Mannington's Tailor Made

By Matthew Spieler
Hicksville, N.Y.—With NeoCon just a few weeks away, carpet manufacturers are gearing up for what is expected to be a busy market as numerous sectors in the commercial industry are projected to continue their upward swing.

At the June market, Shaw Contract will unveil two collections which include both broadloom and carpet tile products, including one in collaboration with designer Angela Adams.

The Angela Adams Collection consists of three broadlooms and four carpet tiles, with both styles in 12 colors for each product. Adams launched her first rug collection in 1997 and has since expanded to handbags, furniture, fabrics, tiles, glassware and papergoods. She has noted her colorful aesthetic is taken from cues in nature and personal experiences growing up.

John Stephens, Shaw’s vice president of marketing, said the collection will “redefine the way corporate interiors professionals view commercial carpet products. The synergistic relationship between these two very different companies captures a spirit which presents products that are beautiful to the eye, functional for the space and sustainable for the environment.”

All products are constructed with Shaw’s Eco Solution Q nylon, a cradle-to-cradle yarn containing 25% recycled content and are geared for multi-use commercial applications. Also, the tile products feature EcoWorx, a cradle-to-cradle backing containing 40% recycled content.

Shaw’s other collection, Silk, consists of four broadloom and six carpet tile products. Stephens said they are made for high-end corporate and professional services office space. “This is our first product targeted directly to these applications. To show our commitment to high-end design and construction, the Shaw design team visited Thailand for color and texture inspiration.”

Made from Invista’s Antron Legacy nylon, all Silk products are eligible for Shaw’s recycling programs.

Mannington Commercial will be showcasing numerous soft and hard surface products at NeoCon. Among the carpet offerings it will have on display include Tailor-Made, Classic Fit and Everywear.

The three made-to-measure products are designed for corporate and retail applications, said Monica Brock, manager of marketing services. Each is produced “in an effervescent palette of 16 fashion-forward designer-centric colorways which flow from space to space, color scheme to color scheme.” Custom color can be had with a minimum order of 133 square yards.

She added all three products are NeoTec precision loop and Enhanced Graphics loop constructed of Invista’s Antron Lumena solution-dyed nylon and feature DuraTech soil-resistant treatment.

Each is also constructed with UltraBac Plus and available in 12-ft. width and 24-in. Infinity modular. “Now designers can have custom looks with off-the-rack design flexibility for their corporate and retail market projects,” Brock said.

The Mohawk Group’s six brands will all be at NeoCon with new collections. One of the most active will once again be the Lees Carpet division, said Natalie Jones, vice president of brand management, noting the new Composition Collection of broadloom and modular products draws its inspiration from music’s indelible impressions.

It is constructed of Invista’s type 6,6 nylon with Lees’ LeesGuard soil release technology. Broadloom products feature the mill’s Unibond backing system, while the modular offerings come with the company’s Integrated Cushion Thermabond backing system (ICT). Jones said ICT is an exclusive thermoplastic coating with a reinforced fiberglass construction which prevents delamination and will not shrink.

Another collection on display will be Moments, part of Lees’ NeoFloor resilient textile sheet products. Designed for healthcare facilities it is offered in 6-ft. widths.

Alan Fennell, NeoFloor’s business manager, said Moments comprises four designs which evoke a different aspect of nature in five colorations. “Moments greatly enhances the aesthetics of healthcare facilities to help calm patients, speed recovery and retain staff.”

As with all NeoFloor products Moments features Bioguard, an antimicrobial treatment that is applied to the base of the fiber layer. “NeoFloor offers the advantages of carpet and the ease-of-maintenance of hard surfaces,” Fennell noted, “with superior aesthetics and density ideal for heavy foot and wheeled traffic areas.”

The Milliken showroom will be highlighting Color Vibe, “a new level of carpet customization using a high-definition digital program,” said Alison Kitchingman, director of marketing.

She explained, designers select from a wide range of standard patterns and then add a “high-energy, trend-pacing” accent color. “This new customization option allows designers to energize designs and create individuality without the cost and timeframe of a custom process.”

The concept was created after Milliken research showed most custom projects are based on a standard design concept with just a small color change. For NeoCon, the mill selected some of its most popular modular carpet designs to launch the program. For 2006/2007 it re-colored the designs’ palette. They can be customized with nine Color Vibe accents.

Color Vibe’s 36-in. modular carpets are made of Milliken’s certified WearOn nylon, ComfortPlus cushion backing, MilliGuard for reduced staining and soiling, and AlphaSan for built-in protection against mold and mildew.

Northwest Carpets, an independent mill in Dalton will be at NeoCon after a successful showing at the HD Expo in Las Vegas last month, where it introduced Fusion, Blue Ribbon and Black Label.

Randy Coker, the mill’s president, said “We want to further our position as the most versatile manufacturer and have invested considerably in new equipment and technology to build our existing lines.”

Fusion is considered the most imaginative of the three new collections, he said, and was created for large public spaces. It merges two manufacturing processes for a wide range of color, style and design options, with repeats up to six feet. “The combination of technologies allows for the creation of small geometric patterns with intricate, subtle design elements.” It features multi-pile heights and tip shearing for either loop or cut styling.

Blue Ribbon is for corridors and public spaces and utilizes Northwest’s mechanized scroll technology. The three-pattern series is a 1/12 gauge cut loop style with “flowing circular scrolls.”

Black Label is constructed with Northstar solution-dyed nylon and is designed for those “who want to make a statement in an uptown boutique hotel, chic midtown restaurant or powerful executive suite,” Coker said.

NeoCon takes place June 12 to 14 in Chicago at the famous Merchandise Mart. For more information, call 800/677-6278.