Springs Global Soldiers On

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Monday, April 7,2008
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HomeTextiles
THE BUSINESS AND FASHION NEWSPAPER OF THE HOME TEXTILES INDUSTRY | hometextilestodav.com | Vol. 29, No. 10
$8.00
HIGH POINT 2008
Exhibitors Voice Resolve
BY CAROLE SLOAN
former 2,200-square-foot showroom.
"As we grow, our High Point business
HIGH POINT, N.C. — L^espite the dom- grows witli every show."
ino effect of the growing erop of marHigh Point Market's rank among
kets around the eountr)' conipeling for home furnishings and textiles markets
vendor and retailer attention, man)' has experienced some shifts over the
area rug suppliers say they have eoine past few years — especially in the area
to regard the biannnal Higli Point Mar- rng product eategor\. which straddles
ket as "important, "No.!" and a "big both domesties and furniture departopportunity," to quote a few.
ments — as vendors and retailers find
"High Point is our No.] market. tlieniselves with abonnding ehoices
and that has not ehanged at all," said but limited dollars to spend in the eurSeth King, vp of husiness development rent eeononiy.
for Calhouu, Ga.-based Sur>a, whieh
With fewer and fewer major retailers
this market opens the doors to its new dominating the iandseape, competition
showroom. The space is more than for attendance has forced markeLs like
5,(1(IU sqnare feel, representing more High Point to carve a niche — whether
than double the size of the eonipany's
Sh;E RUG M A K E R S K\GE 2S
BY CECILE B. CORRAL
HIGH POINT, N . C . — Wliile the iiuicro
environment appears to grow cloudiCT, home textiles exhibitors at tlte High
Point Market here this week have moderate expectations — both about attendance and order writing.
While the year started off slowly, tliere
were some indieations that home textiles
business ill the specialty store segment
finned up a bit.
And to further stimulate the appelites of those retailers here this week, a
untubcr of suppliers are offering more
produet in more diversified price ranges — both liigher and lower in price
than is typical.
Rug Makers Value High Point
Vermont Organic Fiber Co. is
Introducing a line of wool blankets,
made from certified organic wool.
"Business picked nj) in the last
month; we had a pretty good Mareli,"
remarked Rid\;ni Tafar^il, ]iresident,
SEt: EXHIBITORS PACE 2S
Performance Products: A Rising Tide
Springs Global
Soldiers On
entiation? Or is this simply a push
hy .suppliers to break through the
N E W YORK — What began a
commodity'barrier?
!cv\ years ago as a Irickle of per•'U's all of the above, but the
2008 Another Year of Transition
formance products borrowing
hreaktlirough is that there is now
finishing and fiber technologies
science taking plaec in textiles
from sportswear, has escalated
that looks to be of benefit," said
pable. I'ourth quarter sales slid
BY BRENT FELGNER
into a deluge of goods boasting
Larr)' Queen, president and ceo
precipitously — down ^2.4% to
;i variet)' of solutions: anti-mierf>of AQ Textiles. Queen's compa- SAO PAULO, BRAZIL — Springs R$742.1 million, vs. R$l,097.7
l)ial, anti-bacterial, moisture eonny has launched a line of bed- Global Participac^oes will mosti) million during the same periLouisville Bedding
trol, heat regulation, blood oxyding using IntellATex teeh- stay the course despite a disqui- od a year earlier, aecordiiig to a
genating and collagen enhaneing, A selection of other products
nolog), which uses negatively eting year in transition and de- presentation page initially poststarts on page 14.
!<) name jnst a few.
charged ions to immobilize pos- cline in the U.S. eeonomy that ed on the company's v\ebsite,
But what's driving the trend? to performance products? Is it a itively eharged allergens.
accelerated Springs' top- and then removed a short time later.
SEE PERFORMANCE PAGE 2S bottom-line losses.
Are eonsuniers more attuned matter of retailers seeking differSprings, whIeh is now traded on
The manufacturer is pre- the Brazilian Novo Mereado of
paring for a big relaunch of its the Bovespa exebange, is not reJIYV, "Our eustoiners under- signature Springmaid brand quired to break out fourth cjuarstand how narrowly distributed in September, with shipments ter results. Ratlier, it reports tlic
the brand is, and they are fully to hit the shelves by February first three quarters, then the fullaware that DKNY has expanded or March of 2009, The Cindy year results.
its distribution."
Crawford licensing deal will
Exehangf rates in effeet as of
NEW YORK — l/)omia Karan Bloomingdale's, Maey's, macys.
Currently on the Bed Bath have bedding and bath produets Dee. 51, 2007 (used tiiroughout
Home has e\]janded its distri- eom, Nciman Mareu.s, Donna floor are DKNY Chrysanthe- hitting next year. too. Wamsutta this article for eomparison purhuUoii to Bed Bath & Beyoud Karan stores, Amazon, and se- mum quilts at $149.W for tlie fill!/ is slated for a 2010 relaunch.
poses) would have yielded 4Q
with a DKNY assortment that leet department stores in Aus- queen, $179.99 for the king. Euro
Springs expects to enter Eu- sales of US$419.^ million.
L urrently ineiudes a solid eolor tralia. Mexico and Japan.
shams at $49.99, standard shams rope later this year and Asia next
"We are obviously ver)' disaptjuilted coverlet set, a towel and
Discussing the new distribu- and breakfast pillows at $49.99.
}ear. At the same time, it will pointed with the re.sults." chairrng duo. and three duvet styles tion channel for the designer,
Urban Pique is the towel, further rationalize operations in man Josue Christiano Gomes da
with eoordinating sheet sets.
which is being sold in Bed Bath at $14.99 for tbe bath. $10.99 the U.S., while realizing greater Silva said on the eall, "but they
Donna Karan Home bed and & Beyond nnder the DKNY for the hand and $7.99 for the expense reductions in back-of- are a reflection of market eondibath products have been limit- brand, Patsy Pollaek, president wasbeloth. with tbe StepOut rug fiee and support functions.
tions and the eireumstances of
ed in distribution until now to of Donna Karan Home told
SEK SPRINGS r.\GE 4
SEE DONNA PAGE 4
But the short-term pain is palBY JENNIFER MARKS
Donna Debuts in
Bed Bath & Beyond
News
> hometextilestodav.com
er, said Richard Downing, president. "I have high expeetations;
we have the opportunity- to do
good business." The fonr-hed collection will get its major lanneh
push at the Las Vegas market in
]nl); he noted.
For Jesse Galili, vp, Hallmart
Collectibles, "There are just
too many markets. Things are
pretty tongh bnt we just keep
showing np." hor High Point,
the company is adding lots of
new products and promotions,
as well as new color palettes ineluding more silver and graphite, rust, black and oranges.
Eeo-friendly uiaterials also
will he a foeus at Hallniart, with
liamboo and organic cotton emphasized. New comforter packages will be influenced hy t\pieal
dnvet looks, Galili added.
"We feel good in general; we're
very big hospitality-v\ise and we
had a good New York and feel
itshonid earr\' into High Point,"
said John Ro.se, president of Textiller)\ "We haven't heard gloom
and doom from onr enstomers,
and our receivables are fine."
"Strangely enough, as the
economy takes these ehallenging turns, people are reevalnating their business and how they
do it," eommented Bob Pearee,
vp, and DreaniF'it. "We are going
to be maximizing the traffie we
get vs. focusing ou expanding onr
traffic." Overall. Pearee added,
"Business is good and I'm still optimistic and hopefiil." HTT
April 7, 2008
Rug Vendors
at High Point
Home Textiles Today
ers. Even as the eeonomy remains sluggish {and unehangcd
over the past six months), rug
snppi iers are looking to their appointment books for the upcouiing High Point market event for
signs of a silver lining.
"Were setting np appointments already and it looks good
2 5
RUG MAKERS FROM RAGE 1
hy choiee or by accident.
"There are so many shows
now that hnyers have to pick
and ehoose and they are spread
thin," said Wendy Reiss, key aeeonnt manager for Somerset,
N.J.-hased Kas Rngs. "Bnt High
Point is still important to ns hecause it has the pnll from the
furniture eompanies that are in
High Point, N.C. We still see
the major fnrnitnre store players and ser\ e many furnitnre aceonnts from there. We realty do
have a prett\ good appointment
list for this market."
Added Steve Mazarakis, president of Brooklyn, N.Y.-hased
Hellenic Rng Imports: "Even if
High Point eventually hecomes
a more regional market, which
was already starting to happen
in a way before Las Vegas started, the East Coast is home to
two-thirds of the U.S. population — more people than the
West Coast. That's why [High
Point] will stay important."
It's true some suppliers, like
Shaw Living and others, have
opted out of the show, not renewing showroom leases and refocnsing efforts on other emerging venues.
But King's and Mazarakis"
attitudes are not nnconnnon
among many rug indnstry play-
.so far," said Mazarakis. "Some
of our majors are coming, even
some from the West Coast."
Hellenic has chosen High Point
market as its stage to unveil its
new Southern Living magazine-lieensed eolleetion, which
eaters to a eustomer with traditional tastes, he said.
Capel Inc., based in Troy,
N . C , admits attendance might
not he as strong as in the past,
"but we find people who are
eoming are hnying," said Allen
Robertson, vp sales. "We're seeing bigger dealers who are bnying niore, hecanse there are
fewer rug eompanies showing."
Outdoor rngs are what High
Point retail shoppers are buying
from Fort Lee, N.J.-based Couristan, said Donielle Arabia, assistant direetor of advertising
and marketing.
"For us. High Point has definitely become a big opporhmit)
in terms of capitalizing on onr
outdoor living category," Arabia said. "Bnyers are making
major pnrchases for ontdoor
furniture at High Point, so it's
a great place for ns to showcase
onr produet assortment."
Just as Couristan banks ou
the ontdoor lifest>le trend, Surya
and Coneord. N.H.-based Company C are turning to home textiles to beeome more relevant
among furniture stores and answer their greater needs.
Surya is using its newly expanded showroom to showease
its rugs with matching throws,
deeorative pillows and wall art
in vignette settings for eomplete
dc'cor presentations.
Similarly, Company C is for
the first time hranching ont into
a new eategor\ — fabrics — to
give its fnmiture dealer customers more decorating options.
The 24-skn fahric program
consists of eotton, cotton woven
and eotton-aud-Iinen blended fabries that, like all of C>)mpany C's
area rugs, fall nnder the company's Global, C^amp and Cottage,
and Modem design themes.
"We're doing it so people can
have the eonijilcte Company C
look," said Kristi Lefebvre, marketing manager, HTT
problem of asthma, whieh now
affects one in 15 .Americans, ae"The consumer
eorcling to the .'\sthma and .Allergy
reacts
positively to
PERFORMANCE I'ROM PACK 1 Foundation of America. (AAti'A).
things
that make
"I thiuk \i\ just tlie hegiuiiing
"If you're up at night, your nostheir
lives
easier."
of a new generation of prodnct." ing is miming, eyes streaming —
—BOB HICKMAN,
lit' said.
if you ean afford a produet that
United Feather and Down
Crow ing attention in the eon- deals with tliat, yon're going to
sumeT press on the relationship of want to have it," said Marc Jason,
sleep to health — aud the large ceo of Ixjndon Luxury, which rc- lots of stuff out there that crossnumbers of Americans who are eently reeei\-ed AM'A eertifieation es the line."
sleep deprived — may be making of a line of Inxur)' allergen barriNot every performance prodconsumers more receptive to new er products.
net is geared toward alleviating
sleep-friendly products.
Certifications are becoming allergy symptoms or proteeting
"Wlien it eomes to sleep im- inereasingly important — and for against dust mites. In sheeting,
pro\ement, I think the consum- retailers, understanding w hat d(K;s newer prodnets are using naner continues to gain awareness of and doesn't fly in temis of product oteeh that make them wrinklethe importanee of a good night's promises has ramifications beyond free, or special fibers that ensleep," said Boh Hiekman, vp of mere cn.stomer dissatisfaction.
hance fit. In towels and bath
sales and marketing at United
"There are a lot of govern- rugs, manufaetiirers are eoming
Feather and Down, whieh has in- ment guidelines and restrietions np with fast-dr\ingteehnologies
trodneed a steady stream of perfor- about claims that can be made to both save eonsnmers time
mance ntilitv bedding. 'The con- for these products," said Michael standing by the dr)'er and theresnuier reacts positively to things Gnidr\', vp produet management by helping cut energv' use.
that make their lives easier."
at American 'textiles, whieh has
In this realm, simplicity of
In addition to promoting been making barrier products for message is key, said Bob Hamilhealthy sleep, a variety of new years. "Some involve the EPA, ton, marketing direetor of Welsproducts address the growing some involve the FDA. There's pnn, whieh has introduced a se-
ries of performance products for
two years.
"Dyson worked because he
made a vacuum that simply
worked better and he shonted it,"
said Hamilton. "Perhaps the best
illustration |in home textiles] is
w hat Target did in reinventing
its sheet department, or as they
ealled it, Sheet World. They selected single attributes and they
ealled them out."
In the fahrie arena, Snnbury's anti-mold, anti-mildew
fabric technology converged
with the indoor/outdoor living trend; the resnit is being lieensed to home textiles mannfaeturers snch as Textillery.
"F'rom eight years ago when we
had the license for high-end jaeqnard prodnets for Snnbrella, the
business has developed into a substantial one, moving from the outdoors to indoor/outdoors to purely
indoors," said Roeeo Simone. s\p
Sunbury. "We're just getting started w ith sheers at good, better and
best price points, and the acceptanee is fantastic."
As performanee gains traetion at retail, suppliers are already
looking to other areas for potential
orders, especialK' hospitalit)'and
medieal institutions
CleanBrands. which has a line
of bedding products certified by
the AAFA, is running a test with
a ehaiu of hotels in Canada, hi
July, it will launch a partnership
with JetBlue, which will offer ])assengers a small pillow w ith Heece
blanket for S5. The set v\ ill be eneireled witli a belly band that also
serves as a eoujion for $S off purehases made at a leading specialty- retailer.
"Ihe art of eleanliness is sueh
a strong trend, and the art of
sleep preser\'ation is such a strong
treud." said fomider Gar\ Coldberg, who got his start in the performance outerwear business.
"The bed is the last bastion of
health. This i.s kind of a collision
of multiple events." HTT
Resolve
EXHIBITORS I ROM PAGE 1
Kastem Accents, "but we're getliiig a mixed niestiyge — more
people are not attending, and
that's because buying patterns
may have ehanged."
The eompany is offering
more new product than last
April, adding more expensi\'f
and more affordable st} les to the
mix, he added.
M 'I'hief Ri\er Linen, "We
will he emphasizing our eustoinized sourchig service for interior
designers, espeeially in the model
home and hospitaHt)' segments,"
said Linda Bentson, president.
"I'm more excited about the
potential for the market tliis week
Ihan I have been in a long time.
\ \ t ha\e sneh good new produet
and it's right for the High Point
customer," Bentson eommented,
"even thongh I know attendance
will he light hceaiise we sent ont
lots of annonncements and heard
back that inan\' aren't coming."
Reflecting un the results of
the earlier New York market,
Ann Cisli, head of her namesake hedding company, said, "I
thonght New York wonld he bad
but it turned out OK. I know people will eome, and there are still
people spending money."
.•\t Southern lextiles, the eompain- will previeu its Pamela I_,anier collection created by the bed
,ind breakfast expert and market-
Prodncts
East Coast Is
home to two-thirds
oftheU.S. population... that's why
[High Point] will
stay Important."
—STEVE MAZARAKIS,
Hellenic Rug Imports