Fabrics & Furnishings - Summer 2016 Issue by Fabrics & Furnishings International

Fre e Sho copi wti es a me t

Volume 26, Number 3

Summer 2016

The Global Home & Contract Furnishings Newspaper

Israeli Fabric Suppliers Gain Niche Markets With Increased Sales/Service Levels Sipco News Network

EL AVIV, Israel — After 40 years in the fabric business,

Israeli suppliers have developed a skillset to service customers domestically and globally that actually adds value to the fabric according to wholesalers and manufacturers of piece goods here. This is the finding of a recent extensive tour of Israeli suppliers by Fabrics & Furnishings International with the assistance of Zvi Lieberman, Director,

Flocktex 22 Adds Third Production Line PAGE

Proposte Gallery

Zvi Lieberman

Nachik Weberman

Fashion & Textile Industries Association, Israel. Support from a burgeoning local sofa industry and numerous hotel projects, both new build and

REAT NECK, New York — Leonard Silberman known to the industry as one of the cofounders of Duralee Fabrics in 1952, passed away in his home at age 93 on April 16, 2016. Born in 1923, Lenny began working in the industry after taking a job offering promising opportunities as a fabric shipping clerk,

The End of an Era: Al Marshall Kutz, Herbert Rosenbloom, Lenny Silberman, Sig Rosenberger, the four original PAGE founders of Duralee Fabrics in Bayshore, NY

PAGE

Erotex Partners Menachem ‘Mem’ Salzer, brother Shlomi and Ilan refurbishment, has propelled Logasi, Israeli residential and contract suppliers to a new place in the Kastiel are growing their furniture world market. business locally and through Manufacturers like Niso and (Continued on Page 14)

Industry Icon Leonard Silberman Passes, 93

New House of Arora

Brunschwig & Fils EVP Stephen Elrod and Creative Director Danielle St. George

Benny Elfassy

Sanjay Arora

Ajay Arora

eventually working his way up to a salesman position. In 1952, he ventured out with three partners – including Sig Rosenberger and Marshall Kutz – to start Duralee in an office no larger than today’s modern closets. Under his direction, Duralee has since grown into the design conglomerate it is today. Lenny was the husband of his (Continued on Page 38)

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

Franco Nannucci throws of 35 Party Year at Proposte PAGE

F FI I N F O The Global Home & Contract Furnishings Newspaper

Table of Contents 520 West Avenue, Suite 701, Miami Beach, FL 33139 USA Website: www.fabricsandfurnishings.com Telephone 001.917.251.9922 | ISSN: 1523-7303

F&FI Summer 2016 | Vol. 26, No. 3 Israeli Fabric Suppliers Gain Niche Markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover Industry Icon Leonard Silberman Passes, 93. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover Crypton Gains Ground in Residential Markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Offis Textile Brings High Fashion, Long Runs to Bedding Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Armel Looks Beyond Israeli Borders for New Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 The House of Arora Joins the World’s Most Beautiful Office Structures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Flocktex Adds Third Production Line, Meets Extra Demand for ‘Impala’ Line. . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Spectro Coating Corp., Last U.S. Based Flock Survivor Revs Up Sales Engine. . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Etun and Ramtex Win Export Business Through Excellent Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Erotex Ltd. Expects Cut Length Service Launch 2017. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Erotex China Dwarfs Sales of Israeli Counterpart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 127-Year Old F. Schumacher Executes Modern On-Line Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Frowein Tagged F. Schumacher President. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Frontgate Features Ferguson Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Bimitex Says Bigger is Not Better But Improving Process, Enjoying Life is Tops! . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

EDITORIAL & PUBLISHING 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

WEB DEVELOPER Rocco Cerullo, Artisian Designs Tel: 001.954.914.4758 E-Mail: recerullo@artisian.com DISTRIBUTION Mike Panella E-Mail: mikep@apc-pli.com

ADVERTISING SALES

Darling Fashion Wins Friends, Customers at Proposte . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Mode Says It’s In The Black After Less Three Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Fathers & Sons - Joe and Josh Romano of Integrated Textile Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Art Richards, Fabric Legend, 74 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Don Hurwitz Remembers Art Richards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

TURKEY GERMAN SPEAKING AREA Sevim Gunes Isa Hofmann Tel: 90.532.236.25.24 Tel: +49 611.890.59640 Fax: 90.216.390.20.27 Fax: +49 611.87086 Email: sevimgunes34@gmail.com Email: info@ihofmann.com

Contract/HospitalityNews

INDIA S. Wishwanath Tel: 91.80.26685821 Cell: 91.93.42821379 Fax: 91.80.26684670 Email: s_wishwanath@hotmail.com

Jones, Pascolini Celebrate Cruise Business, Cruising Along Biscayne Bay, Miami. . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION

Departments Photo Gallery - New Zealand Fishing Event Raises $16,000 for Breast Cancer Victims. . . . . 34 Photo Gallery - Proposte: Proposte Brings New Life to Fabrics Again!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Advertiser Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

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(Continued from Front Cover)

Israeli Fabric Suppliers Gain Niche Markets With Increased Sales/Service Levels staff, has developed an international client base of major retailers and distributors of printed bedding lines. Cut order specialists like Erotex and Armel are expanding their business to include European and Chinese distribution. Leading upmarket wholesalers, like Renby, are converting their own line of plains in Korea to better compete in the local hotel market that is thriving due to increased tourism to Israel. Nachik, a leading editeur based in Tel Aviv continues its growth curve with trendy fabrics mostly made in China and has also made a reputation for itself in the reliable delivery of other fabrics from China to customers in the USA and Europe. In this issue of Fabrics & Furnishings International, you can read about each Israeli supplier in greater detail. Shalom! Shlomo and Ruth Landau Principals — Eric Schneider of Ramtex in Ramat Gan, Israel with Shlomo’s sister Sara Hasdai, Logistics Manager tourists who like and shop Israelistyle and then want to bring it to their homes in Europe and the USA, according to Joshua Kastiel and Lion Adut of Niso, the two leading furniture brands in Israel. Etun and Ramtex, the only two jacquard mills in Israel thrive on local hotel projects and then turn their quickness to export of homegrown designed exclusive collections to individual US jobbers. Offis Textiles Ltd., a major rotary screen printer driven by a large design

Gal and Idan Rom, Principals of Decorum, high end residential fabric wholesaler, Tel Aviv Orchid Plaza Hotel Tel Aviv

Yossi Adut with two customers at Niso showroom. Not shown is Lion Adut, Yossi’s brother

Tel Aviv textile center building with a typical delivery vehicle in the foreground

Immanuel (Manny) shows off original poster for mop heads, the forerunner company of Etun, Yavne, Israel

Sarin Adut, a principal of Niso Furniture

Moshe and Joshua Kastiel, two of the four principals of Kastiel brand of furniture, Tel Aviv. Principals Not shown - Joshua’s daughter Daphne and Moshe’s son Ephraim

Ben Moran, Renby Home Couture Principal

Renby interior

Niso brand furniture showroom in Tel Aviv

Renby showroom on Herzl Street corner, Tel Aviv

Liat Topel, Renby Showroom Manager is the daughter of Dahlia Topel and niece of Solange Handler, sisters of Ben Moran

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Ram Cohen, Chief Technologist, Offis Textile Ltd.

Hadas Zaltzman, Creative Direction & Marketing Manager, Offis Textile Ltd., Azor, Israel

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Crypton Gains Ground in Residential Fabric Market Sipco News Network

IGH POINT, North Carolina — Crypton® Home is making an impact on the residential furniture industry after just one year in the market according to Randy Rubin, Principal of the 24 year old high tech finishing firm. Valdese Weavers is the only mill making a collection of Crypton fabrics and has an exclusive contract for three years with the brand while Crypton Home itself is converting and marketing a second collection. “Originally, Crypton cut its teeth in the contract market working with a variety of mills in the USA. As of this just completed High Point Furniture Market in April, Crypton fabrics were present in 55 showrooms, absolutely amazing progress in just a year,” Rubin points out. “People are asking for the fabric by name.” “We are coming into the market with 24 years of a proven track

record. There is a lot of cross over with commercial designers doing residential so to some we are new and others trust us and love the Home Fabric. The potential is probably bigger than contract but much harder to penetrate,” she says. Rubin thinks that the disappearance of Scotchgard® and Teflon® finishes did leave a void in the market “but they were never perceived as a total product—they were a treatment, maybe a spray on product and the expectations were pretty low. In addition, you could put it on anything, which did not really create the idea of a total fabric system, which Crypton Home is. We have requirements for fabric durability with Wyzenbek, tear/

tensile strength; pilling plus we need to know that it works to repel stain, moisture and odor. It is a complicated process that is fiber dependent so it is not a ‘one thing treats all chemistry.‘ We work very hard to create an engineered product much like you would look at Gore-Tex® and expect it will perform in a certain way.“ “The closest competitors to Crypton Home in the market would be Sunbrella® from Glen Raven Mills which is an outdoor fabric often used indoors. They were the only game in town for a long time. In addition, Bella Dura®—also outdoor—is trying to come indoors. Those are the two significant players,” she feels. F&FI

Randy Rubin (center), Principal of Crypton Fabrics with Blake Millinor, Vice President Sales &Marketing, Valdese Weavers and Patrick Shelton Strategic Accounts Manager I Valdese Weavers. The dogs were there to add some fun to the U.S. furniture market in High Point

Offis Textile Brings High Fashion, Long Runs to Bedding Industry Three Reggiani Rotary screen printers are driven by infinite design choices

Sipco News Network

ZOR, Israel — There are very few global sources where a bedding producer, retailer or designer can dye, rotary print and finish over 50 kinds of in-stock greige cloth into finished bedding, but that is exactly what Offis Textile Ltd. can do for its customers. Offis is part of a conglomerate called ‘The Fishman Group.’ Offis has 21 sample books of

greige cloth including jacquard, percale, sateen and more natural looking cotton and poly-cotton in up to 800 thread count in sateen. Offis buys greige in China, India and Indonesia and sells half of its production outside of Israel with the balance locally. “We try to add value to the customers’ design by fine tuning their designs or they can choose one of our own internally generated designs through our staff of four in house designers,” says Hadas Zaltzman, Creative Direction & Marketing Manager. Each year, she creates a heavy spiral bound book given to Offis customers at Heimtextil Europe

to stimulate new design ideas “but before any screens are cut, the customer has to approve the design,” she adds. Hadas works closely with Ram Cohen, Chief Technologist, Offis Textile Ltd. and Liat Lahav, International Sales & Business Development Manager. Offis supplies the local market in Israel. Recently, Marco Abergil joined Offis as CEO replacing Sason Tzalisher who left. F&FI

Marco Abergil

Armel Looks Beyond Israeli Borders for New Business Sipco News Network

ISHON LEZION, Israel — Armel is trying to expand its market beyond the borders of Israel according to Ari Elfassy, one of the two principals. “The best politics is business. In this way, you can find the solution to all problems,” the 43-year-old entrepreneur says. Armel Textile is one of the larger fabric importers in Israel today; right up there with Erotex and Schechter but it is more upscale in its collection and presentation. It specializes in leather for upholstery and curtain fabrics as well as rugs. Partners and brothers Benny and Ari Elfassy are originally from

Armel’s Aaron Shmueli, Creative Director, Principals and brothers, Ari and Benny Elfassy

Liat Lahav

Hadas Zaltzman, Creative Direction & Marketing Manager with Ram Cohen, Chief Technologist, Offis Textile Ltd., Azor, Israel

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Armel inventory

Casablanca but came to Israel in 1997, starting the business from scratch in 2,000. “Our family in Morocco has a separate fabric business there and our father is our mentor,” Ari (continued on Page 30)

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The House of Arora Joins the World’s Most Beautiful Office Structures The new Mumbai headquarters of D’Décor is breath taking by Eric Schneider

UMBAI, India — If you have covered the world of upholstery and decorative fabrics for the past 30 years as I have done, you can’t help but notice the outstanding presentation of fabrics in showrooms and office environments. Some companies have gone beyond the norm of most textile factories, warehouses and offices in their attempt to elevate the environment of their employees and also increase efficiency of the workplace. We’ve seen this demonstrated by Bru Textiles, one of the largest converters in the world today based in Mechelen, Belgium. Bru certainly comes to mind when considering the most outstanding robotic installations including their relatively recent warehouse extension just a few years ago. Certainly, Satin Textiles in Thailand has the most beautiful textile campus where the owner, Schle Wood has designed the most exquisite architectural structures and live/work campus to house his employees. There is also an avante garde glass showroom, dye house and weaving shed, each with its own name. Today, the most dynamic new structure housing any workforce dedicated to textiles in the world must surely be the just completed D’Décor 250,000 square foot state of the art office building in Mumbai. The structure is also home to Disney India and Dolby Sound India. D’Décor uses 72,000 square feet

for its 220 employees. Nothing is ostentatious. Everything is low key and comfortable. This modern building, built and owned by the largest supplier of textiles in the world with sales in the $250 million range is living proof of its ‘Live Beautiful’ advertising theme. D’Decor now extends this message to the lives of its employees who have a beautiful home to work in during the day or night. It is also home to Sanjay and Ajay Arora and their father L.K. who exhibit modesty in reflecting their latest success. Sanjay’s daughter, Sanjana Arora, is the third Arora generation and also works in the beautiful building as Manager of the eight retail stores owned by D’Décor in India. There are other children who may follow her, insuring the continuity of the Arora family in D’Décor’s future. As many as 22 stores are planned with the possibility of franchising the name and the product offerings. The new building is imposing but it is also understated in the use of its materials; lots of white marble with gray veins greets the visitor along with a complete open floor plan on the two huge floors occupied by D’Decor. The lobby is two levels high with lots of natural light from the floor to ceiling windows. There is an outdoor deck adjoining the interior space as well as several cafeterias for the use of the employees and meeting rooms

The House of Arora

Domestic customer showroom Sanjay Arora

Ajay Arora

complete with electronic presentation set-ups for group discussions. The two main showrooms also feature electronic screens, which can help the user choose through the

Sanjana Arora thousands of sku’s in the D’Décor collections. The following pictures illustrate what I am talking about. F&FI

Export showroom

Curtain fabric showroom Customer service area

wide hallways and doors

Lunch is served at D’Decor

Board room

Conference room

Upholstery showroom

Giacometti metal sculptures

Light fixture in two story entrance

Outdoor deck

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Working showroom

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Flocktex Adds Third Production Line, Meets Extra Demand for ‘Impala’ Line From Buyers Like Himolla and Architex Sipco News Network

IRIYAT MALACHI, Israel — Flocktex is meeting the challenge of diminishing flock resources with a proportionate increased demand for its high end ‘Impala’ fabric line by adding a third production unit here, according to Mayer Zeiler, Principal. With the departure of Microfibres in the USA and Alpha in China, there are only a few companies left in the world aside from Flocktex who make flock upholstery fabrics; Spectro Coatings Corp. in Leominster, MA. USA; Antecuir /Aquaclean® in Alicante, Spain and Flokser in Istanbul, Turkey. Of course, there are several left in China producing the cheap goods. Most people know Mayer Zeiler as the ‘guy with the white beard’ but those who really know Mayer Zeiler say he is extremely

“Everyone tried to copy Impala when it first came out but 14 years later, it is still our bestseller.”

Mayer Zeiler

passionate about his business and approaches everything connected to it with a messianic zeal. Those who know Mayer will tell you that when he makes his pitch, he becomes a man who is very hard to say ‘no’ to. His son Shaya, VP, Marketing is also cut from the same last. If you’re lucky enough to be invited to tour the Flocktex factory floor, you can see the result of Mayer Zeiler’s passion. The factory is fastidiously clean, right down to the filtering systems designed to keep flock particles out of the employees’ lives. The equipment is of recent vintage, especially the gas fired oven used in the finishing process. (Everything else in the factory must stay a secret or Mayer will never talk to you again.) The move to a third line at Flocktex is the result of a longtime success in the market. A quick check of the market will tell you that nobody else is expanding the flock business at this time. Flocktex has been able to create a global market for high quality flock beginning with the introduction of ‘Impala’ in 2002. Impala starts at $14 a meter with a 1,000-yard minimum per color in what used to be an overproduced China driven commodity market of $4 goods. “More than a few distributors and converters walked away from Flocktex products because they were and still are the most expensive in the market; those who got behind the Flocktex products, including the customer of course, have been successful,” Mayer states.

As a result, some of Flocktex’s best customers were unhurt by the recent departure of Microfibres from the market but other companies who published furniture catalogs featuring Microfibres product have had the added burden of removing that literature from the market, Zeiler explains, after a recent European tour of his best customers. “We didn’t buy that much from Microfibres since we are the exclusive user of Flocktex in Germany,” says Joe Rott, Director of Fabric Buying at Himolla. “We were a big customer of Microfibres in the 1980’s and 1990’s but Himolla decided a long time ago to trade up and go with Flocktex.” Rott says his Himolla’s business is normal and the German Home Shows in Cologne had good results this year. About 75 percent of Himolla’s business is in real leather in the 15 Euro range and the balance is in fabrics including Alcantara® and Flocktex products in the 10 Euro range, he says. In the USA, Architex has become a successful user of Flocktex products for the designer trade. “We have not had one problem with the Flocktex product,” says Keith Gordon, Principal of Architex. “Everything we buy from them is on an exclusive basis. We especially like the flannel and herringbone looks produced by Flocktex.” Furniture powerhouse Flexsteel features Flocktex products distributed by Deitch Plastics in New Haven Connecticut but

Dan Kennedy, fabric buyer for Flexsteel could not be reached for further comment. Zeiler recently hired Mike Czarnecki as Vice President, Sales & Marketing as part of the marketing strategy to handle the increased demand for Flocktex products. Czarnecki, a 30-year veteran of the flock industry is helping the sales of Flocktex goods in the USA and Europe. He is supported by Shaya Zeiler, Vice President of Sales and one of seven Zeiler children active in the business. Mayer Zeiler has a total of ten children and seven grandchildren, many already working at Flocktex. “When we started this business in 1976, the flock market was $4. We have taken flock out of the commodity market and made it a high end, high tech fabric. We were successful in trading up the market with a better product,” Zeiler states. “Everyone tried to copy Impala when it first came out but 14

years later, it is still our bestseller and nobody succeeded in reaching our quality level,” he says. “Sure, there are cheap knockoffs of Impala but there are quality problems with the copies,” he says. Since the original Impala products, Flocktex has made many “sons and daughters” including the latest fashion in worsted wool and linen looks with Flocktex’s Velsoft finish in the 12-15 Euro price category. “These products are geared for top end furniture where we are selling container loads.” Mayer Zeiler is now looking for more stocking distributors who believe in his product range. Consider yourself lucky to tour the Flocktex plant. Very few people are invited if only because Zeiler doesn’t want anyone to learn his manufacturing secrets concerning flock, a notoriously difficult product to make. F&FI

Impala

Spectro Coating Corp., Last U.S. Based Flock Survivor Revs Up Sales Engine, Builds Partnerships With Large Buyers Hemendra Shah Eyes China Domestic Market Business Microfibres Left Behind Sipco News Network

EOMINSTER, MA. — Spectro Coating Corp. is looking to pick up a portion of the Chinese domestic market previously supplied by the Microfibres flock plant in Nantong that produced 300,000-400,000 yards a week, according to Hemendra Shah, principal of Spectro Coating, the last remaining flock producer in the USA. The price range of the Spectro stock upholstery line to the jobber is $4.25 -$7.95 per yard. Microfibres went bankrupt earlier this year leaving customers

holding the bag to find new suppliers. Shah hopes to capitalize on Microfibres’ departure from the marketplace. “We have two stock lines and we are going to develop two to three more this year to service jobbers and distributors who service the furniture Industry.” Shah bought Vertipile in 1988 and renamed it Spectro. Since then, it has been a successful business focused on commodity flock “with a lot of capacity, abut 50 million meters a year,” he says. “What killed Microfibres was the U.S. furniture manufacturer

who wanted just-in-time delivery from Microfibres printed flock inventory with no inventory of its own,” Shah explains. “We are not planning to service the American furniture manufacturer with a stock program or just in time delivery of single rolls or cut yardage. We are not planning to service the American furniture manufacturer on a direct basis.” “We produce solid color flock in 1,000 yard minimums per design per color and 20 percent extra for custom colors,” he adds. “That’s the kind of business we seek.” “We’re just not interested in

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the short run kind of business that killed off Microfibres.” Spectro also prints single color flock on a linen type basecloth similar to flocked wallpapers. “We will offer Nylon flocked upholstery fabric in plain, textures, printed in on fancy fabrics and multilayer for customers who can purchase our MOQ (minimum order per quality per SKU.) We will also develop custom products for their needs.” Shah says he is also looking for sales representatives to carry the Spectro line. F&FI Hemendra Shah

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Etun and Ramtex Win Export Business Through Excellent Service Including Cut and Sew for Local Hotel Projects Israeli Boutique Mills also battle for local hotel projects Sipco News Network

AVNE, Israel — Etun makes its living through servicing the customer according to Immanuel (Manny) and Judith Horn, the owners of Etun. “Every Far Eastern and Turkish supplier beats us on price so the only reason to do business with us is our extra good service,” the couple says. Etun price range is $10-$16 a meter in polyester, acrylic and cotton blends in jacquard designs

and some clients in Japan. Etun is a 100 percent custom development mill with no minimum order requirements for its customers who can have samples in a few days. The same technique wins Etun local hotel business where lost time means lost hotel room rentals. Etun has its own sewing room in order to deliver finished textiles to the hotel

on time. Etun has three designers on staff including Ronit Gutman, a ten-year veteran of Etun, Judith Horn and Julia Dvirnyi. All designs are generated internally. Personalized service is the key here. The original company was started in Fulda, Germany in 1886 by Manny’s grandfather. “He came to

Israel 82 years ago and then my father started up in the 40’s making mop heads,” Manny explains. One thing led to another and Etun ended up making jacquard upholstery. Manny wanted to be an archeologist and Manny’s father wanted to be a lawyer in Israel so they chose textiles instead to make a living.

PETACH TIKVA—Ramtex like Etun, sells mostly to about 10-15 customers in the USA and everything is woven to order. “Business is steady and 2016 looks promising,” says Shlomo Landau, the owner. (continued on Page 30)

Etun owners Immanuel and Judith Horn; designers Ronit Gutman and Julia Dvirnyi

Shlomo and Ruth Landau Principals of Ramtex in Ramat Gan, Israel with Shlomo’s sister Sara Hasdai, Logistics Manager and jacquard plains. They count on Herod’s Hotels and Leonardo Hotels as customers locally. About 2,000 years ago, Yavne was also home to the biblical court known as the Sanhedrin. Today, Etun’s jacquard looms crank out fabric for American clients who specialize in hospitality projects

Herod’s Hotel project completed by Etun including embroidery

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Erotex Plans Global Cut Length Service Launch From China 2017 Aggressive wholesaler to grow with separate Hangzhou China branch Bringing you Producers of Upholstery, Window and Wall coverings + Yarns

moodbrussels.com

creative textile & surface design show

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EL AVIV, Israel — Erotex has rapidly risen as one of the largest wholesalers of mass market fabrics in Israel since its founding in 1977 by the Salzer Brothers (Menachem ‘Mem’ and Shlomi) and their partner Ilan Logasi. A cut length export business is being planned for rollout in 2017 from its China base that is expected to significantly boost the company’s business. Logasi was previously a trusted agent with the forerunner leather business started by the Salzers’ grandfather. Logasi handles sales and distribution; Shlomi handles administration and Mem is the head honcho. Erotex annual growth rate is around five percent which is quite incredible considering the small size of the Israeli market of eight million consumers, including 1.5 million Israeli Arabs. Everything is shipped from its $5 million inventory stored in its 2,500-meter warehouse in south Tel Aviv on Ben Zvi Road at the Panorama Textile Center. The made to order sofa business is a big industry in Israel and Erotex promises two day delivery to these customers like Niso and Kastiel, the largest sofa producers in Israel. Ten sales people in a fleet of small cars cover the Israeli retail scene like a blanket and service is the key according to Mem. Many of the sofas end up in homes around the world from consumers who shop in Israel but live somewhere else. For example, Niso is doing a complete apartment in Manhattan, London, Belgium and Paris. It buys cuts from suppliers like Erotex and also Armel, another important competitor with a medium to high end

MoOD & Indigo Brussels by Textirama vzw, Belgium +32 9 243 84 50

indigobrussels.com

Erotex Partners Menachem ‘Mem’ Salzer, brother Shlomi and Ilan Logasi, wholesale line. The same is true for Kastiel which used to buy pieces but found that cut order was more efficient. Kastiel has a huge collection of hanging samples in its main office/showroom. The growth of Erotex has been propelled by the addition of a sepa(continued on Page 30)

Erotex China Dwarfs Sales of Israeli Counterpart Sipco News Network

ANGZHOU, CHINA—www.Ektextile.com is the website for Erotex in Hangzhou, a separate distribution company based in China with far greater sales than the Israeli based counterpart company owned by the Salzer Brothers. EK sells first quality upholstery under the brand name of ‘Cherry.’ The general site boasts availability of 800 colors of velvet and two million meters of inventory. Much of the site is written in Chinese characters for the domestic China market and offers a customer service telephone number. The Cherry product umbrella covers online sales of artificial leather, decorative fabric, children’s curtains, carpet and aniline leather under the Erotex, Corium and Futura brands. Cherry offers Rustika upholstery with Aquaclean® from Spain, a flock based upholstery from Antecuir. Under ‘Sibu Design,’ the website features projects by various designers who have incorporated Cherry upholstery or leather into various projects—like Melanie Craig Design in Wanaka, New Zealand. She used ‘Collage’ in a kitchen area, a leather like product sourced from Cherry. F&FI

Erotex cut order department

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

Summer 2016

Contract/HospitalityNews F FI NE W S

C/HNEWS I Jones, Pascolini Celebrate Cruise Business, Cruising Along

Biscayne Bay, Miami, During Seatrade Show in Ft. Lauderdale by Israel Brod

IAMI BEACH, Florida — “The cruise industry is booming as new cruise ships are being built and quickly selling out as soon as they hit the waters,” according to Bill Jones, President of Global Textile Marketing Exchange Inc., an important importer of fabrics for the cruise trade. Along with Luca Pascolini,

President of Sangiorgio Export, the pair capitalized on the booming cruise ship trade with a private sea voyage coinciding with the Seatrade Show in Ft. Lauderdale in March. Jones’ Black & White Party Sunset Cruise departed from the Sea isle Marina in Miami sailing past the stunning downtown Miami skyline and even catching a glimpse of the electrifying Ultra music fes-

tival with the sun setting in the background. The event, hosted a variety of design, fabrics and furnishings professionals For some of the world’s leading cruise lines including All Carnival namesand are listed in order of left To Right. Royal Caribbean. An open cocktail bar, hors d’oeuvres and plenty of good music kept the party going as the boat (Continued on Page 31)

The stunning Miami Downtown Skyline Just after sunset.

Ashleigh M. Jones, Senior Interior Designer New builds and refurbishments - Carnival Cruise Line with Janine Carter, Friend, and Alina The Hosts: Luca Pascolini, President - Sangiorgio ! ! Export and William L. Jones, President- Global Textile Sinayak, Project Coordinator - Carnival Ashleigh M. Jones, Senior Interior Designer New builds and refurbishments The Hosts: Cruise Line Marketing Exchange Inc. Carnival Cruise Line Luca Pascolini, President - Sangiorgio Export Janine William L. Jones, President- Global Textile Marketing Exchange Inc.Carter, Friend

Alina Sinayak, Project Coordinator - Carnival Cruise Line !

Suzette P. Perez, Interior

Suzette P. Perez, Interior Designer - Fernandez Brena Design. - Fernandez Brena Claudia Gastaldo, Designer Interior Designer - Fernandez Brena Design. Rachelle Cary Fernandez, co-founder/Interior Designer - Fernandez Brena Design. Design with Claudia Gastaldo,

Tenace, Sales Manager - Global Textile Interior Designer - Fernandez Marketing Exchange, Inc. and   Brena and Cary Robinson Hernandez, BuyerDesign II, Newbuilding & Fleet Design - Royal CaribbeanOberndorfer, President Juergen Cruises Ltd. Fernandez, co-founder/Interior - Texstyles, Inc. (Representing Tamar Gibson, Project Buyer, Refurbishment & Dry-Dock Designer - Fernandez Brena - Royal Caribbean Norbar Fabrics) Cruises Ltd. Design.

Boarding the Class-Leading Yacht just before sunset at the Sea Isle Marina in Miami. !

Rachelle Tenace, Sales Manager - Global Textile Marketing Exchange, Inc. Juergen Oberndorfer, President - Texstyles, Inc. (Representing Norbar Fabr

Eating, drinking and mingling with the fresh bay breeze and downtown Miami in the background.

The Solstice is a one of a kind Yacht combining luxury and style.

Robert Ruiz, Technical Buyer - Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Blanca L. Jiron, Sr. Project Buyer, Refurbishment & DryDock - Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com !

Robert Ruiz, Technical Buyer - Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

Robinson Hernandez, Buyer II, Newbuilding & Fleet Design Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. with Tamar Gibson, Project Buyer, Refurbishment & DryDock - Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

Summer 2016

F FI NE W S

127-Year Old F. Schumacher Executes Modern On-Line Strategy to Reduce Conventional Sampling Costs by Eric Schneider

EW YORK, New York — F. Schumacher is making a major bet on on-line sales with its latest efforts to email its client base information about its new collections. The U.S. Department of Commerce tracked the percentage

of retail sales made on line at 7.5 percent for the fourth quarter of 2015 and it continues to grow at a faster rate than conventional retail sales. Certainly, F. Schumacher has these statistics in mind with its latest on-line strategy. F. Schumacher as a policy does not comment on its marketing or hiring activities and in general

prefers to stay under the radar. Specifically, FSchumacher.com is flogging cyberspace with three separate emailings this past week to its mail list of designers touting its new licensed collections designed by ‘Veere Grenney,’ (Class Act); Miles Redd (Get the Look); ‘Don’t Blink—a lightning fast visual presentation

of Schumacher’s ‘Piet Linen’ in 49 colors and ‘Essentials’, a line of small scale jacquard designs and ‘Tough Enough’, a selection of performance fabrics. All email promotion is tied into the ‘blogfschumacher.com’ electronic newsletter which is a tutorial for designers covering (Continued on Page 31)

Frowein Tagged F. Schumacher President Sipco News Network

EW YORK, New York — Benjamin Frowein has been named President of F. Schumacher Fabrics, the 127-year-old American fabric editeur. He has been with F. Schumacher as a consultant since February and news of his promotion was rumored within the fabric trade since midMarch. Timur Yumusaklar continues in his post as CEO of Schumacher, which he has held since May 2015. Frowein, like Yumusaklar, is in hs mid-30’s and was a principal of The Boston Consulting Group where the two both worked 2012-2014. Frowein joined the Boston Consulting Group in 2010. More recently, Frowein was the owner of BeMi Invest from January 2015 to February 2016. Here, he was an entrepreneur involved with property development, interior design and landscape design. He has had no practical experience in the fabric business following in the footsteps of his colleague Yumusaklar. F. Schumacher is following a path of hiring top management from outside the fabric industry with an emphasis on web marketing skills. Recently, Schumacher launched an aggressive e-commerce drive to promote its new collections in lieu of conventional sampling. (see separate story above) Frowein was educated at Comillas Pontifical University in Madrid, Spain with a degree in business administration and was born in Berlin, Germany. He speaks several languages including German, his mother tongue. F&FI

Benjamin Frowein

Summer 2016

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F FI NE W S (Continued from page 16)

Armel Looks Beyond Israeli Borders explains. “Our father was one of the first distributors in Morocco,” he adds. Armel sells to the Palestinian consumer in the $6-$12 range but its collection is priced as high as $20 a meter. “We buy a broad range from China for the price and European goods for the style in the $12-$20 range.” Armel shows big pieces in

its showroom to the architect and designer and refreshes the collection four times a year, Ari says. “Our collections are already coordinated when the buyer sees them.” “We are looking for new resources all of the time,” Ari points out. He attends Heimtextil in Frankfurt for this purpose. F&FI

Armel memo samples for customers

Armel curtain section

Armel wholesale showroom in Rishon Lezion

Continued from page 24)

Erotex rate operation in Hangzhou, China known as EK. The Israeli operation buys $3-$6 goods in China which it sells to local manufacturers in Israel. Erotex says it was the first export customer for Yongshun, a fabric manufacturer in Shaoxing also known for its blackout lining business. The Hangzhou sister branch distributes cut order and pieces in domestic China and exports worldwide. The business includes fabrics and a significant aniline leather distribution business under the watchful eye of Michel Abesidon, a recent Australian émigré to Israel who has 26 years experience in leather. In fact, the leather logotype is incorporated into the Erotex name but leather is just a small but important part of the business today. Leather in fact is the foundation of Erotex and Abesidon is expected to make it grow further according to Menachem ‘Mem’ Salzer who recently married at the ripe age of 50. Erotex buys from Turkey, creates its own designs in house with

Second view of Armel showroom

(Continued from Page 23)

Niso showroom entrance

Niso brand logo is built into each piece of furniture its own design department and then converts its own jacquards in China. About 80 percent of the business is dedicated to upholstery. The Israeli operation is loaded with inventory and the current showroom is being expanded. An online presence is located at www.erotex.co.il. F&FI

Erotex, Tel Aviv wholesaler shows off some of its $5 million leather and decorative fabric inventory

Etun and Ramtex Win Export Business Shlomo is also a marathon runner in very good shape In 1950, Ramtex was making curtains. It began as a residential

mill and became a contract supplier to the USA about 25 years ago. Now, it does two lines of upholstery each year which four on-staff

Germany based Gebruder Horn, started by Manny’s grandfather.

designers, including Design /Export Manager Anna Kroglen modifies for the specific customer. “Chenille is still selling as well as boucle. Minimums are 100 yards per color and it can deliver custom

Etun showroom

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

samples in two weeks,” Shlomo reports. The price point averages $14 a meter in 100 percent polyester and some viscose novelty yarns. Like Etun, Ramtex is a family business. Shlomo’s sister Sara Hasdai handles logistics for Ramtex while his wife Ruth

handles the local market. Her daughter-in-law, Anat Landau Nizri who comes out of the web business, recently joined her. She has an MBA from Beersheba University in engineering business management. Shlomo is happy that the next generation is now getting involved. F&FI

Horn collection of old hand block prints

Summer 2016

F FI NE W S (Continued from Page 29)

(Continued from Page 28)

F. Schumacher Executes On-Line Strategy

C/HNEWS I Jones, Pascolini Celebrate Cruise

things like rub tests for contract fabrics and other pertinent information about Schumacher. If the designer has an account with the company and password, pricing and order information is available. It is reportedly part of a new merchandising push that will eliminate traditional sampling of new collections. Supposedly, the company will no longer produce sample books of its new fabric collections although there are plenty of older collections still on showroom shelves. While Schumacher Chairman Gerald Puschel was not available for comment, it is understood that the new online strategy was developed by CEO Timur Yumusaklar and executed by Dara Caponigro, Creative Director of this venerable American editeur founded in 1879 by Frederic Schumacher. The German borne Yumusaklar was previously CEO of Zalando, an online shopping destination said to offer over 1.500 brands of fashion and shoe items to over 14 million customers. At the time of his hiring by Chairman Puschel in May, 2015 F&FI speculated that Yumusaklar was hired to get Schumacher further along the learning curve in online marketing and sales. This latest move to eliminate conventional sampling cost in favor of on-line sampling is no doubt an example of Yumusaklar’s initiatives and he should be congratulated on a flawless execution so far. With so many conventional and online retailers engaged in on-line sales, the decorative fabric industry would do well to change their traditional model if it produces the results required. Schumacher should be congratulated on this major effort. No further information has been forthcoming from F.Schumacher even though Fabrics & Furnishings International has made several attempts to promote a dialogue with various members of management and staff. F&FI

Business, Cruising Along Biscayne Bay, Miami made its way around the peaceful Biscayne Bay waters. As the size of the Cruise ships grow so do their demand for materials including fabric and furnishings of course. “Design is no doubt an integral part of a cruise ships construction,” said a senior buyer at Royal Caribbean. She said, “at times this

can also prove to be challenging. When refurbishing a ship as many of the original fabrics have either been discontinued or no longer carried by the suppliers. This requires the design team to improvise while maintaining the ships’ original design theme.” Challenging or not, the ships continue to be built and the indus-

try shows no signs of slowing down. This cruise was the second hosted by Bill Jones and Luca Pascolini and they hope to make it annual event. Judging by the way the cruise industry is growing the pair may just need a bigger boat for next year’s event. F&FI

Cocktails and Hors D’oeuvres were just some of the highlights on this fun filled evening.

Timur Yumusaklar

Summer 2016

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com 31

F FI P H O T O G A L L E R Y

New Zealand Fishing Event Raises $16,000 for Breast Cancer Victims

hristchurch, NZ — The New Zealand Textile Fishing competition which is now held every two years, took place in February on an island inside the beautiful Auckland Harbour. This Island was hired for the exclusive use of all the distributors, interior designers, suppliers and retailers to the New Zealand Textile industry. This year we had Australian, Belgium and Dutch suppliers in attendance on the beach giving support. The event brings all Customers and competitors together and is a serious meet and greet event for everyone involved. This year’s event was not as large as previous events as many boats were not able to compete due to the horrific weather and could not venture out in the smaller boats. At this exact moment New

Zealand was hit by the tail end of tropical cyclone Winston, which devastated Fiji. However, there was a break in the weather and still 200 competitors plus an extra 50 support people arrived on the island. The sun shone, but the wind blew The overall winning Team James McCourtie Textiles headed up by Hamish and Jordan took most of the prizes on offer in all divisions; team Luxaflex and Charles Parsons coming in second and third respectively. This event also is used as a foundation event to raise money for the Sweet Louise foundation which looks after women and their families of women with terminal breast cancer. This year we raised $16,000 which will definitely help out many families facing this terrible disease. -- Brett Fleetwood, Scorpio Agencies Brett and Sandra Fleetwood from Scorpio Agencies Ltd, Fiona Hatton CEO of Sweet Louise Foundation and Gerald Sheehy from Home Fabrics to present the check of $16,281.00

David Braddock, from Braddock Interiors Wellington. Gerald Sheehy, from Home Fabrics Auckland. Ben Fleetwood, from Scorpio Agencies Ltd Auckland. Sandra Fleetwood, from Scorpio Agencies Ltd together with Robyn Warin representing Icehouse Textile Sample Makers.

David Vallance and Hamish McCourtie from team James McCourtie Textiles.

Mr Ron Kilham, Thomas Boys, and Beau Haldane from Home fabrics

Charleen Schwegman from Evan J Philp furniture Manufacturers. First place woman’s winner.

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

Brett Fleetwood from Scorpio Agencies Ltd together with Chris Barlow, from Chris Barlow Textiles.

Summer 2016

F FI NE W S

Frontgate Features Ferguson Designs Sipco News Network

IAMI BEACH, Florida — After 30 months in the home furnishings market, designer Stephanie Ferguson has landed her first Frontgate Catalog cover in May for her UV protected outdoor pillow fabrics. The licensed designer represented by Jay Dash is digitally printing her polyester fabrics at Pictographics in Las Vegas and is offering her bedding collections through Fabtex at the HD Show in May. Ferguson is really a multi media artist who segued her way into interior design before her foray into home furnishings. “I spent six years developing the fabric collection,” she told F&FI. Her current collection consists of 13 designs in three colorways printed on a heavy bas-

ketweave basecloth that feels like cotton, she says. “My designs are graphically bold with bright colors and styled in midcentury modern and deco looks. Some are tropically inspired. “I’m looking for licensees, perhaps a converter,” she adds. “I’d love to develop my own brand with multi product home furnishings.”

Stephanie Ferguson

She is currently finishing her pillow collections through a local cut and sew facility in the Florida area. Her past work includes huge pieces of shell work which have been installed in the

Frontgate Catalog for May features Stephanie Ferguson’s pillow designs

Boca Raton Museum of Art and various large scale painted murals. F&FI

Clockwise: Refined Paisley Pog, Oceanus Shell, Pearl and Rhinestone Egg Drop Pog, Frangrace, Bilss adorned Chair. Displayed in the Boca Museum of Art. Stripe, Frank Paisley

Bimitex Says Bigger is Not Better But Improving Process, Enjoying Life is Tops! Sipco News Network

AKE COMO, Italy — Riccardo Biagioni started the Italian mill Bimitex in Prato in 1991 as a vertical mill doing warping, weaving, finishing and quality control and today, it is one of the larger weavers with sales in the $20 million range with 47 employees and 40 looms accord-

Franco Nannucci and Riccardo Biagioni

Summer 2016

ing to Franco Nannucci, the U.S. agent and good friend of the owner. Based on his textile DNA and with no formal training, Riccardo started in Biagioni Milano, his father’s business in 1983 but that business closed and Riccardo reinvented himself with Bimitex. Biagioni and Nannucci were friends from childhood in Prato when they became young DJ’s in high school and the pair co-sponsored the big party at TAG (Big and Bald) in Como during Proposte this year (See cover shot of Nannucci) Riccardo has no goal to increase the business size as he feels it is big enough but he wants to improve the process and he wants to enjoy his life, which includes working with his customers very closely. He works with his design team of two designers for yarn dyed and two for piece dyed using the customers’ designs primarily

The customer buys two-piece minimums on a custom collection from Bimitex in yarn dyed or piece dyed residential product. “We have a limited in-stock program. Quickness is everything in this business Like many in Prato, Bimitex relies on others to piece dye his primarily custom line. He works closely with his customers on the design of linens, viscose constructions with novelty warps. The mill is upholstery driven in the 12-18 Euro range, the core of the line. Prices can go as high as 25-40 Euro and middle to upper jobbers buy the line. It is not for furniture manufacturers according to Nannucci. The largest export markets for Bimitex are UK, UASA, Spain and France in that order followed by Germany and Benelux. F&FI

Darling Fashion Wins Friends, Customers at Proposte Sipco News Network

Riccardo and Eva Biagioni Riccardo Biagioni is also one of three partners in a converting business by the name of Anteprima, also in Prato that started in 1999 catering to the jobber and furniture manufacturer. His other partners in ‘Anteprima’ are: Enrico Piazza and Moreno Meoni.

HANGHAI, China — New sourcing venture continue to spring up in China with all eyes on supplying Western made fabrics. Darling Fashion is one of the newer players in the market offering consignment selling in a free trade zone. Johnson Xu, Director/Vice General Manager and Sourcing Director Li Zheng are both leading the charge. Xu was the former General Manager of Hunter Douglas Window Coverings in Shanghai and Zheng was the former manager of the JAB Shanghai showroom. The pair were working on the exhibitors in Proposte to use their facilities in (Continued on Page 38)

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F FI P H O T O G A L L E R Y

Proposte Proposte Brings New Life to Fabrics Again! Lake Como—Lots of happier faces this year as Italian mills breathe a small sign of relief as the American market returns to life and props up a shadowy international marketplace. Many more Americans came to Proposte this year looking for goods. Arc-Com, the Orangeburgh, NY based contract house for example has 35 items on backorder, more than ever before, says Jeff Layne, Principal. There was a hunting mentality in the air from some pretty big U.S. based players. We saw Ron and Sue Kaufmann of P/Kaufmann in the aisles this year. They were joined by colleagues Bob Applebaum of Clarence House; Neil Palladino and Curtis Breedlove to name a few. Then, there were the usual stalwarts like David Finer of Fabricut, Tulsa, Oklahoma and Scott Kravet of Kravet Corp., Bethpage, NY. Benjamin Frowein, the new President of Schumacher also showed up as well as Mike Carr, the new owner of RM Coco (Cape Girardeau, Missouri) and Design Director Mark Knight. The countries of UK, Germany and China were in the top four groups in terms of attendees. —Eric Schneider

With the new Proposte dates in late April, Julie Brady, President of J. Queen-NY, celebrates Eric Schneider’s birthday earlier than usual at Vappore Restaurant.

Jen Schwager, Imatex sales representative in the USA with customer Anissa Leatherman, Manager, Merchandising Textiles, Baker Furniture in Hickory, NC

The Tin Man: Piero Forza Giovane, principal of Forza Giovane does trimmings

Giulia Fumagalli, Principal of Imatex, Nibionno, Italy with Gino Nardocci Navarrete, Owner, Deco Interiors, Lima, Peru

Sevim Gunes, Fabrics & Furnishings International agent from Istanbul with new friend Brett Greenblatt, of Svenmill in Capetown, South Africa. Greenbelt sells the local SA market but also imports fabrics from elsewhere. If you’re not selling South Africa, contact Greenblatt.

Mike Dobin, President of Valley Forge Inc., the contract colossus in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (USA) with Catherine Pauciello, Director of Product Development.

This is Luke Griffith, UK agent for Bimitex, celebrating his 50th birthday at Franco Nannucci’s party at TAG.

International Observatory: Nimish Arora, General Manager, Dicitex Furnishings Pvt., Mumbai, India with a foil metallic transfer print over a velvet base cloth. Several manufacturers offered this new fashion during Proposte.

David Pons, Principal of Atelier Pons, Spain with Elena Sirtori, Mario Sirtori Fabrics, Costamasnaga, Italy

Betty and Wisdom Sy, principals of Studio 11 Fabrics, Makati, Philippines. Betty’s family owns Shell Canvas in the Philippines

Jonathan Mould, Principal of Romo, Nottingham, UK with wife Jane Mould and Davide Malagutti, Sales Manager, Limonta, Costa Masnaga, Italy

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

Nick Garnham, Managing Director and Renee Brown, Creative Manager, Jardan, furniutremmaufacturer and retailer in Victoria, Australia with Dexter Delbeke, Sales Manager, Nelen & Delbeke, Kruishoutem, Belgium. Nelen & Delbeke with a big investment in its mill, expanded its offering beyond just linens.

On the way to Villa Erba: (Right) Dominique Chevalier, Principal, Paris based éditeur ‘L’Apres Midi’ and her sister Marie Lemaire. Chevalier is also the distributor in France for J. Robert Scott, Theo, Moore & Giles through her other company IDO Diffusion.

At International Observatory, Sheraton Grand Hotel: Aydin of Turkey’s Sener Ercan with upholstery wholesaler Dimitrios Karatzoglou and his daughter Sofia

Uno Magnusson, Swedish agent for Arturo Pozzi Tessitura with principals Silvio Pozzi and Emanuele Pozzi, (end) That’s an important customer between the Pozzi boys, Roger Nilsson, Managing Director of Mobelform, Glimakra, Sweden furniture manufacturer

Jean Mathieur Prevot, the former President of Casal and Luciano Marcato in Paris, now retired, with Luc Callens, General Manager of Algemene, Ledegem, Belgium with Pierre-Edouard Prevot, current President of Casal and son of the retiree! Pierre says first quarter was good, up 5 percent. He is also considering a new showroom in Las Vegas, USA.

Natalie Moffat, Fabric Selector and Rebecca Sorgoson Bowler, Designer for QFC, the UK based furniture manufacturer with supplier/agent Ian Rees of Monmouthshire, UK and Ter Molst Commercial Director Andy Muylle, Oostrozebeke, Belgium.

Gary Jacobs, Design Director and third generation owner of Chatham-Glyn Fabrics Ltd., 30 year old London, UK wholesaler specializing in mid price decorative fabrics with Andrew Molyneux, UK Agent.

Michael Klockner, BonnHochkreuz fabric agent with Thomas Berndt, CEO, Kos Objekttextiien International, Krefeld, Germany with Edouardo Aznar, Principal of Aznar of Valencia, Spain and his Export Director, Cristina Sanjuan

Ferdinando Lescio, Manager Home Division of Ratti, Como, Italy with Jacopo Etro, Etro SpA, Milan

Summer 2016

F FI NE W S

Mode Says It’s In The Black After Less Than Three Years Guggi, Bertarini and third partner seem to defy gravity! Sipco News Network

ULCIAGO, Italy — While some Italian mills are struggling to maintain a full workforce and stay open, Mode says it has turned profitable in less than three years according to Marco Guggi one of the three owners of this new enterprise which started life in 2014. The three Mode partners are Pietro Bertarini, who manages research and development; Marco Guggi, who handles sales and marketing and an unidentified third partner who owns the ‘compact’ jacquard and dobby weaving mill located here between Milan and Como. “There is a constant and strong interaction among the three of us making a powerful machine

of ideas,” Guggi asserts. He and Bertarini came out of a career at Imatex to start up Mode. Mode just finished showing its line in Como diagionally opposite the Villa Erba during Proposte. “With each of us having over 30 years in the industry and thanks to our strong connections, Mode has built in a very short time a nice global distribution with a selected, yet strong customer base both at the distribution and furniture manufacturing level,” Guggi continues. “South East Asia with the exception of Japan is the sole area we have not really tapped into yet. This is due to the particularity of this region in terms of products and needs.” “Our mission is to develop

Fathers & Sons Joe and Josh Romano of Integrated Textile Group Sipco News Network

and nourish the growth of a new European textile generation with a strong image, fresh handwriting and an open mind to innovation yet commercial in its own right,” Guggi says. “Core price points of the Mode line are between €6,90 to €15,50. We then have a very selected range of niche items that can go from anywhere from €16,00 to €35 per meter,” he says. Mode is mainly a residential fabric specialist but at Heimtex last January, Mode launched a range of 100% acrylic solution dyed items for outdoor use “with a 5 year guarantee against sun fading. With this range we are targeting a slightly different segment of the market and contract. In fact most of the outdoor items are stock supported which for contract is a must.” Guggi says that Mode has woven to order ranges as well as a selected range of stock supported items. “Overall the woven to order items are delivered in about four weeks,” he adds. “As the ranges do cater to a wide selection of buyers we

Marco Guggi

Pietro Bertarini

have both 100% natural fibers and blends of natural and synthetic. On our natural fiber ranges we have in the vicinity of twenty different warps where we can service standard woven to order items by the piece.” “For personalized collections we try not to go above minimums of 100 meters unless very unusual constructions and/or colors are needed. Under these circumstances we work on a case-by-case basis. The stock supported items instead are shipped the following day for orders received by noon of the previous day.“ “We have a bunch of very selected

agents in specific regions even if we do cover most territories directly. We are not looking for new agents at this moment though we have received plenty of offers to be represented in the four corners of the world.” “As our customers become more and more successful with our products we will invest into additional unique ideas & techniques. “We are thrilled with how we have grown in such a short time and have regained most of our global customer base to which we are very grateful for supporting us since day one.” F&FI

Summer 2016

Joe and Josh Romano Joe’s wife Michel is also in the company. She represents an Indian embroidery line to high-end jobbers. “Our second division is geared to retail sales of readymade bedding, towels, shower curtains and curtain panels that we sell these lines to distributors. Josh focuses in on the readymade lines and saves Joe some long trips in the process. Joe and Josh split the sales end of the business 50/50. “We’re looking into Vietnam, Bangladesh and South Korea,” Joe points out. Vietnam is waiting for duty free status in bedding and window treatments in the USA,” Joe says. Prior to starting the company, Joe was selling US made fabrics in the USA and exporting these lines to 54 countries but this opportunity has disappeared with the decline of the American textile industry. “The Chinese changed this equation. India’s coming in strong now with better goods than China but equal in the value equation,” he says. “Turkey is still tops in sheers and with the Turkish Lira dropping like a stone, Turkish towels are now coming on strong.” F&FI

HIGH PERFORMANCE FABRICS

PERFORMANCE RELIABLE STAIN Effortless

HIGH

EW YORK, New York — Integrated Textile Group started life in 1986 under the watchful eye of Joe Romano principal but his son Josh (28) joined the company six years ago after graduating SUNY Binghamton-NY and is slowly taking the reins of power from his dad. “I like building relationships with our customers around the world and making deals with them where everyone is happy,” Josh says. Josh is going to China two to three times a year and dad is not complaining. A stock sized roller shade program including the motorized mechanism is their latest find in China. “We have two divisions of the company; one is dedicated to fabric lines that we represent from ITOCHU of Japan and other lines from India, China and Pakistan,” Joe explains. ITOCHU is a trading company, which deals in 105 countries and is the foundation of ITG. “The fabrics we sell include velvets, jacquards, yarn dyed and piece dyed fabrics for multi purpose use and upholstery. We also have a sheer line from Turkey,” Joe says. “We sell these lines to converters and contract specialists in the USA. We have a unique product for contract in our Indian made threepass FR blackout lining. We would still like to have an outdoor line in the mix as well as a faux leather line. We’re also in discussions with an Indian mill to fill the void left by the loss of Microfibres in the flock market at around $6 a yard,” Joe explains.

REPELLENCY

for

Cleaning

COME VISIT US AT SHOWTIME | SUITE 978 www.fabricsandfurnishings.com 37

F FI C A L E N D A R (Continued from Front Cover)

June

Industry Icon Leonard Silberman Passes, 93

Showtime USA June 5-8, 2016 www.showtime-market.com High Point, NC

The last surviving founder of Duralee

Hometex & Floorex International Trade Show for Home Textile and Flooring Industry June 7-9, 2016 www.hometex-floorex.com Metro Toronto Convention Center Toronto, Canada

Heimtextil India June 22-24, 2016 New Delhi http://heimtextil-india.in.messefrankfurt.com/newdelhi/en/visitors/welcome.html

July Home Textiles Sourcing Expo 2016, July12-14, 2016 Javits Convention Center, New York, NY www.hometextilessourcing. us.messefrankfurt.com

August Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles - Autumn Edition August, 24-27, 2016 National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), Shanghai, China. www.intertextilehome.com

September MoOD & Indigo, September 6, 7, 8 Tour & Taxi Center, Brussels, Belgium www.moodbrussels.com

Advertiser Index

Patrick Geysels, Director of MoOD is launching a new format in September that will be more boutique, with a focus on the technical and the aesthetic. The new format is at Tour & Taxis Center in downtown Brussels in four halls, including Indigo. Wanderlust, Nearness and Flukiness are the new trend themes of this year’s event. ”The new format, plus new location and the excitement will attract lots of attention,” he says. “The goal for MoOD is more exhibitors in less space,” says Patrick Geysels. He expects a full house. “There will be an emphasis on new materials, including yarns and technologies in order to inspire the visitors,”

late wife Rosalie and father to David Silberman (Gay); Richard Silberman (Mary); and Amy Silberman Benjamin (Alan), Susan Nussbaum Cohen (Alan), Joanne Nussbaum Marquardt (Kristin). He was also the grandfather to twelve grandchildren and one great grandchild. Lenny became President of Duralee in 1986 and CEO in 1996. He was known for his feisty personality, keen business acumen and loyalty to his employees, vendors and customers. He was considered to be a tough negotiator and would do everything within his power to insure that he got the best deal from his vendors. He often answered client calls directly. He felt it was his mission to ensure that all Duralee customers received personal attention, a company value that is carried through today, according to

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Darling Fashion Don Hurwitz Remembers Art

China This includes a 2,000 square foot showroom and a 2,000 square foot bonded warehouse. “We are looking for Western made commodity fabrics and other interior products like tile that we can sell successfully in China,” Xu explained during a free moment at Proposte. The pair has had success with Spanish and Italian mosaic tiles and furniture so far Johnson Xu and Li Zheng they said. F&FI

Richards

AITHERSBURG, Maryland — “If there was any American who was Mr. Proposte it was Art Richards.” “Not only did he help me countless times finding me reliable sources, giving me valuable advice about products, but his range of technical knowledge of how things were produced was limitless.” “However, my fondest memories at Proposte with Art was his

For more information about one of our advertisers, see the page number listed: AquaClean. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Boyteks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11 Classical Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Covington. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 D’Decor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7 DC Tex Furnishings. . . . . . . . . . . 19 Dicitex Furnishings. . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Evteks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32-33 Express Air Freight. . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Flocktex. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-13 GM Fabrics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-27 KC Fabrics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Kravet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Messe Frankfurt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 MoOD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Richloom Fabrics Group. . . . . . . . 9 Rockland Mills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 Spectro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Stof. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Vision Fabrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 YongShun. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-21

Lee Silberman, Executive Vice President of Duralee and Lenny’s nephew. While Lenny was the heart and soul of Duralee, the next generation of executives President Marty Rosenberger, Executive Vice President Lee Silberman and Senior Vice President Amy Silberman Benjamin expect to carry on his legacy. F&FI

www.fabricsandfurnishings.com

generosity, always arranging dinners, inviting me to company sponsored events, and a safe and careful ride back to my Como hotel in his rented Fiat, even after a few Italian beers.” “Saying we will just miss him does not do his presence on this earth justice. Note: Donald Hurwitz is the owner of Carleton House Fabrics and Jack Hurwitz Inc. F&FI

Art Richards, Fabric Legend, 74 Sipco News Network

ORWALK, CT (USA)– Arthur E. Richards, President/Owner of Wilton Sales Associates, Inc., a fabric sales agency specializing in imported decorative lines, passed away Friday, March 11 at Norwalk Hospital following a lengthy illness. He was a pioneer in selling American fabrics overseas and later in his agency, carried several imported lines for sale to American buyers. He was a permanent fixture at many fabric exhibitions, especially Proposte. Richards was an entrepreneur and had a very successful career in sales and marketing, his early years working for F. Schumacher in N.Y. and then transferring to the West Coast and appointed Sales Manager. After 22 years he moved back to the East Coast and took a position with Spectrum Fabrics as the Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, reporting to Herman Alpert, the owner. “Butch” as he was referred to in his younger years was a mastermind on cars and hot rods. Somewhat of a Renaissance man he had gifts as an extensive reader, a lover of finance, and a self educated world traveler who covered all corners of the world developing an international clientele. He was born January 20,1940, in Flushing, NY, a son of the late Arthur Richards and Georgianna Katherine McHugh. His son Paul Douglas Richards of Wilton predeceased him. He is survived by his wife of 57 years Charlotte Engstrom Richards, a daughter, Cynthia Richards Osborne, FL, and three sons, Arthur Edward Richards, Jr. San Jose, CA, Stephen Bradley Richards, wife Kimberly, Oakhurst, CA, Curtis Owen Richards of Ceres, CA. and a sister Lylas Palmeritto, of Laguna Vista, TX. He has six grandchildren, Tai Rene Richards Booth and husband Kevin, St. Peters, MO, Coby Edward Osborne and wife Emily, Ashland, OR, Caleb Donald Osborne, Reno, NV, Kira Anne Osborne, San Francisco, CA, Cameron Stephen Richards and Emilie Michelle Richards, Oakhurst, CA and newest arrival great grandson Henry James Booth. F&FI

Summer 2016