Fabric show wins applause
Early April market leads to pre-selling
By Susan M. Andrews -- Furniture Today, January 13, 2003
High Point — Fabric and leather producers were happy with the customers they saw and the business they did at an upbeat Winter Showtime 2003 here last week.
Traffic seemed off a bit, but exhibitors weren't surprised since they had done extra pre-selling in December to help their customers get ready for the earlier-than-usual spring furniture market.
Showtime is often an early indicator of upcoming furniture markets. Many fabric sources polled last week think furniture manufacturers may keep their spring introductions on the slim side because of the early High Point market, which officially opens April 3.
"They just don't have as much time to put the big collections together," said Jim DeRue of DeRue and Associates. He said buyers also will be challenged because the product they bought at the October market will just be arriving at stores when they head back to High Point to shop for more.
Among the hits at Showtime were a new generation of microfiber fabrics, including updated faux suedes, yarn-dyed flat weaves and velvets. Also popular were stripes, well-priced prints and spice tone colors in all styles, from formal damasks to lifestyle plains. Ongoing success stories included chenille and novelty yarn constructions, silk and tropical looks a la Tommy Bahama.
Quaker Fabric was among companies with a new microdenier suede fabric called Ultra Soft. Tom Muzekari, vice president of sales and marketing, said the fabric "has a chamois-like feel, and because it's yarn-dyed we can do multicolor woven patterns like plaids and stripes.
"We made a major investment in equipment and technology," Muzekari said, "in order to be able to produce this domestically, where we can service it well." Ultra Soft, available in several patterns including patchwork and skins, is a washable ultramicrodenier polyester.
Among new sources for faux suede was Dae Song Textile, a Korean company exhibiting at Showtime for the first time. Many sources that have been successful with microdenier faux suede, including Bartson, AAdvantage and Milliken, also had new editions ranging from embroidered effects to patchwork prints.
One mill in the color spotlight was Mastercraft. Deitra Smith, executive vice president of design and marketing, said the company focused on addressing a more casual market with fresh colors like blueberry, kiwi, tangerine and buttercream, and "colors like seaglass, that are pastel, but not sweet." Mastercraft also showcased several stripes in cotton face constructions, which Smith said are part of "a lifestyle direction and a natural and environmental trend."
John Shane, vice president of sales, manufacturers, at the Robert Allen Group, noted a strong attraction to warm, orange shades, as well as a renewed interest in clean, European blues.
Tietex Interiors had crushed velvets, faux suede, tri-pick constructions and boucle velvets in a wide range of colors. Tietex Interiors is the result of Tietex's purchase last year of Burlington House Upholstery.
"Merchandisers want an eclectic look," said Mike Durham, the company's president. "They want it to look as if things have been sourced globally, but it's easier if they can get all that in one place, and that's what we can offer. Thanks to Tietex's international presence, we can get whatever our customers want, then correlate the colors so it makes a cohesive package with a global look."
Dorell, known for its D'Oro line of microfiber suede fabric imported from China, added Lustrell, a solid billed as a urethane for the masses. The line, in 35 colors and priced at $5.50, was widely accepted when Dorell presold it to Mississippi manufacturers last month. Lustrell has the same cleanability and durability story as the microfiber suedes.
Cone Jacquards said it had a huge hit with a 108-inch repeat, a natural draw for top-of-the-bed buyers. Laura Williams, bedding sales manager, said Cone is the only domestic mill with the ability to produce such a product.
