Home Textiles Today articles from April 2009

Home Textiles Today archives from April 2009

Thom Felicia to Partner Up for Complete Home Line.
April 6, 2009... Staff New York- Celebrity interior designer Thom Filicia plans to unveil this year his own home collection comprising area rugs and broadloom, textiles, furniture, lighting and consumer appliances. Filicia will design all of the...

Surya Expands Showroom.(Company overview)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Staff Calhoun, Ga.- Surya is expanding its showroom in the Showplace building in time for the upcoming High Point Market later this month. The company's current showroom, located in space 3233, is being enlarged with an additional...

Pantone Projects Color Themes.
April 6, 2009... Staff Carlstadt, N.J.- Pantone has released the winter 2010/2011 edition of the Pantone View Colour Planner, its cross-discipline color forecasting tool, titled "Mosaic," which showcases eight palettes for use in women's wear, menswear,...

Kontextur Bows Bath Decor Contest.
April 6, 2009... Staff New York- Recently formed home decor design company kontextA1/4r is seeking 10 bathrooms to help redecorate - and is using its "Splash of Color" contest to publicize its new line of shower curtain rings. Acrylic rings in three...

Teijin Brings Fiber Product to Market.
April 6, 2009... Staff Recycled Polyester Maker Eyes Home New York- Teijin, a multinational corporation based in Japan, has unveiled its first Eco-A-Wear product entering the U.S. market. The line of suits are made using Teijin's Ecopet fibers...

Mohawk, DuPont Gain 'Triexta' Fiber Designation.
April 6, 2009... Staff Calhoun, Ga.- After about three years of petitioning for a name change that describes its more sustainable version of polyester fibers for carpet and rug production, Mohawk Industries has gained a new sub-classification from the...

Feizy Restructures Sales Team.
April 6, 2009... Staff Dallas- Looking to better serve its "increasing and more varied" customer base, area rug house Feizy Import & Export has restructured its sales team. Cameron Feizy has been promoted to vp of sales from his former post as executive...

Creative Home Adds Koons to Sales Team.
April 6, 2009... Staff Edison, N.J.- Creative Home Ideas/YMF Carpet has hired Tim Koons, a 25-year veteran of the soft floor covering industry, to join its sales team years. Koons was formerly with Ex-Cell Home Fashions/Glenoit, working in sales. In...

MSLO Names Turner CFO.
April 6, 2009... Staff New York- Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. has hired and appointed Kelli Turner as cfo and evp. She reports to Charles Koppelman, executive chairman, and works closely with the company's co-ceos - Wenda Harris Millard, who...

Grimsley to Steer Circa 1801 Brand at Valdese Weavers.(Kim Grimsley )(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Staff Valdese, N.C.- Decorative fabric supplier Valdese Weavers has named Kim Grimsley design director and marketing manager for its Circa 1801 division. Most recently vp of design and merchandising at Tietex Interiors, Grimsley will...

Oriental Weavers Hires Moss.
April 6, 2009... Staff Dalton, Ga.- Area rug house Sphinx by Oriental Weavers has appointed 20-year industry veteran David Moss to the post of sales manager of the Southeast region. Moss brings to his new post more than two decades of career...

Shopko Promotes Jones to CEO.
April 6, 2009... Staff Green Bay, Wis.- Shopko ceo Michael MacDonald has left the company to pursue another career opportunity; his last day was April 3. To replace him, the $2.2 billion privately owned retailer, which operates 135 stores in 13...

Jim Brown Named to American Textile Board.
April 6, 2009... Staff Duquesne, Pa.- Family-owned basic bedding manufacturer American Textile Company has appointed Jim Brown to its board to provide strategic marketing guidance. Brown is chief marketing officer at Leed's, the second largest...

Whereoware Hires Adam Schrier.
April 6, 2009... Staff Herndon, Va.- Whereoware, a provider of web-based retail and marketing technology to the gift and home industries has named Adam Schrier to the newly created post of executive director of marketing and business development. ...

Americhem Taps Frisch for European Business.(appoints Michael Frisch)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Staff Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio- Synthetic fiber color and additives supplier Americhem Inc. has named Michael Frisch its European fibers technology manager. In this position, he will be the liaison between Americhem Europe and its...

AmericasMart Cuts Staff by 10%.
April 6, 2009... Staff Atlanta- AmericasMart Atlanta, the gift tradeshow and showroom management firm, laid off about 10% of its staff of some 250, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Atlanta Business Chronicle . The specific number of...

Merida Meridian Offers Nat'l Geographic Natural Fiber Rugs.
April 6, 2009... Staff Boston- Sustainable natural fiber floor covering company Merida Meridian is launching a line of vegetable fiber rugs and bindings developed especially for the National Geographic Home collection. This line represents the first...

Memory Toppers Tops with Consumers.(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Staff New York- The memory foam mattress topper category is popular with consumers and poised for strong growth, according to results released last month from a new Sleep Studio-commissioned study. The independent, national market...

Shaw Closing Two Yarn Plants.
April 6, 2009... Staff Dalton, Ga.- Shaw Industries Group Inc. plans to shut down two yarn plants in Georgia: a spun yarn facility in Calhoun and a filament yarn plant in Valdosta. The company blamed the closings on declining demand in many spun yarn-...

Victor Adds Craftex Brand.
April 6, 2009... Staff Saint-Georges, Quebec- Decorative and upholstery fabrics producer Victor has acquired the Craftex brand, catalog and designs from the secured creditor of Craftex Mills. (Victor grew substantially with its acquisition in September...

Pier 1 Offloads Debt.
April 6, 2009... Staff Updates Financial Picture Fort Worth, Texas- Moving to stabilize its financial profile, home furnishings specialty retailer Pier 1 Imports said it: will sell $79 million of its debt to a subsidiary; will close fewer stores but...

Comp Sales in Late March Uptick.(comparable-store sales)(Brief article)(Statistical data)
April 6, 2009... Staff New York- Comparable-store sales were down 0.6% in the fourth week of March, a swing up from the 1.3% drop in the previous week, the Johnson Redbook reported. Month-to-date, the Johnson Redbook Retail Sales Index is down 1.1%,...

Consumers Still in a Funk.
April 6, 2009... Staff New York- According to the Conference Board, consumers' outlook was relatively unchanged in March, following the sharp decline measured in February that took the index to its all-time low. The Index at 26.0 (1985=100), is up from...

Dollar General Ready to Attack Soft Goods.
April 6, 2009... By James Mammarella Goodlettsville, Tenn.- Neighborhood discounter Dollar General, coming out of a very good 2008, is ready to extend its merchandising power from consumable products to softlines. The $10.4 billion retailer is "just as...

Williams-Sonoma Downshifts on Pricing Strategy.
April 6, 2009... By Cecile B. Corral San Francisco- Feeling "potentially out-priced and out-marketed" by its competitors, Williams-Sonoma Inc. is moving down to a new bracket of opening price point levels and expanding its assortments of these more...

Home Brain Launches Consumer Website.(Website overview)
April 6, 2009... Staff Features Links to Suppliers, Merchants and Anwers to Common Questions Newton, Mass.- For consumers whose minds boggle about the countless assortments of sheeting thread counts or the new technologies behind natural and synthetic...

Year-Round Textile Sample Sale Room Opens in High Point.
April 6, 2009... Staff High Point, N.C.- The International Textile Market Association, which produces the Showtime fabric show here in June and December, has joined the High Point Design Center to open the Market Square Textile Sample Sale Room. The...

Walmart Gains in 'Live Better' Appeal.(Wal-Mart Stores Inc.)
April 6, 2009... By Jennifer Marks Paradise, Ariz.- Walmart brought analysts on the Morgan Stanley Arizona Field Trip to one of its Project Impact stores here last week to show off a strategic remodel/new store set that will roll out over the next five...

Anna's Linens Believes in 2009.
April 6, 2009... By Jennifer Marks Las Vegas- Anna's Linens executives told store managers and vendors gathered here last month for its annual summit that the 260-store retailer will move aggressively in 2009 to build market share and capture consumers...

Vendors Toughen in Tabletop/Kitchen.
April 6, 2009... By Cecile B. Corral New York- Who's more likely to be wearing the chef's hat and hostess' apron these days? Instead of the staff at the neighborhood restaurant, it's cash-strapped consumers who are embracing home cooking with new warmth....

Utility Bedding Banks on Opening Price Points.
April 6, 2009... By Jill Rowen New York- Utility bedding - typically one of the home textiles industry's strongest segments - took its lumps alongside most other sectors in 2008. The category, which includes blankets, throws, sleep pillows and mattress...

Bloomsburg Mills to Cease Operations.
April 6, 2009... Staff Downward Economy Claims 120-Year-Old Manufacturer Bloomsburg, Pa.- Suffering from the effects of a downward economy and the influx of imports, Bloomsburg Mills Inc. is closing its doors after 120 years of domestically...

Altbaier Promoted at Downlite.(Chad Altbaier)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Staff Mason, Ohio- Luxury feather and down bedding supplier Downlite has promoted Chad. Altbaier to vp sales and marketing. Altbaier joined Downlite in 2001, spending a year in executive management training to learn all aspects of the...

Martha Stewart to Speak at Pratt Institute.
April 6, 2009... Staff Brooklyn, N.Y.- Martha Stewart is scheduled to speak at Pratt Institute's 15th annual President's Lecture Series later this month. This free and open-to-the-public event is set for 6 p.m. April 27 at the Memorial Hall Auditorium on...

Flat is the New Bubble.
April 6, 2009... Jennifer Marks, Editor-in-Chief If flat is the new up, what's the new flat? Answer: Finishing the year down just 10% to 15%, according to several conversations with home textiles suppliers over the past several weeks. Coming out...

Retail Briefs.
April 6, 2009... Staff JCPenney Ties to OurWeddingDay.com Staff With wedding spending down 24% compared to last year, JCPenney is looking to appeal to budget-conscious brides through a partnership with OurWeddingDay.com , an online wedding...

High Point Coverage Coming.
April 6, 2009... Staff Home Textiles Today provides special distribution at the High Point Market. To be included in the issue this month, send HTT your product introduction news by Friday, April 10. Submit your images by email to...

Cindy Crawford Style Coming to JCPenney.
April 6, 2009... Staff Plano, Texas- JCPenney will launch a home collection this fall built around former supermodel Cindy Crawford. Cindy Crawford Style, to debut in September, will encompass in bedding, window coverings, bath, decorative accessories,...

'MIO for Target' Garden Line in Limited Retail Run.
April 6, 2009... Staff Minneapolis- Target on April 12 will debut MIO for Target, an eco-friendly outdoor collection, designed by Philadelphia-based MIO, founded in 2001 to produce "environmentally and socially progressive" home furnishings. Mio for...

Walmart Enters Teen Zone.
April 6, 2009... Staff Bentonville, Ark.- Walmart has unleashed Your Zone, a new home furnishings room decor collection directed at teens. Arriving in store and online, Your Zone bedding and furnishings are "designed to be versatile and interactive" and...

End of the Line for Gottschalks.
April 6, 2009... By James Mammarella $280M Inventory Being Liquidated Fresno, Calif.- Inventory valued at approximately $280 million is being liquidated in the going-out-of-business sale at western regional department store chain Gottschalks. ...

Heimtextil Bows Contract Textiles Website.
April 6, 2009... Staff Frankfurt, Germany- Heimtextil has launched a web portal for the contract textiles business at www.contact-contract.com . The international home textiles trade fair added a Contract Creations segment three years ago for...

Newport/Layton Adds to Quilts.(marketing)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Staff New York- Newport/Layton is offering a fresh assortment of quilts - a category added only last September - in regional patterns and solid colors. Outdoor decorative pillows, seat cushions and chair pads remain a point of focus,...

Home Segment Sours at Dillard's.
April 6, 2009... Staff Little Rock, Ark.- Department store operator Dillard's, Inc. registered its worst 2008 merchandise category decline in its home segment, the retailer reported. Dillard's broke out its major category proportions in its 10-K...

Belk Dives into Red Ink.
April 6, 2009... Staff Charlotte, N.C.- Taking a goodwill impairment charge of more than $300 million for fiscal 2009 (ended Jan. 31, 2009), department store operator Belk, Inc. plunged to a $213.0 million net loss for the year - down from net profit of...

Amici Imports Opens Shanghai Showroom.
April 6, 2009... Staff Lebanon, N.J.- Amici International, a wholly owned subsidiary of Amici Imports, has opened a 1,300-square-foot permanent showroom in Shanghai, China. The showroom, targeting the commercial and residential development currently...

Printsource Event Shifts to 7 W New York Venue.
April 6, 2009... Staff New York- The Printsource fabric and surface design trade show will move into a new home for the next three fair seasons - showroom building 7 W New York, located at 7 W. 34th St. Printsource showcases collection by international...

Legacy Debuts Posey Shower Curtains.(Vicki Aubel Posey launching a line of luxury shower draperies)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Staff Roswell, Ga.- Interior designer Vicki Aubel Posey has launched a line of luxury shower draperies under her new company, Legacy Linen Group. The debut collection includes 22 designs in a longer, 90-in. construction that is also...

Costco Pulling Plug on Costco Home.
April 6, 2009... Staff Issaquah, Wash.- Membership warehouse club operator Costco Wholesale Corp. will permanently shut down its two Costco Home stores. The two test sites - located in Kirkland, Wash., and Tempe, Ariz. - are scheduled to be closed on July...

Scandia Down Enhances Website.
April 6, 2009... Staff Weehawken, N.J.- Luxury down and bedding manufacturer Scandia Down has unveiled a redesigned website, featuring faster navigation, updated visuals, and more information on eco-friendly aspects of the product line. One...

Sleep Innovations Names Board.
April 6, 2009... Staff West Long Branch, N.J.- Memory foam sleep products manufacturer Sleep Innovations, which emerged from bankruptcy last month, announced a new board of directors. Turnaround specialist Diane Price Baker has been named chair of the...

Surtex Opens Online Registration for Seminars.(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Staff White Plains, N.Y.- Artwork and design trade show Surtex 2009 has opened online registration for a series of new conference sessions aimed at helping attendees improve their marketing tactics. This year's Surtex conference...

Brumlow Develops "Bleach Friendly" Rug Technology.
April 27, 2009... Staff Calhoun, Ga.- On the heels of its re-entry into the bath rug business earlier this year, domestic soft floor covering manufacturer Brumlow Home is unveiling a patent-pending bleach-resistant technology. Titled Bleach Friendly,...

Linon Home Decor Expands High Point Showroom.(Company overview)
April 27, 2009... Staff Mineola, N.Y.- Home accessories and furniture supplier Linon Home Decor Products Inc. is expanding its showroom in time for the High Point Market this month. The space is located at 220 Elm Street in suite 202. It is growing by...

1888 Mills Partners with Cotton Made in Africa.
April 27, 2009... Staff Oak Brook, Ill.- 1888 Mills this month will roll out its first line of towels made from African cotton in its partnership with the Cotton Made in Africa project, through which 1888 has the exclusive right in the home category in the...

Pacific Coast Feather Debuts Rejuve Line.
April 27, 2009... Staff Seattle- Basic bedding manufacturer Pacific Coast Feather Company (PCFC) has received a good response to the debut of its trademarked Rejuve Reclaimed Eco-Fiber. PCFC presented a 12-product line at the New York Home Fashions...

Sunbrella Expands Recycling Program.
April 27, 2009... Staff Glen Raven, N.C.- Glen Raven Custom Fabrics has greatly expanded its recycling program for Sunbrella fabrics. Sunbrella fabrics returned to Glen Raven will be repurposed in a variety of products such as felt used for car insulation...

Shaw Living Earns "Cradle to Cradle" Certification.
April 27, 2009... By Cecile B. Corral Dalton, Ga.- Shaw Living, the bath, accent and area rug division of Shaw Industries, has bolstered its sustainability credentials. The company earned last month the "Cradle to Cradle" silver certification from...

Gift Fair Teams with Right Angle Strategies.(Brief article)
April 27, 2009... Staff White Plains, N.Y.- Exhibitors planning for the summer edition (Aug. 15-20) of the New York International Gift Fair can sign up for a suite of consultations and training webinars, with on-site followup at the Fair. With an eye...

Turkish Embassy to Host Buyer Trips.(Office of the Commercial Counselor )(Conference news)(Brief article)
April 27, 2009... Staff Istanbul, Turkey- The Turkish Embassy's Office of the Commercial Counselor will host a Buyers' Mission Program here May 19-23, ahead of the 15th annual Evteks Home Textiles Exhibition, May 20-24. The Buyers' Mission Program...

HGTV Extending Brand.(Brief article)
April 27, 2009... Staff New York- HGTV has contracted with branding firm Graj + Gustavsen as part of its effort to create a strategic brand extension into licensed home and garden products. As part of this agreement, G+G will work closely with HGTV and...

QVC Appoints Kelly vp, Home Merchandising.
April 27, 2009... Staff West Chester, Pa.- Television and online multi-media retailer QVC has appointed 20-plus year industry veteran John Kelly as its vp of home merchandising. For Kelly, this position represents a return to QVC. Most recently, he...

George Todor Passes.
April 27, 2009... Staff Philadephia- George Todor, vp of E.A. Hughes & Company and a former executive with Cotton Inc, Ticaro Knits and Springs Industries, passed away on April 7 after a very short battle with cancer. Tudor spent 30 years in the...

SDL Atlas Hires Williams.
April 27, 2009... Staff Rock Hill, S.C.- Textile color measurement resource SDL Atlas, based here, has named Dan Williams as its sales representative for the Canadian market. Williams joins Atlas in his role as the principal of Pickering, Ontario-based...

Hollander Top Laura Ashley Licensee.(Hollander Home Fashions)(Brief article)
April 27, 2009... Staff Boca Raton, Fla.- Hollander Home Fashions has been named the 2008 Licensee of the Year for Laura Ashley. A major contributing factor to the selection of licensee of the year is being a sales leader. Hollander celebrated its 10th...

WSL Adds Fater to Sales Post.
April 27, 2009... Staff New York- Retail research and strategy agency WSL Strategic Retail has named Randi Diane Fater vp of sales With more than 20 years in brand sales and marketing, Fater has held such positions as sales director for DenTek Oral...

Hiller to Head Sustainable Furnishings Council.
April 27, 2009... Staff Austin, Texas- Former retailer Jeff Hiller has been named president of the green standards group the Sustainable Furnishings Council. He succeeds former president and SFC founder Gerry Cooklin, who formed the group in October...

Siegel Joins Hallmart.(Hallmart Collectibles)(Harry Siegel)(Brief article)
April 27, 2009... Staff Burbank, Calif.- Industry veteran Harry Siegel recently joined top-of-bed supplier Hallmart Collectibles as national sales manager for the company's furniture store division. In his new post, Siegel is responsible for all sales...

Couristan Creates Summer Merchandising box for Outdoor Rugs.
April 27, 2009... Staff Fort Lee, N.J.- In time for summer, Couristan has created a convenient and compact merchandise box for retailers to more easily display a selection of the company's outdoor rugs. Retail customers can select the outdoor rug styles...

Aid to Artisans Preps Iraqi Craft Makers.(Conference news)(Brief article)
April 27, 2009... Staff West Hartford, Conn.- International micro-economy support organization Aid to Artisans (ATA) has held its first internet-based sales training session, this one with several Iraqi women entrepreneurs, through the U.S. State...

Proposte Readies for May Fair.
April 27, 2009... Staff Cernobbio, Italy- The 17th edition of the Proposte fabric and curtain fair will kick off here May 6 at the Villa Erba exhibition center and will run through May 8. Attendees will include textiles editors, producers of upholstered...

Signs of Life in March Same-Store Sales.
April 27, 2009... Staff New York- "Overall, home was the best performing division" - these words, rarely heard since 2007, were included in the March sales statement by JCPenney, part of a generally less-disappointing-than-expected day of monthly reports by...

Frette Launches Edmond Brand.
April 27, 2009... By Jennifer Marks New York- Fine linen producer Frette has launched a brand in honor of company founder Edmond Frette featuring more contemporary looks and, in a first for Frette, prints. Edmond includes duvet covers, sheets, quilts,...

Z Gallerie Bucking up Balance Sheet in Ch. 11.
April 27, 2009... By Clint Engel Gardena, Calif.- Lifestyle retailer Z Gallerie has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in what it says is a strategy to strengthen its balance sheet as it moves forward with its remaining 57 stores. The move should give the...

JCPenney Teams with Crawford.
April 27, 2009... Staff New York- JCPenney executives came to a three-story Chelsea brownstone here last week to unveil the new Cindy Crawford Style collection that will roll out to stores this fall. The line will be the most far-reaching lifestyle...

Springs CEO 'Confident' of 2009 Profit.(Springs Global Participacoes SA revenue report)(Financial report)
April 27, 2009... By Brent Felgner Montes Claros, Brazil- Despite forecasting a continued weakening of its U.S. business in a "tough" economic environment, Springs Global ParticipacA[micro]es ceo Josue Gomes da Silva said he believes the company will be...

Springs Supplying Crawford Line.(Springs Global US, Inc.)(Cindy Crawford )(Brief article)
April 27, 2009... Staff Fort Mill, S.C.- Springs Global US, Inc. announced it is the licensee to Cindy Crawford for the exclusive launch of her home collection at JCPenney this September. The bedding, bath and window program will comprise: comforters,...

Crazy for U.
April 27, 2009... Jennifer Marks, Editor-in-Chief The chief executives of Wal-Mart and Target took to the airwaves mid-month and made essentially the same prediction: The recovery will be U-shaped, not V-shaped. Neither Wal-Mart's Mike Duke nor Target's...

Retail Briefs.
April 27, 2009... Staff Lundgren to Speak at Shop.org Summit Staff Macy's chairman, president and ceo Terry Lundgren will provide the keynote address at Shop.org's annual summit in Las Vegas this fall. The summit will take place Sept. 21 to 23...

Country Living Coming to Sears, Kmart.
April 27, 2009... Staff Hoffman Estates, Ill.- Sears and Kmart will both begin offering Country Living branded home furnishings by August, in a licensing deal announced April 6 between Sears Holdings Corp. and Hearst Magazines. The Country Living...

Abu Rugs Sets up at High Point.
April 27, 2009... By Cecile B. Corral High Point, N.C.- After dedicating 21 years solely to interior designers and architects, high-end area rug manufacturer Abu Rugs and Home is branching out to include retailers among its clientele. Company owner and...

Christie Brinkley Partners with Jo-Ann Fabrics.
April 27, 2009... Staff Hudson, Ohio- Christie Brinkley, billed as "entrepreneur, designer and supermodel," has partnered exclusively with Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores to create an eco-friendly collection of fabrics. The goods are made with organic...

Calvin Klein Offers Direct-to-Consumer Rugs.
April 27, 2009... Staff New York- Calvin Klein Inc. has added its branded area rugs - Calvin Klein Home Rugs - to its assortment of home products sold direct to consumers on www.calvinklein.com . The select online offering includes four individual...

Sam's Club takes home exec Hefner from Walmart US.
April 27, 2009... Staff Bentonville, Ark.- After a two-year run at Walmart U.S. where she is credited with redefining the home merchandise, Linda Hefner is moving to retail chain's Sam's Club division as evp of merchandising and replenishment. Hefner...