NEW YORK-MindsInSync has opened its new showroom here, at 1350 Broadway, for this week’s New York Home Fashions Market.

Measuring 3,000 square feet, the space is located inside the company’s headquarters. For this week’s market, it is spotlighting MindsInSync’s line of memory-foam products for home, family and pets. It is designed with a model kitchen, bathroom and living room with its core collections on modular display units.

The showroom also includes a conference area with digital and teleconferencing technology.

NEW YORK-Revman will relocate its showroom and offices to the Empire State Building in time for the September New York Home Fashions Market next year.

The company has signed a lease to take up the building’s entire 70th floor, where it will have its showroom, offices and breakout conference rooms.

Revman will hold next spring’s textiles market at its current location, 1211 Sixth Ave. The company will be vacating that location, which has served as its offices and showroom since its founding in 1989.

NEW YORK–The second of this year’s two New York Home Fashions Markets formally opens today.

BERKELEY, Calif.–Organic textiles company Coyuchi has added accent rugs to its product mix, which will be unveiled at the New York Home Fashions Market this week.

Showing in the Euroletto showroom in 230 Fifth Avenue, Coyuchi now offers rugs in several patterns and colorways, all made of 100 percent organic cotton.

LAS VEGAS-The International Market Center has confirmed Brandwise, DEMDACO, Eller Enterprises, Evergreen Enterprises, Giftjobs.biz, Global Views, OneCoast, Whereoware and Yankee Candle as sponsors of the Gift & Home CEO Summit this coming winter.

LOS ANGELES-PHR L.A. Mart has named Frank Joens as its senior vice president and general manager.

Joens’ appointment marks his return to the trade-show building, where he began his career with MMPI, then the building’s owner, in 2001 as director of marketing. Two years later, he was promoted to director of leasing, and in 2007 was named vice president of leasing. In 2009, Joens became vice president of sales of the California Gift Show.

NEW YORK-The Home Fashion Products Association’s Young Professionals (YoPros) will hold an industry panel on Sept. 9 on the rooftop of 230 Fifth Ave. here.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.-Exhibitors at Artisan Resource, the section of the New York International Gift Fair which debuted last month, said they were “pleased with the inaugural event and eager to return to future editions,” according to a statement from GLM, NYIGF’s owner and manager.

NEW YORK-Louis Hornick & Co. will once again open a popup showroom in the 7 W New York showroom building here for New York Home Fashions Market next week.

The show space will again be in room 813 of the showroom building, as it was when Louis Hornick opened the popup space for the first time during last March’s market week. The space will be in addition to the company’s global headquarters and showroom space at 117 E. 38th St. here.

BURLINGTON, N.C.—Glen Raven Custom Fabrics has begun work on a new facility for manufacturing yarns for its Sunbrella fabrics to be located here.

The plant, representing an investment of $10 million, will be located in a 130,000 square-foot facility that formerly served as Glen Raven’s Ultra Spun division. It is being retrofitted with automated yarn-manufacturing systems and configured around a manufacturing model engineered to support high levels of flexibility and customization. It is expected to be completed in summer 2013.

Starting next year, GLM plans to launch Sources, an exhibition connecting international and domestic manufacturers, artisans and producers of materials, home decor, accessories, gifts, private label apparel and handcrafts, with U.S.-based importers, wholesalers, volume buyers, product designers and U.S. retail chains. The semi-annual event will first take place as SourcesNY at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center Sept. 18-19, 2013; SourcesLA will launch in February 2014, at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif.

By David Gill

For the past several years, homeowners have been treating their outdoor spaces as another part of their indoor spaces. As such, they are putting an ever-greater premium on fashion and style for the furnishings on their decks, patios, gazebos and pool sides. This has created a tremendous opportunity for vendors of outdoor furnishings—one that has proven profitable in the fast few years, and that should produce even more to their top and bottom lines in the years to come.

In what is a pivotal moment in the company’s history, Hollander Home Fashions will highlight both its assumption of the Ralph Lauren basic-bedding license and its new showroom at the New York Home Fashions Market this month.

The basic-bedding giant has become the licensee for Ralph Lauren for bed pillows, comforters and mattress pads, taking over that role from WestPoint Home. The line will take its place alongside Laura Ashley Home, Court of Versailles, Royal Velvet, Waverly, Obusforme and HoMedics in Hollander’s roster of licensed programs.

DALLAS-Alok International will open a new showroom in the 7 W New York showroom building during the upcoming New York Home Fashions Market.

The new space will be in room 731. Alok will also keep its current space in the building, in room 607.

NEW YORK-The Suri fur bedspread from Alicia Adams Alpaca received the Best of Market designation in the At Home featuring Home Textiles section of the New York International Gift Fair.

Four additional Best New Product awards were presented in the bed, bath, dining and home accessories categories. In bedding, Sferra won for its Dario duvet covers and shams. The winner in bath was Alicia Adams Alpaca for its herringbone unisex bathrobe.

NEW YORK-The Bel-Air Association, the organization for the Historic Bel-Air community in California, has formed a partnership with Louis Hornick and Co. to develop a collection of home textiles with imagery from the Bel-Air community.

The line will include window treatments, decorative pillows, duvets, bedspreads, bed covers, decorative throws and plush towels with coordinating bathrobes and slippers. Among the design elements are the gates to the community, the cherub logo and the art deco signage found throughout the neighborhood.

NEW YORK—Flash sale site One Kings Lane is hosting a special three-day sales event, offering curated items from the New York International Gift Fair, which runs through Wed., Aug. 22. The proceeds will benefit Gift for Life, the charitable organization for the gift, stationery and home decor industries that raises money for DIFFA.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—Starting next year, GLM plans to launch Sources, an exhibition connecting international and domestic manufacturers, artisans and producers of materials, home décor, accessories, gifts, private label apparel and handcrafts, with U.S.-based importers, wholesalers, volume buyers, product designers and U.S. retail chains. The semi-annual event will first take place as SourcesNY at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center Sept. 18-19, 2013; SourcesLA will launch in February 2014, at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif.

Manufacturers of mattresses and basic bedding, particularly those that have been focusing on quality of sleep in their marketing, have gotten a huge boost from the Superbowl champion New York Giants.

According to press reports earlier this week, a number of players on the Giants have been dealing with back injuries which they attributed to the beds they are sleeping on at their training facility in Albany, N.Y. This should come as no surprise considering the circumstances. The Giants are staying in a dormitory in which the players are forced to sleep in twin-sized beds.

GONZALES, La.-Crown Crafts began its new fiscal year with a dramatic 69.2 percent gain in net income, which totaled $897,000.

NEW YORK-Brookstone has formed a license agreement with AQ Textiles and Design Weave for the development of the Brookstone Sleep Smart bedding collection.

NEW YORK–The New York International Gift Fair officially kicks off this Saturday, Aug. 18, and a number of seminars and events will take place during the show.
     

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.-Four designers and producers of handmade gift and lifestyle products have been selected for the new Emerging Designer Maker Platform at the New York International Gift Fair’s Handmade Designer Maker division.

The designers are Jordan Castro of Culinarium for his line of Concrete Kitchenware; Bozena Golebiowska of Tanti Colori for her line of handcrafted decorative pillows; Lindsey Lee of LeeLABS for the line of Para Clocks; and Dana Rudie of Politique for the Capsule handbag, the Ova clutch and the Linx laptop portfolio case.

WEST WARWICK, R.I.—Natco Home Fashions has appointed William (Larry) Hill as vice president of sales, reporting to Michael Litner, president, and Bryan Bogas, executive vice president.

NEW YORK-WestPoint Home slimmed down its net loss in its fiscal second quarter and, in the process, reported positive operating income for the first time since Icahn Enterprises, its parent, purchased the company in 2005.

NEW YORK-Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO) has named Patricia DiPette senior vice president of licensing.

DiPette has assumed responsibility for developing and negotiating new domestic merchandising opportunities for MSLO. She reports to Ann Bukawyn, executive vice president of global licensing.

ATLANTA-Entertainer Donny Osmond and his wife, Debbie, are preparing to introduce their branded line of home furnishings with Clique Here, a brand-management and merchandising company, as the brand’s exclusive rights holder.

According to a statement from Clique Here, the brand, which will be called Haven, will encompass bedding, bath products, home decor items, flooring and rugs, textiles, lighting, outdoor living, kitchenware, tableware and various categories in home improvement. The products are expected to reach retail in the fourth quarter of 2013.

LOS ANGELES-The July CMC Gift & Home Market reported a doubling in attendance of retailers and designers compared to the July market of one year ago.

Specific attendance figures were not provided in a statement from the California Market Center, where the show was held from July 27-31. The statement said among the retailers attending the market were Hallmark Cards, the Marmaxx Group and Anna’s Linens, along with Universal Studios, the Las Vegas Hilton, Company’s Coming, Design House Furniture, Beyond Scents and Merle Norman Cosmetics.

FRANKFURT, Germany-Messe Frankfurt will intensify the focus on design at the next Heimtextil, to take place from Jan. 9-12, 2013.

The trade fair will offer Design live, a new section located in hall 4.2 of Messe Frankfurt. Design live will feature an estimated 150 international exhibitors presenting creative designs for home and household textiles. Among these will be studios exhibiting at Heimtextil for the first time, according to a Messe Frankfurt.

LAS VEGAS-Home Source International and its furniture unit, Shiner International, will be displaying products at the Loloi showroom during this week’s Las Vegas Market.

The showroom is room 480 of building B at the World Market Center. Home Source and Shiner will take up about 1,000 square feet of space in the showroom.

DALTON, Ga.–LR Resources has partnered with {indepth studios}, a full-service creative studio, that will be responsible for LR Resources’ marketing and promotional efforts, including marketing, photography and graphic design.

“{indepth studios} offers the kind of smart, bold marketing strategies it will take to keep us successful, and help take our business to the next level,” said S. Krishna Laddha, owner, LR Resources. “They have a great blend of creative vision and technical knowledge. We are excited to have them as part of our team.”

CHICAGO and LAS VEGAS-Protect-A-Bed has opened a new showroom at the World Market Center in Las Vegas, and has unveiled an advertising campaign to appear on London’s underground trains.

NEW YORK-Second-quarter net income for Iconix Brand Group fell 31.2 percent to 28.6 million, the result of increases in operating and interest expenses.

NEW YORK-Avi Gross, president and CEO of Divatex, will leave his position at the end of this month. Shrikant Himatsingka, the company’s vice chairman, will become president and CEO at that time.

The moves are part of the transition agreed upon between Divatex and The Himatsingka Group in 2007, when the latter company acquired an 80 percent stake in Divatex. Gross will continue to serve on Divatex’s board of directors, according to a Divatex statement.

SADDLE BROOK, N.J.—Nourison has promoted Julie Rosenblum to executive director of licensing, a new position. Rosenblum has been with the company for more than 12 years, most recently as brand manager. She is responsible for managing and developing licensed brands for the company, in addition to handling the sales of special key accounts, such as specific catalogs and other national retailers.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va.-C&F Enterprises has entered a licensing agreement with artist Heidi Dobrott for a collection of quilts, decorative pillows, area rugs and window treatments.

The first collection, Surf Rider, under the license are being introduced at this summer’s markets. It includes a quilt that is a patchwork of southern California vignettes, such as starfish, palm trees and long surf boards—all typical features in Dobrott’s design work.

RUSSELVILLE, Ark.-Grace Manufacturing, parent of the Microplane brand of kitchen tools and gadgets, has swung a deal to acquire Sweet Dreams, a high-end bedding and home textiles brand.

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. A statement from Grace Manufacturing said Sweet Dreams has been “serving the textiles industry for more than 25 years.”

HIGH POINT, N.C.-This October’s High Point Market will bring the enlargement of Salon at Suites at Market Square.

ALBANY, N.Y.-PrimaLoft Inc. has completed the purchase of the PrimaLoft business from Albany International Corp.

Terms were not disclosed. The acquisition was led by PrimaLoft’s president and CEO, Michael Joyce, former president of Albany International’s Applied Technology Group, and the PrimaLoft senior management team, and received support from Prudential Capital Group.

The PrimaLoft executive team will remain in the company’s headquarters here and in the company’s European offices in Ballo, Italy, and Munich.

NEW YORK–The New York International Gift Fair will continue to expand it global reach this summer with the addition of three first-time international pavilions and the debut of other international groups. In total, 48 countries will be represented at the summer 2012 NYIGF.

LOS ANGELES–California Gift Show is building strong momentum with L.A. Mart permanent showrooms and temporary exhibitors at Los Angeles Convention Center’s South Hall Gift and Kentia Global Marketplace with a full line-up of events, programs and activities, according to MMPI, which is producing the show in partnership with MMPI and Urban Expositions this year. Urban Expositions purchased the show from MMPI last month and will assume full management of the show at the conclusion of this month’s market, which takes place July 27-30.
 

NEWPORT NEWS, Va.–C & F Enterprises has licensed coastal artist Jen Callahan for a new coastal home accessories line to debut at markets this summer.

By David Gill

The Home Textiles Sourcing Expo is slated for July 24-26 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.

As it has for the past two years, the expo will be co-located with two other Messe Frankfurt-produced shows: Texworld USA, the apparel fabrics show; and the International Apparel Sourcing Show. As of mid-June, this year’s expo had signed on 151 exhibitors, up from 132 last year.

NEW YORK-Patriarch Partners, parent of Croscill, Excell and Glenoit, has named Joe Granger president and CEO of all three companies.

Granger is in charge of the operations of all three companies, with a particular emphasis on building and enhancing their brand values. He reports to Lynn Tilton, founder and CEO of Patriarch Partners, and has succeeded Marc Navarre, who has left the company.

By David Gill

Area-rug manufacturers are increasingly entering the decorative-pillow market.

At the April High Point Market this year, Jaipur and Momeni launched their first decorative pillows. Two years ago, both Surya and Safavieh unveiled their initial designs in this category. Five years ago, Nourison debuted its first line of decorative pillows.

By David Gill

The Home Textiles Sourcing Expo is slated for July 24-26 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.

As it has for the past two years, the expo will be co-located with two other Messe Frankfurt-produced shows: Texworld USA, the apparel fabrics show; and the International Apparel Sourcing Show. As of mid-June, this year’s expo had signed on 151 exhibitors, up from 132 last year.

CHICAGO-The Chicago Market, scheduled for July 19-25, has readied a lineup of seminars targeted at providing attendees with up-to-date information on trends in buying.

FRANKFURT, Germany-Shoppers should be viewed in their social contexts, and home textiles should be seen as an expression of their individual identities, according to a Messe Frankfurt study on consumers of the future.

Titled “Individualization and the New Identity Markets,” the study is a compilation of surveys and reports from trend firm Zukunftsinstitute and other organizations.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.-The Baby & Child division of the New York International Gift Fair will move to hall 1D of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and will shift its dates to Aug. 19-22 for the upcoming summer show.

MEDIA, Pa.-Foam producer FXI has appointed Devin Garrity vice president of sales for its consumer bedding division, a new position for the company.

In his new post, Garrity is responsible for sales in the division and will work closely with retailers to expand the number of stores carrying FXI bedding products. He also manages new product introductions, such as the Dr. Breus pillow line, which will begin shipping this summer. He reports to Diane Adams, senior vice president of consumer products.

EAST HAMPTON, N.Y.–Lexington Company, the Stockholm-based lifestyle brand, has opened its first U.S. store here, a 1,000-square-foot concept store that showcases many home furnishings categories, including towels, bedding, furniture and tabletop.

FRANKFURT, Germany-The Home Textiles Sourcing Expo is partnering with Global Color Research, a global trend studio for color and design.

The trade show and the company will unveil their collaboration at the next edition of the show, July 24-26 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. Featured with be a color portion to the trend area, along with seminars that will provide information on color trends to exhibitors and attendees.

GREENSBORO, N.C.—WithIt, a leadership development network in the home and furnishings industries, is celebrating its 15th anniversary with a gala event on Saturday, July 28, at the Parisian Palace in Las Vegas, and tickets are now available.

To be held from 7:30-11:30 p.m., the event will include regional food-and-wine pairings directed by celebrity chef and sommelier Chef Linda Quattrocchi, a silent auction, on-camera interviews with HGTV’s Lori Dennis and entertainment by acclaimed opera singer Marco Antonio Verela and the Women in Music and Arts Foundation.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.-This summer’s New York International Gift Fair will feature more than 50 educational sessions, social events, product awards and feature displays, according to a statement from GLM, the show’s owner and manager.

By David Gill

The alpaca—an animal that produces fleece like a sheep and is shaped like a giraffe—is drawing increasing attention from U.S. manufacturers of home textiles.

Some of these products are providing vendors with a new angle to “Made in America,” because the alpaca fiber used in their production comes from alpacas that are raised on these shores. A large percentage of the world’s alpacas are raised in Latin American countries, but some alpaca farms have emerged in the United States, on both the East Coast and in the Pacific Northwest.

DALLAS–Nominations for the 24th annual ARTS Awards, the annual program that recognizes top manufacturers, retailers, product designers and sales representatives, are now being accepted. This year’s awards include 26 categories.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—John Kelly has been named sales manager for the General Gift division of the New York International Gift Fair, tasked with developing and executing sales strategies for the Fair’s largest division, which includes some 750 exhibitors. Reporting to Christian Falkenberg, NYIGF director and GLM vice president, Kelly succeeds Scott Kramer.

WHITE PLAINS–Emerging craft designers and up-and-coming artisan makers are invited to apply to the new “Emerging Designer Maker Platform” produced in connection with the Handmade Designer Maker division at the New York International Gift Fair. This new initiative will showcase talented designers—in particular design students and recent graduates in business for one year or less—and handmade products across the gift home and lifestyle spectrum and created in all media.

NEW YORK-Comptoir de Famille, the French-inspired home and accessories brand has named Bronxville, N.Y.-based CDF Decor Inc.as its U.S. distributor. 

Products will be warehoused in the New York area “to insure timely delivery and excellent customer service” to customers throughout the country, Comptoir de Famille said. Initially, the brand will focus its distribution on independent retail stores where Comptoir de Famille has an already established customer base and strong following.

NEW YORK–Several new designers have been selected to join the summer 2012 edition of Accent on Design at New York International Gift Fair.

LOS ANGELES-Crown Crafts Infant Products has entered into a licensing agreement with Carter’s, the infants’ and young children’s apparel company, for a collection of toddler bedding products.

The line will include toddler bedding, blankets and room decor accessories. A joint statement from the two companies said Crown Crafts is expected to debut the collection in spring 2013.

The agreement marks Carter’s first foray into toddler bedding, the statement said.

NEW YORK-In the midst of a steep drop in sales, WestPoint Home reported a first-quarter net loss of $10 million, the same as it tallied in the first quarter of last year, according to a 10-Q filing by the company’s parent, Icahn Enterprises.

Net sales in the quarter, which ended on March 31, fell 43 percent to $56 million, the result of WestPoint’s efforts to streamline sales and exit certain unprofitable programs and customers. Also, gross margin fell 400 basis points to 4 percent, despite a 40 percent drop in cost of goods sold.

By David Gill

The 2012 edition of Surtex will take place this month, at a time in which the uptick in the economy is boosting demand for surface design.

The show will be at its usual venue, the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, from May 20-22. The improving economy, and its effect on the demand for design, is reflected in the show’s key numbers. According to GLM, Surtex’s owner and manager, some 300 to 350 artists, design companies and licensing agents are expected to exhibit their wares at the show, up from 277 at last year’s show.

NEW YORK-Iconix Brand Group and Reliance Brands Limited, part of Reliance Industries Group, have completed the formation of their joint-venture company in India, Iconix India.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.-The summer New York International Gift Fair will put an extra emphasis on artisanal craft with a number of moves.

ATLANTA-Town & Country Living and The Vera Co. have partnered for Vera-licensed collections in bath products and accessories, kitchen textiles and table linens.

The collections will launch to the trade this coming September and will begin distribution in Spring 2013. Currently, Vera has been licensing these products with Bardwil Linens, but Susan Seid, president of Vera, said in an interview with HFN that Vera decided not to renew its Bardwil license. Bardwil will continue to distribute its Vera line through the balance of this year, Seid said.

STOCKHOLM-Electrolux began its fiscal 2012 with a healthy 17.5 percent gain in net income, to $82.7 million.

Net sales for the appliances/housewares giant totaled $3.8 billion in the quarter (using the average currency conversion rate for the quarter of the Swedish krona to the U.S. dollar), up 6.1 percent. Keith McLoughlin, Electrolux’s president and CEO, said sales benefited from strong growth throughout the world, the acquisitions of appliance makers CTI and Olympic Group, and a positive impact from price increases in North America.

CALHOUN, Ga.-Rizzy Home has hired Louis Ragy as its national account manager, reporting to Mark Ferullo, president.

As a rug and textile industry veteran, Ragy has a specialized knowledge of international rug and textile markets, a successful background in marketing and sales and expertise in product development, the company said. His career includes serving as senior vice president of sales for Beaulieu of America’s textile division, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Trade Am and as president and CEO of Smartful Rugs and Textiles.

CHICAGO-Protect-A-Bed has unveiled an interactive selling tool for sales associates in furniture stores, called the Interactive Merchandising Unit.

The unit offers in-depth product information through videos that stream from the module, product samples, demonstrations of the products’ features and benefits, and information that shoppers can take with them. It’s part of the company’s approach to in-store marketing and innovative display concepts intended to help store associates showcase the products.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.-Surtex is preparing to launch an exclusive Trend Theatre at next month’s show.

The theater, which will be located on the show floor, will feature trend experts from the United States and Europe. They will conduct a total of 17 30-minute sessions exploring the latest trends affecting industries ranging from accessories, textiles, tabletop, fashion, paper, stationery, packaging and gifts. The sessions are free of charge to Surtex exhibitors and attendees.

ARLINGTON, Va.-High-end textiles manufacturer Garnier-Thiebaut has relocated to an expanded corporate headquarters space here for its U.S. operation.

Measuring 6,000 square feet, the new headquarters combines showroom displays with the company’s U.S. offices. The showroom area offers concept displays with full settings of table linens and bed ensembles. A Garnier-Thiebaut statement said the enlarged space supports the company’s strategic plans to service both the hospitality industry and its growing operations in the retail trade.

SEATTLE-Pacific Coast Feather has appointed Joe Crawford to succeed the retiring Eric Moen as president and CEO.

Crawford, senior vice president of finance and procurement, will assume his new post at the end of this month. He joined Pacific Coast Feather in 1992, was promoted to vice president of feather and down operations in 1996, and was named to his current position in 2001. He also serves as marketing chair of the American Down and Feather Council.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–100 Days of Design, a community-based blog published by the New York International Gift Fair, will return for the summer 2012 edition with a modified format highlighting the design-driven products at NYIGF.

NEW YORK-Gottex, the swimwear brand, has begun the process of extending its brand into a variety of home products.

In collaboration with consulting firm Concept Marketing Group, the company has begun discussions with several companies on a line of beach and bath towels, bath accessories, decorative accessories, decorative bedding, decorative pillows, decorative fabrics, outdoor furniture and other products.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.-This summer’s New York International Gift Fair will mark the start of phase three of the trade show’s multiyear strategic reorganization.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.-Four winners of the designext international student competition, organized annually by Surtex, have been selected and will participate in the show when it is held in May.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.-Beginning in April, a monthly series of free market readiness webinars that address marketing and selling strategies, tradeshow operations and lead follow-up will be offered to New York International Gift Fair exhibitors.

Produced jointly by NYIGF and Right Angle Strategies, a business strategy and coaching consultancy, the series includes four pre-show webinars, one post-show webinar, and free, 15-minute business consultations during NYIGF.

CALHOUN, Ga.–Rizzy Home has named Harris Klein national sales manager, reporting to Mark Ferullo, vice president. Klein will be based in the Southwest region and will be in charge of sales personnel.

LOS ANGELES–California Market Center has appointed Gerry Seibel to the newly created position of vice president of new business development for the CMC’s Gift, Home Décor and Design division.

NEW YORK-Longtime GLM executive Dorothy Belshaw has been named president of the gift division of International Market Centers.

Belshaw thus assumes charge over the Gift+Home Show in Las Vegas, and reports to Robert Maricich, IMC’s CEO. Reporting to Belshaw will be Margaret Powers, vice president of Tradeshow/Las Vegas, and the five-person trade-show sales team. Belshaw will also manage World Market Center’s permanent gift-leasing team, consisting of leasing managers Sheri Makransky and Cassie Catania.

CHICAGO—Pantone today unveiled Pantone View home + interiors 2013, a trend forecast containing the nine key color and design themes for home furnishings and interior design in 2013.
 

NEW YORK-WestPoint Home has launched its newest brand, Modern Living, during this week’s New York Home Fashions Market.

The brand features bed ensembles in seven lifestyles, according to Susan Bennie, WestPoint’s vice president of design. Worldly Eclectic offers ensembles whose inspiration is drawn from global travel, while the loft-oriented Softly Modern ensembles are inspired by spas and feature soft color palettes in jacquard-woven and yarn-dyed fabrications.

Brunschwig & Fils, a 111-year-old, family-owned brand of classic traditional home textiles, furniture and accessories, faced a serious financial crisis characterized by three difficult economic scenarios which struck so many in the home furnishings industry.

The first of the three strikes was the virtual collapse of the housing industry, which began in 2007 and further decreased Brunschwig’s already-diminishing sales levels. The second strike was the general economic recession commencing in 2008, which continued to push the company’s sales exponentially downward.

NEW YORK-Hollander Home Fashions will move to a new showroom in time for this September’s New York Home Fashions Market.

The new space is located at 440 Park Ave. here. At 10,000 square feet, it is a slightly smaller space than the company’s current showroom at 1071 Sixth Ave.

However, according to Executive Chairman Jeff Hollander, it is a more open space than the current showroom. “It will allow us to adapt and show our products and the entire experience at once,” Hollander said.

NEW YORK-Alan Kennedy has been named president of Bardwil, thus becoming responsible for the company’s sales, marketing, sourcing and operations.

The position is a new one for Bardwil. Previously, these functions had been handled by Nancy Kristoff, president of sales, and Derek Pierce, chief operations officer. Kristoff and Pierce have left the company to pursue other interests.

Before joining Bardwil, Kennedy was senior vice president of global sales and the Polo RL division at WestPoint Home.

NEW YORK-The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center has named Alan Steel president and CEO, succeeding Gerald McQueen at the helm of the convention and trade-show location.

Steel was previously president of GLM, owner/operator of trade shows including the New York International Gift Fair, which is held at the Javits Center twice a year.

NEW YORK-Revman has signed a license agreement with Nautica for the manufacture and distribution of Nautica-branded bedding and coordinating bath accessories.

Revman will begin distributing product this spring throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. The targeted retail channels will be department stores and specialty stores. Previously, Welspun USA had held this license, but that agreement expired recently.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va.–Kay Hughes is retiring as marketing director for Gallerie II, a division of C & F Enterprises, Inc.

Hughes’ career spanned more than 40 years in the gift and home decor industry and included stints at Carson Pirie Scott & Co., Silvestri Corp., Wilton Enterprises and Holiday Gallery before she joined C & F Enterprises to manage the start-up of Gallerie II, the company said.

HIGH POINT, N.C.–Sanford Designs, a leading manufacturer of throws is returning to Market Suites Showroom #M 4031 for the upcoming April High Point Furniture Market after a three-Year absence.

The decision to return was an easy one, said Owner Peter Rubin. “The Home Accessory Market is definitely showing strong signs of recovery,” he said. “That coupled with the many requests from our customers to show again was what made my decision simple.”

Sanford Designs will feature throws that are Made in the USA from combinations of fibers from around the world.

NEW YORK-Springs Global has formed an alliance with Pantone for collections of bedding and bath products under the brand name Pantone Universe.

The first ensembles in the new collections will be on display at the Springs showroom here during the upcoming New York Home Fashions Market. They are slated to appear at retail this coming fall. A statement from both companies said the collections will be “accessibly priced” and feature mix-and-match patterns.

NEW YORK-Iconix Brand Group reported a 24 percent jump in net income in its fourth quarter, to $30.2 million, and has created a joint venture with Reliance Brands to expand its portfolio of fashion and home brands into India.

WHITE PLAINS, NY–Designers, artists and manufacturers are invited to submit applications for three juried, design-focused divisions at the New York International Gift Fair: Accent on Design; Handmade Designer Maker; and Handmade Global Design.  Applications for A+™: The Young Designers’ Platform at Accent on Design, a showcase of emerging design talents within Accent on Design, are also being accepted.

CLAVERACK, N.Y.-Pamela Kline, founder of Traditions by Pamela Kline, has sold the company to her daughter, company president Shari Kline.

Shari Kline remains as president and will now become the company’s creative director as well. She began working for her mother 18 years ago, and has served as president for the past 10 years.

NEW YORK-D. Charles Schlang, CEO of Portico Home, died in his sleep at his home in Scarsdale, N.Y., early Thursday morning. He was 69.

Schlang’s career in the home textiles industry spanned nearly 50 years. He began at Schlang and Co., his family’s fabric business, in the early 1960s, according to Gregg Haft, Portico Home’s president and Schlang’s partner in that business. After Schlang & Co. was sold, he went into partnership with Paul Flamm to form Renaissance, and stayed on board after that company was sold to Leshner.

DALTON, Ga.—In order to better service its distribution channels, Surya has recently added two sales executives to oversee the furniture and retail and design service categories. Eric Nyman has taken responsibility for furniture and retail, overseeing about 40 reps, while Steve Fahey is overseeing design services and about 30 reps. Both will have the title national sales manager and report to Seth King, vice president, sales and marketing, Surya.

“It’s a more focused approach for each of those categories,” said King.

LONDON-David Audrain, former president and CEO of Messe Frankfurt North America, has been named president and CEO of Clarion Events North America.

NEW YORK–HFN is collecting information on product introductions and high-resolution images for the March New York Home Fashions Market.

Vendors are urged to send information about new bedding, bath products, kitchen textiles, table linens and window treatments to David Gill, senior editor at dgill@hfnmag.com. New-product information about area rugs should go to Andrea Lillo, senior editor, at alillo@hfnmag.com.

The deadline for these submissions is Friday, Feb. 10.

NEW YORK–Qi took the honors as the Best of Market new product for Home Textiles Market Week at the New York International Gift Fair’s At Home featuring Home Textiles section.

The Plaited Cable Blanket is a 100 percent cashmere product knitted with mouline and solid threads to create visual and tactile features. Among the other winners, Sefte’s Seda throw, made of 20 percent silk and 80 percent baby alpaca, was the winner in the bed category. In the bath category, the winner was Pluto On The Moon for its Kaneka blue robe, made of blended wool and nylon.

NEW YORK–The American Society of Interior Designers’ (ASID) New York Metro Chapter has picked seven exhibitors in the At Home section of the New York International Gift Fair as “Best of the Best.”

The recipients are Tempo Luxury Home Collection for imaginative product presentation; Ercole for innovative product design; Bevara Design House for social responsibility, ecological sensitivity and universal design awareness; Vivify Lighting for lighting; J. Fleet Designs for accessories; Rani Arabella for textiles; and Pheromone by Christopher Marley for wall art.

NEW YORK–Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO) has named Margaret M. Smyth to its board of directors.

Most recently, Smyth served as vice president and chief financial officer of Hamilton Sundstrand, part of United Technologies Corp. Prior to that, she was United Technologies’ vice president and corporate controller. She also served in financial positions with 3M, Deloitte & Touche and Arthur Andersen.

NEW YORK–Ellery Homestyles will add 1,000 square feet to its showroom at 295 Fifth Ave. here in time for the March New York Home Fashions Market.

In a statement, the company said it is enlarging the show space “to accommodate continued growth in its business.” The expansion follows on Ellery’s renovation of the space last year.

By Allison Zisko

It may be coincidence that fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi will move into a new home at about the same time he unveils his new home collection, but the timing couldn’t have been better. The designer said he thinks about home all the time, but never more so than when he started developing the tabletop portion of his new home collection and started envisioning his new kitchen cabinets and all the additional space he would have for more dinnerware.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–Nearly 25 percent of registrants for next week’s New York International Gift Fair have expressed a specific interest in “Made in the USA” products, said show owner and producer GLM.

“More than 400 of NYIGF’s 2,800+ exhibitors identify themselves as producers of ‘Made in the USA’ products,” said Dorothy Belshaw, NYIGF director and GLM senior vice president. “NYIGF presents an ideal sourcing opportunity for retailers seeking American-made products across the gift, home and lifestyle spectrum.”

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–Trade-show manager GLM has named Penny Sikalis vice president of business development, in charge of researching and evaluating new trade-show launches and potential show acquisitions.

In her new role, Sikalis reports directly to Charles McCurdy, GLM’s CEO. She also maintains her current position as vice president and show manager of Surtex.

NEW YORK—HFN is preparing its coverage of the New York Home Fashions Market in March.

Vendors are invited to submit information and high-resolution images of products that they plan to highlight in their showrooms. Manufacturers of bedding, bath products and window treatments should submit their information to David Gill, senior editor, at dgill@hfnmag.com. Vendors of area rugs should submit their information to Andrea Lillo, senior editor, at alillo@hfnmag.com.

CHICAGO–Protect-A-Bed has begun a contest  inviting consumers to submit videos about how a good night’s sleep will help them in the New Year.

NEW YORK–Royal Heritage Home has acquired the assets of Allergy Control Products, a manufacturer of allergy-control products.

The deal adds Allergy Control Products’ line of allergy mattress protectors, HEPA air-purification systems, sinus-relief products, bed-bug treatments, respirator masks, water filters and asthma products into the Royal Heritage portfolio. The company sells these products both directly to consumers and through wholesale, according to a Royal Heritage statement.

GUELPH, Ontario–Protect-A-Bed is opening an office here to serve as its customer base in Canada.

The company has also appointed Marc de Grave vice president of business development for its Canadian operation. In a statement, Protect-A-Bed said de Grave has more than 25 years of sales and customer-relations experience in the Canadian retail, pest-industry, hospitality and health-care markets.

ATLANTA–Manual Woodworkers & Weavers is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, and has redesigned or relocated several of its showrooms.

At the Dallas Market Center, the company has moved to room 1355, near the west entrance. At AmericasMart in Atlanta, Manual Woodworkers has redesigned its room 697 show space in the West Wing, and is leasing room 10-C-96 in The Gardens.

NEW YORK–Alok International has signed a worldwide license agreement with Kathy Hilton Home & Design for a collection of bed sets, duvet covers, blankets, towels and window treatments.

Arun Agarwal, Alok’s president and CEO, said the line will be available in both retail stores and in the hospitality market. Hilton and Alok will jointly design the complete line, which will be drawn from Hilton’s recently renovated home in Bel Air, Calif. Agarwal said Hilton “represents the quintessential American lifestyle.”

NEW YORK–Avanti Linens will make its first appearance at the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market next week, and will feature some of its collections under its license with Williamsburg.

The company’s temporary show space will be in Building 1, seventh floor, section J-15. Among the products it will spotlight at the show are Pembroke, a line of bath towels, shower curtains and bathroom ceramics in a damask pattern; and Catesby Palms, a bathroom accessories collection featuring a tropical motif.

RICHMOND, Va.–Carpenter Co. has introduced a new chemistry called IsoFresh, which neutralizes the smell of new foam bedding products.

CHICAGO–The Chicago Merchandise Mart will feature both new tenants and expanded showrooms for the upcoming Chicago Winter Market, Jan. 19-25.

By David Gill

The textiles industry’s biggest international trade fair, Heimtextil, is prepared to open its doors as the New Year begins.

The show is scheduled for Jan. 11-14 at its traditional location, Messe Frankfurt in Frankfurt, Germany. According to Messe Frankfurt (also the name of the show’s owner and manager), the show is looking forward to receiving the same positive responses this year as it did in January 2011.

ATLANTA—AmericasMart will present numerous seminars and celebrity design demonstrations during the International Gift and Home Furnishings Market Jan. 11-18 and the International Area Rug Market Jan. 12-15.

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y.–Online purchases accounted for 10 percent of all home-fashions dollar sales in the 12 months ending in November, according to new research from The NPD Group.

NEW YORK–This year proved to be a strong one for the 7 W New York showroom building, with “record-setting attendance” at three markets, according to a statement from the building.

The building hosted more than 20,000 buyers from big-box retailers, independent specialty stores and off-price retailers at the 2011 markets, the statement said. Also, more than 100,000 visitors attended various trade and consumer events held in its 11th floor event space.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–Home Textiles Market Week in January, which comprises both the New York International Gift Fair and the markets at 7 W New York and 230 Fifth Ave. in New York City, will offer up a number of new exhibitors and space expansions.

WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J.–The Hydraluxe Cooling Gel Pillow from Comfort Revolution has been chosen as one of the 12 healthiest gifts for 2012 by Dr. Oz, host of the health and nutrition television show.

MINNEAPOLIS–Target will debut its Shaun White home collection during the week of Dec. 26.

The limited-time-only line will be available at both Target stores and on target.com through June 2012. It consists of bedding, lamps, wall decals, curtains, storage bins, a skateboard rack and piggy banks. Prices on the collection will range for $9.99 to $89.99.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–Design will be the highlight of the winter edition of the 2012 New York International Gift Fair.

Thirteen companies have been selected to join the juried Accent on Design division of the fair, an Accent on Design retrospective exhibit will debut, and a new design-focused blog will launch as an extension of NYIGF’s “Driven by Design” campaign.

LAS VEGAS–World Market Center Las Vegas announced yesterday that Saro has nearly doubled its showroom space for the upcoming Winter 2012 Gift+Home at Las Vegas Market, Jan. 30-Feb. 3, 2012.

The manufacturer and importer of linens, accessories, tabletop and gift has signed a multi-year deal for a 4,000-square-foot showroom in Building C, Suite C-804.

NEW YORK–Gift for Life, the gift, stationery and home decor industries’ leading charitable organization, announced today that trailblazing architect and developer John C. Portman, Jr. will receive a special Legend for Life honor at the organization’s gala event to be held here on Jan. 29.

This award, which is being presented upon the 20th anniversary of Gift for Life, recognizes Portman’s more than five decades of entrepreneurship and service to the industry.

WHEELING, Ill.–Protect-A-Bed has moved its U.S. headquarters to a location here from Northbrook, Ill.

The facility includes 20,000 feet of office space and 200,000 square feet of warehouse area. James Bell, CEO of Protect-A-Bed said the new location will help with the company’s expansion plans and will help accommodate its customers’ needs. Bell said the facility will help the company increase its business by four or five times the current size.

NEW YORK–Sheldon Good, vice president of merchandising at Revman International, passed away unexpectedly Thanksgiving morning.  He was 47.

Good began his career in home furnishings by joining Revman International in 1998 as part of the sales team in the newly launched Tommy Hilfiger Home division. In 2003, he moved to the Revman division as a brand manager and in 2007, he was promoted to vice president of merchandising.

As usual, next year’s six-month trade show calendar starts with a bang with a plethora of January events. Trade shows from Hong Kong to High Point, N.C., beckon members of the home furnishings industry through June. Here’s a partial list of trade show happenings. See the full calendar of events at hfnmag.com.

By David Gill
T’is the season to cover the bed. As temperatures drop across the nation and the holidays approach, consumers are in the mindset to find that extra bed covering (or coverings) to make sleeping that much more comfortable.

COSTA MESA, Calif.–Anna’s Linens has launched efforts to benefit charities during the holiday shopping season.

For the third straight year, the home specialty retailer has aligned itself with the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Thanks and Giving campaign, a holiday program designed to raise awareness and funds for the children’s cancer hospital. People who shop at Anna’s Linens from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31 will be asked to donate to St. Jude, and donations will be accepted at all Anna’s Linens stores nationwide and on its website.

GONZALES, La.–Second-quarter net income for juvenile-products vendor Crown Crafts fell 12 percent to $1.1 million, with the soft retail economy and the continuing decline in the birth rate the prime culprits, according to E. Randall Chestnut, chairman, president and chief executive officer.

LOS ANGELES–Crown Crafts Infant Products has formed an alliance with nursery designer Wendy Bellissimo to develop, market and distribute a collection of infant bedding, blankets and room decor.

The Wendy Bellissimo line is expected to be in stores by the fall of 2012. It will include multiple collections for crib sets and coordinating rugs, organizers, lamps, shelves, mobiles, wall decor, window treatments and other accessories.

NEW YORK–WestPoint International posted a net loss of $9 million in its fiscal third quarter, compared to the $14 million in red ink reported in the third quarter of last year, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing by its parent company, Icahn Enterprises.

NEW YORK-Dates have been set for Home Textiles Market Week next year. The event is produced and promoted cooperatively by New York International Gift Fair and permanent showroom buildings 230 Fifth Avenue and 7 W New York.

The winter 2012 edition of the show will take place Jan. 27 – Feb. 2 at 7 W New York, and from Jan. 28 – Feb. 2 at the NYIGF at Jacob K. Javits Convention Center & Pier 94, and at 230 Fifth Avenue.

NEW YORK—The Bombay Co. has reached license agreements with four home furnishings companies.

The brand has licensed with JLA Home on a collection of bed linens, bath accessories, window treatments, decorative pillows, throws and rugs. It has licensed with Zrike on a line of tabletop, and with StyleCraft on a grouping of table and floor lamps, chandeliers, pendants and electric wall sconces. Its new license with MVP Group covers luxury candles and scented products.

HENDERSONVILLE, N.C.–Manual Woodworkers & Weavers will mark its 80th anniversary in business next year.

The manufacturer of throws, decorative pillows and home accents, will conduct celebrations at the upcoming winter markets. These will include the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market and the Dallas Total Home & Gift Market, both of which take place in January. At the latter show, Manual Woodworkers will formally open its new location in room 697 of Building 2, West Wing, of the Dallas Market Center.

NEW YORK-The Natori Company will launch barware and table linen collections with licensee JLA Home at the tabletop market here next week.

The barware collection evokes a contemporary point of view to Natori’s East-West sensibility, the company said, and features a variety of different metals and intricate techniques, including three-dimensional dragon details, a fretwork pattern and wood grain carved in metal. Items include entertainment pieces such as an ice bucket and tongs, cocktail shaker, wine coaster, serving trays and cocktail swizzle sticks.

OAKBROOK, Ill.—1888 Mills has swung a deal to acquire Beacon Looms, one of the oldest family-run businesses in the home textiles industry.

NEW YORK–Dennis Keehn has been named to handle the advertising, marketing and website for 230 Fifth Ave.

Keehn’s appointment marks a return to 230 Fifth Ave., also known as the New York Market Center. From 1991 to 2008, he created advertisements for the showroom building.

Keehn’s career has included 35 years of experience in marketing and advertising. His clients have included Bloomingdale’s, Timex, the 225 Fifth Ave. Gift Building, Colgate-Palmolive, the 200 Lexington Ave. Design Center, Kurt Adler and Signooria.

NEW YORK–Ralph Lauren Corporation has appointed Ian Sears to the position of president of the Home Collection Division.

Sears succeeds Frank Guzzetta who will assist with the transition ahead of his upcoming retirement.

Prior to joining Ralph Lauren, Sears was chief marketing officer for Restoration Hardware where he also served as senior vice president of the direct-to-consumer business and played a senior role in the merchandising area.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va.–Sue Murphy, buyer of decoratives at Hicks Nurseries in New York, was the winner of the iPad grand prize in C&F Enterprises’ 35th birthday raffle.

Taking home iPods in the giveaway were Jane Riley, store manager of Echoes, The Manassas Museum Store, and Carol Davis, interior designer for Interior Home Store.

C&F held the raffle at the summer market shows where the company exhibited; on its Facebook page, facebook.com/cnfei; and on the cnfei.com website throughout the summer.

BOCA RATON, Fla.—Hollander Home Fashions has named Mark McKenzie sales vice president.
 
McKenzie is responsible for sales to the company’s key accounts on the West Coast, and is based in San Francisco. He reports to Kay LeGrange, president of sales.
 
Before joining Hollander, McKenzie operated his own sales firm, Full-McKenzie, which he founded in 2009. He also worked in various executive posts for Bullocks, Springs Global and Westgate Home.

By David Gill

Speaking of his first months on the job, Norm Savaria, who became president and CEO of WestPoint Home in June, characterized this period as “managing a lot of change.”

WestPoint Home as a whole has been managing a lot of change for the past several years, and Savaria—and Taran Chernin, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer, who also joined the company in June—are only the most recent changes.

SHELTON, Conn.-Latex International, which purchased a 51 percent stake in Pure LatexBLISS last year, has signed a letter of intent to acquire the remainder of the marketer of mattresses, bed pillows and mattress toppers.

Terms of the deal, which was expected to close at about this time, were not disclosed in a Latex International statement. Pure LatexBLISS will thus become a wholly owned subsidiary under Latex International. Kurt Ling and Joe Hunt, co-founders of Pure LatexBLISS, will remain involved in the management of the brand.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—The 26th annual Surtex is slated for May 20-22, 2012, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.

NEW YORK–Royal Heritage Home has unveiled a new website with information on dust mites.

Called dustmites.org, the site includes a database of articles about dust mites, dust-mite allergies, dust-mite treatments and bed-bug problems. Jeff Tauber, Royal Heritage’s chairman and CEO, said “Our hope is to become the leading destination for people with allergy and bed-bug problems seeking information.”

According to the website of the American College of Asthma, Allergy & Immunology, at least 45 percent young people with asthma are allergic to dust mites.

NEW YORK–Frette has formed a partnership with interior designer Suzanne Rheinstein to support and raise awareness for Children’s Institute.

The organization is dedicated to working with children traumatized by violence. The campaign will begin tomorrow at Frette’s recently opened flagship store on North Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles, with an evening of cocktails and shopping. It will continue through Oct. 4, during which Frette will donate 15 percent of all sales to Children’s Institute.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–Beginning next month, the New York International Gift Fair will hold 100 Days of Design, an initiative that is intended to connect the show’s attendees with design resources.

The program, which will begin on Oct. 20, will feature a 100 Days of Design blog, which will present daily guest posts during the weekdays, and which will be written by NYIGF exhibitors and design authorities. The blog will encourage industry participation and will be promoted through Gift Fair marketing and social-media channels.

NEW YORK–Jay Franco and Sons has reached a license agreement with Nickelodeon on a line of bedding, beach towels and decorative bath accessories featuring a number of the television channel’s signature children’s programs.

NEW YORK–Under new leadership, WestPoint Home will present itself at this week’s New York Home Fashions Market as a reenergized home textiles resource as it seeks to reverse its sales slide of recent years.

Norm Savaria, president and CEO, said he hopes to highlight WestPoint’s core competencies to the retail buyers and merchandisers who visit the showroom. “We need to show them our strengths in manufacturing, product, innovation and brands,” he said.

NEW YORK–Pacific Coast Feather and United Feather & Down, which merged earlier this year, have moved into one showroom for next week’s New York Home Fashions Market.

That space is Pacific Coast Feather’s showroom on the third floor of 1071 Avenue of the Americas. “Together in one showroom, (the merged companies) offer more choices, including the best in product innovation born from generations of success, led by an executive team of highly creative industry experts from both companies,” said Brandon Palmer, co-president of United Feather.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–Beginning next month, The New York International Gift Fair will offer series of “market readiness” webinars to exhibitors participating in the winter 2012 edition of the New York International Gift Fair.

Produced jointly by NYIGF and Right Angle Strategies, a business strategy and coaching consultancy, the series includes four pre-show webinars, one post-show webinar, and free, 15-minute business consultations during NYIGF.

NEW YORK—Avanti Linens and Royal Heritage Home will introduce their first collections under their recent license agreements with Williamsburg at next week’s New York Home Fashions Market.

Avanti’s first Williamsburg line encompasses 11 patterns in bath, including towels, shower curtains, porcelain accessories and bath mats. Also part of the line are kitchen and table linens, including kitchen towels, pot holders, tablecloths, placemats and napkins. Some of the kitchen and table linens coordinate with some of the bath collections.

DUQUESNE, Pa.—American Textile Co. is launching a refreshed marketing approach for its AllerEase line of anti-allergen bedding products.

CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif.–Rio Home Fashions has signed a license agreement with kathy ireland Worldwide to produce basic-bedding products under the kathy ireland Home brand.

The collection will include memory-foam bed pillows, memory-foam mattress pads and toppers, fiber -and featherbeds, comforters, mattress pads and bed pillows. The license agreement calls for the expansion of this line into hospitality customers as well as retailers, and will offer designs within the kathy ireland Home Acafe Society and kathy ireland Home Jardin collections.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–The New York International Gift Fair has successfully concluded its month-long “Like for Life” Facebook campaign, according to show owner and operator GLM. The campaign benefitted Gift for Life, the gift, stationery and home décor industries’ sole charitable organization.

FARIBAULT, Minn.–Faribault Woolen Mills, one of the oldest textiles manufacturers in the United States, will reopen its manufacturing facility here next Thursday.

The company, which was founded in 1865, was one of the largest manufacturers of wool blankets until it closed the facility in 2009. In July, it was purchased by Chuck Mooty, former CEO of Dairy Queen, who is now CEO of Faribault; and his cousin, Paul Mooty, who is chief financial officer.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–The New York International Gift Fair has invited designers, artists and manufacturers to submit applications for several juried, design-focused divisions at the winter version of the trade show.

NEW YORK—Homes will be smaller and furniture will have multiple purposes in the year 2020, according to a report issued by the International Furnishings and Design Association.

Titled “20/20: IFDA’s Vision for the Future,” the report is the result of a survey of nearly 2,000 IFDA members across the nation and abroad. Among the predictions for 2020 are:

•Americans will be living in smaller spaces and fewer rooms.
 
•Modular, moveable and smaller-scaled furniture will take the place of built-ins and larger pieces.

By David Gill

For Creative Bath, the Central Islip, N.Y.-based manufacturer, the past five years has seen what Chief Operation Officer Bob Weiss called an “explosion” in business—but not in bath products.

The 38-year-old company began producing housewares about eight years ago, and in the past five years, this category has mushroomed into its biggest growth area. Creative Bath’s offerings in housewares (labeled Creative Ware on the company’s website, creativebath.com) now encompass serveware, drinkware, tabletop and storage and organization products.

 By David Gill

A small warehouse in Gardena, Calif., was the birthplace of Softline Home Fashions, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in business last month.

Softline has evolved over the years from a small vendor of fabrics into a resource for both fabrics and finished home textiles. It will be showing the latest introductions to its line of window treatments and decorative pillows later this month at the New York Home Fashions Market, in its showroom at 230 Fifth Ave. in New York City.

Hollander Home Fashions will launch its new Live Comfortably brand of luxury basic bedding at the New York Home Fashions Market.

By David Gill

This month will bring a revamped home textiles department to Target stores across the nation.

The mass merchant is changing the look of its domestics sections, creating a presentation more focused on components rather than ensembles. Target announced its plans in August, on a conference call of top executives speaking to financial analysts who cover the company.

LAS VEGAS–Las Vegas Market’s “Up on the Roof” charity cocktail event for Gift for Life during the summer show earlier this month sold 500 tickets, and raised more than $12,000 for the Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids (DIFFA).

The supportive turnout of industry leaders and gift attendees enjoyed cocktails, appetizers, live music and prizes. Among the guests were designers Roger Thomas and HGTV’s Monica Pedersen. Prizes included raffle items such as a Peter Lik photo, autographed Bill Clinton books, and show tickets.

NEW YORK–New tenants and expanded showrooms will be among the offerings from the 7 W New York showroom building during the September New York Home Fashions Market.

NEW YORK—The Home Fashion Products Association’s Young Professionals (YoPros) have scheduled the Market Jam for next month’s New York Home Fashions Market.

The event will take place on Sept. 20, beginning at 9 p.m. at Legends at 6 East 33rd St. here. It will feature live music and guests.

Admission will be $20, with all proceeds going to benefit  the YoPros scholarship fund.

NEW YORK–July’s Home Textiles Sourcing Expo here brought in more than 1,500 attendees, who visited 132 exhibitors from nine countries, according to a report from Messe Frankfurt North America, manager of the show.

WASHINGTON–Fabrictech has formed a partnership with the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) to distribute materials on sleep health to the public.

Under this agreement, Fabrictech’s PureCare brand of mattress and pillow protectors will now include a special NSF educational brochure in all of the products. The packages will bear the NSF logo as well. Fabrictech’s products are available at mattress and specialty sleep retailers throughout the nation.

According to a joint statement, the two partners plan to announce more products in the future.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia–Novo Textiles has formed an alliance with T3 Recovery Products to produce a licensed collection of home textiles under the Ironman brand.

Ironman is a series of triathlons operated by World Triathlon Corp. that occur throughout the world, and T3, a sleep-products design company, holds the worldwide rights to design and sublicense The Official Sleep Products of Ironman. Under the terms of this agreement, Novo will manufacture and distribute bed pillows, mattress protectors, mattress toppers, duvets and blankets under the brand.

NEW YORK–7 W New York’s most recent Gift & Home Textiles Market Week was upbeat, show organizers said, and the building was “bustling with a steady flow of high-caliber buyers.” Building tenants were “widely optimistic” about the market, reporting healthy sales and happy clients.

ASHEVILLE, N.C.–Biltmore’s licensing division has been chosen by the Society of Product Licensors Committed to Excellence (SPLiCE) to host the 2011 Licensors Workshop. The event will be held at the Inn on Biltmore Estate in Asheville Sept. 10-14.

The SPLiCE Licensors Workshop provides members with a unique venue that affords an opportunity to speak with other licensors across industry lines. During the workshop, SPLiCE members will learn about the best practices in brand protection and how to leverage innovation through licensing.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–GLM has announced 2012 dates for the winter and summer editions of the New York International Gift Fair.

The winter edition will take place Sat., Jan. 28 – Thurs., Feb. 2 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 92 & 94 in New York City, while the summer edition will take place Sat., Aug. 18 – Thurs., Aug. 23 at the same locations.

NEW YORK–Target has set plans to change the look of its stores’ home textiles department, creating a presentation more focused on components rather than ensembles, according to Kathryn Tesija, the retailer’s executive vice president of merchandising.

NEW YORK-Color and trend connoisseur Doty Horn has launched a new color marketing firm called ColorVoyant.

Horn, who most recently served as the director of color and design for Benjamin Moore, has developed a 2013 color forecast titled Fusion, which she previewed this month at PrintSource.

Fusion fuses together emerging trends and common threads from the worlds of art, fashion and pop culture. ColorVoyant offers four supporting themes for 2013, including what she terms “cooperative,” “modern primitive,” “mutant” and “eruption.”

NEW YORK–Five companies participating in Home Textiles Market Week in New York were presented with Best New Product Awards earlier this week, with Aalamwaar Textiles receiving the Best of Market award for its Mandela Pillow from the Tranquility Collection.

All of the winners and finalists are exhibitors in At Home featuring Home Textiles, which runs through tomorrow at the New York International Gift Fair.

NEW YORK–Kids in Distressed Situations (K.I.D.S.) has been designated the charity of choice for the New York International Gift Fair.

The 26-year-old organization provides basic necessities, books, toys and other products to children who are underprivileged or who have undergone a disaster. It distributes products through a network of nearly 1,000 community social-service agencies in the United States and abroad.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–Two industry veterans – Thompson Lange of Homescapes Carmel and David Gooding of Juliska – have joined the seven-member advisory board of the New York International Gift Fair. 

Comprised of both attendees and exhibitors, the board meets semi-annually with show management to offer strategic feedback related to the gift and home market in general and about the NYIGF in particular. The next scheduled board meeting will take place this Wednesday, Aug. 17, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, where the Fair is currently taking place.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va.–C&F Enterprises and its sister company, Gallerie II, have added four gift and home trade shows to its lineup.

The companies began with exhibit space at Wild Birds Unlimited Vendor Mart from June 27-29 in San Antonio, and followed with space at The Chicago Market: Living and Giving, which took place July 30-Aug. 3. Looking ahead, they will also exhibit at next week’s New York International Gift Fair and at the High Point Market, Oct. 22-27.

NEW YORK–WestPoint Home reported a net loss of $5 million in its fiscal second quarter, compared to a net loss of $6 million in last year’s second quarter.

ATLANTA-Independent agent Jeff Casner has been named as the agent who represents the licensing interests of The Vera Co., owner of the library of artwork, trademarks and copyrights of the late American artist Vera Neumann.

Casner handles the licensing and marketing interests of the company, and acts as a strategic business advisor. He reports to Susan Seid, president of The Vera Co. Before taking his new role, Casner was director of licensing for Franco Manufacturing, and prior to that, he was senior vice president for KN Ltd.

CORNELIUS, N.C.–Bob Hamilton, the long-time textiles executive who was a mainstay at Fieldcrest Cannon, has died after a battle with cancer. He was 67.

Hamilton was director of marketing with Welspun at the time of his death. At Fieldcrest, where he served as vice president of marketing, he was most closely associated with the Royal Velvet brand. A spokeswoman with Welspun described Hamilton as “a huge influence on the industry for many years, and was also a wealth of knowledge. Bob’s eloquence and charm always left a lasting impression with all who met him.”

NEW YORK–HFN is preparing its coverage of the New York Home Fashions Market in September.

Vendors are invited to submit information and high-resolution images of products that they plan to highlight in their showrooms. Manufacturers of bedding, bath products and window treatments should submit their information to David Gill, senior editor, at dgill@hfnmag.com. Vendors of area rugs should submit their information to Andrea Lillo, fashion editor, at alillo@hfnmag.com.

NEW YORK–Macy’s has extended its Bar III brand into a line of decorative bedding.

The new collection is now available at 100 Macy’s stores and encompasses five bed styles: Pinball, Garment Wash, Puffer, Textured Stripe and Vintage Scroll. Coordinating decorative pillows and sheet sets are also part of the new line. Pricing for Bar III bedding products ranges from $40 to $250.

LAS VEGAS–The foodie scene hits World Market Center Las Vegas just in time for Summer 2011 Las Vegas Market, which opened yesterday.

Attendees to Tendence, scheduled for Aug. 26 to 30, 2011, in Frankfurt, Germany, will not only see worldwide trends and products in home furnishings, but also new show features, such as the debut of a new Home&Trend Award, as well as special focuses on Austria and Africa. More than a month before the show opened, show organizer Messe Frankfurt announced that Tendence was already fully booked up, with 2,100 international exhibitors registered for the show.

CARTHAGE, Mo.–In what President and CEO David Haffner described as “a reasonably good quarter,” Leggett & Platt posted net income of $54.7 million, up 4 percent from last year’s second quarter.

NEW YORK–In what Neil Cole, chairman and CEO, said were record results for both the top and bottom lines, Iconix rang in with net income of $44.8 million in its fiscal second quarter, 66 percent ahead of last year’s second-quarter result.

WILLIAMSBURG, Va.–Williamsburg has formed a licensing partnership with Avanti Linens for collections of bath, kitchen and table linens.

The products will be unveiled at the Avanti showroom in New York City during the New York Home Fashions Market in September. The collections include Tulipomania and Charlotte, prints inspired by Williamsburg’s fabrics based on botanical motifs; Parterre and Sheraton Ikat, vivid graphic designs; and Isham Indienne, a look based on 18th century exploration and world trade.

NEW YORK–CreatedinFrance, sponsored by Ateliers d’Art de France and dedicated to promoting the work of French craftsmen and companies abroad, will unite French manufacturers at the New York International Gift Fair next month.

Ateliers d’Art de France is a French federation for craft professionals. Among the vendors exhibiting in New York are Alain Saint Joanis, Beauville, Claude Dozorme Cutlery and Laguiole en Aubrac.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–The Accent on Design section of the New York International Gift Fair has sold out its space for the August show, according to GLM, the show’s owner and manager.

The section will feature the work of 200 contemporary design resources, nearly 25 of which will be showing in the section for the first time, GLM said in a statement. Two design collectives, JOIN Design Seattle and the American Design Club, will be positioned near the entrance to Accent on Design.

NEW YORK–Marimekko has debuted an e-commerce site for the United States on its brand site, marimekko.com.

The site showcases the brand’s offerings in home décor, textiles, apparel and accessories. Marimekko North America will be in charge of this new e-commerce operation.

NEW YORK–The International Furnishings & Design Association and the New York International Gift Fair will offer a seminar on color theory and its practical applications at the upcoming Gift Fair.

GONZALES, La.–Crown Crafts has reached an agreement with Wynnefield Partners Small Cap Value, its largest stockholder, on the slate of directors to be nominated at the company’s annual stockholders meeting.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–A number of vendors will be newcomers to, returning to or expanding their exhibiting space at August’s New York International Gift Fair and Gift & Home Textiles Market Week.

Target’s in-house brands are the focus in the presentation of its home textiles merchandise.

The store devotes a considerable amount of space to the department, which offers both basic and decorative bedding, bath products and soft-home accessories. Each aisle centers the products around one or two of Target’s private-label brands: Target Home, Room Expressions and Fieldcrest. Thomas O’Brien, the retailer’s licensed collection for home, also gets prominent displays in the section. In addition, it offers one run of Springmaid bed ensembles.

Loftex USA

Loftex has entered the world of social networking with a group of beach towels in which, as the company said in a statement, “the virtual becomes reality.” Tweetie Sweetie, pictured here, features a vividly colored depiction of a young lady relaxing on a tropical beach and thoroughly engaged in her smart phone. The collection includes a whopping 45 designs in all, and is designed to engage age groups from baby boomers to gens X and Y. It will be available for spring and summer 2012. loftexusa.com