 Industry Innovators - February 2008  |
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Going Places
Four home fashions resources embark on growth opportunities for the upcoming year With the word “recession” looming in conversations and headlines, some suppliers and manufacturers are taking action by choosing to see the change in consumer spending habits as a challenge—acting on it in ways different from the past as an opportunity for growth. Softline Home Fashions One fabrics and ready-mades company has chosen to tackle market obstacles by becoming tech and web-savvy. Founding brothers Jason and Rodney Carr of Softline Home Fashions take pride in that their company as an operation that keeps pace with technology. For the past eight years, Softline has adapted to a running gait to maintain their reputation as a supplier with a quality product that moves with the ever-changing mood of the customer.
One way Softline keeps up with the consumer is by creating up-to-date graphic marketing strategies. Located in L.A., it seems that a little bit of the Hollywood spirit has rubbed off on the Carr brothers. In 2007, they produced a short film about the company, including inside shots of their busy work environment and product vignettes, with personal interviews that place faces with the names of Softline employees, against a classic-rock music soundtrack. The film serves as an example of Softline’s edginess in the way it conducts business. The brothers are currently working on a two-minute trailer for the film. In addition, Softline will launch a new website this month, including plentiful additional views of products in every colorway available. Softline’s new product lines for the upcoming year will feature different polyesters, polyblends, yarn dyes, imitation silk textures, applications and embroideries for their fabrics and ready-mades, and incorporate eco-friendly fabrics. Softline’s newest Diva Collection will feature 15 colorways in five coordinating designs: solid, vertical crush, modern stripe, burnout diamond, flocked with antique finish for an updated, traditional look, explains Rodney. Softline will also offer a full coordinating line of blackout fabrics for ready-mades and by the bolt. “Home dec isn’t like fashion. It’s about having a great brand for customers to count on,” says Jason. “Softline has a certain pace to it. When we launch a new program, we usually go very deep in color range and come out with new exciting fabrics that are different from what the market is used to. You need to be able to take a little risk.” Vici International Another company that is turning “tough times” into opportunity is Vici International, the marketing arm for Design South Africa. As an ardent supporter of fair trade and empowerment for workers and rural crafts people, Vici is the U.S. rep for the Department of Trade and Industry of South Africa and creates an export market for 14 master crafters from the country. As one of the owners, Sue Allpass explains that Design South Africa’s products offer the consumer an opportunity to foster growth and prosperity in a region of the world where there may not have been if it weren’t for an export market. “We stand out from our competitiors because we offer the U.S. market something so different,” says Allpass. “As a U.S. representative, we keep up-to-date with U.S. color and fashion trends, and then translate that information back to vendors in South Africa so they can create very sophisticated and contemporary products while maintaining their own signature African and tribal flair accents.” And Vici International is growing at a steady pace. An additional 20 vendors are expected to join Design South Africa by the July 2008 Atlanta market.
“We realize we play a very responsible role in providing feedback and local U.S. contacts to our vendors,” says Allpass. “Speaking for myself and the other three owners, all of our hearts are from South Africa. We only acquired freedom 10 years ago, and we hope to provide jobs and sustainability that might not occur without this opportunity to export.” Vici International also represents two product lines outside of Design South Africa group. The first is fine Italian linens from Patrizia Anichini. She has ventured out on her own to create the Patrizia A. line of 500 to 600 thread-count sheets in percale, sateen, crepe cottons, jacquards and additional textures. But the newest for Vici International is the artist Diana Carmichael, who Vici secured two weeks before the January 2008 Atlanta market. Having grown up in Zimbabwe and Johannesburg, South Africa, Carmichael captures the spirit of Africa in her designs. For her Impondu Zulu Collection, Carmichael uses a springbok horn in each piece. As an animal who breeds prolifically, it is necessary to cull the herds. The region uses every part of the animal, but not the horns. As a way to recycle the horns, each piece of the tableware features a highly polished horn as the handle. After a large interest in Patrizia Anichini and Carmichael at the recent Atlanta market, Allpass sees a change occurring in consumer and buyer tastes. “There has been a swing in the pendulum,” says Allpass. “There has been such a rush to go to China and India for mass-produced goods, but there has now been a swing in valuing hand-crafted product. It’s refreshing to see.” ADO Corporation While Vici International uses the new year to promote cultural awareness, fabric and custom drapery manufacturer ADO sees 2008 as a chance to assert its presence in the eco-friendly realm. ADO has unveiled a new ‘Socially Consciousness Manufacturing’ seal that emphasizes the importance of fabrics and textiles that are manufactured to “green” standards. ADO’s products are also certified under the Oeko-Tex seal, a global textile seal that also promotes fabrics not manufactured with the use of harmful chemicals. ADO also introduces a new convenient, color-coordinated drapery fabric collection called “ADOcoordinates.” This line of trimmings, drapery weight fabrics, prints and sheer fabrics compliment traditional and contemporary interiors. Tara Smith, marketing communications manager, Americas, says that ADOcoordinates is an innovative resource for window treatment designers because the new sampling and display tools like color palette charts are easy to use. In addition, ADO will introduce two lines of customized ADOworkroom products: ADOshade and ADOpanel. The designs will allow greater ease for customers who want a ready-made design with coordinated fabrics. But even with these new product lines, ADO isn’t immune to challenges that face the industry, especially for windows. “I think the biggest challenge we face is the home buying market,” Smith says. “If it’s up, then our industry is up. But when it’s down, our industry suffers across the board. Statistics for home interiors also show that draperies aren’t always ‘top of mind’ for today’s consumers; we often find there’s fierce competition among hard window treatment manufacturers versus soft window treatment manufacturers.” “I think we will have accomplished deeper relationships with our customers by improving our customer service and offering them helpful tools and products they can use conveniently,” says Smith. “I also believe that with the new products and programs we’re putting in place in 2008, we will help our customers achieve increased sales goals. Equally, overseas production of finished goods dominates our marketplace. Going back to our ‘Socially Conscious Manufacturing’ seal, we can—and do—keep a competitive edge over the marketplace because we manufacture, customize, inspect and finish all of our goods in our U.S. facility and in our European parent company.” Taymor Industries The changing pace of the economy and consumer tastes have also led a supplier to give itself a makeover to better represent its presence in the industry. Taymor Industries, a supplier of builders and decorative hardware, will be launching a brand new product catalog that will preview for the February 2008 market. With it comes a new logo and new products like a doggy spa set. “This year is all about working harder and smarter,” says Randy Wright, senior vice-president, Taymor. “We go where the market is going. Everything will be new for the catalog: the format, the look, a new image that will take on a more updated, cleaner, modern style, letting go of the classic flat front catalog photography.” Taymor is also developing an e-catalog to launch in mid-2008, once the tests are completed to ensure the site’s security. It is designed so business-to-business customers can have 24-hour access to Taymor’s product selections. As for brick-and-mortar sales, Wright is working to expand distribution by tapping into what is called the “drug and convenience” store market, a new form of distribution for the company. Taymor is currently testing with select Rite Aid stores. If successful, it will provide continuous growth for the supplier. Though stainless steel has proven to be a continuously high contender in the market because of its durability, Wright sees that consumers’ spending habits are treading toward what he calls the “needed items.” “It’s a buy/sell business,” says Wright. “From the shape of the economy right now, it’s back to basics.” “People come to us and continually ask what’s new in items and finishes because we are very reactionary,” says Wright. “We will even go a step further and develop products with buyers who have an idea. They come to us with a line drawing, and we respond with a prototype and realistic quantities. It stimulates our own thoughts as well to see new growth opportunities.” These are only four success stories from a multitude of suppliers who are continuously rising to keep up with changing times through innovation. Resources
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