the developing team of JAB, changed the work because of the taking over of Gardisette and have been responsible for the product development since 2005. I love my work, but I had the feeling, that I needed a new challenge,” she added.

At Heco, Götte is responsible to develop the cut length collection in consultation with Burkhard Koop, the business manager, “and all things around like foto production and advertising; as well leading for the piecewise collection with the intention to build it up and give a special handwriting to it by working conceptual,” she said. It is a mixture of my own design and new developments of our suppliers, always in cooperation with their possibilities and ideas. The collaboration makes the difference and it is still exciting to follow the development of a simple idea and what could occur out of it. The company is open-minded for all new things and ideas, to discuss and balance everything, but also to try some things spontaneously, anxious to improve internal operational sequences as well as service and proposals for our customers. Götte said “that is really inspiring and motivating!” “It always sounds a bit like a phrase, but that’s the fact.

After such a long time the operational sequences are always the same, even with a new collection; even textile never is the same and there are always more surprising happenings in production, from which I like to abstain, but I wanted more: more responsibility, differentiated and diverse functions, the chance to try new things and a free way of working. This is difficult in such a big company as JAB, so HECO is completely different.” The roots of HECOTextilverlag have been in the selling of pieces for more than 60 years ago. About 12 years ago it changed completely to a cut length wholesaler with particular design ideas, Götte said. Heco is based in the Allgäu,

Petra Götte joins HECO next to the Alpes and the Italian border, so it was established in the south of Germany. Heco has two sales manager and 17 people for the external work in Germany. Heco is trying to build up more exports, as in the meantime the collection has a wide spectrum of qualities and designs, from mid price range with the typical easy care attributes up to high class items with special technical

Wholesaler Heinz Freiderich Names Michael Schamberger MD

textile effects and charm, Götte confirmed. There are more than 700 actual articles in the Heco collection with an emphasis on plain fabrics with huge color ranges. “Our philosophy is service! We set value in very short delivery times and in good personal customer care, as we think especially in a hectic time, the humanity is important. F&FI

Berndt, Unnamed Partner Buys KOS

Sipco News Network

BERSDORF BEI COBURG, Germany— Michael Schamberger has been named managing director of Heinz Friedrich GmbH, a well reputed German wholesaler for upholstery fabrics, artificial leather and real leather focusing on industrial manufacturers of furniture, caravans and boats. The 25 person company sells to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, Serbia, Italy, Greece, Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Poland and Baltic States. Schamberger said he was raised up in the upholstery manufacturing industry and was previously together with Saum & Viebahn for 13 years and JAB Anstoetz for 6 1/2 years. Schamberger started with Heinz Friedrich in April 2010. The company itself was founded in 1923 and is a family owned business since then. ‘Pecher’ is the name of the family who owns the company today. Marina Pecher, the owner, was born as Marina Friedrich and represents the 3rd generation. Emil Friedrich, founder, was originally a basket maker. Later on, he started to produce wicker furniture with his wife Emma and three

Sipco News Network

Michael Schamberger workers. Upholstery production soon followed and then upholstery fabric distribution became the sole business. F&FI

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

REFELD, Germany — KOS, a major contract specialist in Europe since it was found 11 years ago, was sold in September, 2011 and is now under the management of Thomas Berndt, previously head of contract textiles at JAB in Bielefeld, Germany The price Berndt paid for his 50 percent interest in KOS is not known. He bought his share of the company from Friedhelm Oelpenich Schmitz, KOS founder, who retired after he sold his interest. The remaining half of the business was owned by Peter Kaufmann who also sold his shares to another unnamed partner to Berndt. Kaufmann stays with KOS until June 1. Other than the firm Bautex, KOS is the largest contract specialist in Germany today. KOS focuses on high end textiles for the hospitality industry and sells its complete collection through JAB and other European editeurs. F&FI

Spring 2012 n

F FI NE W S (Continued from page 11)

Culp’s European Entrance Signals Transition to Agile, Vertical Supplier years after adopting a Chinese platform for being a very agile vertical maker of innovative upholstery fabrics in the lowest cost environment. Culp is an important customer to several Chinese mills after being its own manufacturer and converter for many years. This transition saved Culp from extinction and makes it one of the largest suppliers of residential furniture upholstery in the world today. Culp is marketing upholstery body cloths in the $3.50-$9.00 range FOB and pillow patterns in the $5.95-$11.00 range today working primarily in polyester and acrylic yarns which they develop themselves. The yarns developed by Culp have branded names like Acrasilk®, 100 percent acrylic which are said to be brighter and more durable than most acrylic yarns and Polysilk®, 100 percent polyester with silk look and luster. Since 2002, Culp Inc. has transformed itself into a vertical supplier of Chinese made upholstery fabrics after closing 14 manufacturing plants in the USA. “We went through the same problems that plagued Quaker Fabrics and Mastercraft. Business was very slow. We had to regroup and survive,” Waters said. “We were in survival mode and it was very capital intensive at that time,” he added. Initially, Waters was skeptical of morphing into a supplier from a manufacturer. Ten years ago he went on his first China trip along with Culp execs Howard Dunn and Rob Culp, hoping it would be his last but now, 40 trips later, he knows that this move to China saved the company. Retailers and other manufacturers had already turned towards China and Culp knows it wasn’t among the first to go there. Beyond China, which Culp still views as the only place to source high quality at a value price, Vietnam comes into play as a potential source country, but Waters said it lacks the infrastructure to be important as an upholstery sourcing destination. For now, Culp wants to watch the Chinese clean up its textile industry by reducing carbon emissions, something Culp says China is doing. “We operate in China the same way we do in the USA,” Waters explained. About half of Culp employees are in China and vice president of human resources, Teresa Huffman said there is less

Spring 2012

turnover amongst China based employees than in the States. “This is a people business and we like to get people involved in all aspects of our business.” Today, after reducing its employee count from 4,500 people to 1,100, a feat accomplished in part by Teresa Dunn, Culp has only one plant left in the USA based in Anderson, SC, making textures

and woven velvet, according to Boyd Chumbley, senior vice president of operations. He joined Culp in 1984. He works closely with Waters, with Culp since 1999 and Huffman, with the company since 1986. F&FI New colors of Embrace, Culp’s recycled leather line

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

F FI NE W S

Covington Names Duban EVP Sales; Bruno, Reig-Plaza Add Export Duties With Schneider Departure by Eric Schneider

EW YORK, New York — Robert M. Duban has joined Covington Fabrics & Design as executive vice president of sales for Covington, effective January 1 and reports to Greg Tarver, president & CEO of Covington. Tom Bruno, senior vice president of sales at Covington will now report to Duban along with Craig Shirk, vice president, contract sales and Oscar Reig-Plaza, newly named vice president of sales for Covington. “Tom, Craig and Oscar have successfully created new

momentum at CFD and the adding of Duban will fortify their efforts while adding new customer relationships to our equation,” Tarver said. “Most recently, Duban was senior vice president of sales with The Robert Allen Group. Prior to his tenure at Robert Allen, Robert held sales management positions with F. Schumacher and Decorators’ Walk. Duban has over thirty years of experience as a sales executive within the home and contract textile furnishings markets,” Tarver said. “In the upcoming days, I will meet with sales management to

refine how we will manage our various sales territories. We have an ambitious plan to grow our current business channels while creating some new channels. Robert, Tom, Craig, Oscar and I will divvy up certain responsibilities in order to accomplish our goals,” Tarver told F&FI. As part of that effort, Tarver said the position of export sales director has been eliminated, and export manager Stuart Schneider is no longer working at Covington. Schneider had been with Covington for one year in that post. His future plans are not known at this time. Export Sales responsibilities

Designtex President Tom Hamilton Retires by Eric Schneider

ew York, New York — Thomas Hamilton has retired as CEO and president of Designtex, a division of Steelcase Inc. after 28 years with this fabric jobber, 18 years as president. Steelcase brands include Steelcase, Coalesse, Designtex, Details, Nurture, PolyVision, and Turnstone. It is a global publicly traded company with fiscal 2011 revenue of approximately $2.4 billion. Currently Designtex is searching for a successor. In the interim, George Whalen will serve as acting president and CEO of Designtex. Whalen joined Designtex 12 years ago and has served as the CFO since joining the company. Under Hamilton’s direction, “Designtex has been steadily profitable and pioneered International expansion into Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, China, Australia, Great Britain, Turkey and the Middle East and Mexico,” a Tom Hamilton company spokesman said. “While I’m very confident about Designtex’s future, it is a little hard to imagine the place without Tom,” says Frank Merlotti, president of Coalesse. “He was there when it was a small venture making drapery fabrics, and he’s been at the helm as Designtex has evolved into a powerful global brand, with an expanded portfolio that ranges from handmade rugs to digital surface imaging.” Hamilton joined Designtex in 1984 and served as vice president, sales and marketing, until he was elected president in 1994. He led the company through the 1990s and is one of

will shift to Reig-Plaza and Bruno, he explained. “We’ll be in touch with our international agents in the upcoming days to discuss our specific transition plan. Please be assured that CFD remains fully committed to our Export Business unit,” Tarver said. Tarver concluded, “Robert Duban joining us is another example of the commitment to CFD’s future by the Kahan and Rifkin families. Under their leadership, Covington’s business was reinvigorated and we are taking things to the next level.” The Kahan and Rifkin families are Robert M. Duban the owners of Covington. F&FI

Galloway Named Robert Allen Contract VP Sipco News Network

ew York, New York — Kerry Galloway has been named vice president, contract sales of The Robert Allen Design Group. He succeeds Robert Duban who left for a top management post at Covington Fabrics & Design LLC (see story above). Galloway has 15 years of experience in the contract arena, most recently as vice president, sales and marketing for Contract

Décor International. He also and acted as a senior sales executive for both Durkan Carpets and Milliken. Galloway will be a member of Robert Allen’s Leadership Committee and reports to Philip H. Kowalczyk, president and chief executive officer. Robert Allen Contract is a provider of coordinated fabric collections and finished products for hospitality, healthcare, and corporate environments. F&FI

MORRIS JACKSON/FAIRFIELD MILLS

the founding members and a past four term president of the Association of Contract Textiles (ACT). Hamilton has indicated that he has built a MORRIS JACKSON/FAIRFIELD MILLS home somewhere in Florida on a golf course. We are a UK based wholesaler and converter, He expects to play a lot of golf in the years looking for clearance stock lots and liquidation parcels in We are a UK based wholesalercurtain and converter, looking ahead, he said. and upholstery fabrics. for clearance liquidation parcels in curtain and upholstery fabrics. Founded in 1961, Designtex is a design, Contact Michael Joseph @ michaelfrommja@gmail.com, marketing, sales and distributionContact business tel: michaelfrommja@gmail.com, +44161 643 4242, mobile: +44 7860 288492. Michael Joseph @ focused on providing insight-led environment tel: +44161 643 4242, mobile: +44 7860 288492. enhancement through the application of premium surfaces. F&FI

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

Spring 2012 n

stock lots a

F FI NE W S (Continued from page 10)

Cohen Builds Large, Global Trim Empire Sam is now partners with his sons Michael, who joined the business from investment banking about 11 years ago. Michael handles internal operations including export. Hymie is the other son in the business handling domestic business after joining forces seven years ago. Samuel Cohen & Sons was the outgrowth of a family garment trimming business known as M&J Trimming on 37th Street

and Sixth Avenue here owned by Sam and his older brother Joe. When a fire hit M&J Trim and M&J Decor 13 years ago, Sam took the opportunity to open a new location uptown for home furnishings trims which was at the time just one percent of the garment trim business. (The insurance company paid off about 25 percent of the retail price of the trim lost in the fire by the way.) That new location was over

Samuel Cohen & Sons N.Y. showroom

a Korean grocery store and was abandoned at the time. It took 10 years for Sam to get a certificate of occupancy from New York City. In the end, he had to build an elevator in the middle of the building making it inaccessible to other tenants. This sealed his fate as the sole tenant of the building. After the fire, he visited every trim manufacturer there was including Castellano Beltrame which has since closed. “Once they closed, many left the trim business but we stayed in it. This is not an easy business. There are thousands of items and a lot of small sales. Styles change drastically; tiebacks were once an expensive staple and now these don’t sell. We moved the tieback inventory to Europe. The business caters to the A&D community and the average order is $100, Sam said. “It is a global business and we sell to the trade which includes distributors worldwide. We don’t buy closeouts and we spend a fortune on sampling which is free

Samuel Cohen & Sons N.Y. showroom to designers. When we take an order, the product we deliver has to match the original sample.” Sam says that the web has changed the industry because all showrooms can check inventory online as well as the styles available. “It cuts down on the back and forth stuff we had before,” he explained. “The designer still wants a sample but everything has been systematized.” Sam said that once he got

started on his new Third Avenue location just steps away from the D&D Building at 979 Third Avenue, another supplier opened its doors in direct competition with Samuel Cohen & Sons. “He tried to follow everything we did by copying many styles and selling them for less. He didn’t make it because this business is about service, service and service—not price!” F&FI

(Continued from page 8)

Classical Elements Triples Warehouse licensing program in the future,” Gans said. “The Felicia line is the first one made in the USA with the bulk of the products imported from China, Viet Nam and The Philippines.” All of the Classical Elements products

are sold through independent reps reporting to company sales manager Steve Shelly. Gans also said he has a growing export business in the UK and Canada. F&FI

Thom Filicia hardware collection from Classical Elements This collection, launching this Spring will be an in stock quick ship program. All of the wood rods and finials are produced locally in the USA. Poles are offered in 1”, 1 3/8” and 1 3/4” sizes.

Spring 2012

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

F FI NE W S (Continued from front cover)

J. Queen New York Bedding Designs Drive New Piecegoods

Gertjan Haarsma, principal of Revolution 66, a sourcing specialist based in Rozendaal, Holland advises J. Queen-NY percent of sales in piece goods within ten years according to Anthony Cassela, CEO. “We need to be bigger. We’re running this business to be a design house,” he said. “We are knowledge workers and sales professionals. Whatever we can out-source is out-sourced. J. Queen also expects to shortly open a Hong Kong based corporation to further its business in Asia,” he said. Already, a couple of Russian fabric wholesalers have nailed down the J. Queen New York

piece goods line for distribution in Moscow and other key areas of that country, said Julie Brady, president and a principal of J. Queen. “These buyers were extremely enthusiastic about the product line they saw at J. Queen and followed through with a substantial order on the spot,” she said. The piecegoods line was first shown at the Maritim HotelFrankfurt this past January. The line is shipped to the wholesaler FOB Shanghai outside the USA and FOB Los Angeles to the bedding fabric retailer and wholesaler in the USA.“The core business of J. Queen is the U.S. based readymade business at retail including department stores and the ‘37 West’ line is geared for mass merchants. The new piece goods line gives fabric wholesalers the chance to tap into some fresh looks, especially prints-- without paying for the cost of screens. All designs chosen are exclusive to the wholesaler,” said Julie Brady, the dynamic blond president. The minimum order is one piece. Just as the piece goods line is selling overseas, so is the

J. Queen Bedding

bedding line developing new export markets including the Middle East. Several catalogs including Emirates Home and 4Home feature branded J. Queen New York bedding lines. “We believe in diversification,” Brady emphasized. The company produces bedding duvets, coverlets; bath, rugs and towels. As another example of this, J. Queen recently began to import durries from India. More items are planned by J. Queen including bathroom curtain tension rods, vinyl shower curtains, hardware and ceramic bath accessories. Wholesalers in Poland, Austria, Taiwan, Korea and even China have eyed the new collection of wide width multipurpose fabrics from J. Queen. “Some of the items can be used for upholstery but we do not guarantee wear resistance,” Brady pointed out. The collection of 250 sku’s sells for $8-$20 in wide width jacquard wovens and embroidered sheers in mostly polyester. The fabrics feature many innovative constructions in polyester, and poly/cotton blends, and are made in China like all of the J. Queen bedding lines. “J. Queen’s suppliers are able to produce the piecegoods alongside the bedding ranges as an added service to our customers,” Brady said. “The piecegoods buyers don’t necessarily carry the bedding lines however,” she explained. “The bedding is geared for the major retailers in the USA while the piece goods will be purchased by the fabric wholesalers in various countries,” she explained. The diverse collection of fabrics, some re-engineered for individual customers and a stock line of J. Queen designs in oversized sample books are being shown to important

J. Queen Bedding fabric wholesalers worldwide. Brady is on hand for the fabric presentations along with Jerry Mobley, J. Queen’s well known designer and Joyce Alcantara, sales manager for the piece goods program. “Everyone that came to visit us wants to have the books so we’re excited,” Alcantara added. In January, many old friends of Julie and Jerry stopped by their Maritim suite and some booked the new piecegoods collection on an exclusive basis. J. Queen New York hopes to have an important wholesaler carry the piece goods in each of the major markets worldwide. More presentations are scheduled in Como during Proposte. Thousands of oversized sample books have been made to help the sale of the goods in different markets. Of course, there is a cost to get the books. Brady and Mobley have been seen visiting Heimtextil, Proposte and MoOD in the last few years, shopping the market for ideas

which led to the bedding as well as the piece goods collections. They have also maintained their relationships with fabric suppliers and wholesalers they have known over the years, even while they started the new J. Queen New York business. “Any mill that is looking for business has to check us out as a potential customer,” Brady said. J. Queen already does a big job in licensing designs from other mills and converters on a royalty basis. They can’t dismiss us anymore as just another young upstart.” F&FI

J. Queen - NY hard lines

Duchange Buys Henri Robert Appelbaum Crafts ‘Hillbrown’ Division, New P/Kaufmann Brand From Clarence House Sipco News Network

RUSSELS, Belgium — Late in 2011, M. Olivier Duchange purchased the intellectual assets of Henri Robert Textiles, a Belgian converter that went bankrupt. With this acquisition, Henri Robert was merged with Brunswick, a bedding and towel importer owned by Duchange. Henri Robert has always produced a decoration fabrics and upholstery: jacquards, plain and dyed fabrics, printed fabrics, blackout (also available in flame retardant) and readymade curtains.

Located in Brussels, Henri Robert had been in the textile industry since 1929. The company also exhibited at Heimtextil 2012 and in the past had been a regular exhibitor at Decosit and MoOD. Henri Robert Textiles has always been a converter in the low to medium quality range with imported product from China. Several attempts to reach Duchange were not successful. However, it is expected that Duchange will use the Henri Robert Textiles brand for all product ranges including bedding and towels. F&FI

Sipco News Network

EW YORK, New York — P/Kaufmann Inc. will introduce a new brand in late 2012 called Hillbrown, through PK’s Clarence House division according to Bob Appelbaum, president of Clarence House. The name Hillbrown itself was taken from the name of Peter Kaufmann’s father in law’s company, who Peter worked for in the 1940’s after arriving in the USA from Germany via England, Appelbaum said. While other companies are buying up brands and the industry is further consolidating,

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

P/Kaufmann has decided to grow this new Hillbrown brand under the design leadership of Donna May Woods, design director who joined the company fulltime last year. She was previously design director of Brunschwig & Fils and Scalamandre. Appelbaum said that P/Kaufmann will invest a sizeable sum in the new business. “Hillbrown has a different handwriting than Clarence House,” he said. “Hillbrown is more traditional, a more historical product with a design pedigree based on documents as opposed to being the artsy and newsy design from Clarence House. All of the

new designs are expected to work together,” he said and will include prints as well as wovens from about 30 mills that will continue to supply both collections. Both lines will cover a broad price range, he said. “We hope to expand our customer base of interior designers with this new effort. The number of new sku’s in the collection is not known at this time but they will be shown alongside Clarence House products in the same agency and corporate showrooms around the USA. F&FI

Spring 2012 n

F FI NE W S

DFA Launches Advertising Effort, Expands Membership Sipco News Network

EW YORK, New York — The Decorative Fabrics Association is building momentum for its new advertising program to bring together interior designers with their clients in the hopes of stimulating the high end fabric business. The DFA’s new website is now

active at www.findgreatdesign.com and a new logotype for DFA has been designed for multichannel use. Steve Nobel, director and Cary Kravet, president of the DFA unveiled lofty goals for this high end fabric group perched high above New York City on the 44th floor of the Hearst building at year end. The campaign will run in

Peter Afia, managing director, Marvic Textiles, London with Cary Kravet, president, Kravet Inc., Bethpage, N.Y.

Hearst magazines and in Fabrics & Furnishings International. It will help consumers get together their dream rooms with the help of the interior designer. DFA is also on a campaign to get more members among the U.S. fabric wholesaler trade and is working in partnership with ASID, the interior design group. ASID has found that interior

Steven Nobel, director, DFA, New York

Decorative Furnishings Association

designers are surviving the economic slowdown by becoming on-line consultants to their clients in an advisory capacity and also using fixed fee relationship instead of the traditional designing role. The 50 people on hand for the meeting included Peter Afia, CEO of Marvic who is happy to report a 40,000 Euro deal with a sultan from Oman. Afia notes that chintz fabrics and moiré in textile wallcovering are making comebacks. Bill Peters,

CEO of Browning & Chandler said he would open a Stamford, CT showroom to capture higher end business while Andrea Favoretto Rubelli, CEO of Rubelli points proudly to his lampas fabrics used in the redecoration of the Bolshoi in Moscow. F&FI

PROMOTION

Love House Beautiful? Want to live in these pages? Robert Senior, CEO, Thibaut and Anna Newark, NJ French

Kate Kelly Smith, publishing director for Veranda, House Beautiful and Elle Décor with Bob Coleman, vice president, sales manager for F. Schumacher, New York

Martin Rosenberger, president, Duralee Fabrics, Bayshore, NY

William Peters III, CEO, Browning & Chandler, Darien, CT.

DecORaTIve FuRNIshINgs assOcIaTION INvITes yOu TO www.findgreatdesign.com

FOR easy access TO The INTeRIOR DesIgN cOMMuNITy DFA

(Left to right) Susan North, design director, F. Schumacher, New York; Don Cahoon, president, Jerry Pair multiline showroom in Atlanta, New York and Florida; Cary Kravet, president, Kravet Inc. and Andrea Favaretto Rubelli, CEO Donghia and Bergamo Fabrics, New York.

w w w. DFA .inFo

A sample of DFA’s promotional material

Spring 2012

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

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

At 50, Fumagalli Family Mill Still Energetic, Hard Working, Makes Heimtextil 2012 Debut Sipco News Network

ASTELLO DI BRIANZA, Italy — Fumagalli is one of the last of a dying breed of Italian weavers owned by three brothers; Giuseppe, Adelio and Marino and still hard working after 50 years of operation in its second generation of the same family ownership. Fumagalli serves export markets including Germany, about 40 percent of its business and still booming. Elena Fumagalli is the export manager but she is not related to the brothers. “Fumagalli is a very common name near Lecco,” she said. Denys Annable, the agent for this mill feels that Fumagalli like so many other Italian mills has a future because in fifteen years, China will have the same costs as any Italian mill,” he said. “At that point, the mill with the best design will win and that’s the strength of the Italian weaver like Fumagalli,” he said. This mill makes extremely competitive upholstery plains in the four Euros to 14 Euro price point working with five or six natural fibers including wool, linen,

cotton, viscose. The mill turns out 5,000 meters a day Adelio said, with 18 looms; ten double wide and eight single widths, with only 19 employees. Fumagalli was able to coast through life without participating in many trade shows “until this year when it became apparent that a greater marketing effort was required to keep the looms busy,” said Adelio during the Heimtextil Fair in Frankfurt. This year was Fumagalli’s first Heimtextil in 50 years. The company had an odd shaped

wedge of a stand it got at the last minute. “The problem is getting money in a timely fashion from our customers; in Italy, there is fashion but not when it comes to paying on time,” Adelio laughed. He has four children and says he has to be an ‘optimist’ to support his family today. “If you are capable and have quality and enthusiasm, you can survive in this business,” Adelio reasoned. Fumagalli will show its collection at the Cernobbio Shed outside the Proposte Fairgrounds in May. F&FI

Denys Annable, Italian agent with Elena Fumagalli, export manager for Fumagalli who speaks Italian, English and German and Adelio Fumagalli, one of three brothers who owns Fumagalli in Castello di Brianza, Italy. This is the first Heimtextil Frankfurt exhibition for this 50 year old mill. “Germany is booming for us,” Adelio said.

Proposte’s Gustavo DeNegri Develops Washable ‘Esant’ Silk for Luxury Yachts by Eric Schneider

ASERTA, Italy — Esant eco silk and nano technology has created a custom colored washable silk line from De Negri & Za.Ma geared to the yachting industry as well as to the residential curtaining and upholstery markets where luxury is desired without the inconvenience of a delicate material that silk always represents.

The development took two years and involved the study of sharkskin and its natural properties. De Negri said that shark skin is rough and has microscopic grooves which allow water to pass through it in a controlled way to reduce friction. This is the basis for the Esant nanotechnology which offers partial stain resistance; is waterproof and is washable in up

Anna Paronyan, Fashion & Flat, Moscow based wholesaler with colleague Katerina Guseva; Ita Aingorn, American agent specializing in Russian market with Gustavo de Negri, CEO. De Negri & ZA,MA, Caserta, Italy silk weaver; Iveta Rupeika and Iveta Sirica of Suria curtain fabric wholesalers, Riga, Latvia.

to 30 degree temperatures, De Negri explained. The fabric is priced from 20 Euros TO 25 Euros per meter according to Massimo Spano, sales manager. “We can produce any color without limitation,” he said. “We will submit our color proposals to our customer at Proposte just to give an idea of the colors possible.” The Esant line is woven in De Negri’s mill in Piana di Monte Vern in the Caserta the region, well known for its silks. Silk is not meant for cruise ships because it cannot pass the IMO standard but De Negri makes Trevira®CS for this purpose which still looks like silk. “We have another very beautiful line named ‘Like Silk’ which is 100 percent Trevira and totally flame retardant,” Spano pointed out. We will concentrate our offer at Proposte on three developments; traditional fabrics in mixed silk woven with new structures; Esant and flame retardant ‘Like Silk.’ F&FI

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

Proposte 2012 Vendor locations Company

Pavilion Stand

A Johan Van Den Acker Textielfabriek (NL) Cernobbio 59 Albert Guegain & Fils (FR) Cernobbio 49 Algemene Afw (BE) Regina 80 Astra Nova (IT) Cernobbio 54 Athenea – Texathenea (ES) Regina 83 Aznar Textil (ES) Cernobbio 38 B B & T Textilia (BE) Regina 72 José Bartual Castellets (ES) Regina 70 Baumann Dekor (AT) Lario 16 Bekaert - Depla Fabrics (BE) Regina 68 Bergerot (FR) Pad. Centrale 96 Velours Blafo (FR) Cernobbio 43 Bruvatex-Sagaert & Speyer (BE) Regina 78 Bucol Ameublement (FR) Pad. Centrale 91 C Canepa Divisione Arredamento (IT) Cernobbio 67 Casalegno Tendaggi (IT) Lario 14 Mario Cavelli (IT) Lario 5 Tessitura Pietro Cazzaniga (IT) Cernobbio 35 Clerici Tessuto & C. Divisione Luna Home Pad. Centrale 90 Clerion (IT) Lario 20 D David Walters Fabrics (GB) Cernobbio 37 Delius (DE) Lario 2 Deltracon Linen Fabrics For Interior Decoration (BE) Regina 71 Desalux (BE) Regina 87 D’Etoffe (IT) Regina 76 Devantex (BE) Lario 9 E Conjugi Eger (IT) Lario 17 Escolys (BE) Regina 84 Europ Marchini (IT) Lario 32 Evento Arredamento By Limonta (IT) Lario 30 F Fibertex (BE) Regina 86 Fidertessile (IT) Regina 82 Fiorete (IT) Cernobbio 40 Manifattura Fossa Divisione Della Danzo (IT) Cernobbio 62 Froca (ES) Lario 23 G Gassa V (ES) Cernobbio 44 Giber (IT) Lario 28 Gustavo De Negri & ZA.MA. Manifattura Tessile (IT) Pad. Centrale 100 H Haezebrouck (BE) Lario 10 Hield (GB) Lario 11 I Imatex (IT) Lario 25 The Isle Mill - Macnaughton Holdings (GB) Cernobbio 56 Italtessil (IT) Regina 73 Italvelluti (IT) Cernobbio 63 J Francisco Jover (ES) Regina 81 L Libeco-Lagae (BE) Lario 7 Limonta (IT) Lario 31 Lodetex (IT) Cernobbio 64 M Magniarredo (IT) Lario 22 Manifattura Tessile Di Nole M.T. (IT) Lario 24 Manuel Revert (ES) Cernobbio 36 Martinelli Ginetto (IT) Cernobbio 51

Company

Pavilion Stand

Matisse Tissage (FR) Pad. Centrale 102 Molteni Tessuti (IT) Cernobbio 34 Molteni Vincenzo Tessitura Jacquard (IT) Cernobbio 46 Monti Napoleone (IT) Lario 3 Morton Young & Borland (GB) Lario 12 Muguet (FR) Pad. Centrale 92 Müller Zell (DE) Cernobbio 50 Gebr. Munzert (DE) Lario 6 N Nelen & Delbeke (BE) Lario 4 P Parà (IT) Lario 33 Tessitura Pertile (IT) Lario 15 Pongs Velours (DE) Cernobbio 57 Pozzi Arturo (IT) Lario 18 Pozzi Industria Tessile (IT) Cernobbio 41 Prosetex Tessitura Jacquard (IT) Cernobbio 58 Q Quenin by Tassinari & Chatel (FR) Pad. Centrale 103 R Rafael Catalá (ES) Pad. Centrale 99 Ragolle (BE) Regina 79 Ratti D Divisione Ratti (IT) Lario 26 J. A. Raymakers (NL) Regina 88 Rossini Della Quercia (IT) Lario 29 S Sati Grupo Textil (ES) Lario 21 Léo Schellens (NL) Cernobbio 47 Schiatti Tessuti (IT) Pad. Centrale 89 Schmitz-Werke (DE) Regina 77 Seteria Bianchi (IT) Pad. Centrale 101 Sirio Tendaggi (IT) Lario 19 Mario Sirtori (IT) Cernobbio 39 Michele Solbiati Sasil (IT) Pad. Centrale 104 Spinelli Vincenzo (IT) Lario 13 T Manifatture Toscane Ta-Bru (IT) Cernobbio 66 Telor: Tessitura Eredi Lodovico Rossini (IT) Cernobbio 53 Ter Molst International (BE) Cernobbio 48 Tesseci Tessitura Serica Cicala (IT) Lario 1 Texao (IT) Cernobbio 61 Texar Stoffe (IT) Cernobbio 45 Texital (IT) Lario 27 Texnova (IT) Cernobbio 42 Thistle Mills (GB) Regina 69 Tissages d’Ameublement de Lyon (FR) Pad. Centrale 97 Tissages De Gravigny 2 Plus (FR) Pad. Centrale 95 Tissat Deslee Interior Fabrics (BE) Pad. Centrale 93 Tissus d’Avesnieres (FR) Pad. Centrale 94 Torri Lana 1885 (IT) Regina 75 V O.J. Van Maele (BE) Cernobbio 65 Weverij Van Neder (BE) Cernobbio 55 Vanoutryve (FR) Pad. Centrale 98 Verstraete & Verbauwede (BE) Cernobbio 60 Vidal y Sanz (ES) Lario 8 Viganò (IT) Cernobbio 52 Textiles Vilber (ES) Regina 85 Y Yutes - Natural Fabrics (ES) Regina 74 Z Zanchi Tessitura Serica - Rubelli (IT) Pad. Centrale 105

Spring 2012 n

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

Skaff Group Presents New Facade, Collection, Website Sipco News Network

EIRUT, Lebanon — Skaff Group, a 45 year old fabric and home furnishings wholesaler here, has completely revamped its main headquarters and showroom on Mkalles Road along with a new branding identity effort according to Joyce Salloum, marketing director. In addition to Lebanon, its home market, SKAFF is represented by showrooms

in other Middle East markets in Qatar, Dubai, KSA, UAE, Syria and Jordan with additional locations in the UK & Singapore. Skaff Group was founded in 1965 by Georges Skaff who passed on his passion and dedication to his sons. He was first joined by his son Elie and ten years later, by Philippe who brought his own personal touch to the development of Skaff Group through his entrepreneurial style of

management and “open door” policy. In 2002, 23 year old, 3rd generation son, GP SKAFF, immersed himself in the world of textiles, fabrics and wallpapers as he began managing the business, spearheading bottomline growth on successful projects, assisting his father in marketing and managing every function within Skaff. F&FI Skaff headquarters

Pair Form Senzza with Chinese Owners Sipco News Network

LICANTE, Spain — Senzza Creations is a new agency and consultancy founded by Juan Gisbert Senzza and Rubén Masia in late 2011. With their European skills and knowledge they have partnered with Shengli Textile Co., Zhenjiang Textile Group Co. Ltd., a Chinese manufacturer and the financial muscle and owner of the business. The pair showed their first six collections at Heimtextil 2012 in Frankfurt. The lines included cotton, linen, viscose, embroidery, velvet, acrylic and polyester for use in curtains, bedding, upholstery and high end decoration. Gisbert and Masia formed this new decorative editeur brand using their creative skills and knowledge of marketing and export sales, gained from previously working at Alhambra International for 12 years as export manager and production manager respectively. “Senzza Creations combines the advantages of advanced looms with a contemporary European style,” Gisbert told F&FI. The pair acts as selling agents in charge of selling these collections in Europe among other areas in the world. They also act as advisors to Shengli Textile Co. Zhejiang Textile Group, Ltd. “We have developed all qualities, color combinations, sample books including pictures, website; we have developed all collections, qualities, corporate image for them. F&FI

Spring 2012

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

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

French Editeurs push ‘Deco Off’ While Maison Objet Declines Sipco News Network

ARIS, France — Maison Objet continues to slip as a showcase for high end fabric lines while Deco Off, a new exhibition also known as PDO, continues to gain steam. “The fabric industry is still smarting over its treatment when the show organizer closed down the tents due to high winds and rain three years ago,” an informed source told F&FI. “The problem is that 95 percent of the European editeurs including Kravet are still boycotting Maison & Objet because of that incident an important wholesaler told F&FI. “You need half a day to cover Maison & Objet Editeurs while you need three days to cover PDO. “This wasn’t the case three years ago when the editeurs all exhibited together at Maison Objet under

the same roof. When a thunderstorm occurred and prevented the visitors to enter the M&O Fabrics Hall for the first two days of the fair, it was the death-knell of fabrics at M&O,” the informed source said. “It seems that in the end, the editeurs were not well compensated by the organizers and these editeurs decided to open their own show under Deco Off.” This year, the PDO show took place in the respective showrooms of the boycotting editeurs in two regions of Paris depending on the location of the showrooms. It seems that the showrooms are all concentrated in Saint Germain in Rive Gauche or Rue du Mail in Rive Droite. The only important editors with the biggest visitor turnout that still support Maison & Objet are: DEDAR (Italy), because his Paris showroom is very small;

photo by Kravet ELITIS (France) also his Paris showroom is small, his main showroom being in Toulouse in

the south of France; Designers Guild (UK) which has no showroom in Paris; CASAMANCETEXDECOR (France) considered Very Important with no showroom in Paris. Also in Maison & Objet, mainly because they didn’t have a showroom in Paris: Fabricut, Robert Allen, Sangetsu (Japan), Gaston Y Daniela (Spain), Voyage from the UK. While in PDO, the list is much more important: On the Rive Droite: Sahco Hesselin; KravetBrunschwig; Pierre Frey including Fadini and Boussac brands; JAB in a very new and beautiful showroom. Lelievre Aldeco (Portugal); Romo-(UK); Sanderson, Harlequin and Zoffany brands owned by Walker Greenbank, all UK based and Fischbacher (Switzerland). On the Rive Gauche: Rubelli-Armani-Donghia;

Brochier, Colefax and Fowler, Larsen- Manuel Canovas, Osborne and Little, Jim Thompson, Nobilis, Nya Nordiska; Casal-Luciano Marcato; Metaphores Pierre Frey (second showroom); Decortex and Dedar in its small showroom. “So you can compare the strength of PDO versus Maison et Objet just like war and politics. Besides, for PDO exhibiting in their own showroom will cost them much less than having a stand at Maison,” the anonymous source said. The ‘reporter’ also said that “collection wise, not too many interesting things were shown.” It was almost just a place to show off!” Rubelli, Nobilis, Sahco, Jab, Colefax were above the average. In a crisis period investing in collections is risky and might lead to cash problems.” F&FI

Maison Décor, KA International Stores Merge Under Climent Bros. Alhambra Group Gets 25 Percent Ownership By Eric Schneider

LICANTE, Spain — Maison Décor and KA International merged retail outlets November 15 to form what is believed to be the largest retail decorating chain in Europe according to Juan and Jose Angel Climent Alhambra Group owners and principals of the new merged entity. Alhambra Group purchased Maison Décor in 2010 along with the purchase of Pepe Penalver in 2010. KA International is now fully owned by the Alhambra Group and Sherpa Capital, the venture capital firm with headquarters in Valencia, Spain. Sherpa had purchased KA in June, 2011 from Mercapital, a venture capital firm with headquarters in Madrid. The new company will take advantage of the knowledge

Juan Climent

and experience of the Climents in marketing as well as product development and international expansion. This arrangement gives Sherpa hands-on management from the Climent brothers and gives the brothers an ownership share of a bigger business. As part of the deal with Sherpa Capital, the Climent brothers now own 25% of both companies while Sherpa Capital owns the other 80 percent. Eduardo Navarro is president of Sherpa Capital. As a result of the merger, the Climent brothers, owners of the Alhambra Group and the Aurea Decor Group, also join the board of directors of KA International. “The merger is perfect for all sides as we increase the leadership in the decoration franchise industry and we also incorporate to the

José Climent

company an industrial partner to help us in the important development plan that we have for KA International,” Navarro said. “We are quite satisfied with this agreement as we create a leading company and we can make use of all of our knowledge and experience of more than 30 years in the industry,” said Juan Climent, president of Maison Decor and Alhambra. “We consider that KA International has a great potential and that its leadership will strengthen in the upcoming year even in today’s difficult economic environment.” “The synergies of the agreement are quite large as we put together the strong worldwide brand knowledge of KA International with the experience in the industry of Maison Decor, its vast international presence and the access to key international suppliers. With the merge of the close to 400 stores of KA with the more than 80 coming from Maison Decor we become the key decorator franchisor worldwide,” Juan said. Alhambra Group separately owns Pepe Penalver and Lizzo brands as well as Viollettes, a distributor brand. Alhambra has 160 employees and operates in 92 countries according to Juan Climent. KA International, founded in 1984 is a franchise retail concept and a brand in the European home furnishing market with 400 shops spread over 45 countries throughout

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

KA International storefront the five continents and with a strong presence in The Iberian Peninsula. The Group operates two distinct, although deeply interrelated lines of businesses; retail and contract. KA’s retail format mixes point of service and the direct sale of the trendy designs in textiles and other

decorative furnishings. In contract, KA addresses architectural projects of hotels and large spaces with professional experts in interiors and decoration. Maison Decor also operates a network of franchises across Spain and was founded in 1993. F&FI

Spring 2012 n

F FI NE W S

Alps Offers Cotton Solids, Upholstery at Evteks; Competes in the $3 Market by Vishwanath.S

HAZIABAD, India — A more stable outlook for cotton prices this year will help Alps industries Ltd. realize its full potential according to Sanjeev Hota, president, exports. As a result, Alps will offer cotton solids and upholstery collections including plains, checks and stripes at Evteks. “Also planned are viscose linen plains, viscose linen checks and stripes, polyester and viscose chenille plains and jacquards to be tagged at attractive prices,”

he added. “During our participation in Hemtextil, Frankfurt this year, we wrote good orders, since now a day’s writing orders during a show is not in vogue; we wish to repeat the same during Evteks”, Hota said. Alps will also offer a drapery line in yarn dyed polyester, viscose, cotton and linen; polyester and poly/cotton satins the $3 per meter range. Yarn dyed cottons and linens will be the choice among naturals although poly-viscose will be the prime fibers. Upholstery lines will average $5-$8 a meter.

“Our blackout is 3 Pass-grade and we are a very dependable source and can ship large quantities in short time. In general orders will be shipped within eight weeks for an existing customer and 8-10 weeks for new orders: Our focus is on supplying repeats in the shortest possible time, in six weeks times. This is a priority as the customers have our product on their books and our commitment of better service becomes a must”, Hota said. Alps Industries is showing its capabilities during Evteks at stall 3-A-02. F&FI

Sanjeev Hota

Prestigious Takes Firm Action Against Copyright Infringement Sipco News Network

ANCASHIRE, United Kingdom — In its latest victory against copyright infringement, Prestigious Textiles has been awarded substantial damages and costs in a case brought against Pangrim Co Ltd of Korea. Pangrim Co was found to have copied and printed 34 designs from the Prestigious portfolio and to have sold over 125,000 metres of the illegally

Spring 2012

reproduced prints. Having pursued the case through the judicial system, Prestigious Textiles has been awarded compensation to cover the loss of sales in the Korean market, plus all expenses involved in bringing the case to court. Pangrim was also ordered to surrender all balances of fabric to Prestigious’ exclusive distributor in Korea. Legal advisors acting for Prestigious Textiles are also currently taking action against

five different fabric producers in China for copyright infringement. ‘We trust this will serve as a warning of our intention to seek out and sue anyone who unlawfully copies our designs, anywhere in the world,’ asserts Trevor Helliwell, Chairman of Prestigious Textiles. ‘We invest heavily in bringing innovative and trend-leading designs to the international market and we simply won’t tolerate illegal copying.’ F&FI

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

Contract/HospitalityNews C/HNEWS I Dobin Children Take Valley Forge Reins Mike, Diana manage a leaner company Sipco News Network

OMPANO BEACH, Florida — Second generation managers Mike and Diana Dobin have been named co-presidents of Valley Forge, Inc., the largest supplier of hospitality fabrics in the world with some 10 million yards of piece goods and finished goods to its credit on an annual basis. Products include upholstery, sheers and drapery; faux leather; a ‘Fresh’ program featuring sustainable fabrics. In 2007/8, Valley Forge said it lowered its greenhouse gas usage by 35 percent. Bedding and finished products like towels, sheets, throws, bed skirts and shower curtains are now over 25 percent of total sales for VF. As the pair take hold of the management reins from their parents, the ‘kids’ are forecasting growth in 2012 after a 32 percent increase in 2011. At the same time, the ‘kids’ point to several changes underfoot in the industry. First and foremost is the shift back to domestic suppliers of product in the USA as opposed to imports. About 40 percent of

the product is sourced in the USA today, they said. Just three years ago, the U.S. sourcing was only 20 percent of the business, they said. “We can perform better, faster and greener in the USA and the product is more consistent than some imports. “We started to consolidate suppliers to three to four per country,” Mike said. “Today more than ever before, our customer wants the product quickly. Suppliers are like our partners and we expect them to deliver when we need the goods. For example, we recently took delivery of 12,000 yards of fabric from Turkey in just three weeks,” he pointed out. “The customer will tell us they finally have funding after two years of waiting and Valley Forge has 11 weeks to do the entire job! Often we can get shipment of 1,000 yards in a week if the warp is on the loom and the yarn for the weft is available,” Mike said. The U.S. mill can do this for us while it takes too long dealing with some other off shore suppliers. “The customers were to deal with a trusted source that is finan-

cially stable. Sometimes, the customer wants to work with Valley Forge without putting down deposits. We carry no debt. Our last bank loan was paid off in 1990. Sometimes we carry the customer for 30 days from shipping depending on the size of the order. There are just a few companies in Valley forge’s financial league,” Mike said. “Valley Forge focuses 100 percent on hospitality while our competitors might have a division which does 15 percent of their company’s total in contract. While 85 percent of their time is spent on residential, ours is 100 percent spent on hospitality, Mike explained. One of their first efforts in their new jobs was to eliminate any residential activity Valley Forge might have been doing. “Our customer wants to buy everything from one supplier, including upholstery, drapery and finished bedding,” he explained. On the other hand, wide width sources are b not available in the U.S, Mike said, so drapery has to be purchased elsewhere Mike and Diana have been

with Valley Forge 15 and 19 years respectively. Originally New Yorkers, the company moved to Florida from New York in 1992; the pair moved with the company—first Mike and then Diana. Mike is expecting his fourth child while Diana has three. “We want a joyous environment that is fun to work in at Valley Forge,” said Mike as he sprayed his sister with Crazy Goo! The company has 110 employees. The new co-president positions were largely ceremonial since the pair say they have been running the business for several years—without the titles. Their responsibilities are now divided between Mike as the head of operations, overseas sourcing and product development; Diana handles accounting, design, color, public relations and advertising. Valley Forge created 30 booked collections last year. While Mike says this rate will slow down since the market is now flooded with its products, the design job alone is nonstop for Diana. “We crisscross in sales, business development, strategy and plan-

ning,” Mike said. While he still chooses to share an office in the center of the corporate headquarters with Dan, his father, Diana prefers going it alone in her own office in the front of the building. “When I came back to the States from Hong Kong, my mom wanted me to move into her office but I decided to go it alone. Dan and Judy, the first generation founders are spending more time out of the office today but they can still decide what projects they wish to get involved with, the children said. F&FI

Since it had no bridges to burn with the wholesaler in the first place, Camira is not concerned about alienating customers, namely the jobber, a middle market it never served in the first place. Contract jobbers are the primary customer of other contract fabric mills in the USA but not for Camira. Bennotti also sees the future in terms of direct sales to the A/D community from mills other than Camira. “I see this development occurring especially with European suppliers.” Bennotti oversees a nationwide group of 17 reps that he hired who call on the A&D market and furniture OEM’s. He also has an agreement with the Woeller Group in Canada. His

plan is to enter the hospitality and healthcare markets in 2013 but right now, his main concern is corporate business in 2012 where he expects to surpass $1 million in sales. “Camira stocks all of its lines in its Indianapolis, IN warehouse for the A/D community and also sells direct to contract furniture OEM’s like Leland, Hightower, Martin Brattrud Studio and Davis,” Bennotti said. “These firms are grading in Camira product to their fabric lines. Delivery of Camira fabrics to all customers is in one to two weeks from receipt of order.” he said. “We don’t want to be about thousands of busy patterns or the signature design on a chair. C a m i r a (continued on page 36)

Mike and Diana Dobin

(Continued from front cover)

Camira Projects $100 Million Through Direct A/D worldwide by 2013 with the successful launch of its U.S. mill

Paul Bennotti

direct program to the contract interior designer. “Today, Camira has $80 million global sales and with the addition of $20 million in sales expected for the USA, this should make the difference by 2013,” according to Paul Bennotti, director of business development, North America. “The textile business is shrinking in the USA so unless you are going global you’ll have a tough time here. Camira is positioned to sell worldwide,” he said. He points out that US design firms, his direct customers are also going global, doing more work outside the USA than ever before. “Camira itself is selling to over 80 countries today. Even in Turkey,

we sell our wool lines.” “Camira also dominates the European contract fabric market and also sells into China through Morphrow, a distributor in Shanghai,” he said. “We function like a jobber. Camira already converts some of its products in Europe and is constantly looking for potential acquisitions in order to grow its business. I see us converting in the States in the future.” In its business model, Camira eliminates the wholesale customer and sells direct to the architect and designer market through sample books and memo samples. Its ‘Second Nature’ fabric brand was recently placed through 800 sample books alone. Order minimums are one yard.

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

Spring 2012 n

Diolen®Safe Betting On Added Safety DIOLEN®SAFE has been relaunched as a genuine trademark in May 2011. In the meantime the brand has achieved growing awareness and acceptance in the market. More than 40 international customers have already decided to produce fabric samples and entire collections with the new DIOLEN®SAFE yarns. Among others, these include Backhausen interior textiles GmbH, that launched the DIOLEN®SAFE JAZZ collection during Heimtextil Frankfurt in January, Wittek/Design Weberei GmbH, Kobleder GmbH & Co. KG from Austria, the German specialist for sophisticated textile surfaces SR Webatex GmbH and the expert provider of woven automotive textiles Prevent Gaenslen & Völter. The marketing & sales company behind DIOLEN®SAFE is FR Safety Yarns GmbH & Co. KG based in Deggendorf, South Germany. Fabrics & Furnishings International has spoken with Gerhard Havranek, managing director FR Safety Yarns about the strategic focus and the planned expansion of the trademark. FFI: Could you illustrate to our readers the new marketing and sales strategy of DIOLEN®SAFE? Havranek: The new DIOLEN®SAFE marketing strategy incorporates a full service concept for polyester FR yarns, that is unique and has not been provided so far by any of the existing competing suppliers. We offer the customer a one stop solution: TWD Fibres produces the filament yarns in raw white as well as colour dyed for us, Lauffenmühle provides the staple fiber yarns exclusively to FR Safety Yarns based on the genuine identical polymer quality. As far as fancy yarn qualities are concerned we cooperate with well/known fancy yarn producers. Due to logistic grouping of fancy yarns and chenille yarns orders we are in the position to offer our customers a higher delivery flexibility and from time to time even a price advantage. Our entire yarn portfolio goes to the ultra/ modern yarn dyeing factory of the TWD using short routes to our customers. FFI: What are the advantages of DIOLEN®SAFE yarns and fabrics made of DIOLEN®SAFE? Havranek: The advantages of our inherently flame retardant polyester yarns with the brand name DIOLEN®SAFE are based on an optimized polymer structure, better technical features and an excellent workability of the yarns during the weaving process. A truly convincing property of our yarns is the faster genuine incorporation of the colour pigments in the fiber, shorter dyeing cycles and the best test results because of highest hydrolytic stability compared to other polyester FR yarns. DIOLEN®SAFE yarns can be dyed under standard conditions (130°) without impairing the FR properties. Besides low smoke and gas toxicity being none, our yarns are free of heavy metals and halogen. By falling back to the expertise and long term experience in producing and dyeing of all kinds of yarns types of our partner companies TWD Fibers and Lauffenmühle we save time for our customers in product development and technical innovations. We guarantee that the entire yarn package is harmonized and made compatible. Fabrics with DIOLEN®SAFE offer clear advantages to the end consumer as well: pleasant touch, a high abrasion resistance far above average, high dimensional stability and crease

Spring 2012

resistance. Customers confirm great colour brilliance and light fastness. Fabrics with the DIOLEN®SAFE trademark meet current internationally established burning test standards and certifications. Consistent high quality levels are guaranteed by strict brand controlling. Environmental protection, safety, health and dealing with natural and human resources in a sustainable manner are the guiding maxims of our trademark, that is a Cradle/to/Cradle certified partner. DIOLEN®SAFE is committed to ecological efficiency principles and strives towards product and process optimization with minimal environmental impact.

Gerhard Havranek

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

Company profile: FR Safety Yarns GmbH & Co. KG is a joint venture established by the powerful partner companies TWD Fibres GmbH and Lauffenmühle GmbH & Co. KG and is conceived as an exclusive competence pool for product development, technical support as well as marketing and sales for the wide variety of DIOLEN®SAFE filament and staple fiber yarns in numerous yarn counts and yarn constructions. FR Safety Yarns offers a one/stop full service package to the manufacturers of high quality home textiles using FR polyester yarns. International B2B customers receive extensive expert advice: from product to specialty development, comprehensive technical support and

flammability standard tests and certificates for all FR fabrics submitted to licensing via marketing cooperation initiatives. TWD Fibres and Lauffenmühle are both members of the Daun & Cie Group, rich in tradition and with a fine corporate heritage. With more than 5.000 tons dyeing bobbins capacity per year TWD Fibres GmbH is one of the biggest and most powerful yarn dyeing mills of its kind in Europe. Lauffenmühle GmbH is one of a few remaining fully integrated textile companies ( 175 years) with headquarters for production in Germany. With spinning, weaving and finishing facilities a turnover of 48 million € is generated, the export percentage is 40 per cent. n

F FI p h oto galler y

Showtime

Winter Showtime Brings U.S. Lines With International Accent

Ronnie Gold, principal and chief designer for Home Accent Fabrics, Harrison, N.Y. with Leslie Bertsch, Kelly Goodbar and Kristin Hibler, principals of Designer’s Resource and Fabrics, Denver, CO.

‘Cookie Monster’ Craig De Leo, principal of De Leo Textiles with Sue Dunn, merchandising manager of Michael Thomas division of Miles Talbott Furniture, High Point with George Jordan, president and Ismail Arslaan of De Leo in background.

Jack Cobb, who recently rejoined ADF for a second tour of duty with Maurice Shub, president, Super Plastico, Inc., Bayamon, Puerto Rico. Cobb was previously with Morgan Fabrics.

Joan Southers, principal of Carolina Fairway, a pillows and cushion manufacturer in Archdale, N.C. with Vic Williamson, principal of Victor Mill, Greenville, S.C. bedding manufacturer

Josep Esteve, manager of Comersan Fabrics Corp. Miami, FL with Linda and Peter Hirsch, owners of 3 Sisters, a Richardson, Texas apparel producer.

BDNY

Converters, Jobbers Bring Hospitality Fabrics Back BoutiqueDesignNY made its second debut at Javits Center, NY with a sellout floor to New York: BDNY full of fabrics and interiors for hospitality. If you want a piece of the contract fabrics business in the USA, then you need to see the people on this page. They buy the fabric for hospitality jobbers. Most, but not all suppliers of contract fabrics sell through the wholesalers in the USA. This market is strong and getting stronger.

Karen Keating, director of design, Kravet Contract®, a division of Kravet with Jerry Schwartz, COO, Kravet, Bethpage, NY

Jenny Vance, vice president, Astoria Imports, furniture importer in Pompano Beach, FL shows off Romo USA fabric design.

David Balk, vice president, CFO, Warp & Phil Yorba Linda, CA wholesaler not quite one year old with Leanne Waters, Chicago rep.

Brett Rubin, principal of Edgar Fabrics Inc., Hauppauge, N.Y. with Victor Liss, Edgar sales rep

Greg Tarver, president of Covington Fabric & Design LLC, New York converter with Robert Duban, now also with Covington, formerly with Robert Allen Kim Heiman, president of SK Textile Inc., Cincinnati, OH with pal Randy Rubin, principal of Hi-Tex Inc., Michigan based producer of Crypton

Darci Sassen, vice president, director, Fabricut Contract, Tulsa, OK with Jody Finer, designer

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

Wes Lutovsky, director of product development for SK Textile, Vernon, CA and Catherine Serreau-Thompson, hospitality textile and decorative products consultant to SK. Lutovsky buys upholstery fabric worldwide but 75 percent of the fabric is purchased from Standard Textile Inc., a weaver and converter and sister company to SK.

Spring 2012 n

F FI p h oto galler y

Heimtextil

Big John Atherton, commercial director of Edmund Bell & ith Co., Ltd., Kingsway, UK with brothers Daniel and Ramon Garcia, principals of Konnex, in Sabadell, Spain

Alexandra Walz, marketing director, Dolan® solution dyed acrylic fibers, Kelheim, Germany with customer Marco Paraviccini, principal of Para of Sovico, Italy with Matthew North, head of sales and marketing, Dolan®

Alysheva Irina (seated) with Anichkine Anastasia (standing) both of V-Art LLC, Moscow wholesaler with Nimish Arora, principal of Dicitex Furnishings Pvt., Mumbai, India

Jocelyn Anderson, merchandising & product development manager, RM Coco, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA with Beverly and Jim Rust, principals of that firm

Spring 2012

Elvira Smirnova and Olga Martusevich, purchasing director for Galleria Arben, Moscow

Silvana Levey, Levey Wallcoverings, Oakville, Ontario, Canada with Shaya Zeiler, principal Flocktex, Kiryat Malachi, Israel

Mariko Hida, general manager of planning and design, Fede International, Tokyo with Koichi Kagawa, Kagawa International Textiles, Yokohama and Tomomi Nakagawa, managing director of Tomo Décor Ltd., Osaka

Louis Hornick III, COO of Louis Hornick & Co, New York with Ozer Ozbarut, principal of Oz-Is, Istanbul based trim producer and Louis Hornick, principal of Hornick readymade draperies and Louis III’s father.

Reinhard Backhausen, president, Backhausen, Vienna, Austria weaver with Gerhard Havranek, CEO, Diolen®Safe FR Safety Yarns, Deggendorf, Germany. Backhausen introduced its first ‘Jazz’ collection with Diolen fibers, a new competitior to Trevira®.

Oxana Matviinko with Roman Tenenbaum, principal Galleria Tandem, Ukraine, at Flocktex, Israeli flock producer

Steven Bae, director, BR Textile, Seoul, Korea wholesaler with Johnny Keeton, Keeton Sales agency (USA) representing Ashley Wilde (UK); Jacob Lee, general manager , BR Textile and Chong-Joo, Kim, Nyke Inc., by Creation CASA, Seoul.

Gabriel Warde and his father (extreme right) Andre Warde, CEO, Khalil Warde, Beirut, Lebanon with Juan Climent (center), principal of Alhambra Group, Alicante, Spain

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

Jason Fry, general manager, Basford Brands, Auckland, NZ with Patrea Burrows-Hall, agent, Sydney, Australia. Basford represents Filigree, Maurice Kain, Sekers, Claremont.

F FI NE W S

Depoortere Joins High Five Under New Ownership, Now High Six Sipco News Network

OUSCRON, Belgium —Depoortere upholstery velvets has joined the High Five marketing group as of January, 2012, according

to Luc Callens, marketing director. In fact, High Five becomes ‘High Six’ with the addition of Depoortere. The other five members in the Group are: Algemene,

Bruvatex, Decoviz, Penelope and Vilber. About 18 months ago, after a long and checkered past in and out of bankruptcy (continued on next page)

Jean-Pierre Vanbostal, Marnix Ghesquiere and Christof Vermeersch

C/HNews

C/HNEWS I Schofield Sees Big Growth at Camira Sipco News Network

UDDERSFIELD, United Kingdom — “$150 million in sales is what I am projecting for Camira by 2017,” says Andrew Schofield largest shareholder. That includes Holdsworth, the transportation division of Camira which is big in the USA and European mass transit—even Australia. In fact, the USA accounts for 40 percent of Camira’s business today with the balance in Europe, he said. Overall, Camira is 75 percent contract sales and 25 percent transportation textiles, he said. As group sales and marketing director, Schofield joined the company 27 years ago as export director. Today he is one of five owners of this 35 year old mill. U.S. marketing director Paul Bennotti reports to Schofield. The other owners are: Steve Bullas, chairman; Cheryl Kindness, design, development director; Nick Brown, financial director and Alan Williams, operations director. Schofield “Under the ownership of Interface’s founder Ray Anderson, we learned about sustainability. We made major changes in our manufacturing and achieved IS1401 in 1996, one of the earliest achievers of this designation. This is a large part of our success. It is becoming more important in Europe and in the USA and eventually, it will become more important to the Far East when China recognizes the importance of flammability requirements,” he said. Nuna Green on a chair Camira has a brand called ‘Second Nature’ which offers recycled upholstery materials including jute and wool which it sells to Starbucks for its coffee bags. More recycled jute and wool is on tap for 2012, he said. F&FI Smarty

(Continued from page 32)

Camira Projects $100 Million Through Direct A/D wants to be known as the open line mill with wholesale prices, producing classic, bread and butter items for the designer and furniture manufacturer.” For an example of what he means by ‘bread and butter,’ Camira offers recycled polyester fabrics to the trade at $26 a yard and 100 percent wool crepe in the $29$52 range. It also offers a range of eight designs in wool in 30 plus colors in some designs and the balance in textures and stripes. According to Bennotti, one of Camira’s most successful products to date is ‘Blazer,’ wool felt at $47 per yard, which represents a four percent price increase over 2011. ‘Smarty,’ a small dot jacquard, is another successful pattern. “Our competitors might sell the same thing for $60-$90 per yard,” Bennotti said. Camira is now providing product made from bast fibers derived from plants; some from nettles which is mixed with wool. This spring, Camira plans to unveil a 60/40 wool/hemp in 30 colors for $39 FOB Indianapolis. A recycled jute and wool product line is also planned. Catherine Watkins, director of product development works with a team of a dozen designers in Huddersfield on all of the products. Right now, these designers are in the process of raising the aesthetics of all Camira lines, he said. For example, Bennotti points to “wool felt as a hot look for panels. We have it in 22 ounces and a 17 ounce version for vertical surfaces.” “We offer the designer a value proposition with a five year and ten year warranty on everything we offer, depending on the product. Camira is competing with other jobbers but is a mill.” Bennotti said that Camira is

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

in stock on everything it sells, about 280 sku’s either with the half million yard inventory in Indianapolis or in Huddersfield, UK. “We can deliver just as fast to the customer from either the UK or Indianapolis States and we’ll even provide cut yardage like any jobber would. Obviously, the line from Camira is abbreviated compared to the typical jobber but it is more than enough for the bulk of the basic business done in the U.S. contract arena, he said. “The designers love our product, especially the deep brights and classic construction, including the good hand and finishing.” Camira is a completely vertical piece dyed operation. Bennotti got his first reaction to the line last June at Neocon. “All the major design firms stopped by our stand and this was Adrenalin on only our second Neocon ever as a privately owned company. Previously, Camira was owned by Interface Fabrics Inc. but was later sold and renamed. It was previously known as Camborne. True Fabrics, another contract supplier in Grand Rapids, Michigan was also part of the Interface Group. True was sold to Sun Capital while Camborne was sold to its new owners at a

later date. Camira had to agree not to compete in the USA in favor of True Fabrics. Once that agreement expired, Camira stepped into the void in the States when the lockout ended in 2009. Before joining Camira, Bennotti was with Victor Textiles in Canada based in Boston. Previously, he spent ten years

a chair (1996-2006) with the forerunner to Camira, working with the same crew as he works with now, namely Andrew Schofield, marketing and sales director and Ian Burn, director of marketing. Other top executives include Steve Bullas, managing director; Simon Whittaker, director of sales and Cheryl Kindness, director of product development. F&FI

Spring 2012 n

F FI NE W S (continued from previous page)

Depoortere Offers All Polyester Velvets, High Five Marketing Line Depoortere upholstery received new life as a division of Depoortere Group which includes woven carpets and Depoortere Deco, a maker of finished pillows.Under the new ownership, Depoortere commercial director Christof Vermeersch is working closely with commercial manager Marnix Ghesquire who is heading all commercial activities. Marnix has over 30 years experience in business in general and plain velvets in particular. It took six months to buy the old Depoortere equipment and hire some of the previous workers back, Callens explained. “Depoortere production has always concentrated on 100 % plain polyester velvets and this continues under a new marketing umbrella with High Five Textiles,” according to Callens. “Now Depoortere can focus on quality, creativity and cusotmer service,” he explained. “All developed qualities have very high rubtest results of 100,000 Martindale and more resulting in heavy duty/hard wearing fabrics,” he said. “All qualities are washable and easy to clean; all production steps are done in-house so perfect quality control is guaranteed,” he emphasized. “Price level is not the main issue as it was before; development of unique natural looks like cotton look, viscose look, linen looks, mohair look are succesfully achieved under the new product development manager Jean Pierre Vanbostal and possible because of their own dying and finishing facilities,” Callens pointed out. Callens further stated that minimum orders are as low as 50 meters per color from a standard range of 36 colors/ quality and custommade colors are possible with a minimum of 160-240 meters depending on the quality. Callens quoted

delivery of four to six weeks. “There are no real stock programs but you could call the standard color range a quick ship program,” Callens said. He also said the new marketing approach for Depoortere and the new collections are “fitting wonderfully together with the sales policy of the High Five Textile mills. The

product was very complementary with the existing fabric lines; a win-win opportunity was born.” Since January, all five High Five sales agents started selling the new Depoortere line to residential and contract jobbers and furniture manufacturers. Early results show an interest from High-end manufacturers

in the USA including Baker Furniture, Lee Industries and Emerson, Callens pointed out The USA customer service as well as the warehousing facilities are based in Chicago. Depoortere is showing its newest collections during Proposte in Como May 8-10 in Albergo Giardino on Via Regina

73 in Cernobbio. Further showings are planned at Showime in High Point June 3-6 in the showroom of the High Five Textiles Group, Textile Tower Market Square, second floor. Depoortere also participates at MoOD Brussels in September. F&FI

July 24 – 26, 2012 Javits Convention Center New York, NY

Save the Date!

The North American sourcing destination for fabrics and soft goods for all home applications. More information at HomeTextilesSourcing.com Co-located with:

Luc Callens

Spring 2012

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

F FI calendar March

18 - 21 China (Guangzhou) International Trade Fair for Home Textiles Hometextile China is the International specialized exhibition and salon in the home textile industry. This is a highprofile, high-energy atmosphere where companies introduce new products for spring & really make a splash. Trade Visitors - importers & exporters of Decoration, Home & Office Design, Furniture, Lightning, Fabrics - Clothing Textiles, Handicraft Products, Gifts & Souvenirs, Home Exhibitions, Kitchen & Bathroom accessories & General Public. China Import and Export Fair Complex Yuejiang Zhong Road, Haizhu District, Pazhou, Guangzhou, China Contact: Ms Grace Lin - Trade Fair Manager Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd., Hong Kong Tel (852) 2238 9938 Fax (852) 2598 8771 grace.lin@hongkong.messefrankfurt. com

April

15 – 18 IFFTEX Indian Furnishings, Floorings, & Textiles Expo is one of the India’s biggest home textiles and furnishings expo. A show where exhibitors can explore a rich variety of textiles, furnishings, and floorings from all over India. More than 500 leading manufacturers-exporters from all over India are taking part in the show. Departmental store chains and speciality stores, mail order/catalogue houses, home furnishings / decorative accessories retailers, interior designers, importers and distributors of home products bed, bath and linen stores,wholesalers/distributors, on-line retialers, mass merchanidisers, import/

Advertiser Index For more information about one of our advertisers, see the page number listed: Babei. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18, 19 Classical Elements . . . . . . . . . 1 Covington. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 D’Decor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5 Dicitex Furnishings. . . . . . . . 17 Dolan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Express Air Freight. . . . . . . . 11 GM Fabrics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 High Five Textiles. . . . . . . . . . 9

export firms, design/lifestyle stores to source the finest from India. Profile for Exhibits includes: Home Furnishings, Flooring -Carpets, Rugs, & Durries, Natural Fiber Floorings ,Bed Linen, Table Linen, Kitchen Linen, Bathroom Linen, Cushion Covers, Wall Hangings ,Curtains, Draperies & Accessories, Hammocks Throws, Upholstery Fabrics, Wall Ceiling & Coverings, Handlooms Fabrics, Jacquard Fabrics, Power Loom Fabrics, Silk & Zeri Furnishings, Duvets Quilts, Rattan, Bamboo & Wicker Floorings, Jute Floorings & Door Mats, Coir Floorings & Door Mats and many more. Organizer: Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts EPCH House, Pocket-6 & 7, Sector-C, L. S. C Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, India Tel:+(91)-(11)-26135256/26135257/ 26135258/26135275 Fax:+(91)-(11)-26135518/26135519

Home Expo India 15-18 Home Expo India is a one stop expo for all your sourcing needs for a variety of houseware products. A first of it’s kind, shown in India will prove to be the sourcing destination for importers, wholesalers, distributors, retailers and speciality stores for a variety of Houseware products. India Expo Centre and Mart Greater Noida,Uttar Pradesh, India Organiser Details: Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts EPCH House, Pocket-6 & 7, Sector-C, L. S. C Vasant Kunj New Delhi, Delhi, India Tel: +(91)-(11)-26135256/ 26135257/ 26135258/ 26135275 Fax: +(91)-(11)- 26135518/ 26135519

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. 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

Kravet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

21 – 26 High Point Market

Messe Frankfurt. . . . . . . . . . 37

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,

Nelen & Delbeke. . . . . . . . . 14 Proposte. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Richloom. . . . . . . . . . . . . 20, 21 Rockland Mills. . . . . . . . . . . 2, 3 Showtime/ITMA. . . . . . . . . . 15 Textirama/MoOD. . . . . . . . . 13 ZW Fabrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

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 Contact Person: Ms. Dawn Smith Tel: +180-087-46492 PO BOX 5243, High Point, Nc, United States Of America Tel:+(1)-(800)-8746492

May

8 – 12 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 - 20126, Milan, Italy Tel:+(39)-(2)-6434054

15 – 17 - HD Expo Las Vegas The 20th 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

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

designing companies from all around the world. In the 20th Hospitality Design Expo, over 7000 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. 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

16 – 20 Evteks Istanbul EVTEKS will be one of the famous exhibitions organized on home textiles industry. More than 1000 exhibitors and 100,000 professional visitors will become the part of the show from all around the world. The show will discuss about 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 merchandiser, 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, solar-protective 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. 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

June

11 – 13 Neocon Chicago Neocon 2012 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 2012 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 2012 is one of the largest furnishing expo in North America and will display a wide range of products related to Accessories, Architectural Products, Art, Building Products and Services, Carpet/Flooring, Ceiling Systems, Casegoods, Fabric, Flooring, Furnishings, Kitchen and Bath, Lighting, Outdoor Furniture, Seating, Stone and Ceramic Tile, Sustainable Products, Technology, Textiles, Technology Support, Wall Treatments and more. Neocon 2012 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. Neocon 2012 is one of most famous shows in the whole region. Several exhibitors, manufacturer, suppliers of home and office related furnishing accessories such as Ceiling Systems, Casegoods, Flooring, Furniture, Lighting, Seating, Stone and Ceramic Tile, Building Products and Services, Carpet/Flooring, Sustainable Products, Technology / Textiles, Wall Treatments and more will participate at the expo from all over the world as exhibitor. 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

Spring 2012 n