Home Textiles Today articles from November 2007

Home Textiles Today archives from November 2007

Welspun Builds Up Bedding Production.
November 12, 2007... By Jennifer Marks New Plants in India, Mexico to Supply U.S. Mumbai, India -Welspun India Ltd. next month will officially go live with bedding production at new facilities in India and in Juarez, Mexico that will put it into a series...

Crown Crafts Buys Springs Infant Division.
November 12, 2007... By Staff Gonzales, La. - Infant and toddler products manufacturer Crown Crafts Inc. has acquired the infant and toddler product line of Springs Global US, in a $12.4 million transaction covering inventory, intellectual property and related...

Iconix Seeks Lead Retailer for Cannon.
November 12, 2007... By James Mammarella New York - Seeking to bolster major-retailer support for its recently acquired Pillowtex properties, Iconix Brand Group said it would like to land an 'anchor' for the Cannon brand. Speaking to analysts on the Iconix...

Pierre Deux in Designer's Challenge.(Brief article)
November 12, 2007... By Staff New York -Decorative fabric resource Pierre Deux is raising money for charity with a Designer's Challenge that will culminate in the awarding of a national winner here later this month. Forty national contestants were given a...

Restoration Hardware Goes Private.
November 12, 2007... By Staff Corte Madera, Calif. -Specialty retailer Restoration Hardware (RH) is being taken private by an affiliate of private equity firm Catterton Partners. Participating in the merger transaction with Catterton are Restoration and...

JCPenney Claims Eco-laurels.(JCPenney Company Inc. receives Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star partner of the year award)(Brief article)
November 12, 2007... By Staff Plano, Texas -Four new JCPenney stores in Washington state have become 'the first buildings to earn the new retail Energy Star rating for superior energy performance and environmental protection,' the retailer said. JCPenney...

Target Going Green on PVC Issue.
November 12, 2007... By Staff Minneapolis -Responding to the urging of shareholder groups, upscale discounter Target has acknowledged that it is taking strong steps toward eliminating the use of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and other toxic substances in packaging...

Kohl's Taking LEED on Green Stores.
November 12, 2007... By Staff Menomonee Falls, Wis. - Promotional department store chain Kohl's is pursuing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) status for more than 80 stores. In its LEED certification, the U.S. Green Building Council uses...

CB2 Takes Manhattan.
November 12, 2007... By Carole Sloan Third Store for Crate & Barrel Offshoot New York -With its third-ever store now open in an all-new market - the Big Apple - CB2 has entered the big time arena of retailing, and home textiles is a major winner in the...

Area Rugs Size Up to Trade Up.
November 12, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral Catering to the Mansion Crowd New York -While the 9-to-5 working middle class takes the hit in a slow economy and housing market, the rich stay rich. So what to do, when so much of the home textiles industry relies...

Sheet Makers Add Color, Address Eco-concerns.
November 12, 2007... By Jill Rowen New York -The static rows of solid-colored sheets in many home furnishings stores and departments belie a more unpredictable, colorful and even schizophrenic atmosphere in the marketplace. While retailers cry that consumers...

Frette Broadens Product Range.
November 12, 2007... By Jennifer Marks New York -Italian luxury linens producer Frette is expanding its collection of lounge accessories for spring/summer 2008 with decorative pillows and throws for the living room. 'Frette is already a staple in our...

Valiant Fabrics Relocates.
November 12, 2007... Staff Fletcher, N.C. - Valiant Fabrics, a supplier of upholstery and decorative fabrics, has relocated operations from New York to this town in the mountains of North Carolina near Asheville. President Jason Danielian said the move...

Cuddlebugs to Debut Walker Line.(Brief article)
November 12, 2007... By Staff Apex, N.C. - Edward Walker, designer on TLC's 'Trading Spaces' TV show, will create a line of bedding for teens and tweens to be produced by Cuddlebugs-n-Cocoons, based here. Products will include: colorful, bordered duvets;...

Creative Bath Moving to 7W Showroom.
November 12, 2007... Staff New York - After 15 years, Creative Bath Products is moving out of its first-floor, storefront showroom at 295 Fifth Avenue. Its new digs are just a few blocks north at 34th Street and Fifth Avenue in the 7 West building, where the...

Tuesday Morning Betting on Holiday.(Brief article)
November 12, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral Dallas -Closeout chain Tuesday Morning reported its 33rd consecutive quarter of positive net earnings per share - although profits shrank - and also enjoyed 'relatively consistent' year-over-year gross profit margins,...

Pricier Home Goods at Big Lots.
November 12, 2007... Staff New Orleans -Closeout retailer Big Lots will continue to add higher price point items to the mix, while looking to furniture, electronics, seasonal, and home textiles as growth categories, said Joe Cooper, svp and cfo, speaking at...

Deichman Leaves Ralph.
November 12, 2007... By Staff New York -Barbara Deichman will leave Ralph Lauren Home where she has been president since May 2004. Deichman, who has spent 39 years in the home furnishings business, plans to retire from the industry. She began her career at...

MSLO Taps Three for Media.
November 12, 2007... By Staff New York -Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO) has made several appointments to new positions in its media marketing area. MSLO president of media Wenda Harris Millard indicated that these moves will better leverage the...

Biederlack Hires Munsey.
November 12, 2007... By Staff Cumberland, Md. -Blanket industry veteran Brian Munsey has joined Biederlack of America as vp of marketing. He was most recently director of marketing at Springs Global US, a company he became part of when Springs acquired Charles...

Change at the Top for Manufacturer Marimekko.
November 12, 2007... By Staff Helsinki, Finland - Kirsti Paakanen, the chief executive and major shareholder of Marimekko, the Finnish apparel and home furnishings lifestyle manufacturer and marketer, will leave the company in February. Paakanen, who...

Gottfried to Join Macy's Home.
November 12, 2007... By Staff New York - Longtime Bloomingdale's home furnishings merchant Chris Gottfried will join Macy's Home Store as senior buyer, bath, a new post. No successor has been named at this time by Bloomingdale's. Gottfried, who has been...

Matthews Leaving Springs.(Brief article)
November 12, 2007... By Staff Fort Mill, S.C.-Springs veteran Ted Matthews, vp communications, is leaving the company. The position has been eliminated. Communications responsibilities now shift to Roland Myers, svp of human resources. Matthews, who...

Casey Joins World Market Center.
November 12, 2007... By Staff Las Vegas -The Las Vegas World Market Center has named Margaret Casey to the newly created post of director of programming, reporting to Dana Andrew, vp of marketing. Casey was most recently associate publisher of Home...

Royale Recruits Lipsey.
November 12, 2007... By Staff Kearny, N.J. -Royale Linens, the North American design services, distribution, sales and customer service subsidiary of Yunus Textile Mills, Ltd., has appointed Mark Lipsey national sales manager. Lipsey, with more than 20...

Everson Joins MHS Licensing from Target.(appointment of Lindsey Everson at MHS Licensing)(Brief article)
November 12, 2007... By Staff Minneapolis -Art licensing agency MHS Licensing has named Lindsey Everson account executive. For the past six years Everson worked in a variety of planning, buying and product development positions for Target Stores, and most...

Golding Fabrics Hires Two.(appointments of Wendy Schneider and David Harrell )(Brief article)
November 12, 2007... Staff Greensboro, N.C. -Wendy Schneider has joined Golding Fabrics as design director, a new position for the company. Schneider most recently was with Culp, and earlier had been with Quaker and Mastercraft. Golding also has named...

Price War Dampens Comps.(BJ's Wholesale Club Inc.)(Costco Wholesale Corp.)(Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Sam's Club)
November 12, 2007... By James Mammarella New York -For the second month running, the top five gainers in comparative-store sales for October were: the three warehouse clubs - Costco, Sam's and BJ's - off-price titan TJX, and upscale discounter Target. It...

OCTOBER SALES FOR KEY RETAILERS.
November 12, 2007... Staff [TABLE OMITTED]

GHCL Home Textiles Revenue Doubles.
November 12, 2007... By Staff New Delhi, India -The diversified industrial group GHCL said its home textiles unit now accounts for 41% of total revenues, having grown by 101% as of the end of the second quarter in September - and the company is looking to...

Logo Unveiled for 'NY Market'.
November 12, 2007... By Staff New York - Trade show producer George Little Management (GLM) and home decor showroom building operators 41 Madison Ave., 7 W New York and 230 Fifth Ave. have debuted a logo to use in combined marketing for various events. ...

Upstairs Chains Falter in October Comps.(Brief article)
November 12, 2007... By Staff New York - This season's gap between same-store sales performance by discounters and department stores continued, as the mass chains closed out October on goal, while class chains fell short, the Johnson Redbook reported. ...

Martha Stewart Narrows Loss.(Financial report)
November 12, 2007... By James Mammarella New York -Pointing to strong activity in merchandising sales at both Kmart and Macy's, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO) painted a picture of turnaround, as it reported overall third-quarter revenue up 13% to $69.3...

WestPoint Losses Continue.
November 12, 2007... By James Mammarella New York - Still a major home textiles manufacturer, WestPoint Home is clearly a shrinking company, one that operates at a loss, and its brands are losing value, the company said in its just-filed quarterly report. ...

Raymond Waites Reorganizes.
November 12, 2007... By Carole Sloan New York - Raymond Waites Designs has reorganized its design responsibilities with Waites himself creating the designs and design direction for the fledgling Raymond Waites Couture, while senior vp design Stacey Testa heads...

Retail Briefs.
November 12, 2007... Staff Williams-Sonoma Tests Threads Staff Williams-Sonoma Inc. held a grand opening for its second Threads store, in New York on Nov. 3. Sited at Second Avenue and 76th Street in a former Hold Everything space, the mix is mainly...

Muji Set for U.S. Opening in New York.(Brief article)
November 12, 2007... By Staff New York - International lifestyle brand Muji will open its first U.S. store Nov. 16 in New York's SoHo neighborhood, at 455 Broadway. The 3,200-square-foot store will offer about 2,000 skus of merchandise, according to Muji...

For the Record.(Correction notice)
November 12, 2007... Staf For the Record Due to proofreading errors, two names were misspelled in the Anna's Linens article (HTT, Oct. 29, page 1). The correct spellings: Daniel Felsenthal, vp finance, and Linda Wendt, vp human resources. Also, the final...

Wellman Taps Lazard for 'Alternatives'.
November 12, 2007... By Staff Fort Mill, S.C. -Polyester resin and fiber producer Wellman Inc. has retained investment bank Lazard Freres & Co. to 'explore strategic alternatives' for the company (a phrase that often signals the onset of a leveraged buyout or...

Polymer Group Margins Up, Plans to Trim Debt.
November 12, 2007... By Staff Stock Sale Ahead to Cut Balance Charlotte, N.C. -Nonwoven engineered material producer Polymer Group (PGI) said operating profitability improved at both its Mooresville, N.C., and Suzhou, China plants during the third quarter,...

N.Y. Market Dates 101.
November 12, 2007... By Jennifer Marks, Editor-in-Chief The 2008 series of winter trade shows lies just around the corner, and predictably, we're fielding a lot of calls from confused people as far as the New York market weeks are concerned. So, for the...

My Martha Beats Your Martha.
November 12, 2007... By Carole Sloan, Founding Editor-in-Chief No one ever accused Eddie Lampert of being a merchandising or marketing guru. Quite the opposite, he plays better in an environment where numbers rule. In fact, by his own admission at the last...

Downlite Names First-ever CEO.(appointment of James Lape )(Brief article)
November 12, 2007... By Staff Mason, Ohio -Responding to rapid business expansion, luxury feather and down bedding manufacturer Downlite has named James Lape the first-ever chief executive officer in the company's history. The family owned Downlite has...

Merrimac Intros Premier Collection.(Barrow Industries Inc. Merrimac Textile)(Brief article)
November 12, 2007... By Staff Line to Debut at High Point's Showtime Norwood, Mass. -Merrimac Textiles, the piece goods division of Barrow Inds., is introducing the Premier Collection by Merrimac, a range of high end jacquards in chenille and luxury damask...

MSLO Sues Sears Canada for Royalties.
November 12, 2007... By Staff New York -Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, through its MSO IP Holdings Inc. entity, has brought suit against Sears Canada for breach of contract, in a dispute over licensing royalties. At issue is about $2 million in...

Changes in the Global Mix.
November 12, 2007... By Staff Former U.S. Firms now Big Exporters to U.S. A spate of international acquisitions has put three former U.S. mills back into the mix among the leading global manufacturers of towels, sheets and bed ensembles. Although the...

Trident Expanding Production Capacity.(Trident/Abhishek Industries )(Brief article)
November 12, 2007... By Staff Bhopal, India -Trident/Abhishek Industries has launched construction of a new spinning and weaving factory at Bundi in Madhya Pradesh that will put the sizeable towel manufacturer into the sheet business. The $5 million facility...

Smith Returns to Hollander.
November 12, 2007... By Staff Boca Raton, Fla. - Basic bedding producer Hollander Home Fashions has rehired Louis Smith as director of brand management. Smith, a 16-year veteran in the retail industry, worked for Hollander between 1993 and 1995 as account...

IAC Preps HSN Spinoff.
November 12, 2007... By James Mammarella New York - AC/InterActiveCorp, the multi-faceted media, retail and interactive services conglomerate built by financier Barry Diller, plans to break itself into five publicly traded companies, with the spinoffs -...

Leaner HSN Slows Margin Decline.
November 12, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral New York -It looks like the 'S' in HSN could have stood for success last quarter: IAC/InterActiveCorp., parent of diversified direct-to-consumer retailing and marketing entities, beamed during its recent third-quarter...

Cotton Inc. Joins Parade.
November 12, 2007... By Staff New York -Boosting the new 'Natural' trademark, the Bountiful Harvest Cornucopia float sponsored by Cotton Incorporated will take part in this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The float will feature 'The Fabric of Our...

Dan River Readies New Products.
November 26, 2007... By Jennifer Marks Positions for Innovation, Brand-Building New York - Dan River, now a division of Delhi-based GHCL, is working toward a series of new product launches for February that will help position the reconstituted company as...

JCPenney Cuts 4Q Outlook by 25%.(Financial report)
November 26, 2007... By James Mammarella Home Among Weakest Categories Plano, Texas - Home furnishings powerhouse JCPenney bit the bullet in its third-quarter earnings release and took its bitter medicine with the simple statement: "Management now expects...

Linens 'n Things Hails Fashion Bedding.
November 26, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral Clifton, N.J. - Home textiles hit a milestone almost two years into the Linens 'n Things self-described "nine-inning" (nine-year) turnaround plan, the 585-unit specialty retailer said during its third-quarter earnings...

Springs Looks Ahead.(Springs Industries Inc.)
November 26, 2007... By Brent Felgner Sao Paulo, Brazil-To say that Springs Global chairman and ceo Josue Gomes da Silva's plate is full as he transforms the giant mill simply misses the point. Springs Global's continuing challenges - on its financial...

Retail Briefs.(Report)
November 26, 2007... By Staff Seasonal Shoppers in Financial Funk Staff The number of consumers that feel worse off financially this Christmas season has risen to almost one third of all Americans (31.8%) compared to 18.5% last year, according to a...

Dillard's in the Red, Stock Zooms.
November 26, 2007... By Staff Little Rock, Ark. - Posting a third-quarter net loss of $11.3 million, compared to income of $13.6 million for the year-ago period, Dillard's nonetheless found ways to entice investors as the company announced the completion of...

Kohl's Trims Earnings Guidance.(Financial report)(Brief article)
November 26, 2007... By Staff Menomonee Falls, Wis.-Promotional department store operator Kohl's joined the retail chorus of lamentation, reporting third-quarter net earnings of $194.0 million, down 13.6% from $224.5 million in the year-ago period. Sales...

Restoration Hardware in Lampert's Crosshairs.
November 26, 2007... By Staff Sears Holdings Eyes Specialty Chain Hoffman Estates, Ill. - Retail giant Sears Holdings has taken an interest in poised-to-go-private specialty chain Restoration Hardware (RH), to the tune of a $30.2 million purchase of RH...

Home, Apparel Categories Punish Target in 3Q.
November 26, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral Minneapolis - The sluggish performance in home and apparel were entirely to blame for Target Corp.'s gross margin rate drop in the third quarter, the 1,591-unit retailer said during its earnings call - and Target...

Wal-Mart Plans $100 Billion Fourth Quarter.(Wal-Mart Stores Inc.)(Financial report)
November 26, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral Bentonville, Ark. - "We're seeing improvements in both home and apparel, and in fact I believe we will continue to see improvements in both of these categories," said Lee Scott, president and ceo of Wal-Mart on the...

Packagers Taking Eco-Friendly Steps.
November 26, 2007... By Jill Rowen Reduce, Reuse, Recycle- or at Least Try to do Something The recent news that Target Stores has agreed to "systematically reduce" its use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in its products and packaging (two years after Wal-Mart...

Seeking Oil Alternatives in Pricing Struggle.
November 26, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral New York - For the past several years, the bath accessories industry has been struggling to swallow consistently climbing raw material price increases. More recently, they've added another weight to their burden -...

Design Winners Named as Pierre Deux Expands.
November 26, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral Secaucus, N.J. - Interior designer Lin Lee, head of Lin Lee & Associates, won first place in the Pierre Deux national "Take a Seat to Toile" designer challenge. Her winning chair was Simply Elegant, a design using a...

Sears Prototype Emerges at Former Kmart Site.
November 26, 2007... By Staff Marietta, Ga. - A 23,000-square-foot Land's End shop is emblematic of the new Sears in this Atlanta suburb, a store that has opened in a former Kmart location at 4269 Roswell Rd. (Both retailers are part of $53 billion Sears...

Off-price is On Track at TJX.
November 26, 2007... By James Mammarella Framingham, Mass. - Off-price retailer The TJX Cos.'s third-quarter results formed strong evidence that it's a good time to be an opportunistic merchandiser: Net income of $249 million translated into diluted earnings...

New Brand Umbrella: DwellStudio.
November 26, 2007... By Staff New York - Home textiles manufacturer Dwell Home Furnishings will now be known by the umbrella brand name DwellStudio. The company's brands are Dwell, DwellBaby, DwellKids and DwellTable. "It's always been a collaborative...

Homefires Expands Market Profile.
November 26, 2007... By Staff Atlanta - Rug company Cresc Corp., parent of the Homefires and Carefree accent rug programs and sister to Home Comfort rug company, is expanding its presence at several markets, as well as at its showrooms used by its sales staff...

Point-of-sale Upgrade for Karastan.
November 26, 2007... By Staff Dalton, Ga. - Karastan is easing "the complexity of cross-promoting" area rugs for different parts of the home with its latest marketing initiative, Coordinate Rug Tags - tags that show the consumer a group of rugs that work...

Living InStyle Launches Squeeze Line.
November 26, 2007... By Staff New York - Home textiles manufacturer and importer Living InStyle is launching Squeeze, a new branded juvenile line for home categories that has been merchandised in juniors' and kids' apparel by department stores since 1985. ...

Moumi to Show Crewels at Showtime.
November 26, 2007... By Staff Cumming, Ga. - Moumi Designer Solutions, an India-based decorative fabrics company, will make its debut at Showtime in High Point, N.C. next month. The company specializes in crewel embroideries on a variety of base cloths...

Q Collection Junior Showcases Eco-friendly Bedding.
November 26, 2007... By Staff New York - Home furnishings design house Q Collection has debuted Q Collection Junior, bringing its sustainable furniture and bedding approach to children's products. The product range is recommended by Healthy Child Healthy...

TDA to Shut Down.
November 26, 2007... By Staff Roberts FIT Scholarship to be Created New York - The Textile Distributors Association will close, as membership has declined from a peak of 365 to 50 today. Some 25 members of the nearly 70-year-old group gathered at...

Vegas Touts Green Furnishings.
November 26, 2007... By Staff Las Vegas - The World Market Center (WMC) will team with the Sustainable Furniture Council on a series of retailer-focused educational seminars during the Las Vegas Market, to be held Jan. 28 - Feb. 1, 2008. The Brave New...

Bolton Assumes Exec Role at Zenitex.
November 26, 2007... By Staff Will Report to Owner/President Cranbury, N.J. - Keith Bolton has joined Zenitex Corporation as executive vp sales and marketing, reporting to owner/president Yi Jiang. For more than nine years, years Bolton worked for...

Flatow Promoted at Dan River.
November 26, 2007... By Staff Danville, Va. - Dan River has elevated Michael Flatow to ceo from coo, and he will retain his title of president. Flatow, who joined the company Sept. 13, also concurrently serves as ceo of Best Textiles International Ltd. He...

Safavieh Names Mare to New Post.(appointment of Sherry Mare at Safavieh Rugs and Home)
November 26, 2007... By Staff New York - Safavieh has created a new regional sales managerial position - territory manager assigned to Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma -and appointed Sherry Mare to fill it. Mare has owned a service business for the...

OneCoast to Represent Company C.
November 26, 2007... By Staff Concord, N.H. - Hand-crafted area rugs, bedding and home furnishings producer Company C has named OneCoast to rep its product line in Southern and Western U.S. territories. OneCoast Southwest Home, a division of OneCoast, will...

Michael Paul Joins Cone Jacquards.
November 26, 2007... By Staff Cliffside, N.C. - Michael Paul has joined Cone Jacquards as a sales representative in the Northeast; he will also help develop the company's office furniture business. Paul, formerly a sales representative for Craftex Mills in...

Sears Holdings Appoints Ramery to Marketing Post.
November 26, 2007... By Staff Hoffman Estates, Ill. - Sears Holdings named Louis Ramery svp, customer relationship marketing for Sears and Kmart, reporting to Maureen McGuire, Sears Holdings chief marketing officer. Ramery was most recently head of global...

Shopko Appoints President, Head Merchant.
November 26, 2007... By Staff Green Bay, Wis. - Shopko has named Paul Jones president and chief merchandising officer Jones brings more than 20 years of merchandising, private brand development and planning experience to the Northern-Midwest regional...

Family Dollar Hires Smith.
November 26, 2007... By Staff Matthews, N.C. - Neighborhood discount chain Family Dollar Stores has named Donald Smith vp marketing, reporting to Robert George, evp and chief merchandising officer. Smith was previously vp sales and marketing at Perrigo...

Techtextil Show Set for April.
November 26, 2007... By Staff Atlanta - The fifth edition of the Techtextil North America (TTNA) trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens will be held April 1-3, 2008, at the Cobb Galleria Centre here. TTNA 300-plus exhibitors are drawn the ranks of...

GHCL Expects Lift from Textiles.(Brief article)
November 26, 2007... By Staff Mumbai, India - The rapidly growing home textiles segment of GHCL accounts for 41% of total company revenues, but what proportion it will ultimately contribute to profits is a story that will begin in 2008. From a corporate...