Decosit rated better than last year
By Susan M. Andrews -- Furniture Today, September 15, 2003
Brussels, Belgium — Exhibitors agreed that traffic was off somewhat at the just-concluded Decosit market, but said they were pleased with the quality of buyers attending the 25th edition of what is considered the world's most important show for upholstery fabrics.
Some American exhibitors were disappointed that the weaker U.S. dollar did not translate into the higher sales they had hoped to see, but most characterized the show as quite good — certainly better than last year.
The show rose to the level of outstanding for some, including Regal Fabrics, which exhibited in the Decosit venue for the first time after several years in DecoContract. The company's novelties drew a great deal of interest, and a pattern was included in Decosit's Most Trendy presentation.
Sue Patrolia, product manager, joked that she did not expect the jacquard pattern to be chosen for the presentation because it didn't feature "metal, hair or sliced eyeballs."
Instead, it showed tropical shirts and was a perfect fit for the Trendy lineup.
"This was our best Decosit in years," said Mike Shelton, president of U.S.-based Valdese Weavers. The company's Haven line of 16-ounce cotton wovens in summery colors was enormously popular, he said.
Light, pretty colors — pink, coral, green, aqua and lavender — were important throughout the show, and some of the best presentations were by American exhibitors such as Valdese, Sunbury, Tietex, Duralee, Weave, Culp and Covington.
At Quaker Fabric, another U.S. exhibitor, Tom Muzekari, vice president of sales and marketing, said his company set a Decosit sales record at last week's show.
Mastercraft Fabric was listed in the show's catalog, but apparently canceled at the last minute, according to a sign the fair organizer erected in the space the company had reserved.
See next week's Furniture/Today for more Decosit coverage, including a look at new products
