Home Textiles Today back issues from September 2004:
Ailing Saydah sheds more programs: Town and Country acquires key accounts.(Wolverine World Wide Inc. Town and Country)(Cecil Saydah Co.)
Sep 06, 2004; ... NEW YORK -- Less than two weeks after Glenoit LLC acquired financially troubled Cecil Saydah's rug division, Saydah has inked a second deal--this time with Town and Country Living--for the sale of some key account programs in kitchen textiles and table linens. The two companies ...
White House considers China petition.
Sep 06, 2004; ... WASHINGTON -- In a break from common practice, the Bush administration will consider the petition for a China safeguard that is being filed by textiles and apparel trade groups later this month, the Commerce Department confirmed on Sept. 2. The petition--filed by the American ...
Restoration continues textiles push.
Sep 06, 2004; ... CORTE MADERA, CALIF. -- With a successful three-year push to increase its home textiles business, Restoration Hardware has increased its fall assortment by about one-third. In 2000, under the aegis of Gary Friedman, then recently named president, the company outlined a litany of ...
Tide turns at Decosit and Textiles d'Interieur Premiere.
Sep 06, 2004; ... BRUSSELS, BELGIUM -- Although their ranks are shrinking slowly, year by year, American decorative fabrics companies attending Decosit and Textiles d'Interieur Premiere here this week will see the tide turning for American export business--albeit on a gradual basis. The weaker ...
Kmart, Sears finalize deal.(Retail Briefs)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... KMART WILL SELL 45 STORES for $524.5 million in cash to Sears, Roebuck and Co., finalizing the exact terms of a deal that was inked in June. The original deal allowed for the sale of up to 54 stores for $621 million in cash. The sale of up to another six stores remains subject ...
Target: Mervyn's sale completed.(Retail Briefs)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... TARGET CORPORATION has completed the sale of its Mervyn's retail subsidiary to an investment consortium including Sun Capital Partners, Inc., Cerberus Capital Management, L.P., Lubert-Adler and Klaff Partners, L.P, and completed the sale of Mervyn's credit card receivables to GE Consumer ...
Overstock.com selects Oracle.(Retail Briefs)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... OVERSTOCK.COM is standardizing on Oracle technology as the foundation of its data-management infrastructure in an effort to ensure customers can access the company's Web sites. Following extensive reviews and tests of database software from Oracle and others, Overstock.com ...
Job fears eroding confidence.(News)
Sep 06, 2004; ... NEW YORK -- Weighed down by growing anxiety about a lackluster jobs market, consumer confidence tumbled 7.1 percent during August--heading south after four straight months of solid gains--to a current reading of 98.2 from 105.7 in July, The Conference Board reported. After ...
Balta grows up.(News)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004; ... DALTON, GA. -- Balta U.S. is maturing its juvenile Flash collection this fall with about a dozen new designs--in a newly created bright color palette--to attract the tweener, teen and college crowd. Balta U.S., which is the North American division of its Belgium parent Balta, ...
Chadwick joins HTT.(News)(Home Textiles Today)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... Damian Chadwick has joined the staff of Home Textiles Today as design director. He spent the past five years at Metropolis magazine--a publication ...
Claire Murray goes door to door.(News)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004; ... OSTERVILLE, MASS. -- Claire Murray is moving the way of Tupperware and Avon with her recently launched Home Galleries program, comprised of independent consultants nationwide who sell the designer's broad catalog of goods to friends and neighbors. "It's my way of really ...
JTex taking linen to the extreme.(News)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... NEW YORK -- Since the explosion of bed-in-a-bag, the market has seen table linens in a bag, bath sets in a bag and dorm sets in a bag. Now, Extreme Linen has created room-in-a-box that goes beyond the standard comforter/sheet set ensemble to include coordinating picture frame, ...
Waites offers bedding line.(News)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... NEW YORK -- Raymond Waites is launching a contemporary bedding collection this fall--Metropolitan Chic--which features polka dots, origami flowers and masculine graphics. The collection will have new packaging, to be featured in an expanded showroom at 230 Fifth Ave. ...
Dormisette starts new sourcing arm.(News)(Stellar Sourcing)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004; ... NEW YORK -- Dormisette has created an independent arm known as Stellar Sourcing, which will source a diverse range of products the company doesn't currently manufacture at its production facilities. Alen Sands York Associates will maintain its present product-development ...
Penney award goes to Welspun.(News)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... MUMBAI, INDIA -- JCPenney has awarded its "Operational Excellence Award" for 2003 to Welspun India in the terry towels segment. Welspun India has been judged as the best towel vendor globally by JCPenney, which evaluated the company for its quality, on-time delivery, costing, ...
ShopKo promotes White to head merchandising.(News)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... GREEN BAY, WIS. -- ShopKo Stores Inc. has made Paul White senior rice president and chief merchandising officer for the company's 140 store ShopKo division. White assumes responsibility for the merchandising and profitability of all ShopKo stores, product development, ...
American Century hires design VP.(News)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... ARCHDALE, N.C. -- Tayo Onadein has joined American Century Home Fabrics as vice president of design, a new position. Onadein, most recently vice president of design at Tietex, earlier had been in ...
Pine Cone, Lee team for furniture.(News)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... PITTSFIELD, MASS. -- Pine Cone Hill is broadening its reach again. The company recently debuted its first collection of solid color towels and has also struck a partnership with Lee Industries to produce furniture featuring Pine Cone Hill's distinctive and colorful fabrics. The ...
Saks taps Mustafa, Villa.(Executive News)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... BIRMINGHAM, ALA. -- Saks Incorporated has made two promotions in its Saks Department Store Group (SDSG) Private Brand and Product Development area based in Birmingham, Ala. Harris Mustafa, with nearly 30 years of merchandising, finance, and planning experience in the retail ...
Catalog and Internet outpace retail.(Direct Sales)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... CORTE MADERA, CALIF. -- Illustrating the dramatic growth of its direct sales, Restoration Hardware's retail sales increased just 4.2 percent to $371 million. In contrast, direct sales--including catalog and Internet--while still a small amount, soared 52 percent. Restoration ...
Wamsutta Baby to show at ABC.(Product Intros)(Wamsutta-Pacific (New York, New York))
Sep 06, 2004; ... FORT MILL, S.C. -- Springs Baby, a business unit of Springs Industries, will feature Wamsutta Baby, its signature collection, at the upcoming ABC Kids Expo. The collection offers designs reflecting the dressmaker details of the adult Wamsutta bedding line. "Wamsutta Baby has ...
Reworking the classics.(Decosit/TIP)
Sep 06, 2004 ... Tymaxx mixes jewel tones and creates a contemporary geometric scroll jacquard design with Luxuriant, polyester/rayon/ cotton. (TIP--Taiwan) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Blumenthal Print Works accents a neutral colorway with a taste of coral in Lakme, a rayon/polyester ...
Sands of time.(Decosit/TIP)
Sep 06, 2004 ... Oriental Overseas enhances its sheer silk with jute embroidery in a contemporary design. (TIP--India) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Koolhaas is an architecturally inspired contemporary geometric jacquard, rayon/polyester. (Decosit--USA) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...
Orange poppy.(Decosit/TIP)
Sep 06, 2004 ... Aolar from Quaker is a lively contemporary geometric jacquard with a splash of color and texture, polypropylene/polyester. (Decosit--USA) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Taking inspiration from the ancient ikat technique, Sunbury features Ikat Garden, a rayon/polyester ...
Soft and sweet.(Decosit/TIP)
Sep 06, 2004 ... Jordan from Antecuir makes a contemporary statement with a simple drawing, cotton/polyester/ acrylic/nylon. (Decosit--Spain) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Portfolio takes a classic approach to floral design with Lindcastle, a print on a cotton/ linen blend. (Decosit--USA) ...
Floral fantasy.(Decosit/TIP)
Sep 06, 2004 ... Waverly puts oversized leaves against a background of silhoutted leaves flaming a pineapple in Beverly Glen, a polyester/cotton print. (Decosit--USA) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Waldorf, from the Fruit Salad Collection at Zanav Home, puts a fresh look to a classic stripe ...
Housing cools as summer ends.(Housing Market)
Sep 06, 2004; ... WASHINGTON -- Starting to cool off after a run up during the second quarter, the broad housing market turned down in July, with sales of new and existing homes both tapering off, and only housing starts managing a gain. Hardest hit was the highly volatile market for costly new ...
Rates down, houses go up.(Business Today)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... WASHINGTON -- Lower mortage interest rates helped boost home builders' confidence in the market for new single-family homes during August, according to a monthly canvass compiled by the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo Bank. The monthly Housing Market Index ...
Rentals on the rise.(Business Today)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004; ... WASHINGTON -- As consumer demand for apartments rises across the country, multi-family housing developers say they're optimistic the rental market is finally in the midst of a recovery, the National Association of Home Builders reported. The builders' trade group said its ...
Same-store sales slow.(Johnson Redbook Index)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... NEW YORK -- Skewed lower by sputtering sales at the nation's big discounters, same-store retail sales limped ahead 1.3 percent during the fourth and final week of August, growing at roughly half their pace of the first two weeks of the month, and falling far short of their target. ...
Back-to-school, not back-to-stores.(Business Today)
Sep 06, 2004; ... NEW YORK -- For a second straight month, American retailers reported sharply weakening same-store sales as rising gasoline prices took a big bite out of back-to-school spending and consumers shunned the malls, worried about a worsening jobs outlook. Further complicating the ...
Wall Street watch: for the week ended September 2, 2004.(Business Today)(Illustration)
Sep 06, 2004 ... <Pre> MARKET SNAPSHOT HTT Stock Index *2590.72 -0.64% NASDAQ Industrial1873.43 1.11% Dow Jones Industrials 10290.3 1.15% S&P 500 1118.31 1.2% Greatest Gains during the week CLOSING...
A trip through time.(Opinion Today)
Sep 06, 2004; ... WHHEN HOME TEXTILES TODAY published its debut edition 25 years ago this month, department stores were the emperors of retailing and the mills decided what they would make and for whom. It goes without saying that times have changed. But the transcontinental flights, ...
Market weak?(Opinion Today)
Sep 06, 2004; ... WELL, IT'S JUST ABOUT a month before we begin the semi-annual ritual called Market Week. And for this upcoming event, there's more talk than ever about the validity--or even the need--for Market Week. The big guns, many contend, use Market Week more for conversation ...
WPS Shanghai office opens.(News)(WestPoint Stevens)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004; ... WEST POINT, GA. -- WestPoint Stevens has moved into its new Shanghai office in the WestGate Mall Building on Nanjing West Road. Currently the company has a staff of six associates, but expects to double this by year's end. "Having a daily presence in Shanghai is vital to the ...
Where it all began: September, 1979.(25 Years of Textiles News)
Sep 06, 2004 ... Home Textiles Today began life as a monthly publication. Much of the photography was black and White--as were nearly all the advertisements in the early issues--and the color reproduction, where it appeared, was heavy on the eye. The debut issue sought to showcase the ...
Following fashion forward.(Trends)
Sep 06, 2004 ... from the beginning, HTT worked to cover fashion trends as well as the business side of the home textiles industry. It was an era when bedspreads had not completely given, way to comforters, the second most popular color for towels after white was brown, and matchy-matchy as a coordinate ...
They played a different game.(25 Who Made a Difference)
Sep 06, 2004 ... Every industry has its innovators, risk-takers and starry-eyed dreamers. A reckoning of all the people who have propelled change in the home textiles world could run to book length. Here, however, are 25 who have greatly influenced the industry over the past quarter century. ...
Top 25 best-selling hardcovers of 1979.(Time Capsule)
Sep 06, 2004 ... (total sales) 1. "Aunt Erma's Cope Book" by Erma Bombeck 692,000 2. "The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet" by Herman Tarnower 642,520 3. "How to Prosper During the Coming Bad Years" by Howard J. Ruff 450,000 4. "Cruel Shoes" by Steve Martin ...
Top 25 music singles of 1979.(Time Capsule)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... 1. "My Sharona" Knack 2. "Bad Girls" Donna Summer 3. "Le Freak" Chic 4. "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" Rod Stewart 5. "Reunited" Peaches & Herb 6. "I Will Survive" Gloria Gavnor 7. "Hot Stuff" Donna Summer 8 ....
Top 20 grossing movies of 1979.(Time Capsule)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
Sep 06, 2004 ... <Pre> 1. "Kramer vs. Kramer"$106.3 2. "Amityville Horror" $86.4 3. "Star Trek" $82.3 4. "Alien" $78.9 5. "Apocalypse Now"$78.8 6. "The Muppet Movie" $76.7 7. "The Jerk" $72.6 8. "Rocky II" ...
Top 25 TV shows of the 1979-80 season.(Time Capsule)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... 1.60 Minutes (CBS) 28.4 rating 2. Three's Company (ABC) 26.3 3. That's Incredible (ABC) 25.8 4. Alice (CBS) 25.3 M*A*S*H (CBS) 25.3 6. Dallas (CBS) 25.0 ...
The way we thought it would be: a look at predictions made in HTT's 20th anniversary issue & how they panned out.(2020 Visions)
Sep 06, 2004 ... Future Shock We Were Onto Something On the occasion of its 20th anniversary, HTT hauled out the crystal ball and created "an issue of the future." Although somewhat tongue-in-cheek, the effort five years later comes across as eerily astute in some respects (a ...
Editor's notes.(Editorial)
Sep 06, 2004; ... More than 600 vendors are getting ready to show their new juvenile products at this month's All Baby and Child Expo in Las Vegas. The energy level going in to this show is so high, it's hard to believe this is only the second annual show. Manufacturers are ready with their new ...
Nursery remodeling, online buying popular with new, expectant moms: study pinpoints where women like to shop and their choices.(By the Numbers)
Sep 06, 2004 ... Some good news for the baby products industry comes out of the most recent Baby Products Tracking Study conducted by Pennington, N.J.-based David Burnett & Associates for American Baby magazine. Nearly three-fifths of parents, whether they already have a child or the new baby is the first, ...
Pulaski to launch juvenile Casa Cristina line.(Licensing)
Sep 06, 2004; ... Pulaski, Va. -- Pulaski Furniture is launching its first youth bedroom collection at this fall's market, part of its new Casa Cristina licensed collection. Inspired by Latin talk show host Cristina Saralegui, Casa Cristina also includes dining, bedroom, accent, clocks and entertainment. ...
Amy Coe to expand brand.(Licensing)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004; ... New York -- Juvenile bedding designer Amy Coe has formed a partnership with licensing agency Ripe Ideas to expand her brand into a variety of new categories. Coe, who designs both her Amy Coe Signature Collection as well as a collection for Target, hopes to expand into clothing ...
Rooms to go, Disney sign deal.(Licensing)
Sep 06, 2004; ... Seffner, Fla. -- The Disney princesses and more are coming to Rooms To Go Kids. The nation's largest furniture store chain announced its entry into licensed furniture lines with plans to roll out a Disney youth bedroom line for its 20 Kids stores, as well as a Cindy Crawford ...
Springs to make Barbie bedding, bath: agreement with Mattel includes other popular youth properties.(Licensing)
Sep 06, 2004; ... Fort Mill, S.C. -- Springs Inds. has landed the license to produce Barbie bedding, bath and fabric in a deal with Mattel that also includes rights to Hot Wheels, My Scene, Polly Pocket and Matchbox properties. Dan River previously held the license for Barbie bedding; the move is ...
Creative Images plans to license art designs.(Licensing)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004; ... St. Augustine, Fla. -- Juvenile wall art manufacturer Creative Images has entered the licensing arena, with plans to license up to 120 of its original art designs for categories including textiles, toys, gifts, wallcoverings and rugs. The Creative Images Licensing Group will act ...
Scene Weaver licenses Crayola, 'Humphrey's Corner'.(Licensing)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... Columbia, S.C. -- Textile manufacturer Scene Weaver, which entered the juvenile market earlier this year, has landed licenses to produce textile accents for both Crayola and Humphrey's Corner. Under license from Binney & Smith, Scene Weaver will create assorted throws, pillows ...
Company debuts Rightsell tableware.(Licensing)(Kelly Rightsell)(Present Tense Home Artistry)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004; ... Sterling, Va. -- Present Tense Home Artistry, maker of hand-painted pottery, has unveiled its first collection by artist Kelly Rightsell, a line of children's tableware. The Holiday Kids collection was shown at the Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market in July ...
Springs shows Baby Looney Tunes.(Licensing)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... Springs Baby is debuting Patchwork, a new Baby Looney Tunes infant bedding design under license from Warner Bros., at ...
Gund plans expansion of licensed products.(Licensing)
Sep 06, 2004; ... Edison, N.J. -- As the first non-family president in plush manufacturer Gund's 100-plus year history, Jim Madonna plans to continue building on the company's name and expand into new branding and licensing ventures, including a new Gund Kids to follow on the heels of the success of Baby ...
Fun Rugs brings new licensed line to ABC Expo.(Licensing)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004; ... Costa Mesa, Calif. -- Juvenile rug manufacturer Fun Rugs is making a new line of rugs featuring the David & Goliath characters, under license from King Features. The rugs, aimed at teens and tweens, will make their debut at the All Baby and Child Expo in Las Vegas this month. ...
Body-care company to make kids' line featuring 'Guess How Much I Love You'.(Licensing)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004; ... Charlottesville, Va. -- DGMS Inc. has signed a deal to produce a line of "Guess How Much I Love You" body-care products under an agreement with RJM Licensing. The characters, text and artwork from the storybook will appear on body-care products geared toward children. The line, ...
CopCorp to license 'Dear Dumb Diary' property: agency targets tween-oriented items toward stores that carry book series.(Licensing)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004; ... New York -- CopCorp Licensing will run the licensing program for "Dear Dumb Diary," the first title in author and cartoonist Jim Benton's latest book series. "Dear Dumb Diary, Let's Pretend This Never Happened" is the debut book in the Tales of Mackerel Middle School series. ...
Sony hires Irving to lead domestic sales.(People in Licensing)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... Culver City, Calif. -- Can dace Irving has been named director of domestic sales for Sony Pictures Consumer Products. She will report to Juli Boylan, senior vice president of domestic sales and retail development. "Candace is well-known in this industry for having an incredible ...
Regan new executive at Sesame Workshop.(People in Licensing)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... New York, NY -- Debra Regan has joined Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization, as director of international marketing, global consumer products and international TV distribution. Regan will be responsible for developing marketing strategies for Sesame Workshop's ...
Soderberg receives promotion at Sony.(People in Licensing)
Sep 06, 2004 ... Culver City Calif. -- Yvonne Yvonne Soderberg has been promoted to executive director of marketing for Sony Pictures Consumer Products. Previously, she was director of marketing for Sony Pictures Consumer Products. Soderberg will continue to report to Michael Malone, senior vice president ...
Lemmey joins HIT Entertainment.(People in Licensing)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... New York, NY -- Jean Lemmey has been appointed director of retail development, promotions and broadcast relations for HIT Entertainment. Lemmey brings more than 13 years' experience in brand, licensing, promotions and retail development for consumer products companies including ...
Karen Neuburger fills 4 marketing positions.(People in Licensing)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... San Rafael, Calif. -- Karen Neuburger has filled four positions in its expanding marketing department. Lisa Bazinet was named marketing communications manager, Jenna Lowe is the company's new special events planner, Tracey Trumbo is the new public relations coordinator, and ...
Goldstein to lead sales at Wildflower Group.(People in Licensing)(Brief Article)
Sep 06, 2004 ... New York -- The Wildflower Group has named licensing industry executive Elyce Goldstein director of sales. Goldstein will report directly, to the agency's principals, Michael Carlisle and Fred R. Paprin. In her new capacity as director of sales, Goldstein will work as a key ...
Olive Kids to produce own crib bedding line.(Licensing)
Sep 06, 2004; ... Las Vegas -- Olive Kids is launching a new line of crib bedding at the All Baby and Child Expo here this month, dubbed Olive Kids Baby, or O.K., Baby. The first group from the collection, which is sourced directly by Olive Kids, is Country Baby, a barnyard-themed pattern that incorporates ...
Toys 'R' Us to spin off Babies business.(News Watch)
Sep 06, 2004; ... Wayne, N.J. -- Children's toy retailer Toys 'R' Us said last month it intends to separate its Babies 'R' Us and Toys 'R' Us businesses, and it is evaluating options to sell the toy business. John Eyler, chairman and CEO of the company, said the two businesses operate in distinct markets ...