Home Textiles Today articles from June 2008

Home Textiles Today archives from June 2008

Big Lots to Push Price Points.
June 2, 2008... By Cecile B. Corral Achieves Record Earnings Columbus, Ohio - Closeout retailer Big Lots is intent on adding value and new, better brands to its assortment as its defense against "very real" cost pressures from overseas, the company...

ICFF Shows Staying Power.(International Contemporary Furniture Fair)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... By Carole Sloan New York - Sustainable, renewable, natural and recyclable were the major buzzwords at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair here last month. For fabric, rugs, and furniture exhibitors, and especially the...

Target Keeps Home Fresh.
June 2, 2008... By James Mammarella Henderson, Nev. - Three new soft home initiatives featured in the presentation at the soon-to-open supercenter here two weeks ago as Target's newly elevated ceo Gregg Steinhafel steered his first annual shareholder...

Vendors See a Hit-or-Miss Showtime.
June 2, 2008... By Carole Sloan High Point, N.C. - Despite the strength of the contract segment of their business, decorative fabric suppliers are viewing this year as challenging at best, if not a fight. Few exhibitors at Showtime here this week are...

LNT Auction Yields $123 Mil.
June 2, 2008... By Brent Felgner Wilmington, Del. - Bankrupt specialty retailer Linens 'n Things will receive at least $122.8 million for the liquidated inventory in the approximately 120 stores it is closing, following the auction here last week to a...

Retail Briefs.
June 2, 2008... By Staff Dillard's Keys on Cost Control Staff Dillard's projected $204 million in capital expenditures and the opening of just four new stores - but will continue initiatives to upscale segments of its merchandise mix, ceo William...

Stein Mart Cuts Back Home.
June 2, 2008... By Cecile B. Corral Jacksonville, Fla. - As its home business continues declining in relevance among consumers, Stein Mart has set plans for the fall to shrink the category's inventories and square footage space at the store level, the...

Belk Profits Down, Adds Private Brands.(Financial report)
June 2, 2008... By Staff Charlotte, N.C. - Southeastern department store operator Belk Inc. saw first-quarter profits slashed as sales fell, but the retailer launched two private label programs and continued to integrate 25 former Parisian stores into the...

Bon-Ton Sluggish, Lowers Projections.
June 2, 2008... By Staff York, Pa. - The Bon-Ton Stores lowered its fiscal year guidance on reporting a widened loss in the first quarter ended May 3. Bon-Ton's loss of $34.1 million, or $2.03 per share, was deeper than the loss of $29.3 million, or...

DWR Grows Tools for Living.(Design Within Reach)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... By Staff San Francisco - Online and brick-and-mortar specialty retailer Design Within Reach will open two new Tools for Living stores in September, in Santa Monica, Calif.; and Manhattan's Soho district. In contrast to DWR's 69 Studio...

Gottschalks Still Slumping.
June 2, 2008... By Cecile B. Corral Fresno, Calif. - Housewares was among the best performing categories for 62-unit Western department store chain Gottschalks during its first quarter - but home textiles was definitely not part of the action - the...

Home Depot Profit Off 66%.(Financial report)
June 2, 2008... By Staff Atlanta - A $543 million charge sent Home Depot's first-quarter net income plummeting by 66% to $356 million, or 21 cents per share. The charge was related to the closing of 15 stores and elimination of 50 more from future...

Profits Advance at Jo-Ann Stores.
June 2, 2008... By Staff Hudson, Ohio - A successful first quarter was driven by craft textiles at Jo-Ann Stores, the 573-unit fabric and craft retailer said during its recent earnings call. Craft textiles and quilting were singled out specifically as...

Young RISD Designers to Present.
June 2, 2008... By Staff Providence, R.I. - A dozen masters students from the Rhode Island School of Design's [RISD] Textile Department will present selections of their work at a public event at New York Design Center on June 5 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m....

Restoration Hardware Dissidents Seek to Block Buyout.
June 2, 2008... By Staff San Diego - A group of Restoration Hardware shareholders opposed to the specialty retailer's acquisition deal with Catterton Partners will get their hearing, as Marin County Superior Court judge Lynn O'Malley Taylor ordered a...

Waverly Owner NexCen in Trouble.(NexCen Brands Inc.)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... By Staff New York - Diversified brand management firm NexCen Brands, Inc., which owns and licenses the Bill Blass and Waverly brands, said on May 19 it "believes that there is substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going...

HD Expo Exhibitors Positive if Cautious.
June 2, 2008... By Carole Sloan Las Vegas - Despite concerns, particularly about the U.S. segment of the hospitality market, exhibitors at the HD Expo here last month came away with strong feelings about future business. The HD Expo, unlike other...

JCPenney Honors Top Suppliers.
June 2, 2008... By Staff Plano, Texas - Peking Handicraft was presented with two awards at the JCPenney Suppliers' Summit here last month. The company won for the direct.com and Direct Divisional Award, both in the soft home segment, at the annual...

ABC Carpet Turns Shoppers into Designers.
June 2, 2008... By Staff New York - The ABC Carpet Modern Rug Gallery has been enhanced with the launch of a custom design digital interface that offers shoppers of this high-end retailer myriad floor covering designs that can be tailored to their...

Cotton Inc. Opens Hong Kong Office.(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... By Staff Hong Kong - Cotton Incorporated recently held the grand opening of a regional office in The Gateway, Harbour City, Tsimshatsui in Hong Kong. The new office will offer technical services for mills and manufacturers in the...

Abhishek Expands.(Trident/Abhishek Industries)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... By Jennifer Marks Diversifies from Terry into Sheeting Ludhiana, India - For expanding supplier Trident/Abhishek Industries, construction is well underway on a new spinning and weaving factory at Bundi in Madhya Pradesh that will put...

Bedding Maker VTX Gains Green Power.
June 2, 2008... By Staff Coimbatore, India - VTX has branded its certified organic cotton "KottonD'or" as part of its pro-environment push. The 54-year-old bedding manufacturer, officially Vijayeswari Textiles, has obtained certification for its...

Hanung Adds Speed, Capacity.(Hanung Toys & Textiles)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... By Staff Noida, India - Hanung Toys & Textiles has opened a new facility in Bhiwandi, on the outskirts of Mumbai, close to India's largest sea port. The company said this will speed turnaround on its shipments. The $125 million...

Indo Count Grooms Organic Output.(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... By Staff Mumbai, India - Indo Count recently joined the league of sustainable textile producers by earning certified status from Control Union (which absorbed the SKAL certifying agency) for 100% organic cotton, as well as Cotton Exchange...

KG Denim Offers Organic Sheets.
June 2, 2008... By Staff Coimbatore, India - The home textiles division of KG Denim Limited has introduced organic denim sheets. Its denim organic sheeting is being offered in 200-thread count to 300-thread count varieties for the U.S. and European...

Welspun Flexes Product, Brand Power.
June 2, 2008... By Staff Mumbai, India - While Welspun ramps up production at its newly constructed bath rug factory in India and new bedding plants in India and Mexico, the manufacturer's U.S. division has relocated to a larger New York showroom to...

Int'l Home Deco Park Turning One.
June 2, 2008... By Staff The International Home Deco Park (IHDP) in Noida, India will mark its first anniversary this summer. The home furnishings business-to-business park houses various suppliers of home textiles, floor coverings, furniture, metal...

Taurus Introduces Retail Format.
June 2, 2008... By Jennifer Marks Exporter Goes Vertical with Address Home New Delhi, India - Home textiles exporter Taurus Home is joining the parade of Indian manufacturers opening retail formats in their own country. Taurus recently opened its...

Kathy Ireland Teams with Thank You Baby.(Kathy Ireland Worldwide)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... By Tanya K. Merritte Kearney, Neb. - Thank You Baby has signed a licensing deal to produce crib bedding and other infant accessories under the Kathy Ireland name. Under the agreement, Thank You Baby plans to introduce several new...

Martha Stewart to Upscale Collection at Macy's.
June 2, 2008... By Cecile B. Corral Las Vegas - The Martha Stewart Collection at Macy's will begin to include a stronger presentation of luxury or better priced items - an unexpected shift that has come in response to shoppers' demands for the brand's...

Mervyns Chief Outlines Plan.
June 2, 2008... By Staff Hayward, Calif. - Mervyns plans to shuffle its real estate and launch into e-commerce as new ceo John Goodman - who joined the company in April from Levi Strauss & Co. - looks to generate cash and revive sales. Mervyns will...

Peking Handicraft Gets Contemporary for Holiday.
June 2, 2008... By Staff San Francisco - Home decor and gifts manufacturer Peking Handicraft Inc. has created a new line of holiday-themed textiles set to launch during the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings market in July. Designed...

Pellenberg Exits Linen Source.(Linen Source)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... By Staff Tampa, Fla. - Charlie Pellenberg has left privately held direct-to-consumer retailer Linen Source, where he had been svp, gmm since last May. Pellenberg, a long time home furnishings retail executive, joined Linen Source from...

Carl Legreca Now Croscill President, Brady Exits.
June 2, 2008... By Staff New York - Carl Legreca has been named president of Croscill, Inc. Legreca's promotion follows the departure of Julie Brady "as a mutual parting of the ways," according to Doug Kahn, president and ceo of Croscill Home. Brady...

Leadership Changes at Chris Stone.
June 2, 2008... By Staff Vernon, Calif. - In a major change of management and direction, longtime Chris Stone, Inc. executive Mark Aizawa resigned as president of the vertical domestic textile business, effective last Tuesday, May 27. Aizawa's...

JCP Rewires Financial Group.(JCPenney Company Inc.)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... By Staff Plano, Texas - With the coming retirement on June 3 of longtime JCPenney executive William Alcorn, who is svp, controller and chief procurement officer for non-resale goods and services, the $19.9 billion retailer has made a range...

People Briefs.
June 2, 2008... By Staff ITG recruits Moore Staff Diversified manufacturer International Textile Group has named Willis Moore evp and cfo. Moore replaces former evp, cfo Gary Smith, who announced last month his plans to leave ITG for other...

Revere Mills Promotes Vanden Berge, Gregg.
June 2, 2008... By Staff Des Plaines Ill. - Revere Mills International Group, a supplier of bath and beach towels and kitchen textiles, has promoted two of its key executives. John Vanden Berge, who has been with Revere for 13 years and originally...

May Comps Keep Pace.(Financial report)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... By Staff New York - Retailer same-store sales for the third week of May rose 1.7%, keeping the month-to-date gain at 1.8%, the Johnson Redbook reported. Department store operators were slightly exceeding plan, while discounters were...

Sears Holdings Dives into Red Ink.
June 2, 2008... By James Mammarella Hoffman Estates, Ill. - In a sure sign that painful adjustments are still ahead, Sears Holdings reported a first quarter 2008 net loss of $56 million - compared to net profit of $223 million in the same period one year...

Commodities Driving Home at Target.
June 2, 2008... By Cecile B. Corral Minneapolis - While home proved a flat business for Target Corp. during the first quarter, elements of the department, specifically "replacement" products, were bright spots vs. the dimmer discretionary and higher...

Reflections on a Savage Spring.
June 2, 2008... By Jennifer Marks It's been a savage spring, one marked by too many sudden collapses. The Linens 'n Things bankruptcy. The Dan River wipeout. NexCen's stunning announcement that it might not have enough money to keep going. Lay-offs at...

A Refreshing Focus on Product.
June 2, 2008... By Carole Sloan Talk about uplifting experiences! Anyone wanting an upper moment in the home furnishings business, and in any part of the home textiles world in particular, should have been walking the aisles of the HD Expo last month...

Exhibitors Upbeat in Difficult Market.
June 9, 2008... By Carole Sloan High Point, N.C. - Despite a marked decline in attendance, decorative fabrics suppliers were generally pleased with the results from Showtime here last week. The small retail fabrics segment was noticeably absent with...

JCP Launches Lifestyle with Linden Street.
June 9, 2008... By Carole Sloan Plano, Texas - Lifestyle merchandising will be a major new approach for the home furnishings division at JCPenney, and the company's new Linden Street brand will be the launch vehicle. The collection that debuts in July...

Gains Seen in Salary Survey.
June 9, 2008... By James Mammarella Average Sales Exec Salary up 10% from Last Year New York - While the home textiles industry has encountered harsh market conditions over the past year, some sales executives and product designers have found...

Wal-Mart Holds Line on Prices.(Wal-Mart Stores Inc. )(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... By Jennifer Marks Bentonville, Ark. - Shoppers from higher-income households are stepping up their purchasing at Wal-Mart, a sign of the spreading impact of higher gasoline and food prices, Wal-Mart execs suggested last week. "Traffic...

DIP Financing, Liquidator Team Approved for LNT.
June 9, 2008... By Staff Clifton, N.J. - Linens 'n Things reported that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware has given final approval to $700 million in debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing from GE Capital Corp. The financing was approved May 28, the...

Material World Goes West.
June 9, 2008... By Staff Atlanta - Material World West will make its debut at the Los Angeles Convention Center Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2009, featuring product for the apparel, home and footwear industries. Sponsored by Urban Expositions and the American Apparel...

Muji Opens NYC Flagship Store.(New York City)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... By Staff New York - Japanese retailer Muji has opened its U.S. flagship store here at 620 40th Street in the New York Times new headquarters skyscraper. Greeting visitors who enter from the 40th Street entrance is a presentation of...

Retail Briefs.
June 9, 2008... By Staff Dillard's to Sell Texas Landmark Staff The owner of the Rivercenter mall in San Antonio has reached an agreement to acquire the Joske's building, a 500,000-square-foot landmark property, from Dillard's. No price was given...

Licensing Opportunities Beckon.
June 9, 2008... By Cecile B. Corral Nature Themes, Novelties Expand to Home New York - An animated talking dog, a high-energy soft drink, and a documentary about Earth are among the many properties now seeking home textiles licensing partners to build...

Chandra Rugs Expanding.
June 9, 2008... By Staff Adairsville, Ga. - Indian handmade area rug manufacturer Chandra Rugs has expanded is showroom space at the AmericasMart here to more than 3,300 square feet. The company, which offers traditional and contemporary styles, will...

Crown Crafts Offers Baby Looney Line.
June 9, 2008... By Staff Compton, Calif. - Infant and toddler soft home manufacturer Crown Crafts Infant Products has entered into a licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Consumer Products for its Baby Looney Tunes brand. The supplier will offer a...

Duckwall-ALCO Shareholders Confirm Board.
June 9, 2008... By Staff Abilene, Kan. - Rural general merchandiser Duckwall-ALCO Stores said shareholders approved the re-election of all five directors at the company's annual meeting. The board now includes three recently named directors who were...

IFDA to Host Trend Session.
June 9, 2008... By Staff New York - The International Furnishings and Design Association New York Chapter will host a Rugs and Flooring Trend Report looking at the design and market forecast for 2009 and 2010. Two panelists will present at the...

Nancy Koltes Adds Exeter and Summer Coordinates.(Koltes Fine Linens )(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... By Staff New York - Luxury bedding supplier Nancy Koltes Fine Linens has debuted its new Exeter sheeting line with vivid solid colors for summer, along with two coordinating Madras woven linen top-of-bed lines. All three are made with...

Target to Sponsor Design Summit.
June 9, 2008... By Staff Sarasota, Fla. - The third Sarasota International Design Summit, produced by Ringling College of Art and Design, will boast Target Stores as its title sponsor, the college announced last week. The Design Summit will take place...

Williamsburg Takes Catalog Honors.
June 9, 2008... By Staff Williamsburg, Va. - Legacy brand Colonial Williamsburg took silver honors in the Multichannel Merchant Awards category for Gifts, based on its Holiday 2007 catalog. "Everything from the merchandising of the book to its...

Yahoo Signs Wal-Mart to Online Ad Deal.
June 9, 2008... By Staff New York - Major internet portal Yahoo.com will be the "exclusive portal reseller" of display ads for Wal-Mart, in a deal that will also enable the retailer to "present new offers to online customers," Yahoo announced. Yahoo...

Restoration Loss Widens.
June 9, 2008... By Staff Corte Madera, Calif. - Specialty retailer Restoration Hardware reported a first quarter net loss of $19.6 million on a 1.8% sales uptick to $144.8 million. Last year's first-quarter net loss was $13.0 million, RH said. ...

Restoration Hardware in Final Proxy Push.
June 9, 2008... By Staff Corte Madera, Calif. - With the recent court challenge to the planned Restoration Hardware buyout agreement with Catterton Partners, the retailer has presented recommendations by three independent proxy advisors to support their...

Showtime Exhibitors Expand.
June 9, 2008... By Staff High Point, N.C. - Three of the largest tenants in the Market Square Textile Tower were in expanded showrooms for last week's Showtime fabric fair. Valdese Weavers grew its space by more than 25% to 6,500 square feet. The...

WestPoint Promotes Two.
June 9, 2008... By Staff New York - WestPoint Home last week elevated two executives: Alan Kennedy to svp of sales, and Linda Del Pozo to svp of bath merchandising. Both will report to John Piazza, who in late May was named the company's new...

Company C Hires Michael Deveau.
June 9, 2008... By Staff Concord, N.H. - Soft home furnishings manufacturer Company C has appointed Michael Deveau to sales representative servicing retailer customers in the Northeast region. Deveau brings almost three decades of career experience in...

IFDA Honors Beckmann.(Conference notes)
June 9, 2008... By Staff Los Angeles - The International Furnishings and Design Association has bestowed its 2008 Trailblazer Award upon textile designer and colorist Barbara Beckmann, who received the honor at the IFDA Industry Forum and Conference here....

Irvin Retires from JCPenney.
June 9, 2008... By Staff Plano, Texas - John Irvin, 61, evp at JCPenney and president of JCPenney Direct, has retired from the company, effective June 3. He has been with the retailer since 2001, responsible for both the catalog and internet business....

P/Kaufmann Taps Sanderson for Design.
June 9, 2008... By Staff New York - Julie Sanderson has joined P/Kaufmann as vp, director of print design for the P/Kaufmann division. Sanderson spent the past 11 years at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia where she was senior vp, design director for...

Merida Meridian Honors RISD Winners.(Rhode Island School of Design)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... By Staff New York - Natural fiber floor covering company Merida Meridian has honored six Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) students who competed in this year's Fusion 2008 Competition. The participants were given paper, wool and...

Designer Mobley Out at Croscill.(Jerry Mobley)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... By Staff New York - Jerry Mobley has resigned as designer of bedding for Croscill and will leave the company sometime this month. No replacement has been named for Mobley, who joined the company in January 1997, said Croscill coo and...

Former Spiegel Exec Dies.
June 9, 2008... By Staff Chicago - Former Spiegel chief John Shea died May 27 following a four-year battle with cancer. He was 70. Shea was president and ceo of Spiegel, Inc. from 1985 to 1997, years of rapid growth for the company. He masterminded...

Tax Rebate Checks Bolster Deep-Discount May Sales.(Survey)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... By Staff Columbus, Ohio - Consumers using the earliest wave of income tax rebate checks helped boost May retail sales - and the leading beneficiaries were dollar stores, closeout chains and warehouse supermarkets, according a TNS Retail...

Shaw Cuts Workers, Energy Use.
June 9, 2008... By Cecile B. Corral Dalton, Ga. - Due to reduced product demand coupled with higher production efficiencies, rug maker Shaw Industries Group is reducing its workforce at its nylon manufacturing plant in Lafayette, Ga. by 50 employees,...

Textillery Juices Line with Purple.
June 9, 2008... By Staff Bloomington, Ind. - Recognizing the color purple having "staying power beyond trendy," hand-woven throw manufacturer Textillery Weavers is now using a mix of berry tones to create what it described as "an alluring ambience" for...

Discounters in Driver's Seat.
June 9, 2008... By James Mammarella Home Category Continues to Stagnate New York - If ever there were a haves and have-nots month, May 2008 would qualify. The list of comparable-store gainers, running from Costco up 9.0% and Ross Stores up 7.0% to TJX...

May Comps Make Goals.(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... By Staff New York - Same-store sales closed out the four-week retail month of May with a convincing 2.0% rise last week, to end with a 1.8% gain for the month, just beating the target of 1.7%, the Johnson Redbook reported. May comps...

Natura World Expands.(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... By Staff Cambridge, Ontario - Natural and organic bedding and accessories manufacturer Natura World has relocated its headquarters and manufacturing facility to a new site - more than 300% the size of its former property. "Consumers...

Soft Accessories a Ray of Hope at Williams-Sonoma.
June 9, 2008... By Cecile B. Corral San Francisco - Textiles offered a mixed bag of results for home furnishings retailer Williams-Sonoma Inc. during its first quarter. The category fared well in West Elm and PBteen but performed less successfully in...

NexCen Restructures, Platt Duties Expanded.(Rick Platt)(NexCen Brands Inc.)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... By Staff New York - Moving quickly to cut overhead and right its cash flow, NexCen Brands entered June with a pared-down headquarters staff, consolidated executive responsibilities and with an investment bank retained to chart a financial...

Swinging to Higher Prices.
June 9, 2008... By Jennifer Marks Retailers are finally acknowledging it: Supplier prices are going up, and stores are passing the costs on to consumers. Last week, Williams-Sonoma said that while it was trying to hold the line on cost increases,...

Surveying Showtime.
June 9, 2008... By Carole Sloan Well, another Showtime has come and gone. From an attendance perspective, the tally was significantly down. Individual customers brought fewer folks with them. The mom-and-pops on the retail side of the fabric business...

Domestic Suppliers Gain Quality and Margin.
June 23, 2008... By Jennifer Marks New York -- Last December, 1888 Mills added three looms to its U.S. towel factory in Griffin, Ga. A few months earlier, Creative Bath doubled the capacity of its plastic molding plant on Long Island. Earlier this year,...

Fabric Makers See Bright Future in U.S.
June 23, 2008... By Carole Sloan New York -- It's a bright future for decorative fabric producers making their products in the United States. Despite the migration during this decade to China and other offshore sites by many suppliers, and by their...

Soft Home Hot As Ikea Opens In Brooklyn.
June 23, 2008... By Staff Brooklyn, N.Y. -- Despite a tough economic environment, Ikea is seeing strong furniture sales -- and textiles remains a growth area -- the company's head of North American operations said following the grand opening of the...