ATLANTA, GA, February 9, 2009—Despite a frail economy, Surfaces 2009 was better than anticipated for Wools of New Zealand and its 26 exhibiting partners. Everyone agreed attendance was down; however, partners seemed pleased with sample orders and impressed by the quality of retailers in attendance. Sentiment remains that increased synthetic prices and growing environmental concerns are helping wool manufacturers and importers stay ahead during these difficult times.

Many retailers visiting the Wools of New Zealand Brand area were looking for ways to differentiate their stores and see wool’s niche attributes as a viable way to attract new customers. They were especially impressed by the innovative styling of the products in Wools of New Zealand Fashion Dynamics competition. The contest, which awards the creativity of Wools of New Zealand’s Brand partners by allowing retailers to vote on their favorite wool introductions, attracted over 300 retailers who cast votes for Best Overall Product (tufted and woven) and Best Color Line from a selection of 25 products.

Judging took place over a two-day period with votes tallied on the eve of the second day and awards presented to the first- and second-place winners. The top two winners in each category were:

Best Overall Woven:
First Place: Lhasa by Stanton
Runner Up: Highlights by Nourison

Best Overall Tufted Product:
First Place: Natural Essence by J. Mish
Runner Up: Diamante by Luzern

Best Color Line:
First Place: Forum MDF by Tisca Tiara
Runner Up: Romney by Helios

“We’ve received the Best Overall Woven award for four out of the past five years and couldn’t be more pleased,” says Jonathan Cohen, COO of Stanton. “We had great response to the product in our space, along with all our face-to-face, machine made and hand-loom qualities. Although the economy is difficult, we continue to see opportunity in the wool segment and work to provide the styling and price point options our customers need to get the business that is out there.”

“We are honored to win the Best Overall Tufted award,” adds Jack Mishkin, President/CEO of J. Mish. “People really respond to our wool carpets. They love the incredible texture, color and the level of interest they add to the floor. It is a category that sets us apart and continues to grow in new and exciting ways.”

“We see a lot of promise in the wool category,” explains Urs Tischhauser, President of Tisca Tiara. “Our company is committed to offering sustainable, well-styled carpets that support our retailers’ need for higher margins, higher profits and repeat business. We spend a great deal of time fine-tuning our color palettes and are pleased that retailers voiced their approval by choosing Forum MDF for Best Color Line.”