New York – Declared a national health emergency on Aug. 4, Monkeypox cases in the U.S. surpassed 10,000 this week.

The most common method of spread is through personal, skin-to-skin contact. Although less common, Monkeypox can also spread by touching fabrics such as clothing, bedding and towels that have been used by someone with the virus, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Could this lead to a spike in demand for health & wellness home textiles similar to the one that grew out of the COVID-19 pandemic?

HTT reached out to manufacturers who developed targeted products during the COVID-19 outbreak well as producers of anti-microbial and anti-viral textiles treatments. Here are 3 things to know:

1. Monkeypox is not on the buy-side radar – at least not yet. While a few manufacturers said they are following the issue, those contacted by HTT said unanimously that none of their retail or hospitality accounts have been asked about it.
2. First things first. Should demand arise, the first logical step would be to test existing textiles treatments against the virus. However, those tests don’t come cheap. “A COVID test costs us about $25K to get done with our protocol. Monkeypox would be way more expensive,” said one manufacturer, who added that absent significant interest from buyers, testing is not worth the expense at this point.
3. Few consumers are worried about Monkeypox. Whether this is a matter of pandemic fatigue in the aftermath of the protracted COVID-19 era or simply because confirmed cases are relatively small in number, surveys have consistently shown that less than 20% of consumers are concerned about contracting the virus.

Of course, the home textiles industry already has a fleet of products available in the market that foster cleaner, healthier living environments. So if something changes, suppliers will be ready.

New York – It’s party time in The Big Apple again!

September New York Home Fashions Market will welcome industry members back to the city with a celebration that honors outstanding achievement and supports the next generation of home textiles innovators.

The Home Fashions Product Association (HFPA) and HTT are joining forces to co-host the event, which will take place at the Harvard Club of New York City on the evening of on Tuesday, Sept. 20.

The HFPA Foundation is fundraising to support its scholarship program, which provides scholarships to students enrolled in surface design or home product marketing courses of study at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT).

HTT is celebrating the in-person return of its annual Trailblazers & Titans awards, which will honor two retail companies and two supplier companies. Previous honorees include Bloomingdale’s, Bed Bath & Beyond, Big Lots, Boll & Branch, Casper, Malouf, Revman, Trident, Pegasus, Wayfair, Welspun and WestPoint Home.

The lively two-hour evening event will include cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction, the introduction of FIT’s home fashions program students and the presentation of HTT’s 2022 Trailblazers & Titans honorees.

Ticket information and the identities of this year’s Trailblazers & Titans honorees will be announced soon. All ticket sales will benefit the HFPA Foundation’s scholarship program.

Intellifresh powered by SILVADUR antimicrobial technology is the headline sponsor of the HFPA fundraiser at the Harvard Club of New York City.  Sponsors for the HTT Trailblazers & Titans awards include Supima, Cotton Incorporated and 230 Fifth Avenue.

See related:

Deadline for NY Market production submissions is Aug. 31

New York Market directory plots permanent and temporary home textiles showrooms

HFPA announces market week dates for 2022 and 2023

Toronto – GOTS’s (Global Organic Textiles Standard) first event specific to the Canadian market will include marketing data, case studies and a field trip.

The one-day GOTS Global Roundtable in Canada will take place in Toronto on Oct. 5 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Registration is free and will open on Sept. 1.

Among the program highlights:

• Overview with Lori Wyman, GOTS representative in North America
• Case studies of companies who have chosen to be certified to GOTS with  Melita Cyril, CEO of Q is for Quinn; and Melanie Cunanan, VP design & production development at Pehr
• A discussion about who needs to be certified and what is involved at the various steps of the supply chain with information from Control Union Certifications
• Kim De Lallo, member relations & business development manager for the Canadian Organic Trade Association, will address legal labeling of organic textiles in Canada and will share new marketing data from COTA’s recent annual report.
• Tour of the Fine Cotton Knitting Factory, with bus transportation provided to and from the facility.

More:

GOTS marks 20th anniversary with all-time high in certified facilities

Chicago — Top 50 home textiles retailer Crate & Barrel yesterday outlined a combination of commitments and guiding values that prioritize the well-being of people and the planet.

Within its soft home assortment, the company has pledged that 60% of its textiles assortment will be made with certified preferred fibers by 2025. These will include organic, recycled and responsible materials. The home furnishings retailer will prioritize fibers the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and Textile Exchange certification standards  to define preferred fibers from raw materials to final product.

Those standards apply to recycled fiber content, responsibility sourced down and ocean waste, among others.

Crate’s two other core goals for 2025 include 50% FSC-certified furniture and 100% Greenguard Gold certified Crate & Kids furniture. Together, the company’s goals focus on leading Crate & Barrel, CB2, Crate & Kids and Hudson Grace with corporate responsibility and responsible design at the forefront of everything from products and packaging to people and social wellness.

Increased transparency for tracking and reporting progress across these commitments will be implemented as well.

More broadly, the company laid out seven core values guiding its sustainability goals:

Crate & Barrel is pursuing climate neutrality and circularity as part of its responsible sourcing plan.

1. Climate Neutrality: Setting climate targets and reducing carbon footprint, from factories and facilities to the customer’s doorstep.
2. Sustainable Materials: Using more sustainably sourced materials in products, including FSC-certified wood, preferred fibers and recycled packaging.
3. Ethical Supply Chain: Engaging and supporting suppliers in continuous social and environmental improvement.
4. Circular Solutions: Exploring ways to replace single-use consumption with circular projects, operations and products.
5. Empowered Employees: Empowering teams throughout the organization to shape innovative sustainability programs and put them into practice.
6. Conscious Customers: Simplifying the customer experience to promote responsible shopping with clear labeling, third-party verification and sustainable products.
7. Digital Responsibility: Improving privacy, security and data collection while using tech solutions, such as remote meetings, to reduce emissions.

“Our vision is to build a home with purpose in order to create happier and healthier communities for future generations. These goals represent our commitment to helping our people and the planet thrive while growing our business,” said Janet Hayes, CEO of Crate & Barrel Holdings. “This is just the beginning; we are on a journey driven by passion, transparency and accountability at every turn, to leave the world a better place than we found it.”

See also:

• Will Crate & Barrel be the 1st home furnishings retailer in the Metaverse?
• Expect the flavors of fall in Crate & Barrels 2022 fall collection

San Francisco – A federal judge gave Williams-Sonoma Inc. good news/bad news involving a class action suit about thread count claims.

Judge William H. Orrick declined to dismiss the class action suit after the retailer asserted a complaining party had waited too long to file a claim, according to an update on the Williams-Sonoma sheet case from Top Class Actions. He waived the statute of limitations because the plaintiff asserted she had not learned about the suit until several years after her purchase.

He also indicated a willingness to dismiss the suit’s assertion that Williams-Sonoma had “actively concealed” information about the sheet construction. However, the suit’s claims that Williams-Sonoma omitted facts from its advertising – thus causing it to be misleading – might be allowed to go forward.

“I don’t know if there is a duty to disclose and whether it’s really limited to products without safety defects,” Judge Orrick stated, according to Top Class Actions.

The case, Rushing et al. v. Williams-Sonoma Inc. et al., was originally filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in 2016. The lead plaintiff claimed that what was labeled as a 600-count Egyptian cotton sateen sheet was actually 291-count.

The plaintiff involved in the most recent ruling bought two pairs of sheets in January 2011 that she claimed developed tears soon after they were put to use.

MORE

Is Williams-Sonoma sheet construction suit hanging by a thread?

Boll & Branch aims to pick apart thread count myths on sheets

FTC sues Walmart over textile claims

Burlingame, Calif. – Standard Fiber will showcase new sleep solutions in textiles and new material technologies next week at its newly opened showroom in Las Vegas.

With the 2,500-sq.-ft. space at the World Market Center, the manufacturer is furthering its commitment to its growing mattress business as well as its home textiles for the retail, hospitality and pet products channels.

Presentations will be fall under the five “Elements of Sleep” – wellness, comfort, protection, design and sustainability. New product innovations include:

• Bio-based antimicrobial treatment – EPA-approved, 100% bio-based antimicrobial topical fabric treatment developed to prevent and remove odor molecules and microbes.
• Compostable packaging solutions – Packaging made from starchy plants as a more sustainable alternative to vinyl and other plastic bags.
• glassFRee solutions – Offering a variety of glass free fire-retardant solutions that are antimony free and aid in passing 16 CFR Part 1633.
• EcoSpun fibers and yarns – EcoSpun reduces the persistence of textile pollution in the environment by allowing synthetic (plastic-based) fibers to behave more like natural fibers when they become environmental pollutants.
• H2ecO textile finishing process – A collection of printing, dying, bleaching and finishing processes that use no, or very little, water.
• weaveRight technology – A patented weaving process that unites 100% cotton loops with performance fibers to provide accelerated drying time, enhanced absorbency and more durability while maintaining freshness and softness.
• Adjustable comfort – A variety of unique constructions providing both innovative pillow and mattress cover solutions that allow consumers to customize their sleep.
• Outdoor Comfort – All-season outdoor comfort products that can be used anywhere.

Standard Fiber will also be discussing its latest corporate initiatives that include its new SmarTrak global order tracking system, a portal that gives customers real-time visibility of their order status and location, and its carbon offset program to minimize its environmental impact.

Las Vegas Market will take place July 24-28. The company’s showroom is located at Suite C1577.

MORE

Standard Fiber creates the Swiss army knife of pillows

Standard Fiber lands exclusive license for bath towel technology

High Point, N.C. – The International Society of Furniture Designers continues its call for entries for the  2022 Pinnacle Awards, the juried competition being open to all furniture and textile designers, manufacturers and students who were directly involved in designing home furnishings, décor or textile products available for retail sale in the last year.

The Pinnacle Awards are intended to celebrate designs that are produced mostly in larger numbers for sale to consumers.

“The Pinnacle Awards honor product designers, either individuals or teams — the ones whose imagination, artistry and technical abilities create fresh and desirable home products — and the companies that bring those designs to life,” said John Conrad, ISFD executive director. “Through their combined efforts consumers are offered engaging, inviting and innovative products that enliven their homes and, as an extension, it uplifts our industry’s reputation and cache.”

Submissions are open to all furniture and textile designers, manufactures and design students.  The items or collections entered must be in current production and must have been shown and sold at one of the major home furnishings or fabric markets worldwide. Winners will be announced at the Pinnacle Awards Gala, Oct. 24, at the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center at High Point University.

Submission details can be found at 2022 Pinnacle Awards. The entry deadline is Aug. 2.

The 26 Pinnacle Awards categories for 2022 are:

• Wall Décor – Home furnishings that attach to or hang on the wall including but not limited to wall mirrors, wall décor, clocks. Does not include wall art, paintings, or prints. Entry may be by piece or group.
• Floor Coverings – Rugs
• Accessories – Any home furnishings accessories that are floor standing like sculpture, large planters or vases, screens, pedestals, carts, etc. Entry may be by piece or group.
• Bedroom Luxury – Headboards, mirrors, nightstands, chests, dressers, and other storage units intended primarily for bedroom use. Entry can be bedroom piece or group. A four-piece suggested retail must be above $3000.
• Bedroom Broad Appeal – Headboards, mirrors, nightstands, chests, dressers, and other storage units intended primarily for bedroom use. Entry can be bedroom piece or group. A four-piece suggested retail must be below $3000.
• Dining Luxury – Entry must be a group of table and chairs with a suggested retail for a table and 4 chairs of above $3000.
• Dining Broad Appeal – Entry must be a group of table and chairs with a suggested retail for a table and 4 chairs below $3000.
• Entertainment Furniture – Entries in this category include individual or multiple units (groupings) that accommodate audio/video components.
• Home Office – Includes desks, seating, and storage intended for home office. Combine office functionality with style and sizing suitable for home use. Entry can be a piece or a group.
• Home Textiles – Woven – Textiles designed for indoor and outdoor home furnishings, primarily upholstered furniture. Entry may be jacquards or dobby wovens introduced within the last year. Entries are limited to one per company and one-color way per entry.
• Home Textiles – Print- Textiles designed for indoor and outdoor home furnishings, primarily upholstered furniture. Entry may be screen or digital prints introduced within the last year. Entries are limited to one per company and one-color way per entry.
• Leather Upholstery – Luxury – Includes furniture, either motion or stationary, predominantly covered in leather. Suggested retail price must be above $5,000.
• Leather Upholstery – Broad Appeal- Includes furniture, either motion or stationary, predominantly covered in leather. Suggested retail price must be below $5,000. Maker/Designer – This category is for builders/makers creating one-of-a-kind pieces for sale in galleries, stores and or client specific products. Makers should have an independent business providing design and build services for custom furniture and accessories in their local market. This includes wood and mixed material case goods, occasional pieces, seating, upholstery, and accessories for both indoor and outdoor use.
• Lighting – Includes incandescent or LED fixed lighting intended for indoor home use, including table lamps, floor lamps, pendants, and chandeliers. Entry can be a piece or a group.
• Major Collections – Entry must be a whole home collection of at least 18 unique pieces. Upholstery, lighting, or accessories can be included only as part of the collection. Motion Upholstery – Includes pieces whose motion changes the posture and comfort of the person seated. Entry can be made by piece or group. Occasional Storage- Occasional furniture whose primary function is storage. Entry can be by piece or group. It does not include entertainment or home theater furniture. Occasional Tables – Luxury – An open piece of furniture with a flat top and one or more legs or supports providing a level surface on which objects may be placed. Suggested retail price must be above $500. Occasional Tables – Broad Appeal – An open piece of furniture with a flat top and one or more legs or supports providing a level surface on which objects may be placed. Suggested retail price must be below $500. Stationary Upholstery – Luxury – Can include upholstered pieces with moving trays, shelves, etc., as long as the movement does not affect the posture of the person seated. Entry can be individual pieces or group. Suggested retail price must be above $2,000. Stationary Upholstery – Broad Appeal -Includes upholstered pieces with moving trays, shelves, etc., as long as the movement does not affect the posture of the person seated. Entry can be individual pieces or group. Suggested retail price must be below $2,000.
• Outdoor – Furniture designed primarily for outdoor or leisure-time settings such as sunrooms, porches, patios, or atriums. Youth – Infant and juvenile bedroom furniture including beds, children’s room accessories, and storage. Entry can be an individual piece or a group. The Green Leaf Award Subcategory – Products that meet the most discerning design standards while also meeting a legitimately eco-friendly profile. See application for more details.
• Student Pinnacle Award – Any bedroom, dining, occasional, home office, textiles, seating, or entertainment category piece selected from the student’s body of work.

See also: ISFD presents 2021 Pinnacle Award winners

Summit, N.J. – Boll & Branch is looking to unravel one of the most enduring consumer misconceptions about sheet quality.

The digitally native bedding brand is launching a program that incentivizes consumers to replace their high thread count sheets with Boll & Branch organic fiber sheets.

The campaign also supports textile sustainability. Now through Aug. 18, consumers can email an image or a receipt proving they have recycled or donated old sheets (except Boll & Branch sheets) to [email protected]. In exchange they will receive a 20% off discount for new sheets from Boll & Branch.

Boll & Branch sheet constructions include 100% organic cotton and organic flax linen with prices starting at $278 for a queen set.

See also:

Boll & Branch installs new sanitizing light technology

Is Williams-Sonoma sheet construction suit hanging by a thread?

High Point, N.C. — When it comes to selling performance fabrics, brands say that having a thorough knowledge of the category is a must.

According to industry players, pre-COVID there was a demand for performance fabrics, and the market was beginning to move in that direction.

With that in mind Furniture Today spoke with several performance fabrics makers to find out what RSAs need to know about selling this category.

Jack Eger, senior vice president,
Crypton

It is good to offer a truly memorable moment in the presentation. For us, this can be as simple as a repellency demonstration with liquid beading up on the fabric. Or it’s good to make an illustrated, real-life comparison either with non-performance fabric and show the differential in strength and cleanability side-by-side.

Another key element is to set the definition of performance. You want to explain cleanability, repellency and durability. A clear definition of performance will automatically eliminate that secondary category of brands that sells itself as performance but really isn’t.

It’s important to distinguish your brand. You can give them the reasons as to why your product belongs in the performance category and provide facts about what sets your brand apart from others.

It’s also important to specialize your training modules to suit the various roles that exist at retail. First you have managers and owners, who need to be enrolled in the value proposition of performance, the marketing and sales support your brand offers, and the potential for upselling through COM and other custom programs.

In sales, there are two groups, one selling furniture on the showroom floor and another group designing rooms or residences. So, it’s two different kinds of sales staffers. You need to train them separately because their skill sets and knowledge bases are different, and often their clientele are at a different level of design interest.

Susan Sheil, sales and design consultant
Culp

COVID has exaggerated this whole movement. We have seen a lot of growth in this segment within our company. Some consumers are remodeling, and some are buying furniture for the first time. They all want performance fabrics that are available at an affordable price. Whereas before, performance fabric was something you worked with a designer to get, or there was a $600 or $700 upcharge to get a performance fabric.

A lot of other companies have a performance story. For Culp’s LiveSmart, we start with quality fabric that goes through lots of rigorous testing before we ever introduce it to the customer. We then explain how the fabric starts with high performance polyester yarns and the process encapsulates the entire yarn, not just the top surface.

Also, Culp’s LiveSmart performance fabrics are all converting to be Fluorine Free. Culp is continually researching and improving to give our customers the best quality product.

Iwan Nassimi, executive vice president
Nassimi
When we look at performance fabrics, we try to think beyond a singular feature such as stain resistance. To us, performance means that the material will endure and remain beautiful even after years of use.

For that reason, performance should be looked at more holistically to incorporate all the stress areas that are most often the cause for a fabric’s lack of durability. These include pilling resistance, seam strength, abrasion and stain resistance. A true performance fabric should address all of these, as our Resilience TX performance fabrics do.

Above and beyond that, one should consider the added benefits that may be of particular value in households with pets or small children, such as a liquid barrier or bleach resistance. Liquid barrier fabrics, such as Supreen, protect the furniture from the inside out, preventing liquids from penetrating and reaching the inside, keeping the furniture hygienic, smelling fresh and looking clean.

Anderson Gibbons, vice president of marketing
Revolution Performance Fabrics

With performance fabrics its important to make it simple: They are stain resistant, family-friendly and bleach cleanable. The easier performance fabrics for RSAs to sell are those that have a set warranty, since when you buy a performance brand, you are buying a promise that these will be easily cleanable performance fabrics.

When it comes to durability, it’s important to know the results of the double rub test and whether the product offers dynamic seam slippage. At Revolution, we run 20 different tests on our everyday fabrics that are in the mill before they even go to market. If the fabric fails any of those tests, it doesn’t get released.

I think that durability is becoming more of an issue with the weavers not making durable yarns. It can often be harder to understand the amount of durability with these beautiful fabrics since they aren’t actually performance fabrics if they can’t perform on someone’s sofa.

Sarah Dooley, director of upholstery
Sunbrella

First, it’s important to understand your customer and their lifestyle. In the case of performance fabrics, it helps to ask not only questions about their home and overall aesthetic, but also how they’ll be spending their time. Today, performance fabrics can be beautiful, easy to clean and soft. This makes them a perfect option for families with children and pets or for someone who likes to entertain.

Based on the customer’s design goals, it is helpful to merchandise performance fabrics by explaining their role in designing a complete and comfortable home. Choosing a performance fabric for larger furniture items will provide a soft yet durable foundation that can be built on with throw pillows in fresh color pairings, patterns and other motifs to make a consumer’s space feel uniquely theirs.

It can also help to call out the benefits of performance fabrics for certain environments. For example, while Sunbrella performance fabrics are suitable for both exterior and interior environments, our key selling attributes for indoor spaces include being a worry-free choice offering durability, comfort and stain resistance without sacrificing style.

Sunbrella upholstery fabrics are also Greenguard Gold certified for low chemical emissions, contributing to healthy indoor air quality.

In addition, it’s important to help customers understand that some performance fabrics are made with surface-dyed yarns and are only protected by an external coating that wears over time. In contrast, Sunbrella fabrics are woven with proprietary yarns made with durable fibers completely saturated with color, offering superior fade resistance.

A final tip is to do some research and communicate a brand’s commitment to quality and craftsmanship as well as the longevity of the fabric.

Jeff Smith, director of residential sales
Ultrafabrics

Our customers, and ultimately the end user, expect that materials will not only hold up to any situation in or out of the home, but also expect the fabrics to remain attractive, easy to clean and safe for their families.

Typical woven performance fabrics are made from polyester, cotton, viscose, olefins, etc. In time, these fibers will begin to wear, and any protective coatings will diminish. While manufacturers have improved the performance aspect of their fabrics with different finishes, some of these finishes are looked at as environmentally unsafe, while other plant-based options only protect against water-based stains. That is where understanding the needs of performance from both technical and practical aspects are important in order to recommend the right product.

Ultrafabrics’ double rub/abrasion results range from 200k to 400k compared with the industry standard of 15k, while our hydrolysis testing ranges from 10 to14 weeks compared with the industry standard of five weeks. On a practical level, our enhanced attributes are inherent to the product and will not wear like a topical treatment. Ultimately our fabrics are engineered for all aspects of performance without sacrificing comfort, look or sustainability.

Patrick Shelton, senior vice president of sales
Valdese Weavers

The last thing a retail salesperson wants to do is sell their customer a performance fabric that doesn’t meet the needs of their customers’ space and lifestyle, potentially leaving the customer disappointed and unlikely to return.

It is important to be educated about different performance brands by using the resources the performance brand’s company offers. We recommend visiting the brand websites and browsing the product features and FAQ pages.

We also recommend taking advantage of virtual or in-person training with a brand representative. For example, InsideOut Performance Fabrics has an outreach program in which a training manager will come to the retail store or host a virtual training session with all sales staff to ensure they feel comfortable speaking about InsideOut Performance Fabrics.

It is also important to remember that not all performance fabrics have the same characteristics. Many performance brands check the box of being durable, easy to clean and liquid resistant, but what if the customer needs fade resistance for outdoors or an interior room with a lot of light. What if they want something that is bleach cleanable for a room that sees a lot of messes? What if they require a fabric that is PFAS free?

Also, showing a customer how a performance fabric actually performs can go a long way. A quick demonstration of spilling a liquid, such as red wine or soy sauce, on a sample piece of fabric and showing how easy it cleans can significantly increase buying confidence for a consumer.

See also:

• Price hikes coming in Q2 from leading fabric supplier
• Milliken unveils its first entry in this hot fabric category

   

   

   

Shanghai – As China’s Covid-19 cases hit their highest level since May, the Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles show pulled the plug on next month’s expo.

Scheduled to take place from Aug. 15-17, event was slated to combine the autumn edition of the trade fair with the spring edition, which had been posted earlier this year. Trade show organizer Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd. announced that the autumn edition is being deferred to 2023.

According to Bloomberg, Shanghai’s most recent pandemic outbreak is now stabilizing and most people who tested positive are already in quarantine.

“After holding discussions with our stakeholders, we have made what we believe to be the responsible decision to delay the fair. While the call was made with the safety of the fair’s participants in mind, deferring the fair to the early part of next year will also allow more time for fairgoers to plan for their participation,” said Wendy Wen, senior general manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd.

Dates for the 2023 spring and autumn editions of Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles will be announced at a later date.

“We understand that there is a lot of anticipation surrounding this fair, with exhibitors and buyers eager to connect in person,” said Wen. “We would like to thank all participants for their patience and understanding, and also to express our continued dedication to provide a quality international trading platform for the home textile industry.”

Related news:

Zest for life animates three 2023 textile trends at upcoming Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles