Article Number : 6579 |
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| Date | 4/25/2011 9:34:39 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=6579 |
| Abstract | By Louis Iannaco With spring comes renewal, a time to experience and experiment with what’s new, innovative and exciting. Broadloom producers from coast to coast not only know what time it is, they’ve come to the table with a wide range of new offerings and options for... |
| Article | By Louis Iannaco With spring comes renewal, a time to experience and experiment with what’s new, innovative and exciting. Broadloom producers from coast to coast not only know what time it is, they’ve come to the table with a wide range of new offerings and options for retailers and end users alike. Beaulieu of America Bliss by Beaulieu HealthyTouch addresses two desires of today’s carpet customer: softness and durability. Featuring the mill’s SoftSense polyester fiber technology, the consumer can now have both, noted Jeff Meadows, CMO. Also built into the 20 HealthyTouch styles is Beaulieu’s Magic Fresh odor-reducing treatment and Silver Release technology that inhibits the growth of stain-causing bacteria, mold and mildew. Meadows pointed out that these proprietary features handle another important consumer concern: a fresher indoor environment. “This is an important concern because almost $5 billion is spent annually on air fresheners and room deodorizers alone.” All Bliss HealthyTouch carpets carry 3M Scotchgard Protector, lifetime stain protection and Beaulieu’s “You’ll love it or we’ll take it back” guarantee. “No one has ever brought to market carpet collections this advanced, this consumer-solutions oriented or this attractive on the sales floor,” Meadows said. “Healthy never felt this soft.” Some of the newer products in the collection include Bliss Tuscan in 12 colors, Bliss Style in 36 colors and Bliss Manifest in 28 colors. Dixie New to the company’s Masland brand is Inverness, a classic basket weave with subtle striations, while new Stainmaster additions to the Masland Avenue collection— using the company’s proprietary tufting technology to create the look and feel of tufted wool—are also now available. The big news for the mill’s Fabrica brand includes additions to the Chez collection. With the Ultra Chic pattern, the yarn is used to create what Paul Comiskey, president of Dixie Home/The Dixie Group-Residential business, called “the ultimate pindot” backed by a 48-color line. Another Fabrica highlight is the development of a new fiber that helps recreate the look of wool and viscose. “We started to explore the opportunity to recreate those looks in alternate fibers that offer better performance,” he explained. “This new fiber features a really soft hand the high-end customer wants.” The new fiber is featured in three spring introductions. With Dixie Home the mantra, as Comiskey noted, is affordable fashion. Canoe Ridge is a Stainmaster product that uses different luster levels at a more moderate price point, while with Charleston Place, “the pindot is taken to a new level by not just using a cut and loop construction, but by using different yarns and luster levels.” Gulistan The mill recently debuted eight Gulistan carpet styles and 11 American Lifestyles products. The introductions include 13 Stainmaster carpet styles under the Luxerell, Tactesse and Soft brands, and six American Lifestyles styles using Gulistan’s new 6,6 continuous filament nylon system with Scotchgard carpet protector. “2011 is about ‘soft,’ as part of our continuing commitment to bring distinctive carpets to the market,” said Tony Prestipino, executive vice president of sales and marketing. “Our goal this year is to give consumers the best choices in the soft categories— Luxerell, Tactesse and Soft, as well as our own new soft nylon. The 2011 styles are a diverse mix of on-trend textures, contemporary friezes and striking patterns.” Nine new styles are crafted using Stainmaster Luxerell type 6,6 continuous filament nylon. The products include the Plaza good- better-best textures; Paradise Touch, a texture with wool-like luster; and a good/better /best offering in an ultra-soft contemporary freize in natural tones with a berber-fleck accent— Dakota Berbers (good), Pleasant Field (better) and Richfield (best). Richton, a new Stainmaster Tactesse style, is a contemporary continuous filament texture with a frieze look. Its hues share a common palette with the mill’s Park Avenue texture. Fairlane and Kailey have debuted as two new entry-level Stainmaster Soft casual friezes, with Kailey available as one of two roll specials. Windly, a classic cut-and-loop pattern made with Stainmaster ExtraBody II 6,6 BCF nylon, also has been launched as a roll special with its nine colors comprising the best of the Windridge line. Under its American Lifestyles brand, Gulistan has introduced six styles built with type 6,6 continuous filament ‘Soft’ nylon and finished with the 3M Scotchgard carpet protector system. Mohawk The mill continues its rollout of the first and only branded PET BCF in the carpet industry. Wear-Dated Revive gives retailers a highly competitive collection of products in the PET BCF category, with a unique advantage in the consumer’s eyes, noted David Duncan, vice president of marketing. “Differentiation and innovation in the PET BCF market are critical to helping retailers maximize the value they bring to consumers while maintaining and growing their store margins,” he said. “Mohawk’s new Wear-Dated Revive program gives retailers a softer, cleaner and longer lasting PET BCF carpet with one of the most powerful consumer brands in the flooring industry.” Before PET BCF fiber could be branded Wear-Dated, it had to be “tough tested” to ensure it met the brand’s performance certifications, noted Duncan. “A Wear-Dated Revive product is required to meet a higher performance standard in its construction, which includes weight, density and twist.” Additionally, Mohawk adds an extra step to Wear-Dated Revive carpet production called scouring. “Scouring is a fiber cleaning process during manufacturing that removes process residue, rough fibers, particles and oily residue resulting in improved strength and durability, improved soil protection, and improved softness and fiber body,” he explained. “Plus, it locks-in the Scotchgard Protector Advanced Repel technology, improving longevity of soil protection. This process is what separates Revive from many other PET BCF providers and allows Mohawk’s PET BCF fiber to meet the standards necessary to qualify for Wear-Dated performance certification.” Shaw Combining the success of its sleigh displays and the Anso nylon colorwall selling system, Shaw has introduced the 2011 Cleartouch Colorwall. This display shows each traditional and casual substrate in large feeler blankets cascading down the front of the display, allowing the customer to see the visual and feel the products’ softness. The system will feature take-home swatches, providing an easy way for the consumer to match and confirm color selections, noted Jason Green, Shaw Flooring Network brand manager. Featured on one side of the new Colorwall is See the World (S), a good/better/best collection of solid-color traditional tailored products that represent the softest ClearTouch yarn Shaw has ever introduced. In addition, the colorwall features See the World (T), a good/better/best collection of similarly constructed visuals combined with today’s popular tweeds. All products presented on the ClearTouch Colorwall are continuous filament (no shedding), treated with Shaw’s patented R2X soil and stain treatment, and backed with Softbac Platinum. The solids are offered in 40 colors while the tweeds feature eight. In addition to the ClearTouch Colorwall, several products have been added to the ClearTouch collection. Shaw has launched two good/better/best traditional textures in Secret Escape and Whatever Your Mood. Shaw’s premium Clear Touch card display has been be enhanced with the addition of French Meadows Tonal and French Meadows Accent. A casual frieze construction, French Meadows offers three distinct visuals: six low contrast tonal colorations, nine medium contrast accent colorations, and nine high contrast accent colorations. Shaw has also introduced several products that are not necessarily packaged as updates, but complete ClearTouch programs where more regional styling is desired. All ClearTouch introductions are treated with R2X stain and soil repellent, providing easy maintenance. Stanton In 2010 shags became successful for Stanton and for 2011 the company is ready to continue the “hottest trend” with Shagtastic, Shagariffic, Shaggy Bliss, and Spectacular, said Jonathan Cohen, COO. “For shags with a shine, Shaggy Luxe and Shaggy Radiance are ready to take the spotlight.” Just in time for summer, he added, the Lake Collection with three new styles, all made of 100% Royalton polypropylene, offer “beautiful new patterns at the same great value.” |