Home Textiles Today articles from August 2006

Home Textiles Today archives from August 2006

Versa-Tie a Growth Zone for Anchor Home.(product introduction of textiles)
August 5, 2006... By Cecile B. Corral Company Zeroing in on Window Category as Biggest Growth Opportunity Wyckoff, N.J. -- After a successful initial run with the patented Versa-Ties decorative draw-string valances it introduced about one year ago,...

Baltic Linen to Debut Viyella Lines.(product introduction of bedding)(Brief article)
August 5, 2006... By Staff Bedding Collection in Three Styles to Bow at New York Market Valley Stream, N.Y. -- Through its recent licensing partnership with centuries-old British textiles manufacturer and brand Viyella Home, Baltic Linen Co. will...

It's not easy being green.(buyers training)
August 5, 2006... By Brent Felgner New York -- Many of today's buyers are admittedly still a bit green and perhaps not as product savvy as some of their aging vendors, but it's got to be viewed in context and as a learning curve, said Charles Chinni,...

Caesarea Creations Bows Under the Canopy Line.(Caesarea Creations licensing agreement )(Brief article)
August 5, 2006... By Staff New York --Caesarea Creations is coming out with a slate of new introductions that focus on eco-friendly and microfiber constructions. The biggest news: the company has signed a licensing agreement with Under the Canopy to...

CHF Pumps Up Bath, Back-to-Cool.(CHF Industries)
August 5, 2006... Staff Report New York -- Bath and Back-to-College will get an enormous amount of attention at CHF Industries during market week, as the company moves to simultaneously raise its profile in the bath department and inject new thinking into...

Comp Sales Fall Shy in July.(Johnson Redbook Index reported)
August 5, 2006... By Staff New York -- Following a long stretch of the summer doldrums as consumers held on tight to their wallets and shunned the malls, same-store retail sales firmed up as July drew to a close, and rose by 2.8% during the fourth and...

Cotton Price Outlook Harsh.(International Cotton Advisory Council)(Brief article)
August 5, 2006... By Don Hogsett Washington--With the demand for cotton surging even as production dries up around the world, and as China continues to absorb a disproportionate share, cotton prices are forecast to rise almost 8% this year, before jumping...

Dorma Dresses Up for Market.(New York Home Textiles Market)(Brief article)
August 5, 2006... By Carole Sloan New York -- The Dorma brand bedding collection from England will mark its new launch here at the New York Home Textiles Market featuring higher thread count bed sheets, more embellishments and jacquard bedding. The...

Faribault to Spotlight Kathy Ireland Blankets.(Faribault Mills)(Brief article)
August 5, 2006... By Staff New York --Faribault Mills is launching the licensed Kathy Ireland Home blanket collection, which embraces all eight Style Guides collections as well as the newest Style Guide, Southern Splendor, at the Home Textiles Market here...

International Home Fashions Hires Fraser.(International Home Fashions Inc. appoints Dave Fraser)(Brief article)
August 5, 2006... By Staff Black Mountain, N.C. -- Beefing up its sales and marketing team, International Home Fashions, a blankets, throw, and decorative bedding supplier, has named industry veteran Dave Fraser senior vp of marketing and sourcing, a new...

Jane Seymour in New Launch with Sommerset.(marketing/distribution strategy)
August 5, 2006... By Carole Sloan Birmingham, Ala. -- The new Jane Seymour Home Collection is being launched in a partnership with the Sommerset Group here in a three-pronged marketing/distribution strategy. The original Jane Seymour Collection was an...

JLA Home Introduces Eddie Bauer Collection.(JLA Home product introduction)(Brief article)
August 5, 2006... By Staff New York -- JLA Home is launching the Eddie Bauer collection of home textiles that includes bedding, throws, window coverings, decorative pillows, quilts and rugs at the Home Textiles Market here this week. The company will...

Manufacturing Steadies July Purchasing Index.
August 5, 2006... By Don Hogsett Tempe, Ariz. -- A key measure of strength in the manufacturing sector showed unexpected strength during July, and the nation's purchasing managers said their monthly gauge of activity in the nation's factories rose by 0.9%...

Kmart: Spit 'n Shine --and a Bit of Sears.(facilities of Kmart Holding Corp)
August 5, 2006... By Brent Felgner East Brunswick, N.J. -- Outside, parking lot signs wrapped around light poles declared Kmart's "Extreme Makeover." Inside, one could see all four outer walls from one position within the store. While retailers of all...

Liz Claiborne Licenses Nourison for Rugs.(licensing for Liz Claiborne Inc)(Brief article)
August 5, 2006... By Staff New York -- Liz Claiborne Inc. has licensed Nourison to design, manufacture and market area rugs and accent rugs under the Liz Claiborne Home brand. The official launch to the trade is scheduled for the Atlanta International...

New Market Rules Q & A.
August 5, 2006... By Jennifer Marks This week, the New York Home Textiles Market jumps out of its old schedule into a new one. And although the change was announced nearly 18 months ago, phone calls and e-mail coming in to HTT over the past few weeks...

Where Have All The Merchants Gone?
August 5, 2006... By Brent Felgner New York --Despite the abundance of retailers visiting home textiles showrooms along Fifth and Sixth Avenues this week, to hear many industry executives and retail veterans tell it, there will be few merchants -- real...

Nourison Rug Looks to Ring Up Double-Sinks.(Nourison Rug Co product information)(Brief article)
August 5, 2006... By Cecile B. Corral Saddle Brook, NJ -- Looking to maximize rings at the cash register with multiple sales, Nourison Rug Co. has added double-sink sizes to its accent rug offerings within the design theme motifs where rectangle and slice...

Park B. Smith Expands Eco-Ordinates.(Park B. Smith Ltd product introduction)(Brief article)
August 5, 2006... By Carole Sloan New York -- A major new expansion of Eco-Ordinates into Eco-Ordinates-Resort is being launched by Park B. Smith Ltd. here this week. The new program, which embraces all product lines in the company's portfolio --...

Revman to Produce Havana 1515 Bedding.(product development of bedding)(Brief article)
August 5, 2006... By Staff The Latin-inspired Collection will Debut at New York Home Textiles Market New York -- Revman International will develop bedding collections under the Havana 1515 label, through a license with Cubanita's Inc. The collection...

Safavieh, Louis De Poortere Partner on Wool Rugs.(partnerships between Louis De Poortere (Ets) and Safavieh Rugs and Home)(Brief article)
August 5, 2006... By Staff New York --Safavieh and Louis De Poortere (LDP) of Belgium have partnered to become the exclusive distributors of a distinctive assortment of wool rugs for the U.S. and Canadian markets. These new collections, produced by...

Shaw Names Bradshaw to Eco-Post.(appointments of John Bradshaw)(Brief article)
August 5, 2006... By Staff Dalton, Ga. - Shaw Industries has appointed John Bradshaw to the newly created position of environmental marketing manager -- a move made to aid the company's restart of the Evergreen nylon recycling facility and the collection...

Shop.org Summit Set for October.
August 5, 2006... By Staff New York --This year's Shop.org Annual Summit has been set for Oct. 10 to 12 at the Hilton New York in Manhattan. Shop.org is a division of the National Retail Federation for store-based retailers, catalog-based retailers,...

Alternate Channels Breed New Concerns.
August 5, 2006... By Carole Sloan This could well turn out to be an interesting home textiles market -- well beyond the usual retail contingents looking around at product, talking exclusives and getting inspiration for their own direct imports. ...

Wearbest to Show Bella-Dura Plush.(introduction of fabrics)
August 5, 2006... By Carole Sloan Garfield, N.J. -- Wearbest Siltex Mills will launch the second generation of its Bella-Dura high performance fabric -- a collection of 25 designs using a proprietary Bella-Dura Plush chenille yarn. The introduction of...

WestPoint Home Building Global Platform.(Manama Textiles Mills acquisition)(Indus Dyeing & Manufacturing joint venture)
August 5, 2006... By Don Hogsett In another Big Move, Buys Bahrain-based Bedding Operations West Point, Ga. -- Aggressively building a platform for global sourcing, but on its own terms and with total control over the off-shore operation, WestPoint...

Buckner Joins American Century.(Tammy Buckner )(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... By Staff Salisbury, N.C. - Tammy Buckner has joined American Century Home as vp, design, a new position. Buckner most recently was head of design at Culp, working under Liam Waters. At American Century, she is in charge of all design...

American Textile Adds Tokar.(Brian Tokar )(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... By Staff Duquesne, Pa. -The American Textile Company has appointed Brian Tokar senior product manager for core basic bedding products. He will report to Michael Guidry, vp of product management at the company, a key supplier of private...

Avonhome Tries On Aprons for Size.(Squeals)
August 21, 2006... By Cecile B. Corral New York - The initial reaction to Avonhome's new line of figure-flaunting aprons: 'Squeals.' A far cry from what's normally heard from the modern career woman - often a microwave maven with little time to slave...

Betsey Johnson Collection Debuts.
August 21, 2006... By Jennifer Marks New York -WestPoint Home unveiled the Betsey Johnson Home collection, the first foray into bedding and bath by the iconic apparel designer. The collection represents 'the many worlds of Betsey.' The core of the...

Burlington House Store Opens in China.
August 21, 2006... By Staff Greensboro, N.C. -On July 26 in Hangzhou, ITG opened its first free-standing Burlington House retail store in China, ramping up its planned chain of free-standing and store-within-store concepts across the country. The...

China Design Winners to be Named.
August 21, 2006... By Staff Shanghai -The 2006 China International Home Textiles Design Competition and Exhibition was recently held at Shanghai International Home Textile Industrial Park (HTIP). The theme of the competition, 'the same dream,' will be...

Slow Back-to-School Start Stymies Comps.
August 21, 2006... By Staff New York -With cash-strapped consumers buying closer to need, and back-to-school sales so far lagging behind plan, same-store retail sales remained largely stuck in neutral during the second week of August. Sales edged ahead a...

For the Record.
August 21, 2006... By Staff On page 1 of the Aug. 5, 2006 issue, typographical and production errors occurred in the identification of two merchants in the article headlined, 'Where have all the merchants gone?' They should have been identified as Lester...

Crown Crafts Wows Investors in 1Q.
August 21, 2006... By Staff Gonzales, La. -Boosting sales by more than 18%, and with margins gaining strength and costs coming down, Crown Crafts Inc. recorded a first fiscal quarter profit of $911,000, rebounding strongly from a year-before loss of...

Dan River Readies to Ramp up its Growth.
August 21, 2006... By Don Hogsett New York - Only nine months out of bankruptcy and eight months after it was bought by Indian textiles producer GHCL, a slimmed-down, freshly motivated and tightly focused Dan River says it's ready to ramp up aggressive...

Fashion Drives Dan River Lines.
August 21, 2006... By Brent Felgner New York -The new license with Hillary Duff were among the leading introductions from Dan River this market. That line joins new and expanded offerings from Phat Farm and Lilly Pulitzer, along with intros from the...

Dillard's Trims Inventory, Turns Profit.
August 21, 2006... By Don Hogsett Little Rock, Ark. - Putting behind the $6.0 million in store closing costs that dogged the bottom line a year ago, pocketing $13.5 million from the sale of its interest in a shopping mall, and another $6.5 million as its...

Dots Galore from Donna Karan.(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... By Carole Sloan New York - Muted tints of color, abundant use of layers of sheers and dots, whether classic Swiss dots or polka dots, are important design statements in the Donna Karan bed and bath collection for spring. In DKNY,...

Dworet Joins HTT.(Gary Dworet )(Home Textiles Today )(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... By Staff New York -Gary Dworet has joined Home Textiles Today as advertising sales representative for the West Coast / Midwest / Canadian, and select New York accounts. Dworet comes to HTT with an extensive background in trade ad...

Rose Tree Bows Elizabeth Arden Bedding.(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... By Staff New York - Rose Tree Linens has launched a home textiles collection under the Elizabeth Arden brand at the market here this month. The first segment is a collection of six bed ensembles. The collection marks the debut of the...

Ellery Broadens the Waverly Program.(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... By Staff New York - Ellery Homestyles has put its stamp on the Waverly brand, and broadened the licensed program to include a solid color sheet program, solid cover duvet sets and quilts. Ellery acquired the license earlier this...

Designers, Retailers Respond to New Venues.
August 21, 2006... By Carole Sloan New York - Home textiles exhibitors at the New York International Gift Fair at the Javits Convention Center and at Piers 92 and 94 reported good business activity here last week both from retailers and interior designers....

Hallmart Adds Kehnast.(Mike Kehnast joins Hallmart Coll)(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... By Staff Studio City, Calif. - Mike Kehnast has joined Hallmart Collectibles as director of sales. Kehnast, who reports to Jesse Ghalili, Hallmart ceo, succeeds Steve Goldstein who has returned to the furniture business. Kehnast...

Hits & Misses.(Allure Home Fashions's management)(Baltic Linen Company Inc.'s management)(Bardwil Industries's management)
August 21, 2006... By Staff Companies Reflect on What Worked and What Didn't at this Month's Market Allure Home Fashions Gabrielle Colquitt, VP, design and marketing Hits : 'Our hits were all of our novelty [bath coordinate collections],...

Hollander Offers More in Basics.(Laura Ashley Inc.)(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... By Staff New York - Laura Ashley basic bedding is once again anything but basic at Hollander Home Fashions, which introduced the brand's spring line at the August Market. The palette's new prints and solids, many reversible, are...

July Retail Bounces Back.
August 21, 2006... By Don Hogsett Washington - The hot weather that cut across wide swaths of the nation during July jump-started consumers who flocked to air-conditioned malls and pushed retail sales up by 1.4%, the biggest gain in the past six months,...

Kirschbaum Leaves Croscill.(Dick Kirschbaum )(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... By Staff New York -Dick Kirschbaum has left Croscill where he most recently was vp sales, after a career with the company of 26 years. Kirschbaum, who will make his plans known later, will be succeeded by Bill Heisler (joining the...

Home Upgrade Pays Dividends for Kohl's.
August 21, 2006... By Cecile B. Corral Home Departments Leading Comp Sales, Driving Margin Gains Menomonee Falls, Wis. - The home category was the brightest star of Kohl's Corp.'s six lines of business during its second quarter, the retailer reported...

Donna Rann Joins Lantrix.
August 21, 2006... By Staff Kendall Park, N.J. - Designer Donna Rann has joined forces with home textiles manufacturer Lantrix Inc., a leading manufacturer of products for the home textile industry, to work on mill-direct product development. Rann...

Linens 'n Things Loss Widens.
August 21, 2006... By Staff DiNicola: Transition Underway Clifton, N.J. - Linens 'n Things reported second-quarter sales of $611.6 million, a gain of 6.7% over the same period a year ago, while comp-store sales were up slightly, by 0.2%. But the...

Kohl's Wins with Shoppers' Wants.
August 21, 2006... By Jennifer Marks Around the recent New York Market, it was said that Kohl's had the only buying team making the rounds that seemed to be truly happy. By the time the week was out, we all found out why. Kohl's reported late in the...

Mohawk Rugs Have the Floor.
August 21, 2006... By Cecile B. Corral New York - Rugs, whether bath, accent or area, had the floor at Mohawk Home this market. Continuing its emphasis on luxury bath rug offerings from April, the company has expanded this line with 30 new...

Vairo Leaves Nourison.(Ed Vairo )(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... By Staff Was Marketing Director Since 1999 Saddle Brook, N.J. -Ed Vairo has left Nourison, the rug and broadloom supplier, where he was director of marketing since 1999. Matt Blitz, director of advertising and public relations for...

Orian Rugs Bolsters Management Ranks.(Kurt Von De Bur, Barry Kelley, Frank Sosebee and Mark Watson )(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... By Staff Enhances Team with Four New Additions Anderson, S.C. - To support business growth in the past year and anticipated growth in the near future, Orian Rugs has enhanced its management team with four new additions. Kurt Von...

Retail Briefs.(Restoration Hardware Inc.'s catalog Brocade Home)(TJX Companies Inc.'s sales)(Bloomingdale's Inc. promoted Kevin Harter)
August 21, 2006... By Staff Brocade Home Catalog to Debut Staff Restoration Hardware next month will launch a new catalog brand, Brocade Home. The project is overseen by Lisa Versacio, who created West Elm for Williams-Sonoma. Teaser images at...

Ross Stores Confident But Cautious.
August 21, 2006... By Don Hogsett Pleasanton, Calif. - With sales coming in at the high end of expectations, and same-store sales growing by 4.0%, Ross Stores Inc. recorded a second-quarter profit of $45.4 million, up 7.3% from the same period last year....

Safavieh Promotes Khosrowshahi.(Bruce Khosrowshahi )(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... By Staff New York -High-end rug supplier Safavieh has promoted Bruce Khosrowshahi to the newly created position of northeast sales manager. Khosrowshahi was previously involved in showroom sales, based out of the company's Stamford,...

Shaw Draws on Domestic Strength.(Shaw Living)(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... By Staff New York -Attributing success to its domestic production assets, Shaw Living said it was able to boast a plethora of new synthetic, textured bath, and scatter rug programs despite the tight time frame from last market to the new...

On the Cusp of a Credibility Gap.
August 21, 2006... By Carole Sloan Time for yet another market week post-mortem. And actually, despite the fears and tremblings of some naysayers, it was a very lively market. There still were a few folks who were in despair over the August - and...

Springs Global Transforms, Focuses.(Tom O'Connor interviewed)(Interview)
August 21, 2006... By Don Hogsett New York - Six months after the marriage of Springs Industries and Coteminas, its Brazilian terry supplier, and the creation of a new company, Springs Global, work goes on to knit the two companies and their far-flung...

Sure Fit Elevates Cartisano.(Nancy Cartisano and appointed Adam Hartz )(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... By Staff Promoted to Newly Created Position of SVP, Product Development and Sourcing New York Nancy Cartisano has been promoted to senior vp, product development and sourcing for Sure Fit, a new position. Cartisano, who had been vp,...

Rovit Grooming Sure Fit Brand.(Hugh Rovit)
August 21, 2006... By Carole Sloan New CEO Making an Effort to Zero in on What Consumers Want New York - Sure Fit is making a major effort to talk with consumers about their views on slipcovers, from why they do or do not buy the product, to where they...

Thomasville Names President.(Bob Flynn joins Thomasville Home Furnishings)(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... By Staff New York -Veteran home textiles bedding executive Bob Flynn has joined Thomasville Home Furnishings as president. Ken Lowery, principal, ceo and president, retains his title as ceo. Long time bedding executive Milt Mitler...

HTT Invites Nominations for TiA Competition.
August 21, 2006... By Staff New York -Home Textiles Today invites suppliers that exhibited during New York Market Week to submit images of their 'best of show' new products for the TiA - the Textiles Innovation Award that spotlights the most trend-right...

Wal-Mart Hits A Speed Bump.(Wal-Mart Stores)
August 21, 2006... By Staff Bentonville, Ark. -Hit hard by a loss on the sale of its lagging German retail operation, then further hamstrung by weakening same-store sales as its core low-income customer base is squeezed by rising gas prices and credit-card...

Wamsutta Debuts Luxury and Eco Collections.(Springs Global )(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... By Staff New York -After several markets without any open line offerings, Springs Global has launched two new programs under the Wamsutta brand: Palace, an affordable luxury collection; and Naturals, an environmentally friendly line....

Westgate Recruits Johnson.(Cheryl Johnson )
August 21, 2006... By Staff New York - Cheryl Johnson has joined Westgate in the new position of vp of window fashions and business development. Johnson reports to Tom Coughlin, executive vp and general manager for bedding and window treatments....

D'Angelo Rises at WestPoint.(Carolyn D'Angelo )(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... By Staff O'Grady Promoted New York - Three months after joining West Point Home, Carolyn D'Angelo has been promoted. Originally hired in as senior vp, Ralph Lauren Home, she takes on new responsibility as senior vp, West Point Home...

Windham Weavers Unveils Fiesta Line.
August 21, 2006... By Cecile B. Corral New York - Windham Weavers is straddling the past and the present through its new partnership with dinnerware brand Fiesta - the long recognized, color-rich American-made china from the Homer Laughlin China Company...