Home Textiles Today articles from September 2007

Home Textiles Today archives from September 2007

Fabric Exporters Choose Targets at Decosit.
September 3, 2007... By Carole Sloan Brussels, Belgium - The enhanced value of the U.S. dollar and the expansion of the international hospitality market are expected to help American decorative fabrics suppliers at Decosit here this week. As U.S. decorative...

Kmart Creates Abbey Hill Line.
September 3, 2007... By Carole Sloan MSEveryday Program is Refreshed Hoffman Estates, Ill. - Joining Martha Stewart as a brand for its home furnishings division, Abbey Hill brings the mood of English country ambience to Kmart in a bed and bath collection...

Sears-Kmart Margins Cut Profit.(Kmart Holding Corp.)(Sears Holdings Corp.)(Financial report)(Brief article)
September 3, 2007... By James Mammarella Hoffman Estates, Ill. - Downward pressure on margins drove second-quarter net income down 40.1% to $176 million at Sears Holdings. The retailer said this reflected "sales declines and increased promotional activity."...

Shanghai Exhibitors Shift Strategies.
September 3, 2007... By Jennifer Marks Rising China Costs Color Outlook Shanghai - Export-oriented Chinese manufacturers facing hikes in labor and raw material costs, as well as steadily eroding tax rebates from the government, are reassessing their...

For the Record.(Correction notice)
September 3, 2007... By Staff In an article on Springs Global (HTT , Aug. 20, page 1), it should be noted that following the formation of Springs Global and Springs Global US, some assets remained under the Springs Industries name, in a business still...

Mohawk Drops Throws, Dec Pillows.
September 3, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral Sugar Valley, Ga. - A leading supplier of throws and decorative pillows for almost a decade, Mohawk Home will call it quits in these categories come spring 2008. Bill Kilbride, president of Mohawk Home, a division of...

Karen Neuburger Lifts Home at Bon-Ton.(The Bon-Ton Stores Inc.)(Brief article)
September 3, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral York, Pa. - After a soft one-year stretch, The Bon-Ton Stores is "thrilled" to see its home business "performing better than spring and on plan," thanks to successes in the fall assortment, especially its proprietary...

Soft Side Soothes Restoration Hardware.(Financial report)(Brief article)
September 3, 2007... By Staff Corte Madera, Calif. -Encouraged by success in its bath textiles, bath accessories and decorative accessories, Restoration Hardware sees a solid holiday season ahead. "Where we've seen the business perform relatively well is...

Retail Briefs.(Macy)(Cost Plus World Markets Inc.)(Jo-Ann Stores Inc.)(Financial report)
September 3, 2007... By Staff Martha Redoes Macy's Windows Staff For the first time in the history of Herald Square, Macy's will dedicate every display window on the "World's Largest Store" to one product line, timed to this month's launch of the...

Profits Slacken at Bigger Belk.(Financial report)
September 3, 2007... By Staff Charlotte, N.C. - As Southern regional department store chain Belk prepares September grand openings for 25 Parisian stores acquired last year, management is confident that the integration is going well - and it is certainly...

Culp Set for Gains.
September 3, 2007... By Staff High Point, N.C. - Net income at upholstery and mattress fabric producer Culp shot up more than six-fold to $851,000 in the first quarter ended July 29. Sales of $65.2 million were up 4.2% from $62.6 million one year ago. ...

Home Part of Dillard's Slump.
September 3, 2007... By Staff Little Rock, Ark. - Major markdown activity led to Dillard's reporting a second-quarter net loss of $25.2 million -- compared to net income of $15.7 million for the same period one year ago. Home was one of three categories noted...

CEO Fisher Leaves Stein Mart.(resignation of Michael Fisher)
September 3, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral Jacksonville, Fla. - Upscale softlines discounter Stein Mart has seen its home department slip to 12% of total sales in the first half of 2007, said William Moll, evp, chief merchandising officer, during the retailer's...

Stein Mart Refreshes Nina.(Nina Campbell Collection)(Brief article)
September 3, 2007... By Carole Sloan Jacksonville, Fla. - With the Nina Campbell Collection of home furnishings firmly established as the "best" end of its merchandise mix, Stein Mart is refreshing the line and supporting it with new print advertising. ...

Carpenter Buys Dumo.
September 3, 2007... By Staff New York - Leading comfort cushioning product manufacturer Carpenter Co. has purchased Dumo NV, a Belgian manufacturer of urethane foam. A major European supplier of foam to the furniture, bedding and automotive industries,...

Liquidating Quaker Fabric Now in Ch.11.
September 3, 2007... By Staff All Employees Terminated as of July 2 Fall River, Mass. - Having already started its asset liquidation process, upholstery and jacquard producer Quaker Fabric filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August. (Quaker's affiliates...

Sleeping With a Healthy, Clear Conscience.(sleep pillow)(Industry overview)
September 3, 2007... By Jill Rowen New York - Al Gore would be pleased. Not only are consumers getting a better night's rest thanks to the myriad of "benefit" pillows in the marketplace, but every manufacturer has at least one - albeit niche - "green" story to...

Unifi Cuts Jobs.
September 3, 2007... By Staff Greensboro, N.C. - Polyester and nylon yarn maker Unifi will trim corporate and manufacturing staff, affecting 25 employees, to reduce costs by about $9.0 million on an annualized basis. Unifi said severance costs will be...

YMF Completes Transition to Manufacturer.(Company overview)
September 3, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral New York - Two years after investing in tufting, dyeing and backing equipment for manufacturing rugs and then buying a large production facility in China, the two-generation family owned and operated rug supplier YMF...

Big Lots Profits Sizzle.
September 3, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral Columbus, Ohio - With close-out buying opportunities "vibrant" in key categories, particularly seasonal and soft home, Big Lots has high hopes for its third and fourth quarters. And that hope is based on the firm...

Home a Leader for Off-pricer Ross.(Ross Stores Inc.)(Financial report)
September 3, 2007... By Staff Building 'Younger, Fresher' Mix Pleasanton, Calif. - Even as it reduced its earnings projections for the year, off-price retailer Ross Stores highlighted home merchandise as a bright spot. "Dresses and home were the...

Discounters Drive August Comps.
September 3, 2007... By Staff New York - Mass merchandisers continued to provide most of the energy as overall comparable store sales rose 2.4% in the third week of August, the Johnson Redbook reported. Month-to-date, August was up 2.3% compared to last...

Cost Questions Loom Off-Shore.(textiles industry)(Viewpoint essay)
September 3, 2007... By Jennifer Marks When the sourcing frenzy took off a few years ago, skeptical importers cut through off-shore manufacturers' claims of being the biggest and the best producer in XYZ category with a simple question: How many people do you...

U.S. Fabric Firms in Export Mode.
September 3, 2007... By Carole Sloan As the headlines continue to mount about off-shore companies acquiring American home furnishings businesses, there is a small but determined coterie of American companies that still are looking to do business around the...

Dan River Recruits Flatow, Briggs.
September 17, 2007... By Staff Danville, Va. - Home fashions supplier Dan River has recruited apparel industry executive Michael Flatow as president and coo of the company, and home textiles veteran Herb Briggs as president, retail sales and marketing for the...

Exhibitors Positive on Decosit.
September 17, 2007... By Carole Sloan Upbeat Reaction as Attendance Down Brussels, Belgium - With acknowledgement from all quarters that attendance was down, American exhibitors at Decosit here last week continued to express support for the decorative...

Iconix to Buy Pillowtex Brands.(Iconix Brand Group)
September 17, 2007... By Staff International Expansion Seen New York - Official Pillowtex will be acquired by fashion brand development firm Iconix Brand Group in a transaction comprising $231 million in cash and up to an additional $15 million based on...

Martha Dazzles TV Audience with Macy's Spree.
September 17, 2007... By James Mammarella New York - Loading her Martha Stewart Show season premiere studio audience onto a bus and heading crosstown to Herald Square on Monday Sept. 10, Martha Stewart treated her national viewers to a guided tour of her...

Retail Briefs.
September 17, 2007... By Staff JCP Shoppers Keep 'Appointments' Staff Although JCPenney saw consumer shopping "headwinds" in the second quarter, chairman and ceo Myron Ullman said the core customer "is more affected by the sentiment" of a slack economy...

Mr. Bluelight to Lure Kmart Shoppers.
September 17, 2007... By Staff New York - Kmart plans to pique Manhattan shoppers' interest with a "Bluelight District" day at its three-level, downtown Astor Place store on Sept. 25. Designers will be on hand, music will swirl, refreshments will be...

Macy's Melds Star Power.
September 17, 2007... By Staff New York - The Primetime Emmy Awards show on Sept. 16 featured the debut of the new Macy's advertising campaign with ads created by Oscar winners Barry Levinson, director, and Bob Richardson, cinematographer - not to mention a...

Pier 1 Back to the Treasure Hunt.
September 17, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral New York - Pier 1 Imports is infusing about 2,000 new skus into its stores and changing store layouts to accommodate its customers' shopping preferences. "Over the coming months you will see the store transform into...

Colonial Mills Slashes Delivery Times.
September 17, 2007... By Staff Pawtucket, R.I. - Braided-texture area rug manufacturer cmi (Colonial Mills, Inc.) has reduced its order-to-delivery time from seven days to five days, a result of working with non-profit tech services affiliate Rhode Island...

Louisville Bedding Promotes FireDefender.
September 17, 2007... By Staff Louisville, Ky. - Louisville Bedding, manufacturer of the trademarked FireDefender two-piece flame resistant mattress and foundation cover introduced earlier this year, is supporting National Fire Prevention Month - October - with...

Karastan Unveils Holiday Promo.
September 17, 2007... By Staff Dalton, Ga. - High-end area rug supplier Karastan is offering a limited-time promotion of upscale seasonal scatter rugs for the holiday selling season. Holiday Accents, as Karastan calls these pieces, will include two...

Scoperta to Move to Como for 2008.(Brief article)
September 17, 2007... By Staff Brussels, Belgium - Scoperta will move its exhibition location to Como for the event to be held May 6-9, 2008. The decorative textile and curtain trade fair, now in its 11th year, has been based at the Fiera Milano exhibition...

Textile Days India Planned for October.
September 17, 2007... By Staff Mumbai, India - The three-show combination event Textile Days India will run Oct. 10-13 at the Bombay Exhibition Center here. For information, visit www.messefrankfurt.com . The three combined shows are: Heimtextil India,...

Bacova Greening on Broad Front.
September 17, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral High Point, N.C. - The Bacova Guild Ltd. is on a mission to "do the right thing" for the environment. The area, accent, scatter and bath rug supplier is undertaking numerous steps - from product development and...

Repreve Yarn Certified 100% Recycled.(Brief article)
September 17, 2007... By Staff Greensboro, N.C. - Polyester and nylon yarn supplier Unifi said its trademarked Repreve family of yarns has been independently certified for 100% recycled content by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), a third-party auditor,...

Sunbrella Fabrics Win Greenguard Certifications.
September 17, 2007... By Staff Fabric Certified as Low Emitting Glen Raven, N.C. - Trademarked performance fabric Sunbrella has been certified by the Greenguard Environmental Institute as a "low-emitting product," said Sunbrella producer Glen Raven Custom...

Scatter Rug Makers Focus on Product.
September 17, 2007... By Cecile B. Corral Can Creativity Boost Prices? New York - Raw material prices are up. Gasoline prices continue to climb. The cost of living has increased. But consumers can be sure there is one place where prices haven't climbed...

Couristan Promotes Codella.
September 17, 2007... By Staff Fort Lee, N.J. - Rug supplier Couristan has promoted Steve Codella to senior vp, sales for its Eastern U.S. region - part of its residential sales division - handling broadloom and area rugs. A veteran of the floorcovering...

GLM Expands Team.(George Little Management L.L.C.)(Brief article)
September 17, 2007... By Staff White Plains, N.Y. - George Little Management (GLM) has expanded its team structure for the Global Home Textiles and Global Home Decor shows to be held at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas, May 6-8, 2008. These appointments have...

Kohl's Adds Five Exec Positions.(Kohl's Department Stores Inc.)(executives)(Jeff Manby)(Paige Thomas)(Brief article)
September 17, 2007... By Staff Menomonee Falls, Wis. - Promotional department store retailer Kohl's has added two sevp and three evp positions, and has filled each by internal promotion; the new structure also expands the number of principal officer positions...

Shanghai Homeland Taps Rogers.
September 17, 2007... By Staff Shanghai - Home textiles veteran Rick Rogers has been hired by Shanghai Homeland Textile to ramp up its U.S. market profile. As managing director of American Homeland Inc., he will work out of Danbury, Ct. and report to parent...

Eye on New Categories, Surya Rugs Hires Snyder.
September 17, 2007... By Staff Calhoun, Ga. - India-based rug manufacturer Surya Rugs has named Shauna Snyder to the newly created post of vp of product development, as part of the company's expansion into more soft home categories. She reports to Satya Tiwari,...

Faze Three Hires Arthur.
September 17, 2007... By Staff Mumbai, India - Bath, accent and scatter rug and woven blanket manufacturer Faze Three recently hired Lorie Arthur, appointing her design director, USA. "Lorie comes to the firm with a wealth of accomplishments and we are...

Bon-Ton Elects Baier to Board.
September 17, 2007... By Staff York, Pa. - The Bon-Ton Stores board of directors has increased the size of the board from 10 to 11 members and unanimously elected Lucinda Baier to fill the new seat, effective immediately. Baier was elected to serve on the audit...

Crown Crafts Adds Hallie Delaney.
September 17, 2007... By Staff Gonzales, La. - Infant and juvenile products manufacturer Crown Crafts Inc. has named Hallie Delaney director of product development, reporting to chairman, president and ceo E. Randall Chestnut. Delaney has worked in product...

Bob Lester, Designer for Creative Bath, Dies.
September 17, 2007... By Staff New York - Noted home textiles designer Bob Lester died on August 20. Lester, 79, succumbed to ALS, known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Before becoming a designer in the home textiles world, Lester was a talented muralist. He...

Perfect Fit Promotes Two.
September 17, 2007... By Staff Charlotte, N.C. - Basic bedding producer Perfect Fit Industries has promoted two executives to oversee the sales and marketing functions in the wake of the departure of svp sales and marketing Herb Briggs, who has resigned...

Polymer Group Taps Crawford.
September 17, 2007... By Staff Charlotte, N.C. - Polymer Group has named Gregory Crawford vp, general manager of North America. Crawford joins the company from Nufarm Limited, an Australian manufacturer and marketer of crop protection chemicals, where he...

Comps Keep Pace in September Start.(Brief article)
September 17, 2007... By Staff New York - Retailers broadly kept the pace coming out of a satisfactory August, as same store sales rose 2.8% in the first week of September, beating the 2.6% goal, the Johnson Redbook reported. The volume to date was up 1.1%...

Company C Hires Sarette.
September 17, 2007... By Staff Concord, N.H. - Hand-crafted area rug, bedding and home furnishings designer and maker Company C has named Joelle Sarette marketing coordinator. Prior to Company C, Sarette worked as an account planner for Manchester,...

Mancini to Guide Home Fabrics at Valdese.
September 17, 2007... By Carole Sloan Valdese, N.C. - Home Fabrics, the division of Joan Fabrics that was part of Valdese's acquisition of Circa 1801/Doblin earlier this year, will be merged with the Wesley Mancini by Valdese Weavers unit that was launched last...

Wang Mei Buys Your Image Plus.
September 17, 2007... By Staff New York - Your Image Plus, an extensive library of antique textile designs and artwork, has been acquired by Wang Mei, founder and principal of Home Fashion USA. The international designs at Your Image Plus have been a resource...

Soft Home a Factor in August Gains.
September 17, 2007... By James Mammarella New York - Retailers entered the back-to-school season with relatively sound comparative store sales gains for August, and some reported glimmers of improvement in their soft home departments. Among the 17 publicly...

Boodalee Unveils New Kids' Lines.
September 17, 2007... By Staff San Francisco - Juvenile bedding resource Boodalee has launched four new collections, which were on display at the ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas last week. Boodalee offers contemporary themes, but stresses non-minimalist...

Sunbury Offers Sunbrella Sheers.
September 17, 2007... By Staff New York - The first Sunbrella sheer decorative fabrics now are hitting the market in a variety of constructions: gauze-like casement sheers, cut fringe jacquards and clipped jacquards. The sheers, using Glen Raven's...

A Season for Specialization.
September 17, 2007... By Jennfer Marks There's been an idea floating around for some time that the best way to succeed as a supplier is to carry more types of product. But what we've been seeing recently is some retrenchment from that position - whether it's...

Just Looking?(Maison and Objet's exhibitions)
September 17, 2007... By Carole Sloan Don't know if the bigwigs at Printemps, Maison Lafayette, and Conran's in Paris do a traffic count on a daily basis, but the traffic on the Thursday before the Friday opening of Maison&Objet had to reflect a major spike...

Gift Fair Alters Schedule.(Brief article)
September 17, 2007... By Staff White Plains, N.Y. - The winter 2008 edition of the New York International Gift Fair will run Friday, Feb. 1, through Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2008, at the Javits Convention Center, Metropolitan Pavilion, and Passenger Ship Terminal...

Linens 'Pioneer' Greenberg Dies.(Pioneer Linens)(George Greenberg)(Obituary)
September 17, 2007... By Brent Felgner West Palm Beach, Fla. - George Greenberg, the second generation owner of Pioneer Linens - this city's oldest business - died last month. He was 92. Although semi-retired, Greenberg remained active in the business to...

Target Could Shed Credit Card Assets.
September 17, 2007... By Staff Minneapolis - Target Corp. will "review potential ownership alternatives" for its $7 billion credit card receivables, noting that its review with the help of Goldman Sachs will be complete by the end of December. The review will...