HTT May 2015 Issue
1 like3,179 views
The document is an advertisement for Pimacott, a new brand of 100% pure Pima cotton. Pimacott uses a DNA tagging system to verify that the cotton is 100% Pima from crop to consumer. The company is taking commitments now for fiber from this year's harvest in fall. It invites readers to join the movement ensuring products contain 100% pure Pima cotton verified through their tracking system.
![20 MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COM
TOP OF BED
Database
18%% of the Home Textiles Universe
$27.1B
2014 Home
Textiles Universe
$26.5B
2013 Home
Textiles Universe
TOP OF BED
Textiles Universe
UP
2.3%
Merchandise mix, 2014
Comforter, filled bedding sets 59%
Comforters 19%
Quilts 14%
Bedspreads/coverlets 6%
Duvet covers 2%
Source: Home & Textiles Today market research
A Small Step Forward
BY JENNIFER MARKS
f it wasn’t the most robust of years for the
top of bed category in 2014, it certainly
wasn’t the worst.
Much like other home textiles cate-
gories, top of bed sales overall eked out
a small year-over-year gain, up 1.6%. That
followed a rosier 2.6% increase the previous
year, when consumers were loosening up a bit
in response to an improving economy.
At the retail level, 2014 marked another
year of trading market share. TJX’s Marshall’s
and TJXMaxx formats continued to hold the
ground they gained during the worst days of
the recession. JCPenney in the second half
began to claw back a portion of the business it
lost during its ill-fated 2013 home store over-
haul, and Macy’s solidified its stature as the
go-to chain for better middle-tier goods.
“It seems that the off price channel —
Homegoods, Ross, etc. — have gained the
most market share,” said Rich Roman, pres-
ident and ceo of Revman International. “As
always, customers are responding to value and
coupons.”
On a category basis, quilts began making a
comeback — a trend that continues.
“We’ve really noticed a difference in how
consumers look at quilts — it’s just a lighter
weight bed cover, particularly for Millen-
nials,” said Carol Antone, vp of creative for
Peking Handicraft.
“We’re also selling many solid coverlets
with stitching or a pop of color or prints,” she
added. “The world has changed and it seems
like overnight. Gender neutral for Millenni-
als doesn’t have to be as boring. And that’s at
every price point.”
Simultaneously, Peking is seeing renewed
interest from some retailers in traditional bed-
spreads. “People are starting for ask for them
again. We’re making it more craft, more
‘grandma,’ with piecing and embroidery.”
Changes are also taking place in com-
forter sets — although the shifts seem to vary
by retailer rather than by channel.
Royale Linens, the U.S. division of Yunus
Textiles Mills, has been seeing a divergence
in the types of pieces being sold, according to
Frank Snow, vp, merchandising.
“The bed-in-a-bag business is now either
wholly microfiber or it’s a significant majority
of microfiber with a [blended] sheet,” he said.
Overall, true bed-in-a-bag — stuffed with
sheet sets and extras such as window panels and
decorative pillows — is shrinking, he added.
“The category that is rotating in is three- and
four-piece comforter sets. That’s what’s going
into good/better/best [merchandising slots].”
CHF Industries also sees bed-in-a-bag
losing ground to more tightly edited com-
forter sets that offer a higher perceived qual-
ity. Consumers are responding to “color and
value and different spins on value-add such
as embellishment,” although hitting on the
THE GO-TO
PLACE FOR
INSPIRING STYLE.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/httmay2015issue-150528193851-lva1-app6892/85/HTT-May-2015-Issue-24-320.jpg)
![Retail24 MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COM
SPECIALTY
Home Stretch
Celeb home fashions designer Angelo Surmelis
is on the road to expansion
BY CECILE B. CORRAL
ome fashions TV celebrity and home
furnishings designer Angelo Surme-
lis has a full plate running the many
facets of his business these days.
The former star of several dec-
orating programs on the HGTV, TLC, Life-
time and Style Network cable television chan-
nels owns and operates his own Los Angeles
home furnishings store, angelo:HOME and
its e-commerce site, www.angelohome.com.
He also designs most of the furniture and
textiles he sells there as well as for the bevy
of retailers he works with around the country.
He authors his own blog, “The Design Geek”,
which he updates several times each week. And
he does pro-bono interior design work for needy
members of communities where he sells his
products through retail.
And yet, Surmelis still has an appetite to not
just do more but give more.
This year, he is set to roll out several new
initiatives and product collections — including
new home textiles product categories — as well
as other still-in-development efforts to grow his
brand and presence.
“Home textiles make up approximately 40%
of my [store’s] business and I think it’s because
it is a really, really important category,” he told
H&TT. “I always tell my customers that when
building a room, after choosing the paint for the
walls, the rug is the most important part even
before the furniture.”
With online partner Walmart.com, Surmelis
plans to expand his exclusive “Inspiration Shop”
dubbed Apartment AH — which launched last
year on the website — with new home textiles
offerings come this fall.
He added: “Textiles is a category I’m excited
about growing further. It’s a category that’s really
creative. You can do things with textiles that you
can’t do with furniture. Textiles can instantly
change a room without much effort.”
Across angelo:HOME’s 1,600-square-foot
space, which marks its fourth anniversary this
fall, furniture is the anchor but textiles run a
close second with several collections in key cat-
egories — rugs, bedding and decorative pillows.
While Surmelis designs all of these products, he
works with vendor partners to manufacturer the
goods – Surya for rugs, Hallmart for bedding and
Handy Living for dec pillows.
“We don’t have drapery or table linens, but
we’re looking to add them this year,” he said.
“We will also be expanding bedding this year,
too, with some new collections.”
Surmelis launched the angelo:HOME brand
in 2007 with Handy Living, a Midwest furniture
company. They started with 30 of his designs,
The two-story flagship is airweave’s first retail location – anywhere.
Below: Three-dimension resin fibers and air are used to create airweave
products.
Most of the store’s home furnishings are designed by Surmelis.
Angelo Surmelis at his flagship store in Los Angeles.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/httmay2015issue-150528193851-lva1-app6892/85/HTT-May-2015-Issue-28-320.jpg)
![33MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COMTrends
SUPPLIERS
HomeTex Looks Ahead
New facility will double cut & sew capacity
BY JENNIFER MARKS
fter nearly two years of scouting
locations and running the num-
bers, HomeTex officially has com-
mitted to opening a new facility in
Cullman, Ala., investing $4 million to acquire
and re-outfit the former Nicholson File/Apex
Tools building.
When the 300,000-square-foot plant opens
in early 2016, it will at minimum double the
manufacturer’s capacity for cut & sew, add-
ing about 40 jobs in the process. The plant
will produce DreamFit sheets, mattress pads,
duvet covers and protective covers. Located
on 29 acres not far from its current plant in
Vinemont, Ala., the facility will also include
about 100,000 square feet for distribution —
along with plenty of room to grow in the future.
“The model supporting DreamFit is one for
inventory and ship time – and has been since
the late 90s,” president Jeremy Wootten told
H&TT. “It lets us manage a vast array of skus in
fabric, quality, colors and sizes, and it lets us do
quick response.”
HomeTex sells DreamFit products exclu-
sively to furniture stores, speciality sleep shops
and e-commerce sites. “Those retailers don’t
have the capability of offering a broad variety
[of textiles], especially sheets. We can offer them
a single sku. There are no minimums on sheets
and mattress protectors and small minimums on
pillows. We couldn’t do that if we didn’t [cut &
sew] here.”
The process allows HomeTex to drop-ship
orders directly to the customer within five days.
“We’re working to get that down,” he added.
The Vinemont operation and headquarters
will be folded into the Cullman plant once it
opens. The new property is considered a brown
fields site due to the chemicals used there by the
previous occupant and will require retrofitting.
“A brown fields program is not a quick process,”
noted Wootten.
The company also owns a terry weaving
facility in South Carolina and a pillow filling
facility in North Carolina.
Cullman will also house HomeTex’s first
southern showroom, complementing existing
spaces in New York and Las Vegas.
Because DreamFit products are sewn from
imported fabrics, packaging doesn’t empha-
size the U.S.-made component beyond the
labelling. However, Wootten said the fact that
there’s some hands-on assembly being done
here meshes nicely with growing consumer
interest in a product’s origins.
“They want to understand where it’s made,
where it comes from, the social compliance
— that there’s not sweat shop labor involved,”
he noted. “We’re trying to bundle it all up.”
H&TT
The Wootten family, above. From left, Zach, Jerry, Kathy, Christina,
and Jeremy. The plant, below, is slated to open in early 2016.
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley, left,
congratulates company founder Jerry Wootten.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/httmay2015issue-150528193851-lva1-app6892/85/HTT-May-2015-Issue-37-320.jpg)
HTT May 2015 Issue
- 2. THE DAY HAS DAWNED ON THE WORLD’S FIRST VERIFIED PIMA COTTON
- 3. PROVEN PIMA PURITY Pimacott is the world’s first Pima cotton that is verified to be 100% Pima from crop to consumer through a revolutionary DNA tagging system. We are taking commitments now for Pimacott fiber that will be available from this year’s harvest in the Fall. We invite you to join the movement that ensures your products contain 100% pure Pima cotton. Visit www.pimacott.com for more information.
- 4. 100% Extra-Long Staple Pima Cotton Proudly Grown in the San Joaquin Valley, CA, USA
- 5. Commentary P. 6, 8 | Anna’s Convenes in Vegas P. 15 | Meet Libby Langdon P. 38 May 2015 • $15 • Homeandtextilestoday.com More Poly, Higher PricesTHE 2015 MARKET BASKET REPORT RUGS PILLOWS THROWS WALL DECOR ACCENT FURNITURE LIGHTING BEDDING ACCESSORIES MADE EASY How Does the Top of the Bed Market Stack Up? An Exclusive H&TT Database Research Report SPONSORED BYPRESENTED BY Top of Bed Database P. 19
- 6. 2 MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COM THIS ISSUE Inside DEPARTMENTS Commentary 6 Jennifer Marks Erasure 8 Warren Shoulberg Two Years ... and not Counting People and Places 15 Anna’s Linens gathers the troops in Vegas Database 19 Top of Bed Report Retail 16 Bed Bath & Beyond: Christmas Tree Shops puts the treasure hunt into window 23 Mass: Kmart’s novelty notions in bath 24 Specialty: angelo:HOME gives back 26 Department Store: Macy’s is beach-ready Trends 28 Bedding: Our 1st annual Quilt Suppliers Guide 33 Suppliers: HomeTex amps up U.S. capacity 34 Rugs: Area and accent rugs take a cue from bath Ampersand 38 Libby Langdon: A fan of practical elegance and the New York Jets FEATURES 10The Annual Market Basket Report H&TT’s check of opening and top-of-the-line bed and bath products at key retailers finds price points edging up and constructions retreating a bit from cotton. 26 34 23
- 8. HOME & TEXTILES TODAY (USPS 497-490) (ISSN 0195-3184) is published monthly with two issues in February, March, and September, by Progressive Business Media, 7025 Albert Pick Road, Greensboro, N.C. 27409. Periodicals postage paid at Greensboro, N.C. and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to HOME & TEXTILES TODAY, PO Box 16659 North Hollywood, CA 91615. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:APC;PO Box 503,RPOWest Beaver Creek,Rich Hill,ON L4B 4R6. HOME & TEXTILES TODAY copyright (c)2015 by Progressive Business Media. Subscription rates (quoted in US dollars) US: 1 year $189.99, 2 years $360.98, 3 years $522.47. Canada and Mexico: 1 year $239.99, 2 years $455.98, 3 years $659.97. All other countries: 1 year $349.99, 2 years $664.98, 3 years $962.47. Single copies US: $15.00. Single copies outside of the US: $25.00 (includes shipping and handling), pre- paid US currency. Subscription inquiries: Home & Textiles Today, PO Box 16659, North Hollywood, CA 91615-9519. Phone (818) 487-2036. Subscription requests may be made via email at subscriptions@ hometextilestoday.com, or to update/manage your subscription visit www.homeandtextilestoday.com/ subscriptionservices. HOME & TEXTILES TODAY is a registered trademarks of Progressive Business Media,used under license.Progressive Business Media does not assume and hereby disclaims liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in the material contained herein, regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident or any other cause whatsoever. (Posted under Canadian International PublicationAgreement No.40624074.) 1350 Broadway, Suite 1715 NewYork, NY 10018 917-934-2830 fax 646-365-2307 homeandtextilestoday.com facebook.com/httmag SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES Call (800) 395-2329 or go to www.homeandtextilestoday.com/ad PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Warren Shoulberg 917-934-2876, wshoulberg@homeandtextilestoday.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jennifer Marks 732-204-2012, jmarks@homeandtextilestoday.com SENIOR EDITOR Cecile B. Corral 305-661-7493, ccorral@homeandtextilestoday.com MANAGING EDITOR Julie Murphy 917-934-2858, jmurphy@homeandtextilestoday.com ART DIRECTOR Desiree Nunez DIRECTOR OF MARKET RESEARCH Dana French 336-605-1091, dfrench@progressivebusinessmedia.com DATABASE AND WEB ADMINISTRATOR Cynthia Myers ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, ACCOUNT MANAGER Jeff Reeves 336-554-5009, jreeves@homeandtextilestoday.com ACCOUNT MANAGER Mary McLoughlin 917-934-2852, mmcloughlin@homeandtextilestoday.com EUROPE MANAGER Mirek Kraczkowski 48 600 344 881 mirek.kraczko@gmail.com INDIA MANAGER Kaushal Shah cell 91-9821715431, tel 91 22 2305 9305/6/7 Kaushal@kaushals.com CLASSIFIED SALES MANAGER Spencer Whittle 336-605-1027, swhittle@progressivebusinessmedia.com SENIOR MANAGER, CONFERENCES & EVENTS HeatherThompson 336-605-1061,hthompson@progressivebusinessmedia.com DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION Greg Schaftlein PRODUCTION MANAGER Rich Lamb 336-605-1074, rlamb@progressivebusinessmedia.com DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST Mynda Bullock GRAPHICS SPECIALIST James Burns DIRECTOR OF WEB OPERATIONS Chris Schultz WEB CLIENT SERVICES MANAGER Dan Sage EMEDIA PROJECT MANAGER Missy Axe WEB OPERATIONS SPECIALIST Randy Melton CREATIVE SERVICES MANAGER Melanie Bingham CREATIVE SERVICES MANAGER Joseph Ellis CREATIVE SERVICES MANAGER Angie Moorefield AUDIENCE MARKETING MANAGER AngelaTanner PROGRESSIVE BUSINESS MEDIA CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Matthew Slaine PRESIDENT Kevin Castellani EVP OF BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES Connie Lineberry DIGITAL PUBLISHER Kristin Sprague VP OF AUDIENCE MARKETING Eric Rutter FINANCE DIRECTOR Tammy Overcash HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR Melinda Webster DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Anne Frost TRENDS • ANALYSIS • NEWS • DATA • COMMENTARY H&TT cover layout final.indd 1 11/26/2013 12:17:40 PM Vol. 36, No. 7
- 10. Commentary Erasure his is what the denouement looks like. At the Sears store in the Freehold Raceway Mall in New Jersey, the parking lot level floor was almost entirely denuded of merchandise. Huge chunks of space sat idle behind blue partitions. The barriers concealed pallets bearing unwrapped fixtures and stacks of unopened boxes of indeterminate provenance. There was a handsome and sizable run of fresh shelving in place for a shoe department. It was as-yet unstocked and it will not be filled with Sears products. Signs near the entry points read: “Pardon our dust,” and “We’re open to serve you during our remodel.” One directed at cus- tomers who might have stopped by in search of Lands’ End merchandise advised: “We will be leaving this loca- tion soon.” Two days before my visit, Sears Holdings had announced that the Freehold store was one of nine being folded into a new REIT under a joint venture with The Macerich Com- pany, a real estate investment trust focused on regional malls through- out the United States. Space in some of those stores might wind up getting leased out to other retailers, according to the company statement. Apparently, they got a head start on the project in Freehold. Macerich put $150 million in cash into the JV, which has been distributed to Sears Holdings. This is the latest in a series of moves by the parent com- pany of Sears and Kmart to squeeze cash from its real estate. A few weeks earlier, Sears Holdings formed a REIT involving 254 of the retailer’s proper- ties in order to generate $2.5 billion. And it began renting out its store space to other retailers last year. UK discount fashion retailer Primark this year will roll into at least seven locations — including Freehold, where it is report- edly taking more than 66,000 square feet. Other Sears lessees around the country include Dick’s Sporting Goods (perhaps that’s what all those shoe racks are for in the Freehold unit?), and Sears Holdings chairman Eddie Lampert has suggested additional ten- ants may include Whole Foods, Nordstrom Rack and West Elm. As for Sears itself? At Freehold, everything looks to be mov- ing into the underground floor. During my visit (if you want visu- als, see the May 3 entry on our Facebook page), some sections of the home department were thinly stocked, to put it kindly. One assumes that’s in preparation for an entire overhaul of the floor as Sears relocates some of the categories that had been carried in the leased space. Meanwhile, upstairs a lonely jewelry counter remained intact, although merchandise was being cleared out at 75% off. There were a few racks of denims and some shirts along with a single rack of women’s bras. Near the check-out counter, curiously, sat a small stand of candy. A throw-away space filler or a sign of things to come? Who can say. This we do know. Between the leases and the store closings, one of the country’s oldest retailers is slowly fading away. This is not the final chapter, but it sure feels like the end of the story is coming into view. H&TT Jennifer Marks EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Between the leases and the store closings, one of the country’s oldest retailers is slowly fading away.
- 11. Lou Lombardi 212-685-0530 llombardijr@295fifthavenue.com President & CEO, Manhattan Properties Company ... The market is New York, and the market in New York is the Textile Building at 295 Fifth Avenue If You’re in Home Textiles... To put your business in the heart of the market, contact: Croscill showroom at 295 Fifth AvenueCroscill showroom at 295 Fifth Avenue
- 12. Commentary Two Years … and Not Counting s much as some people hope problems will go away if you don’t pay attention to them and time goes by, that’s not always the way things work. Last month marked two years since the Rana Plaza tragedy in Bangladesh when more than 1,100 workers in a multi- story textiles factory facility died when the building collapsed because of unsafe conditions. And while the companies in the building were in the apparel business and there were no home textiles producers located in Rana Plaza, the incident raised the whole issue of safe product sourcing across many industries around the world. The trouble is that the issue was raised … and then pretty much promptly ignored by the home textiles business. Maybe somebody is talking about responsible sourcing and safe working conditions in the Asian factories where the vast majority of this industry’s prod- ucts come from. It’s just that as both an industry member and a consumer I’ve hardly ever heard it. Yes, individual stores do qual- ity control audits and inspections on the facilities they do business with in China, India, Pakistan and elsewhere, but often times this is much more about the quality of the products, not of the working conditions. And each store has its own require- ments and procedures, so often times suppliers spend more time cooking the results than adhering to the process. But I’ve yet to see virtually any ven- dor or retailer cite responsible sourc- ing on their packaging, marketing or point-of-sale information. No industry association or organization has taken on the task of trying to create a certification program or standards writing program that would tell both wholesale and retail customers that the products they are buying come from places where workers are treated fairly, paid fairly and aren’t risking their lives just by coming to work everyday. Now this is where someone says how expensive that all gets and how the margins in the home textiles business can’t support this extra cost … both of which facts are correct. But what no one is saying is that there’s a consumer out there that will in fact pay extra to buy something they know has been responsibly sourced. Say what you want about the up-and-coming Millennials, but they have established product authenticity as a legitimate factor in the purchasing decision. When Chipotle stops making pork bur- ritos because it can’t guarantee hormone-free sources of supply that says a lot about the trade-offs being made today. When companies like Patagonia talk about the way their apparel is made and by who and where, there is a customer who will listen to that message and make a selection based on that information even if it means paying more. We have certification programs for environmentally safe products. And for organic and natural products. And for products with certain levels of quality in their fibers and raw materials. But we don’t have anything — at least in the home business — that certifies that where the product is made is a safe place to work. It’s up to some of the bigger players in the home textiles space — vendors and retailers alike — to get behind a program that does just that. It’s been two years since the Rana Plaza tragedy … and nobody’s counting. H&TT Warren Shoulberg EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Thetroubleisthatthe issuewasraised… andthenprettymuch promptlyignoredbythe hometextilesbusiness. #standbystyle Riviera 4771H
- 13. a new brand by VHC beautiful.eclectic.bedding. Follow us bellataylorhome bt_home bt_home blog.bellataylorhome.com 5 New Collections For Summer 2015 bellataylorhome.com
- 14. 10 MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COMMarket Basket PRICE MANUFACTURER CONSTRUCTION COUNTRY OF ORIGIN BEDDING Queen sheet set $39.99 Bed Bath & Beyond Cotton Pakistan Queen comforter set 79.99 Hallmart Polyester China Pair of standard shams* 29.98 Levinsohn Cotton/linen China Dust ruffle 24.99 Levinsohn Poly/cotton China Queen quilt 99.99 Various Various Various Queen blanket 19.99 Berkshire Blanket Cotton India Throw 19.99 Berkshire Blanket Polyester China TOTALOPENINGBEDDING $314.92 Down 9.6% from $348.38 in 2014 BATH Bath sheet $9.99 Revere Mills Cotton Pakistan Bath towel 4.99 Revere Mills Cotton Pakistan Hand towel 3.99 Revere Mills Cotton Pakistan Wash cloth 2.99 Revere Mills Cotton Pakistan Shower curtain 14.99 India Ink, Splash Home PEVA China Bath rug 9.99 Bed, Bath & Beyond Cotton India Soap dish 4.99 Umbra Plastic China Lotion pump 6.99 Bed, Bath & Beyond Ceramic China Tissue box 6.99 Bed, Bath & Beyond Ceramic China TOTAL OPENING BATH $65.91 Down 10.8% from $73.91 in 2014 THIS YEAR'S OPENING BASKET TOTAL: $380.83 Down 9.8% from $422.29 in 2014 PRICE MANUFACTURER CONSTRUCTION COUNTRY OF ORIGIN BEDDING Queen sheet set $199.99 Bed Bath & Beyond Long-staple cotton China Queen comforter set 299.99 J. Queen New York Polyester China Pair of standard shams* 29.98 Levinsohn Cotton/linen China Dust ruffle 59.98 Levinsohn Cotton/linen China Queen quilt 159.99 Bed Bath & Beyond Cotton India Queen blanket 129.99 Britannica Home Fashions Tencel/poly India Throw 59.99 Ellery Homestyles Polyester China TOTAL TOP BEDDING $939.91 Down 6.5% from $1,004.92 in 2014 BATH Bath sheet $79.99 Home Source International Cotton India Bath towel 29.99 London Luxury Cotton Turkey Hand towel 24.99 Home Source International Cotton India Wash cloth 14.99 Home Source International Cotton India Shower curtain 79.99 LaMont Home Cotton Portugal Bath rug 99.99 Home Source International Cotton India Soap dish 18.99 J. Queen New York Metal India Lotion pump 19.99 J. Queen New York, India Ink Various India, China Tissue box 29.99 J. Queen New York, India Ink Various India, China TOTAL TOP BATH $398.91 Up 23.5% from $322.91 THIS YEAR'S TOP BASKET TOTAL: $1338.82 UP 0.4% FROM $1332.83 IN 2014 * Price is for two individually packaged shams. OPENINGPRICEPOINTTOPPRICEPOINT Bed Bath & Beyond Big Lots PRICE MANUFACTURER CONSTRUCTION COUNTRY OF ORIGIN BEDDING Queen sheet set $15.00 Dan River Polyester China Queen comforter set 49.99 Notra Trading Corp. Polyester China Pair of standard shams NA Dust ruffle NA Queen quilt NA Queen blanket 29.99 Keeco LLC Polyester China Throw 24.99 Biddeford Blankets Polyester China TOTAL OPENING BEDDING $119.97 UP 7.1% from $111.98 in 2014 BATH Bath sheet NA Bath towel $5.00 Big Lots Stores Inc. Cotton India Hand towel 3.50 Loftex Industries Cotton China Wash cloth 2.50 Loftex Industries Cotton China Shower curtain 6.00 Victoria Classics Ltd. PEVA China Bath rug 10.50 Big Lots Stores Inc. Polyester India Soap dish* 7.00 Big Lots Stores Inc. Various China Lotion pump * 10.00 Big Lots Stores Inc. Various China Tissue box NA TOTAL OPENING BATH $44.50 UP 59% from $27.99 in 2014 THIS YEAR'S OPENING BASKET TOTAL: $164.47 up 22.8% from $133.97 IN 2014 PRICE MANUFACTURER CONSTRUCTION COUNTRY OF ORIGIN BEDDING Queen sheet set $18.00 Sam Salem & Son / Joseph Abboud Polyester China Queen comforter set 69.99 E & E Co. Ltd. Polyester China Pair of standard shams NA Dust ruffle NA Queen quilt NA Queen blanket 69.99 Biddeford Blankets Polyester China Throw 29.99 Biddeford Blankets Polyester China TOTAL TOP BEDDING $187.97 UP 10% from $170.98 in 2014 BATH Bath sheet NA Bath towel $9.00 Loftex Industries Cotton Turkey Hand towel 6.00 Loftex Industries Cotton Turkey Wash cloth 4.00 Loftex Industries Cotton Turkey Shower curtain 15.00 Baltic Linen CO. Polyester China Bath rug 16.00 Big Lots Stores Inc. Polyester China Soap dish* 7.00 Big Lots Stores Inc. Various China Lotion pump* 10.00 Big Lots Stores Inc. Various China Tissue box NA TOTAL TOP BATH $67.00 UP 45.7% from $46.00 in 2014 THIS YEAR'S TOP BASKET TOTAL: $254.97 UP 17.5% FROM $$216.98 IN 2014 *Only one price point available OPENINGPRICEPOINTTOPPRICEPOINT t’s something of a conundrum. How can there be more polyester construc- tions and higher prices in this year’s Market Basket report? Two answers are likely: higher labor costs on the one hand, and a subtle shift to better qualities. And maybe a third: padding margins. While one finds plenty of poly and poly blends in this year’s bedding baskets, many of today’s microfiber constructions are richer and heavier than they were even a couple of years ago. The number of pieces in comforter sets tend to be fewer, but the fabrics are often better and feature a bit more detailing than was More Poly, Higher Prices CONTINUED ON PAGE 13 H&TT STAFF REPORT Key retailers give price points a little boost
- 15. 11MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COMMarket Basket PRICE MANUFACTURER CONSTRUCTION COUNTRY OF ORIGIN BEDDING Queen sheet set $20.00 Family Dollar Stores Polyester China Queen comforter set* 35.00 Family Dollar Stores Polyester China Pair of standard shams* NA Dust ruffle NA Queen quilt* 20.00 Family Dollar Stores Polyester China Queen blanket* 14.00 Family Dollar Stores Polyester China Throw* 12.00 Family Dollar Stores Polyester China TOTAL OPENING BEDDING $101.00 UP 2% from $99.00 in 2014 BATH Bath sheet NA Bath towel $2.65 Family Dollar Stores Cotton Pakistan Hand towel** 1.05 Family Dollar Stores Cotton Pakistan Wash cloth 0.75 Family Dollar Stores Cotton Pakistan Shower curtain 6.25 Family Dollar Stores Polyester China Bath rug* 6 Family Dollar Stores Polyester China Soap dish*** 5.25 Family Dollar Stores Plastic China Lotion pump NA Tissue box NA TOTAL OPENING BATH $21.95 DOWN 19.5% from $27.25 in 2014 THIS YEAR'S OPENING BASKET TOTAL: $122.95 DOWN 2.6% FROM $126.25 IN 2014 PRICE MANUFACTURER CONSTRUCTION COUNTRY OF ORIGIN BEDDING Queen sheet set $21.00 Family Dollar Stores Polyester China Queen comforter set* 35.00 Family Dollar Stores Polyester China Pair of standard shams NA Dust ruffle NA Queen quilt* 20.00 Family Dollar Stores Polyester China Queen blanket* 14.00 Family Dollar Stores Polyester China Throw* 12.00 Family Dollar Stores Polyester China TOTAL TOP BEDDING $108.00 Up 22.7% from $88.00 in 204 BATH Bath sheet NA Bath towel $5.00 Family Dollar Stores Cotton Pakistan Hand towel** 3.00 Family Dollar Stores Cotton Pakistan Wash cloth 2.00 Family Dollar Stores Cotton Pakistan Shower curtain 10.25 Family Dollar Stores Polyester China Bath rug* 6.00 Family Dollar Stores Polyester China Soap dish** 5.25 Family Dollar Stores Plastic China Lotion pump NA Tissue box NA TOTAL TOP BATH $31.50 Down 8.7% from $34.50 in 2014 THIS YEAR'S TOP BASKET TOTAL: $142.50 FLAT FROM $142.00 IN 2013 * Only one price point available **Available only in five-pack for $5.25, or $1.05 per hand towel ***One price point and available as a four-piece set that includes soap dish, tumbler, cup and wastebasket. Family Dollar OPENINGPRICEPOINTTOPPRICEPOINT PRICE MANUFACTURER CONSTRUCTION COUNTRY OF ORIGIN BEDDING Queen sheet set $50.00 JCPenney Poly/cotton China Queen comforter set 150.00 BIKM Holdings Cotton/poly Pakistan Pair of standard shams* 100.00 JCPenney Cotton/poly China Dust ruffle** 85.00 JCPenney Cotton India Queen quilt 100.00 Sunham Poly/cotton China Queen blanket 50.00 JCPenney Polyester China Throw NA TOTAL OPENING BEDDING $535.00 Down 13.0% from $615.00 in 2014 BATH Bath sheet NA Bath towel $10.00 JCPenney Cotton India Hand towel 8.00 JCPenney Cotton India Wash cloth 6.00 JCPenney Cotton India Shower curtain 16.00 Maytex PEVA China Bath rug 22.00 Mohawk Home Comforel nylon USA Soap dish 15.00 JCPenney Various NA Lotion pump 15.00 NA Plastic NA Tissue box 15.00 JCPenney Metal NA TOTAL OPENING BATH $107.00 Flat from $108.00 in 2014 THIS YEAR’S OPENING BASKET TOTAL: $642.00 DOWN 11.2% FROM $723.00 IN 2014 PRICE MANUFACTURER CONSTRUCTION COUNTRY OF ORIGIN BEDDING Queen sheet set $140.00 JCPenney Egyptian cotton/poly Pakistan Queen comforter set 470.00 JQueen New York Polyester China Pair of standard shams* 100.00 JCPenney Cotton/poly China Dust ruffle** 85.00 JCPenney Cotton China Queen quilt 280.00 Shanghai Jiali Needlepoint Factory Cotton China Queen blanket 160.00 Biddeford Polyester China Throw NA TOTAL TOP BEDDING $1,235.00 Up 2.5% from $1,205 in 2014 BATH Bath sheet NA Bath towel $25.00 JCPenney Cotton India Hand towel 17.00 JCPenney Cotton India Wash cloth 14.00 JCPenney Cotton India Shower curtain 60.00 Croscill Polyester China Bath rug 60.00 Carpet Art Deco Polyester China Soap dish 22.00 Croscill Various China Lotion pump 30.00 Bacova Guild Glass China Tissue box 34.00 JCPenney Metal NA TOTAL TOP BATH $262.00 Up 2.3% from $255.99 in 2014 THIS YEAR’S TOP BASKET TOTAL: $1,497.00 UP 2.5% FROM $1460.99 IN 2014 *Only one sham available. Price is for two individual shams. ** Only one price point available JCPenney OPENINGPRICEPOINTTOPPRICEPOINT Macy’sJCPenneyKohl’sBBBMarshall'sTargetBig LotsKmartFamily Dollar Walmart 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 $8.00 $6.00$5.99 $2.99$2.99$2.99 $2.50 $1.99 $0.75 $0.47 …and Low Riders Least expensive item in opening price point basket Wash cloth 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 Family Dollar WalmartBig LotsKmartTargetMarshall’sBBBKohl’sJCPenneyMacy’s $35.00$54.96$69.99 $99.99$99.99 $129.99 $299.99$299.99 $470.00 $625.00 High Fliers… Highest priced item in top-tier basket Top of Bed item* Source: H&TT research•Walmart’s highest priced item was a queen quilt. Big Lots also carried a queen blanket at $69.99. Target also carried a queen sheet set and quilt at the same price point. Marshall’s highest priced item was a queen sheet set. Macy’s highest priced item was a queen blanket. Top priced item for all others was the queen comforter set.”
- 16. 12 MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COMMarket Basket PRICE MANUFACTURER CONSTRUCTION COUNTRY OF ORIGIN BEDDING Queen sheet set $19.99 Kmart Polyester China Queen comforter set 59.99 Kmart Polyester China Pair of standard shams* 19.98 Kmart Cotton/poly Pakistan Dust ruffle 19.99 Kmart Cotton/poly Pakistan Queen quilt** 19.99 Kmart Polyester China Queen blanket 16.99 Kmart Polyester China Throw** 19.99 Franco Mfg. Polyester China TOTAL OPENING BEDDING $176.92 Down 5.9% from $187.93 in 2014 BATH Bath sheet** $14.99 Kmart Cotton India Bath towel 3.99 Kmart Cotton India Hand towel 2.99 Kmart Cotton India Wash cloth 1.99 Kmart Cotton India Shower curtain 12.99 Kmart PEVA China Bath rug 9.99 Kmart Nylon USA Soap dish 3.99 Kmart Plastic China Lotion pump 6.99 Kmart Plastic China Tissue box NA TOTAL OPENING BATH $57.92 Up 42% from $40.73 in 2014 THIS YEAR'S OPENING BASKET TOTAL: $234.84 UP 2.7% from $228.66 in 2014 PRICE MANUFACTURER CONSTRUCTION COUNTRY OF ORIGIN BEDDING Queen sheet set $79.99 Kmart Cotton India Queen comforter set 99.99 Kmart Cotton China Pair of standard shams* 39.98 Kmart Polyester China Dust ruffle 29.99 Kmart Cotton/poly China Queen quilt** 19.99 Kmart Polyester China Queen blanket 39.99 Kmart Polyester China Throw** 19.99 Franco Mfg. Polyester China TOTAL TOP BEDDING $329.92 Up 4.4% from $315.93 in 2014 BATH Bath sheet** $14.99 Kmart Cotton India Bath towel 12.99 Kmart Cotton India Hand towel 9.99 Kmart Cotton India Wash cloth 5.99 Kmart Cotton India Shower curtain 24.99 Kmart PEVA China Bath rug 16.99 Kmart Polyester China Soap dish 9.99 Kmart Various China Lotion pump 19.99 Kmart Various China Tissue box NA TOTAL TOP BATH $115.92 Up 1.8% from $113.93 in 2014 THIS YEAR'S TOP BASKET TOTAL: $445.84 up 3.7% from $429.86 in 2014 * Price is for two individually packaged shams. **Only one price point available. OPENINGPRICEPOINTTOPPRICEPOINT Kmart Kohl’s PRICE MANUFACTURER CONSTRUCTION COUNTRY OF ORIGIN BEDDING Queen sheet set $54.99 Kohl's Poly China Queen comforter set 179.99 Kohl's Cotton/poly China Pair of standard shams* 59.98 Kohl's Cotton China Dust ruffle 44.99 Kohl's Cotton/poly China Queen quilt 119.99 Kohl's Cotton China Queen blanket 49.99 Kohl's Poly China Throw** 39.99 Kohl's Poly China TOTAL OPENING BEDDING $549.92 UP 118% from $251.93 in 2014 BATH Bath sheet *** 39.99 Kohl's Cotton India Bath towel 9.99 Kohl's Cotton India Hand towel 7.99 Kohl's Cotton India Wash cloth 5.99 Kohl's Cotton India Shower curtain 24.99 Saturday Knight PEVA China Bath rug 23.99 Mohawk Home Poly USA Soap dish 12.99 Interdesign Plastic China Lotion pump 14.99 Kohl's Various China Tissue box 29.99 Kohl's Various China TOTAL OPENING BATH $170.91 UP 75% from $97.91 in 2014 THIS YEAR'S OPENING BASKET TOTAL: $720.83 UP 106% from $349.84 in 2014 PRICE MANUFACTURER CONSTRUCTION COUNTRY OF ORIGIN BEDDING Queen sheet set $219.99 Kohl's Cotton India Queen comforter set 299.99 Kohl's Poly China Pair of standard shams* 99.98 Peking Handicraft Cotton China Dust ruffle 49.99 Kohl's Cotton/poly China Queen quilt 169.99 Kohl's Cotton China Queen blanket 89.99 Kohl's Poly China Throw** 39.99 Kohl's Poly China TOTAL TOP BEDDING $969.92 Up 63% from 594.93 in 2014 BATH Bath sheet** $39.99 Kohl's Cotton India Bath towel 29.99 Kohl's Cotton India Hand towel 23.99 Kohl's Cotton India Wash cloth 17.99 Kohl's Cotton India Shower curtain 69.99 Kohl's Cotton China Bath rug 49.99 CHF Industries cotton India Soap dish 19.99 Kohl's Various China Lotion pump 24.99 Kohl's Various China Tissue box 34.99 Kohl's Various China TOTAL TOP BATH $311.91 Up 60% from 193.91 in 2014 THIS YEAR'S TOP BASKET TOTAL: $1281.83 UP 62% from 788.84 in 2014 * Price is for two individually packaged shams. **Only one price point available OPENINGPRICEPOINTTOPPRICEPOINT The High/Low $ difference between the highest and the lowest priced items in the basket Macy's $617.00 JCPenney $464.00 Bed Bath & Beyond $297.00 Kohl's $294.00 Kmart $98.00 Target $97.00 Marshall's $87.00 Big Lots $67.49 Walmart $54.50 Family Dollar $34.25 Source: H&TT research 0 200 400 600 800 1000 Macy'sKohl'sJCPenneyBed, Bath and Beyond TargetMarshall'sKmartBig LotsWalmartFamily Dollar +5.8% $876.96 +106% $720.83 -11.2% $642.00 -9.8% $380.83-2.6% $289.63 +6.6% $272.85 +2.7% $234.84 +22.8% $164.47 +4.2% $129.59 -2.6% $122.95 Penny Pincher’s Picks Opening price point baskets, lowest to highest % change from 2014 Source: H&TT research Qu
- 17. 13MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COMMarket Basket PRICE MANUFACTURER CONSTRUCTION COUNTRY OF ORIGIN BEDDING Queen sheet set $45.00 Sander Sales Enterprises Cotton/poly China Queen comforter set 160.00 Macy's Cotton/poly China Pair of standard shams* 120.00 Macy's Cotton China Dust ruffle 60.00 Macy's Cotton/poly Pakistan Queen quilt 200.00 Macy's Cotton China Queen blanket 50.00 Macy's Polyester China Throw 40.00 Macy's Polyester China TOTAL OPENING BEDDING $675.00 Up 9.7% from $615.00 in 2014 BATH Bath sheet $32.00 Macy's Cotton India Bath towel 12.00 Macy's Cotton India Hand towel 10.00 Macy's Cotton India Wash cloth 8.00 Macy's Cotton India Shower curtain 39.99 Macy's Polyester China Bath rug 34.00 Macy's Cotton India Soap dish 15.99 Croscill Resin and metal China Lotion pump 19.99 Croscill Resin and metal China Tissue box 29.99 Croscill Resin and metal China TOTAL OPENING BATH $201.96 Up 0.5% from $200.95 in 2014 THIS YEAR'S OPENING BASKET TOTAL: $876.96 UP 5.8% FROM $815.95 IN 2014 PRICE MANUFACTURER CONSTRUCTION COUNTRY OF ORIGIN BEDDING Queen sheet set $250.00 Macy's Cotton China Queen comforter set 335.00 Macy's Cotton/poly Pakistan Pair of standard shams** 380.00 E & E Co. Ltd. Cotton China Dust ruffle 190.00 E & E Co. Ltd. Viscose/cotton China Queen quilt 340.00 Macy's Cotton China Queen blanket 625.00 E & E Co. Ltd. / Natori Silk/cotton China Throw 200.00 Macy's Polyester China TOTAL TOP BEDDING $2,320.00 Up 4.2% from $2,226.00 in 2014 BATH Bath sheet $64.00 Macy's Turkish hydrocotton Turkey Bath towel 40.00 Macy's Turkish hydrocotton Turkey Hand towel 30.00 Macy's Turkish hydrocotton Turkey Wash cloth 20.00 Macy's Turkish hydrocotton Turkey Shower curtain 59.99 Macy's Cotton Turkey Bath rug 72.00 Macy's Cotton India Soap dish 19.99 Macy's Marble India Lotion pump 29.99 Macy's Marble India Tissue box 39.99 Macy's Marble India TOTAL TOP BATH $375.96 Down 6.7% from $402.96 in 2014 THIS YEAR'S TOP BASKET TOTAL: $2695.96 UP 2.5% FROM $2,628.96 IN 2014 * Sold individually for $60 each, or $120 for a pair ** Sold individually for $190 each, or $380 for the pair OPENINGPRICEPOINTTOPPRICEPOINT Macy’s Marshall’s PRICE MANUFACTURER CONSTRUCTION COUNTRY OF ORIGIN BEDDING Queen sheet set $24.99 WestPoint Home Cotton/poly Bangladesh Queen comforter set 59.99 EnVogue International / Max Studio Cotton/poly China Pair of standard shams 24.99 Marshalls Cotton/poly China Dust ruffle NA Queen quilt 39.99 Newton Buying Corp. Cotton/poly China Queen blanket 24.99 Berkshire Blanket Polyester China Throw 12.99 Northport Trading Polyester China TOTAL OPENING BEDDING $187.94 Flat from $187.94 in 2014 BATH Bath sheet* $16.99 Arabella Textiles Turkish cotton Turkey Bath towel 7.99 Kassatex Cotton Portugal Hand towel 5.99 Kassatex Cotton Portugal Wash cloth 2.99 Kassatex Cotton Portugal Shower curtain 14.99 Marshalls Cotton China Bath rug 9.99 Trade Lines Cotton India Soap dish* 5.99 Coastal Collection Ceramic China Lotion pump 9.99 Coastal Collection Ceramic China Tissue box 9.99 NA Recycled wood The Phillippines TOTAL OPENING BATH $84.91 UP 25% from $67.92 in 2014 THIS YEAR'S OPENING BASKET TOTAL: $272.85 UP 6.6% from $255.86 in 2014 PRICE MANUFACTURER CONSTRUCTION COUNTRY OF ORIGIN BEDDING Queen sheet set $129.99 Next in Home Egyptian cotton Italy Queen comforter set 89.99 Indigo Home LLC / Tahari Cotton China Pair of standard shams** 33.98 DWI Holdings / Calvin Klein Cotton/poly China Dust ruffle NA Queen quilt 49.99 Revman Industries / Nautica Cotton/poly China Queen blanket 29.99 DWI Holdings Inc. / Calvin Klein Polyester China Throw 29.99 Northport Trading Inc. Cotton NA TOTAL TOP BEDDING $363.93 Up 8.9% from $333.95 in 2014 BATH Bath sheet* $16.99 Arabella Textiles Turkish cotton Turkey Bath towel 12.99 Sunham Bedding / Lacoste Cotton India Hand towel 7.99 Sunham Bedding / Lacoste Cotton India Wash cloth 3.99 Sunham Bedding Ltd. / Lacoste Cotton India Shower curtain 24.99 Arabella Textiles Cotton/poly China Bath rug 16.99 AM Home Textiles LLC Cotton India Soap dish* 5.99 Kassatex Ceramic China Lotion pump 12.99 Devi Designs Marble India Tissue box 14.99 Caro Home Ceramic China TOTAL TOP BATH $117.91 Up 22.9% from $95.92 in 2014 THIS YEAR'S TOP BASKET TOTAL: $481.84 UP 12.1% FROM $429.87 IN 2014 * Only one price available **Sold individually for $16.99 each, or $33.98 for the pair OPENINGPRICEPOINTTOPPRICEPOINT …and Top-of-the-Line Choices Top price point baskets, lowest to highest—% change from 2014 Macy's $2,695.96 +2.5% JCPenney $1,497.00 +2.5% Bed Bath& Beyond $1,338.82 +0.4% Kohl's $1,281.83 +62% Target $611.83 - 3.7% Marshall's $481.84 +12.1% Kmart $445.84 +3.7% Walmart $281.72 -3.5% Big Lots $254.97 +17.5% Family Dollar $142.50 0.0% Source: H&TT research the case during the down-and-dirty days of the Recession. Interest in better goods opened the door — at least a crack — to a bit more European product, all of it to be found in the bath assortments. There were 11 items in this year’s basket from Tur- key compared to six last year, four from Portugal versus one, and even an entry from Italy — a sheet set found at Mar- shalls. U.S.-made items got a boost from Walmart’s pledge to source more domes- tic goods, specifically bath towels from 1888 Mills. Otherwise there were six U.S.-produced bath rugs in the survey, just as there were in 2014. H&TT’s Market Basket Survey exam- ines the highest and lowest priced items at key retailers in New Jersey, Delaware and Miami and this year took place over a two-week period in April. While the prices are not necessarily representative of a retailer’s overall pricing grid, it does assess the pricing consumers found in those markets during that period. There were few year-over-year changes in product availability at the retailers surveyed. For example, this year Big Lots had no shams, dust ruffles or quilts in stock to price. Such was the CONTINUED ON PAGE 36 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10
- 18. 14 MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COMMarket Basket PRICE MANUFACTURER CONSTRUCTION COUNTRY OF ORIGIN BEDDING Queen sheet set $11.97 Walmart Polyester China Queen comforter set 29.96 Walmart Poly/olefin China Pair of standard shams* 12.94 Walmart Polyester China Dust ruffle** 14.97 Walmart Polyester China Queen quilt 19.97 Walmart Cotton/poly China Queen blanket 9.88 Walmart Polyester India Throw** NA Cotton TOTAL OPENING BEDDING $99.69 Up 7.4% from $92.80 in 2014 BATH Bath sheet $12.97 Walmart Cotton China Bath towel 2.97 Walmart Cotton Pakistan Hand towel 0.97 Walmart Cotton India Wash cloth 0.47 Walmart Cotton India Shower curtain 4.88 Walmart PEVA China Bath rug 3.88 Walmart Polyester/layex USA Soap dish 1.88 Walmart Ceramic China Lotion pump 1.88 Walmart Ceramic China Tissue box NA TOTAL OPENING BATH $29.90 Down 5.3% from $31.57 in 2014 THIS YEAR'S OPENING BASKET TOTAL: $129.59 UP 4.2% FROM $124.37 IN 2013 PRICE MANUFACTURER CONSTRUCTION COUNTRY OF ORIGIN BEDDING Queen sheet set $39.88 Walmart Cotton India Queen comfoter set 44.96 Peking Handicraft Polyester China Pair of standard shams* 12.94 Dust ruffle** 15.97 Walmart Polyester China Queen quilt 54.97 Walmart Cotton/poly China Queen blanket 12.84 Walmart Polyester China Throw NA TOTAL TOP BEDDING $181.56 Down from 7.7% $196.70 from 2014 BATH Bath sheet $14.97 1888 Mills Pima cotton USA Bath towel 9.47 1888 Mills Pima cotton USA Hand towel 8.47 1888 Mills Pima cotton USA Wash cloth 4.47 1888 Mills Pima cotton USA Shower curtain 19.88 Walmart Polyester China Bath rug 22.97 Maples Nylon USA Soap dish 6.96 Walmart Ceramic China Lotion pump 12.97 Walmart Various China Tissue box NA TOTAL TOP BATH $100.16 Up 5.1% from $95.31 from 2014 THIS YEAR'S TOP BASKET TOTAL: $281.72 DOWN 3.5% FROM $292.01 IN 2013 * Two standard shams priced at 19.99 each ** Only one price point in this category ***Two standard shams priced at 29.99 each OPENINGPRICEPOINTTOPPRICEPOINT Walmart 2015 2014 Source: H&TT research Methodology For the 2015 Market Basket Report, H&TT editors visited stores in the Monmouth County, N.J., Miami and Wilm- ington, Del. area. Only items tagged at everyday prices were included in the survey. Sales or clearance items were not used. The following stores were surveyed: BBB Eatontown, N.J. Big Lots Miami Family Dollar Miami JCPenney Eatontown, N.J. Kmart Wilmington, Del. Kohl’s Wilmington, Del. Macy’s Miami Marshall’s Miami Target Newark, Del. Walmart Neptune, N.J. Bedding Construction Poly Moves into the Lead PRICE MANUFACTURER CONSTRUCTION COUNTRY OF ORIGIN BEDDING Queen sheet set $32.99 Target Cotton Bahrain Queen comforter set 29.99 Target Cotton/Poly China Pair of standard shams* 39.98 Target Cotton China Dust ruffle 17.99 Target Poly China Queen quilt 59.99 Target Cotton China Queen blanket 17.79 Target Poly China Throw** 19.99 Target Poly China TOTAL OPENING BEDDING $218.72 Down 3.5% from $226.72 in 2014 BATH Bath sheet $9.99 Target Cotton China Bath towel 4.99 Target Cotton India Hand towel 3.99 Target Cotton India Wash cloth 2.99 Target Cotton India Shower curtain 9.99 Target PEVA China Bath rug 9.99 Target Nylon USA Soap dish 6.99 Interdesign Plastic China Lotion pump 4.99 Target Plasic Taiwan Tissue box 16.99 Target Various China TOTAL OPENING BATH $70.91 Flat from $70.91 in 2014 THIS YEAR'S OPENING BASKET TOTAL: $289.63 DOWN 2.6% FROM $297.63 IN 2014 PRICE MANUFACTURER CONSTRUCTION COUNTRY OF ORIGIN BEDDING Queen sheet set $99.99 Target Cotton China Queen comforter set 99.99 Target Cotton/Poly Pakistan Pair of standard shams* 39.98 Target Cotton China Dust ruffle** 44.99 Target Cotton/Poly Bahrain Queen quilt 99.99 Target Cotton China Queen blanket 59.99 Target Cotton/acrylic China Throw 19.99 Target Cotton China TOTAL TOP BEDDING $464.92 Down 4.9% from $488.92 in 2014 BATH Bath sheet $19.99 Target Cotton China Bath towel 12.99 Target Cotton China Hand towel 9.99 Target Cotton China Wash cloth 8.99 Target Cotton China Shower curtain 29.99 Target Cotton India Bath rug 24.99 Target Cotton India Soap dish 9.99 Target Various China Lotion pump 12.99 Target Various China Tissue box 16.99 Target Various China TOTAL TOP BATH $46.91 Flat from $146.91 in 2014 THIS YEAR'S TOP BASKET TOTAL: $611.83 DOWN 3.7% FROM $635.83 in 2014 **Individual shams priced at 19.99 each and only one price point available ** Only one price point in this category OPENINGPRICEPOINTTOPPRICEPOINT Target Cotton 36% Cotton 25% Poly 36% Poly 45% Blends 28% Blends 29%
- 19. 15MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COMPeople and Places Annual Anna-Rama in Las Vegas Anna’s Linen held its annual Manager’s Conference in Las Vegas last month, bringing in close to 500 store and headquar- ters staffers for meetings and a trade show with more than 60 key suppliers. At an awards din- ner, the retailer honored both its own top employees as well as its vendors. The next night the company hosted its suppliers for cocktails at the Hyde nightclub at the Bellagio. H&TT Jim Whitehead, second from left, the new head merchant at Anna’s, joins the Pegasus crew, from left: Kendall Dunlop, Carmine Spinella, Lou Casali and Jeff Oster. The crew from Triangle, from left: Jared Cohen, Jeff Swartz and Allen Darwin. Anna’s president Scott Gladstone, right, with Michael Litner of Natco, who was honored as vendor of the year. From left, Steve Brayer and Les Kenney of Kenney Mfg, with Geetha Raj of Sharadha and Anna’s founder Alan Gladstone.
- 20. 16 Retail BED BATH & BEYOND MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COM More For Less Christmas Tree Shop’s window department brings on the bargains BY JENNIFER MARKS ig assortment? Yes. Easy to shop? Not so much. Breadth trumps clarity in the soft window assortment at Bed Bath & Beyond’s Christmas Tree Shop nameplate. The prices are sharp, starting at $4.99 per panel for sheer prints. Other key price points hit $5.99, $7.99, $19.99 and $16.99. During H&TT’s store visit at the Freehold Township, N.J. unit, we found a 94-inch panel for $49.99, but it appeared to be an outlier. The merchandising approach is largely bar- gain bin, with packages slotted into rows of bas- ket racks according to price point. The wall of hung panels mostly consisted of solids colors, and the products in the racks below often bear little relation to the merchandise above them. The store also displayed a grouping of kitchen tiers, but again, locating the packaged items took a bit of sorting. The most smartly presented selection con- sisted of “a perfect Window” panels, a nicely packaged selection of transitional and contem- porary prints with its own wall display. Sizes were 40-by-43-inches and 40-by-84-inches. Price points were $5.99, $7.99 and $9.99. Like the preponderance of panels across the department, “a perfect Window” was direct sourced via BBB’s Nantucket Distrib- uting Co. A nearby peg display of soft window car- ried some name brands, including Eclipse blackout curtains by Ellery Homestyles, and offerings here and there from Victoria Classics, Richloom, Softline and Spencer Home Décor. The arrangement was a bit higglety pigglety in terms of design motif. The unifying theme appeared to be the grommeted construction. But a treasure hunt is in keeping with Christ- mas Tree Shops’ approach to retailing. An hour after the doors opened on a recent Saturday morning, the store was bustling with activity — and even the window department was seeing some traffic. What the merchandising lacks in sophistica- tion, the low prices deliver in draw. H&TT Step-down proposition. Kitchen Smart has a full assortment on the wall next to Calphalon. Textured solids dominate the display of full-length panels. Multiple bins holding panels, above, form the bulk of the assortment, but kitchen tiers, below, are also available.
- 22. IT’S ALL HERE AT L A N TA | J U LY 2015 DECORATIVE ACCESSORIES | FURNITURE | RUGS | HOLIDAY & FLORAL TABLETOP | TEXTILES | GIFTS | LIGHTING | GARDENS | HOUSEWARES ©2015 AMC Inc. Discover the industry’s leading product marketplace — where global trends and buying opportunities in all categories of decorative accessories await you in one convenient destination. VISIT YOUR COMPLETE HOME AND GIFT DESTINATION THIS JULY. AmericasMart.com The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market ® Showrooms: July 7–14, 2015 Temporaries: July 9–13, 2015 Select Showrooms Open Year Round Monday– Friday, 10 a.m.– 4 p.m.
- 23. How Does the Top of the Bed Market Stack Up? An Exclusive H&TT Database Research Report SPONSORED BYPRESENTED BY
- 24. 20 MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COM TOP OF BED Database 18%% of the Home Textiles Universe $27.1B 2014 Home Textiles Universe $26.5B 2013 Home Textiles Universe TOP OF BED Textiles Universe UP 2.3% Merchandise mix, 2014 Comforter, filled bedding sets 59% Comforters 19% Quilts 14% Bedspreads/coverlets 6% Duvet covers 2% Source: Home & Textiles Today market research A Small Step Forward BY JENNIFER MARKS f it wasn’t the most robust of years for the top of bed category in 2014, it certainly wasn’t the worst. Much like other home textiles cate- gories, top of bed sales overall eked out a small year-over-year gain, up 1.6%. That followed a rosier 2.6% increase the previous year, when consumers were loosening up a bit in response to an improving economy. At the retail level, 2014 marked another year of trading market share. TJX’s Marshall’s and TJXMaxx formats continued to hold the ground they gained during the worst days of the recession. JCPenney in the second half began to claw back a portion of the business it lost during its ill-fated 2013 home store over- haul, and Macy’s solidified its stature as the go-to chain for better middle-tier goods. “It seems that the off price channel — Homegoods, Ross, etc. — have gained the most market share,” said Rich Roman, pres- ident and ceo of Revman International. “As always, customers are responding to value and coupons.” On a category basis, quilts began making a comeback — a trend that continues. “We’ve really noticed a difference in how consumers look at quilts — it’s just a lighter weight bed cover, particularly for Millen- nials,” said Carol Antone, vp of creative for Peking Handicraft. “We’re also selling many solid coverlets with stitching or a pop of color or prints,” she added. “The world has changed and it seems like overnight. Gender neutral for Millenni- als doesn’t have to be as boring. And that’s at every price point.” Simultaneously, Peking is seeing renewed interest from some retailers in traditional bed- spreads. “People are starting for ask for them again. We’re making it more craft, more ‘grandma,’ with piecing and embroidery.” Changes are also taking place in com- forter sets — although the shifts seem to vary by retailer rather than by channel. Royale Linens, the U.S. division of Yunus Textiles Mills, has been seeing a divergence in the types of pieces being sold, according to Frank Snow, vp, merchandising. “The bed-in-a-bag business is now either wholly microfiber or it’s a significant majority of microfiber with a [blended] sheet,” he said. Overall, true bed-in-a-bag — stuffed with sheet sets and extras such as window panels and decorative pillows — is shrinking, he added. “The category that is rotating in is three- and four-piece comforter sets. That’s what’s going into good/better/best [merchandising slots].” CHF Industries also sees bed-in-a-bag losing ground to more tightly edited com- forter sets that offer a higher perceived qual- ity. Consumers are responding to “color and value and different spins on value-add such as embellishment,” although hitting on the THE GO-TO PLACE FOR INSPIRING STYLE.
- 25. ABOUT THE NUMBERS Home & Textile Today’s Top of the Bed Database report re- veals 2014 and 2013 market share product data through key distribution channels. All retail sales figures are estimates and are for the U.S. only. All figures are rounded. DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS Department stores are full-line operations carrying a variety of merchandise, including national and regional stores. Examples include Macy’s, JCPenney, Bloomingda- le’s, Sears, Belk, Dillard’s, Kohl’s and The Bon-Ton Stores. Direct-to-consumer includes retailers with primary dis- tribution through the Internet, catalogs, television and/or home parties. Examples include Amazon, BrylaneHome, Cornerstone Brands, Hanover Direct, HSN, Lands’ End and Overstock.com, among others. Discount department stores/supercenters include discount, off-price and dollar stores, such as Walmart, Target, Kmart, T.J. Maxx/Marshalls, Ross Stores, Big Lots, Tuesday Morning, Shopko, Family Dollar and Dollar Gen- eral. Specialty stores include retailers that specialize in tex- tiles, as well as stores that carry textiles at full price and may or may not carry housewares, small appliances, gour- met foods, apparel, jewelry and personal care items. Ex- amples include Bed Bath & Beyond, Ikea, Anna’s Linens, Home Goods, Pier 1 Imports, Restoration Hardware and Crate & Barrel. Other includes gift and home accent specialty stores, furniture stores, home improvement centers, military ex- changes and designers, among others. Warehouse clubs include Costco, Sam’s Club, BJ’s Wholesale and local and regional warehouse clubs. TOP OF BED Distribution channels 2014 total retail sales: $4.875 billion, up 1.6% from $4.8 billion in 2013 2014 2012 % CHANGE Discount department stores/supercenters $2,199 $2,168 1.4% Specialty stores $1,304 $1,284 1.5% Department stores $818 $804 1.7% Direct-to-consumer $373 $365 2.2% Warehouse clubs $78 $77 1.6% Other $103 $102 1.1% Total $4,875 $4,800 1.6% All sales figures have been rounded and are in millions. Source: Home & Textiles Today market research THE GO-TO PLACE FOR INSPIRING STYLE. MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COM 21 magic ingredients is not as predictable as it once was, said chairman and ceo Frank Foley. “Textured solids, especially in neutrals, are gaining,” he added. “For duvet covers, linen content is expanding.” Sunham Home Fashions has a different perspective. “For us, multi-piece sets are still going strong. Different retailers want different pieces, but we’re still doing 22-piece sets,” said Dean Davaros, executive vp of sales. Those sets are running both as ongoing programs and as promotional specials, he noted. “The promotional sets tend to be poly. The better sets are more duvet-driven and more cotton-driven.” As top home textiles retailers step up their omni-channel efforts, e-commerce con- tinues to grow as a business opportunity. “We see this as a big factor in orders and growth. Every major retailer is addressing e-commerce in a big way,” said Peking Handicraft vp of national sales Randy Smith. “It is a venue for customer research, but they are buying on-line. The customer can com- pare price and shipping fees. As many merchants offer free shipping, the ease and the extended assort- ment gives the consumer a reason to choose e-com- merce to buy their product.” But the channel is not without its challenges, especially for retailers that have begun accepting returns of internet merchandise at the store level. “It’s a battle to be resolved — and one that’s going to grow,” said Snow. “Everyone wants to offer a wide array online because of the limited costs going in. The ugly part of it is on the back side with the returns. The stores don’t have those skus in their allotment series and they can wind up taking a huge markdown when they put it in their closeouts.” H&TT
- 26. AND HOME FOR FASHION BRANDS Donna Karan • DKNY • DKNYPURE • John Robshaw • Brooklyn & Bond Parker Loft • Bryan Keith • KD Spain • Style Lounge • Peri Home • Private Label THE GO-TO PLACE FOR INSPIRING STYLE. WE’VE GOT YO COVERED.
- 27. MASS Retail Nothing But Novelty A Kmart store in Delaware focuses on whimsy in the bath department BY JULIE MURPHY ovelty looks are the name of the game in the bath accessories area at the Kmart store in Pike Creek shop- ping center in Wilmington, Del. The late 1980s/early 1990s unit is one of Kmart’s smaller stores, so space is limited. In the aisle adjacent to its other home offerings, the retailer devotes just two shelved display units to bath accessories and shower curtain collections. And there is only one brand rep- resented among the assortment — Kmart’s pri- vate label Essential Home. Though there are only a pair of fixtures on hand, the store has 12 collections represented. The Cats and Dogs collection takes aim at the younger members of the family and fea- tures coordinated items including a cat tooth- brush holder, dog tumbler, as well as matching bath rug, hand towels and shower curtain. In this room at least, the canines and felines will assuredly get along. Less domesticated animals were repre- sented in other collections including Spunky Monkey, Wild Lodge and Happy Creatures. Coordinating shower curtain rings were avail- able for some collections to tie the whole look together. Other categories included Hollywood Glam which featured a kitschy high-heeled shoe soap dish and an emphasis on pink. Other looks included Pearl Shells, Moroccan Tile and Point Bay, a lighthouse themed collection. Regular prices for the items were $9.99 for soap dishes, shower hooks and toothbrush holders; $12.99 for lotion pumps and wastebas- kets; $16.99 for bath rug and $19.99 for shower curtains. While inventory was fairly slim — not unusual for Kmart — the area was tidy and cleanly merchandised. H&TT Novelty looks for the bath rule the shelves at Kmart and run the gamut from cats and dogs to jungle monkeys to Hollywood glam. An Alignment of Textile, Apparel and Supply Chain Shows Bringing You an Exceptional Experience! July 21-23, 2015 New York City www.nyctextileweek.com NYTW_3.75x12.indd 1 4/27/2015 8:56:51 AM
- 28. Retail24 MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COM SPECIALTY Home Stretch Celeb home fashions designer Angelo Surmelis is on the road to expansion BY CECILE B. CORRAL ome fashions TV celebrity and home furnishings designer Angelo Surme- lis has a full plate running the many facets of his business these days. The former star of several dec- orating programs on the HGTV, TLC, Life- time and Style Network cable television chan- nels owns and operates his own Los Angeles home furnishings store, angelo:HOME and its e-commerce site, www.angelohome.com. He also designs most of the furniture and textiles he sells there as well as for the bevy of retailers he works with around the country. He authors his own blog, “The Design Geek”, which he updates several times each week. And he does pro-bono interior design work for needy members of communities where he sells his products through retail. And yet, Surmelis still has an appetite to not just do more but give more. This year, he is set to roll out several new initiatives and product collections — including new home textiles product categories — as well as other still-in-development efforts to grow his brand and presence. “Home textiles make up approximately 40% of my [store’s] business and I think it’s because it is a really, really important category,” he told H&TT. “I always tell my customers that when building a room, after choosing the paint for the walls, the rug is the most important part even before the furniture.” With online partner Walmart.com, Surmelis plans to expand his exclusive “Inspiration Shop” dubbed Apartment AH — which launched last year on the website — with new home textiles offerings come this fall. He added: “Textiles is a category I’m excited about growing further. It’s a category that’s really creative. You can do things with textiles that you can’t do with furniture. Textiles can instantly change a room without much effort.” Across angelo:HOME’s 1,600-square-foot space, which marks its fourth anniversary this fall, furniture is the anchor but textiles run a close second with several collections in key cat- egories — rugs, bedding and decorative pillows. While Surmelis designs all of these products, he works with vendor partners to manufacturer the goods – Surya for rugs, Hallmart for bedding and Handy Living for dec pillows. “We don’t have drapery or table linens, but we’re looking to add them this year,” he said. “We will also be expanding bedding this year, too, with some new collections.” Surmelis launched the angelo:HOME brand in 2007 with Handy Living, a Midwest furniture company. They started with 30 of his designs, The two-story flagship is airweave’s first retail location – anywhere. Below: Three-dimension resin fibers and air are used to create airweave products. Most of the store’s home furnishings are designed by Surmelis. Angelo Surmelis at his flagship store in Los Angeles.
- 29. 25 It’s easier to laugh it off when you’ve spent the night in Outlast® heat managing bedding. End the tossing and turning and start sleeping better. AGOODNIGHT’SSLEEPKEEPSTHELITTLETHINGSLITTLE. Not too hot, not too cold.™ // outlast.com MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COM ranging from ottomans to sofas. Today, the brand spans more than 3,000 products for indoor and out- door living. Surmelis’ emerging home empire was once just a faint dream. That was “a long time ago,” when he moved to Los Angeles after growing up in the Midwest. Born in Germany and raised in Greece, Surmelis was seven years old when his family emigrated to the United States and settled in Chicago. He relocated to Cal- ifornia after college, where he studied stage and screen acting — which would come in handy later in his TV career, during which he completed more than 400 room makeovers. “In L.A., my life was not going well and things were really rough and I could not afford my little apartment, so I lived in my car,” he recalled. “I had a job, but I was basically homeless for a little while there. So when I finally was able to get to a place in my career when I felt success, I wanted to do some- thing to give back.” That effort includes designing home décor pieces “for people who never thought they could afford ‘bet- ter’ home furnishings.” It also inspires his charity work of offering free decorating and furniture pieces from his branded collections to needy families in the communities where he sells his products. “The goal of my store is to make beautiful, inspi- rational things affordable,” he said. “I want people to feel they don’t have to make concessions because they can’t afford the aspirational things.” H&TTHome textiles include Surya for rugs and Handy Living for dec pillows, seen here, as well as bedding by Hallmart.
- 30. Retail26 MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COM DEPARTMENT Lean and Linear Macy’s beach towel program is trim but fitting BY CECILE B. CORRAL lassic-yet-contemporary describes the pared down beach towel assortment on display at Macy’s late last month at its Miami-based store locations. Tidily displayed on tables and glass shelves at the center of the bath department, Macy’s new- est beach looks seem more focused and func- tional compared to recent years, when clutter characterized the assortment. Centered on three key branded collections, the beach mix includes only all-cotton construc- tions in modernized traditional patterns — most of them cabana stripes with new interpretations of an evergreen theme. Lacoste owns the most real estate, with 14 styles — all of which feature the brand’s highly recognizable crocodile logo against different interpretations of multi-colored stripes — wide- band, thin, chevron and others. The pieces all measure 36-by-72 and are made of 100% cotton in China by licensee Sunham. As is the case across all of Macy’s soft home department, Martha Stewart is also important here, with not just towels — six styles total on the selling floor — but also matching beach totes that are roomy enough to fit at least two of the brand’s new plush beach towels, as well as a new striped roll-up mat that is made of 100% polyester and foam fill. The totes come in two styles — Umbrella, which coordinates directly with one of the new beach towels by the same name, and another featuring a bright red cherry motif against blue and white stripes. These polyester bags are priced at $60. The roll-up mats, also priced at $60 each, measure 24-by-66.5 and feature a strap for easy transport. House brand Inc International Concepts occupies important display space in the nearby fashion bedding area. It has the most stream- lined beach towel selection among the brands, with just four designs — Alani, Cleo, Bloom and Paisley. Made in Turkey of Turkish cotton, the towels are tagged with a $40 ticket each. The $40 to $42 full retails per towel were already being put on sale in late April. Martha Stewart beach roll-up mats were buy one/get 50% off the second. The same offer is extended for the Lacoste beach towels, or 25% off the price on a single towel. H&TT COLLECTION CONSTRUCTION NO. OF PATTERNS PRICE Lacoste 100% cotton 14 $42 Inc International Concepts Turkish cotton 4 $40 Martha Stewart / Macy’s Inc. Turkish cotton 6 $40 MACY’S BEACH TOWEL LINE Source: In-store research The Martha Stewart Collection includes matching totes and roll-up mats. The price on all Martha Stewart Collection items was $40. Lacoste offers the widest range of design options in beach towels.
- 31. Furniture | Home Décor | Gift Las Vegas Market CELEBRATING 10 YEARS REGISTER FOR MARKET TODAY! LasVegasMarket.com/Register NEW FLOORS • Gourmet, Gift & Housewares on C11 • Boutique décor and accessories on C5 • Casual Furniture & Patio on C12-13 2,200 CROSS CATEGORY LINES & GROWING NEW SHOWROOMS ON EVERY FLOOR NEW TEMPORARY TRADESHOW: THE PAVILIONS AT LVMKT • Design, Handmade, Gift & Home • Introducing Discoveries: The Antique Vintage Marketplace BIGGER. BETTER. BEYOND EXPECTATIONS. AUGUST 2-6, 2015
- 32. PLAYER’S GUIDE MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COM28 NAME ADDRESS BRANDS COMMENTS THE GO-TO PLACE FOR INSPIRING STYLE. QUILT SUPPLIERS Amity Home 2395 Miguel Miranda Ave. Irwindale, CA 91010 (626) 334 6771 With a nod to tradition combined with a modern twist, quilts are machine-washable and low- maintenance, made of cotton or linen. C & F Enterprises, Inc. 819 Bluecrab Road Newport News, VA 23606 (888) 889-9868 Williamsburg, April Cornell, Kate McRostie, Heidi Dobrott The team at corporate headquarters creates original designs based on current market trends, traditional motifs and everyday influences as well as from the Williamsburg brand historical archives. CHF Industries One Park Avenue New York, NY 10016 (212) 951-7800 Donna Karan, DKNY, KD Spain, Bryan Keith, Parker Loft Grounded in both manufacturing and marketing for fashion bedding and quilt products, CHF places an emphasis on innovation, brand collaboration, and private label development. Company C 102 Old Turnpike Road Concord, NH 03301 (603) 226-4460 Exclusive, colorful designs and sustainably sourced bedding. All new bedding collections are 100% GOTS certified organic. Greenland Home Fashions 5548 Edison Avenue Chino, CA 91710 (800) 677-8140 Dozens of new styles of quilts and accessories are always in stock at a range of affordable prices, including patchworks, transitional and global looks as well as unique designs. Ellery Homestyles 295 5th Ave., Suite 1212 New York, NY 10001 (212) 684-5364 Quilts are 100% cotton and pre-washed, with cotton fill, and are produced in the countries best suited to each aesthetic, with growth driven by national and proprietary brands. Ellison First Asia 230 Fifth Ave., #711 New York, NY 10010 (212) 869-0540 Fiesta, Field & Stream In addition to licensed brands, the company produces pieced, plush and embroidered quilts for private label.
- 33. 29may 2015 homeandtextilestoday.com Name Address Brands Comments Handfab A Living USA Sales Office: Integrated Textile Group 276 Fifth Avenue, Suite 500 New York, NY 10001 (212) 686-4838 Aristocot With a solid grounding in design and a focus on quality and solutions to challenges, the company also emphasizes timely delivery. Hedaya Home Fashions 295 Fifth Ave., #1503 New York NY 10016 (212) 889-1111 Bellissimo, Surrey Lane, Abbey, Susan Emma, Classic Treasures With more than 50 years in business, the company is known for unique designs, quality and customer service as well as its large network of manufacturing partners. Himatsingka America 261 Fifth Ave. Suite 501 New York, NY 10016 (212) 852-0802 Calvin Klein, Kate Spade, Barbara Barry, Bellora, Beekman 1802, Lady Antebellum’s Heartland, Desigual, Kelly Wearstler The combined enterprise of Divatex Home Fashions and DWI Holdings is a leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of luxury home textile brands in North America. JQueen New York 37 West 20th St, New York, NY 10011 (212) 414-1555 J Queen New York, “J” J Queen New York, Piper and Wright Cross merchandising textural solids, tonal prints, and multi colored prints back to its comforter line, the company employs a variety of techniques to add value and interest. Keeco 295 Fifth Ave. Suite 406 New York, NY 10016 (212) 685-9077 Using a key account and key category focus, the company takes a problem solving approach to provide best-in-class solutions, style and products. Nostalgia Home Fashions 295 5th Ave. Suite 1712 New York, NY 10016 (212) 683-5477 Kathy Davis,Shell Rummel Downton Abbey, Nostalgia, Dransfield and Ross House and Dransfield and Ross Upstairs. The company has over 30 years of producing artisan quilts and using innovative construction techniques to differentiate branded and private label goods through in-house design and engineering. Pegasus Home Fashions 230 5th Ave. #1503/14504 New York, NY 10001 (908) 965-1919 Classic Home, Vintage Collection, Gramercy Park The company carries a wide collection of embroidered, printed and solid mini quilt sets, with most of the designs inventoried in its Elizabeth, N.J. warehouse for immediate delivery.
- 34. PLAYER’S GUIDE MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COM30 QUILT SUPPLIERS NAME ADDRESS BRANDS COMMENTS Peking Handicraft 1388 San Mateo Ave. South San Francisco, Calif. 94080 (650) 871-3788 Trina Turk, Maryjane’s Home, Jessica Simpson, Modern Heirlooms, Hudson and Main Laurel and Mayfair Offering best in class quality, craftsmanship, design and customer service. Pem America 230, 5th Ave., Suite 200 New York,NY 10001 (212) 481-2141 Tracy Porter,Vince Camuto, London Fog, Jennifer Adam, Wendy Bellissimo, Laura Ashley Constantly investing in quilt developments. Regal Home Collections 295 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1012, New York, NY 10016 (212)213-3323 Studio 1012 Fresh styling and innovation at high perceived value, with a focus on quality, service and logistics and fulfillment. Revman International, Inc 350 Fifth Avenue, 70th floor New York, NY 1011 (212) 894-3100 Nautica, Tommy Bahama, Laura Ashley, Vera Wang, Wedgwood, Candice Olson, Teen Vogue, Steve Madden, Betsey Johnson, Eddie Bauer, Marimekko, Adrienne Vittadini, Perry Ellis, Nicole Miller, City Scene, Stone Cottage, Manor Hill With the largest portfolio of designer brands in the industry, the company is positioned as a one-stop resource for home fashion collections. THRO By Marlo Lorenz 181 Freeman Ave, Islip NY 11751 (631) 218-2152 THRO By Marlo Lorenz Recently launched fashion bedding/quilts, keying off its best-selling decorative pillow and throw styles with an eye to becoming a one-stop destination for home fashion. Sunham Home Fashions 136 Madison Ave., 16th Floor New York, NY 10016 (212) 695-1218 Lacoste, Hugo Boss, bluebellgray In the quilt business since the early 1990’s, the company’s in-house design team creates pieced, printed and solid color offerings in traditional, transitional, contemporary, seasonal and regional styles.
- 35. 31MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COM NAME ADDRESS BRANDS COMMENTS Traditions Linens P.O. Box 416 Claverack, NY 12513 (518) 851-3975 Traditions Linens Taking a modern approach to building a bedding wardrobe by layering pattern, texture, and color – allowing accounts to customize collections. Victoria Classics 295 5th Ave, Suite 206 New York, NY 10016 (212) 213-1828 Clairbella, Caribbean Joe, Jane Seymour Designs, Seedling By ThomasPaul, Dollie & Me Always seeking out the latest trends from around the world and finding ways to make them more accessible to a broad array of consumers. Triangle Home Fashions 9a Nicholas Court Dayton, NJ 08810. (732) 355-9800 Lush Décor Quilts are created to be enjoyed today, tomorrow and for years to come in a wide range of lifestyle motifs with workmanship defined by design leadership. VHC 6010 E Hwy 76 Kirbyville, MO (888) 334-3099 Lasting Impressions, Ashton & Willow, Bella Taylor Home Many of the quilt designs feature hand-stitched details to create a level of uniqueness and high-end quality. Welspun 295 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1118 New York, NY 10016 (212) 620-2000 Hygro Cotton, Christy, Welhome, Spaces, Goodnight Sleep, Amaze, Crowning Touch, Amy Butler, Wimbledon, Annie Phillips The company focuses on innovation to make its products smarter, processes more efficient and the environment better, and uses consumer research to create unique solution-driven products. WestPoint Home LLC 28 E. 28th St. New York, NY 10016 (212) 930-2000 Martex, Grand Patrician, Bluestone Court, Modern Living, Dena Home, Jill Rosenwald, Southern Tide, Amy Sia Supplying a carefully curated collection of fashion products and decorative accessories to address key trends and emerging lifestyles.
- 36. 32 MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COMTrends SURTEX esign motifs of every variety will be on display at Surtex North Amer- ica this month, when the annual surface design show presents more than 300 exhibitors from May 17-19 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York. Artists from North America, Europe, Asia and Australia will be represented at the event. This year the show welcomes more than 50 newcomers, including stu- dios, agents, and U.S. and international vendors. In addition, the four winning designs from Surtex’s designext interna- tional design competition will be on display and the grand prize winner will be announced May 18. H&TT A Cornucopia of Design Surtex 2015 will provide international perspective Laura Lowen’s “Bears with Beards” will be represented at the show by Jennifer Nelson Artists, where Lowen will also debut new characters, holiday and Christmas art. John Watson Studio’s piece numbered F4661c 25V reflects the designer’s simple and refined aesthetic. Crewest Studio’s Gallery Showcase is of- fering work from urban contemporary artists, including Gustavo Alberto seen here. MHS Licensing + Consulting marks its 20th anniversary with works from Patrick Reid O’Brien, seen here, and at the show will also introduce artists Lynn Sanchelli and Carolyn Blaylock. Sweetheart from Dot Dash Design studio, which makes its first appearance at Surtex this year with more than 30 new surface pattern collections. Puddle Ink is a creative collaboration of sisters Callie Crosby and Rebecca Daw, who share a love of all things colorful, bold and graphically simple. Sunlit Beauty from JSB Photo Art, a newcomer to the art licensing market. Design Works International features the work of designers from around the world and was founded by Nancy Fire, who is also design director for HGTV Home.
- 37. 33MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COMTrends SUPPLIERS HomeTex Looks Ahead New facility will double cut & sew capacity BY JENNIFER MARKS fter nearly two years of scouting locations and running the num- bers, HomeTex officially has com- mitted to opening a new facility in Cullman, Ala., investing $4 million to acquire and re-outfit the former Nicholson File/Apex Tools building. When the 300,000-square-foot plant opens in early 2016, it will at minimum double the manufacturer’s capacity for cut & sew, add- ing about 40 jobs in the process. The plant will produce DreamFit sheets, mattress pads, duvet covers and protective covers. Located on 29 acres not far from its current plant in Vinemont, Ala., the facility will also include about 100,000 square feet for distribution — along with plenty of room to grow in the future. “The model supporting DreamFit is one for inventory and ship time – and has been since the late 90s,” president Jeremy Wootten told H&TT. “It lets us manage a vast array of skus in fabric, quality, colors and sizes, and it lets us do quick response.” HomeTex sells DreamFit products exclu- sively to furniture stores, speciality sleep shops and e-commerce sites. “Those retailers don’t have the capability of offering a broad variety [of textiles], especially sheets. We can offer them a single sku. There are no minimums on sheets and mattress protectors and small minimums on pillows. We couldn’t do that if we didn’t [cut & sew] here.” The process allows HomeTex to drop-ship orders directly to the customer within five days. “We’re working to get that down,” he added. The Vinemont operation and headquarters will be folded into the Cullman plant once it opens. The new property is considered a brown fields site due to the chemicals used there by the previous occupant and will require retrofitting. “A brown fields program is not a quick process,” noted Wootten. The company also owns a terry weaving facility in South Carolina and a pillow filling facility in North Carolina. Cullman will also house HomeTex’s first southern showroom, complementing existing spaces in New York and Las Vegas. Because DreamFit products are sewn from imported fabrics, packaging doesn’t empha- size the U.S.-made component beyond the labelling. However, Wootten said the fact that there’s some hands-on assembly being done here meshes nicely with growing consumer interest in a product’s origins. “They want to understand where it’s made, where it comes from, the social compliance — that there’s not sweat shop labor involved,” he noted. “We’re trying to bundle it all up.” H&TT The Wootten family, above. From left, Zach, Jerry, Kathy, Christina, and Jeremy. The plant, below, is slated to open in early 2016. Alabama Governor Robert Bentley, left, congratulates company founder Jerry Wootten.
- 38. 34 MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COMTrends RUGS ometimes new ideas take a while to develop, even if they may seem obvious. Here’s one: Soft bath rug fibers that can also be used for area and accent rugs. Makes sense that something soft underfoot next to the shower would also feel good anywhere else in the home. It took a while for the industry to deploy the concept, but the day has arrived — and some major players in the business told H&TT that the change is here for good. They’ve made the connection between bath rugs and their accent/ area pieces, and are increasingly transitioning and innovating their fibers. “This is a mainstay,” said Bart Hill, vp of product management for domestic and global production at Mohawk Home. “Softness in area and accent rugs has become as important an attribute as color and even price in some ave- nues. They can’t get past that fluffly, cloud soft- ness — it’s become a sales motivator for all rugs now, not just in bath.” Connecting the dots are new, synthetic micro-fiber constructions. For Regence Home, micro-fiber “is a big focus for us,” said Nick Casarola, president. “Micro-polyester is very important in accent rugs for Regence.” He explained the consumer is demand- ing more “comfort-type products” in rugs, and in response the company has developed two new micro-polyester fashion collections that launched this spring. Chelsea is a high-pile and ultra-plush tufted grouping, and Artistry is a fine- denier product made on knitting equip- ment and available in five colors/ designs and offering “a great hand,” Casarola noted. “With the advent of micro-polyes- ter in bath rugs, we’ve seen a transi- tion into the area and accent rug categories because consumers like the soft, good feel of micro- polyester, and it’s competitively priced with other products out there like olefin and nylon,” Casarola said. He estimates that micro- polyester bath rugs occupy about 25% of Regence’s bath business. That growth has spurred increases now in accent and area vari- eties, as the fiber has proved appropriate for its durability and plasticity — it can be applied to tufted, knitted and woven constructions for this new segment. “We’ve graduated it now into area and accent rugs, and we’re finding much success with it,” he summed. “We are getting place- ments with major retailers for these three con- structions we offer.” Shag is one of the obvious styles into which micro-polyester can translate effortlessly. Kas Rugs is meeting that need with its recently expanded Bliss collection of one-inch pile height of pieces that are available now in 14 solid colors and eight heathered texture looks. Kas is taking the fiber into a new indoor/ outdoor shag it calls the Key West Collection. “These rugs have a very soft pile that is not a short pile like your typical outdoor rug. You’d think outdoors you can’t use a long pile, but we’ve created a way you can, ” said Santhi Yarl- agadda, vp of business development. Key West rugs boast a pile height over “a little over an inch” and easy-care attributes that make them also suitable for high-traffic indoor spaces, particular family and play rooms. The palette goes from neutrals to brights. Mohawk Home is moving its ultra-soft fibers into area and accent categories as well as broad- loom carpet. “Carpet has always used harsher fibers than area rugs, but now they’ve all merged as we push the envelope with softness in new fibers,” Hill said. “Softness is now an important quality shoppers look for when they are looking for a new rug or car- pet. And now they can buy from us carpet that is at the same levels of softness that we offer in bath.” Mohawk Home is using new nylon, polyes- ter and its proprietary SmartStrand fibers to pro- duce the softer rugs and carpets. Said Hill: “The advancements in extrusion technologies and polymer technologies have allowed for these three fiber types to be extruded at levels we have never seen before until now to offer new levels of softness.” H&TT From Bath to Beyond Bath constructions inspire a new generation of area and accent rugs BY CECILE B. CORRAL Regence Home uses a micro-poly construction in its Chelsea accent and area rugs. Mohawk Home's Belford rug is made from the company’s EverStrand recycled polyester fiber. Kas Rugs uses a "super soft polyester" for its Bliss shag collection.
- 39. Timeless Design for the Modern Age
- 40. 36 THIS COULD BE YOUR AD Lines Offered (Reps) Help Wanted Retail Recruitment Real Estate Showroom Space For Sale/Lease Factoring Services Announcements Legal Notices Parts GRAB THEIR ATTENTION BY ADVERTISING IN CONTACT: Spencer Whittle swhittle@pbmbrands.com P: 336.605.1027 | F: 336.605.1143 They’re Looking For You classifieds CLASSIFIEDS LINES OFFERED TEXTILE DÉCOR USA INC A NJ based Home Textile Company with showroom in NYC is looking for INDEPENDENT SALES AGENTS in the following states: VA, MD, DE, ME, PA, MI, AR, LA, ID, MT, WY, ND, SD, NE, CA, NV, CO, OR, KY & AL, FL, GA, MS, NE, Caribbean Islands, South America, Canada We carry Bath Rugs, Rugs, Sheet Sets, Comforters, Quilts, BIAB, Duvet, promotional goods, overstock and remnants. Please contact us to be set up and let’s start a successful partnership. Please submit resume to: textiledecor@yahoo.com or call 732.635.0060 A D V E R T I S E HELP WANTED RECRUITMENT Executive Search for the Home Textiles Industry Since 1999 Rick Rush - President Give us a call! 100% Confidential 303.225.0355 www.rushandcompany.com rick@rushandcompany.com HiEnd Accents — a Dallas-based, leading provider of affordable, luxurious bedding and home accessories is currently seeking an Key Account Executive. Required Skills and Experience · 7 + years experience in the bedding or accessory wholesale business · Proven track record in managing key retail accounts · Able to do trend and competitive research · Strong analytical, relationship-building and leadership skills · Bachelor’s degree preferred · Proficiency in Excel Please send your resume to: Sales@HiEndAccents.com. Visit us online at www.HiEndAccents.com. OFFERINGS TO BUYERS MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COMMarket Basket case last year as well. This is almost consistent across all the charts in the 2015 survey: Any item that was not part of the market basket assortment this year (represented on the charts as NA or not available) was also missing in 2014. The excep- tions were Kohl’s and JCPen- ney, which had no throws avail- able for last year’s survey. There are always quirks of the promotional calendar to take into consideration. While JCPenney’s prices may seem on the high end for a middle- tier retailer, H&TT’s visit took place during a promotional event under which towels were buy one/get one free and bed- ding was offered with $25, $50 or $100 off depending upon the total purchase price. Top-tier baskets were almost universally higher than last year, but most often by low single digits. Bed Bath & Beyond’s and Family Dollar’s upper price point basket totals were essentially flat year-over- year. Only Walmart had a top- of-the-line basket priced lower. What swung the change? Its best-priced blanket. Last year, it was an electrical warm- ing blanket from Sunbeam. This year, it was a simple poly direct-sourced from China. Slightly more opening price point baskets were higher than last year; six were up and four were down. The biggest tight- ening took place at JCPenney, whose low-price basket tallied 11.2% down year-over-year. During H&TT’s 2014 visit, the retailer was shaking off the pre- vious year’s “Fair + Square” pricing policy and returning to higher full pricing so as to sweeten its discounts. Several baskets in the survey showed a shift in suppliers this year. The changes were espe- cially heavy at Marshall’s (12) and Big Lots (8), likely a func- tion of the opportunistic nature that informs part of both retail- ers’ buying structures. H&TT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 Suppliers Stand Out Whether by design or happenstance, more suppliers were identifiable in the 2015 survey compared to 2014. Here’s the list of suppliers new to retailers’ baskets this year. BED BATH & BEYOND Hallmart Comforter set, opening ppt India Ink* Shower curtain, opening ppt JQueen New York Comforter set, top ppt Revere Mills Towels, opening ppt Splash Home* Shower curtain, opening ppt BIG LOTS Baltic Linen Shower curtain, top ppt Biddeford Blankets Throw, opening ppt; blanket & throw, top ppt E&E Co. Comforter, top ppt Keeco Blanket, opening ppt Loftex Hand towel & cloth, opening ppt; all towels, to ppt Notra Trading Comforter set, opening ppt Sam Salem & Son Sheet set, top ppt Victoria Classics Shower curtain, opening ppt JCPENNEY Bacova Guild Lotion pump, top ppt Biddeford Blanket Blanket, top ppt BIKM Holdings Comforter set, opening ppt Carpet Art Deco Bath rug, top ppt JQueen New York Comforter set, top ppt Mohawk Home Bath rug, opening ppt Shanghai Needlepoint Factory Quilt, top ppt KMART Franco Mfg. Throw** KOHL’S CHF Bath rug, top ppt Interdesign Soap dish, opening ppt Mohawk Home Bath rug, opening ppt Peking Handicraft Shams, top ppt Saturday Knight Shower curtain, opening ppt MACY’S Croscill Soap dish, lotion pump & tissue box, opening ppt E&E Co. Shams and dust ruffle, top ppt MARSHALL’S AM Home Textiles Bath rug, top ppt Arabella Textiles Bath sheet** Berkshire Blanket Blanket, opening ppt Caro Home Tissue box, top ppt DWI Shams, top ppt EnVogue Intl. Comforter set, opening ppt Indigo Home Comforter set, top ppt Kassatex Bath & hand towels, cloth, opening ppt Next in Home Sheet set, top ppt Northport Trading Throw, opening ppt & top ppt Sunham Home Fashions Bath & towels, cloth, top ppt Trade Lines Bath rug, opening ppt TARGET Interdesign Soap dish, opening ppt WALMART 1888 Mills All terry bath products, top ppt Maples Bath rug, top ppt * Two suppliers at the same price point ** Only one price point available on that item in the store
- 41. MADE IN THE U.S.A. The Made in America movement is picking up steam, in cut-and-sew, digital printing, logistics, warehouse and fulfillment. H&TT will have a special report on this big story in our July issue with special advertorial advertising opportunities you won’t want to miss. Your salesperson can give you all the details on a cost-efficient and sales-effective marketing plan for this special issue. Space closes June 11. Jeff Reeves, 336-554-5009, jreeves@homeandtextilestoday.com Mary McLoughlin, 917-934-2852, mmcloughlin@homeandtextilestoday.com
- 42. Ampersand MAY 2015 HOMEANDTEXTILESTODAY.COM LIBBY LANGDON 38 Libby Langdon The interior designer, TV makeover celebrity and author is bringing her everyday style to different corners of the marketplace by expanding her branded line. At Walmart, she is among a curated group of designers with her own “inspiration shop” of décor pieces, including pillows, poufs, throws and rugs. How do you define your personal style? I would say easy, elegant, everyday style. I think we can all have elegance in our lives, but it can still be practical enough for our everyday lifestyles. I believe you can have both. What’s the last thing you bought for yourself that you really love? I bought a brightly colored and bold-patterned blouse from Lilly Pulitzer, and I adore all the colors and I feel so upbeat and cheery when I wear it. What’s the thing you’d really love to buy next? I’d love to buy a snow blower. We’ve had the most insane winters in New York with so much snow and I hate not knowing if we’ll be able to get down our driveway if the plowing guy doesn’t show up. What’s your oldest possession, something you would hate to part with? I have an antique desk that was my great grandmother’s and we use it as a console table in our entry hall, I would miss seeing that when we walk in. It probably goes without saying, but I would be beyond devastated if I didn’t have my wedding rings. What’s something about you most people would be surprised to hear? I think most people have no idea that I’m a rabid New York Jets fan. I absolutely adore stopping everything on a Sunday afternoon, making a big tray of nachos and a margarita and plopping myself down in front of the TV for an afternoon of football. I don’t really watch too much TV, but when my Jets are on everything else gets put on the back burner. What is your favorite place? Without a doubt, our home in Sag Harbor. It’s a place that’s synonymous with resting and relaxing to me. It’s where we live four days out of the week, and I literally start letting out deep breaths the second we enter the house. What’s your favorite meal and where do you like to have it? My favorite meal is a grilled veal chop with a side of black truffle risotto and I like to have it at La Masseria, a restaurant I designed in New York City on West 48th Street. I hon- estly think it’s some of the most delicious food in the city, the service is amazing and I think the interior décor isn’t too shabby, either. What are you currently reading, watching or checking out online? I’m currently reading back issues of House Beautiful and Traditional Home Magazine. I never read them when I get them. I have to wait for a free hour or so on a random Sunday and then I binge read five months worth of them at one time. My online time is mostly devoted to my social media, but I do really enjoy sourcing design ideas for clients and projects on Pinterest. It’s like a drug. You can get totally sucked into browsing gorgeous design images, and before you know it hours have passed. If you hadn’t chosen the career you have, what would you have been instead? I actually had a few different careers before becoming an interior designer. But I think if I wasn’t in interior design now I would be a party planner or event organizer. But I certainly wouldn’t enjoy it as much as I love interior design. I feel like this is what I was put on the planet to do and I really enjoy all the different aspects of my business — the TV/media element, the product design/licensing and then working with my clients. I’m so lucky to truly love my job. H&TT The home makeover celebrity is featured on HGTV’s Small Space Big Style, Food Network's The Rachael Ray Show, NBC's The Today Show and others. Langdon’s branded home goods include upholstered furniture with Braxton Culler, here, along with area rugs by Tiger Rugs and her upcoming collection of lamps, accessories and accent furniture with Bradburn Gallery. Frenchwoman Lemieux’s heart — at least half of it — belongs to Paris. Game Time: Langdon calls herself a“rabid” New York Jets fan. Langdon did the interior decorating for New York City's La Masseria res- taurant – her favorite dinner spot.
- 43. We’ve got your numbers… and we know what they’re telling you about your business. Call today for more ways Progressive Market Research can make a difference in your business. Smart Information. Smarter Business. Predicting what your customers will buy or what they think about you can be tricky. Progressive Market Research takes out the guesswork enabling you to make smart, informed decisions. Now more than ever, you need to know your customers…and what they want. We can custom tailor a research program centered around you and your business. And, with many options to choose from, custom research is now more affordable than ever. Give us a call and let’s work together building your business. Warren Shoulberg wshoulberg@homeandtextilestoday.com 917-934-2876 –––––––––––– www.progressivebusinessmedia.com/research
- 44. RUGS PILLOWS THROWS WALL DECOR ACCENT FURNITURE LIGHTING BEDDING | ATLANTA DALLAS HIGH POINT LAS VEGAS NEW DELHI TORONTO | SURYA.COM ACCESSORIES MADE EASY ALL THE ACCESSORIES YOU WANT, ALL IN ONE PLACE The best selection of home accessories, creative merchandising solutions and unsurpassed sales support—together in one showroom—to give you more ways to profit and inspire your success. FIND INSPIRATION AT SURYA.COM/LIFESTYLES