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Monday, August 19, 2013

THE BUSINESS AND FASHION NEWSPAPER OF THE HOME TEXTILES INDUSTRY

Island Time Stewart Hanging Out His Own Shingle

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hometextilestoday.com

| Vol. 34, No. 19 | $8.00

Bath Coordinates Bubbling With Color, Charisma Suppliers readying for NY Market

BY JENNIFER MARKS NEW YORK — Designer Aaron Stewart is saying adios to his highpowered New York career and heading to Puerto Rico to open his own home furnishings boutique.

“I’ve been in New York for 19 years. I’ll always love New York.

But I’m ready for a little change of pace,” Stewart told HTT. Until earlier this month, Stewart was vp of product design at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, where he also worked earlier in his career. In between, he spent nearly eight years at luxury linens house Sferra, where he was AARON STEWART creative director.

“I love all the people I was able to work with there [at MSLO],” he said.

“I’m leaving with the full support of Martha, Patsy [Pollock, executive svp of merchandising] and Kevin [Sharkey, decorating and creative director].”

Stewart plans to be in San Juan by the Aaron Stewart Home will look out on the SEE STEWART PAGE 27 San Juan waterfront.

Inside This Issue Intertextile Shanghai Gears up for August Show ........................................................................... page 2 Made in the USA ............................................................................page 4 Ode to Sheets & Towels ................................................................ page 4 Wayfair.com Acquires DwellStudio ............................................. page 5

BY CECILE B. CORRAL N EW YORK — The bath is a place of reprieve for many, and for that reason, soothing spa-inspired looks are popular among consumers. But change is at hand — a craving for color, a cry for charisma and a yearning for inspiration.

That is what bath coordinate suppliers are predicting for the New York Home Fashions Market, and as such are preparing a host of new products for launch Sept. 23-26.

“I think the consumer is changing her outlook, especially younger ‘millennial’ shoppers in their 20s and 30s,” said Susan D’Arcy, svp, design, Bardwil Industries. “We’re seeing more optimism, and younger shoppers are starting to

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SEE BATH PAGE 12

Made in the USA Finding Greater Interest n made i

N E W YO R K — The good news first. Recent surveys have shown consumers are positively swayed by products carrying the Made in the USA label and many say they will pay more for domestically made goods than those coming from China.

The caveat: Consumers are most willing to buy domestically and pay the up-charge when the products involved are food, medicine and personal care items.

A survey released last fallby Perception Re-

search Services International found that four out of five shoppers notice “Made in the U.S.A.” claims on packaging. Of those, 76% said that would make them more likely to purchase the product. But safety and the notion that buying US products helps the economy tend to be the primary motivators.

“For the first time this year, the survey asked shoppers in the U.S. about products that tout a

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Home Textiles Today

August 19, 2013

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Intertextile Shanghai Gears up for August Show SHANGHAI — More than 1,350 home textile suppliers from 31 countries and regions will exhibit in 12 halls across at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre here from Aug. 27- 29.

The bedding and towel areas are experiencing “major growth” this market, according to show organizer Messe Frankfurt (HK).

In addition to the debut of the Proposte China Pavilion, which will feature upscale Italian and other European decorative and furniture fabrics manufacturers, Intertextile Shanghai will include country and regional pavilions from Belgium, India, Italy, Korea, Pakistan, Taiwan and Turkey.

High-end suppliers from several European countries are grouped in the European Hall (hall W1). The group includes suppliers from Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary,

the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Hall W2, dubbed The Overseas Hall, will feature companies from Asia, Australia and the Americas.

Eight regional Chinese pavilions will be located in halls E3 - E7. Many Chinese domestics manufacturers will be located in halls W3-W5 and E1-E7, including manufacturers as fabrics as well as finished products.

The Intertextile International Lifestyle Trend Forum will display home living trends for 2014. This year’s Intertextile Design Boutique features over 40 international studios.

Seminars slated for Aug. 27 will elaborate on 2014/15 trends. This includes a presentation by Vincent Gregoire, artistic director at the NellyRodi Agency, titled ‘Fusion Trends 2014’. Following this seminar, Ben Wu, design director for the W+S Design Group,

will discuss ‘Contemporary Oriental Design Language’. The day will conclude with a seminar titled ‘Decoding of the Trends of the 2014/15 China Home Textiles Market and their Application in Design’, led by Cui PingPing from Concept & Style Fashion Project Group.

Home Textiles Today will present trends and market analysis Aug. 28 from 4:00-5:30 p.m. in room W2M2. That day will also include brand sharing sessions from a number of exhibitors, among them Pasaya from Thailand, LaCanTouch Home Décor from China and The Woolmark Company from Australia. The Crossover Design Forum will take place Aug. 28 as well.

The show is co-organized by the SubCouncil of Textile Industry, CCPIT and the China Home Textile Association (CHTA).

For more information, visit: www.intertextilehome.com. HTT

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Presentations will spotlight 2014/15 trends.

Saturday Knight to go Upmarket with Gallerie Collection C INCINNATI — Saturday Knight Ltd. is carving out a new niche for itself with the launch of its higherbracket Gallerie Collection during the New York Home Fashion Market in September.

“Looking at the marketplace, it looks like there is a void for better quality, better design,” explained Dianne Weidman, vp of sales, design, and product development.

“For a while now, everyone has been aiming at hitting a price, and with the price issue products were getting despecked.”

There are 16 coordinated sets, spanning towels, accessories, rugs and shower curtains, as well as nine free-standing programs.

“It’s a beautiful line, and we’ve already had an excellent, excellent response from our previews,” she added.

Saturday Knight has also hired a new designer. Joanna Augustine, formerly of Croscill Home Fashions as well as a longtime freelance designer for the industry, has been named designer for the Gallerie Collection. HTT

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Home Textiles Today

August 19, 2013

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OPINIONTodaY Ode to Sheets & Towels

Made in the USA

I

T IS S T I L L WAY TOO E A R LY to call what’s happening with Made in the USA resurgence or a rebound. But we’re continuing to see movement.

It was during a New York market week in 2011 (don’t ask me which one) that I walked into the Veratex showroom and saw bedding carrying the Made in the USA label for the first time in years. During the markets in 2012, we started hearing more buzz about the possibilities of U.S.-made merchandise.

Talk turned into reality during the spring 2013 market. In addition to product that was either completely or partially made in the United States, companies like Mohawk and Maples with long-standing domestic production facilities put U.S.-made front and center EDITOR-IN-CHIEF as a selling point.

The focus on U.S.-made as an attribute started happening more quickly in other parts of the home furnishings business. The High Point furniture market unveiled its first Made in America exhibitor pavilion in fall 2011 and has expanded it since as a regular feature of the show. Not much later, the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market began a Made in America effort.

While the appeal of U.S.-made merchandise is largely sentimental and patriotic on the consumer side — although assumptions about better quality have to be taken into consideration as well — on the supplier and retail end it’s about dollars and cents.

Rising labor costs in China and India along with higher freight and shipping costs factor into the equation. So do turnaround times.

Got some interesting perspective on the subject last week from Integrated Global Services, a supply chain management company. President Charles Metzler told me they’re seeing a trend — “small but increasing,” he said — of retailers requesting or beginning to require off-shore suppliers establish the capability to ship or replenish from the United States. That’s especially true for manufacturers selling direct, he said.

If that kind of requirement begins to accelerate, it could give even more of boost to U.S. production. HTT

Jennifer Marks

I

D ON ’ T WA N T T O GE T A L L sappy here — I don’t do maudlin well — but I just read something that I think may help make this wonderful world of home textiles in which we all try to make a living somewhat more tolerant.

It was an article about the point-and-shoot digital camera business and what’s happened to it in the age of iPhones, smartphones and other techno-wizardry.

We all know the film Warren camera business has virtuShoulberg ally disappeared, to the exPUBLISHER/ tent that Kodak is in bankEDITORIAL DIRECTOR ruptcy and if you were running a one-hour photo processing service you have probably turned into a soft-serve ice cream stand by now.

The culprit was the digital camera, but now the same thing is happening to those products. The folks who monitor camera sales say global shipments of compact digital cameras are off 42% in the first five months of this year.

42%! That’s a worse drop than JCPenney comps.

The villain this time is the smartphone, and if you’ve seen the most recent iPhone TV commercials you know that device is now responsible for more pictures than any other electronic gadget anywhere.

It’s estimated that 1.6 trillion — TRILLION — pictures are taken annually and that those from camera-only devices represent maybe 10% of that total.

What an utterly amazing — and incredibly fast — transformation of an entire industry. Even the 8-track tape business didn’t disintegrate that quickly. Cathode-ray televisions took decades to lose their dominant position to flat panel sets.

The pace of change in consumer products is just mind-boggling, and while it’s most pronounced in tech merchandise, no industry is truly immune.

Which brings us back to home textiles. Some 65 years after the invention of the fitted sheet it is still pretty much the default product people put on their beds and use every night. There have been no Jetsonian automatic bed linens coming along.

The towel hasn’t changed very much, and if maybe it’s softer or larger or dries faster, it’s still pretty much a terry weave piece of fabric. Marty McFly’s self-drying jacket technology is not yet to be found in American bathrooms.

Which is not to say colors don’t change, fashion doesn’t evolve and designs don’t come and go. But the industry’s products are in no danger of becoming obsolete or being replaced by newer technologies. There isn’t much chance of the consumer changing their habits and deciding not to sleep in beds at night or walk around wet during the day.

One can argue that the lack of change is one of the industry’s greatest problems and that a little planned obsolescence would go a long way in driving sales. And that’s a good point.

But there’s some sort of reassuring feeling that the business of making sheets and towels will be around long after we’re not.

And you can’t say that about too many things anymore, now can you? HTT

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8/15/2013 3:12:21 PM

News

> hometextilestoday.com

Wayfair.com Acquires DwellStudio Expands brand portfolio; Adds expertise in product design and development

BY SUSAN DICKENSON BOSTON — Wayfair.com has acquired DwellStudio,

a lifestyle retailer founded by Christiane Lemieux, the brand’s ceo and creative director.

DwellStudio designs and creates upholstery, case goods, furniture and textiles for babies, kids and home. The acquisition of a popular lifestyle brand with core competencies in original design and product development will accelerate Wayfair’s launch of proprietary product lines and lifestyle brands in 2013 while addressing new market segments, according to Wayfair.

Under the Wayfair.com umbrella, DwellStudio will operate as a stand-alone brand joining Joss & Main and AllModern.com to provide unique shopping experiences in the home furnishings space. Wayfair.com’s strengths in selection, service, internet technologies and logistics will drive the growth of DwellStudio. At the same time, Wayfair.com will have access to DwellStudio’s product design team for the development of original product lines and new lifestyle brands.

“DwellStudio has built a following of devoted customers who enthusiastically identify with a certain lifestyle and modern design aesthetic,” said Niraj Shah, ceo and co-founder of Wayfair.com.

Based in New York City with a flagship retail store at 77 Wooster Street in SoHo, DwellStudio’s products are currently sold in more than 800 highend specialty retail stores and design oriented online retailers in the United States, Canada as well as throughout 40 international territories. DwellStudio products can be found at Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Giggle, Bel Bambini, ABC Carpet, HD Buttercup and F.A.O. Schwarz.

“We are thrilled because Wayfair.com is truly transforming the way people shop for home goods and furniture through innovative e-commerce solutions, extraordinary customer service and state of the art logistics. They have the best backend in the business,” Lemieux said. “Our design, merchant and product development teams are so excited to help fuel Wayfair.com’s move into new market segments and additional proprietary product categories.”

“DwellStudio is an ideal addition to Wayfair. com’s portfolio of brands — joining Joss & Main, AllModern.com and Wayfair.com to meet market demand for distinctive modern design in bedding, furnishings and décor, with a special emphasis on products for baby and children,” added John Mulliken, Wayfair.com’s svp of strategic initiatives.”

DwellStudio was represented by Financo in the transaction. HTT

Last Call for Market Submissions N EW YORK — The deadline to submit images and descriptions of new products launching at next month’s New York Home Fashions Market is Friday, Aug. 23.

Product images and descriptions can be e-mailed to HTTSamplesNY@gmail.com. Please submit only one submission per product category.

Aside from your new product images, be sure to also send a brief description of your new

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you are making during market.

Be sure to include your company name on all forms and in the subject line of all digital files HTT features this product line information in our company listing by category in our special Sept. 22 Market Issue or the Sept. 24 Market Daily.

Product images and descriptions can be e-mailed to HTTSamplesNY@gmail. com. Please submit only one submission per product category. product introductions for market. Write one or two paragraphs summarizing your latest design themes, new constructions, brand extensions or other product news

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Home Textiles Today

August 19, 2013

Retail Briefs Penney Board Clashes Over ceo Search

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ctivist investor Bill Ackman resigned from JCPenney’s board of directors Aug. 12 following a public row with fellow directors.

Ackman first criticized the pace of the search to find a permanent ceo, then called for the ouster of chairman Thomas Engibous and interim ceo Mike Ullman. He suggested Engibous be replaced by one-time Penney chairman and ceo Allen Questrom and urged the board to fill Ullman’s slot with Footlocker ceo Ken Hicks, a former Penney exec who left the company in 2009.

Penney’s board affirmed its support for Ullman and appointed former Federated Department Stores exec Ronald Tysoe to fill Ackman’s seat on the board.

Lowe’s to Acquire Most Orchard Supply Stores

H

ome improvement retailer Lowe’s will acquire 72 Orchard Supply stores for approximately $205 million in cash and the assumption of payables owed to nearly all of Orchard’s supplier partners. The deal, which is subject to bankruptcy court approval, is expected to close by the end of August.

Lowe’s currently operates 110 stores in California.

“Orchard’s hardware and garden stores have a loyal customer base and are situated in high-density, prime locations that are difficult for larger format retailers to enter,” said Robert Niblock, Lowe’s chairman, president and ceo.

Burlington Coat Factory sales rise

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urlington Coat Factory’s second quarter sales climbed 11.5% to $963.7 million, the company reported.

Same-store sales during the quarter ended Aug. 3 rose 7.8%. For the first half of the year, sales increased 9.8% to $2.029 billion, with comps up 5.5%.

Stein Mart’s July sales, Comps a Bright Spot for Q2

A

gain driven by strong sales in linens as well as dresses and intimate apparel, Stein Mart experienced strong sales and better comps in July, concluding its second quarter on a high note.

For the four-week period, ended Aug. 3, total sales increased 5.8% to $74.6 million versus, and comparable store sales grew 3.7% on top of a 2.8% increase a year ago. Total sales for the second quarter increased 3.8% to $290.9 million, and comps were up 6.4% over the prior year’s 1.6% increase.

Costco Experiences Strong July, Q2

C

ostco Wholesale Corporation reported a 7% increase in net sales to $7.87 billion for the month of July.

Excluding positive impacts from changes in gasoline prices and a negative impact from foreign exchange rates, comps for July were up 3% in U.S., 8% for the International division, and 5% for the total company.

Year to date, the 632-unit warehouse club reported an 8% jump in net sales to $94.91 billion.

HTT

8/15/2013 12:41:58 PM

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Home Textiles Today

August 19, 2013

Mobile Expected to Drive Holiday Sales S A N J O S E , C A L I F . — Mobile devices will be influencing how, and what, consumers buy this holiday season. A recent study by research firm Baynote found that one in three retailers believe that mobile will drive more than 10% of holiday revenue, according to its 2013 Holiday Predictions Survey.

The study surveyed 77 U.S. retailers with annual revenue ranging from less than $20 million to more than $5 billion.

It found that 60% of retailers are projecting more than 10% increase in year-over-year holiday revenue, while 38% of respondents project an 11 to 20% year-over-year increase in sales; and 22% predict an increase of 21% or more.

Overall, the majority expect a slow start to the season with increased momentum throughout late November and December. Respondents also predicted that online will continue to pull consumers from traditional brick and mortar stores, however, mobile’s influence will drive renewed store interest for omnichannel retailers.

Nevertheless, retailers expect to drive significant revenue, with minimal contributions from social media, according to the study with 53% of respondents expecting mobile transactions to account for a significant part of holiday revenue; 38% believe mobile will drive renewed instore interest that will lead to increased revenue.

Social media’s impact on holiday sales, which 84% of respondents see as having little or no

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impact on sales, is lackluster in comparison to mobile. However, retailers are putting strategically timed promotions via flash sales and social media in place.

Retailers are planning to offer promotions, such as flash sales, buy-one-get-one free offers and free shipping, at selective times throughout the holiday season, and 30% of retailers will begin promotions prior to Oct. 1; over the 40% of retailers will wait until early November.

“We wanted to take the pulse of the retail industry as it prepares for the 2013 holiday season and gain a deeper understanding of how marketers plan to increase holiday season revenue and profitability,” said Dan Darnell, vpof marketing and product, Baynote, in a statement. “The inaugural survey provides a benchmark for retailers currently finalizing promotional strategies for the upcoming holiday season, and we hope that the findings are useful to retailers of all sizes.”

In response to more mobile shopping and researching, ret ailers are investing more in their websites, including their e-commerce site with 46% making significant investments in SEO and SEM technology. Nearly all retailers are investing in enhanced home, category and landing pages while 77% invest in enhanced site search capabilities, and 81% of retailers have dedicated resources to upgrade e-commerce platforms in anticipation of the season.

“Retailers are serious about customer experience this year,” said Darnell. “The data shows retailers recognize that next-generation e-commerce platforms with capabilities to drive a truly personalized and relevant experience will empower merchandisers to achieve increased engagement, revenue and ultimately lifetime value from improved relationships with customers.”

HTT

News

Made in USA

> hometextilestoday.com

Made in the U.S.…For China

USA FROM PAGE 1

‘Made in China’ claim. This is noticed nearly as much as ‘Made in the U.S.A.’ (76% vs 83%).

However, 57% say they are less likely to purchase products that are Made in China — mostly because of safety and quality concerns. The positive associations with ‘Made in China’ are related to a better price,” the study noted.

A similar study last fall from The Boston Consulting Group found about two-thirds of U.S. consumers willing to pay extra for U.S.-made goods in 10 key product categories, although the amounts varied for each. In each category, at least 20% of consumers said they would pay a premium of more than 10% for U.S. product – suggesting a majority of consumers still place price competitiveness first.

In the home textiles industry, both suppliers that have long done all or a portion of their production in the United States (primarily rug manufacturers and utility bedding suppliers) as well as those resuming U.S. production on some level said they are seeing more interest in Made in America — but at a price.

“The price/value relationship must still be there no matter what,” said Jeff Chilton, senior vp for sales and business development, Soft-Tex Manufacturing.

“There are consumers, although a small contingent that seems to seek out USA made product. AAFES, Marine and Navy stores are always interested,” he added. “We have a customer in the TV channel also that seeks out the product. All in all, it does seem to be more top of mind more recently and I think can be the added benefit that puts the decision over the edge, all else being equal. ” Ellison First Asia tested the water during the spring New York Home Fashions Market with 300-count Supima duvet covers and sheet sets completely produced in the United States, from the cotton to the spinning to the weaving to the finishing to the cut-and-sew. It is now in production and will begin shipping in November.

“U.S. is the selling point in this case, as the product will

GREER, S.C. — American consumers aren’t the only ones who consider U.S. goods to be better made. Chinese consumers do, too.

Last fall’s study by The Boston Consulting Group found more than 60% of Chinese consumers willing to pay more for Made in USA goods. Nearly 50% of Chinese consumers surveyed said they prefer a product made in the U.S. to a China-made product of equivalent price and quality.

And that has led to a first for contract manufacturer CDS Ensembles, which is currently filling and finishing a comforter order that is going to retail in China.

“The panache of a Made-In-USA is strong enough to overcome the additional costs of shipping filled products to China,” president and ceo David Krieger told HTT. “That really turns my business model on its head, but in a good way.” HTT

sell for more than the imported products by about $15 to $20 per size,” said Kevin Finlay, ceo.

“The use of Supima in the product allows us to create a beautiful product with a great hand.”

Memory foam sleep products producer Authentic Comfort, which recently changed its name from Sleep Studio, sees more retailers actively looking for U.S.-made product.

“Consumers want to buy made in the USA product provided it is priced competitively and retailers want to take advantage of quick response rate and dependable quality,” said Chris Ann Ernst, vp. “Retailers are actively looking for made in the USA products to answer consumer demand and keep up with competitors who are meeting that demand and being able to respond quicker to sales opportunities. If you have a product that is selling well why have it sitting on the water when it can be on your shelves?”

Home Source International will begin U.S. cut and sew this fall both as a contract manufacturer as well as its own bedding programs for retail and hospitality. The company already produces furniture and lighting manufacturing in its Florida plant.

While retailers are interested in Made in USA product, the ultimate decision involves a number of key criteria points which include product, price and service, according to Home Source president and ceo Keith Sorgeloos.

“The next three to five years will be a tell-tale sign, when China and India become less

competitive due to the fact that labor costs will continue to rise as well as domestic consumption within the internal markets of China and India. The demand for domestic manufacturing in these two countries will increase significantly and less exporting of textile product will take place in the coming years. And prices will rise for exports in these two countries as well,” he said.

The advantage of U.S. production also includes short runs and quick turnaround, he added.

Contract manufacturer CDS Ensembles finds that while price is still the key differentiator, ontime delivery and quality are becoming increasingly important. “ I h a v e s e e n a d e f i ni t e i n c r e a s e i n m y b u s i n e s s ,” said president and ceo David Krieger. “I attribute most of that to increasing ocean freight and overseas manufacturing costs, as well as distributors and retailers getting a better grip on total product/program lifecycle costs.

As this kind of systems thinking displaces an obsessive focus on unit cost accounting, we are seeing much more production get pushed our way, making MadeIn-USA more feasible.”

The growing public awareness about dangerous and exploitive working conditions of some overseas manufacturers is also a factor.

“Up to now, Made in USA has been mostly talk, but if we can keep the government from driving up our cost of doing business, I expect it to get some traction this year,” Krieger added.

HTT

8/15/2013 4:14:10 PM

News

> hometextilestoday.com

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Home Textiles Today

August 19, 2013

OW USA Unveils Rebranding, Expansion Plans DALTON, GA. — Oriental Weavers USA is embarking on a new rebranding initiative of its U.S.based businesses to better reflect its recent and future growth trajectories.

The company, a subsidiary of the $800mm/year Oriental Weavers Group, explained in addition to an updated image, the effort calls for “strategic and aggressive expansion plans, enhanced distribution, and increased production capabili-

ties in the U.S.” OW USA said in recent years it has laid the groundwork for

this initiative, citing the 2006 merger of Oriental Weavers of America and Sphinx by Oriental Weavers. It is also assuming all responsibility for the

international hospitality carpet efforts of the Oriental Weavers Group.

“By merging our various brands, Oriental Weavers USA is positioned for the continued growth that is critical for our long term success,” said Mike Riley, president of Oriental Weavers USA. “Our area rug brands have been managed by our team under one corporate umbrella for

Bardwil Adds Waverly to License Brand Portfolio NEW YORK — Bardwil Industries tile brands, with a rich history has inked a licensing partand heritage,” noted nership with Iconix Brand Alan Kennedy, BardGroup for the Waverly wil president. “It is a license in time for a prodperfect fit for Barduct launch across three wil Industries, and categories for the New we look forward to York Home Fashions Marbroadening our market next month. ket share with this ALAN KENNEDY The alliance calls for powerful brand.”

Bardwil Bardwil to create, develop Bardwil has long and market decorative worked with a major bath ensembles, table linens and brands via license partnerships.

Its current roster includes Lenox, kitchen textiles under Waverly.

“Waverly is one of the old- Tommy Bahama, Isaac Mizrahi, est, most recognized home tex- and Dena Designs.

For Waverly, Bardwil components will include: • Bath: embellished towels, bath rugs, accessories, shower curtains, and shower curtain hooks, to be available in eight ensembles; • Table linens: tablecloths, placemats, napkins, runners, and napkin rings, to span floral, geometric and other patterns; • Kitchen textiles: kitchen towels, dishcloths, potholders, oven mitts, aprons, and chair pads, also in a variety of floral and contemporary looks. HTT

Home Fashions International Signs Caribbean Joe for Outdoors N EW YORK — Home Fashions International has licensed with Sequential Brands to create a line of outdoor textiles products under the Caribbean Joe brand.

Under the deal brokered by Harris-Sachs LLC, HFI will pro-

duce decorative pillows, furniture replacement cushions and window treatments for outdoor use.

The line will debut at the spring 2014 New York Home Fashions market in the company’s showroom at 295 Fifth Ave. “We are very proud to part-

ner with a great Brand to launch the first of our planned licensed outdoor lines,” said Tom Healy, president of HFI. “The fashion, patterns, retail presence and super Caribbean Joe team all point to a huge success for us.”

quite some time and now with all the exciting expansion plans and new marketing and product initiatives, such as the launch of our new ‘Pantone Universe’ line of rugs, we felt like it was the perfect time to make our cohesive rebranding official.”

Key to the effort is OW’s new logo, which it designed with modern fonts and colors “to refl ect the fashion-forward reputation the company has earned over the years, while

visually tying in with the OW Hospitality logo identity.”

Additionally, the new mark leads with “a subtle ‘O’ and ‘W’, which also represents a woven tuft of carpet.”

This new brand identity has already been implemented in the company’s advertising programs and in its newly revamped company website — www.owrugs.com — as well as in other marketing initiatives.

HTT

Moe’s Unveils Rug Line at Vegas Market

BY THOMAS LESTER L AS VEGAS — While the official launch will take place at the Octo-

ber High Point Market, Moe Samieian Sr., owner, introduced around 60 rugs to whet the appetite of buyers at the recent Las Vegas market.

“The main purpose here at this show is to get the attention of the consumers; Moe’s has its own rugs now,” Samieian said. “In the past, people came in and asked if they could buy the rugs and we had to say ‘no’ because they weren’t ours. We drove customers to other suppliers to buy from.”

Samieian said he wanted to offer consumers a choice in a number of different colors, while shying away from some of the busier styles seen in the market.

“We are color-driven. We play a lot with the color and design,” Samieian said. “Color is on my mind; the trendy colors and patterns. I never liked busy patterns and crowded patterns. I’m staying away from that. I want to keep it simple and give people the pleasure of color.”

When the full collection launches, most of the designs will be already warehoused to provide quick turnaround, he said. “We will have a lot of rugs to present with backup production to be ready to ship.” HTT Moe Samieian Sr. in front of one of his new rug offerings.

HTT

Outlast Moves into New Headquarters GOLDEN , COLO. — Outlast Technologies has relocated its corporate office from Boulder, Colo., to a

new 10,000-square-foot facility here.

The new headquarters, at 831 Pine Ridge Road, is located closer to its owner, Golden Equity Investments. The facility allows the company to expand its research & development capabilities with a newly designed laboratory.

Outlast also has offices in Heidenheim, Germany, Tokyo, Japan, and Hong Kong with additional agents in Latin and South America. HTT

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8/14/2013 3:04:05 PM

ADVERTISEMENT

Why Made In America Works For Us BART HILL, Senior VP, Mohawk Home Give us an overview of what products you are currently making in America.

The Mohawk Home product line is a very diverse mix. Our products range from tufted to woven to printed rugs, as well as bath rugs and doormats. Regardless of the product type, Mohawk Home offers the right product, tremendous value and fashion for our customers.

Why have you chosen to make these products domestically vs. overseas, specifically as it relates to cost, timing and/or manufacturing capabilities?

The products we manufacture here in the USA allow us to closely manage and quickly adapt to marketplace conditions and supply chain control. It is vitally important to be flexible enough to quickly change product direction as consumer tastes change and adhere to strict quality control measures.

How real is the consumers’ interest in Made in America product and will she pay a premium for such product. If so, how much?

We believe consumer interest is very real. In fact, there are several market place surveys that suggest greater than 80% of consumers said they preferred and would purchase U.S. made goods. We believe that more and more Americans

are mindful that manufacturing in the U.S. is crucial to our economic growth and recovery. The decision to buy domestically manufactured goods creates new jobs and stronger communities, and provides a better future for us all.

What will need to change in the global economy to cause more product to be made domestically?

There are many issues that would have to change globally to strengthen the competitive environment of domestically manufactured products versus imported products, which include: subsidies to manufacturers, currency fluctuations and politically motivated policies, just to name a few.

Mohawk has its origins in domestically made product, how do you convey that heritage and current positioning to the consumer?

We do it through a variety of marketing channels and merchandising efforts. We invest in all forms of media to convey our dedication and commitment to keeping the trade here and contributing to the economic resurgence of the country. Mohawk Home is more than a top brand in the home textile industry, it’s who we are. Our employees are passionate about what they do, and their skills and talents are evident in every product we make.

STILL MADE IN THE USA AT MOHAWK HOME, WE KNOW THAT EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE OUR COMPANY GREAT. WE’RE PROUD OF WHAT WE DO AND THE PRODUCTS WE MAKE.

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AND THEY’RE STILL MADE RIGHT HERE IN THE USA.

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Home Textiles Today

August 19, 2013

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Sferra Launches New Message EDISON, N.J. — Luxury linens producer Sferra is debuting a new ad campaign this fall: Surround Yourself in Sferra.

The message, focused on building the Sferra brand, will be used in localized point of sale materials as well as print ads starting with September and October shelter magazines

“The print campaign’s concept is to highlight a beautiful image of Sferra bedding overlaid with a clever headline. In each of the ads, there will be a visual prop on the bed, leading the viewer into the Sferra brand in a compelling way,” the company said. Each ad will feature Sferra’s hand-embroidered linens paired with one of its newest Italian jacquards.

The first ad reads: “I live in East Hampton, but I sleep in Venezia.” The Venezia bedding in the ad is propped with a Venetian Carnevale mask, a reference to Sferra’s Italian heritage.

Point-of-purchase materials will be customized to the retailer’s home town. On Sferra’s home page, the brand slogan will frame a consumer’s search for the nearest store carrying Sferra: “I live in [enter zip code] but I sleep in Venezia.”

Sferra also plans to extend the campaign to social media and email outreach.

“We haven’t done a shelter-driven print campaign in years, and we didn’t want to do what everyone else does, or what we’ve done in the past,” said Sferra ceo Paul Hooker. “We so value our specialty store partners that we felt compelled to come up with a campaign that aided them, and we think we have done that.”

Added president Steve Schneider: “One reason we like this campaign so much-and especially the showpiece ‘Mask Ad’-is that everywhere our customers look, they’ll see an iconic image of our brand, whether they are reading a magazine in print or on a tablet device, looking online at our website, checking in on social media, or standing inside one of our retail partner’s stores. It’s really the biggest, most comprehensive campaign we’ve done to date, and we’re looking forward to its launch.” HTT

> hometextilestoday.com

Chris Madden Unveils New Partnership N EW YORK — Following an eight-year exclusive with JCPenney,

designer Chris Madden has teamed with Idea Nuova to re-launch the Chris Madden brand in bedding, window curtains, throws and decorative pillows.

The Chris Madden brand has generated approximately $2 billion in retail sales, according to Nick Madden, executive vp of Chris Madden Inc. “Chris Madden is a n i c o ni c brand with an excellent heritage. They have achieved great success over the past three decades in the home furnishings arena. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with them and bring the brand back to the market. We believe that Idea Nuova will be an ideal partner in this effort, and we look forward to great success together” says Jeff Cohen, co-chairman of Earthbound, the brand management and licensing company that brokered the partnership.

“I’m very excited to be working with the great team at Idea Nuova. Together, we will execute my vision of home ... a place of comfort and celebration and, most importantly, a reflection of one’s own personal style,” said Chris Madden.

“We share Chris’s passion for design and her vision of the home as a place of celebration, sanctuary, and rejuvenation. We look forward to collaborating with Chris on creating a line of products that truly turns homes into havens,” said Benjamin Accad, ceo of Idea Nuova. HTT

VHC Brands Intros Ashton & Willow Bedding K IRBYVILLE , M O. — VHC Brands is prelaunching Ashton & Willow bedding for spring 2014 this fall, with a more extensive introduction slated for December.

The collection includes patchwork bedding, shams, pillows, bed skirts, throws and window treatments in the country/Americana style.

“Our premium bedding collections under the Lasting Impressions label are now supplemented with an equally strong, compelling brand story addressing a more middle-market user and price point,” said Ken Kline, ceo. “Nobody offers real woven plaids, specially-designed prints, and the hand-quilted finishing touch that defines VHC as a superior choice when compared to Chinese imports.”

The company’s very popular drop ship and immediate ship programs provide flexibility for retailers, including specialty online stores, better independent stores, and merchants that supplement both of these channels with catalog sales.

VHC Brands (formerly known as Victo-

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rian Heart) is a multi-line textile designer and importer/distributor with offices in rural Missouri and Delhi, India. HTT VHC’s bedding collections include Victory, at right, and Delaware, below.

8/14/2013 2:54:38 PM

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> hometextilestoday.com

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Home Textiles Today

August 19, 2013

Chesapeake Develops New Utility Kitchen Towel Technology V ENIC E B E AC H , F L A . — Scott Silver, president of Chesapeake Textiles Company, has developed and patented a new technique for making multi-face, multi-fiber towels and fabrics for home textiles.

C o m b i ni n g c o t t o n a n d microfiber to create “the towel of the future,” Silver’s new “Multi Face Fabric Towel” invention — U.S. patent No. US 8,236,403 — can be used to develop a variety of towel styles, such as pigment print reversing to textured micro fiber; heat transfer print reversing to textured cotton; and solid color programs with jacquard or dobby embellishments.

The product has been six years in the making, from initial concept to sample development to the utility patent process.

“By combing the ability to print fashion textiles, and giving designers the choice of pigment printing or heat-transfer sublimation printing, along with separate faces for solid color textured utility/function, this new patented towel removes the age old quandary of both retailers and consumers, of whether to go with printed fashion or woven utility and functionality,” Silver explained.

Inventing new kinds of product technologies for home textiles has long been part of Silver’s endeavors. He developed what he claims to have been the first full bleed printed heattransfer sublimation towel with 100% print coverage, as well as inventing the patented technique to weave micro fiber into towels. HTT

The multi-face technique can be applied to a variety of constructions.

Jeffco Fibres Licenses for Snuggle-branded Bedding WEBSTER, MASS. — Jeffco Fibres, provider of pil-

lows, mattresses, mattress toppers, textile fibers and foam fabrication, has signed a trademark licensing agreement with The Sun Products Corporation to develop and market Snuggle-branded bedding.

The collection will include pillows, mattresses and mattress toppers branded with the iconic Snuggle Bear, which was created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop for Snuggle fabric softener products. The collection will target major retailers in the United States and Canada.

“Expanding our product lines to include the Snuggle brand reflects one of the deepest growth commitments Jeffco has made in its forty year history,” said Jeffrey Lonstein, president and chief operating officer of Jeffco Fibres. “We’re designing and engineering bedding that exactly match consumer’s expectations of the Snuggle brand snuggly softness that’s comfortable and inviting and promotes better sleep.”

Snuggle Home bedding will be featured on store shelves in the fourth quarter of 2013. HTT

Tim Gunn Signs with Indecor Home Design for Home Textiles Collection NEW YORK — Fashion guru Tim

for home in the United States Gunn, nationally recognized and Canada. for his ongoing role in the LifeGunn is chief creative officer time hit series “Project at Liz Claiborne Inc. Runway,” has inked a He also served as chair licensing agreement of the Department of with Indecor Home Fashion Design at ParDesign for home texsons The New School tiles. for Design and has Indecor, a division been active in the Parof Bentex Group, will sons community for TIM GUNN be the master licensee more than 23 years. He

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has also authored books on style and hosts “Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style.”

He will work in collaboration with Indecor Home design to create a full range of home textiles products, including bedding, bath, window and pet collections. Indecor will show the first pieces of the collection at next month’s New York Home Fashions Market.

We are excited to launch Tim Gunn’s Home Collection for spring 2014, building momentum in all home products for the fall 2014 season,” said Dawn Rochelle Fields, vp of design and product development, Indecor Home Design.

“His vision and great eye for style will ring true in all collections and we are excited to add him to our portfolio.”

“Creating beautiful and quality décor for the home, at an affordable price, has been a long time aspiration of mine.

I am truly thrilled to partner with Indecor Home Design on my new line of home products.

Fashion encompasses every part of our lives and how we live should be a fashion statement of comfort and beauty,” said Gunn.

HTT

8/14/2013 3:09:59 PM

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Bath

BATH FROM PAGE 1

think more about decorating again, more than they have in several years.”

Allure Home Creation’s vp of design, Gaby Colquitt, said the company has developed a bevy of “happier designs, and color is a big part of that,” for the market.

“We used bolder, brighter colors, and a happier approach to our aesthetic for our designs this market,” she added.

Offering an explanation for this new turnaround trend is Dianne Weidman, vp of sales, design, and product development at Saturday Knight Ltd. “The housing market has been so tough the last few years, and now we’re seeing houses selling again and the market picking up. That will come first, and then our business will follow because people will need to decorate,” she said. “This market has been a great market to design for that reason. We are

August 19, 2013

using a lot of color, and our designs are very exciting.”

Spanning 28 new collections plus 13 free-standing accessory sets and 30 free-standing shower curtains, Saturday Knight Ltd.’s portfolio of looks for market includes “some beautiful, largescale florals, and some great looking soft geometrics.” And of course, color, Weidman said.

She also noted a trend toward “more closely coordinated looks” balancing with a continuing demand for “more loosely matching pieces.”

Inspiration is another movement driving design, Weidman added, and for it Saturday Knight is expanding is line of bath coordinates featuring “inspirational quotes and saying from the Bible” as well as from other sources offering words of encouragement and positive thinking.

“We have had great selling on those looks, which means people are looking for inspiration and positive spins on every-

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thing,” she added. “They want to get up in the morning and see it on their shower curtain.”

Among the new introduction highlights for Allure this market will be two new categories of product. But Colquitt is keeping all details quiet until the launch.

Also important will be Allure’s new offering of traditional master bath collections and its latest juvenile and novelty groupings.

“We always will present a well-rounded mix,” Colquitt explained. “Only this market, our focus has been on the younger, more fun, contemporary types of looks.”

Creative Bath Products has about 25 new collections in the queue for market, and has divvied them up into four design stories, said vp of design Henny Lakin.

They are: Luxe, a higher-end approach for the company that spotlights couture-inspired looks and innovative constructions that command a better price point; Technicolor, based on bright and

upbeat colors as well as themed looks — nautical, beach, and floral — interpreted in more sophisticated patterns; Global Expressions, a grouping of worldly looks, with a particular emphasis on Eastern European to Asian cultural themes; and Modernism, which relies on graphic art and black-and-white palettes to relay its design message.

Also in the pipeline from Creative Bath is a new functional shower curtain that is fabric but repels water. “This is a great product, and a new concept for us,” Lakin said.

At Bardwil, where the bath division is comprised of Lenox and Dena Designs licensed collections, a breath of fresh air has breezed in to share space with the core line of traditional looks, D’Arcy said.

“For Lenox, we’re taking a whole new approach to the brand this market,” she said. “This is not your grandma’s Lenox.”

There are two new collections under the Lenox brand.

One is a bright floral watercolor style that is colorful, but anchored by a deep aqua. It comprises a shower curtain, printed towels and embroidered towels for two options, a tufted bath rug, and ceramic accessories.

The second grouping is a rosethemed mint green-and-white color story interpreted on: two shower curtain styles — a burnout featuring a traditional rose with a modern aesthetic, and a raised jacquard; and spherical-shaped accessories that have both de-bossed and embossed detailing.

The Dena Designs program speaks to the younger, millennial customer Bardwil is pursuing, with its colorful, eclectic mix-and-match patterning. To this line, Bardwil is adding four new collections: Peacock; Tangier; Hyacinth; and Madison.

“We’re looking to be very fresh, very new, and so far the reaction form retailers in our previews has been very positive,” D’Arcy said. HTT Sophia from Bardwil

Sasha, above, and Sketchbook, below, from Creative Bath.

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8/14/2013 2:56:20 PM

We didn’t sell 100,000,000 pillows to retailers last year, but…….

Suppliers did buy 100,000,000 of our pillow shells

The (not-so) secret to supplier sourcing success San Francisco

Charlotte

Shanghai

Beijing

New Delhi

Lancashire, UK

Contact: Russ Holbrook, EVP 704-840-7305 • www.standardfiber.com

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> hometextilestoday.com

Newcomers, New Showrooms Debut During August Market WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — The summer edition of New York’s Home Textiles Market Week — which takes place in tandem with the New York Gift Show and NY Now (formerly the New York International Gift Fair) — will feature several new bedding, bath, and home fashions vendors.

From Aug. 16-22 participating exhibitors will show at NY Now at the Javits Convention Center, 230 Fifth Avenue and 7 W New York).

Newcomers for the summer 2013 market include in the Home Collection’s Home Furnishings + Textiles section of the Javit’s center include: Bronte by Moon, a division of Abraham Moon & Sons; Classic Concepts; Evitavonni; Faribault Mills; Frette; Henry Handwork; Kiska Textiles; Linum AB; LUK + K LLC; Makie; PillowHeaven Ltd; Sara Bengur Shop; Shanghai Autex Company Limited; Silk Story LLC; Simple Things Ltd.; Vestiges; and Zyle Heirloom.

In addition, 13 companies are returning to the show following a hiatus, including: Binntu Inc.; Burrow & Hive LLC; Eliko Antique and Decorative Rugs; Ferran-New York; French Laundry Home; Hamburg House Inc.; K & K Tabletops; Lacefield Designs; Rhadi LLC; Sefte; Slate and Coral; VDS Group/Voila Home; and Zicci Bea Bedding.

Showroom building 7 W New York will feature more than 40 textiles showrooms, with Amer-

ican Century Home, Creative Bath Products, Inc. and Sam Salem & Son opening new third floor showrooms for the summer market.

At 230 Fifth Avenue, new textiles tenants include: Caldeira USA; The Gallery; and SL Home Fashions Inc. Educational session at NY Now will include the “Open House” trend display showcasing four key home design trends for 2013-2014, sponsored by One Kings Lane, Home Textiles Today along with sister publicatoins Gifts & Decorative Accessories and Home Accents Today.

A related seminar, “Open House - Key Trends In Home Products,” will take place Aug. 18. A pair of seminars will focus on color and design trends - “From Color Theory to Selection,” presented on Aug. 19 by New York’s Chapter of the International Furnishings & Design Association (IFDA); and “Design Destinations Where Fashion, Home & Lifestyle Design Is Going Next,” presented on Aug. 20 by the Fashion Group International.

The “Best New Product Awards” will be presented to select NY Now home textiles suppliers during market week in four categories: bath, bed, dining and home accessories along with one overall “Best of Market” distinction. Judging was conducted by a panel of trade and consumer editors, and winners were announced on Aug. 16. HTT

Home Textiles Today

August 19, 2013

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Atlanta Market Rescinds Date Shift ATLANTA — After announcing

earlier this month that Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market will operate on a six-day schedule starting in 2014, show organizer AmericasMart today said the schedule will instead retain its normal Tuesday-to-Tuesday pattern.

“Although a shortened run was previously announced, the results of extensive qualitative research conducted with buyers

and exhibitors during the July 2013 market indicate that AmericasMart markets are increasingly too important and much too valuable for anything other than a straight Tuesday-to-Tuesday run,” AmericasMart said in a statement.

The restored schedule is as follows: • Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market: Showrooms from Jan. 7-14; tem-

poraries from Jan. 9-13.

• Atlant a International Area Rug Market featuring the National Oriental Rug Show: Showrooms Jan. 8-11; temporaries Jan. 9-11.

• Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market: Showrooms July 8-15; temporaries July 10-14.

• Atlanta International Area Rug Market: Showrooms July 912. HTT

Beacon Fashions a Fitter Fitted Sheet A S H E V I L L E , N.C . — Beacon Sales is introducing Simple-Fit, a patent-pending construction for a snugger-fitting fitted sheet.

Simple- Fit uses fabric that would have been discarded in the cutting process to create a tighter fit for mattresses ranging from 818 inches – which represents 95% of the mattresses on the market. It also works on air beds and every thickness of hospital and nursing home mattresses, according to

Tedd Smith, partner in the venture.

“On a real thin mattress, sometimes you have a lot of extra fabric [when using a conventional fitted sheet]. This technique solves that problem,” said Smith. “There are no gimmicks – no snaps, no Velcro, no pins, no buttons. There is virtually no additional cost.”

Simple-Fit will be sold as a feature in sheet sets. In cases where retailers have their own direct-to-

manufacturer relationships, Beacon can work with the parties on employing the technology, he said. The product can priced to sell at all channels of distribution, he added.

“This eliminates the confusion for the consumer. How many people measure their mattress before buying sheets?” said Smith. “It’s a very simple idea.

We’re really encouraged with the reaction.” HTT

Ellery Signs Licensing Agreement with Kenney Mfg. NEW YORK — Ellery Homestyles

has entered into a licensing agreement with Kenney Manufacturing Company to produce and distribute an exclusive line of drapery hardware under the Eclipse brand.

Family-owned Kenney Manufacturing Company is headquartered in Warwick, R.I. In business since 1914, Kenney is an industry leader in drapery hardware and bath products.

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“We’ve known Les Kenney and his team for many years, and feel that their expertise combined with the industry leading Eclipse brand will allow retailers to provide the optimal curtain shopping experience for their customers.” said Ellery ceo Budd S. Goldman.

Kenney will debut the new Eclipse hardware line at this September’s New York Home Fashions Market. HTT

8/14/2013 2:27:15 PM

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August 19, 2013

> hometextilestoday.com

PEOPLETodaY Leon Capel Jr. Nominated to the American Furniture Hall of Fame TROY, N.C. — Rug industry vet- at the High Point Market. At the eran A. Leon Capel Jr., banquet, new memone of three sons of Capel bers of the Hall of Inc.’s founder, has been Fame also will be named an industry fellow announced and and nominee for election inducted. The Hall into the American Furniof Fame Foundature Hall of Fame. tion members vote Six new Hall of Fame to determine which fellows will be honored at A. LEON CAPEL fellows will join the Capel Inc. the 2013 Induction BanHall of Fame. quet being held Oct. 20 An innovator in

the rug industry throughout his career, A. Leon Capel Jr. led Capel Inc. from 1954 until his retirement in 2005. Working with his brothers, he led the company through a robust period of growth.

The nomination honors his contributions to Capel Rugs and the rug industry during his 60year career, the company said.

HTT

Coyuchi Elevates Mockus to ceo BERKELEY, C ALIF — Eco-friendly

efforts leading to one of the larghome fashions brand Coyuchi est product-line certifications has named Eileen Mockus ceo to the Global Organic Textile and appointed her to the board Standard (GOTS), with Coyuof directors. chi products produced Mockus most recently using fair-labor pracserved as vp of product for tices verified by inCoyuchi and member of country auditors. The the interim office of the home textiles brands’ president. Prior to joining ret ail presence has Coyuchi, she worked in been growing at 60% textile production, sourcannually, according to ing and materials testing EILEEN MOCKUS the company.

Coyuchi for such brands as North “Eileen has been Face, Patagonia and Potthe driving force in tery Barn Kids. bringing to the market Coyuchi’s She recently spearheaded current product offerings. She is

a strong leader with a passion for textile design, a comprehensive knowledge of the production process and a proven record of execution,” said said Kevin Brine, chairman of Coyuchi.

“Coyuchi is one of the pioneers in bringing organic cotton home textiles to the market,” said Mockus. “It’s been such a pleasure to work with Coyuchi on our product assortment and I look forward to sharing our unique textures and organic bedding with our dealers and customers across the country.”

HTT

Nourison Names Steel Design Director, Hospitality Division SADDLE BROOK , N.J. — Nourison has appointed Elliot Steel design director for the company’s hospitality division.

Based at the company’s Calhoun, Ga. offices, warehouse and design facility, Steel reports to Jonny Peykar, vice president of hospitality.

Steel is a 25-year veteran of the carpet industry. Most recently, he worked as global

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design manager at Tai Ping Carpets International. Prior to that, he held senior design positions at Brintons UK Ltd., Forte Cloth Ltd., Interface Europe Ltd., and Stoddard Carpets Ltd. In his new role, he will work with head designer Linda Jacobs and the rest of the design team to create innovative broadloom products for a

wide range of commercial market segments.

“We are very pleased to have someone with Elliot’s creativity, talent and experience on our team,” said Peykar. “His global credentials and understanding of the commercial broadloom industry, architects and designers will be very helpful in guiding this rapidly-expanding division of Nourison.” HTT

Alok Scientist Awarded DALLAS — Akshita Bajpai, a sci-

entist from home textiles manufacturer Alok’s internal labs, received the President’s Diploma of Honour at the Society of Dyers & Colourists’ (SDC) Day of Celebration.

Bajpai joined the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) as a student chapter member of Advanced Academy for Development of Textile Technologists (AADTT) in India in 2011. She stays active in AATCC activities, recently serving as a volunteer

judge for the Association’s Millennial Marketing contest.

A l o k ’s Te x t i l e Te c h n o l ogy Group is a unit of Alok’s research and development facilities, labs, plants and machinery that focus on addressing the key decision-making factors important to consumers considering a textiles purchase.

Building on new technologies launched earlier this year, Alok will present innovations developed by the group at the coming New York Home Fashions Week in September. HTT

Downlite Expands into USA-made Mattress Pads via New Acquisition Adds to staff to support new biz MASON, OHIO — Basic bedding supplier and consumer products company Downlite is entering a new category via its recent acquisition of a domestic mattress pad manufacturing facility located in Monroe, N.C. “Today’s marketplace continues to present unique opportunities for enhanced domestic production and one stop solutions - this acquisition accomplishes both,” said Jim Lape, ceo. “Mattress pads are the perfect complement towards our core products - comforters and pillows - to complete the luxury sleep experience we pride ourselves on creating.”

Downlite currently manufacturers a range of down, feather and synthetic bedding products - comforters, pillows, mattress pads, feather and fiber beds - and sells them under private label in department stores, specialty stores, and catalogs as well as under

major national brand names.

Now, looking to ensure “a seamless and effective entry” into the domestic mattress pad business, Downlite said it has made some changes to its executive team: • Industry veteran Pat Obrien, who previously worked for Pacific Coast Feather, has been brought onboard as director of operations for the mattress pad facility to manage the new operation; • Kimberly Robertson, who previously worked for Louisville Bedding in a number of different capacities, has also joined Downlite as director of merchandising for mattress pads. She will be part of the team leading efforts for this rapidly growing segment of business for Downlite.

Domestic production is slated to begin in late 2013 at the facility, which was previously owned

by Perfect Fit. HTT

8/14/2013 2:28:48 PM

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August 19, 2013

Safavieh Relocates NYC Wholesale Showroom NEW YORK — In time for the New York Home Fashions Market this fall, high-end area rugs and home furnishings house Safavieh has moved its wholesale showroom into a new space here.

Located at 902 Broadway at 20th Street, the larger site — measuring 5,000 square feet — will showcase the company’s expanded offerings into new categories, which include decorative pillows, furniture pieces, lighting, and wall art.

Safavieh had spent the past 35 years in its previous showroom at 153 Madison Ave. This new address also serving as the flagship store for the company’s Safavieh Home Furnishings retail chain. The new wholesale showroom has been designed as a separate unit within the store, which measures 45,000 square feet across three floors and caters to designers and consumers with its own branded furniture and rugs, in addition to carrying a full line of luxury furniture and accessories brands.

“As we grew into a total home source, our rug showroom was not capable of presenting the new Safavieh lifestyle story,” said Arash Yaraghi, principal. “In the past five years we have diversified our product mix to include accent furniture and seating, lighting, decorative pillows, wall art and outdoor furnishings in addition to programmed and custom area rugs. Our new location allows us to present total decorating concepts to retailers in one fully cross-merchandised space.”

The combined showrooms will provide customers with a better understanding of the full scope of Safavieh’s business, he added. HTT

Tendence Touts Textiles Participation F RANKFURT, G ERMANY — Ten-

dence, the international consumer-goods fair revolving around the subjects of the home and holiday giving, will feature 60 home textiles exhibitors when it takes place here from Aug. 2427.

Tendence acts as a supplementary presentation platform to Heimtextil — the international home textiles fair held in Frankfurt each January — because it gives textiles manufacturers “the chance to reach representatives of the trend-oriented retail trade who come to the leading consumer-goods fair in the second half of the year to round off their assortments with high-grade textiles and thus prepare for the important winter and Christmas season,” accord-

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ing to Messe Frankfurt, which organizes both shows.

The companies and brands taking part in Tendence this month include Anke Drechsel, David Fussenegger Textil, ERI Textiles & Accessoires Riesle, Fabulous Goose, Giesswein Walkwaren, Katrin Leuze Collection, Lanui, Lenz & Leif, Rica Riebe, Sander, Scantex and Zoeppritz. Most of them will be housed in the interiors and decoration product segments in Halls 8.0 and 9.0.

Several textile suppliers will be located in the design-oriented setting of Loft in Hall 11.1. They include By Nord, Collection Stiegler and Klippan.

For more information about the show, visit tendence.messefrankfurt.com. HTT

Arden to Launch Bombay Outdoors B I N G H A M FA R M S , M I C H . —

Arden Companies, a manufacturer and marketer of outdoor products, has licensed with The Bombay Company to produce outdoor home décor products.

“Journey to your own backyard” is the Bombay Outdoors tagline that will set the stage for the product introduction to market in 2015. The assortment will include cushions

and pillows, outdoor furniture, lanterns, decorative garden accessories, planters and other items.

The first outdoor living assortment for the brand will feature original designs that are exclusive to Bombay Outdoors.

“We are extremely excited for what the future holds for Bombay and Arden,” said Cecil Kearse, president of Arden

Companies. “Our team is gleaning information from the past, present and future to guide our quest in providing sustainable quality, beauty and function to our Bombay Outdoors products.

With these categories, we truly believe Bombay Outdoors to be a destination brand of outdoor products that our customers will want as a part of their backyard journey.” HTT

New Ownership for Maine Street Living SCARBOROUGH, MAINE — Memory foam sleep products company Maine Street Living (MSL) has been acquired by Maine Street Holdings, a Florida-based corporation.Terms were not disclosed.

In addition to its U.S.-made EnviroTech brand memory foam products, MSL designs and develops rugs, towels, sheets, top of bed, and blankets.

The company’s licensed brands include The World of Ed Heck in youth bed and bath, among

other categories.

“Our focus for the future will be to promote MSL’s brands in all our textile categories through more extensive marketing campaigns and the development of our experienced national sales team” says Gary Garrison, president of Maine Street Holdings, who also heads up the company’s national sales force.

By the fourth quarter 2013, the company will launch several new mattress product addi-

tions to its line of enviro-memory products, according to Chris Phillips, coo of Maine Street Holdings. “We are very excited about the new company and are working to evolve current mattress products within the EnviroTech line to increase our market share presence in the memory foam mattress business,” said Chris Phillips.

MSL will maintain its New York showroom at 230 5th Ave, Suite 1808. HTT

8/14/2013 2:29:05 PM

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> hometextilestoday.com

August 19, 2013

BUSINESS TodaY Icahn Execs Optimistic Brands Will Lift Sales N EW YORK — Despite a dou-

ble-digit decline in WestPoint Home’s second quarter sales, executives at company parent Icahn Enterprises told analysts they expect brands to help boost the home textiles manufacturer’s performance in the coming months.

During the company’s quarterly conference call earlier this month, Icahn Enterprises president and ceo Daniel Ninivaggi referenced two relatively recent brand licenses for WestPoint, Southern Tide and Under the Canopy. In addition, he said the mill’s legacy brands are being deployed more effectively, “focusing in on customers where there’s better alignment, strategic alignment.”

WestPoint is deemphasizing commodity products and

high-volume/low-margin accounts, he added, “and focusing higher on the value chain.

And so far, that’s worked pretty well, although we’ve been disappointed on the sales.”

Executives attributed the second quarter sales decline to the loss of largely unprofitable programs.

Fo r t h e s e c o n d qu a r t e r ended June 30, sales fell 21.5% to $51 million and net loss widened from $2 million to $3 million. Adjusted EBITD A(earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) close to break-even, compared to $2 million in the year-ago period.

For the first six months of the fiscal year, sales dropped 20.5% to $97 million. Net loss narrowed by almost half: down

to $6 million from $11 million during last year’s first half.

SungHwan Cho, Icahn Enterprises cfo, said: “The challenge now is to grow the top line and we are optimistic in our prospects as we have been successful signing up some upand-coming brands.”

The improving housing market also provides cause for encouragement, said Ninivaggi.

“And these things do take some time to get traction. You just don’t roll out a brand and then in six months later, you see it in sales,” he said. “We’re very happy with the management team there. I think they’re doing a great job. And we’re confident, in a longer term. But again, we’re keeping an eye on that sales backlog to make sure the strategy stays on track.” HTT

Same-store sales

August Kicks off with Comp Gain Thanks to BTS, Tax-free Shopping N EW YORK — The tax-free

Johnson Redbook Index

Second week of August, year-over-year % change weekend across several U.S. states boosted comps by WEEK ENDED 8/10 8/17 8/24 8/31 MONTH TARGET 3.7% in the first week of AuDepartment stores* 12.1 2.1 2.3 Discounters 4.5 4.5 4.6 gust, according to the JohnRedbook Index 3.7 3.7 3.9 son Redbook Retail Sales In*Including chain stores and traditional department stores dex.

Source: Johnson Redbook Index Month-to-date, August to-school merchandise,” she said. was up 3.7% compared to Most stores are currently in mid-transition August of last year, relative to a revised target of a 3.9% gain. Month-over-month showed a between summer clearance and back-to-school, she added.

0.4% gain, relative to a target of a 0.5% gain.

“The full impact of back-to-school will not be As Catlin Levis, Redbook analyst explained, the week’s sales were helped by back-to-school seen until late this month, or early September, tax holidays in 10 states: Alabama, Arkansas, it remains too early to assess any trend,” Levis Florida, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, continued. “While the back-to-school season is Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Vir- not a direct predictor of holiday sales, it does offer important clues about consumers’ spending ginia.

“Shoppers focused on summer clearance attitudes leading up to the most critical season sales and began to look at freshly shelved back- of the year.”HTT

htt130802_020_022 20

Mohawk Reports Record Q2 C ALHOUN , G A . — Mohawk In-

dustries Inc. enjoyed its “most successful second quarter on record,” spurred by strong revenue and profit growth, thanks to better-than-expected performances from its legacy business — carpet and rugs in particular — as well as its recent acquisitions.

Jeffrey Lorberbaum, chairman and ceo, explained that the company’s legacy net sales increased 6%, with the balance of Mohawk Ind.’s growth stemming from its recent acquisitions of Pergo, Marazzi and Spano.

Mohawk’s legacy business was greatly aided by the performance of the carpet division, which includes rugs. Its net sales were up 5% to $771 million, “rising to their highest levels in more than four years, due to improvements in residential new construction and remodeling and continued strength in the commercial sector,” he noted.

Additionally, the carpet division’s operating income, excluding unusual charges, was 7% of sales, up 100 basis points, due to volume leverage, improved sales mix from new products and lower SG&A. Residential sales in the specialty channel showed substantial growth, and home center business increased

during the period.

Rugs as a category improved with a greater focus on new distribution channels and product categories, the company said.

Operating margins continued to expand thanks to higher volume, the market’s response to “super-soft products” and improved manufacturing and logistics efficiencies. During the quarter, Mohawk raised carpet price to align with earlier raw material increases in the third quarter.

Looking at the total company, quarterly net earnings jumped 16% to $85 million, or $1.16 per share. Excluding unusual charges, net earnings climbed 9% to $134 million, or $1.84 per share.

Mohawk Ind.’s net sales for the quarter swelled 35% to $2.0 billion.

Year to date, total sales rose 20% to $3.5 billion, and net earnings were up 18% to $135 million.

We are increasingly confident in the continued strengthening of the U.S. market, and we believe that continued job growth, expanded new home construction and greater remodeling investments along with our new acquisitions will improve our future results,” said Lorberbaum. HTT

HSNi Has Home to Thank For Strong Q2 ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. — Home

furnishings — including home design, household goods, and home brands — drove HSN Inc.’s encouraging performance in the second quarter.

The company’s net sales grew 6% to $812.6 million, diluted earnings per share from continu-

ing operations increased 30% to 79 cents, and its operating income was up 9% to $71.3 million.

HSNi did suffer a 20 basis point decrease in gross margin.

Still, ceo Mindy Grossman described the quarter’s financial performance as strong” and credSEE HSNI PAGE 22

8/14/2013 2:34:20 PM

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Home Textiles Today

August 19, 2013

Business

> hometextilestoday.com

Retail Sales Edge Up in July WASHINGTON — Back-to-school season did much to trigger sales for categories like clothing and sporting goods, but did not make the grade for home-related businesses, which slipped in July compared to June.

The National Retail Federation found July retail sales — excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurants — increased 0.3% seasonally adjusted from June and increased 5.0% unadjusted year-over-year.

Sales at furniture and home furnishing stores’ sales decreased 1.4% seasonally adjusted monthto-month but rose 5.1% unadjusted year-over-year.

“Consumers continue to grind forward in July, marking

13 consecutive months of re- dise categories such as automotail sales gains,” said Matthew biles, gasoline stations, and resShay, NRF president taurants — increased a n d c e o . “ H ow e v 0.2% seasonally adjuster consumers alone ed month-to-month and can’t be expected to increased 5.4% adjusted shoulder the burden year-over-year. of the economy. Fis“Spending has stalled cal and monet ary and the economy is policy uncertainties stuck in neutral,” said combined with stag- MATTHEW SHAY Jack Kleinhenz, NRF NRF chief economist. “Even nant economic and with modest employemployment conditions continue to breed a vola- ment gains and steady consumtile market with extreme swings er confidence, Americans remain in a cautiously-positive in consumer spending.”

July retail sales, released last spending pattern. While clothweek by the U.S. Census Bu- ing and sporting goods retailreau, showed that total retail ers saw modest gains with early and food services sales — which back-to-school shopping, homeinclude non-general merchan- based retailers saw marked de-

Macy’s Shrugs Off Second-Quarter Hit A “speed bump” on the way to holiday season CINCINNATI — Unusual circum-

stances dogged Macy’s during the second quarter, when the company experienced lowerthan-expected sales results due to slacker consumer spending and a cooler spring season.

But the company is viewing the poor performance as temporary and has implemented several strategies — including expanded marketing efforts – to improve its results in the second half of 2013.

“Our management team is seeing the second quarter as a speed bump,” said Karen Hoguet, cfo, during the company’s earnings call last week.

Sales in the quarter, ended Aug. 3, were slipped 0.8% to $6.066 billion and comps were also down 0.8%.

Net income inched up 0.7% to $281 million, and earnings grew 7.5% to 72 cents per share.

Average unit retails were flat in quarter, with transactions down 1.6% and units per transactions just short of 1% Hoguet called the drop in the number of transactions “a very different picture of what we experienced earlier this year. More concerning, which is why we’ve added to our marketing for the back

htt130802_020_022 22

half of the year.”

Year to date, sales rose 1.6% to $12.45 billion. Comps increased 1.5% and include online sales at macys.com and

TERRY LUNDGREN

ate markdowns and customers are responding favorably.”

Macy’s stepped up the pace of early the back-to-school inventory to address areas of the country

“We are capturing incremental sales opportunities in childrenswear, activewear and impulse apparel — for the older Millennial customer.”

Macy’s

bloomingdales.com.

Net income climbed 8.3% to $498 million, or $1.27 per share.

Hoguet said Macy’s Inc. largely blames macro-economic issues across the nation for its struggles during the second quarter. The shift in a major promotional Friends and Family sales event also impacted the quarter.

“Our performance in the period, in part, reflects consumers’ continuing uncert ainty about spending on discretionary items in the current economic environment,” noted Terry J. Lundgren, chairman, president and ceo. “After a cool spring, we have taken appropri-

creases, possibly indicating the end of the year-long housing boom.”

Other findings from the July retail sales report include: • Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers stores' sales decreased 0.4% seasonally-adjusted yet increased 9.8% unadjusted yearover-year.

• Clothing and clothing accessories stores' sales increased 0.9% seasonally-adjusted monthto-month and increased 5.3% unadjusted year-over-year.

• Electronics and appliance stores' sales decreased 0.1% seasonally-adjusted month-tomonth yet increased 0.8% unadjusted year-over-year.

Crown Crafts Squeezed in Q1 GONZALES, L A. — Crown Crafts blamed a challenging retail environment and lower birth rates for pinching sales and profit during its first quarter.

For the period ended June 30, net income contracted 8.4% to $822,000. Gross margin improved to 27.1% of sales for the quarter, compared with 25.4% for the prior-year period. However, the bottom line gwas impacted legal fees related to Crown Crafts’ defense of a patent infringement lawsuit in Minnesota and a class action complaint

in California, the company reported.

Sales decreased 4.8% to $16.6 million. Sales of bedding, bath and blankets tapered off 7.5% to $11.3 million while sales of bibs, bath and disposable products rose 1.4% to $5.3 million.

“The first quarter is traditionally our weakest; however, we are seeing positive momentum as we begin the second quarter, largely driven by three new programs that are set to roll out,” said E. Randall Chestnut, chairman, president and ceo. HTT

Quarter

marily due to higher clearance activity.

HSN’s gross profit increased 3% to $187.5 million, while gross margin dipped 60 basis points to 35.6%, mainly because of an increase in shipping and handling promotions. Operating income was up 8% to $47.0 million.

At Cornerstone - where home comprises 73% of the offering versus apparel’s 27% share - net sales were up 8% to $286.4 million, driven by sales growth in the home brands. Of that, digital sales grew 10%, with penetration increasing 120 basis points to 62.9%.

Gross profit for Cornerstone jumped 9% to $121.3 million; and gross margin increased 30 basis points to 42.4%, thanks largely to higher product margins. HTT

HSNI FROM PAGE 20

where the school year is already getting underway, he said.

“As a result, we are capturing incremental sales opportunities in childrenswear, activewear and impulse apparel — for the older Millennial customer,” he added.

The company has lowered its guidance. It now expects comparable sales in the second half of 2013 to increase in the range of 2.5% to 4%, with a fullyear comparable sales increase of 2% to 2.9% compared to previous guidance for a 3.5% increase. Earnings for fiscal 2013 are now expected in the range of $3.80 to $3.90 per share, compared to previous guidance of $3.90 to $3.95. HTT

• General merchandise stores' sales increased 0.4% seasonally-adjusted month-tomonth and increased 1.3% unadjusted year-over-year.

• Health and personal care stores' sales increased 0.7% seasonally-adjusted month-tomonth and increased 3.3% unadjusted year-over-year.

• Nonstore retailers' sales increased 0.1% seasonally-adjusted month-to-month and increased 11.3% unadjusted yearover-year.

• Sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores' sales increased 1.0% seasonally-adjusted month-to-month and increased 3.9% unadjusted yearover-year. HTT

ited “the uniqueness of our customer experiences, the power of our digital platforms and the quality of our brands and products.”

The HSN segment — where home represents the largest slice, or 56%, of the total product offering — saw net sales grow by 5% to $526.2 million, including a 10% digital sales increase and a 160 basis point gain in penetration to 35.4%.

There, sales grew in home design, household, electronics and apparel & accessories, but declined in jewelry and culinary. The company noted net sales were favorably affected by lower return rates. The average price point decreased 4% while units shipped increased 7%, pri-

8/14/2013 2:34:30 PM

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WHERE: 295 5th Avenue Executive Conference Room Mezzanine Level

HOW TO REGISTER: Registration is FREE but seating is limited on a first-come/first-served basis. Register online at hometextilestoday.com/context

TEXTILES IS OUR MIDDLE NAME

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26

Home Textiles Today

August 19, 2013

News

Purecare by Fabrictech Expands in Canada FAIRFIELD, N.J. — PureCare by Fabrictech has signed an exclusive, multi-year distributorship arrangement with Zucora Inc., of London, Ontario, Canada’s largest provider of home furnishing protection programs.

Zucora represents the PureCare and Fabrictech International lines of mattress protectors, pillows and mattress toppers in Canada. Last year PureCare and Fabrictech began its international expansion program by signing a licensee agreement with Multimaster

Australia Pty. Ltd. to cover Australia and New Zealand.

“Canadian retailers have already begun to discover the innovative and unique features of PureCare sleep essentials products,” said Jeff Bergman, PureCare’s president and coo.

Zucora’s president, Brad Geddes added, “PureCare offers a wide assortment of the finest health and wellness focused sleep essentials in the top of bed industry today - precisely what our dealers and consumers have been demanding.”

As the exclusive Canadian distributor, Zucora will now be able to provide dealers with faster delivery, economical order quantities and greater access to innovative new PureCare products, the company said.

PureCare by Fabrictech’s line include mattress and pillow protectors designed to provide a healthy, allergen-free sleep environment. PureCare protectors are the official mattress and pillow protectors of the National Sleep Foundation. HTT

> hometextilestoday.com

Bargoose Intros Patented Bugstop Seal to Repel Bed Bugs LYNBROOK , N.Y. — Protecitve bedding specialist Bargoose Home Textiles has unveiled its newly patented Bugstop Seal, an impenetrable zipper enclosure that prevents bed bugs from getting in or out of mattress/box spring covers.

The Bugstop Seal is a piece of tape that is sewn to the end of the zipper of the mattress cover and acts as a seal. Once the zipper is closed completely, it goes inside a “tunnel,” then the user peels the protective backing off of the piece of tape and places the tape over the zipper.

When pressed firmly, the tape seals the mattress / box

spring cover and stops bed bugs from escaping or entering the mattress / box spring cover. The tape is machine washable and reusable.

“Bargoose offers one of the largest selections of bed protection solutions in the industry and is always looking for new materials and manufacturing procedures to enhance our product lines,” said Diane Rattner, president, Bargoose Home Textiles.

“For our customers who are in the hospitality, healthcare, allergy relief and pest control bedding markets, the Bugstop Seal is a simple solution to a huge problem.” HTT

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1271 Avenue of the Americas, 17th floor New York, NY 10020 Tel: (917) 934-2852; Fax: (646) 365-2307 www.hometextilestoday.com www.facebook.com/httmag EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jennifer Marks 10 Ocean Blvd #8B Atlantic Highlands, N.J. 07716 (732) 204-2012 | jmarks@hometextilestoday.com PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Warren Shoulberg (917) 934-2876 | wshoulberg@hometextilestoday.com SENIOR EDITOR Cecile B. Corral 428 Bianca Ave. Coral Gables, FL 33146 (305) 661-7493 | ccorral@hometextilestoday.com MANAGING EDITOR Julie Murphy (917) 934-2858 | jmurphy@hometextilestoday.com

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Millennials Continue To Change Purchasing Habits WASHINGTON — Generation Y has its own direction. The largest generation of individuals (also known as millennials) born after 1980 and before the early 2000s, number nearly 80 million; their numbers are big and purchasing power strong. In fact, Hanover Research recently revealed that millennials are still shopping despite the economy and are having the most influence on brand marketing and purchasing habits.

Millennials are spending despite the up and down economy, according to the study. They have have a “buy now, deal with it later mentality” as 52% are more likely to make impulse purchases than non-millennial generations.

When it comes to shopping, millennials are also “smarter.” Half of millennials use a mobile device to research products and reviews (21% of non-millennials follow suit), while

others don’t mind sharing some personal information. In fact, more than half of millennials (56%) are willing to share their location to receive electronic discounts offered by nearby retailers.

This generation is also very loyal to brands-especially if they get something in return-with 78% admitting to choosing a brand with a loyalty or customer rewards program over those without one. HTT

CONTRIBUTING GRAPHIC ARTIST Desiree Nunez (917) 934-2862 | dnunez@giftsanddec.com DIRECTOR OF MARKET RESEARCH Dana French (336) 605-1091 | dfrench@progressivebusinessmedia.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, ACCOUNT MANAGER SOUTH/EAST/CHINA Jeff Reeves (336) 605-1009 | jreeves@hometextilestoday.com ACCOUNT MANAGER NORTHEAST/MIDWEST/ WEST COAST/CANADA Mary McLoughlin (917) 934-2852 | mmcloughlin@hometextilestoday.com CLASSIFIED AD SALES Spencer Whittle (336) 605-1027 swhittle@progressivebusinessmedia.com Karen Hancock (336) 605-1047 khancock@progressivebusinessmedia.com MANAGER, EUROPE Mirek Kraczkowski Tel: 48 22 401 70 01; Fax: 48 22 401 70 16 | kraczko@aol.com MANAGER, INDIA Kaushal Shah Cell: 91-9821715431; Tel: 91 22 2305 9305/6/7 Kaushal@kaushals.com PRODUCTION MANAGER Rich Lamb Tel: (336) 605-1074; Fax: (336) 605-1143 | rlamb@progressivebusinessmedia.com DIRECTOR, WEB OPERATIONS Chris Schultz | (336) 605-1076 | cschultz@@progressivebusinessmedia.com MANAGER, CLIENT SERVICES, WEB ADVERTISING Dan Sage | (336) 605-1080 | dsage@progressivebusinessmedia.com E-MEDIA PROJECT MANAGER Missy Axe | (336) 605-1005 | maxe@progressivebusinessmedia.com VP, AUDIENCE MARKETING Eric Rutter erutter@progressivebusinessmedia.com AUDIENCE MARKETING MANAGER Angela Tanner atanner@progressivebusinessmedia.com FOUNDING EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Carole Sloan 1979-2011

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Deadline Nears for AATCC Student Scholarships And Grants R ESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK , N.C. — The Association of Textile, Apparel & Materials Professionals’ (AATCC) Foundation has set September deadlines for two programs that support students enrolled in university textiles programs.

The AATCC Foundation Student Research Support Program will award grants of $500 to $4,000 to encourage student research in textile chemistry and related fields important to the

textile sciences. The Research Support Grants are available to both graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in textile programs in US colleges and universities. The application deadline is Sept. 30.

The application and guidelines for the AATCC Foundation Student Research Support Program are available at the AATCC website, by contacting one’s university AATCC Student Chapter Advisor, or by contacting Dr. Yang.

In addition, applications for the this $2,500 Nonwovens Institute’s Undergraduate Student Scholarship are due to the AATCC Foundation Inc. by Sept. 4.

For further information and to fill out an application, visit the AATCC Foundation website, www.aatcc.org.

More information on the Nonwovens Institute can be found at the Institute’s website at www.thenonwovensinstitute. com. HTT

Indian Handicrafts & Gifts Fair Preps for Fall G REAT N OIDA , I NDIA — More than 2,400 manufacturers and exporters are expected to participate in the 36th annual Indian Handicrafts & Gifts Fair, which will take place Oct. 15-18 at the India Expo Mart here.

Product categories include home textiles, floor coverings, housewares, furniture, giftware, decorative accessories, Christmas decorations, candles

and incense, fashion jewellery, apparel accessories, bags, and cane, bamboo and eco-friendly products.

The winter edition of the fair this past February saw a majority of buyers coming from America and Canada followed by Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Middle East, South East Asia, and Latin America. The event drew attendance of over 5,000 busi-

ness visitors who placed on spot orders worth $150 million, according to show organizer the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH).

India’s handicrafts sector employs over 7 million skilled and semi-skilled craftsmen and generates annual exports of $3.3 billion.

For more information, visit www. epch.in. HTT

Stewart

decorative accessories, lighting, rugs, picture frames, home fragrances and specialty foods.

“The store will be chic and beautiful, and a bit unexpected,” said Stewart. “It’s all about color and texture and finely crafted artisanal pieces, where everything will have a lovely story behind it.”

Matouk, John Robshaw, and Kim Seybert will anchor home textiles for the store, with tabletop merchandise from Mark Blackwell and designer Kelly Wearstler. Products will also include fashion accessories such as small totes and clutches, and a variety of small, special gifts for both men and women.

“There will be something for everyone. You can walk in the door and leave with a gift or something for

yourself for $25,” said Stewart. “Some people just want to go shopping, but they don’t want to drop $500 on a beautiful bowl.”

To immerse the store in the community, Aaron Stewart Home will host exclusive in-store events for area homeowners, tastemakers, and local influencers such as private, themed dinners and gallery nights spotlighting fine art on the walls of the shop.

Asked the most important lesson he’s learned from working with stores as a supplier, Stewart was quick to answer: Customer service.

“I’ve seen so many great stores that have amazing customer service,” he said. “I have a great platform to present product. The customers will have the ultimate vote about the product assortment.” HTT

ISLAND FROM PAGE 1

end of the week — a move prompted by a career opportunity for his business partner Fernando Rodriguez, who will also be involved with the store. By mid-October, Aaron Stewart Home will open in a 3,200-squarefoot space in the historic Puerta de Tierra building at 301 Ponce de Leon Ave. “It will be like ABC in the way they mix everything together,” he said. “Ninety percent of the product I’m bringing in is not sold in Puerto Rico.”

Aaron Stewart Home will offer a broad array of home furnishings products, including bedding, bath, and table linens, glassware and china,

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