By Louis Iannaco
What makes a chart topping hit a song mostly everyone wants to hear? Similarly, why do certain carpet styles rise to the top of the sales chart while others never make it out of research and development? And what are currently some of the best selling broadloom products on the market today?

Since dealers seeking to raise their profit margins are always looking for new ways to pique their customers’ interest (especially in tough times), an informative introduction to some of those best sellers is in order. The following are what’s currently hot from some of the major players in the industry.

Beaulieu of America

Breathe Easy represents the Healthy Home Collection. “This is the most popular style in that collection,” said Patricia Flavin, the mill’s senior vice president of marketing. It consists of 60-oz. Green Smart PET polyester (made from recycled soda and water bottles); Silver Release antimicrobial protection to inhibit the growth of bacteria, mold and mildew, and Magic Fresh, Beaulieu’s exclusive odor destroying carpet treatment.

Awaken (65-ounce) and Invigorate (70-ounce) are from the Simple Accents collection. Simple Accents is made with Beaulieu’s own Fiber Essence continuous filament PET polyester that generates brighter colors and better construction while providing a better value. Both have Magic Fresh.

“Of the top 10 selling styles [for Beaulieu], the Bliss Healthy Home collection occupies half the slots,” she said. Bliss Simple Accents (such as Breathe Easy) and Bliss Ultimate Home styles are also in the top 10.

Feedback from dealers indicate that Beaulieu’s proprietary features such as Silver Release and Magic Fresh “really captivate customers’ interest and give them added incentive to choose Bliss by Beaulieu carpets for their homes,” she concluded.

Dixie Home

Movado, one of the mill’s top sellers, noted Dan Phelan, vice president of marketing, is a “delicate vine pattern constructed of 100% soft and durable Stainmaster Tactesse nylon” and available in 30 colors, including organic greens and earth tones.

Another top seller, Tropea, features the “classic striated effect found in traditional handmade carpets combined with high and low-luster cut and loop yarns for a pleasing watercolor effect,” he explained. Tropea is available in 24 colors and constructed of 100% Stainmaster Tactesse BCF nylon.

Fabrica

Chez (pronounced shey) is the manufacturer’s signature product and the “ultimate in fine count, velvety soft cut pile nylon broadloom for 35 years,” said Phelan. “Today, this velvety soft favorite is presented in a palette of 100 outstanding colorways.”

Nibbana, a tufted loop pile pattern in 17 striated colors, is another of the mill’s hot products. “Nibbana’s random tip shearing offers an interesting blend of shading and depth,” he added. It is constructed of 100% Advanced Generation BCF 6,6 nylon.

Gulistan

“Two of our best sellers this year to date are Park Avenue and Bisby (a texture and frieze),” said Tony Prespitino, vice president of sales and marketing. “Park Avenue is the combination of great aesthetics with the luxurious soft hand of Tactesse.

“Simply put, Park Avenue is one of the prettiest textures, if not the prettiest, in the marketplace,” he explained. “Stainmaster Tactesse nylon manufactured in a tight, dense construction with a refined-finish surface achieves this product’s warm, rich visual. Softness and product durability are achieved by using Stainmaster Tactesse fiber in exacting specifications, which ensure that Park Avenue will perform as well as it looks.”

Park Avenue is available in 36 tonal colorations.

Bisby is a Tactesse frieze. “Here again, it is a combination of aesthetics and soft hand,” Prepitino said. “It is a frieze-shag with a remarkable full, soft hand. Bisby is constructed of Stainmaster Tactesse continuous filament 6,6 nylon.”

Bisby’s color palette consists of 18 naturals featuring 12 solid and six berber-flecks.

Masland Carpet & Rugs

Shangri-La, a deep and densely textured cut pile, has a “luxurious look and feel but is casual enough to fit comfortably in any space,” noted Phelan. Constructed of 100% Stainmaster Tactesse BCF nylon, Shangri-La is available in 25 colors.

Seurat, the “proven pin-dot classic with a luxurious soft hand,” he explained, “has been reintroduced in 60 fashionable colors and jumped to the number-two best seller for the company.

Mohawk

The mill’s SmartStrand with DuPont Sorona continues to build momentum, as it provides exceptional stain protection, durability and softness, noted Bart Rich, director, brand management. “SmartStrand with DuPont Sorona has been in the forefront thanks to The SmartStrand Challenge, where the product was easily cleaned even after being in the enclosure of a 2,800-lb. rhino for two weeks; and a recent appearance on ‘The Martha Stewart Show,’ as the first carpet ever used in a feature segment. Stewart, on live television, poured red wine on the carpet, then removed the stain with just warm water.”

Mohawk’s EverStrand products are also selling well, “thanks to their value story,” he explained. “EverStrand carpet has a strong environmental appeal (one fiber brand is 100% post consumer recycled from soft drink bottles) and a new softness message with EverStrand XtraSoft BCF.

“In premium nylons,” Rich concluded, “we are enjoying success with Wear-Dated, still one of the strongest consumer brands in flooring. In the past year, Mohawk has enhanced styling for Wear-Dated products, and introduced new soft styles using Wear-Dated’s DuraSoft and SoftTouch fibers that have generated exceptional appeal.” Mohawk has also matched its Wear-Dated styles with ScotchGard Protector Advanced Repel Technology for stain resistance.

Nourison

The mill’s top selling broadloom offerings include Grand Textures and Grand Parterre. Woven in a dense cut pile consisting of over 70 ounces of pure New Zealand wool per square yard, Grand Textures is designed and colored for both residential and upscale commercial applications.

“A special dye technique creates both horizontal and vertical striations for a unique antique textural appeal,” said Alex Peykar, the mill’s president. Grand Texture is available in 10 color themes, all at a width of 13 feet, 9 inches.

Woven exclusively from the highest quality 100% New Zealand wool, yarns for Grand Parterre are “dyed by the most exacting methods of modern technology to achieve an incredible range and subtlety of coloration,” he explained. “Using special state-of-the-art looms that can produce as many as 24 different shades of color in a single design, we have created patterns of truly unsurpassed refinement. After weaving, the carpet is luster-finished to impart a final touch of opulence. The Grand Parterre Collection offers a remarkable assortment of elegant transitional and traditional broadloom designs, as well as a beautifully coordinated selection of custom borders.”

Grand Parterre roll runners are offered in both 30- and 41-inch widths, allowing you to order a finished runner ideally proportioned to any interior space.

Shaw

“Philadelphia’s Cleartouch collection has been an overwhelming success in 2009,” said Brad Christensen, Shaw’s Philadelphia brand manager “The best sellers include products from casual solid color textures to high twist tweed constructions...and everything in between. All products offer Shaw’s patented R2X technology, a lifetime stain warranty, and of course, an irresistible soft feel. The Cleartouch collection has been accepted by a wide range of dealers due to its phenomenal consumer value and five-day shipping guarantee.”

The Couture collection once again made a statement with the introduction of Sound of Silence. “This style was featured at our 2009 customer events throughout the country and received rave reviews from both our salespeople and our customers,” said Mike Sanderson, Shaw’s Queen brand manager. “It has single-handily established Couture as Shaw’s highest end carpet collection. “In 2009,” he added, “Queen also introduced its first two Cleartouch styles— Orient Point and Stand Alone, both of which represent styles and constructions new to the Queen division and the marketplace. We will continue to build on the success of these styles in 2010.”

The Common Threads collection is Shaw’s best selling Main Street carpet tile, noted Chuck McClurg, Shaw’s Main Street commercial brand manager. “Aside from the stylish appearance, Shaw’s carpet tile is a best seller because of the outstanding product benefits.” Shaw’s Main Street carpet tile is constructed of EcoWorx backing and EcoSolutionQ nylon, both which are fully recyclable cradle-to-cradle products and contain recycled content. EcoWorx won the Presidential Green Chemistry Award, and Shaw was the first carpet manufacturer ever to obtain the distinct honor.

Additionally, the product contains the EcoWork Environmental Guarantee, which means that the product can be returned to Shaw free of charge for recycling (minimum of 500 yards).