By Louis Iannaco
In response to the increasing market share gains made by the hard surface categories, fiber and carpet producers are developing technologies to create new textures, styles and colors as they seek to turn consumers’ minds back to broadloom. As such, fiber companies displayed their latest and greatest to the masses at Surfaces.

Invista rolled out three new fibers to enhance the Stainmaster carpet offering and provide consumers with the beauty, luxury and performance benefits they demand, noted Gary Johnston, brand/global brand director. “The new Luxerell nylon fiber is an extremely fine denier fiber that captures the natural luxury and beauty of wool but delivers a super soft, cashmere hand along with all the performance attributes expected from a Stainmaster carpet,” he said. “It truly takes the comfort and luxury in carpet to a new level.

“Luxerell’s real reason for being in the marketplace is it delivers the natural elegance, status and luxury of a wool-type category, but this product offers a cashmere touch and softness that is just out of this world.”

The new Tactesse nylon fiber has been added to the Tactesse family and provides additional body along with the renowned softness and performance of Tactesse fiber, Johnston noted. “This new fiber will deliver more consumer value in a wider range of face weights in texture and frieze styles.”

The new ExtraBody II nylon uses the patented Invista Dualfiber extrusion process to deliver a fiber with a rich, thick hand for products in the value and performance categories. “The new additions to this category have expanded the styling options by offering new luster levels and deep dye/light die color technology,” Johnston said. “This will result in differentiated looks in colors and styles from textures to patterns to friezes and loops.”

To date, all the major carpet mills have integrated the new Tactesse and ExtraBody II fibers into their portfolios, while Dixie, Masland and Tuftex are leading market penetration with the Luxerell fiber offering.

Saleable options

Color, style and texture adorned Solutia’s Wear-Dated booth at Surfaces. Debuts from Karastan, Tuftex, Fabrica, Gulistan, Horizon, Royalty and WundaWeve featured new looks created with Wear-Dated fiber providing retailers with saleable options to present to consumers.

Many of the new products feature Wear-Dated Natural Nylon, introduced at Surfaces 2007, which combines the superior performance characteristics of Solutia type 6,6 nylon with a proprietary insert technology that binds individual fibers together. The result is a patented fiber structure with sharp pinpoint tip definition and a natural “wool-like look” in constructions previously limited to BCF fiber, all with superior appearance retention.

These include several WundaWeve introductions featured in WundaWeve specific displays: Shining Allure, a patterned loop; isal Chic, a scroll loop, and two heavy textured cut piles, Colorful Choice and Perfect Palette.

For the first time ever, Karastan products were showcased in the Wear-Dated booth. Karastan introduced a collection of Wear- Dated Natural Nylon products, including a restyled, re-colored rebirth of the mill’s signature broadloom, Eloquence Classic, a thick, heavy weight cable texture available in 60 colors.

McClaren Park, Nob Hill and Union Street are three superbly finished new Natural Nylon textures that will quickly be best sellers within Karastan, noted Christine Whittemore, director, In-Store Innovation. Palissanadro and Modello, two patterned loops, and Linea, a cut pile, utilize a subtle overprint to create a unique yet sophisticated look. Carlisle Bay is a Wear-Dated DuraSoft textured loop in 24 colors.

“Karastan continues to be the industry fashion and style leader,” said David Goldschmidt, director, retail sales. “Nob Hill has gotten an amazing response and should quickly become a top-seller for Karastan. Add to that Eloquence Classic and the other new styles, and Karastan retailers have some great new selections for their consumers.”

Gulistan adds to its collection of Wear-Dated products with Del Ray, a dense cable texture mixing a thick two-ply yarn with a complementary thinner accent yarn, and Bradley Cove, a dense cut-and-loop pattern. The full collection will be available in the new Gulistan Advantage Collection display.

Fabrica’s Silk Weave, a level cut loop pattern, complements Nibbana, Shandur and Abrash—introduced in 2007—all styles that offer unique texture and shading. From Royalty are Alluring, Impulse and Integrity, three Wear-Dated Freedom level cut loop (LCL) styles available in three geometric type patterns with 24 colors each.

Tuftex introduces Super Chic, a rebirth of top-selling and highly fashionable cable Chic to Chic, in 32 colors. Finally, Melrose Place, a Dura-Soft cable from Horizon, completes the look, feel and style of fashion that Solutia’s booth showed with its latest debuts.

“The opportunity with soft surface is to create patterns, subtle and textural patterns,” Whittemore said. “Mixing a thick yarn with a thin one creates a visual interest that redefines a traditional product.”

(Editor’s note: Look for more on what fiber producers are doing in future issues.)