Home Textiles Today articles from October 2007

Home Textiles Today archives from October 2007

Bloomingdale's Edits Home in New Store.
October 1, 2007... By Carole Sloan Chevy Chase, Md. - In opening its 40th store last week, Bloomingdale's took a radically different approach to home, merging individual home departments into lifestyle statements and incorporating only the best of the best...

Textiles Help Pier 1 Toward Black Ink.
October 1, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral Fort Worth, Texas - As home furnishings specialty retailer Pier 1 Imports pursues its turnaround effort, the new merchandise mix of decorative pillows, rugs, window panels and chair pads is seeing "some nice sales...

Rugs Suppliers Step Up in Tough Market.
October 1, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral High Point, N.C. - Well aware of the recent slowdown of furniture sales in the wake of a declining housing market, rug suppliers exhibiting here at the International Home Furnishings market this week say they are...

High End Vendors Upbeat on High Point.
October 1, 2007... By Carole Sloan High Point, N.C. - Home textiles exhibitors at the High Point Market this week are cautious about its outcome in terms of attendance by retailers, the macro-economic conditions, and the general ennui that has been plaguing...

Retail Briefs.
October 1, 2007... By Staff Target Cuts Comp Outlook Staff Back-to-school failed to galvanize consumers, and Target was among the retailers pulling back. The 1,537-unit upscale discounter cut its September comp sales estimate from the 4% to 6% range...

Forecast: Home Soft for Holiday.
October 1, 2007... By Jennifer Marks Columbus, Ohio and Washington, D.C. - The first pair of holiday forecasts brought unpleasant news, and while the estimates differ, both represent the worst holiday performance since 2002. Retail consultancy and market...

Retailers Take Green Steps.
October 1, 2007... By Staff New York - While Wal-Mart may be taking the most aggressive steps to demonstrate its eco bona fides - most recently teaming up with the Carbon Disclosure Project on a pilot program to monitor the emissions impact of its vendors...

Bezz Celebrates Decosit Trend Award.
October 1, 2007... By Staff Brussels, Belgium - Bezz of Turkey was awarded the "Most Trendy" citation at Decosit here last month. The company's wool fabric has a nostalgic flavor and a balanced use of color, according to the Decosit Brussels Trendteam. ...

Letter to the Editor.(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2007... By Staff Unifying New York Show Dates IFDA (International Furnishing and Design Association) NY Chapter and EWHT (Executives Working in Home Textiles) wish to express our support for unifying the dates of the New York market dates,...

Madden Toast 30 Years.(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... By Staff New York - Chris Madden celebrated her 30th anniversary running her own business, from the early days as the head of her own public relations company to her now far-flung business activity ranging from the highly successful Chris...

Sheen Rules Maison&Objet.
October 1, 2007... By Staff Paris - Lots of shimmer and sheen, reflected particularly in the use of velvets as bedding and upholstery covers, an abundance of crystals as embellishments, and an emerging renewal of prints for the home highlighted the textile...

Tech Benefits Spur Mattress Pad Sales.
October 1, 2007... By Jill Rowen With the entire world looking for technical fixes, even for non-technical problems, mattress pad manufacturers are heeding the call and delivering high tech solutions and fabrications to restless and sleep-deprived consumers....

IHF Taps Hollowell for Marketing.(appointment of David Hollowell )(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... By Staff Black Mountain, N.C. - Blanket and bedding manufacturer IHF has named David Hollowell vp marketing. He will be responsible for the product manager team of Sandy Craig for blankets and Susan Melton for bedding. Most recently...

GLM Promotes Sikalis.
October 1, 2007... By Staff White Plains, N.Y. -Trade show producer George Little Management (GLM) has named Penny Sikalis vp, global business development, reporting to Alan Steel, evp. In addition to her current duties as vp-show manager for Global...

Capel Hires Stoutnar.
October 1, 2007... By Staff Troy, N.C. - Family-owned and operated rug company Capel Inc. has hired Colleen Stoutnar as its new marketing coordinator, managing national efforts for the Capel brand. She brings more than 15 years of sales and marketing...

TJX Names Two New Directors.
October 1, 2007... By Staff Alvarez and Bennett Join Board Framingham, Mass. - Off-price retailer The TJX Companies has elected Jose Alvarez and Alan Bennett to its board of directors. Alvarez has been president and ceo of Stop &...

Welspun Taps Fein for Rug Initiative.
October 1, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral New York- On the heels of the launch in August of its decorative top-of-bed category, Wel-spun USA is now in the process of creating a soft floor covering division that will debut in February. The company, which...

Cost Plus Positive on Turnaround Bid.(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... By Staff Oakland, Calif. - The back-to-basics turnaround campaign at specialty retailer Cost Plus World Market is on track, the company said at its analyst day presentation last month. "We have exited the collection business," said...

Green West Event Expands, Alters Dates.(Conference news)
October 1, 2007... By Staff Los Angeles - To accommodate an exhibitor list that is growing beyond expectations, Green West Expo & Conference has changed its spring schedule. The event is now scheduled for May 20 through 22 at the Los Angeles Convention...

Kohl's Pushes Cross-shopping.
October 1, 2007... By Staff San Francisco - The biggest opportunity for Kohl's is to get shoppers out of the habit of buying from only one line of business per trip, according to Kohl's president Kevin Mansell. Addressing the Bank of America Investment...

Epoch Hometex Debuts Alternative Naturals Line.(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... By Staff First Wave to Ship this Month Burlingame, Calif. - Epoch Hometex has launched a new division, Alternative Naturals, which consists of down-alternative utility bedding products that use natural fill as opposed to...

HFPA Annual Meeting Set.
October 1, 2007... By Staff New York - The Home Fashion Products Association has set Nov. 28 as the date for its annual membership meeting. The meeting will take place at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Exact location at the school will be announced...

Kaleen to Expand Product Lines.
October 1, 2007... By Staff Launch Scheduled for January Rug Market Dalton, Ga. - Kaleen Inc. is gearing up to expand its area rug assortment to include machine-made varieties, come 2008. Joe Barkley, evp, told HTT this upcoming line is still under...

Fabric Designer Murray in New Venture.(Marion Murray & Co.)(Marion Murray )(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... By Staff New York - Veteran decorative fabrics designer Marion Murray has formed her own company, Marion Murray & Co., and will launch her own collection of decorative fabrics at Showtime in High Point, N.C. this December. In addition...

Serta Bedding Headed to Hospitality.
October 1, 2007... By Staff Matthews, N.C. - nVision Marketing, a home textiles sales and sourcing organization, and Products Unlimited, an Omaha, Neb.-based manufacturer of bedding products, have teamed up to manufacture and sell an assortment of...

Expansion Tops BBB's List.
October 1, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral Union, N.J. - Real estate expansion is top-of-mind for Bed Bath & Beyond, as the home textiles specialty chain revs up to open its first store outside the United States - to be located in Canada - before the end of this...

Licenses, Marketing, Online Keys for Martha.
October 1, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral New York - Cultivating and expanding its licensing partnerships, driving its cross-platform advertising, and increasing its digital business are the three top priorities for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO) over...

Luxe Customers Nip Neiman's.
October 1, 2007... By Staff Dallas - Despite an unsteady economy, Neiman Marcus' core customer is expected to shop on, executives told analysts on the retailer's fiscal year-end call. "The luxury consumer will remain a luxury consumer. She will not...

September Comps Crumble.(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... By Staff New York - After a convincing Labor Day launch, the September comparable store sales surge is in retreat, the Johnson Redbook reported. The third week of this five-week retail month saw a 1.6% gain in the Redbook Index, a...

Don't Worry, Be Happy.
October 1, 2007... By Jennifer Marks Okay, the numbers don't exactly sing. The National Retail Federation kicked off last week's blues festival with a prediction that holiday 2007 sales will rise just 4.0%. That falls below the average annual 4.8% pace...

Kindly Avert Your Eyes.
October 1, 2007... By Carole Sloan It's beginning to be a competition as to who goes to markets, exhibitions or whatever the local term is for events that showcase new products. Ostensibly, new product showcases are for seller and buyer to meet and...

GLM Acquired by DMG.
October 1, 2007... By Staff White Plains, N.Y. - New York International Gift Fair and New York Home Textiles Market operator George Little Management (GLM) has been acquired by publisher and trade show producer dmg world media, with a closing date set for...

Koncept Textiles Show Ready.
October 1, 2007... By Staff New York - Koncept, a new trade fair focusing on textile and surface design for the interiors product market, will debut Oct. 23-25 at the Metropolitan Pavilion here. Exhibitors consist of 40 selected international textile...

Suppliers Set Table for Holiday.
October 15, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral New York - If it's October, it must be Christmas retailing time. Now that the witches, ghosts and goblins have bedecked front lawns across the country at least since late September, retailers aren't wasting another...

Slower Traffic at High Point.
October 15, 2007... By Carole Sloan Gutsy Vendors Make Gains High Point, N.C. - A dearth of new customers walking the market contributed to the visible drop in attendance at the High Point Market here earlier this month. Home textiles exhibitors that...

Weaver's Keeps it New After 150 Years.(Weaver's Department Store)
October 15, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral Lawrence, Kan. - In its 150-year existence, family-owned and operated Weaver's Department Store has survived the Civil War and both World Wars, two fires and the Great Depression. Perhaps one of its toughest...

Window Vendors Get Inventive.
October 15, 2007... By James Mammarella Despite Market Volatility, Suppliers Stepping Up New York - Challenged by the usual array of market pressures - from retail consolidation and consumer woes to price deflation and cost creep - suppliers of soft...

Retail Briefs.
October 15, 2007... By Staff Montgomery Ward in Holiday Push Staff The stores may be a distant memory, but the Montgomery Ward nameplate lives on, offering 50,000 products online at www.Wards.com and in its 180-page holiday catalog, mailing now. "Our...

September Sales Show Cautious Consumer.
October 15, 2007... By Staff Washington - In contrast to the same-store sting many retailers reported on September sales, the overall retail sales growth for the month was up 2.2% over Sept. 2006, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF) - but the...

WestPoint Creditors Grapple with Icahn.
October 15, 2007... By Brent Felgner New York - A state judge in Delaware has clarified an order that will permit WestPoint International "to conduct business the way it has been and specifically may sell what the company considers its ordinary assets,"...

April Cornell Charity Website Launched.(Website overview)
October 15, 2007... By Staff Burlington, Vt. - Designer April Cornell has launched a website for her Indian self-reliance supporting charity, the Giving World Foundation. The website, www.givingworldfoundation.org, currently features two flash videos and...

Covington Firms Up Finances.(Covington Holdings)
October 15, 2007... By Carole Sloan New York - Decorative fabrics converter Covington Holdings has reached an agreement with its principal lender on a financial restructuring package for the business. "This brings to an end a very difficult period of...

Iran Rug Ban to Have Little Effect.
October 15, 2007... By Staff High Point, N.C. - If proposed trade sanctions against Iran are accepted by the U.S. Senate, Iranian rugs again will be barred from legal entry into the United States. But the effect on the rug industry will be minimal, rug...

Made In Italy Campaign Underway.(Brief article)
October 15, 2007... By Staff Rome - This country's Made In Italy Group and Internet Marketing company have joined to launch an international multimedia marketing campaign aimed at promoting Made In Italy products to retail and wholesale buyers in the United...

Muzekari Joins Westlake.(Tom Muzekari appointed at Westlake USA )(Brief article)
October 15, 2007... By Staff High Point, N.C. - Longtime decorative fabric executive Tom Muzekari has joined Westlake USA as a senior sales and marketing executive. Muzekari had been vp, sales and marketing for the former Quaker Fabric. In his new...

Holiday Decorating Bigger in Bed and Bath.
October 15, 2007... By Staff Washington - Home decorating for the holidays now permeates the home, and that should spur the sales of holiday linens this year, according to one National Retail Federation executive. Dan Butler, vp of retailer operations and...

Williamsburg Business Gift Site Debuts.
October 15, 2007... By Staff Williamsburg, Va. - Colonial Williamsburg has launched a new online business gift shopping tool: www.WilliamsburgBusinessGifts.com. The collection of licensed goods offered online can be customized with engraving or...

Brazil, Latin America in Cherokee Crosshairs.
October 15, 2007... By Staff Van Nuys, Calif. - By signing a major direct-to-retailer license in Brazil, and hiring a new executive to oversee Mexico and Central America, brand management company Cherokee Group has shown its level of interest in these...

Home Helps Margins at Family Dollar.(Family Dollar Stores Inc.)(Financial report)(Brief article)
October 15, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral Matthews, N.C. - A major contributor to gross margin improvement during the fourth quarter for Family Dollar Stores was the home category, which the 6,430-unit discount chain said had the second strongest sales increase...

Lenzing Opens Fiber Plant in Nanjing.
October 15, 2007... By Staff China Seen as Key Market Nanjing, China - Lenzing held a grand opening ceremony earlier this month for its new viscose fiber production plant here following several months of trial operation. Lenzing (Nanjing) Fibers Co.,...

Meijer Launching Cannon in Bed and Bath.
October 15, 2007... By Staff Grand Rapids, Mich. - Cannon Classic and Cannon Royal Family bedding and bath branded programs are coming to the home department at Midwest regional supercenter chain Meijer. This comes via a recently inked partnership with Li &...

Jaclyn Smith Home Formed.
October 15, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral Los Angeles - Actress and entrepreneur Jaclyn Smith has organized all of her home furnishings collections under an integrated brand, Jaclyn Smith Home. With Kmart as anchor retailer for her apparel program, Smith...

Radici Expands Atlanta Showroom.
October 15, 2007... By Staff Atlanta - Italian rug manufacturer Radici USA has expanded its showroom at the AmericasMart here to 1,800 square feet and at the same time the company has also extended its presence at the mart with a new long-term lease...

Ugly Couch Contest a Hit for Sure Fit.
October 15, 2007... By Staff New York - The recent return of the Ugly Couch Contest from Sure Fit is an indication of more to come, said George De Sotle, svp sales and marketing at Sure Fit. Sure Fit, a marketer and distributor of branded and private...

Kohl's Seeks Clarity in Home.
October 15, 2007... By Staff Carmel, Ind. - Kohl's brought analysts to this rapidly growing city north of Indianapolis in early October to show off its latest prototype - amidst a record-breaking day of 80 store openings - the bulk of 95 stores the company...

American Textile to Open Dallas Facility.
October 15, 2007... By Staff Duquesne, Pa. - Basic bedding manufacturer American Textile Company (ATC) will open a new 105,000-square-foot production and shipping plant in Dallas in November. ATC chairman Reid Ruttenberg said the new plant "reinforces...

People Briefs.
October 15, 2007... By Staff Iconix Brands Taps Marcum for Board Staff Brand management company Iconix Brand Group has appointed James Marcum to its board of directors. Marcum is a partner and operating director of Tri-Artisan Capital Partners,...

Fabric Exec Cherenson Dies.(executive)(Alan Cherenson)(Obituary)(Brief article)
October 15, 2007... By Staff White Plains, N.Y. - Services were held here Sept. 30 at Temple Israel Center for Alan Cherenson, a retired decorative fabrics executive who was a leader in jacquard woven fabrics. Cherenson, 84, was owner and headed Uniweave...

Craftex Mills Promotes Team.
October 15, 2007... By Staff Blue Bell, Pa. - Jack Eger and Bob Proske have been promoted to svps at Craftex Mills. Eger continues his responsibilities for sales and marketing; Proske for finance. Each had been vp for those areas. Terri Blum has been...

Retail Forward's Russo to Address HFPA.
October 15, 2007... By Staff New York - The annual meeting of the Home Fashion Products Association will feature the presentation "Retail Trends through 2015" by speaker James Russo, vp of business development, TNS Retail Forward. The location for the...

Thomasville President Resigns.
October 15, 2007... By Staff St. Louis - Nancy Webster, president of the Thomasville Furniture Inds. division of Furniture Brands Intl. has resigned from the company effective immediately. Webster, a longtime home textiles executive, joined Thomasville...

Global Sources Adds Shows.
October 15, 2007... By Staff Hong Kong - The online event promotion site Trade Show Center has added seven additional shows to its Global Sources roster. Two of the productions apply to the textiles industry: Taipei Innovative Textile Application Show,...

Sharadha Dials up MicroCotton Marketing.(contracts of Sharadha Terry Products and Chillingworth/Radding)(Brief article)
October 15, 2007... By Staff New York - The spa at the posh Mandarin Oriental hotel here was transformed into the world of MicroCotton last week as Sharadha Terry Products kicked off a national consumer campaign to promote the luxury brand. Models...

Value Chains Advance.
October 15, 2007... By James Mammarella New York - All you need to know about September retail performance is that the top gainers in comparative store sales - the top three - were all warehouse membership clubs: Costco, Sam's Club, and BJ's. Even the...

Retailers Retreat on 3Q Plans.
October 15, 2007... By James Mammarella Wal-Mart Raises 3Q Guidance, while Competitors Dim Forecasts New York - As September sales results were reported last week, Wall Street was pleased that Wal-Mart felt moved to raise its third-quarter guidance on...

Costco Posts Solid Results.(Financial report)
October 15, 2007... By Staff Issaquah, Wash. - Membership warehouse club Costco reported relatively positive results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year. In a generally tough retail year, Costco managed to grow its top line revenues by 7% and hold...

Luxe Living to Debut in Vegas.
October 15, 2007... By Staff White Plains, NY - The Global Home Textiles and Global Home Decor shows, produced by George Little Management, are adding a new area for high-end resources, with the launch of Luxe Living at the May 6-8 Sands Expo events in Las...

September Comps Stay Soft.(Financial report)(Brief article)
October 15, 2007... By Staff New York - Retailers saw a bit of a bounce in the fifth and final week of the September retail month (ended Oct. 6), with comp sales up 1.8%, following a 1.5% uptick the week prior, the Johnson Redbook reported. Still, comps...

Wal-Mart Waxing, not Waning.
October 15, 2007... By Jennifer Marks When Wal-Mart raised its third-quarter projections last week, I'll bet more than one exec in Bentonville was hoping the Wall Street Journal might feel a bit chastened by the news. Just eight days earlier, a headline...

Escape the Sea of Sameness.
October 15, 2007... By Carole Sloan Once again, we have been through another market where attendance was noticeably down - this time in High Point, N.C., earlier this month. It's obvious that retailers aree now making choices as to where they will go to...

Executive Compensation Methodology.
October 29, 2007... By Staff Home Textiles Today 's Executive Compensation Report is based on data from public documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All files are for the companies' 2006 fiscal year and the comparable fiscal year two...

Holiday Promos to Drive Spending Upswing.
October 29, 2007... By Staff Washington - Holiday-related spending will tick up 3.7% over 2006, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF) 2007 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, but it will take more promotions than ever to make that...

Artist Mumm in Exclusive with Jo-Ann.
October 29, 2007... By Staff Hudson, Ohio and Spokane, Wash. - Jo-Ann Stores will launch an exclusive collection of Debbie Mumm products in time for holiday, including fabric, ceramics, partyware, kitchen textiles, yarn, and seasonal goods. Travis Smith,...

MWW Debuts Annabelle's Blossoms.(Manual Woodworkers & Weavers )(Brief article)
October 29, 2007... By Staff Hendersonville, N.C. -Home decor supplier Manual Woodworkers & Weavers (MWW) has introduced Annabelle's Blossoms, a new collection featured across woven tapestry tabletop linens as well as ceramics serveware. In pale violet...

Homefires Expands Rug Lines.
October 29, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral Atlanta -Accent rug supplier Homefires will be serving a heartier helping of new Carefree branded rugs than ever before, come the New Year. Forty new designs by various artists make up the latest batch of rugs for...

Wal-Mart Adds Home Brand Exclusives.
October 29, 2007... By Jennifer Marks Canopy, Better Homes & Gardens on Tap Bentonville, Ark. - Wal-Mart may have stumbled last year with its attempt to reach too far up-market in recasting its home department, but execs last week asserted that home is...

Anna's Linens Adds Talent for Growth.
October 29, 2007... By Jennifer Marks Costa Mesa, Calif. -In the latest of a year-long hiring initiative to salt Anna's Linens senior staff with Fortune 500 execs, the rapidly growing retailer has culled its latest recruit from industry heavyweight Bed Bath &...

Himatsingka Adds Calvin, Royal Sateen in DWI Holdings Buy.
October 29, 2007... By Staff Bangalore, India - Himat-singka Linens has acquired a 100% stake in DWI Holdings through its wholly owned subsidiary, Himatsingka America Inc. This is the mill's third acquisition this year. It purchased diversified home...

Retail Execs Prosper.
October 29, 2007... By James Mammarella New York -The leading retailers of home textiles had a fairly respectable year in 2006 - while the top retail executives had a marvelous time indeed. In 2005, 35 of the retailer executives in the HTT Executive...

Vendors Maintain Pay in Uncertain Climate.
October 29, 2007... By James Mammarella New York -Pity the poor manufacturer- but don't spare too much pity for the manufacturing executives. While publicly held vendor companies in the U.S. home textiles industry suffered a range of setbacks and...

Midwest Golf Fundraiser a Success.
October 29, 2007... By Staff Dublin, Ohio -The Midwest Textile and Home Products Association (MTHPA) pulled strong attendance at its 18th annual golf outing on Sept. 10. The outing, dinner and silent auction raised more than $90,000 to be distributed to...

Burlington Coat Keeps Loss Level.
October 29, 2007... By Staff Burlington, N.J. -Off-price retailer Burlington Coat Factory (BCF) continues to expect a 2% to 4% negative impact on comps as its new cash refund policy (partly an effort to cut shrinkage) plays out, said ceo Mark Nesci on the...

Yarn Maker Unifi Narrows 1Q Loss.(Brief article)
October 29, 2007... By Staff Greensboro, N.C. - Polyester and nylon textured yarn producer Unifi reported a net loss of $9.2 million for its first quarter ended Sept. 23, an improvement from the loss of $10.1 million for the same period one year ago. ...

JCPenney Taps Anik.
October 29, 2007... By Staff Plano, Texas - JCPenney has named Ruby Anik svp and director of brand marketing, effective Nov. 26. She will report to Mike Boylson, evp and chief marketing officer. Anik, who will also join the $20 billion retailer's executive...