Monday, July 11, 2011
TEXTILES INDUSTRY
Home Depot and Lowe’s Face Off in Area Rugs Category BY CECILE B. CORRAL M IAMI — Considering the vast amount space necessary to merchandise a plausible assortment of area rugs — whether displayed on hanger racks or rolled up in clusters — it’s no wonder the country’s two major home improvement centers are among those who do the job best. Atlanta-based Home Depot and Charlotte, N.C.-Lowe’s, with their spacious selling floors and industrial-style shelving, can do justice to the bulky area rug category. This report continues HTT’s “Face to Face” series comparing similar merchandising classifications at pairs of competing retailers. But on a recent visit to each of these stores here, located 10 blocks apart and serving the same market in Miami’s West Kendall neighborhood, it was clear that there are some obvious differences between how Home Depot approaches its soft ooring business compared to Lowe’s tactics in the same endeavor. In the largely suburban and sprawling West Kendall region, the two retailers are in close competition in many categories, including major appliances, home repair supplies, patio furniture and lawn-and-garden wares. But are they serving different area rug customers? It’s hard to say. The product offering is not very different and representation of manufacturers/vendors with collection placement doesn’t vary too much between one and the other. But what is noticeably distinct between Home Depot and Lowe’s in the SEE FACE PAGE 22
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Rug Suppliers Look to Retailers to Spruce up Assortments BY CECILE B. CORRAL A T L A N TA — The summer always promises sunshine, warmth, and some rest and relaxation, and area rug companies are hoping this year it will also generate new business. While the July version of the biannual Atlanta International Area Rug Market is typically slower in retailer attendance compared to the January show, exhibiting area rug manufacturers and importers are cautiously hopeful that trend will shift. They argue that while the still-sluggish economy, housing market and unemployment continue to affect business, these conditions potentially pose an opportunity for retailers to expand their soft flooring assortments and stir sales. SEE ATLANTA PAGE 21
Jaipur Rugs evokes the Catalonian countryside with its new collection of indoor outdoor rugs, Barcelona. Hand-Hooked of 100% polypropylene. See page 14 for additional Atlanta rug introductions.
Soft Home Makes its Mark on June Sales BY CECILE B. CORRAL N EW YORK — Soft home was among the highlights for many key retailers in June, when nearly all of the companies on HTT’s list reported comp gains. Only two — The Bon-Ton Stores and Stein Mart — posted declines, both of them slight: down 0.9% and 1.5%, respectively. Yet, home was among Bon-Ton’s best performing categories in June. “Sales started out slowly in the first half of June, but finished strong with the arrival of more seasonal weather, which led to the best sales performance of warm weath-
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er categories we have experienced all season,” said Tony Buccina, vice chairman and president – merchandising. For the first time in recent memory, 23state regional discounter Duckwall-Alco lead the 13-retailer pack with the only double-digit comp gain for the month, up 10.6%. The increase also represented its fifth consecutive month of positive comparable-store sales. “Momentum continues to build as our improved merchandise assortments, store execution and value proposition resonate with our core customer,” explained Rich SEE SALES PAGE 26
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STYLE
TRENDS Surya Sets The Pace AMERICASMART 6-A-7 JULY 13-20, 2011 LAS VEGAS WMC B-370 AUGUST 1-5, 2011 Visit us at www.facebook.com/SuryaExperience for a special limited time offer! To become a Surya dealer please call 1.877.275.7847 or email us at info@surya.com www. s u r ya . com
January 10, 2011
ATH-5008 The very popular Athena Vines design comes in 5 different color-ways.
TEXTILES INDUSTRY
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hometextilestoday.com
| Vol. 32, No. 16 | $8.00
Rug Suppliers Look to Retailers to Spruce up Assortments BY CECILE B. CORRAL
OMR-1000 New design from JEF Designs this is a floral silhouette with a fuchsia pop color.
AMERICASMART 6-A-7
JULY 13-20, 2011
HOT TREND: Bold Florals LAS VEGAS WMC B-370
AUGUST 1-5, 2011
ART-206 This Blown-up rose design is bold and modern in a contemporary color palette of coral-red, outlined in sky blue with chocolate field.
A T L A N TA — The summer always promises sunshine, warmth, and some rest and relaxation, and area rug companies are hoping this year it will also generate new business. While the July version of the biannual Atlanta International Area Rug Market is typically slower in retailer attendance compared to the January show, exhibiting area rug manufacturers and importers are cautiously hopeful that trend will shift. They argue that while the still-sluggish economy, housing market and unemployment continue to affect business, these conditions potentially pose an opportunity for retailers to expand their soft flooring assortments and stir sales. SEE ATLANTA PAGE 21
Jaipur Rugs evokes the Catalonian countryside with its new collection of indoor outdoor rugs, Barcelona. Hand-Hooked of 100% polypropylene. See page 14 for additional Atlanta rug introductions.
Soft Home Makes its Mark on June Sales BY CECILE B. CORRAL
HGT-1003 Part of the Smithsonian Collection this design is based on textiles from China’s 5th century. Visit us at www.facebook.com/SuryaExperience To become a Surya dealer please call 1.877.275.7847 or email us at info@surya.com www.surya.com
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N EW YORK — Soft home was among the highlights for many key retailers in June, when nearly all of the companies on HTT’s list reported comp gains. Only two — The Bon-Ton Stores and Stein Mart — posted declines, both of them slight: down 0.9% and 1.5%, respectively. Yet, home was among Bon-Ton’s best performing categories in June. “Sales started out slowly in the first half of June, but finished strong with the arrival of more seasonal weather, which led to the best sales performance of warm weath-
er categories we have experienced all season,” said Tony Buccina, vice chairman and president – merchandising. For the first time in recent memory, 23state regional discounter Duckwall-Alco lead the 13-retailer pack with the only double-digit comp gain for the month, up 10.6%. The increase also represented its fifth consecutive month of positive comparable-store sales. “Momentum continues to build as our improved merchandise assortments, store execution and value proposition resonate with our core customer,” explained Rich SEE SALES PAGE 26
7/8/2011 4:35:17 PM
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Home Textiles Today
July 11, 2011
Retail Briefs Macys.com Goes International
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acys.com will expand its recently launched international ecommerce pilot program to 91 countries in Africa, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East and North and South America. Last year, macys.com logged 36 million visits from non-U.S.-based shoppers.
Target Transferring Some Zellers Leases to Walmart Canada
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bout a month after selecting 105 Zellers units to become Target Stores in 10 Canadian provinces, Target has arranged with to transfer leaseholds on another 39 sites to Walmart Canada. Target is acquiring 220 total Zellers units. Target will announce additional sites this fall that will become part of its Canadian operation and plans to open up to 150 Targets in the country starting in 2013.
Amazon Opening 4th Arizona DC
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mazon plans to open a 1.2 million-square-foot fulfillment center in Phoenix, its fourth in the state. It is expected to be completed this fall. Amazon has also announced plans for new centers in Washington State, Indiana, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Pierre Deux Shuts Down S ECAUCUS , N.J. — The parent
of high-end country French home furnishings retailer Pierre Deux has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation and its showrooms across the United States appear to be closed. Arts des Provinces de France filed for protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Newark, N.J., on June 23, listing assets of $12.1 million and debts of $53.9 million. Until recently, the company operated 23 stores in 13 states, with the largest concentration in California and the Northeast. Sharon Levin, an attorney representing the company in the filing, said the Pierre Deux parent “no longer exists” and referred questions to bankruptcy trustee Steven Kartzman, who could not immediately be reached for comment. Local news stories in some
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of the markets where the stores are located had also indicated the company was out of business, with a Charleston, S.C., report noting employees there were told to gather their belongings and lock the door behind them. Another report from Red Bank, N.J., said the 2,400square-foot store there is shut down and is under the control of a court-appointed trustee. According to the filing, unsecured supplier creditors and their claims include Nourison Inds., $123,354; Motif Designs, $64,970; Highland House, $52,605; Kai Wi Kreations, $37,888; French Market Collection, $37,212 and Dessau Home, $34,353. French supplier claims include Tissus D’Avesnieres, $205,431; and Tissages de Gravigny, $101,724. HTT
News
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Fabricut Expands Collier Campbell Line T U L S A , O K L A . — Upper-end fabric converter Fabricut introduced its third collection of fabrics from the sister design duo of Susan Collier and Sarah Campbell at the recent Showtime in High Point — with a special meaning. The collection was dedicated in celebration of the life of Collier, who died May 7 from cancer. The British-born designer, one of Europe’s most important textiles designers, was 72. (See obituary, below.) The sisters’ company, Collier Campbell, became partners with Fabricut in 2005 with a collection of 150 skus in four colorways. The latest, a boutique collection inspired by an exotic landscape of color and
designs, includes a combination of prints, embroideries and wovens that range from “miniature to magnificent,” the company said. “Susan and Sarah continue to push the industry to its limits with their high standards of textiles and original designs,” said David Finer, Fabricut’s CEO. “The collection truly exemplifies their diverse, creative and innovative talents.” Called Exotic Inspirations, the new collection features a rich spectrum of techniques, scales and colors. Thirteen patterns focus on four color themes: Cinnamon & Stone, cool stone and slate grays mixed with hot spice and ginger; Duck Egg & Sand, coastal hues from azure
waves to sunny, sandy beaches; Peacock & Emerald, shimmering, iridescent peacock tempered with moonstone and garnet; and White & Bright, soft ivories, graphic brights and hints of bold blacks and whites. Sarah Campbell described the new fabrics as “bold and expressive; a true statement to a new generation of consumers.” Along with the collection for Fabricut, Collier Campbell also is launching new scarves, bags, bed linens and other products. In celebration of the design firm’s 50th anniversary, Collier Campbell has had an exhibition at the National Theatre in London. “This year is an exciting milestone for Collier Campbell,” Campbell said. HTT
Christy’s Newman to Head Designers Guild U.S. Sales, Showroom L ONDON – British firm Design-
ers Guild – known for its bright, refreshing designs – has established a New York showroom at 230 Fifth Avenue and hired exChristy’s exec Oliver Newman as vp of the U.S. business. The new space will showcase Designer Guilds’ fashion bedding, blankets, throws, dec pil-
lows, rugs and home accessories as well as serving as the company’s U.S. headquarters. “Our U.S. business is now at a significant level with a substantial network of outlets as well as a growing ecommerce business offering total nationwide distribution,” said Simon Jeffreys, ceo of Designers Guild Group.
“Oliver joins our business at an exciting time and brings with him great relevant expertise and experience.” Newman was previously president of Christy USA and remained with the luxury British bath and bedding producer after it was acquired by Welspun in July 2006. HTT
Susan Collier, 72 LONDON — Susan Collier, who along with her sister Sarah Campbell, created the legendary Collier Campbell brand of bold, iconic designs that were in the forefront of home textiles design in the 1980s and 1990s, is being remembered around the world following her death of cancer here on May 7. Known for her richly saturated palette and refreshing prints, Collier sold her first designs to Liberty in 1961. Seven years later, she established her own studio and was joined by her sister, Sarah Campbell. Collier Campbell developed into a major European supplier of wholesale fabric whose prints turned up everywhere from Yves St. Laurent ready-to-wear to Marks & Spencer as well as the interior design trade. But it was a line of bed and
bath products for J.P. Stevens starting from the mid-1980s that she will forever be known for in the U. S. home textiles business. “In their day, they really turned the market on its ear when it desperately needed leadership,” said Frank Foley, now president of CHF but at the time an executive who helped to run the program at Stevens. “They had aggressive designs, but they were incredibly commercial,” said Foley, who maint ained a personal friendship with both Collier and Campbell ever since. “They were never a version of somebody else’s designs, they started from scratch. “Both Susan and Sarah were wonderful people and great personalities,” he said. The UK Guardian noted:
“The most famous patterns are in every textbook as exemplars of the art, and many readers would recognize their mother’s curtains, their aunt’s scarf and their wedding-present sheets, but be unaware of the partnership of Collier and her sister Sarah Campbell, who created them.” The line with Stevens continued after the merger of the company with West Point Pepperell, but by the early 1990s it had peaked. Over the years, it was resurrected periodically in the U.S. by several companies, including a line at Kohl’s in 2005. More recently, Fabricut has produced a line of decorative fabrics, the most recent expansion of which was dedicated to Collier at the recent Showtime fabric show in High Point. HTT
7/8/2011 4:16:52 PM
cornerstone of the home textile market Best Building. Best Rent. Best Tenants. That’s why industry leaders such as Mohawk, Glenoit, Shaw, Oriental Weavers, Welspun, Home Dynamix, Gertmanian, YMF Carpets, Achim Importing, KAS Rugs, Carpet Enterprises, Natco Products, Town & Country Living and Ruia Home make 295 Fifth their home. Make it yours, and you can enjoy these advantages: • More actual square footage for your rental $. 295 Fifth has the lowest loss factor in the home textile showroom market.* Compare our space measurements and you’ll see how you’re paying much less for actual square footage at 295. • The most Market Week traffic. 295 Fifth is the only building to rent exclusively to the home textiles, tabletop and gift industries for showrooms. And we have more than double the number of showrooms than any other building. • Free freight service and more freight cars running full-time, including weekends prior to each Market Week. • State-of-the-art security and 15 daytime employees—twice the staff of any comparable building to keep the building spotless and well-serviced.
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Home Textiles Today
July 11, 2011
> hometextilestoday.com
OPINIONTodaY Sobering Stats
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OR D, I T DON’ T COM E E A S Y. The June jobs report released late last week showed a gain of just 18,000 jobs — drastically lower than economists had expected and even worse than the original May report’s 54,000 job increase. About an hour before the report was released, I was reading a piece about job growth on The Atlantic Monthly’s website that offered some sobering statistics: “According to Bureau of Labor Statistics projections, the U.S. economy remains on track to generate 15 million new jobs over EDITOR-IN-CHIEF the next decade. 6.8 million of them will be high-skill, high-wage work in the knowledge, professional, and technical sectors of the economy. The other half will be much lowerpaying, low-skill work in the routine service sector of the economy. More than 45 percent of the U.S. workforce — 60 million workers — already do this kind of work, and they earn just half of what factory workers make — and only a third of what professional, technical and knowledge workers are paid.” The italics are mine. Whenever the economy downshifts, there’s a lot of talk about the squeeze put on middle-tier retailers. Then the economy gets humming again and discount store shoppers start splurging a tier above their pay grade, while mid-tier shoppers splurge at full-on department stores. What the BLS report suggests is more of a permanent wage realignment. Pray that it’s not so, but if the projections prove out it calls into question the recently re-invigorated pace of new store openings by all retailers lacking the word “Dollar” in their nameplate. Stores catering to the traditional middle class professional segment could find themselves battling for a shrinking market. As for suppliers who have been hoping for a return to higher quality standards … don’t hold your breath too long. HTT
Jennifer Marks
Of Mice and Merchants
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K, SO I’M GET T ING a little mixed up with the literary metaphors here, but go with me on this one, will you? Because this is when things are going to start to get really interesting. Over the next 45 days, Warren stores selling home textiles Shoulberg will begin to put on their shelves the merchandise PUBLISHER/ EDITORIAL DIRECTOR they bought late last year and in early 2011 …the merchandise made with cotton that cost about the same as plutonium 239. The very same merchandise that will create a onetime chasm in the wonderful world of home textiles the likes of which we haven’t seen in a long, long time. We all know about cotton prices and how they spiked last winter to astronomical levels. They have receded greatly since then, though they remain about twice as high as two years ago. But, most of the programs for fall 2011 deliveries were quoted, priced and bought under those record raw material prices, and even if some have been adjusted in the interim, you can’t go back and get a refund from cotton growers once you’ve bought your bale. So, retailers putting all of these products into their stores in late summer and early fall are faced with one of three options: Pass along most, if not all, of the increased cost to the consumer; eat most, if not all, of the increased cost themselves;
or roll the dice and settle for something in between. Most retailers who sell sheets and towels pretty much plod along a similar course. A 400-threadcount sheet set is usually similarly priced no matter what the store, and solid color towel programs are benchmarked like Federal Reserve indices. But this is different. How each store chooses to handle the cotton calamity will have a huge impact on that store’s business and subsequently on the business of both its competitors and its suppliers. Most publicly held retailers have talked about passing along at least some portion of the raw material increases to their customers. We’re already starting to see some of this in the marketplace. But others aren’t. They are not in the soft home business (at least not yet, anyway) but H&M, the giant Swedish fashion retailer that has blown into the United States in a big way, has publicly stated it will not pass along any raw material cost increases to its customers. This is a huge play to gain both short-term market share and long-term customer loyalty at a time when achieving either is pretty tough to accomplish. The other thing H&M will do is take an immediate hit on its earnings, something that is already turning up in its most recent financial results. How long the company will hang in there with this strategy remains to be seen but, if cotton prices are truly coming down — and they appear to be right now — H&M’s pain will be short-lived … and its gains could be just as much long-lived. Price guns at the ready, let the drama begin. HTT
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7/8/2011 1:49:13 PM
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Home Textiles Today
July 11, 2011
> hometextilestoday.com
Sourcing Overseas
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E R H A P S N O A S P E C T of buyBloomingdale’s a new buyer’s first three days ing has changed more dramatically of a European trip were spent in Paris, abJeanne than procuring foreign merchandise. sorbing the culture and learning how to travByington el abroad. During these trips we ate in the What an amazing experience it was in the 1960s and 70s when buyers took month- GUEST COLUMNIST best restaurants, stayed in the finest hotels, exlong trips overseas, traveling in great style from plored new cities and visited points of culturcity to city and factory to factory, in quest of al interest during downtime. unique products. But we also worked hard, often traveling In the mid-sixties, for example, as a Home inordinate hours in primitive conditions to Furnishings Fashion Coordinator for Bloomout-of-the way suppliers in our constant quest ingdale’s, each spring I made three consecufor something new. With all this exposure, we tive one-month swings around Europe with learned practically all there was to know about our table linen buyer, our housewares senior our products and became acknowledged exmerchant, and finally, with our blanket buyer. perts in our merchandise classifications. We Later, as modern furniture buyer, I made spring trips to were also involved with our products from their “cradle Scandinavia, fall trips to Italy, and for quite some time flew to the grave” often creating, sometimes uncrating and to Paris every weekend to buy one-of-a-kind artisan furni- displaying, always pricing, inventorying, and occasionture. Buyers went almost anywhere for special products ally even selling them to the customer. and developed strong relationships with key suppliers. Later, in the mid-70s, as department stores came Most department stores traveled like Bloomingda- under attack by mass merchants, stores like Macy’s all le’s, and managements viewed foreign buying trips as but abandoned Europe and began to concentrate on more than just merchandise-procuring trips, but also the Far East, visiting both fairs and factories, in search as educational and developmental opportunities. So, at of large quantities of mainstream products at sharp pric-
Invista’s Dacron Lends a Hand to Troops for Independence Day KENNESAW, GA. — In honor and
support of U.S. troops this Independence Day, the North American Dacron fiberfill brand team of Invista shipped hundreds of miniature pillows bearing the brand’s fiber quality seal to American medical units in Afghanistan. Additionally, the company will also be donating a bale of Dacron’s branded fiberfill to Pillows for Patriots, an organization created by two military moms in South Carolina looking to pro-
vide small, compact pillows for combat troops stationed in farflung places. The fiberfill will be used by family-owned Harris Pillow Supply of Beaufort, S.C., to manufacture thousands more of the miniature pillows, which are “perfectly sized to fit into each soldier’s field pack,” Dacron noted. Travel pillows are not a government-issued item for the troops, who are often on the move, under threat of combat-
ants, Dacron noted. “As we celebrate Independence Day, it is impossible to not forget the brave young men and women on the front lines representing all that America stands for,” said Brian Nix, segment manager for Invista’s North America fiberfill business. “The Dacron brand has a long heritage and relationship with today’s consumers and it’s sure to be a familiar, reassuring reminder of home for our troops.” HTT
es. By the 80s, most department stores had formed or joined foreign buying services, like the Associated Merchandising Corporation, which gathered samples from around the world and presented them to the buyers. These organizations usually held two-or three-day merchandise meetings, often abroad, which became the extent of the buyer’s foreign travel. Today, with the emphasis on price and value, buyers no longer travel the world in search of uniqueness. Instead, vendors bring the products from overseas to them, or the buyer’s import person searches abroad for inexpensive production capabilities or cheap labor. While undoubtedly more efficient, it is certainly not as personal, nor does it afford the unforgettable globetrotting adventures that we sometimes had. Returning from a buying trip in 1976, I stopped in Russia to refresh. I was constantly shadowed during my visit, and when departing was silently, menacingly detained for many hours by airport security. Afraid I might not be permitted to leave, imagine my exaltation when finally boarding the plane to America … just in time for our Bicentennial celebration on July 4! HTT
Letter
To The Editor Salespeople the Industry’s Lifeblood
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hank you for the fine article in the June 20th edition of HTT. I am honored to be named as one of the “Living Legends” of our industry. The interview was a very accurate representation of my views with a singular exception: If I inadvertently referred to the industry’s sales force in a negative manner, I certainly did not intend to do so. Avanti has always cherished our salesmen and women! We employ them on a world-wide basis and they are, certainly, the “life blood” of our industry. No one holds them in higher esteem than myself. Had I not founded Avanti those many years ago, I would probably have had a career in sales — and would have loved it! — Arthur Tauber, Chairman, Avanti Linens, Inc.
CHECK US OUT ON THE WEB
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Home Textiles Today
July 11, 2011
News
CSN Stores Raises $165 Million in Capital BOSTON — CSN Stores, recently ranked by Internet Retailer as the second largest online retailer in the home furnishings category, has raised $165 million from four venture capital and private equity firms that will help the fast-growing company consolidate its catalog under the Wayfair.com brand name. It marked the first time in the retailer’s nine-year history that it raised outside capital. The company also said it is the first step toward an initial public stock
offering, which could take place in the next four to five years. CSN, which sells home goods and furniture through more than 200 websites, had sales of $380 million last year - an increase of more than 50% from 2009. It is on track to rack up sales of more than $500 million this year. The company said it will begin its re-branding later this summer when it begins consolidating websites such as Luggage. com, Strollers.com and many others into a single mega-site
called Wayfair.com. The consolidation is expected to take about a year to complete. The four investment firms Battery Ventures, Spark Capital, HarbourVest Partners and Great Hill Partners - will each have a representative on CSN’s board of directors and will be active advisers in the company’s future growth. The company said the new investors were selected by CSN’s founders, ceo Niraj Shah and chairman Steven Conine. HTT
The Robert Allen Group to Launch Collection at Calico Corners N EW YORK — Calico Corners
- Calico Home this month will debut a collection of home fabrics created by The Robert Allen Group under the name Robert Allen for Calico Corners - Calico Home. The collection will be carried at the retailer’s 85 locations and on www.calicocorners.com. “We’re proud to have been
selected by Calico Corners to create a broad sample book library of high-end fabrics that will be an exciting new offering at all their stores across the country,” said Greg Tarver, president of The Robert Allen Group. The initial collections will consist of 14 fabric sample books, each edited in easy-toshop assortments of coordinated
fabrics grouped by color or by purpose (e.g., fabrics suitable for window treatments). Calico president Roy Simpson Jr. said the collections “deepen our unique offering of fine decorative fabrics, further enhancing our position as a leading design resource to customers throughout the United States.” HTT
Portico Home Evolves N EW YORK — Portico Home +
Spa is changing its name to Portico Brand Group and has added apparel to its portfolio as its shifts focus to acquiring brands with organic and sustainability credentials. The first addition to the group is F.A.S.E. (Fashion. Art.
Soul. Earth.), whose founder, Marci Zaroff, has joined Portico Brand Group as chief marketing and sustainability officer. Zaroff, a sustainable fashion and textiles authority who trademarked the tern EcoFashion in 1995, sits on the boards of the Textile Exchange, Fair Trade
USA?TransFair, LEAF and the Green Spa Network. “From fiber to finished product to packaging, uncompromising environmental, health and social compliance is paramount for the Portico Brand Group,” said Megan Wsieman, Portico’s brand director. HTT
Biltmore Inspirations Direct Marketing Program to Launch A SHEVILLE, N.C. — Biltmore is
in the process of rolling out Biltmore Inspirations, its first direct selling program in which independent consultants across the country will offer Biltmore products to consumers in a home party environment. The initial product launch - an estate-inspired collection of home décor, tabletop, kitchen textiles, chef-selected foods, wine accessories and regional
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artist-inspired products -- is set for July 1. The group created its Facebook page in late May and, a few days later, premiered pages there from the debut Biltmore Inspirations catalog of product, recipes and consultant profiles. Home parties will begin next month. A team of 12 direct-to-company independent consultants is tasked with fielding a larger
nation-wide field of consultants. The group is also serving as the first advisory council for the business, participating in focus groups related to product development, marketing, and strategic planning, and responsible for training and coaching their teams using company-provided materials, corporate-sponsored events, team meetings, weekly trainings, and one-on-one coaching. HTT
> hometextilestoday.com
NYIGF Reprises SustainAbility Segment W H I T E P L A I N S , N.Y. — The New York International Gift Fair will include a SustainAbility display featuring 179 products from 125 companies during its summer show in New York, which runs Aug. 13-18. The products will be contenders for the semi-annual Eco Choice Awards, co-sponsored by NYIGF and GreenRetailer during the show. A full SustainAbility participant list, including detailed product descriptions, is available online at http://nyigf.com/TheShow/ Sustainability.aspx. Two seminars addressing sustainability issues and opportunities t ake place during NYIGF. “Certification, Standards & Compliance” will be held on Aug. 15 from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m., with Susan Szenasy of Metropolis Magazine and
Susan Inglis of the Sustainable Furniture Council describing the evolution of green products and business practices as well as new developments in certifications, standards and compliance. On Aug. 16, “The Fair Trade Kitchen” will be presented from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. Renee Bowers of the Fair Trade Federation will outline Fair Trade basics and address high-quality kitchen and table products with societal and cultural impact. Anna Wolfe of The Gourmet Retailer will moderate the session. Tickets for each session are $20 advance and $25 onsite, or $30 in advance and $40 onsite for both SustainAbility seminars. Advance registration is available online at www.nyigf. com/programs. HTT
Gift Fair Offers Mobile App for Show N EW YORK — The New York International Gift Fair has upgraded a free Wayfinder App for mobile devices to help attendees and exhibitors navigate the trade show, which takes place Aug. 13-17 at the Javits Center and Piers here. The app can be downloaded through iTunes, the Android Market, BlackBerry App World and search.nyigf.com/mobile/ aspx.
“Based on user feedback, we’ve upgraded our mobile offerings with a new keyword search that returns immediate – and very targeted – information,” said Dorothy Belshaw , director of the NYIGF and a senior vp of fair organizer GLM. In addition to booth and product information, the app accesses the fair’s seminar schedule, special events, shuttle bus schedule and floorplans. HTT
Sawgrass Mills to Expand Colonnade Luxury Section by 40,000 Square Feet SUNRISE, FLA. — The country’s largest outlet mall, Sawgrass Mills, is expanding its luxury section – The Colonnade Outlets – by 40,000 square feet and more than 20 new stores. This new addition is part of a significant retail expansion for Sawgrass, which is already home to more than 350 retailers. It is expected to open in fall 2012.
Sawgrass Mills said there is agrowing demand for luxury retailers in the upscale section. Already on the new luxury store roster are Tory Burch, Under Armour Factory House, DKNY Company Store, Desigual, Original Penguin and Max Studio, plus expansions by Forever 21, Calvin Klein, American Eagle Outfitters and Aeropostale. HTT
7/8/2011 4:19:40 PM
© GLM 2011 ®
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New York International Gift Fair
A U G U S T 1 3 – 1 8 , 2 0 11 l PIERS 92 & 94, NYC
JAVITS CENTER
Classic Wasabi Couef—Couef Inc. by Jamie Schachtel Design Group
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Home Textiles Today
July 11, 2011
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First Monday: Specialty Retailing
Hockey Couple Teams up to Open Lux Home Shop in Illinois H INSDALE , I LL — In this tony
suburb of Chicago, home to Illinois’ wealthiest 1% (according to Wikipedia), local celebrity Kelly Sopel is gearing up for the grand opening of her new high-end home furnishings shop, Simple Privileges. While the effort is largely her own, Sopel said her family is working as a team to kick off this new business, which softopened in May but will officially grand open in late July or early August.
“Business so far it has been great. We’re busier every day,” Sopel said. An “immense help” in running the business has been her husband, Brent, a National Hockey League champ who won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010. As Sopel puts it, he is contently spending his summer vacation “running errands and even making deliveries.” She said sometimes he catches customers off guard
“It was really quick how this all happened. I secured the space in one day, and then I just started working from there.” —KELLY SOPEL
when he shows up to drop off orders. “But then, it’s OK.”
“Design is my wife’s passion, and I am happy and excited to support her in her new adventure,” Brent Sopel told HTT. Their four kids — Jake, 13; Lyla, 9; Jayla, 7; and Paul, 21 (whom the couple adopted) – also get involved helping with smaller tasks. “I think it’s every mother’s dream to do something they really love and are truly passionate about [professionally] without having to give up family time,” Sopel said. “First and
foremost, I am a mom and wife, and this [business] will always come secondary to that. But it is great that I don’t have to choose. Having four children and a family, this is the perfect situation for me now. The store is two minutes from my house, and my kids walk here from school. And I have a home office where my seamstress is based. I’m really lucky.” The idea for the shop came suddenly to Sopel one morning – and that was all it took to get
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her started. “It was really quick how this all happened,” she explained. “I woke up one morning and thought I’d get a retail space and just do this. I secured the space in one day, and then I just started working from there.” Already on board was a seamstress, who Sopel started working with about five years ago when she first began selling custom decorative pillows made from her ample collection of current and vint age designer scarves.
“Design is my wife’s passion, and I am happy and excited to support her in her new adventure.” —BRENT SOPEL “I did this for my own home. I would take my vintage Louis Vuittons or any of my scarves – I must have 300 to 400 in my collection – and I’d make them into decorative pillows or I’d fame them and hang them in my house instead of art. They were the art on the walls,” Sopel explained. Soon enough, she said, “people came over and asked to buy [my pillows].” Sopel made custom pieces for friends from her own scarf collection, then demand increased until she finally realized she could turn her hobby into a design and retail business. Now, with a 500-squarefoot, three-room store, which she compared in look and feel
“to a Parisian apartment,” she is offering both finished and custom-made designer scarf decorative pillows. Her line currently numbers somewhere between 50 to 100 styles, she said, and includes a separate collection of her favorite kind of throws – cashmere. Sopel’s design know-how stems from the “plenty of experience” she has garnered over the past decade. “I got married very young and never went to college — with my husband’s career, it was impossible for me,” she explained. “We’ve been married 10 years, and in that time we’ve lived in 11 different homes, and I redesigned and decorated each one of them. Whenever we’ve had to move, I’ve picked a house that had to be redone and it kept me busy. So it’s true that I have no formal design background. But I do have plenty of experience.” To keep her style fresh, Sopel said she designed and decorated each of her homes differently. “Some have been very traditional. My house now is more French and is done in blacks, whites and grays. I’ve done one house in which every wall was chocolate brown. No house is ever the same.” Her staple: Chandeliers. “I love them, and I put them in every room.” Now, she hopes her dec pillows will also become a central component in her retail business. Sopel’s on-staff seamstress cuts and sews almost the entirety of the pillow line – which is dominated by scarf looks but also includes some
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Kelly Sopel’s new Simple Privileges store in the high-end Chicago suburb of Hinsdale is often referred to, in-house, as “The Girls Club.” The home furnishings shop’s signature line consists of the designer-scarf dec pillow created by Sopel, who also offers custom decorating services.
regular fabric styles. “I go shopping a lot and whatever fabric hits me at the time, I buy it and go with it,” Sopel said. “Scarves are my main focus but we have tons of other looks like velvet and more that I have made from high-end fabrics” by the likes of Scalamandre, Osborne & Little, Schumacher, Kravet, Robert Allen, Cowtan & Tout, and Brunschwig & Fils. “People bring in a lot of their own scarves, too,” Sopel added. Simple Privileges also carries a limited assortment of designer branded pillows, including Trina Turk and Designers Guild, “but
that makes up the smallest portion of our business.” In the near future, she plans to expand the merchandise breadth. By November, Sopel expects her collection to be entirely private label – wearing the Simple Privileges brand – and she also plans on including furniture in her offerings. Guests invited to the exclusive grand-opening event later this summer will get a preview of the new furniture line and the private label program, which will include dec pillows, throws and a candle collection.
Sopel does not intend to add bedding or bath. She instead wants to stay focused on selling “the finishing touches of a room – all the fun things that complete the look.” As for a design theme – she is flexible. “I’m going with whatever I feel like at the moment.” She does want to build on her supplier list for her dec pillows and throws, as she is open to finding new resources to expand her private label offerings. A revamped e-commerce website – www.simpleprivileges. com – is also in the works and expected to be up and running by this fall. HTT
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7/6/2011 10:38:41 AM
presents
INTERTEXTILE SHANGHAI HOME TEXTILES HTT/SHOW ISSUE The most important textiles trade show in Asia now has its own English-language show issue, complete with show overview, new products, news and opinions, plus information on what to see in Shanghai. With official distribution at the Fair, Home Textiles Today will be the go-to resource for buyers looking for show information
and deciding which exhibitors to visit. Don’t miss the chance to get your marketing message in front of the fastest-growing market in the world. Complete information on the advertising opportunities in this special show-only issue of HTT is available from your Home Textiles Today sales representative.
YOUR GATEWAY TO ASIA
HOME TEXTILES SOURCING EXPO JULY 2011 SEMINAR SCHEDULE Tuesday, July 19, 2011 1:00 PM The Cellulosic Gap Franz Martin Haemmerle, Independent Textile Consultant
With the 2030 world population estimated to grow by 20%, how will we use our natural resources to meet the needs of the planet? The burden on arable land and water will be greatly influenced. The demand for all textile fibers will increase and approximately one-third of textile fibres will need to be cellulosic fibers. What is the future of fibers and what direction do you need to start moving in? 2:30 PM Retail Challenges for the Home Textiles Industry Jennifer Negley, Editor of Home Textiles Today
Many of the hot-button issues the industry is currently grappling with will still be impacting business through 2012, higher raw material costs, higher labor costs, the reconfiguring of product by suppliers and retails to deal with current market conditions and sourcing constraints, including consumer behavior. 4:00 PM How to Source Duty-Free Textiles from Egypt Dr. Ashraf El Rabiey – Consulate Head of Trade Office of Egypt in New York
Learn about the Egyptian economy and the current political situation. Get insights on how to promote business among US and Egyptian partners and an update on the Home Textile and Garment industry in the country. Find out also how your company can source duty free textiles from Egypt. The qualified industrial zones protocol among US-Egypt and Israel as well as the agreements linking Egypt with other trade partners will also be discussed.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011 11:00 AM Sourcing Home Textiles from Pakistan – Challenges and Opportunities Imran Lateef, Founder and CEO of Texlynx – a global sourcing company
Global sourcing dynamics are always changing, and companies are faced with the challenge of importing goods from the market overseas. Texlynx is one of the largest sourcing companies in Pakistan. Imran Lateef will discuss what a company needs to know about sourcing in Pakistan today and in the future. Pakistan’s provider advantages, strengths and weaknesses. What to look for in a relationship from a mill and what you need to know about costs, product quality, freight, trade policy and customs, timelines.
Visit the Lenzing Product Pavilion displaying new developments in finished product. Including Bedding Accessories, Children’s Products and Upholstery Textiles. Located adjacent to the Lenzing booth at #3005
3:00PM Color Direction: Twists, Turns and Trends for home furnishings in 2012 Laurie Pressman, Vice-President, Fashion, Home and Interiors
The road map to color for home furnishings in 2012 is filled with interesting new directions. Some paths lead to exhilarating tones and novel color combinations, while others display the more classic hues in a different kind of “mix”. The continuing challenge and goal will be in keeping the consumer visually engaged by blending the playful with the practical. To reach that destination, color is the compass.
To register: http://www.hometextilessourcing.com/ Contact: Nina Nadash n.nadash@lenzng.com
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Rugs
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Atlanta Rug Introductions 828 INTERNATIONAL TRADING CO. Greenville, S.C. (864) 329-9269 A new garden of looks has sprung for the Sienna collection of floral designs on two-toned backgrounds for a space-dyed look on a 100% polyester handhooked construction made in China. Offering a different take on florals is the Ellington collection, a more traditional and embellished line that is made in India. The wool and silk construction is 60-count, hand-tufted and acidwashed finished with handcarved details. CAPEL INC. Troy, NC (910) 572-7000 In the spotlight are four new collections for varying tastes. Wildlife is a Safari-style collection of modern, bold and sleek skins in an updated palette. Made of an olefin/polyester blend and machine woven in Belgium, this collection comes in two styles — Zebra and Bengal. The Chalet collection marries French country to American traditional, drawing inspiration for texture and color from feed sacks, linen and burlap. The result is a casual grouping of U.S.A.-made rugs constructed of a blend of nylon, wool, polyester, rayon, acrylic and other fibers. Chalet is available in two colorways — gray and rouge. The metallic yarns interwoven into the olefin, polyester and acrylic blend construction add an extra spark to the fun to the new Picnic collection of durable synthetic casual rugs. Machine woven in Belgium, Picnic rugs come in three patterns, each of which is available in five neutral hues. The Spinning Wheels collection depicts circles in flux and appropriately arranged “for a serious floor amour,” Capel said. The wool pieces are hand-tufted in India and come in four colorways: straw, sky, indigo and cocoa. COMPANY C INC. Concord, N.H. (603) 226-4460 Company C brings fine art to the floor with its new Landscape collection. The company commissioned artist Jennifer Hansen to create her interpretation of a landscape-themed oil painting, and translated it into a hooked
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and tufted 100% wool rug. The gradations of color in the sky and trees form an almost abstract backdrop for a room, turning the focal point from the walls to underfoot. Landscape rugs are GoodWeave certified. COURISTAN Fort Lee, N.J. (201) 585-8500 Couristan will be presenting more than 15 new area rug introductions, including design additions to many of the company’s most popular handmade and power-loomed lines. Two lines in particular — Easton and Outdoor Escape — are being expanded with bold looks to offer a new alternative to today’s casual-contemporary home décor trends. Picturesque renditions of summer pastimes are interpreted in the new Outdoor Escape offerings, including novelty looks like the Fresh Citrus design of oversized lemon wedges and orange slices. With its hand-hooked construction, Outdoor Escape rugs have a textured loop pile for added dimension. These rugs are made of 100% fiber-enhanced Courtron polypropylene. The handmade Super-Indo Natural Collection is also a highlight for the company at market. Hand-crafted of wool blends, this collection offers an eco-friendly choice with its textured and tonal design perspective. Pave is one of Couristan’s new power-loomed introductions. Made of 100% viscose silk and a cotton-chenille weft, these highlow constructed rugs boast a soft touch. DYNAMIC RUGS Frederick, Md. (240) 405-1360 The company is making music with its new Symphony collection of hand-tufted rugs in transitional and contemporary looks. Symphony employs a combination of different polyester yarns in a trend-right color palette. Dynamic is also introducing its Dynamak collection, which has been made using a new construction technique that the company pioneered. Dynamak pieces offer the look of hand-woven Soumaks but for a moderate retail price. Handmade in India of 100% wool, the rugs are flat woven with the same pile thickness and backing strength of hand-
tufted rugs.
Kas Rugs
HOMEFIRES LIVING Chamblee, Ga. (800) 782-1198 Homefires, sister company to Home Comfort, is introducing the new Sunflower Provence design by artist April Cornell. Made for the porch, sunroom or kitchen, this new rug is available in four sizes from accent through area. It is made of acrylic fibers for durability and is hand-hooked in China. HOME COMFORT Chamblee, Ga. (800) 782-1198 Home Comfort, sister company to Homefires, is launching a new collection of holiday-themed accent rugs under the Jellybean brand with artist Jennifer Brinley. Available in two novelty styles — Holiday Owl and Snowman — the 22-by-34 inch hand-hooked accent rugs are made of a polypropylene and acrylic fiber blend, 35% of it recycled materials. JAIPUR RUGS Norcross, Ga. (404) 351-2360 Reminiscent of Spain’s Catalonian region are the rugs that make up the new Barcelona collection of indoor and outdoor rugs. Handhooked of 100% polypropylene, Jaipur said it was inspired by “the rich history and range of design movements that have defined the architecture” of the city for which the collection is named. Also new from Jaipur for market is the Flux collection of polyester hand-woven shag rugs made in China. Flux’s highly-textured construction is designed to offer added comfort underfoot. KARASTAN Sugar Valley, Ga. (800) 241-4494 Wisteria vines in shades of plum and camel meander across a taupe field in Karastan’s new Forest Hills Taupe rug, the company’s new addition to its Carmel Collection. Carmel rugs come in a selection of floral motifs, sophisticated graphic patterns and modern damasks, and each is woven on Wilton looms in the U.S.A. of two-ply nylon yarn. KAS RUGS Somerset, N.J. (732) 545-1900 The Bliss collection has been expanded to 14 available colors. Handmade of “cashmere-like”
on a 45mm pile-height of heatset frieze yarn. MOHAWK HOME Sugar Valley, Ga. (800) 241-4494 For its licensed program with Woolrich, the company is debuting five new indoor/outdoor rugs Two of these are: Ferndale, a botanical border design interpreted on a 100% olefin construction; and Classic Weave Chestnut, also made of 100% olefin but featuring a more lodgetype look with its red, chestnut and khaki check weave pattern.
polyester in China, the shag grouping is available in nine new hues — including canary yellow and highlander blue. The machine-made Moda collection has also been expanded with more than 20 new designs, including a retro style called Black Bella. Moda rugs are machine-loomed in heat-set polypropylene and feature contemporary patterns and designs. LINON HOME DÉCOR PRODUCTS Mineola, N.Y. (516) 699-1000 Linon is introducing seven new stocking collections of area rugs. They include: Florence, a 100% wool hand tufted grouping of Florentine transitional styles made in India; Milan, an eclectic transitional and contemporary collection of 45 designs inspired by prêt-a-porter designs launched in last year’s Milan fashion week and featuring a 13mm pile height made of heatset polypropylene; the Corfu collection of machine-made and hand-carved rugs made of a fine heat-set polypropylene frieze yarn and constructed in a 13mm pile height; Metro, a grouping of contemporary designs and color stories on a power-loomed 100% polypropylene construction that has been hand carved and has an 11mm pile height; the Trio SpaceDyed collection of 30 new rugs featuring a space-dyed polyester yarn for an abrash effect on a variety of constructions such as cut and loop, high-low, and handcarved piles; the 10-color Confetti Shag, a new shiny polyester thick shag style that meets the U.S.’s flammability regulations; and the Andros Shag collection, which comprises two contemporary designs in 10 fashion colors
NOURISON Saddle Brook, N.J. (201) 3686900 In the spotlight this market are two new collections — Contour and Stylebright. Contour collections rugs are hand-tufted in China and feature transitional and contemporary patterns in rich palettes. The 10% polyester rugs are constructed in a dense cut-and-loop pile for added texture and a bold contrast, and some pieces have been hand carved for added dimension. Stylebright rugs nod to the 1960s and 70s with their retromodern looks interpreted on a 100% polyester shag construction. Hand-tufted in China, the Stylebright collection is available in a variety of period colors, including denim, flame, sand, white and aqua. ORIAN RUGS Anderson, S.C. (800) 845-9729 The company is expanding its U.S.A.-made Carolina Wild line of 100% olefin rugs. New looks include Jacqueline, a sophisticated shag that is densely woven and available in an elegant palette. The 100% wool Heritage collection of domestically made rugs bases its designs on the “return to Americana roots, and the days when times were better,” the company said. There are 50 patterns in this grouping, each available in three color ways of earthy tones. Hudson is all about texture and varying carved pile heights combined with soft chenille yarns. Orian has added 25 new designs here in 6 trend-right color ways SEE INTROS PAGE 21
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Lenzing AG, A-4860 Lenzing, Austria
e Textil Homeevent ing enter Sourc vits C 21st a J b Jaco 9th com at the YC, July 1 .htfse. w w w in N er: regist Please
The fiber brand for the botanic bed TENCEL速 is made from wood and is thus 100 % from Nature. TENCEL速 can be used in lots of different ways in beds, starting with mattresses and mattress overlays, to bed covers and bed linens, through to lingerie. Thus a completely botanic bed becomes a reality. Lenzing Fibers, Inc. 530 Seventh Avenue, Suite 808, New York, NY 10018-3508 Phone: 212 944-7898, E-Mail: n.nadash@lenzing.com
www.lenzing.com/tencel
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Rugs
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Summer 2011 Rug Preview Area rug suppliers are giving retail buyers a reason to attend the various markets this summer. Their latest batch of soft floor covering offerings demonstrate varied sources of inspiration but similar efforts to execute design innovatively. From Ikats to fine art paintings to foreign lands to nature’s subtleties, the gallery of new rug styles demonstrates how suppliers are broadening their design scope, looking for beauty in sometimes unexpected places to then reinterpret it for the floor. Blue and gray shades are this season’s anchor palettes with the help of more saturated neutral like taupes and browns. Brighter pops of color – bright corals, crimsons and chartreuse -are still important, except in less overt ways. HTT 1
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3 1. Surya Inc. is introducing the Matmi collection of classic Ikat fabricinspired looks interpreted in bold and contemporary color palettes. The rugs are made of 100% wool and are hand-tufted in India. 2. Orian Rugs is building its Carolina Wild collection of sophisticated woven shag rugs with new colors and styles. Made in a thick 35mm pile height, these rugs are made in the USA of 100% olefin. 3. Capel Rugs is taking the animal skins trend to contemporary heights with this new interpretation dubbed Wildlife Zebra. Made in Belgium, this olefin-and-polypropylene blended rug comes in other skin styles and colors. 4. Rizzy Home is showing its Country collection of hand-tufted loop rugs made of New Zealand wool-blend in India. 5. Company C commissioned artist Jennifer Hansen to paint an abstract scenic oil painting to recreate it on this hooked and tufted wool rug titled Landscape, seen here in the crimson colorway. 6. Peking Handicraft broadens the scope of the holidays with several new hooked novelty accent rugs by artist Scott Church, whose work depicts animals in festive scenes, like these elephants toting a Christmas tree.
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Rugs
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Summer 2011 Rug Preview 2
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1. Homefires and artist/designer April Cornell have collaborated to design a new batch of washable hooked accent rugs, among them Sunflower Provence in blues, yellows and whites 2. Trans-Ocean’s ongoing partnership with designer Liora Manne continues to generate new contemporary styles, like this one titled Inca Lava in the sunrise charcoal. Made in a 100% wool pile construction, Inca Lava rugs feature boldly colored striations.
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3. United Weavers is introducing the olefin-made Vantage collection, which comes in 15 designs including this one titled Devereaux. 4. Shaw Living’s Bob Timberlake collection reinterprets the artist’s realistic scenic paintings that depict rural Southern living. The rugs are machine-woven in the USA of Shaw’s own EverTouch nylon, making them recyclable. 5. Couristan is expanding its handmade Super-Indo Natural collection with new styles, like this patchwork titled Freeflow, which is made of 100% un-dyed wool. 6. Mohawk Home’s Woolrich program is being enhanced with five new indoor/outdoor rugs, including this plaid called Classic Weave Chestnut. 7. Harounian Rugs International pays homage to Brazil with the new Sao Paulo collection of handmade patchwork leather rugs. Made in India and available in two designs, these pieces are inspired by the mosaic aspects in architecture of this South American capital city.
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Rugs
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Summer 2011 Rug Preview 1
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1. Jaipur Rugs’ new Barcelona collection of indoor and outdoor rugs is hand-hooked from 100% polypropylene. Designs, like Figuera here, and draws inspiration from the Catalan region in Spain’s northern Mediterranean coast. 2. Oriental Weavers’ Salerno collection of Persian patterns spans antique palettes through contemporary color stories to offer a range of interpretations on these machine-woven 100% space-dyed nylon rugs manufacturer in the United States. 3. Nourison takes its cues from nature’s organic lines to create the new Contour collection of hand-tufted area rugs in transitional and contemporary patterns in rich palettes. Design details are carved deeply into the dense, cut-and-loop pile for a dramatic texture and bold contrast on these 100% polyester rugs that are made in China. 4. Kalaty Rugs’ new Echo collection of modern geometric rugs comprises tone-on-tone patterns on a handcrafted and hand-carved 100% wool construction. 5. 828 International Trading Co.’s Sienna collection of floral rugs is blooming with several new designs that feature flowers set on two-toned backgrounds for a space-dyed look on a 100% polyester hand-hooked construction. 6. Karastan Rugs takes wisteria vines in shades of plum and camel and lets them meander across a taupe field in this new addition – Forest Hills Taupe – to its Wilton-woven, USA-made Carmel collection of nylon rugs. 7. Dynamic Rugs’ new Dynamak collection employs a construction the company created to offer the look of hand-woven Soumaks but at aggressive retail prices. Handmade in India of 100% wool yarn, the rugs are flat woven with pile thickness and the backing strength of hand-tufted rugs and feature traditional Oriental and transitional designs.
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News
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1. Angela Adams’ Sea Fantasy design depicts a vivid underwater scene on a hand-tufted 100% New Zealand wool construction. The piece can be used as a rug or wall tapestry. 2. Momeni is looking to reach a meditative state with a new collection of natural-fiber rugs called Zen. The rugs are hand-tufted of 100% wool with bamboo silk highlights. 3. Safavieh’s latest Martha Stewart-branded offerings include an Oriental field of poppies in bloom. This intricate 100% wool rug, a canvas of cut-pile blossoms on a loop-pile background, is hand-knotted in India. 4. The Creative Touch is showing an assortment of contemporary hand-knotted rugs made of wool, such as Blue Modern, which is part of the company’s Ikat collection. 5. C&F Enterprises is introducing more than 20 new accent rug designs spanning coastal, nautical and lodge as well as harvest and spring styles.
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News
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Rug Introductions INTROS FROM PAGE 12 PEKING HANDICRAFT INC. San Francisco (800) 872-6888 PHI is unveiling seven new hook rugs in seasonal themes — Halloween and winter/holiday — with the company’s newest licensee, artist Scott Church. Six of the pieces are winterholiday inspired and feature animals that are both familiar and foreign to holiday décor. Colorful and fashion-forward, the designs include a zebra standing in falling snow, three penguin kings a la Magi bearing gifts, elephants carrying a Christmas tree, and a hedgehog pulling a sleigh of gifts. Church also offers more traditionally-themed creations, which feature snowmen and dogs. The seventh piece is a playful
Atlanta Rug Market ATLANTA FROM PAGE 1
“Although it’s usually a slower market for us in terms of traffic, the Atlanta July market looks to be very productive this year with several key customer meetings scheduled throughout the week,” said Jason Moody, creative director of Jaipur Rugs. “It’s also an important opportunity for us to reconnect with our national sales team, providing training on new sales programs and product introductions.” Conscious that price “continues to play a large role with several of our buyers,” Moody added, Jaipur “continues to respond to this trend with several new, fashion-forward collection introductions offered at popular price points.” These include synthetic indoor/outdoor varieties that speak to two trends: shoppers’ orientation toward value-priced goods and at-home entertainment as an economical alternative to dining out. “The outdoor/indoor category is so important right now, and for it we are showing pillows, rugs and mats — products
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port rugs are made in the United States of 100% olefin.
SAFAVIEH Port Washington, N.Y. (516) 945-1900 Safavieh will introduce 23 new Martha Stewart-branded rugs This expanded offering to her collection includes eight designs in a new palette that emphasizes contemporary earth tones, and floral patterns are also shown in vivid new variations of primary colors. All are hand-tufted in India of 100% wool and made in a cut-pile and combinations of cut and loop pile constructions. Motifs fall into three major design directions — abstracted animal prints, poppy floral patterns, and stylized transitional stripes and mosaics inspired by contemporary art.
SHAW LIVING Dalton, Ga. (800) 282-7429 The Bob Timberlake collection interprets the artist’s romantic and scenic Southern-lifestyle inspired work onto soft floor coverings for any room of the home. Shaw calls the collection “a celebration of a slower pace, a sense of history and an appreciation of nature.” The rugs are machine-woven in the United States of Shaw’s own EverTouch-branded nylon and are completely recyclable. Also new for market is the Newport collection, a grouping that is designed to “bridge the past with the present” with its fusion of classic earth tones of the past with contemporary accent hues like dove gray and denim blue on modern and transitional designs that draw inspiration from ikat looks, Native American textiles, florals, organic circles layered with transparent patterns, modern geometrics and even retro 20th century design. New-
SURYA INC. Calhoun, Ga. (877) 275-7847 Surya is launching five new collections at market. Dreamscape introduces the aesthetic of the Tepper Jackson brand to soft flooring. With its 1950s retro style, Tepper Jackson funky florals, cool waves and other throw-back styles translate onto hand-tufted, 100% New Zealand wool rugs that are made in India. Fallon depicts a range of looks, from delicate lattices to boldlycolored chevron patterns, all taken from the artwork of ceramicist Jill Rosenwald. All made in a flatweave construction, these rugs are hand-woven of 100% New Zealand wool in India. Banshee features designs that “scream” for attention. Crafted of hard-twist wool with viscose accents, these rugs feature
with very wide appeal,” noted designer Liora Manne, who is launching several new collections with longtime partner Trans-Ocean. “We are excited,” she went on. “We are expecting lots of walk-in traffic and new customers. Price is import ant, however, our product is fashion, and retailers are coming to us for the bright colors and the uplifting designs.” Linon also has a heftier appointment list for market than it had a year ago, said Steve Mazarakis, who heads the company’s rug business. “A lot of key players will be attending, and many of the smaller accounts will be coming as well,” he said. “The majority will be still looking for price and value and they will be trying to get the best look for their dollar.” But Mazarakis believes that as long as the housing market continues to be slow, “so will be the home furnishing business as we know it. Where there was once a large market for midprice-level products, it seems it is now [focused on] high-end for the rich and [lower-end] affordable for everyone else.” Capel Rugs holds a contrary
view. “Definitely our mid- to high-end collections are what are selling best, and that is where buyers will be looking,” observed Allen Robertson, vp of sales. “We have really strengthened our collections that retail from $999 to $1,499 in the 8by-11 size, and these represent areas that we have always been successful.” Robertson said this is the result of an improving economy. “My instinct is that we have weathered the worst of the financial storm. The customers that usually come [to market] will be here … I feel certain that we will write more business than we did last. Several dealers have shared with us that store traffic is increasing and many need to buy new fresh rugs.” Capel is presenting 75 new rugs, “with much emphasis on new creative transitional and soft contemporary designs,” Robertson added. Natco/Central Orient al is also seeing a slight shift in retailers’ attention on price, said Jim Thompson, vp of sales and marketing. “At the past few markets all of the action has been in the lower opening price points
with retailers looking to add value priced rugs to their assortments,” he said. “But I am finally hearing that there is a need for better rugs with slightly higher retails.” He added: “I do not foresee a dramatic up-swing in retail prices, but at least they are going in the right direction … It is still a matter of quality over quantity, and if vendors make their appointments the buyers who do attend are likely to buy. The retailers who attend the summer markets are driving the rug business in their market place and despite tough economic conditions are selling rugs and, hopefully, buying rugs for the upcoming fall selling season. From a product standpoint I expect to see retails creep up, which is good news.” Anticipating the typical summer traffic is Joyce Lowe, Nourison’s national sales director, rugs. “We expect our business to be steady. The summer markets are always slower we do not expect to write more than we did last summer,” she said, adding that the company’s appointment book for this market is “slightly lower” versus last summer.
Halloween rug showcasing trickor-treaters in their costumes making their way through a patch of trees littered with jack-o-lanterns and a large, orange moon lightening their way in the background.
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splashes of bold color reminiscent of modern art. They are hand-tufted of 100% New Zealand wool in India. Centennial collection’s transitional designs and vibrant color palette together create a fun approach to design on these hooked hand-tufted 100% wool rugs. Matmi is a globally-inspired collection that infuses bold contemporary palettes onto classic fabric prints, like Ikats, for a new design message. The rugs are made of 100% wool and are hand-tufted in India. UNITED WEAVERS OF AMERICA INC. Dalton, Ga. (800) 241-5754 The company has added a new palette on 12 new designs to its opening price-point olefin collection, Manhattan. United has also built up its Vantage collection of six-color woven olefin rugs with 15 designs.
Lowe expects buyers to be focusing on “replacing their best selling styles as well as making a few collections to punch up their assortment.” Less optimistic is John Shepherd, president of 828 International Rug Co. “To be very honest, my e x p e c t a t i o n s a r e l ow,” h e warned. “Hopefully, the buyers that show up will buy. [Our] appointment book is about the same [as last summer’s], but I hope we get more between now and market.” Price continues to be “on everybody’s mind,” Shepherd continued. “The retailers are not getting traffic. And those [shoppers] who do come in are very price conscience.” Safavieh is bent on turning “lemons into lemonade” in light of the dampened economy; company principal Arash Yaraghi said the company is “doing whatever we can to create new product that will drive consumers into stores.” Based on the product previews it has given some retail customers, “we feel that we will see positive growth in all categories from hand-knotted to hand-tufted and machine-made rugs.” HTT
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Home Textiles Today
Area Rugs FACE TO FACE FROM PAGE 1
rug departments is their reliance on their online businesses as a conduit for special order styles and sizes. The West Kendall Lowe’s lives up to the home center’s reputation as a more polished alternative to Home Depot’s do-it-yourself, no-frills atmosphere. Here, accent rugs take center stage in the soft flooring department, with area rug sizes relegated to the back aisle. The accent rug offering is plentiful and equal in size by
July 11, 2011
square feet to the also-emphasized doormat offering. These smaller pieces are displayed on clean racks and arranged according to purpose and room-use theme — novelty, kids room, kitchen, and contemporary, among others — as well as by construction the utility purpose — for example, bedroom accent or kitchen comfort mat. Behind the approximately 25-foot long and four-foot high back-to-back accent and doormat shelves is the area rug aisle — with the left side of the aisle devoted to area rugs while the facing side stocks assorted hard-sur-
News
face options like boxed tiles. On the rug side of the aisle are 43 area rugs displayed backto-back and in some cases solo on about 24 clip hangers. Underneath is about 42 feet of horizontal shelving for the smaller size options and behind each hanging rug are rolled-and-wrapped in-stocks of the larger sizes. Lowe’s most prolific suppliers of area rugs are Oriental Weavers and Shaw Living, each of which have nine collections in stock at this store. Lowe’s own allen + roth brand also features nine collections, but broken down these comprise: two by Lowe’s own
> hometextilestoday.com
LG Sourcing wholly-owned subsidiary, three made by Oriental Weavers, two by Shaw, and two by Orian Rugs. Mohawk Home is in a close second place with eight collections, followed by Balta U.S.’s five and Orian Rugs with four. Home Dynamix, Natco Home and Safavieh each have one program at Lowe’s. Lowe’s overall ares rug instock assortment is heavily skewed toward transitional looks, some of them with a more contemporary tilt. Traditional looks are also emphasized, as are indoor/outdoor varieties — the latter which
are not only included on hanging racks but also in stand-alone box displays filled with rolled-andwrapped rugs both in the center of the area rug aisle and as endcap displays in the retailer’s highfashion lawn-and-garden area of the store. The area rug aisle’s presentation at the West Kendall Lowe’s unit attempted to be orderly. But there were some signs of neglect, as some rug hanger racks were incomplete and underneath and behind storage for merchandise was disorderly and often out of place. Furthermore, at least two SEE FACE TO FACE PAGE 23
Lowe’s MANUFACTURER/ BRAND a
NUMBER OF COLLECTIONS
allen + roth c Balta U.S. Home Dynamix L.G. Sourcing d e Mohawk Home Natco Home Orian Rugs f Oriental Weavers g Shaw Living h Safavieh N/A
9 5 1 2 8 1 4 9 9 1 3
AVAILABLE CONSTRUCTIONS
AVERAGE AVAILABLE SIZE
Jacard woven, nylon, and polypropylene Polypropylene Polypropylene Jacquard woven, jute/rayon/cotton Nylon and polypropylene Polypropylene Polypropylene Nylon and polypropylene Nylon and olefin Polypropylene Jute and polypropylene
Runner, rectangle area, and roomsize Runner, accent, rectangle area, and roomsize 6’7”-by-9’10” and 7’10-foot round Accent and rectangle area Runner, accent, rectangle area, and roomsize Runner, accent, rectangle area, and roomsize Runner, rectangle area, and roomsize Runner, rectangle area, roomsize, and round Oval, runner and rectangle area 5’3”-by-7’6” 5’-by7’ rectangle, 7’-by-7’ square and 7-foot round
AVERAGE PRICE-POINT RANGE FOR A 5-BY-8 B
$128 - $198 $59.78 - $178 $59.98 $128 and $134 $88 - $128 $44.98 - $397 $128 - $198 $68 - $168 $78 - $186 $59.98 $43.88 - $158
COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN
Egypt, India and USA USA, Belgium N/A India USA USA USA Egypt and USA USA Turkey N/A
a. Companies are listed alphabetically. b. Average price-point ranges listed are for rugs that measure approximately 5’-by-8’. c. allen + roth is one of Lowe’s own exclusive brands within its home decorations category. Several major area rug suppliers -- including Orian Rugs, Oriental Weavers and Shaw Living as well as Lowe’s own L.G. Sourcing -- produced the in-stock rugs included in this list. d. L.G. Sourcing is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lowe’s. e. Both of L.G. Sourcing’s collections on this list are under the “allen + roth” brand. f. Of Orian’s four collections at Lowe’s, two are under the retailer’s “allen + roth” brand. g. Of Oriental Weaver’s nine collections at Lowe’s, three are under the retailer’s “allen + roth” brand. h. Of Shaw’s nine collections at Lowe’s, two are under the retailer’s “allen + roth” brand.
Home Depot In-Stock and Special Order Rugs Special Order Rugs a MANUFACTURER/ BRAND b
NUMBER OF COLLECTIONS
Bacova Balta U.S. Direct Home Textiles Feizy Rugs Home Dynamix Mohawk Home Momeni Natco Home Nourison Orian Shaw Living Trade Am
1 6 1 6 4 12 2 2 5 5 9 1
AVAILABLE CONSTRUCTIONS
AVERAGE AVAILABLE SIZE
AVERAGE PRICE-POINT RANGE FOR A 5-BY-8 C
Nylon Polypropylene Wool Wool, wool-blend, and polypropylene Olefin, polypropylene, and wool Olefin New Zealand wool and wool Olefin Acrylic, wool, wool, and acrylic-wool blend Olefin Nylon and olefin Wool
Runner, rectangle area, and roomsize Runner, accent, rectangle area, and roomsize Accent, rectangle area, and roomsize Runner, accent, rectangle area, roomsize, and round Runner, accent, rectangle area, roomsize, and round Runner, accent, rectangle area, and roomsize Runner, accent, rectangle area, and roomsize Runner, accent, rectangle area, and roomsize Runner, accent, rectangle area, and roomsize Runner, accent, rectangle area, and roomsize Runner, accent, rectangle area, and roomsize Runner, accent, rectangle area, and roomsize
$39 - $329 $179 to $229 $299 $187 - $299 $199 - $279 $97 - $229 $219 - $269 $329 $169 - $299 $149 - $199 $99 - $229 $249
COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN
USA Belgium N/A India and Turkey Belgium and Bulgaria USA N/A USA China and India USA USA India
a. Home Depot’s “Special Order” rug selection comprises collections that are strictly available by order -- either by filling out a form at the store, or by visiting www.homedepot.com online. Shipping is free and delivery is guaranteed within 10 days or less. b Companies are listed alphabetically. c. Average price-point ranges listed are for rugs that measure approximately 5’-by-8’.
In-Stock Rugs MANUFACTURER/ BRAND a
NUMBER OF COLLECTIONS
Mohawk Home Shaw Living
8 4
AVAILABLE CONSTRUCTIONS
AVERAGE AVAILABLE SIZE
Nylon, olefin, and polypropylene Olefin
Runner, accent, rectangle area, roomsize, and round Runner, accent, rectangle area, and roomsize
AVERAGE PRICE-POINT RANGE FOR A 5-BY-8 B
$57 - $117 $97 - $137
COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN
Egypt and USA USA
a. Companies are listed alphabetically. b. Average price-point ranges listed are for rugs that measure approximately 5’-by-8’.
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7/7/2011 11:27:32 AM
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> hometextilestoday.com
Area Rugs FACE TO FACE FROM PAGE 22
stand-alone box displays with rolled-and-wrapped rugs advertised one product but contained an oversupply of other rugs that did not fit on the store shelving behind the hanging racks. There was also limited product information available for review. Hang tags for each rug on the hanging racks are uniform throughout and contain collection name, manufacturer, size range, color range and price range. But not included is the country of origin or additional information about ordering. Online at www. Lowes.com, information on each rug is also limited. Home Depot, however, does far more to leverage its www. HomeDepot.com website when it comes to its area rug business.
Home Depot’s Special Order collection — which includes 49 rug styles that are not in stock at the store but can be ordered and delivered for free to customers within 10 days — is more than four times the size of the retailer’s in-stock program, which by comparison spans only 12 styles — eight by Mohawk Home and four by Shaw Living. Additionally, the in-stock rug offerings are available at the store in only three to four standard sizes – roughly a runner, a 2-by-3, a 5by-5, and an 8-by-10 — but come in more smaller and larger dimensions via the dot-com venue, Home Depot advertises in each rug’s sign. In terms of in-store presentation, Home Depot’s Special Order and in-stock lines are displayed much in the same way, nearby each other.
Six hanger racks display the in-stocks and, similarly to Lowe’s, available sizes and colors can be accessed by customers on shelving behind and under the hanging rugs. Also like Lowe’s, there is both order and chaos in these back shelves — in some cases, collections are clustered but in other cases, excess inventory of one collection has been moved to slots of other rug collections that might be under stocked. The result creates a treasure hunt that has the risk of frustrating — and ultimately driving away — a shopper from a purchase. Obviously because of its much wider breadth of offering, the store’s Special Order program is more prominently displayed, occupying 24 hanging racks that each clips two rugs back to back.
Ambadi Goes for Guinness Record With Massive Apron CHENNAI, INDIA — Ambadi Enterpirse Ltd. Recently
manufactured what it hopes will be verified by Guinness as the world’s largest apron. The piece measure 853 sq. meters and weighs 100 kgs (or approximately 2,800 square feet and 220 lbs., respectively). The cutting team of 26 people spent 182 days and the project, and an eight-person sewing team spent 40 days stitching it together. “The teams had to overcome a few difficulties during the whole process – including, having to factor in the Kerala monsoon effect,” Vishy Shenoy, the company’s business head. “The Ambadi logo measuring 5 square meters was a critical part of the design and took lon-
ger time to print and dry in the damp weather.” Ambadi is part of the $3.8 billion Murugappa Group and manufacturers fabrics, home textiles and floor coverings. It’s U.S. customers include Target, Williams-Sonoma and Crate & Barrel. HTT
NYIGF Online Registry Up and Running WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — The New
York International Gift Fair has opened a new online registration system at www.nyigf.com/register for attendees and exhibitors participating in the fair, which runs Aug. 13-18 in New York at the Javits Convention Center and
Passenger Ship Terminals 92 and 94. Advanced online registration is free to qualified retailers until 11:59 p.m. EDT on Aug. 9. Suppliers to the trade and affiliates can register for $150. After registering, those who sign up will receive a
bar code that can be redeemed for a badge at any of the 70 self-registration terminals at the fair. Fair-goers can also pre-register on the site for NYGF educational seminars as well as the show’s “Only in New York” special events. HTT
C&F Celebrates Anniversary with iPad 2 raffle N EWPORT N EWS , VA . — C&F
Enterprises is celebrating its 35th year in business with an iPad 2 raffle open to retailers during the summer markets. Buyers at more than 15 summer markets have an opportunity to win the grand prize or two iPods as runner-up prizes.
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No purchase is required to enter the raffle. The contest is limited to retailers with a valid sales tax ID. Additional entries will be accepted at the C&F website and on the company’s Facebook page. The contest will close Sept. 30. C&F exhibits at AmericasMart Gift Mart in Atlanta,
Home Textiles Today
July 11, 2011
building 2, suite 1435; World Market Center Las Vegas, building C, suite 701; the New York Textile Show, 295 Fifth Ave., suite 1006; Chicago Market, booth 8-4083; High Point Market, booth M-7046; and the New York International Gift Fair, booth 1108-1110. HTT
This assortment is also broader by manufacturer, design and construction. Whereas in-stocks are dominated by only two manufacturers – Mohawk and Shaw, the “Special Order” line includes rugs by 12 suppliers. Mohawk still has the biggest placement – 12 collections, followed by Shaw with nine. Feizy Rugs and Balta each have six; Nourison and Orian each have five; Home Dynamix has four; Momeni and Natco each have two; and Bacova, Direct Home Textiles Group and Trade Am each have one. In line with Home Depot’s “Special Order” formula, the manufacturers’ available styles fall into the program’s five design categories, although not very evenly: Traditional; Contemporary; Transitional; Shag; And Theme, which has five sub-groups – Natural, Kids, Lodge, Southwest, and
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Outdoor. Also indicative of Home Depot’s emphasis on its dotcom business within the rug category is the absence on the selling floor of accent and scatter rugs. Only a few end-cap and free-standing portable shelves are present, and none seemed to have been situated in a convenient spot. Rather, these smaller displays at the West Kendall Home Depot were in part blocking aisles or tucked away in a corner by hard-flooring merchandise. Martha Stewart Livingbranded collection of comfort and decorative utility door mats were, firstly, off in a hard-flooring aisle several yards away from the area rug assortment, and secondly, arranged is a somewhat disorderly way and on the wrong shelves. HTT
Midwest Assn. plans Charity Golf Event C OLUMBUS , O HIO — Registration has opened for the Midwest Home Products Association’s 22nd Annual Charity Golf & Tennis Outing, which will take place July 25. The event is being held at The Country Club at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio. Continental breakfast and registration will begin at 8:30 a.m., with a golf scramble to begin at 10 a.m. Cash bar cocktails start at 3:30 p.m., with dinner at 5 p.m. In addition to tennis, there is a pool available. The $200 registration includes a Sunday night gettogether on the 24th and the
following day’s golf, breakfast, lunch, dinner raffle tickets and mulligans. For non-golfers, there is a $100 fee that includes the Sunday night event and all meals on Monday. Information on sponsorships and nearby hotels is available that the association’s website: www.mthpa.com. For additional information or to RSVP, contact Kathy Thomson at (614)2786761 or kathleenthomson@biglots.com. To participate in preouting activities (Saturday golf, Saturday dinner, Sunday golf) contact Paul Rudedy at 614764-1168 or pr@ruddymkt.com. HTT
AATCC Announces Grant and Prize Recipients RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK , N.C. — The American Association
of Chemist and Colorists has awarded more than $14,000 in scholarships to a number of students planning to make their careers in the industry. Amanda Grisham, from Oregon State University, was awarded the 2011 Color Solutions International Textile & Apparel Design Scholarship. Grisham recently completed her junior year as an Apparel Design & Merchandise Management major. She is also pursuing a minor in Business &
Entrepreneurship. Rachel Anderson, North Carolina State University, was awarded the $5,000 Charles E. Gavin III Family Scholarship. Anderson is studying Textile Engineering with a minor in Industrial and Systems Engineering. Winners of AATCC’s 2011 Metro Scholarships were awarded to seven textiles students at the University of Rhose Island: Elizabeth Hogan, Jill Austin, Dana deBoer, Elina Franco, Sara Hughes, Sania Josiah, and Amanda Steele. HTT
7/7/2011 11:12:45 AM
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July 11, 2011
> hometextilestoday.com
PEOPLETodaY Scott Silver Named evp, Merchandising, at Sears Canada TORONTO — Sears Canada has
continued shaking up its senior executive team, naming Scott Silver executive vice president of merchandising in charge of home and hardlines. The announcement came days after Calvin McDonald was named president and ceo following the departure of Dene Rogers. In his new post, Silver will be responsible for the style and trend direction as well as the overall merchandising activities of the multi-channel retailer’s furniture, mattress, major appliance, home electronics, housewares, home décor, bed and bath, fitness, hardware, lawn and garden equipment and seasonal businesses.
Most recently, Silver was ceo of Silver Lining Holdings, a New York City-based consulting and business development enterprise serving home products retailers and manufacturers in the United States. From 2000 to 2008, Silver was a senior executive with Linen ‘n Things. His last post was executive vice president and chief merchandising officer. Prior to Linens ‘n Things, Silver held a series of senior merchandising positions at Le Gourmet Chef, Bloomingdale’s and B. Altman & Co. He began his retail career at Macy’s, where he was hired in the management development program after graduating from The State
University of New York (Buffalo). “Scott is an experienced and successful retail executive who can provide leadership to improve our offerings to customers, our relationships with vendors and learning opportunities for our associates.” McDonald said in a statement. “ In addition to McDonald, two other senior executive appointments have been made by Sears Canada in recent months. In May, Thomas Fitzgerald was named executive vp and chief administrative officer. Last December, Sharon R. Driscoll was named senior vice president and chief financial officer, succeeding Allen R. Ravas. HTT
Moses New President/coo of Classic Concepts L OS A NGELES — Classic Con-
cepts Inc., manufacturer and distributor of home accents and textiles, has hired David Moses as president and chief operating officer, effective July 1. “We’re very excited that an experienced and talented industry veteran like David will be filling this new position,” said Harpal Singh, Classic Concepts ceo. Moses was previously president of industry sales agency Onecoast
and ceo of decorative accessories producer Lazy Susan USA. “This is an amazing opportunity to join a rapidly growing industry leader in multiple categories - furniture, rugs, bedding and accessories. I am thrilled to become a part of the great team Harpal has built,” Moses said. Classic Concepts operates its own furniture, rug and textile factories in India where the majority of its products are manufactured.
Amer Rugs Hires Lakenan N ORCROSS , G A . — Handmade
rug house Amer Rugs has appointed 30-year industry veteran Bob Lakenan vp of sales and national sales manager. Lakenan’s resume includes: Kas Rugs, where he served as national sales manager; Orien-
tal Weavers as manger of business development; and, most recently, Jaipur Rugs, where he was national accounts manager. In his new position, his dual roles cover both Amer Rugs and its parent company, Saraswati of India, said coo Monika Gupta.
It distributes eco-friendly and reclaimed furniture and natural fiber rugs under the brand name Classic Home and a pillow and bedding line as the Villa Home Collection. Moses will be in Atlanta for this month’s market in the company’s new and expanded 12,000square-foot showroom in Building 1, 12-D-2. The company also has showrooms in Las Vegas, High Point and Los Angeles. HTT
Lakenan is responsible for the development and supervision of Amer’s regional sales managers and the expansion of the company’s national account customer base as well as expansion of the direct-from-India segment of the business and development of popular priced products from around the world. HTT
Steve Hoffman Joins Design Weave USA JAMESBURG , N.J. — Solutions
bedding manufacturer Design Weave USA has hired Steve Hoffman for the newly created position of vp of new business development. He reports to Henry Wang, president.
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“Each product line provides a solution to the consumer, helping them get a better night’s sleep, All of their products are unique, while still being beautiful and functional,” said Hoffman.
Hoffman was previously vp of home textiles for Noble Biomaterials, a fiber supplier. Prior to that, he held senior management positions at WestPoint, Thomaston Mills and Springs Industries. HTT
Sphinx by OW Adds N.California Reps DALTON, GA. — Sphinx by Oriental Weavers has brought on board two new sales representatives — Ricky Delise and Chistopher Bushurr — to cover the Northern California market. Delise is responsible for the area rugs and rug pad categories in the region, developing new business and managing sales for existing dealers who carry Sphinx products in the area; Bushur is charged with building and developing Sphinx’s broadloom business in the region. Both report to Monica Battles, Western regional vp of sales. Over the last 10 years, Delise has represented sales for several well-known furniture and accessory lines and “has developed strong relationships
with top retailers throughout Northern California,” Sphinx noted. Bushur brings more than 20 years of broadloom experience to Sphinx. Prior to joining the company, he held territory sales positions at both Karastan and Prestige Mills. “Over the years, he has developed great relationships with floor covering dealers throughout Northern California,” Sphinx noted. Battles said Delise’s and Bushurr’s respective career background and sales experience “will serve as great assets as we expand our category offerings. We look forward to having both of them as part of the Sphinx team and look for great things to come in Northern California.” HTT
Chris Kennedy Exits MMPI C HICAGO — Christopher Ken-
nedy has stepped down from the position of president of Merchandise Mart Properties (MMPI), which owns New York showroom building 7 W New York and produces several gift shows around the country. Saying he has enjoyed his tenure with the company, he added that he is “young enough to start a new career — and old enough to know how.” Kennedy will serve as a consultant to MMPI through the end of March 2012. Mark Falanga, a 17-year veteran of MMPI, will take over as president, effective July 23.
Falanga most recently served as senior vp, managing leasing, marketing and business development for several of MMPI’s businesses, including commercial furnishings, LuxeHome, office, retail and art, plus heading up MMPI’s acquisitions efforts. In addition, Myron Maurer, who has been with the company for 24 years, is taking on the newly created role of coo, also effective July 23. He will oversee day-to-day operations of MMPI’s properties in the United States as well as its consumer and trade shows in the United States and Canada. HTT
Sapin Steps Down from India Ink LOS ANGELES — Gretchen Sapin has resigned from India Ink, where she headed the supplier’s soft home division. Prior to joining India Ink in 2006 to launch the division, she was vp of sales at 100% Pure/
Custom Comfort. Prior to that, she worked as an independent sales rep for Avanti, Sure Fit and India Ink. She began her career as the domestics buyer for Price Club, which later merged with Costco. HTT
7/7/2011 11:36:05 AM
Home Textiles Today’s
Global Home Show
September 18-22 A Must-See Destination Fall NY Home Fashions Market Week 295 5th Avenue and 7 West 34th Street Exhibitor registration begins May 16. Join an exciting array of companies from around the world and across the United States in this global presentation of home fashion products from existing suppliers as well as new companies looking to enter the U.S. marketplace.
For complete information, contact: Joe Carena, Show Manager, jvcarena@gmail.com (203) 329-9553
For complete exhibitor information, contact: Warren Shoulberg, Publisher, Home Textiles Today wshoulberg@hometextilestoday.com (646) 805-0226
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS: For lowest rates go to NYCHotelDiscounts.com/MarketWeek or call us at 1-800-521-8765.
HTT_GIHC Fall 2011 tab.indd 1
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JuLY 11, 2011
BUSINESS TodaY Retailer Sales SALES FROM PAGE 1
Wilson, president and ceo, adding that June sales were strongest in the apparel, sporting goods, outdoor furniture, air conditioners and the health-andbeauty categories. Hoping to keep riding the wave, Duckwall-Alco is “well positioned for the upcoming ‘Back to School’ selling period with an improved store execution strategy, powerful value statements and the right product mix,” Wilson continued. Coming in at second place in comp sales increases was Costco Whiolesale Corp., which reported 8.0%. Thanks largely to its home business, in particular bedding and bath, Kohl’s Corp. generated the third highest June comps
JUNE SALES FOR KEY RETAILERS Four weeks ended July 2, 2011 (dollar amounts in millions) a
the company — Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s stores and online sites. Total company online sales — comprised of both macys. com and bloomingdales.com — were up a noteworthy 45.0% for
WINNERS AND LOSERS Same-store sales % change
WINNERS Duckwall-ALCO 10.6% Costco Wholesale Corp. 8.0% Kohl’s Corp. 7.5% Macy’s Inc. 6.7% Dillard’s Inc. 6.0% Ross Stores 50% TJX Cos. 5.0%
LOSERS Stein Mart The Bon-Ton Stores
10.0%
(1.5)% (0.9)%
6.9%
8.5%
2011 year-over-year
7.0% 5.5%
BJ’s Wholesale Club c The Bon-Ton Stores Inc. Costco Wholesale Corp. d e Dillard’s Inc. Duckwall-ALCO Stores Inc. Fred’s Inc. J. C. Penney Company Inc. Kohl’s Corp. Macy’s Inc. Ross Stores Inc. Stein Mart Inc. Target Corp. The TJX Companies Inc.
2011 SALES
2010 SALES
TOTAL % CHG.
$1,180.0 $240.8 $8,690.0 $531.4 $49.4 $179.0 $1,545.0 $1,753.0 $2,392.0 $793.0 $104.5 $6,256.0 $2,100.0
$1,070.0 $244.4 $7,330.0 $506.4 $44.1 $178.9 $1,550.0 $1,605.0 $2,226.0 $725.0 $107.2 $5,918.0 $2,000.0
10.3 (1.5) 18.0 5.0 11.8 0.1 (0.3) 9.2 7.5 9.0 (2.5) 5.7 8.0
SAME-STORE % CHG.
3.5 (0.9) 8.0 6.0 10.6 0.7 2.0 7.5 6.7 5.0 (1.5) 4.5 5.0
22 WEEKS BJ’s Wholesale Club c The Bon-Ton Stores Inc. Costco Wholesale Corp. f Dillard’s Inc. Duckwall-ALCO Stores Inc. Fred’s Inc. J. C. Penney Company Inc. Kohl’s Corp. Macy’s Inc. Ross Stores Inc. Stein Mart Inc. Target Corp. The TJX Companies Inc.
2011 SALES
2010 SALES
$4,899.1 $1,071.8 $57,590.0 $2,426.9 $203.0 $807.0 $6,675.0 $7,287.0 $10,217.0 $3,529.0 $506.5 $26,635.0 $9,100.0
$4,444.5 $1,092.4 $51,040.0 $2,365.3 $190.3 $792.1 $6,707.0 $6,978.0 $9,586.0 $3,274.0 $506.9 $25,698.0 $8,600.0
TOTAL % CHG.
SAME-STORE % CHG.
10.2 (1.9) 13.0 3.0 6.7 2.0 (0.5) 4.4 6.6 8.0 (0.1) 3.6 6.0
2.8 (1.3) 4.0 3.0 4.9 0.6 2.5 2.6 6.1 4.0 0.7 2.7 3.0
4.0% 2.5% 1.0% -0.5% -2.0%
June Same-Store Sales Johnson Redbook Index
-3.5% -5.0% JUN
a.Reporting periods vary from chain to chain. b. Comp results exclude the impact of gasoline. Including a contribution from sales of gasoline, merchandise comps increased in the month by 7.3%. c. Comp results exclude the positive impact from sales of gasoline. Including a contribution from gas sales, merchandise comps increased year to date by 6.7%. d. Total sales results in April include sales fromthe company’s Mexico joint venture; without those sales, the increase year to date by 15.0%. e. Comp results are for the U.S. division and do not include Costco’s Mexico operations or the positive impacts of inflation in gasoline
prices and strengthening foreign currencies. Including those impacts, comps for the month were up 12% in the U.S. division, 18% in the international division, and 14% for the total company. f. Because it is on a different fiscal calendar than the other key retailers on this list, Costco’s year-to-date sales and comp results reflect the past 44-week period. Year-to-date comp results here are for the U.S. division and do not include Costco’s Mexico oprations or the positive impact of inflation in gasoline and strengthening foreign currencies. Including those impacts, comps were up 7% in the U.S., 16% in the international division, and 9% for the total company.
JUL AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE
Source: Johnson Redbook Retail Sales Average, a unit of Instinet, a Reuters company.
at 7.5%. Home was the company’s strongest business for the month. “After a sluggish May, we are very pleased with our June results,” said Kevin Mansell, Kohl’s chairman, president and ceo. Less than a point behind was Macy’s, with a 6.7% comp increase in June, exceeding the department stroe chain’s expectations. Chairman, president and ceo Terry Lundgren said this growth “came from across
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the month 39.6% year-to-date for the 22 weeks. Online sales are included in the same-store sales calculation for Macy’s. Dillard’s was dissatisfied with the performance of its home and furniture businesses in June, both “significantly below trend” for the five-week period. Still, the 29-state department store took the fifth-best comp result spot with 6.0%. Off-price competitors Ross Stores and TJX Cos. each pro-
duced 5.0% comp gains — exceeding expectations for both companies. Ross’ vice chairman and ceo, Michael Balmuth, credited dresses and accessories as the best-performing cateogries — again. At TJX Cos., home made the strongest statement. Marmaxx’s comps were up 6%, including a 4% boost in home fashions. Home Goods reported a 3% comp increase. “We are particularly pleased with The Marmaxx Group’s con-
tinued strong performance, with comp sales increasing 6%, significantly higher than we expected,” said Carol Meyrowitz, ceo. Target’s 4.5% June comp was “at the high end of our expected range,” said Gregg Steinhafel, chairman, president and ceo of the 1,755-unit, 49-state discounter. Aspects of home helped that along in a small way. Even though the overall category suffered low-single-digit decreases, sheets, table top, and storageand-organization each enjoyed sales growth above company av-
erage. Outdoor living home-related businesses, as well as furniture and housewares, which posted “strong results” in June, contributed to JCPenney’s 2.0% overall comp gain for the month. The Johnson Redbook Retail Index put June comps up 6.9%. Of the 28 companies tracked by the service — which includes apparel specialty stores and drugstores as well as general merchandise retailers — 86% posted positive comps, six of them double-digit gains. HTT
7/7/2011 5:25:58 PM
Something Special is Coming Online from Home Textiles Today Announcing Home Textiles Today/Specialty Edition, the first-ever regular online e-newsletter created just for independent specialty retailers. Specialty Edition will contain news and information specifically focused for independent stores that sell bed, bath and home textiles. There’s nothing else like it in the marketplace.
Specialty Edition launches on Monday, July 11, 2011 and will then appear every two weeks. Your Home Textiles Today sales representative can you give you the complete details on how you can use this surprisingly inexpensive online vehicle to help market your company.
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June Comps Prompt Some Retailers to Update Guidance NEW YORK — Coming off a period that delivered unexpected comparable sales results – some good, some bad – several of the majors updated their guidance for the upcoming reporting periods. • Macy’s said it is again raising its guidance for second quarter sales. The company now expects same-store sales to rise by 6% in the second quarter, which would calculate to same-store sales growth of 4.8% for the full year of fiscal 2011. Initial guidance called for an increase of about 4% in the second quarter and 4.3% for the full year. Following a strong May, second quarter guidance
was raised on June 1st to an increase of 5% in the second quarter and 4.5% for the full year of fiscal 2011. Year-overyear same-store sales increases in July will be lower than in May and June because of stronger year-ago sales in the final month of the quarter, the company added. • TJX Cos. said it now expects diluted earnings per share to be at or slightly above the high end of its previously projected range of 81 to 86 cents, compared with 74 cents per share last year. The guidance is now based upon estimated consolidated comparable store sales growth of 3% to 4% in the sec-
ond quarter. • Ross Stores said that “based on our better-than-expected sales and gross margin performance in May and June, as well as our continued expectation for a 2% to 3% increase in July same store sales,” the offprice retailer is now forecasting earnings per share for the second quarter ending July 30 to be $1.20-$1.22, up from the prior range of $1.15-$1.20. • JCPenney explained that “given the softer-than-anticipated selling environment for the moderate customer and the resulting higher level of promotional activity during the quarter,” it now expects comparable
BBB Net Earnings Leap in Q1 U N I O N , N. J. — Bed Bath &
Beyond’s 38% increase in first quarter net earnings exceeded plan, but ceo Steven Temares warned of “a number of economic challenges [that] persist, including higher commodity prices, relatively high unemployment, a sluggish housing market, and fragile consumer confidence.” Net earnings for the quarter ended may 28 were $180.6 million, or 72 cents per share, compared to the $137.6 million, or 52 cents per share, in the same quarter a year ago. Sales climbed 9.7% to $2.110 billion, with comps up 7.0% on top of an 8.4% in-
crease last year. Among the highlights in the quarter were the retailer’s bridal, baby and gift registries, which Temares said “afford us additional opportunities to attract new customers to Bed Bath & Beyond.” Based on first quarter results, Bed Bath & Beyond is now forecasting 2Q earnings per share of 77 to 82 cents and a 15% to 20% increase in EPS for the full fiscal year. The company ended the quarter with 1,149 stores -- 985 Bed Bath & Beyonds across the 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico and Canada; 67 Christmas Tree Shops; 52 buybuy Baby
units; and 45 Harmon or Harmon Face Value stores. And the company continues to be a partner in a joint venture with two stores in Mexico City under the name Home & More. This year, BBB plans to open a total of 40 to 45 new stores across all of its concepts, but “slightly more” will be buybuy Baby stores and “slightly fewer” will be BBB units. Long term, the company reiterated it sees to potential for an excess of 1,300 BBB stores as well as continued growth of its Christmas Tree Shoppes and its buybuy Baby stores - “from coast to coast” in the U.S. and Canada. HTT
Same-store sales
Comps Hit Target in June N EW YORK — Same-store sales for the month
Day holiday weekend,” said Catlin Levis, Rebook analyst. Redbook’s preliminary forecast for July predicts year-over-year same-store growth of 3.7%. HTT
of June rose 3.8% year-over-year and were up 0.9% compared to May, according to the Johnson Redbook. For the week ended July 2, aggregate comps tracked by Redbook rose 5.2%, Johnson Redbook Index with same-stores up 4.0% in the First week of July, year-over-year % change department store channel and up 4.7% at discount. WEEK ENDED 6/4 6/11 618 625 7/2 MONTH “Retailers said business imDepartment stores* 2.3 0.9 3.3 0.3 4.0 2.1 Discounters 5.2 4.3 4.6 3.6 5.8 4.7 proved in he final week of Redbook Index 4.2 3.2 4.2 2.5 5.2 3.8 June, starting soft but picking *Including chain stores and traditional department stores up briskly leading up to and beSource: Johnson Redbook Index ginning the long Independence
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TARGET
1.7 4.8 3.8
store sales for the second quarter to increase approximately 1% to 2% and for earnings per share to be in the area of last year’s second quarter, when it reported earnings of 6 cents per share. The company added that it will update its outlook for the full year 2011 when it releases second quarter earnings on Aug. 12. • Fred’s ceo, Bruce A. Efird, noted ,“June sales reflected the volatility experienced with our customers’ purchase patterns and demonstrated the broader decline in consumer sentiment that has been reported for the month. After a solid start in the first half of June, we saw a sig-
nificant downward adjustment in the last half of the month as customer traffic remained positive, but our average customer ticket declined. Another example of the challenging economy was seen in the paycheck cycle, which was very pronounced in the final weeks of the month, but the sales on July 1 were the highest single-day amount for the year.” With that in mind, the discount chain expects July sales to “obviously be pivotal for our second quarter results. Because of less-than-expected May and June sales,” Fred’s now expects second quarter earnings to be at the low end of its forecasted range. HTT
BJ’s Wholesale Okays $2.8 Billion Buyout W ESTBOROUGH , M A SS .— BJ’s Wholesale Club has entered an agreement to be acquired by affiliates of private equity firm Leonard Green & Partners and CVC Capital Partners in an all-cash transaction for approximately $2.8 billion. Should shareholders approve the transaction, they will receive $51.25 per share, a 7% premium to the closing price of BJ’s shares June 28. Leonard Green & Partner’s current retail investments include J. Crew, Jo-Ann Stores,
Whole Foods Market, Neiman Marcus Group, PETCO Animal Supplies, Leslie’s Poolmart, The Sports Authority, The Container Store, Tourneau, David’s Bridal, Jetro Cash & Carry and The Tire Rack. CVC is a private equity and investment advisory firm with a network of 20 offices and over 230 employees throughout Europe, Asia and the United States. Its current retail investments in the United States include Pilot Flying J and Leslie’s Poolmart. HTT
Family Dollar Rings up Profitable Third Quarter MATTHEWS, N.C. — The home department was a strong performer at Family Dollar during the company’s recently completed third quarter. Sales in the home department rose 8.2% during the quarter ended May 28, exceeded only by the consumables segment, where sales rose 10.6%. Promotional activity drove home sales, executives said dur-
ing the company’s quarterly conference call this morning. All in all, the quarter came in softer than expected, and Family Dollar’s 91 cents earnings per share - while up 18.2% - fell a penny below guidance. Net income was $111 million on sales of $2.15 billion. Sales were up 7.8%, with comps up 4.7% owing to better traffic and higher ticket. HTT
7/7/2011 5:28:46 PM
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Calendar
360 Park Avenue South, New York, N.Y. 10010 Tel: (646) 805-0227; Fax: (646) 365-2307 www.hometextilestoday.com
July
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jennifer Marks 10 Ocean Blvd #8B Atlantic Highlands, N.J. 07716 (732) 204-2012 | jnegley@hometextilestoday.com
13 – 20 The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market AmericasMart, Atlanta (800) ATL-MART or (404) 220-2435 www.americasmart.com
FOUNDING EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Carole Sloan PRODUCT EDITOR Cecile B. Corral 428 Bianca Ave. Coral Gables, FL 33146 (305) 661-7493 | cbcorral@aol.com MANAGING EDITOR Julie Murphy (646) 805-0224 | jmurphy@hometextilestoday.com
14 – 17
DIRECTOR OF MARKET RESEARCH Dana French (336) 605-1091 | dfrench@sandowmedia.com
The Atlanta International Area Rug Market AmericasMart, Atlanta (800) ATL-MART or (404) 220-2437 www.americasmart.com
PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Warren Shoulberg (646) 805-0226 | wshoulberg@hometextilestoday.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, ACCOUNT MANAGER CHINA Jeff Reeves (336) 605-1009 | jreeves@hometextilestoday.com ACCOUNT MANAGER NORTHEAST/MIDWEST/ WEST COAST/CANADA Mary McLoughlin (646) 805-0227 | mmcloughlin@hometextilestoday.com
19 – 21 Home Textiles Sourcing Expo Jacob K. Javits Center New York (770) 984-8016 ext.401 www.HomeTextilesSourcing.com
CLASSIFIED AD SALES Spencer Whittle (336) 605-1027 swhittle@sandowmedia.com Karen Hancock (336) 605-1047 khancock@sandowmedia.com MANAGER, EUROPE Mirek Kraczkowski Tel: 48 22 401 70 01; Fax: 48 22 401 70 16 | kraczko@aol.com
August
MANAGER, INDIA Kaushal Shah Cell: 91-9821715431; Tel: 91-22-6663 4597 / 24988658 Fax: 91-22-66634596 | Kaushal@kaushals.com
1–5 Las Vegas Market World Market Center and Pavilions Las Vegas, (702) 599-9621 www.lasvegasmarket.com
ONLINE SALES MANAGER Penny Schneck (336) 605-1084 | pschneck@sandowmedia.com PRODUCTION MANAGER Rich Lamb Tel: (336) 605-1074; Fax: (336) 605-1143 | rlamb@ sandowmedia.com DIRECTOR, WEB OPERATIONS Chris Schultz | (336) 605-1076 | cschultz@sandowmedia.com
13 – 18
MANAGER, CLIENT SERVICES, WEB ADVERTISING Dan Sage | (336) 605-1080 | dsage@sandowmedia.com
New York International Gift Fair Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Pier 94, New York (914) 421-3200 , www.nyigf.com
Paris www.maison-objet.com
(770) 291-5400 www.hdboutique.com
14 – 18
10 – 12
13 – 15
New York Home Textiles Market Week 7 W New York, 230 Fifth Avenue, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York, NY (800) 272-SHOW www.nyhometextilesmarketweek.com
Dallas Total Home & Gift Market Dallas Market Center, Dallas (800) DAL-MKTS www.dallasmarketcenter.com
Indigo (Home Furnishing Edition) Brussels Expo, Brussels, Belgium +33 (0) 1 70 38 7000 www.indigo-salon.com
14 – 18 Gourmet Housewares Show Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (914) 421-3200 www.thegourmetshow.com
27 – 30 Textile House South America Anhembi Exhibition Pavilion São Paulo (SP), Brazil (+55 11) 2105-7000 www.grafitefeiras.com.br
29 – 31 Intertextil Show Shanghai New International Expo Centre, Shanghai, China (852) 2238 9983 www.messefrankfurt.com/hk
September 9 – 13 Maison & Objet Parc des Expositions, Paris-Nord Villepinte,
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E-MEDIA PROJECT MANAGER Missy Axe | (336) 605-1005 | maxe@sandowmedia.com DIRECTOR OF AUDIENCE MARKETING Allison Ternes (704) 573-9007 | aternes@sandowmedia.com PRESIDENT, FURNITURE TODAY GROUP Kevin Castellani (336) 605-1034 | kcastellani@sandowmedia.com
SANDOW MEDIA PRESIDENT AND CEO Adam I. Sandow
10 – 12
18
Atlanta Fall International Gift & Home Furnishings Market AmericasMart, Atlanta (404) 220-3000 www.americasmart.com
Home Textiles Today Market Kickoff Party 6-8pm the Rooftop and Penthouse of 230 Fifth Avenue 646-805-0226
10-12 F!NDS Dallas Temp Show World Trade Center, Market Hall, Dallas, TX (214) 655-6116 www.dmcfinds.com
19-23
12 – 14
21 – 23
Domotex Middle East Dubai Airport Expo Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates +971 4 337 6072 www.domotex-middle-east.com
Heimtextil Russia IEC Crocus Expo Exhibition Center, Moscow, Russia +7 (495) 721 1058 www.messefrankfurt.ru
13 – 14
23 – 26
HD Boutique Exposition & Conference Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami Beach, Fla.
ABC Kids Expo Louisville, Ky. (210) 691-4848 www.theabcshow.com
New York Home Fashions Market Home Fashion Products Association (212) 297-2122 (Kellen Co.) www.homefashionproducts.com
CFO/COO Christopher Fabian VP CREATIVE AND EDITORIAL Yolanda E. Yoh EVP, GROUP PUBLISHER James N. Dimonekas
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THE WEEKLY BUSINESS AND FASHION NEWSPAPER OF THE HOME TEXTILES INDUSTRY® 360 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010 Telephone: (646) 805-0227 Fax: (646) 365-2307 USPS 497-490 HOME TEXTILES TODAY (USPS 497-490) (ISSN 0195-3184) is published 29 times a year except for the weeks of 1/3, 2/14, 2/28, 3/20, 4/11, 4/25, 5/2, 5/16/,5/30, 6/13, 6/27, 7/4, 8/1, 8/15, 8/29, 9/5, 9/26, 10/17, 10/31, 11/14, 11/28, 12/12, 12/26 by Furniture/Today Media Group, 360 Park Avenue South, 17th fl., New York, NY, 10010 a subsidiary of Sandow Media LLC, 3731 NW 8th Ave, Boca Raton, FL 33431. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. HOME TEXTILES TODAY copyright ©2011 by Sandow Media LLC. Annual subscription rates: U.S. and Canada $169.97; 1 year, other countries $325.99 for surface mail and $525.00 for airmail. All payments must be made in U.S. currency. Subscription inquiries: HOME TEXTILES TODAY, PO Box 5879, Harlan, IA 51593-1379. Phone: (866) 456-0405. HOME TEXTILES TODAY and THE BUSINESS AND FASHION NEWSPAPER OF THE HOME TEXTILES INDUSTRY are registered trademarks of Sandow Media LLC, used under license. Sandow Media LLC does not assume and hereby disclaims liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in the material contained herein, regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident or any other cause whatsoever. (Posted under Canadian International Publication Agreement No.40624074. Sandow Media/CDS (Mint Hill) POSTMASTER: Send address changes to HOME TEXTILES TODAY, P.O. Box 5879, Harlan, IA, 51593-1379 Email: HTTcustserv@cdsfulfillment.com. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: RCS International; APC; PO Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek, Rich Hill, ON L4B 4R6
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BigResearch: Lower Gas Prices Nudge Consumer Confidence COLUMBUS, OHIO — As the price of gasoline has eased a bit over the past month, consumers have been feeling less of a hit on their wallets versus May, although they remain mindful of their spending. In its June 2011 Consumer Intentions & Actions Survey, which monitors over 8,000 consumers each month, consumer research firm BigResearch found 77.9% said they are being impacted by gas prices, down from last month’s 80.3%. But as BigResearch noted, “Let’s face it - that’s still a lot of people.” The most popular response to gas prices: fewer shopping trips (45.6%) along with shopping
closer to home (43.4%), hunting for bargains (42.8%), and stepping up coupon use (40.5%). The vast majority of consumers (86.3%) regularly or occasionally research products online before heading to the store,” Bigresearch found. Consumer most often consult Google for produce searches (24.9%), with Amazon.com (19.6%) a close second choice. Walmart.com (3.9%), Yahoo.com (3.7%), and eBay.com (2.5%) round out the Top 5 sites. When it comes to filling a virtual cart, however, Amazon. com is the top destination for non-apparel purchases - including home decor and electronics -followed by Walmart (8.9%),
BestBuy.com (6.2%), eBay.com (5.6%), and Target.com (2.4%). The BigResearch Diffusion Index’s 90-day outlook showed that “despite languishing confidence and increasing practicality” most product categories could see better sell-throughs in the immediate future compared to May. The linens/bedding/draperies, home décor, and furniture categories all are set to be “up.” Still, all categories except groceries continue to be down compared to pre-recession Jun 2007’s results. BigResearch noted that higher food prices are forcing consumers to spend more on necessities vs. discretionary items. HTT
> hometextilestoday.com
Martex Launches Campaign to Reduce Landfill Waste S PARTANBURG , S.C. — Martex Fiber Southern Corp. (MFSC) has unveiled a new eco-minded campaign in which it stresses the importance of waste reduction and urges its industry partners and competitors alike to do the same. The company said its new campaign message keeps waste from landfills and “supports the idea that waste reinvention is possible in the USA.” MFSC said it is putting these goals into action with new product development and plant expansions, and also “by challenging every textile mill to reconsider its textile waste and make sure that ‘No Fiber [is] Left Behind,’” - the title of Mar-
tex’s new sustainability program, which advocates the certified reclamation of all textile waste streams and pursues a “360-degree recycling” effort where companies find new uses for their own textile waste. MFSC collects unnecessary and waste clippings and salvages from new upholstery and apparel manufacturing in the U.S. and Central America, then blends them into a variety of custom fiber mixes that can be put back into industrial processes. In the next two years, MFSC’s goal is to increase its waste collection efforts to 150 million pounds per year from 110 million pounds today. HTT
CLASSIFIEDS HELP WANTED Shipping/Receiving/EDI Manger 35 year importer of home textiles seeks shipping manager with the following qualifications; -Minimum 5 years experience with EDI and WMS systems -MS Great Plains accounting software knowledge helpful -Experience shipping BBB, JCP, Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Belk, and other majors a must. Email your resume to: Attn: BB154 to: classifieds@sandowmedia.com
SALES HELP Long Island based importer of Bedding and Home Textiles looking for a motivated individual with some knowledge of the industry. Following a plus but not the main consideration. Compensation commensurate with experience. Real unlimited opportunity. E-mail resume to Lori@pamarketing.net or fax to 516-621-9125
CLOSEOUTS CLOSEOUTS WANTED --BOUGHT AND SOLD-Seeking Unlimited Quantities on Firsts, Irregulars and Overstocks HOME FASHIONS DISTRIBUTOR INC Mike O’Neil 207-646-1949 Email: mike@homefashionsinc.com
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