Fabrics & Furnishings International - Spring 2019 Issue

at P Free rop Co ost pies e/E vte ks

Volume 29, Number 2

The Global Home & Contract Sourcing Newspaper

Mobus Sees $35 Million Sales by 2025

Spring 2019

Fishman Duo Shop Proposte Bargains PAGE

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1 PAGE

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Lee Paxman and Ian Bostock

Italy’s Carillo Exports 16 Rise PAGE

RADG Owes 12 $100 Million PAGE

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Pamela and Gregg Fishman

Top 40 Produce $2 Billion Sales

D’Decor Show Space Doubles

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Ina and Sanjay Arora

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Deco Off Paris Hits Record PAGE

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Table of Contents

F&FI Spring 2019 | Vol. 29, No. 2

D’Decor Doubles Exhibition Space As Product Expands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Casa Chonburi Thailand Expects to Drive Growth with Upgraded Weaving Facilities. . . . 12 Robert Allen Duralee Group Cannot Pay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Neutex, Among Largest European Producers, Undergoes Changes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 One Chinese Mill Exhibits at IMM Cologne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Italian Carillo Group Expands to 30 Percent Exports as It Creates a Design Identity. . . . . 16 Texind Sees Growth in Embellished Trims, Wall Covering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 “Woven Art” Targets New York Jobbers, European Markets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Japanese Hospitality Market Almost Prepared for 2020 Summer Olympics . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Gregg Fishman Shops Proposte for Bargains He Can Bring Home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Seasons Furnishings Opens New Flagship Store for Emerging Domestic Market . . . . . . . 22 Ligne Roset Thrives in China, Opening a Store Every Three Months . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Ajay Singh Wins Back Baumann Dekor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Luks Kadife Aims for Greater Share of European Velvet Market. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Inaugural Cruise Ship Interiors Expo Covers Marine Fabrics and More. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Swavelle, A Converter Buys Wearbest Sil-Test Mills Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Trevira Reaches 235 Million Euros in Sales for 2018. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Rekor WideWidth Velvets Seek Customer Partnerships. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Elastron Group Undergoes Tremendous Growth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Bernard Joel Stein, 83. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Edgar Fabrics’ Al Rubin, 95. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Robert “Rob” Culp, 72 Succumbs to Cancer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Utta Kravet, 89, The ‘Queen’ of Kravet Fabrics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 People to Watch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Duralee’s Rosenberger Retires. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Publisher Michael Schneider Flies Doggies to Live Another Day!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 French Groupe Fremaux Delorme Invests in Swiss Christian Fischbacher Bed & Bath. . . 54 Dicitex Reboots Facilities, Expands Recron Contract Line. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Satin Textiles’ Pasaya Brand Changes to Find Niche. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Saum & Viebahn Buys Heco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

The Global Home & Contract Sourcing Newspaper

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SALES

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/ PUBLISHER EMERITUS INDIA Eric Schneider Siddharth Vishwanath Mbl: +1.917.251.9922 Tel: +91.97.42164757 eric@fabricsandfurnishings.com sid@fabricsandfurnishings.com

CHN Mobus UK Spec Upholstery Passes $25 Million Sales Mark. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 LebaTex at 20 Brings 20 Hospitality Designers to Market. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Two German Contract Textile Companies Merge as Kos Krebs Contract Textiles. . . . . . . . 40 Dallas Chapman Accepts VP Role at Kravet Contract. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Northeast Textiles Ceases Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Contract Greige Specialist Copland Fabrics Now Closed for Good. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Kristin Olson Takes on New Leadership Role at Covington Fabric & Design. . . . . . . . . . . 40 Momentum Buys D.L.Couch, Eykon, and Tri-Kes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Scott George Leaves Valdese for Leslie Jee Textiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Covering The World | Meet the “Butcher” of the Beast! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Letter to the Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Design | Shaking Up the Status Quo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Feature | Top 40 Fabric Wholesalers Outside North America. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 PHOTO GALLERIES Deco Off. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Showtime. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 BDNY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Cuba’s Beat Goes On. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Heimtextil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57-59 8

Advertiser Index. . . . . 62 Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . 62 Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . 62 Crossword. . . . . . . . . . 30

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CHINA, SOUTHEAST ASIA Sonia Tan Tel: +86 133 8601 9288 WeChat: SoniaTan25034704 sonia@fabricsandfurnishings.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Ray Parker Mbl: +1.305.942.7741 ray@fabricsandfurnishings.com

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ART DIRECTOR Roxanne Clapp Tel: +1.813.991.1860 roxanne@roxc.graphics

UK, IRELAND, FRANCE, SPAIN Bernard Bain Tel: +44(0)7423306500 bernard@fabricsandfurnishings.com

DISTRIBUTION Mike Panella mikep@apc-pli.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

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FRANCE Gerard Poirot Tel: +33-(0)787193575 gerard@fabricsandfurnishings.com

Spring 2019

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D’Decor Doubles Exhibition Space As Product Expands

by ERIC SCHNEIDER

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UMBAI—D’Decor Exports and D’Decor Home continues to double exhibition space by showing greatly expanded product ranges in adjacent stands.

“We had no choice in doing this since we introduce 3,000 new skus every three months and 34,000 skus in D’Decor total product lines, ” says Sanjay Arora, co-owner and brand manager with his brother, Ajay.

“Our goal is to grow our market share, even when the

markets are calm,” Sanjay Arora says. “We produce 140,000 meters of fabric every day.”

His wife, Ina, develops new products for D’Decor Exports, while his daughter Sanjana, 25, is managing five of the company’s ten retail shops in India as well as the D’Decor blinds business. D’Decor distributes to 2,500 retail outlets in India where its products are sold.

“We have a new finishing line in Tarapor, including a coating line in a purpose-built building [that’s] one year old, plus

five other buildings for weaving, embroidery, printing and yarn making that totals two million square feet,” Arora says.

There is more land available for further expansion and “we must grow.”

Contract and outdoor fabric ranges are also on the company radar, he says.

“We have more diversified lines than ever before and this necessitated a doubling of our exhibition space at Heimtextil 2019 in 5.1 C80 and C90, and this will continue at Evteks, at

the Grand Hotel in Lake Como during Proposte, and at MoOD.” Arora also announced D’Décor has a new imported Belgian and Turkish rug business in D’Decor exhibit at Heimtextil India, which he feels will be a $6 million business at retail. fabrics with the new rugs,” he “We expect to coordinate our adds. F&FI

Casa Chonburi Thailand Expects to Drive Growth with Upgraded Weaving Facilities F&FI News Network

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HONBURI, Thailand— Casa Chonburi Co., Ltd., says it is in the process of upgrading its mill here to be fully operational by 2021.

“The mill has over 260 looms, including water jets, and 200 of them are new, and the balance of 60 will be replaced in the coming 2 years,” says CEO Thaveecha Sirikulthada. A new design center is also planned, according to mill executives.

Thaveecha Sirikulthada

Casa Chonburi says it is growing at five percent a year, he points out. “Market conditions are always challenging.

Currently market conditions are weighed down by geographic instability and yarn price volatility. This causes uncertainty, but we are seasoned to face this instability and sail through,” he says.

Casa Chonburi accepts minimums of 300 meters, and does not plan to enter the cut length business except through its distributors. “This will stay as our marketing model, and so far

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is well accepted in the marketplace,” Sirikulthada stresses. “Our three most important product lines in terms of priority are curtain and upholstery lines for contract, dim-outs followed by fashion textures, and jacquards for residential,” Sirikulthada explains. The price range starts from $3-8 per meter depending on the requirements and functionality demand, he notes.

After developing an automotive seat cover business for Japanese customers in 2010, the company entered home furnishing fabrics manufacturing in plains, textures, and jacquards in 2015. It added contract fabrics in 2016. Casa Chonburi offers residential furnishing fabrics, upholstery, curtains, and functional fabrics.

Company exports are spread over North America, Southeast Asia, Japan, and China. The company says its inherent fire-resistant fabrics pass NFPA 701, JIS, BS, and M1 standards.

“It is true that we learned the textile discipline by weaving automotive seat fabrics for Japanese brands, and along the way we learned the meaning of the word quality,” Sirikulthada says.

Casa Chonburi is not in a hurry to replace all of its facilities at the same time. It prefers to go steadily in several stages while still increasing its fabric development backed by

design capabilities and technical know-how.

“By 2020 we expect to have a wide range of functional fabrics, including outdoor and related technical textiles where we are

arming our R&D capabilities that will include all necessary infrastructural amenities.”

F&FI Sunil Kher, Marketing Director, & Thaveecha Sirikulthada

Robert Allen Duralee Group Cannot Pay Pre-Bankruptcy Orders Until Chapter 11 Reorganization, but Can Pay New Vendors F&FI News Network

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AUPPAUGE, N.Y. — Vendors owed money for goods shipped to Robert Allen Duralee Group (RADG) prior to its bankruptcy will have to wait until a bankruptcy plan is approved by the courts to get payment, according to a letter signed by Lee Silberman, chief executive officer of Décor Holdings Inc, The Robert Allen Duralee Group Inc., and its American subsidiaries and affiliates.

However, RADG says it has money to pay for new orders, which the law allows.

“While such pre-bankruptcy obligations cannot be paid at this time, we want to reiterate that we do have financing available to us to buy new goods and pay for those good[s] and we would like to move forward with you on that basis,” Silberman wrote.

He added: “As we move forward, we are authorized to pay you for goods which are on

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8. V.I.P. Inc. in Texas: hold and have not been $362,855. shipped or are orders 9. LA Mills in after the bankruptcy California: $347,510. filing.”

10. MTL RADG filed for Chapter 11 protec- Lee Silberman Globalventures LLC in Pennsylvania: tion of the Bankruptcy Code, according to a February $329,500.

Chapter 11 frees a company 12 letter signed Silberman.

RADG, the second largest from the threat of creditors’ American supplier of decora- lawsuits while it reorganizes its tive fabrics and furniture, owes finances. The court meeting about 6,000 vendors from $50 with creditors is scheduled for to $100 million, according to March 15.

In Chapter 11 proceedings, court documents.

Here are the top 10 cred- the debtor’s reorganization itors and the amount owed, plan must be accepted by a according to court documents. majority of its creditors. Unless the court rules otherwise, the 1. Valdese Weavers LLC in debtor remains in control of Texas: $2.5 million. the business and its assets.

2. Sumec Textile Co. Ltd. in “Our inability to timely China: $1.6 million. eliminate certain redundant 3. Triplex Shanghai expenses following our merger, Enterprises in China: and realize other anticipated $978,650. synergies, along with systemic 4. EDPA U.S./ Dilhan Texsil changes in our industry, have in New York: $745,720. created an exceptionally chal5. P Kaufmann Inc. in New lenging time for our company,” York: $660,050.

Silberman wrote.

6. UPS in Georgia: $553,040.

7. Fleuron in Texas: $509,545. (continued on Page 18)

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Neutex, Among Largest European Producers, Undergoes Changes; Joe Wheeler’s Job Expands Interview: Neutex CEO Jochen Rieger

By Ray Parker

Why is Neutex one of the largest textile manufacturers in Europe today?

“Neutex is in the midst of transforming itself from a traditional decorative fabric producer to an innovation platform and service provider for many of the most important companies in the industry. This includes the finest textile wholesalers, window covering fabricators, and contract-textile specialist. Neutex also has an ever growing line of technical products serving other industrial organizations.“ What is total turnover? ‘‘The total turnover of the [parent company] Hoftex Group is around $200 million (USD) and Neutex is currently around 10 percent of the group‘s turnover, [or $20 million].“ What new products did you introduce at Heimtextil and what will be added products for Proposte?

“Both at Heimtextil and Proposte our focus is fashion, function and service. We have launched some exciting new products for our Neutex FR collection as well as a clever line of decorative sheers, which incorporate very well our completely vertical design and production capabilities.“ Where will you show at Proposte?

“This year we have improved our presence at Proposte and moved into a bigger stand, which also is closer to the patio at the main entrance.“ Please give a short history of Neutex and related companies “The current site of Neutex has actually been home to textile production for well over one hundred years. The company Neutex was founded in 1955 and has been a member

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of the Hoftex Group AG since 1963. ERWO AG took over the mayority of Hoftex Group AG in 1997.

Neutex in its earlier years was very involved in the production of lining fabrics but today is producing a wide array of fabrics for home, contract and technical applications.“ Talk about the parent company and what it does in textiles including nonwovens.

“Our parent company is the Hoftex Group AG with product ranges from yarns to woven and nonwoven materials. We are a publicly owned company traded on the Munich stock exchange in Germany.

Our mayority shareholder is ERWO AG, known with the brand Südwolle, as the world leading manufacturer of wool and wool-blended yarns, mainly for the appareal industry.

Erwo AG is family owned in second generation.“ What is your background and how long have you been associated with Neutex now?

“I have a broad background in the home-textile industry in sales as well as in fabricating.

After graduation in economics.

I started in the carpet industry learning the magic and beauty of textiles. I hold several positions as sales director, COO and CEO. In 2015, I’m associated with Neutex. Three months later than Joseph Wheeler, our head of sales.“ Who is your leader and how long has he been involved with textiles?

“As member of a publicly owned company, we discuss our strategic issues every month with the advisory board of Hoftex Group AG with their CEO and CFO. The Group CEO is member of the family owning Hoftex Group AG and ERWO AG, and is supporting Neutex on its transformation-

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al way into an innovative and design-driven supplier.“ Where do you see opportunities to grow your business and what is your sales forecast for 2019 versus 2018—if possible to share?

“We prefer not to give sales forecasts but we are working hard to grow the business and strengthen the strategic partnerships with existing partners and new client prospects.“

Jochen Rieger & Joe Wheeler

How are you controlling costs and price increases for 2019 and beyond?

“As a fully vertical producer in Germany, we have always been forced to control costs very carefully in order to remain competitive on the market. Also, the economies of scale as a member of the Hoftex Group give us advantages when negotiating with suppliers or strategic buying.“ Anything new in people, factory, or equipment you could talk about?

“As of February 1, Joseph Wheeler has been assigned head of sales for Neutex. In his new role he will be responsible for the global sales organization of Neutex and internal sales administration.

On the equipment side we generally invest target-oriented in new technologies and maintenance and refining of existing equipment. We are very proud to be ‘fully vertical‘ in our production and the opportunities it presents for working together with many of the largest and most influential players in our industry.“ F&FI

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One Chinese Mill Exhibits at IMM Cologne, Along with Traditional European Furniture Manufacturers Some 150,000 Visitors This Year

By RAY PARKER

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OLOGNE, Germany – Haining Wonderful Textile Co. exhibited for the first time at IMM Cologne, the international furniture trade show held January 14-20.

Even though it’s unusual for a mill to exhibit, company officials say it’s important to be here to get a better sense of the European upholstery market.

Lisa Zhang of Haining Wonderful Textile, whose father started the Zhejiang mill 13 years ago, says the mill used to export 100 percent, but now it’s about 30 percent. The company is especially interested in Holland and Germany.

Zhang and her designers say they noticed the following

about the European upholstery market this year: Solid color upholstery is preferred over jacquard designs.

In contrast, tony European furniture manufacturers had a different perspective.

Schramm manufactures premium sleeping furniture and bedding, and recently bought another German furniture company, Interlubke. Angela Schramm says there’s been a greater demand for velvet and chenille in fabrics, while jacquards remain popular.

“Overall, softer colors and fabrics are popular,” Schramm says. “People want to come home to comfort from such a [crazy] world.”

She said the company would be offering a fire-resistant mat-

tress. A third-party company will provide the new FR material, which will “go between the mattress and the ticking.”

Over the past 70 years, Himolla has grown into one of Europe’s largest upholstery manufacturers, employing about 3,000 people. Every day around 1,600 customer orders leave the factory, which is about 30 miles east of Munich, to more than 40 countries, according to the company.

Josef Rott, purchasing manager of fabrics and leather, said more than 70 percent of their fabric is linen, and that designs remain solid. Some 40 percent of the company’s business is exports, which has shown an increase in China, Japan, and Russia, Rott says.

Eric Thomas, international sales director, of Himolla in Germany with the new Alexa Chair

Eric Thomas, international sales director, says Himolla has annual sales of about 300 million euros.

He says in 2019 the company will offer the Alexa Chair, a voice-activated recliner that can also be used manually. “[IMM Cologne] is one of the most important shows for us,” Thomas says.

Angela Schramm of Schramm in Germany during IMM Cologne

This year, IMM Cologne and LivingKitchen trades shows, held at the same time, attracted close to 150,000 visitors from 145 countries, according to organizers.

“With 52 percent of trade visitors coming from abroad,” organizers say in a statement, “the co-located events achieved an even greater global reach than ever before.” F&FI

Italian Carillo Group Expands to 30 Percent Exports as It Creates a Design Identity

By RAY PARKER

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APLES, Italy — Angelo Carillo & Co. wants to expand its exports by 20 percent in the next three years, according to Alessandro Carillo, brand manager and third-generation owner of the Naplesbased drapery, bedding, and upholstery wholesaler.

He says it is part of an ongoing strategy for the company.

Five years ago, its exports were 10 percent, but that has grown to 30 percent today.

“Our goal is to be 50/50,” Carillo says. “We will do it in the next three years. The next step is America, the U.K.,

To the small editors around the world, this is what we want for the export business.

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China, and the Middle East.”

Carillo adds there is another change for the company. Three years ago, it added its in-house design team: “We are not a converter because we make our own designs.”

At the company booth during Heimtextil, Carillo spoke about the family’s strategy for the company, the industry, and the company’s textile designs that will be shown during Proposte (April 15-17).

The collection will include a stronger “burnout” effect, be fire-resistant and outdoors.

The company has a 30,000-square-meter facility in Naples with 120 employees, as well as 100 employees in other countries. It has annual sales of about 30 million euros ($38.5 million). Its brands are Reever, Riviera and Linea Oro. Another trend involves Chinese sourcing. The company sources less than 20 percent today from China, down from 50 percent a few years ago. It sources mostly (55 percent) by Italian commission products, or long-term leases, according

to officials.

Carillo’s answers may have been edited for clarity.

Q

What’s your goal for exports?

“So, now what is Carillo?

It is not converter, it is not producer. We create our own design. Carillo is the company that can solve the customer’s problem, because you can just come, choose your collection, you can pick up, and we can give you service also. To the small editors around the world, this is what we want for the export business.”

Q

You are a fan of Apple founder Steve Jobs, so what lesson do you think he taught?

“Sometimes, we are on the machine, making a new kind of article, and the man from production says, ‘No, impossible.’ I respond, ‘Let’s do it once more, let’s try to change this.’ For instance, we made a kind of burnout with linen, and already we introduced burnout with silk. So, we are the first

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one to do this. This is something different. We don’t know if the market will be, but when customers come here, we can say this is something new.”

Q

How has your company strategy changed?

“The market is full of textiles, so we have to sell not only textiles to the world, we have to sell something more: service, price, and the story about our family. This is very important to describe because everyone can be cheaper than us, especially the Chinese, but if we tell our story to the final customer.

To do this is not easy. We have to put our face in front. In the last three or four years, we are coming out with what we want with Carillo [designs]. What we want is to be a reference point for our customer.”

Q

What do you mean by family story?

“When I say story, there are two ways. The first, each article we create, our designs, so each article coming out from Carillo, we build up step by

Giuseppe Carillo, CEO, & Alessandro Carillo, President

step, from the color to the design. Each one of these has a story, together with the story of the company. To build trust with the customer, so they know they can come here and find a good product, with good service, with price, with a good family history. So, trust.”

Q

How do you see the industry in each country you’re exporting to?

“We started last year introducing in the US. Why the US? Simple, it’s the biggest market.

China is big. The UK, because in my opinion, it’s more fashionable now.” F&FI

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Texind Sees Growth in Embellished Trims, Wall Covering New Indian-Sourced Lines Show During Proposte 2019

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By Eric Schneider, Editor Emeritus

Meet the “Butcher” of the Beast! David Butcher Walker Greenbank’s Newly Minted GM

D

ENHAM, England—When David Smallridge retired from Walker Greenbank in 2017, just about a year ago, the company brought in a packaged goods guru named David Butcher.

Butcher is first to admit he comes from outside the textiles box, but he is quickly getting into his new role after stints with Constellation Wines in the United States, and Goodrich and Sangetsu in Asia.

Walker Greenbank is a 120 million pound sterling powerhouse (around $130 million US) on the London Stock Exchange (WGB). It makes nothing but money through branded products, contract sales, and its own factory production of prints and wallpapers. WG even commission weaves in its own weaving shed. It prints for other fabric houses through Standfast & Barracks printworks, another company holding. Licensing its branded designs is also a growing business, Butcher says.

“We’re growing our licensing business with H&M in apparel in all of their 2,000 branches. Indeed, WG is a genius in growing its intellectual assets.”

“We have a new paint business coming in 2019 initially in the UK, but then we’ll roll it out globally. Our partner is PPG Paints and our initial market entry will be with 200 Brewers outlets in the UK.” Brewers is a well-known home improvement chain in the UK. Butcher is now general manager brands at Walker Greenbank. These iconic brands are Zoffany, Harlequin, Sanderson Morris & Co. (prints and wallpapers galore), Scion, and Anthology, with probably more to come.

Clarke & Clarke was the latest purchase, and then there’s the new Studio G line!

Morris, by the way, has shown the greatest growth at WG by capturing global markets, he says.

Butcher sees his role as the “feeder of the beast.”

The beast, of course, is all of those brands, and the astounding number of SKU’s introduced each and every year. “We’re talking about 2,000 new designs spread across six brands,” he explains.

So, Butcher has got his work cut for him—all those brands and so many SKU’s. He is the butcher David Butcher of the beast!

F&FI

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F&FI News Network

AST HANOVER, N.J.—Texind is betting on its line of trims, embellished wall covering, and pillows to catapult its sales level Vikas Churiwala and Priti from just under $5 million to $20 million by 2022, according to Saboo Vikas Churiwala and his wife, Priti Saboo.

Texind will exhibit during Proposte this year for the first time in a showroom outside the main exhibition. This represents the start of a sales effort geared to wholesalers in the European market. Vikas feels that Texind’s trademark technique featuring raffia, metal beads, and the use of hemp on trims and wall coverings will have an impact on the Europe-based designer. He expects significant response from that market, in addition to his base in the United States.

Vikas and Priti started Texind in 1999 as a silk specialty fabric Embroidered wallpaper supplier based in Bangalore, but eventually the pair found a more dynamic market in the United States for pillows and trims in 2010.

In 2014, Lori Weitzner teamed up with Texind to produce a collection of beaded trims for Samuel & Son in the United States. This has now developed into a beaded trim-inspired costume jewelry collection by designer Lori Weitzner that is sold on the Internet.

Vikas had a family textile mill background before he moved to the United States, while Priti was a financial professional. All Texind products are currently sourced in India from several mills, Metal beaded Hand trim with fabrics accounting for 25 percent of the Texind volume. The fabrics are basic taffetas and shantungs in 250 colors that coordinate with the trim lines, anything from a $16 shantung in polyester, linen, or cotton/linen blends, to a $39 pure silk design.

The production of the Indian-made trims is complemented by a workroom of 110 employees in Calcutta, Vikas says. “We like to work closely with our designers and prefer they come to India to work with our staff.” F&FI

(continued from Page 12)

Robert Allen Duralee Group Bankruptcy RADG officials plan to sell.

“Honestly, there is no way to predict creditor recoveries at this early stage,” Mark Power of Hahn & Hessen LLP, an attorney representing RADG, wrote in an email. “We are hopeful, however, that the company will be sold as a going concern and emerge from chapter 11 by late April. Management views its current sales effort as the best way to maximizes value for all creditors, while preserving the

future business for its customers and suppliers and the jobs of its 400 employees.”

In the past few weeks, RADG has made a series of staff cuts in Hauppauge, N.Y. and its South Carolina-based operations as it faced tough business conditions.

About 50 employees were laid off in January.

Kerry Galloway also resigned as president of Robert Allen Duralee Group’s contract division as of Jan. 18, 2019. He had held

the position since April 2017.

“We fully expect to continue to pay our employees, meet our post-bankruptcy obligations to our suppliers and vendors, provide superior service to our customers, and strengthen our position as a leading provider of fabrics and furniture in the home furnishings industry,” Silberman wrote.

For more on this story, go to FabricsandFurnishings.com.

Letter to the Editor Eric, Just read your Winter Issue and feel like I want to tell you that it was a great accomplishment.

Love the new cover stock, really protects the magazine in the mail.

Lots of blackout being shown. I have a sense of pride since, along with Zandy and Henner Haufe we introduced the product both in America as well as the world market.

I remembered getting off the plane in Frankfurt and attending our first Heimtex. I sat for days trying to explain what blackout was as a product. The rest is history. Have a beautiful Chanukah and best wishes to you and Gail for the New Year.

Stan Fradin, Retired President,

Rockland Mills Inc.

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“Woven Art” Targets New York Jobbers, European Markets Aging Rugby Player Andrew Thornber Leads the Charge!

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LITHEROE, England— Woven Art Company, Ltd., is currently targeting New York jobbers and wholesalers in the U.S. after its initial success in the U.S. and other countries, according to company owner Andrew Thornber. “We are also keen to offer our exclusive design facility worldwide, hence our decision to exhibit at Heimtextil 2019.”

Woven Art Company, Ltd., is a 20-man converter, wholesaler, and printer established

by Andrew Thornber, the sixth generation of his family to be in the textile business. He is the owner along with his two fellow directors, Andrew Slipper, commercial director, and Susan Munns, design director.

“Our existing business model revolves around large scale UK furniture manufacturers, cushion manufacturers through WAC, plus direct to 1,600 independent soft furnishings retail shops in the UK through our wholesale arm ‘Art of the Loom,’” Thornber says.

“Art of the Loom” is the wholesale business and “Woven Art Company, Ltd.” is the printer, merchant, and design house “We have competitive price points that accommodate all sectors and wants all reconfirmed production orders placed at Heimtextil are already in print production less than two weeks after the fair.”

“All of our natural fiber lines are stock supported to meet rapid response sampling needs. We are obviously looking for meaningful volumes to justify our investment in overseas promotion and exhibition costs. We pride ourselves on taking production orders as low as 50 meters to enable everyone access to what we are passionate about producing: design-led, on-trend textiles.”

“It is important to us that we create the right impression and ensure our customers, old and new, know how much we value the opportunity to supply them!”

“Woven Art offers wool, linen, and cotton fabrics woven exclusively for us in the UK,

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as well as polyester and acrylic fabrics color-woven by our production partner in Turkey of our in-house designs and colors,” he says.

“Woven Art Company offers stunning contemporary and classical designs and colors, with 50-meter minimum print

runs and initial sampling completed with a maximum of two weeks. All of our design, printing, warehousing, and distribution is based on one site, here in Lancashire, England.

We own intellectual copyright on all our designs as they are generated by our in-house (continued on Page 20)

Andrew Thornber, Principal of Woven Art Co., digital printers and fabric wholesalers, Lancashire, UK, with Pride of Mumbai, India; execs Honey Agarwal, Aditya Mehra, Varun Agarwal and Nupur Agarwal

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Japanese Hospitality Market Almost Prepared for 2020 Summer Olympics

(continued from Page 19)

“Woven Art”

$8.5 Billion Spent for Worldwide Event

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F&FI News Network

OKYO, Japan — The hospitality market, along with contract fabrics, got a hefty infusion here, after years of stagnation, due to refurbishment and new construction,

such as the new 41-story Hotel Okura, in preparation for the 2020 Summer Olympics (July 24-August 9).

Over 60,000 hotel rooms have been added and an estimated $8.5 billion spent,

according to the Mizuho Research Institute.

Japantex, an international trade show of 277 exhibitors of upholstery fabrics, curtains, drapery, home textiles, Venetian blinds, carpets, wall-

coverings, and bedding, among others, held November 20-22, attracted some 27,000 visitors this year.

“The contract furnishings business has warmed up as (continued on Page 55)

design team here in Clitheroe, Lancashire, our own studio headed up by Susan Munns.”

After 15 years in business since 2003, Thornber’s enterprise has successfully survived James Thornber, Ltd., the last mill to close in Lancashire in 2010. It was established by his uncle James Thornber in 1915, and prior to that, Andrew’s great-great-grandfather Benjamin opened a forerunner to the mill in 1815. Andrew exited James Thornber, Ltd., as sales manager in order to establish the new business.

“When the James Thornber, Ltd., Group ceased, I resurrected ‘Art of The Loom’ as a wholesale division of ‘my’ group of companies!” Andrew currently heads up both divisions: Andrew Thornber on the rugby field

He is a hard-driving Englishman who stops at nothing to satisfy his customers.

For example, ten days after Heimtextil 2019, he never stopped working post-Heimtextil and “my UK furniture guys have had me jumping through hoops to satisfy last minute NEC placements for the Furniture show that finished January 23!” (For anyone in this business, that’s a long stretch of fieldwork uninterrupted.)

The same motivation still takes him to the rugby field, where he continues to play for his hometown club, Clitheroe RUFC. “I am a past first and second team captain and recently stepped down as chairman to take up the role of trustee,” he explains. His wish is to safeguard the club’s longterm future. “This is my 32nd senior season and I now play for our second team.”

“To encourage over-40’s ‘veterans rugby,’ I also share the captaincy of a barbarians team selected from Clitheroe and two other local town teams, Burnley and Rosendale, three towns steeped in textile tradition.” F&FI

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Gregg Fishman Shops Proposte for Bargains He Can Bring Home 115-year-old G. Fishman’s carries 300 lines of fabric in Chicago outlet F&FI News Network

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HICAGO—Since 1903, G. Fishman’s Sons, Inc. has been successfully selling fabric to the Chicago, Illinois, area directly from its 10,000-square-foot showroom and warehouse ten minutes away from downtown. Gregg Fishman is the fourth-generation owner of the original business started by his great grandfather Gerson Fishman.

Gregg has been a regular visitor to Proposte for the past ten

Gregg Fishman holds one of his best sellers, “Patagonia Plush,” a 70 percent Alpaca/30 percent wool fabric made in Italy

years. He has become a regular customer for many of the Proposte exhibitors, he says.

“Fishman’s caters to the interior designer in the Chicago area who would rather visit our warehouse than go to the Merchandise Mart,” Gregg says. “Our business is split evenly among public and trade, in-state and around the country. About 30 percent of the business still comes from men’s and women’s tailors and couturiers.”

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Fishman’s has been able to give its customers unbeatable bargains on over 300 lines of fabric from all over the world, many purchased directly from the manufacturer. Fishman’s used to sell from jobber books, but found it could do even better by importing its own lines. By eliminating expensive showrooms and buying direct, Fishman’s can lower its selling price.

Will there be a fifth generation of the Fishman family to continue the business? “I hope not,” Gregg says. “But you never know. My 20-yearold daughter is studying at the University of Pennsylvania, and my son will hopefully follow her next year.”

Fishman’s started as a fashion fabric operation, but morphed into what is today a 70/30 home/fashion business today.

“We really buy fabrics ranging in price from $1 a yard [broadcloth, muslin, lining] to $200+ per yard [cashmeres and French laces].”

“The business is changing in the sense that a large retail space is not essential for success. We are fortunate to own our building, which is a convenient luxury in 2018. What I mean is that 15 years ago, having 20 showrooms in the D&D building or Chicago’s Merchandise Mart was essential. Our success is a direct result of not having those costs.”

“We import direct from world’s best mills, then ship direct to interior designers.

We don’t have to pay high rents, no commissioned sales reps, no fancy magazine ads. The result is that clients are saving substantial dollars without sacrificing any quality. We put the money in the part that matters most—the fabric.

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Gerald, Gregg, and Grant Fishman at Gerald’s 50 years in business party (2006)

Harris Fishman 1904-1988, Gerald Fishman 1934-2006

George Fishman 1872-1926

Fishman’s Fabrics Established 1903

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Seasons Furnishings Opens New Flagship Store for Emerging Domestic Market F&FI News Network

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EW DELHI — Seasons Furnishings, which operates a mill and offers contract and furnishing fabrics, recently opened a new flagship store catering to a growing domestic market.

Managing Director Mandeep Wadhwa says young. professional customers, often setting up their

first home, want a quick and easy way to make decorating decisions. The Seasons Design Centre caters to that new generation that wants to “visualize” those choices.

“There are displays,” Wadhwa says during Heimtextil 2019 in Frankfurt.

“We have our design team. … And my wife [Manjit Wadhwa] oversees it.”

Ligne Roset Thrives in China, Opening a Store Every Three Months F&FI News Network

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OLOGNE, Germany — Ligne Roset, the tony French furniture company, expects impressive growth in China, already having opened 25 stores with expectations of a new store about every three months.

Export Manager Bernard Vinson says the upscale, modern furniture has found its niche with Chinese buyers.

During IMM Cologne, the international furniture trade show held January 14-20, the company, which was founded in 1860, showed its latest collections in bold colors and new fabric combinations. Vinson says velvet remains popular, especially those vintage looks from the 1970s, along with leather and thick chenille.

The company hires some 70 freelance designers and releases a new collection, along with fabrics, so it’s constantly invent-

ing something new.

“It’s like a fashion brand (in that respect),” Vinson says, explaining a key to its success.

For example, the company recently reissued Bonnie, originally created by French designer Pierre Paulin in 1975, which has become a bestseller in 2018. It is a cocoon-like sculptural sofa made of foam and available in two upholstery styles. There’s the original “pleated” version, which is available in a variety of wools and nubuck leather, and over 150 color and style options.

The second version is a “plain” reinterpretation of the original design using flat, stretched upholstery with stretch jersey fabric (a wool-polyester-nylon blend), in twelve color options with an overall smooth finish.

The Briord, France, company, which manufactures its modern furniture in factories across the Rhone-Alps region, has over 200 stores and more than 1,000 retail distributors worldwide.

The company was founded by Antoine Roset in 1860, and today is run by fifth-generation-owner Antoine Roset.

It remains a private, family-owned company with about 1,000 employees. F&FI

Antoine Roset, the fifth generation owner of Ligne Roset, sits on the reissued Bonnie sofa during IMM Cologne

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Located along Ring Road, the new store sits alongside other brands, such as BMW, Kohler, and Fab India, where the new consumers shop. The Design Centre also caters to architects and interior designers.

“This is something new [for India],” Wadhwa says.

“One of a kind.”

Founded in 1975 and

based in Noida, India, Seasons Furnishings Limited markets furnishing fabrics, made-ups, and lifestyle products to contract and retail customers in India as well as exporting fabrics.

F&FI

New flagship store catering to a new generation of professionals

Ajay Singh Wins Back Baumann Dekor F&FI News Network

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MUND, Austria — Ajay Bikram Singh, one of two owners of Baumann Dekor GmbH, a textile mill here, has successfully taken the company out of bankruptcy as of December 21.

Singh says he is the sole owner of Baumann Dekor since his silent partner is no longer involved, according to a source close to the negotiation. Singh has reportedly increased his staff to 45 in Europe and to 71 in the Gulf region where he is based.

Singh is also the owner of Warps & Wefts, a sales agency based in Dubai. As previously reported, Baumann Dekor had entered insolvency a second time since 2011 but has now regrouped under Singh. F&FI

Ajay Bikram Singh

Luks Kadife Aims for Greater Share of European Velvet Market with 6 Million Euro Investment F&FI News Network

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RANKFURT, Germany — Luks Kadife, the Turkish wall coverings producer specializing in velvet fabrics, plans to invest 6 million euros in the next four years, seeking a greater share of the 19-million-euro European velvet market.

During Heimtextil 2019, company officials say they are investing, among others, in new finishing techniques, organic fabrics, and the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), which aims to improve cotton production worldwide.

Luks has annual sales of 20 million to 30 million euros with 187 employees, according to Burcu Sahin, export and domestic sales manager.

The company now exports mainly to the European Union,

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primarily the United Kingdom, (40 percent) and the U.S. (35 percent), but wants a greater market share in Germany and France – competitive markets.

Some 5 percent of its exports are in Russia, while its remaining business is domestic.

Overall, Turkey’s export of velvet to the European market remain small, or about 665,000 euros in sales, to a 19 million market.

Founded in 1972, Luks produces plain, jacquard and embroidered velvet fabric for upholstery, drapery, and clothing markets. It has had business relationships with brands such as Ikea, M&S, and Zara, among others, according to the company website.

Luks new investment includes BCI, which has four

aims: reduce the environmental impact of cotton production; improve the economies in cotton-producing areas; improve the flow of Better Cotton throughout the supply chain; and ensure the sustainability of the initiative. F&FI

Burcu Sahin, Luks Kadife export & domestic sales manager, with customer Esref Rustemov of Kamiva in Georgia during Heimtextil.

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Deco Off Deco Off

Deco Off Paris 2019 Attracts Record Visitors Despite Demonstrations

By Gerard Poirot

Tricia Guild, John Derian (Designers Guild)

Michael Fischbacher, CEO with Camilla Fischbacher, Art Director (Christian Fischbacher)

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ARIS — Violent demonstrations did not deter visitors attending this year’s Deco Off Paris 2019.

It attracted even more attendees for its tenth edition in mid-January, greater than in 2018 (38,000 visitors), according to many editors exhibiting their spring collections in their own showrooms, or in rented pop-up shops gathered in two clusters on both banks of the Seine river.

The cost for each Deco Off member is 6,500 euros. That is less expensive than what exhibitors did prior to the expo. In the past, editors could spend hundreds of thousands of euros.

Leading editors Pierre Frey and Lelièvre had to spend those amounts for their Maison & Objet booths, where they exhibited before Deco Off was launched. Both houses expressed satisfaction, confirming Deco Off as an annual must for designers and influencers.

With a budget of 700,000 euros, the Deco Off organization promotes the event through

an extensive international database and internet advertising. Courtesy of Renault cars, 30 free shuttles helped visitors go comfortably from one bank of the Seine to the other.

Ann Grafton, managing director of GP & J Baker, says she was Louis XVI chair by Nouailhac on Place extremely satisfied to see her Furstenberg very large showroom filled all day. Tricia Guild, founder of Designers Guild, spent four days in Paris for the event. Manuel Canovas of Rubelli, among other upmarket brands, also enjoyed packed showrooms.

Off the two main Deco Off clusters, the Design A Bord boat, housing design archive specialists, drew a smaller crowd. However, André Berliet, owner of Créetex, was pleased with the interest shown by prospective buyers of ancient samples dating from the 16th to 20th centuries.

Emmanuel Lelievre, Managing Director (Lelievre)

Chiara Crudo, Marketing Manager; Nadia Dalle Mese, President; Kaye Jeronowitz, General Manager North America (Studioart)

Graham Noakes, Sales and Marketing Director, Osborne & Little on place SaintGermaindesPrés, Terrasse Les Deux Magots

Ecart International Design Andree Putman on Place Saint GermaindesPrés

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JeanCharles Guichard, Sales Assistant (Pierre Frey) with Karen Geay, Manager, Left Bank Showroom (Pierre Frey)

Ann Grafton, Managing Director G.P. & J Baker with Liam Butler, Brand Marketing Manager www.FandFI.com

Eleonore Kalnoky (Pierre Frey) Loredana Di Pascale, Marketing Director (Rubelli)

Christine Descamps (Osborne & Little)

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Inaugural Cruise Ship Interiors Expo Covers Marine Fabrics and More; 150 Exhibitors Expected F&FI News Network

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IAMI BEACH, Fla— The first Cruise Ship Interiors Expo will land at the Miami Beach Convention Center on June 18 – 20, 2019, and include some well-known, marine-fabric companies, P/

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Kaufmann Contract, and Cruise by Richloom Contract, along with local vendors such as Magitex Décor.

There will be some 150 exhibitors for the expo’s launch covering the range of marine interiors for the cruise industry: interior furnishings

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and finishings, “sustainable” interiors, and design trends, among others.

Suzanne Ralton, the third-generation owner of Agua Fabrics, says she’s excited about the event, which she heard, had no issue finding exhibitors. This is the sec-

ond year her London-based company continues to branch into American hospitality and marine markets. Ralton says Agua is well-known in England for its performance fabrics.

Established in Miami in 2010, Magitex offers decorative textiles for all types of commercial and hospitality applications. In time for the expo, Magitex launches its newest product, Nevada, a blackout drapery fabric consisting of 100% polyester.

More than 150 suppliers will showcase cutting-edge equipment covering flooring and decking, turnkey outfitting, public areas, fabrics, and interior design. Some of the world’s leading cruise suppliers will be on hand, including Trimline, Berenblum Busch Architects, Bolidt, MJM Group, Chelsom, Elmo Leather, Forbo Flooring Systems, Bez Marine, Studio ADO and Tillberg Design of Sweden.

The new trade show will be housed in a new, state-of-theart hall at the Miami Beach Convention Center, which is located close to major industry names such as Norwegian Cruise Line, Virgin Voyages, and Carnival Cruise Line.

Petu Kummala, director of interior design at Carnival, says in a statement: “Cruise Ship Interiors Expo is an exciting and needed addition to the Cruise industry’s Design and Architecture, which will provide a source for designers and suppliers to connect, exchange ideas, and see the latest products that can be used on future projects.”

Visitor registration is free and may be completed online at www.cruiseshipinteriors-expo.com.

Organizers have published a guide to cruise ship interior trends for 2019, and it is available online at info. cruiseshipinteriors-expo.com/ the-2019-guide-to-cruise-interiors-trends. F&FI

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Swavelle, A Converter Buys Wearbest Sil-Test Mills Ltd. Mills From Gasner Family, Fourth Generation Owners F&FI News Network

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EW YORK--Swavelle Fabrics Inc., a major U.S. converter based in New York with a warehouse in Lasdon, S.C. has purchased Wearbest Mills, Inc., the Garfield, New Jersey based contract weaver and the makers of BellaDura indoor/outdoor fabrics. The Wearbest contract fabrics business began in 1990. The mill itself started up in the 1940’s

when Phillip Gasner went into the garment linings business.

Irwin Gasner, third generation owner of Wearbest and (grandson of the founder) and Jeff Thomases, owner of Swavelle sealed their deal in February.

Neither was available for comment at this time. Ari Gasner, President of Wearbest (Irwin’s son) was also not available for comment F&FI

F&FI Crossword

Trevira Reaches 235 Million Euros in Sales for 2018, Shows Latest Flame-Retardant Products During Heimtextil F&FI News Network

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RANKFURT, Germany – Trevira says it had a good year thanks to its flame-retardant products with 2018 annual sales of 235 million euros, especially selling well to producers in Germany and Italy.

“Despite the globally dismal growth forecasts, massive increases in the price of raw materials, additives, energy, and transport as well as various trade conflicts,” Trevira officials say in a statement, “our business has stabilized at a good level.”

During Heimtextil 2019 in January, Trevira and its partners had one of the largest exhibits.

Officials held a press conference to talk about the latest developments, which includ-

ed flame-retardant-filament yarns made from recycled PET bottles. PET, which stands for polyethylene terephthalate, is a form of polyester, not unlike that used to make clothing and other products.

Trevira is owned by its parent company, Indorama Ventures, which is based in Thailand.

“Since only transparent PET bottles are used in Thailand, the bottle flakes and the chips obtained from these flakes are of a particularly good, very uniform quality,” the company statement reads.

Another trend for the company involves using Trevira CS yarn in outdoor fabrics.

“In order to be able to produce high-performing and well-designed textiles, Trevira

now offers a range of 22 spundyed filament yarns that are UV-resistant,” the company statement says, adding the process is eco-friendly and saves money.

As for home textiles, officials say their mélange designs continue to be an important trend.

“Increasingly, the strong and contrasting properties of matching shades are particularly popular,” officials say.

“People are also on the lookout for less expensive methods to achieve this look. The use of yarns that are cationic dyeable is one option.”

As for developments in 2019, Trevira officials will develop flame-retardant fibers to be at an antimony-free standard.

F&FI

Rekor WideWidth Velvets Seek Customer Partnerships F&FI News Network

Across 1 Furniture coverings 6 Manner indicated 8 It could be a king or a queen 9 They are the basis for great designs 10 Promotional piece 11 Energy saving light 13 Passing craze 14 Figures, for short 15 Light beige 17 Creator 18 Ancient writings from the east 20 Dee’s wife and partner at Keyston Bros.

22 Feel of a fabric 24 Shade of blue 26 Brown tint 27 Reach a high point 30 Transparent, as fabrics 32 Bright and striking, of colors 36 Rogers’ state 37 U.S.N. officer 38 Colorant 39 Inventive Solutions on Page 62

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Down 2 Sole mates 3 Sheen 4 Product protection symbol, abbr.

5 Crimson or scarlet 6 Any source of inspiration for future work 7 Unmatching 8 Light blocking type of fabric 9 Creates a new type of design or line 12 Fabric market segment that’s coming back 16 She’s the new director of upholstery for Four Hands, Jessica 19 Hanging cloth 21 Compass point 23 Cause for umbrellas 25 Sheltered side 28 Creative work 29 Clean with a cloth 31 Owned 32 Home film player 33 Fluffy scarf 34 “Aladdin” prince 35 Casual top, casually

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URSA, Turkey—Rekor has launched a new line of widewidth velvets up to 310 centimeters wide as part of a $20 million investment in the fabric lines and finishing. The new velvets were shown at Heimtextil for the first time.

Third generation Rekor family owners, vice presidents Ayca and her brother Mehmet Kurtcan, are scouring the globe for widewidth customers as they try to determine where there is a good fit for the new velvets. “We took this chance to stay ahead of the competition by making this large investment.

We want to make partnerships with our customers.”

The new velvets might have a place in drapery and readymade markets. The new

Van de Wiele looms are six figures per loom, and Rekor says it is the only mill with the new machines. Production of 300,000 meters of the widewidth velvets are possible with 800 meters per day, Ayca says.

“Seamless draperies are now possible for contract and residential installations, as well as printed seamless bed coverings,” Mehmet explains. F&FI

Mehmet Kurtcan, Vice President and Ayca, Vice President, Sales for Rekor

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Elastron Group, a Major Portuguese Fabric Company Undergoes Tremendous Growth, Enters U.S. Upholstery Market during Showtime F&FI News Network

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IGH POINT, N.C. — Elastron Leather & Fabrics premiered at ITA Showtime Market (Dec. 2-5), seeking to add the U.S. upholstery market to the more than 70 countries it now exports.

By showing for the first time at Showtime, and at future U.S. tradeshows, Elastron officials predict it will help propel the company’s tremendous growth: From selling 450,000 euros in 2009 to 35 million euros in 2017 in the European markets. It’s also grown from six employees to 130 in that time.

CEO Jose Carlos Oliveira said the company, which has headquarters in Portugal, is one of the fastest growing in the European Union because it has been able to adjust to the needs of the market.

Elastron is a global wholesaler of leather and performance fabrics with 80 articles in 2,000 colors.

It has about 2 million square meters in stock in its warehouse in Germany, according to the company.

“We’re here checking it out,” Carlos Oliveira says at the company’s Showtime booth.

Showtime Market is held twice a year in June and December and brings together some 800 companies offering fabric, leather, and trim, along with associated businesses. The event will be held next June 3-6, 2019.

While 2018 marks Elastron’s entrance into the U.S. market, the company has been expanding for the past 40 years. It started in 1978 with headquarters in Portugal, adding plants in Spain and Germany in 2015, and Shanghai in 2017.

In 1978, Elastron started as a commercial agent of Italian premium leather for the upholstery industry; in 1998, it added a shoe division; in 2006, it added fabrics such as natural leather, synthetics, and microfibers, thereafter, exporting its products to the Spanish and Italian markets.

“We sell all over Europe and some of the Scandinavian countries,” Carlos Oliveira says. “This

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was a good time to see the U.S.” The company’s factory production is some 30,000 catalogs per month.

The CEO discusses how the company’s performance fabrics could help them in the competitive U.S. market, by incorpo-

rating a treatment that requires only water to clean the fabric.

He demonstrates by pouring wine on one of the upholstery samples, where it just rolled across the surface until he smears it in. Then, taking a cloth with water on it, he slowly cleans

off the wine in seconds.

With its performance fabrics, called Advanced Fabrics, Carlos Oliveira says the company has been expanding into the contract and hospitality markets across Europe, and now into the U.S. F&FI

Pedro Correia, commercial director, Gustavo de Castro, area sales manager, both of Elastron, and Melissa Wyman, design manager of UTP America in WinstonSalem, N.C.

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Bernard Joel Stein, 83 Edgar Fabrics’ Al Rubin, 95 F&FI News Network

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EW YORK—Bernard Joel Stein, a well-known textiles sourcing specialist, passed away on November 3 after succumbing to cancer.

He was born June 4, 1935, and was 83.

Stein was the owner and president of B.J. Stein, Ltd. in Ridgefield, Conn., and maintained an office in New York.

He was one of the earlier

textile sourcing experts in the market having established his company in July 1975, over 43 years ago. He specialized in all textiles and was an agent for overseas greige goods mills.

Stein was well- known to the trade and was well liked by his peers. One of his earliest associates said that Stein was always helpful and very friendly. He is survived by his wife, Ali, and five children. F&FI

Robert “Rob” Culp, 72 Succumbs to Cancer F&FI News Network

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IGH POINT, N.C. — Robert “Rob” G. Culp III, one of the giants of the textile industry, lost his battle with leukemia on December 8.

Culp III was the co-founder (with his father) and chairman of Culp Inc. He was born Sept. 11, 1946. Culp Inc. began in 1972 as an upholstery fabric mill and converter. Culp served as CEO of the publicly held company from 1981 to 2007 and served as chairman since 1990.

Industry insiders say that Culp’s greatest strength lay in his ability to spot a trend and source the product quickly at an attractive price for his American customers, especially in the upholstered furniture trade. At one time, Culp was a major producer of tufted velvet and later, a big supplier of bonded leather.

Ultimately, Culp, with 1,400 employees, became an international converter of upholstery and an agent for offshore suppliers of mattress fabrics like Boyteks of Turkey.

Culp now has operations in the U.S., China, Canada, and Haiti.

Culp spent much of his life in High Point where he was a philanthropist, a member of the downtown advisory board, and a trustee of High Point University. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel

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F&FI News Network

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AUPPAUGE, N.Y. — Al Rubin, one of the original partners of Edgar Fabrics Inc., passed away on December 17 at the age of 95.

A graveside service for family members was held at Wellwood Cemetery in Wyandach, N.Y. on December 19.

Edgar Fabrics is a wellknown home furnishings piece goods converter that is currently operated by Jeffrey and Brett Rubin, Al’s two sons.

The company was founded in 1948 by Edgar Silberman, who formed a partnership with Al Rubin not long after it was started. Rubin was fresh out of the U.S. Army.

He handled administra-

tion while Silberman oversaw marketing and sales. It was a good combination and the business flourished.

They were Al Rubin with his sons Jeff (left) and Brett known as the ‘Kings’ of moiré and they had it no questions asked.

In his later years, Rubin in every conceivable style.

In 1985, Rubin formed a lived in Boynton Beach, Fla., new Edgar partnership with his and traveled frequently to New York, where he was active in the two sons.

Of his many good qualities, business until about ten years Rubin will be most remem- ago. The Rubin Family asks bered for his generosity. One that contributions in his name industry friend remembers be made to The American that Rubin lent him $50,000 Kidney Fund, Kidneyfund.org. when it was most needed with F&FI

Utta Kravet, 89, The ‘Queen’ of Kravet Fabrics F&FI News Network

Robert “Rob” G. Culp III.

Hill and earned his MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

“We deeply mourn the passing of our beloved friend, colleague and one of the company’s founders, Rob Culp,” says Frank Saxon, vice chairman and CEO of Culp.

“He was widely recognized as a visionary and passionate leader who built a company known for innovation and an unwavering commitment to our customers. He carried this same vision with him in all activities with the company, and he inspired everyone around him to strive for the same standards of personal character and work ethic as he did.”

Culp is survived by his wife, Susan; three children; a sister; a brother; and seven grandchildren.

His son, Iv Culp, is the chief operating officer and president of the company’s mattress division. F&FI

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ETHPAGE, NY—Utta Kravet, the spark behind Kravet Inc.for many years has passed away January 3 as the result of an unfortunate fall she took less than two months ago.

She was 89 years old and is survived by her sons Cary and Scott, and Lisa, Cary’s wife; Utta’s daughter Ellen and grandchildren Daniel, Sander, and Sara.

Kravet was established in 1918 and is considered to be the industry leader in the to the trade home furnishings industry.

All of her children are

involved in the running of Kravet, the fifth generation of the Kravet family to do so.

The company celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2018 and Larry and Utta were last seen together for a family picture to commemorate the anniversary.

Mrs. Kravet will be remembered by all those she touched as a loving and compassionate person with an unquenchable love for her family, especially her husband Larry. She had the highest ethical standards which she passed on to the employees when she ran the business with her husband. She also had a great eye for design and color and loved every aspect of the

Utta Kravet, 89, The ‘Queen’ of Kravet Fabrics

decorating trade.

Larry and Utta were devoted to each other and attended most of the international fabric exhibitions together.

Larry passed away just this past March and left Utta to soldier on, which she did until her fall during an art lecture. F&FI

People to Watch

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UMBAI—Strey Pvt. Ltd. (streetwear fashions) has been launched by Aasshna Aroraa, 25 year old entrepreneur and her cousin Eashan Parekh.

Part of the collection (shown here) has been achieved through the use of digital printing equipment at Dicitex, her father Rajnish’s company with his brother Nimish.

“We are inspired by the exciting chaos of the city (Mumbai), says Aasshna.

“Our perspective is to go against culture norms and breakthrough the confiormity by forming a counter culture.” This is ‘CounterCuture,’ the brand’s motto. F&FI

www.FandFI.com

Strey is printing its counter culture street fashion at Dicitex Furnishings.

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Showtime

Showtime Photo Gallery Showtime Attracts New Companies

Held twice a year in June and December in High Point, N.C., the Showtime Market offers hundreds of fabric, leather and trim companies, including new ones such as the Elastron Group. Read story on page 29. More than 800 buying companies attended the event in December 2018. The next event will be held June 2-5.

Ilknur Dag, sales and marketing manager for Boyteks (l to r), Cenk Yener, and Bora Sezer, business development manager of Boyteks in Kayseri, Turkey

Brian Casey, executive director International Textile Alliance (left), Brian Bunch, president Acme Samples, Carrie Dillon, assistant director of ITA, and Rhonda Jackson, leasing director at IMC

Elizabeth Davidson, left, and Jeanie Wenning, owner of Wenning Solutions in Lebanon, Oregon, and Ronnie Cook, president of Wholesale Furniture and Linens in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Luana Davis, president of Luana Living in San Francisco, and Steven Gittelson, vice president of Morgan Fabrics in Los Angeles

Morris Cohen, owner, L.A. Fred’s Fabric, (left to right) Mariela Ramos, general manager at IC Importadora Central in Panama, and Faramarz “Fred” Cohen, owner, L.A. Fred’s Fabric in Los Angeles.

Sophie Marshall, (l to r), and Shreenie Vasan, owner of Tana Bana Design Studio in New York, and Ahmet Ikcuoglu, managing partner of Kacar Textile in Turkey

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The Steve Haines Quintet during Jazzfest

Michael Harris and Judi Harris, owners of Crestmont Fabrics in Hauppauge, New York, and Trudy France of Four Season Decorative Fabrics in Candada

Pedro Correia, commercial director, (l to r), Gustavo de Castro, area sales manager, both of Elastron, and Melissa Wyman, design manager of UTP America in Winston-Salem, N.C..

Susan Inglis, executive director of Sustainable Furnishings Council, (left) and Jill Seale, owner Jill Seale Design Studio of Charlotte, North Carolina

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BDNY

BDNY Photo Gallery BDNY Showcases Wallcoverings At BDNY (Boutique Design New York), wallcoverings were a buzzword this year at the event held Nov. 10 – 12. The Momentum Group had a major buyout growing into a $200 million contract and wallcoverings giant. Read the story on page. 41. From kitchen and bath manufacturers to textiles and furniture designers, more than 700 exhibitors showcased the newest in hospitality.

Aimee Williams, senior designer at StacyGarcia in Nanuet, New York

Alexander Mayer, vice president of operations at Innovations in Wallcoverings in New York

Bob Greenfield (left), CEO, and his son, Ari Greenfield, president, at Magitex DĂŠcor in Miami, Florida

Chris Dereix, business development manager North America, at Abraham Moon Sons in Leeds, England

Barry Oltsik, COO, at Warp Phil in Kansas City, Missouri

Suzanne Ralton, owner of Agua Fabrics in London

Jay Imperatori, vice president of sales, at Wolf Gordon in New York

Manager Kelsi Coia, (left to right), Vice President Samantha James, and Manager Sarah Ivosevich of Stark Hospitality & Contract in New York

Jake Coburn, marketing and sales specialist, at LebaTex in Nanuet, New York

Tricia Salyer, former owner, of Tri-Kes in Dallas, Texas

Lawrence Fu, owner of CF Kent Contract in Los Angeles

Ravi Shah, vice president, and Sarika Shah, president, at Posh Textiles in New York

Lauren Somers Pelusio, creative director of hospitality fabrics at Richloom Contract in New York

Sidd Dugar, left, and Amit Dugar, owners of Taffard Fabrics in New York

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Contract/HospitalityNews C/HNEWS I Mobus UK Spec Upholstery Passes $25 Million Sales Mark with Nearly 100 Percent Chinese-Made Goods F&FI News Network

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LLAND, England — Mobus Fabrics, Ltd., is a $25 million converter and wholesaler of plains that started life in 1994.

It expects to grow to $35 million within the next five years according to Ian Bostock, managing director and principal.

Mobus is well known to other jobbers around the world who speak highly of the firm, which relied on word of mouth to get the business going initially. The firm shows at Heimtextil and the London

Fabrics Exhibition. Mobus also won the coveted Queens Award for Export in 2017.

“With an average price of $6-8 a meter, nearly everything sold is sourced in China, including velvets, jacquards, and dobbies all made to UK specs,” Bostock says.

Mobus works with specialty yarns, including space-dyed and metallic. It offers quilted fabrics and digital prints. Minimums are one piece. About 10 percent of the turnover is in contract qualities, Bostock says, with a 70/30 ratio of furniture manufacturers to wholesalers as cli-

ents in the UK, Europe, Japan, and the US. “The UK is our fastest growing market,” Bostock says.

There are four active partners at Mobus, including Bostock. The others are Lee Paxman, sales director; Grant McConnell, operations director; Dave Barnes, finance director; and one silent partner, Mike Presley, who was the original owner before he sold out to the other four partners.

The business is run out of the original barn in West Yorkshire, where there is a 25,000-square-foot ware-

house, one of three different sites.

Mobus handles everything concerning the fabrics imported from China, including on-site testing to ensure Lee Paxman and Ian Bostock British specs are met. Mobus also does its own finishing in a ed backings.”

Bostock originally was with 10,000-square-foot plant. “We don’t own our own looms, but Romo for 16 years, while we do the finishing,” Bostock Paxman was a supply chain says. “This includes cotton, specialist who joined Mobus FR, stain proofing, and bond- 10 years ago. F&FI

C/HNEWS I LebaTex at 20 Brings 20 Hospitality Designers to Market Bubbly and Vivacious Stacy Garcia still drives the business.

F&FI News Network

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Allison Eden Collection

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ANUET, N.Y. —LebaTex is celebrating its 20th year in business with a collection of 20 print designs, to be created by 20 different hospitality designers, that will be manufactured on demand.

In-house production will be achieved with LebaTex’s recently acquired Epson 64-inch digital printer, according to the dynamic company founder and corporate cheerleader Stacy Garcia. Digital printing will enable this growing converter to produce product in two days, the time it will take to heat transfer the internally produced printed paper.

“We’re bullish on Year 2019 and our pipeline is full,” she says. She has built the company on the philosophy that “if money is no object, what would we do?” She says that “LebaTex does much more with less resources than a larger company.” She sees

much more potential in the years ahead for LebaTex in healthcare, senior living, and boutique hotels, in addition to cruise interiors and high-end residential. It’s possible that one of her four children will follow her path in the business, she says.

“Hospitality textiles is still our largest segment of business. We will use the new printer to produce heat transfer paper on any one of our 20 polyester base cloths that we offer to the market.” Garcia is a well-known designer today, who began her career at Richloom Fabrics Group after graduating from Syracuse University of Fine Arts with a degree in surface pattern design over 20 years ago.

While prints are the bulk of her business, she also offers the market an open line of wovens. LebaTex complements the wovens with an in-stock drapery, upholstery, and blackout collection of 300

print designs with a minimum order requirement of one yard, she says.

As a jobber, LebaTex stocks sheers for $12, velvets, vinyls, Sunbrella, and Bella Dura fabrics. It also offers high-end chenille for as much as $42 a yard.

LebaTex offers vinyl and base cloths from China, sheers from Turkey, and base cloths from India and Korea, as well Jake Coburn as American-made upholstery.

LebaTex does not participate in the roller shade business because “not everyone is doing roller shades,” Garcia explains. “Designers prefer draperies and sheers in better properties, and franchise owners are still skeptical of roller shade mechanisms and the amount of maintenance required to service the roller shades,” she says.

“Hotel owners want properties to feel like high-end residential rooms.” (continued on Page 55)

Stacy Garcia

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C/HNews

C/HNEWS I Two German Contract Textile Dallas Chapman Accepts Companies Merge as Kos Krebs Contract Textiles; No Cost-Reductions Expected F&FI News Network

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ISSENDORF, Germany —KOS Contract Textiles and Rolf Krebs will merge on Jan. 1 to form a new company: Kos Krebs Contract Textiles.

“First and foremost, this is not about cost reduction or cutting jobs,” the new company’s website says.

Instead, the merger is about “creating Europe’s biggest and most professional contract textile specialist.”

In 2011, KOS, a major contract specialist in Europe, was sold and under the management of Thomas Berndt, previously head of contract textiles at JAB in Bielefeld, Germany. Berndt bought his 50 percent interest in KOS from Friedhelm Oelpenich Schmitz, KOS founder, who

retired. The remaining half of the business was owned

by Peter Kaufmann, who also sold his shares to another unnamed partner of Berndt.

The KOS name was derived from its two founders: Kaufmann (K) and Oelpenich Schmitz (OS).

Rolf Krebs started in 1970, focusing on interior textiles, and in 2000, started their own production of fabrics by launching a range of contract textile collections. Today, Carsten Krebs is the principal. F&FI

Carsten Krebs is the principal of Rolf Krebs

Northeast Textiles Ceases Operations F&FI News Network

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AFFNEY, S.C. — Northeast Textiles, a specialist in hospitality and healthcare fabrics, is closing its doors at year end after 33 years in business.

A letter was sent to its customers in mid-November alerting them to this decision.

The letter blamed several fac-

tors for the closing, including the advent of the all-white bed in the hotel industry and the resulting reduction in the use of printed fabrics in hotel rooms. Northeast Textiles was primarily a transfer print producer. The company reportedly had sales under $10 million and was owned by the Steffens family.

Northeast is now in the pro-

cess of selling off its base fabric inventory and heat transfer equipment. Northeast has been operating in a 28,000-square-foot plant on six acres, which is also for sale.

A conversation with Northeast Textiles’s president, Denise Evans, did not result in any further information.

F&FI

C/HNEWS I Contract Greige Specialist Copland Fabrics Now Closed for Good F&FI News Network

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URLINGTON, N.C. — Copland Fabrics Inc., a 77-year-old weaver of greige goods for the U.S.-basedcontract-converter trade, expects to close its doors by year end after the loss of its largest customer.

Copland was a dedicated producer of polyester-base cloth for printing and piece dyeing as well as finished

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greige cloth.

A Copland Fabrics source, who did not want to be identified, emphasizes that the closing is not a bankruptcy.

“It was prompted by the loss of our largest customer, the shortage of local labor needed to run the 200-employee plant, and offshore competitive pricing pressure, namely China — that could not be met,” the source says. “In fact, the customer, which tried to

press Copland to reduce its prices by 20 percent, is now hard pressed to find any vendor who will meet that price.”

“The customer found out it didn’t have a back door and is now scrambling to find a vendor,” the source says.

Copland was owned by the Copland family and fourth-generation Jason Copland was the president and CEO. His great-grandfather,

www.FandFI.com

VP Role at Kravet Contract F&FI News Network

NEW YORK — Dallas Chapman will become the new senior vice president of Kravet Contract, overseeing all contract sales and corporate operations.

Recently, Chapman served as vice president of North American sales for Oriental Weavers Hospitality.

Chapman has 17 years of experience in both the floorcovering and contract industries. He spent most of his career as a senior sales executive for Beaulieu Dallas Chapman American, “There are new markets and contract customers we have yet to explore and we are very confident that with Dallas Chapman’s experience and desire to grow that business, we will be very successful in the short and long term,” Cary Kravet, President of Kravet Inc., says in a statement.

Kravet Inc. has greatly expanded its contract division, providing a diverse range of woven products, sheers, bedding and both digital- and heat-transfer prints for the commercial, healthcare and hospitality industries. F&FI

Kristin Olson Takes on New Leadership Role at Covington Fabric & Design F&FI News Network

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EW YORK — Kristin Olson has been promoted at Covington Fabric & Design to its vice president of sales, Covington West.

She was previously a regional sales director. Since joining CFD Kristin Olson in November 2013, Olson has had great success in sales and developing new customers, according to company officials, which accounts for her increasing leadership roles at the company: combining her extensive design experience with sales abilities.

Olson is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in interior design. F&FI

James R. Copland Sr., started Copland Mills in 1941, while in his 60’s.

The Copland equipment has been sold along with the warehouse and plant, according to the source familiar with the proceedings. F&FI Fourth-generation owner of Copeland Fabrics Jason Copland.

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Momentum Buys D.L.Couch, Eykon, and Tri-Kes, Grows into a $200 Million Contract Textiles and Wallcovering Giant Wallcoverings on The Rise at BDNY 2018 Trade Show

by Ray Parker

NEW YORK — Momentum Group, one of the largest suppliers of contract textiles, has bought one of the largest contract wallcovering groups, sister companies D.L.Couch, Eykon, and Tri-Kes, which with the merger total $200 million in combined annual sales.

“It just seemed like the right time (to sell),” Tricia Salyer, founder of Tri-Kes, says at BDNY this week (Nov. 11-12).

Salyer, who started Tri-Kes in 1993, says she does not have plans beyond helping with the transition with Momentum.

At BDNY (Boutique Design New York), wallcoverings were a buzzword. The Momentum buyout shows the wallcovering trend as well as other companies entering the industry.

Alexander Mayer’s father started Innovations in Wallcoverings in 1974, and especially in the past few years, has seen a surge in competitors.

“Let’s just say, I don’t know specifics, there were 10 (other wallcovering companies) when we started out, now there’s 300,” Mayer, vice president of operations, says.

The New York-based Innovations created the first fabric-faced vinyl in the contract market in 1995, the first commercially viable cork wallcovering in 1999, and the first to introduce a line of environmentally-friendly wallcoverings in 2000, according to the company.

Of some 750 BDNY exhibitors, almost 130 were listed in

the “wallcoverings and surfacing” category.

Brad Bloom, vice president of sales, Pollack / Weitzner, says the wallcovering market continues to grow. He says Pollack offers the only linen wallcoverings held with magnets.

Suzanne Ralton is the third-generation owner of Agua Fabrics. She says the Londonbased company is well-known in the United Kingdom in hospitality and healthcare, and with its own performance fabrics, hopes to make inroads into the U.S. “We continue to grow,” Ralton, exhibiting for the second year. says. “Our 100-percent-polyester fabrics can be treated in many ways, while remaining (eco-friendly).”

Textile companies continue to pair with well-known designers, so they can offer unique fabrics. Aimee Williams, senior designer at Stacy Garcia, says the company offers three new wallcovering designs. Williams says the overall design/textile theme involves nature-based colors and patterns: “bringing the outside into the inside.”

Overall, the hospitality market continues to grow.

Lauren Somers Pelusio, creative director hospitality fabrics at Richloom Contract, says one of the company’s biggest sellers involves their collaboration with British designer Kelly Hoppen. Richloom also has a second collection with San Francisco-based designer Seema Krish.

“Hospitality is up 9 percent,”

Pelusio says. “It’s a very strong market.”

Stark Carpet created a new division this year: Stark Hospitality and Contract. Vice President Samantha James says new technology has lowered the price of upscale textiles.

“It’s woven on a machine, but it looks handwoven,” James says.

Warp & Phil by Fabri-Quilt is the merger of two companies: a fabricator of hospitality bed coverings and window treatments, and a producer of decorative fabrics.

All the company’s weaving and manufacturing happens in two North American plants: one in Queretaro, Mexico, the other a 245,000-square-foot facility in North Kansas City.

It’s the largest hospitality fabrication facility in the U.S., according to the company.

“We offer a lot of options,” Colton Fries, national sales director, says.

Two companies exhibited for the first time at BDNY: Posh Textiles, which has headquarters in New York and a mill in Bangalore, India, and Abraham Moon & Sons; founded in 1837, it’s one of the last remaining vertical woolen mills in England.

Momentum Group is the largest supplier of contract textiles, and now will be one of the largest contract wallcovering companies.

Momentum Textiles has 100 percent reduced environmental impact for all upholsteries, and its wallcovering products

Tri-Kes founder Tricia Salyer at BDNY 2018

will begin with three reduced environmental impact categories: recycled vinyl that is recyclable: PVC-free patterns; and Woven Silica for the Walls that will launch early next year, according to a company statement.

In 1999, D.L.Couch, Eykon and Tri-Kes united to form Wallcovering Source Group (WSG), becoming one of the largest wallcovering players in the contract industry. It expanded internationally with WSG Global Network, adding distributors in Europe, Canada, Asia, Africa and Mexico.

Roger Arciniega and Ken Salyer Jr. of Tri-Kes are leading the transition with Momentum.

WSG Global Network products include textiles and national wallcovering brands such as Lanark, Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines, Commercial Wallcoverings, Source One, Stacy Garcia, Studio Source, Tower, and Versa.

“From our very first meetings all interactions have been comfortable, productive and efficient to the point where we could finish each others (sic) sentences,” Momentum CEO Roger Arciniega says in a statement. “Culture is one of the very most important aspects of transactions of this scale….”

F&FI

Alexander Mayer of Innovations in Wallcoverings.

Agua Fabrics owner Suzanne Ralton

Lauren Somers Pelusio, creative director hospitality fabrics at Richloom Contract, at BDNY 2018

COO Barry Oltsik at Warp & Phil located in Kansas City

Scott George Leaves Valdese for Leslie Jee Textiles F&FI News Network

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Scott George has been named vice president of sales for Leslie Jee Textiles, a small converter and importer founded in 2009, and based in

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Huntington Beach, Calif.

George, based in Charlotte, reports to founder Leslie Jee. She is also the design director at the company.

Since May 2013, George was vice president of sales and marketing for Contract at

Valdese Weavers. Prior to that, he was vice president, sales & marketing, for Cone Mills.

Leslie Jee Textiles designs, develops and distributes a line of residential upholstery to furniture manufacturers and fabric jobbers in the U.S. and

Canada.

The design and product development are conducted at company headquarters in Huntington Beach, manufactured in China, and imported and warehoused in Los Angeles. F&FI

Scott George

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!Cuba Si¡ Cuba’s Beat Goes On

Cuban artists are clever and quickly draw this caricature of our editor emeritus, Eric Schneider.

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AVANA, Cuba—I approached Cuba like Adam approached the forbidden fruit. I was curious about a place so close to home, yet was closed to all Americans until now.

Of course, Canadians, Europeans, and most of the world have been visiting Cuba for years. There is beautiful architecture in Cuba built by everyone else, including the Americans. Spanish and African culture permeate the society that is as much as 500 years old, but most of what we see is frozen in time to

1959, the year of the revolution under Fidel Castro.

It’s an interesting look at the past, but what is the future of Cuba? That is a question; I have no answer, but it was worth a look. The people are beautiful and you can’t beat the music, dancing at the Tropicana, the rum daiquiris, mojitos, or cigars.

—ERIC SCHNEIDER

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avana is 514 years old, first established by Spain.

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2. Performers walk on stilts 3. Hemingway wrote ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’ at this 1930 Havana hotel, Ambos Mundos 4. Streets of cobblestones made from old ship ballast 7. Iglesia y Monasterio de San Francisco de Asis

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1. Naked woman on rooster in the Plaza Viejas Square, Old Havana

8. 500 year old Governor’s House in Santiago, Cuba 9. Spanish American & Cuba War monument, Santiago 10. Sevim Gunes, F&FI Sales Representative with her sister Fatma in front of the Che Guevara statue in Santa Clara

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11, 16, 23. Tropicana Nightclub is filled with world class dancers, music and circus acts

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15. Tropicana Nightclub is filled with world class dancers, music and circus acts

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14. The view is spectacular from almost anywhere along the Cuban Coast.

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16. Tropicana Nightclub is filled with world class dancers, music and circus acts 17. View of old fort in Santiago, Castillo de San Pedro de la roca del Morro; This is a Unesco World Heritage Site 18. American built building form the 1900’s in Old Havana.

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19. Plaza Vieja has many restored buildings from the 1900’s.

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22. La Bodequita del Medio in Old Havana is the birthplace of the mojito

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21. Here kitty! An old page in a book with a kitty collage and Cuban postage stamp is typical of the Cuban art form.Inexpensive.

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22. La Bodegamitia del medio - Home if the mojito 23. Tropicana Nightclub is filled with world class dancers, music and circus acts

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24. Cuba still has 85,000 cars from the 60’s and older like this 1946 Chevrolet in perfect condition. The Cubans are great mechanics and they know how to keep their cars going for a long time.

25. Café Floridita was a favorite Hemingway hangout with its invention of the daiquiri

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26. Cuban art is original and spontaneous. It can include found objects like bottle caps, stamps and coins

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27, 28. Hemingway portrait and Hemingway Museum farmhouse interior

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ASCENT DÉCOR - EMERGING WITH A NEW VISION Mukarram, while the design process of product lines for mid-market segments would be spearheaded by Gaurav Sureka.

“Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together.” – James Cash Penney Ascent Dècor Private Limited is a major home furnishing manufacturer from India. The company houses multiple brands and aims to achieve a significant improvement in its market position.

The Company plans to expand its portfolio through a strategic merger of three successful entities: Ethnic Silk Mills, Revolucion Textil and RUMORS. This brings together complimentary strengths in design, production and marketing of a wider product range to customers. This merged entity will emerge as an important player within the home furnishings and textiles category in India. After this merger, Ascent Décor will be a company with a 25 million US dollar turnover in 2019 with projections to double its top line in two years to 50 million US dollars.

Ascent Décor’s production department will be supported by its state of the art vertically integrated facility comprising of all activities from Designing to shipments all under one roof. All the operations including manufacturing will be driven by a cutting edge ERP system backed by experienced technical teams. A qualified QC team ensures to supply only the best quality controlled products are supplied to its customers.

Ascent Décor begins this New Year 2019 with a new vision and larger dimension, endeavouring to achieve a tremendous growth through strategic partnerships and acquisitions in order to position itself amongst the major textile companies in India.

“Ethnic Silk Mills” for over two decades has been known for its creativity and exports of high end decorative furnishing fabrics to the top international markets. Ascent Dècor aims to continue “ETHNIC” as its brand for the premium segment with niche product line.

“RevolucionTextil” has been growing rapidly making its mark in the global market arena with its creative and competitive products catered to mid market segment. Post this unification, “Revolucion” is looking to enhance the market share of Ascent Décor in this sector.

“RUMORS” operating on “Stock n Sale” model in the past five years, offers beautifully compiled collections of draperies, sheers, upholstery, velvets, prints, plains, textures and other value added decorative fabrics to the domestic and international markets. Rumors is working towards becoming a destination for all home furnishing needs.

AscentDècor will be led by four founder Directors : Mukarram Syed, Farook Syed, Gaurav Sureka and Ramachandra Shastry. With over two decades of relevant experience each, the directors are on a mission to make Ascent Décor a top notch company for total solutions in Home Textiles space in the years to come.

Creativity will continue to be the USP of this group. Creation of high-end products would be passionately driven by Amina

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F FI D E S I G N

SHAKING UP THE STATUS QUO

By Jennifer Castoldi

Product development, manufacturing, interior design, and retail are just a few sectors where new movements are bringing about fresh designs and shared experiences around the world.

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om Dixon’s London hub that was formerly at The Docks has moved to a snazzy new venue: The Coal House. This impressive and historic building just across from Granary Square (home to Central St. Martins), and a stone’s throw from the new Google and LVMH offices, houses his HQ, design studio, architecture branch, retail store, and restaurant. It is in the heart of King’s Cross. An area of London that has undergone an amazing transformation through regeneration in the recent years, since the Eurostar was relocated from Waterloo.

“For us it was imperative not just to find a new office or shop. It was vital to find a new home. London isn’t just another city.

It is where it all started. We will use these 17,500 square feet in this incredible location as a platform to broadcast our latest ideas in interior design, product innovation and experiments in food, functionality and future living,” explains Tom.

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e can appreciate the fruits of labor of the team at Bill Amberg Studio, a team that labored away for 36 months to refine its printing technology to have just the right dye penetration of their European bull hides used for upholstery, furniture, and a diverse spectrum of interior applications. The design seen here is available in two colorways: ‘Elle’ references duality and outdated ideas of masculinity and femininity as they relate to design. Rugged leather contrasts the delicate lace pattern from Natasha Baradaran.

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hat is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the phrase “additive manufacturing?” That word combination likely conjures up ideas of rapid prototyping and 3D printing, which is perfectly inline with contemporary production techniques. But what if we told you, in this case, we are referring to crystals?

Hannah Croft is an acclaimed material researcher, and her experimental materials studio, Muuna, recently made exclusive pieces for the Innovation Square at Lineapelle in Italy. These include crystalized snakeskin, snake sequin fabric with crystals, grey shearling with crystals, woven eel leather and faux furs with crystals, and woven faux fur with crystals. In her own collection she has added feathers with crystals, crystalized leather sequins, crystalized tulle, among a range of embellished textiles.

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F FI D E S I G N

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taged within STYLE Bangkok was a special exhibition titled ‘The Residence’

by François Russo, the French designer who has worked for some of the world’s recognized luxury brands such as Chanel and Poltrona Frau. Russo brought together in a single space Thai design and art alongside classics of western design. The idea was to demonstrate that there is no gap between Thai and western creativity.

F

elix Mollinga’s range titled ‘Additive Crystal’ is a collection of lamps combining two additive manufacturing techniques. His 3D-printed frames continue to grow after the printing is done, developing their own crystal skin. “The process of 3D printing and the formation of mineral crystals seem worlds apart, but are actually based on the same principle, slowly materializing layer by layer,” explains Felix, fascinated by their similarities and differences.

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ith the ever-increasing cross-pollination of disciplines, we continuously see new paradigm shifts taking place. We all know how disruptive the sharing economy has been to traditional business models, just look at Uber and Airbnb. Well here comes another one: interior design through an international short-term rentals property management platform.

Designers, home owners, listen up!

Hostmaker, the home rental management company that manages homes across multiple websites like Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia, TripAdvisor, to name a few, has recently announced its new interior design offering, At Home with Hostmaker.

Jennifer Castoldi is the CEO and Chief Creative Director of Trendease International. Since 2004, Trendease has been providing cutting-edge and competitive design information to readers and clients spanning over 170 countries. Trendease is an influential resource reporting on global trends and key international design events. Hundreds of images and forwardthinking articles are presented on www.Trendease.com each month, additionally videos and podcasts are available on www.Trendease.TV.

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1.

JAB

$22 million

Morphrow

29.

$20 million

Arben Group

$70 Million

$100 million

Mumbai, India Rohit Shah, Manish Shah, Deepak Nishar/Partners

$18 million

$50 Million Andreas Zimmer, MD Frankfurt, Germany

Sarom Pvt. Ltd.

Zimmer+Rohde

33.

Pete Kweon, Principal Seoul, Korea

$20 million

$50 million

Phillip Skaff, MD Beirut, Lebanon Fab Pvt. Ltd.

Beacon

32.

Cees Vissers, MD The Netherlands

P.J. Skaff

18.

Melbourne, Australia Cameron Warwick, MD

$20 million

$53 million

31.

Kobefab International

Warwick

16.

Michael Fischbacher, Owner St. Gallen, Switzerland

$20 million

$70 million

Vlad Stepanov, Principal Moscow, Russia

Christian Fischbacher

30.

Shanghai, China Hohans Cheung, Principal

Farouk Danika, CEO Durban, South Africa

Soyuz-M

15.

Archie Tchernov, Principal Moscow, Russia

14.

Tricia Guild, Principal London, UK

Davis

Kazimierz Hanusiak, MD Bielsko-Biala, Poland

3.

28.

$70 million

13.

17.

$130 Million

David Butcher MD Denham Bucks, UK

2.

Upholstery & General

Designers Guild

Mouscron, Belgium Philippe Debie, Principal

$25 million

Mathieu Derville MD Paris, France

27.

$71 million

12.

Indetex

Texdecor Group

Walker Greenbank

Bielefeld, Germany Chris-Jakob Schminnes, President

$300 million

Here is a listing of the Top 40 fabric wholesalers in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific Rim. Someday we’ll tackle South America, but not on this listing!

The 40 wholesalers are listed here for sales of $2 billion of fabrics—but wallcoverings are now a growing part of the sales for fabric wholesalers…so it’s not just fabrics being sold!

The sales figures for most of the companies here are my personal estimates based on conversations, intuition, and over 40 years in the fabric business. Some companies publish their figures because they are publicly held companies, but most do not. Most wholesalers are privately held.

I do not wish to offend anyone either by omission or misstatement of their actual volume. This listing is more a reference guide than anything else, and an attempt to give the industry a measuring stick against the wholesale fabric trade.

Wholesalers on this list can get a sense of where they stand in the world.

The size of the company is relative to the size of the trading area it is in. Yet, there are some companies which go way beyond their immediate geographic trading areas like JAB, Davis, and SIC in Poland.

The Top 25 wholesalers of North America list was published in the previous issue of Fabrics & Furnishings International (winter). You can compare the two lists for what it’s worth and get a better idea of the world of fabrics.

Going forward, F&FI will publish a list of contract jobber specialists in the summer issue.

If you have questions about these figures and the companies listed or those not listed—please do not hesitate to ask. I’m not in a position to defend the figures here, so take them as you wish. I’d be interested in your thoughts about it though.

Please email me: Eric@FabricsandFurnishings.com. —ERIC SCHNEIDER

These Top 40 account for $2 Billion Annual Fabric, Wallcovering, Trimming Sales

TOP 40 Fabric Wholesalers Outside North America

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www.FandFI.com 49 Germany

Lars Maier, CEO

$27 million

$75 million

Robert Schweikert, MD Lodz, Poland

Hopke

26.

New Zealand Charles Parsons, MD

SIC

11.

Andre Warde, Principal Beirut, Lebanon

$30 million

$75 million

25.

Charles Parsons Pty. Ltd.

Warde

10.

Mark Van der Aa, Principal Brabant, The Netherlands

$30 million

$75 million

24.

Textaafoam

Manas Trading Inc.

Yohei Saito, President & CEO Tokyo, Japan

9.

Paris, France Denis Halard Principal

$35 million

$95 million

23.

Nobilis Fontan

Colefax Group

David Green, Chairman London, UK

8.

Susanne Schicker-Westhoff/ Andreas Klenk, Kulmbach, Germany

$35 Million

$95 million

22.

Saum & Viebahn

Romo

Nottingham, UK Jonathan Mould, Principal

7.

Dunedin, New Zealand John Dunlop, Chairman

$35 million

$95 million

21.

James Dunlop

Pierre Frey

Patrick Frey, Principal Paris, France

6.

London, UK Sir Peter Osborne, CEO

$40 million

$100 million

20.

Osborne & Little

Sangetsu

Shosuke Yasuda, President Osaka, Japan

5.

June da Silva, Director Cape Town, South Africa

$43 million

19.

$100 million

Ahmed Al Guthmi, Principal Jeddah, S.A.

4.

Hertex

Mohammed O. Al Guthmi

Note: Originally, Larry’s Curtains of Makati City, Philippines would have made this list with an annual volume of $12 million. About four years ago, the three Ong Brothers, Herbert, Harry and Henry, split up the original Larry’s Curtains business into three parts: Spectrum/Cavaletta under Herbert; Hi Tex under Harry and Larry’s Express under Henry’s management. These are three separate retail/wholesale businesses with separate purchasing departments. The brothers feel it is more efficient and streamlined to run the business this way without combining operations. They are now completely independent of each other!

Igor Chaikin, MD Moscow, Russia

$15 million

40.

Decolux

Derek Nott Warrington, UK

$15 million

39.

Gordon John

Juan Carlos Climent, Principal Alicante, Spain

$15 million

38.

Alhambra

Christoph Haussler, CEO Nurnberg, Germany

$15 Million

37.

SAHCO

Dubai, UAE Avinash Kalwani, CEO

$15 million

36.

York

Ashok Nanwani, Principal Jakarta, Indonesia

$15 million

35.

Amardeep

Prem Bharwani, Principal Jakarta, Indonesia

$15 million

34.

Serba Antik

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Duralee’s Rosenberger Retires F&FI News Network

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AUPPAUGE, N.Y. — Martin Rosenberger, president of Robert Allen Duralee Group (RADG), has retired after more than 55 years with the company.

Rosenberger played a key role in the growth of the brand, specifically Duralee, from the fabric house’s early days of business to its current position as the second- or third-largest wholesaler in the United States.

As the son of Duralee co-founder Sig Rosenberger,

Marty has worked in just about every facet of the company, Duralee executives say, but his most important accomplishments include working on the road and opening new geography for the company, establishing and managing the company’s first West Coast network of sales representatives, and hiring and training all reps in the market. He also served as president of the company in the late 1990s until his retirement last year. He was also involved in the merger of Robert Allen and Duralee in 2017.

While president, Marty says he developed the brands’ showroom network, launched the company’s furniture division, and nurtured the sales division.

“I’ve always been told that I would know when the time is right to retire and although I never thought I would, I now think the time is right.” Marty plans to spend time with his wife Judy, children, and grandchildren, and to get involved in charity work. F&FI

Publisher Michael Schneider Flies Doggies to Live Another Day!

F&FI News Network

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CCORD, N.Y.—Publisher of F&FI Michael Schneider founded Pilots to the Rescue (PTTR) in 2015, combining his love of aviation and animals. Pilots to the Rescue enrolls volunteer pilots to fly animals from kill shelters to nokill shelters so they can be adopted by loving families.

According to the ASPCA, approximately 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized (670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats) each year. The number has declined annually from approximately 2.6 million in 2011. This decline can be partially explained by an increase in the percentage of animals adopted. Pilots to the Rescue increases the chances of animals to be adopted by relocating them to where they are desired. The ASPCA recognized Pilots to the Rescue’s good work by awarding them a $10,000 grant in 2015.

Last year, thanks to PTTR’s generous donors, the organization acquired a 1977 Piper

54

Lance that holds nearly 1,500 pounds and flies 1,000 miles at a cruising speed of 170 mph.

They were also a recipient of a van donated by the Weiss family to assist on days when flying is not an option.

“My goal is to have a small fleet of aircraft across the country to allow other volunteer pilots to participate in rescue efforts that normally wouldn’t be possible,” Schneider says. “Many of the planes available to private pilots are simply too small and have a limited range/speed to get missions done. With this fleet we can ‘connect the ‘dots’ and provide a real network of rescue efforts,” explains Schneider a.k.a. “Top Dog.” Schneider further went on to explain “PTTR is diversifying their air rescue efforts to medical flights for underprivileged people, endangered species

French Groupe Fremaux Delorme Invests in Swiss Christian Fischbacher Bed & Bath F&FI News Network

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ARIS — Groupe Fremaux Delorme, which operates a mill manufacturing residential linen collections, has invested in the Swiss-based Christian Fischbacher Bed & Bath, which also manufactures residential fabrics and furnishings.

The new business arrangement, its details not available, is geared toward enhancing Groupe Fremaux Delorme: “To give momentum to the international market of home linens through strong brands and to enhance the varied brand portfolio of the Groupe,” according to a company statement.

Those brands include the following: Yves Delorme ( luxury brand), Olivier Desforges (up-market family-oriented brand), Ralph Lauren Home, Kenzo Maison, Sonia Rykiel Maison, Hugo Boss Home (fashion brands under license), IOSIS (brand of decorative home accessories); and Laurence Tavernier (brand of sleepwear and loungewear).

Christian Fischbacher is a leading brand in the German, Swiss, and Austrian markets, according to a company statement.

“Fremaux Delorme has invested in the company CF [Christian Fischbacher] Bed & Bath AG, who owns the rights to the bed linen brand, “ CEO Michael Fischbacher wrote in an e-mail. “We also own a part of the company.”

Groupe Fremaux Delorme officials could not be reached for comment.

Founded in 1845, Fremaux Delorme has its headquarters here and offices around the world including the U.S., United Kingdom, Australia, and China.

Founded in 1819, Christian Fischbacher has its headquarters in St. Gallen, Switzerland. The company’s line of business includes the manufacturing of residential furnishings, such as blankets, bedspreads, sheets, towels, and others. F&FI

relocation, and wherever else air relocation efforts are needed.”

Pilots to the Rescue is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit all volunteer organization (IRS EIN: #473415146).

If you wish to make a donation, please visit their website: www.PilotstotheRescue.org F&FI Michael Fischbacher, Camilla Fischbacher

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Dicitex Reboots Facilities, Expands Recron Contract Line, Blackout Curtains and Export Madeup Ranges

By Eric Schneider

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UMBAI, India—Dicitex is putting the finishing touches on its new company owned headquarters expansion in a 100,000 square foot office space here expected to open

by May 1.

The company is doubling its current headquarters to 20,000 square feet for its 150 employees and the remainder will be leased to other companies according to Rajnish Aroraa, principal.

“Our space will house a fabric showroom that will be three times the size of what we currently have,” Aroraa explains.

In other developments, Aroraa stresses the growing importance of FR fabrics, both inherently FR and FR finished goods. “We have had a good response to Recron®, the Reliance FR fiber,” he says.

“Our FR products pass M1 and these products are made from all Indian components.”

In addition, Dicitex expects to introduce its own ranges of curtain blackout in June for the local Indian market.

Rajnish Aroraa and daughter Aashna at Soho Hotel, Mumbai

Dicitex Showroom

“We are also producing readymade curtains, cushions, and pillows in a new 3,000 square foot factory geared to

the US export market.

Dicitex has two Reggiani digital printers running full bore for the local Indian mar-

Japan Hospitality Market Almost Prepared demand from new hotels and refurbishing [is] in the final stages”, says Noboru Saito, managing director, Ionia Ltd, Tokyo.

In the past 20 years, Ionia has distributed contract fabrics from such companies as Kravet, Panaz, Eijffinger, and Waverly, among others. This year, Ionia participated in Japantex under Japan Decoon, which is a collective exhibition of stalls of Japanese agents/ distributors that mainly repre-

sent European and American collections. Decoon housed over 12 exhibitors and showed more than 20 European and American brands.

In the past decade, the Japanese hospitality market has been driven by designer and contract-specifier recommendations, thereby sustaining what has been a stagnant sector.

“This is our fourth participation and we are increasingly observing that both for

Seiji Takazawa, export manager, Toli Corp. (r to l), Designers Miyuki Tokuma Ekuracie and Chimi Yogib of Decollage at JapanTex.

LebaTex Brings 20

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velvets. Bronzing is achieved with special equipment and gives the velvet a vintage look.

F&FI

(continued from Page 20)

(continued from Page 39)

Dicitex Headquarters

ket. And the Dicitex ‘Myntia’ brand.

Lastly, Dicitex is having success with its bronzed knitted

For this reason, LebaTex offers a new upholstery book called “Sentara,” with 60 SKU’s of residential product produced to ACT standards for the hotel industry—all in stock, she says, except for prints on demand.

Garcia started her business in Rockland County, just west of New York City. She has 15 employees, which include six designers, eight sales agents, and a full-time marketing and public relations director in Jay Coburn. He has a master’s degree in public relations and graphics design. He supports the LebaTex sales efforts and works with the sales agents. All sales are through distributors.

Noboro Saito, managing director at Ionia Ltd. in Tokyo.

Jenni Moberg, Designer Patterns from Agency, Finland

hospitality and residences the customers demand more Nordic designs and trends,”

says Jenny Moberg, designer of PatternsFrom Agency in Finland. F&FI

Royota Shimmizi, Nichibel Trading Co. Ltd, with his customer & Yoshitaka Nakamura, Manager Sales of AGMS Corporation, Tokyo

Garcia incorporated LebaTex in 1999 and began the Stacy Garcia design label in 2004. She now has 15 hospitality licensees with her designs, including Brinton’s Carpet, York Wall Coverings, Bernhardt Furniture, and Lamps Plus, and she is now looking for a bedding and an amenities licensee. She licenses through Jewel Branding in Atlanta.

Her new residential brand is “Stay by Stacy Garcia.” She offers this brand through QVC, a television sales retailer. Her products through this channel are inspired by the hospitality industry. QVC products include bedding, towels, rugs, slippers, robes, and pillows. QVC buyers source the products which feature her designs.

Stacy Garcia Home brand is also running a collection exclusively with Calico featuring Crypton Home, its second collection.

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Heimtextil

Heimtextil Markus Kobler of Hubatka Textil in Switzerland, Esthri Gschwend and Henk Veldhuis, managing director of Texco in Netherlands

Heimtextil 2019 Produces Quality Global Buyers

By Eric Schneider

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RANKFURT—Heimtextil 2019 brought together the global home furnishings and fabrics industry once again for what most say was a successful event.

Those who offered a differing opinion to that assessment only argued amount the numbers of buyers in attendance but did not disagree on the high quality of the buyers who attended this year.

Fabrics & Furnishings International always distributes its winter issue at Heimtextil and this year, the copies disappeared in buyers’ hands more rapidly than ever before; in two days, we were almost cleaned out of magazines!

As a special tribute to this year’s event, we tripled our pages devoted to photos of the exhibitors and clients. Here they are!

—ERIC SCHNEIDER

Purchasing agent Svetlana Bushina of Le Grand, Moscow, selecting jacquards at Ravi Textiles, Surat India with Ravikant Kothwari, a director

Gianfranco Zamaroni, general manager, Fiorete Group, Como, Italy with client Christoph Haussler, CEO, SAHCO GmbH, Nurnberg, Germany

Andrew Thornber, Principal of Woven Art Co., digital printers and fabric wholesalers, Lancashire, UK with Pride of Mumbai, India; execs Honey Agarwal, Aditya Mehra, Varun Agarwal and Nupur Agarwal

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Richard Tjandra, deputy director, PT. Ateja Tritunggal, Indonesia with his customers Joseph J.Cammalleri and Ronald S Rubinoff, vice president

Annette Van Driessche, commercial and brand manager and Ivan Vandeputte, export manager at Beaulieu Textiles, a division of Belgian Tessutica, with Leslie Beech, US-based Donghia director of contract.

Mark Pful, director of Biggie Best, Bristol UK, developing a program with Mrs Purvi Agarwal, director, and sales assistant Pari, of Vrijesh Corporation, Mumbai, India

Jim Richman, principal of Richloom Group, New York with Yasaf Deitch, sales representative for Flocktex, Keir Malachi, Israel

Sinan Onder, Berengier sales rep with owner Antione Berengier and customer Ken Gold of Doral Fabrics, U.S.. Berengier is based in Rognac, France Ahmet Sapmaz, VP of global strategic development at Valley Forge Fabrics (l to r), M. Hasan Topbas and Yavuz Acar, international sales director at Kets

FATHERS AND SONS AT HEIMTEXTIL

Keith and Garrett Gordon of Architex, Chicago, Ill. (U.S.)

Ari and Bob Greenfield of Magitex, Miami, Florida (U.S.)

www.FandFI.com 57

Heimtextil Heimtextil

Salvador Barbera, export manager SAFECO France on right and François Huchin, export support, exporttransition management on left

Vincent Thevenon (far left), principal of Thevenon, Paris, founded in 1908 with Nicholas Doher, export manager (far right) and ‘Les Tissus,’ principals Isabelle Levoyer, Ugo Levoyer and Michel Levoyer, France

Cengiz Caliskan, general manager, DCM Textile Ltd. Co., Bursa, Turkey with Takis Sarlas of Sarlas wholesalers, Athens, Greece

Sachin Singh (l to r) and Andrea Maharaj, both of Duo Textile in South Africa, Antonis Stamatoulakis of Neomagic Wholesalers in Greece, and Alessandro Carillo of Angelo Carillo and Co. in Italy

Fengping Shen, general manager, Zhejiang Huifeng Warp Knitting Co., Ltd., Tongxiang City, China with customers Darius Kazlauskas, and Julia Vorobeva, Bonlaif Upholstery, Moscow

Andy Zou, Director, Textiles BY, Miguel Ángel Pérez López, commercial director & Rocío García Martinez, Import & Export, Stilo Textil Fadi Kalayli, general manager, Liban Meuble Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon with Claudia Goncalves, export manager, J.Serrano Mills, Brazil

Anove, Guiliano Federico Giardini, Giber principal, with Sibylle Aeberhard, designer for Création Baumann.

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Izzet Benadrette, president of EDPA U.S. (right) and Zeynep Er of EDPA Textile in Turkey

Shengli Huang, sewing department manager, Confection, Texdecor division of Casamance, Willems France with Joe Wheeler, export manager, Neutex, Germany

Christian Brunner, procurement manager, Textiles and Sibylle Aeberhard, Création Baumann designer, both Swizerland-based, take a mini-lunch break while finalizing their selections at Giber, the Como-area curtain producer www.FandFI.com

Abdulrehman Aljedaie principal of Aljedaie Fabrics Co., Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with Sam Rayess, VP international sales and Bea Spires, Design Director, ZWovens, Hangzhou

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Heimtextil Heimtextil

László Vámos, Ruszkai Timea & Csaba Molnár, managing director – Decocentrum; Daniel Beaumont, managing director – Bill Beaumont Textiles

Clive Ovenden, sales director, Tassel and Trim, Derby, England and Dorel Neghina, Casa Maribel, Malaga, Spain

Ann Robinson, product manager, Abakhan Fabrics; Simon Powell, export sales/purchasing, Abakhan Fabrics; Joseph Wheeler, director sales department export, Neutex; Beth Abakhan, marketing director, Abakhan Fabrics

Salomon Ojaivo, COO, Miatex; Sasa Liu, En-Rising International

John Jones, CEO & Kathy Yan, Foreign Trade Dept., Zhejiang Huachen New Material

Sergi García, export area manager, Yebane; Barbara Theodosiou, Manager & Theodosis Theodosion, A. Konnarides

Margot de Kroon, Window Decoration Buyer, Leen Bakker; Peter Rasschaert , CEO & Ana M., Casa Mediterránea 1967

Molnár Bernadett & Murat Kartal, Kartaltex; Luís Oliveira, area manager, Elastron

Javier Micó, export department, Gonzalo Ferri and Anders Nyborg, Kinnamark

Javier Alonso Cortés, Alonso Mercader; Kornél Kiss Jr. & Kornél Kiss, GM, Aste

Fernando Aparicio, export dept., Eysa with Christos Constantinou, managing director, En Oiko Dimiourgies Home Creations

Zanis Vasileios & Ballas Dimitris, Dilzas; Charis Charalambous, sales manager, & Katerina Charalambous, G&L Charalambous Curtain Collection

Shelley Hovesen-Camilleri, principal, Lisa Nicholl, VP sales & merchandising, Kim Hovesen, owner, JF Fabrics, Nachik, principal, Nachik

Steven Kahn, president, Regal Fabrics with Jo De Munster, managing director, Muvantex

Ersin Tükek, Flokser Textile; Kathy, Fathi, Pititex; Fatih Altunyurt, regional sales director, Flokser; Mr. Jiang, Veronica Wang, GM Assistant & Mr. Jiang Jr., Piyitex; (New Partnership – Flokser Piyi)

Gökçen Kİbtİt, area sales executive; Alison Goldman, VP sourcing, Fabric Innovations; John Schroeter, CEO, Applied Textiles; Deborah Herman, owner, Fabric Innovations; Eray Evren, area sales coordinator

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Satin Textiles’ Pasaya Brand Changes to Find Niche F&FI News Network

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ANGKOK — The Pasaya brand of decorative fabrics, which is manufactured by Satin Textiles Ltd. in Thailand, has undergone a huge transformation over the past decade due to changes in the market.

“While happenings were positive till a decade ago, the emergence of cheap China goods casted a new equation on global interior fabric producers,” says Ratiya Chantian, managing director of Pasaya Textile Gallery Co., a division of Satin Textiles Co. Ltd., Thailand. Pasaya offers fabric curtains, home decorative and bedding products.

Price became the bottom line for customers. Chantian says it took a few years for officials to adjust to the situation, but that Pasaya now has three main niches.

“Pasaya is growing at 20 percent,” she says.

First, there are dim-outs, especially important in warmer climates.

“More innovations in the dim-out segment has encouraged us and [we] expect … increased business,” Chantian says. “Dim-outs are preferred for curtains in Thailand as weather is always warm.”

Dim-outs are also popular as energy-savers throughout Southeast Asia.

“Room temperatures reduce between 2 to 4 degrees centigrade by dim-out usage and Pasaya offers high-quality polyester backed by technically superior weave and textures that meet FR [fire resistant] as well as non-FR standards,” Chantian says.

The company’s second niche is upscale

Ratiya Chantian Wood

roller blinds “This is an important segment for value-addition as quality is appreciated, though [it] has a limited market,” Chantian says.

The third niche is contract wallcoverings, especially those made from washable fabrics because of maintenance.

As with the roller blinds, Pasaya offers both structure and plain fabrics in transparent options.

“Pasaya will continue to be a premium choice brand that is focused towards Japan, Australia, and Southeast Asia markets,” Chantian says.

Satin Textiles began in 1986 and has become a vertical mill, offering everything from yarn composition to the final product.

In addition, Pasaya officials say social responsibility remains a priority, hosting events that benefit small, local businesses, such as organic farmers.

“Satin Textiles offered free-ofcharge booth spaces … [as] a way to support the communal economy, allowing the flow of quality goods directly from the producers to the end consumers,” Chantian says. F&FI

Saum & Viebahn Buys Heco F&FI News Network

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es in upholstery and decorative fabrics. It is well known internationally, while Heco is focused on the Germanspeaking area only. We will market Heco’s eco-driven fabrics through S&V for the export market, but Heco will continue to operate in the domestic market as before,” says Andreas Klenk, CEO. “S&V sells home fabrics to Europe, Asia, and Canada but not currently to the U.S.,“ Klenk points out.

The two brands will be kept separate in Germany. F&FI

ULMBACH, Germany—Saum & Viebahn, at 118 years old and the third-largest wholesaler in Germany, has purchased Heco.

Heco is a 20-year-old decorative fabric wholesaler in Memmingen, Germany.

S&V and Heco together have sales of 37 million euros, according to Susanne Schicker-Westhoff, the third-generation-family owner of both companies.

Susanne Schicker-Westhoff and Andreas “S&V specializ- Klenk, joint CEO of Saum & Viebahn

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F FI C A L E N D A R

F FI M A R K E T P L A C E

March 18–21 March New York Home Fashions Market Week

F&FI CLASSIFIEDS

New York, NY U.S.

April 6–10 April High Point Market High Point, NC, USA

FULL SERVICE WAREHOUSE IN U.S.

9–14 April Salone del Mobile

Shipping-Receiving-ContainerSampling-Cut Yardage

FieraMilano Rho, Milano, Italy

Real Time Inventory Access

15–17 April Proposte

30 years Experience in Warehousing

Villa Erba, Cernobbio, Italy

Call Debbie @ 332-883-2660

23–27 April Evteks

Infinityfabrics@northstate.net

CNR Expo, Yeşilköy, Istanbul, Turkey

______________________________ ADVERTISE HERE!

May

$10/word, min 25 words please contact Michael Schneider

1–4 May INDEX (International Interiors & Design Fair)

michael@fabricsandfurnishings. com

Dubai, UAE

+1 212.404.6936 ______________________________

15–17 May HD (Hospitality Design) Expo Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, NV, U.S.

June 2–5 June Showtime High Point, NC, U.S. For more event information or to add your event to our calendar, please visit: www.fabricsandfurnishings.com/ events

Crossword Solutions to Puzzle on Page 30

Advertiser Index

For more information about one of our advertisers, see the page number listed: Allbright. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32-33 Angelo Carillo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Aqua Clean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Ascent Decor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Ateja. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50-51 Boyteks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11 Casamia/Weavestar. . . . . . . . . 60 Coulisse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46-47 Covington. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Crestmont . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Cruise Ship Interiors . . . . . . . 56 Crypton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 D’Decor Exports. . . . . . . . . . 4-5 D’Decor Home. . . . . . . . . . . 6-7 DCM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Dicitex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Express Air Freight. . . . . . . . 20 Evteks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

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Fiorete. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 J. Serrano. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Kravet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 GM Fabrics. . . . . . . . . . . . 36-37 Marteks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 MoOD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Morgan Fabrics. . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Neutex. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 OnEm. . . . . . . . . . . Cover, 52-53 PDF Systems, Inc.. . . . . . . . . 60 Plastex. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Proposte. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Rockland Mills. . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 Tana Bana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Texind. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Trimland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Zhejiang Huachen New Material.26-27

www.FandFI.com

Spring 2019

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