PENNSAUKEN, NJ— February 6, 2024 — United Fabrics has announced the promotion of Lindsey Josepayt to the newly created position of Vice President of Design and Marketing. In this new capacity, She will continue to forward the development of United Fabrics’ distinctive branding through her expert curation of thoughtful collections and her keen sense of United’s creative voice within the textile industry.

Josepayt first interned for United Fabrics before joining the company in June 2009 as a permanent employee. Previously she served as the Designer and Buyer before her promotion to Director of Design and Marketing in January 2013. During her tenure at United Fabrics, she has championed immense growth; helping the company evolve from primarily residentially-focused to the service of architects and interior designers catering to hospitality and commercial clients. Among her many achievements are the successful launch of a rebrand and a newly refreshed and improved website in 2020.

Josepayt’s industrious spirit and innovative instincts have propelled the company into new territories, expanding the brand’s relevance to new groups of design professionals. Josepayt and her designs have been featured in publications such as Hospitality Design Magazine, Interior Design Magazine, and NEWH Magazine. Her collections have been honored at Interior Design’s Best of Year awards in 2022 and 2023, as well as at Hospitality Design’s Awards in 2021.

Josepayt is an enthusiastic alum of Jefferson University’s Textile Design program, from which she holds an M.S. degree in Textile Design. She actively mentors students and young professionals who seek her out as a creative, caring, and inspirational female leader and designer.

Scott Warwick, President & CEO, states: “We feel that this title is better reflective of the responsibilities and work with which Lindsey has been doing for United. Moreover, this title change better aligns Lindsey with her peers in the industry as a whole. As the face of United and often, the voice of United, she has done a remarkable job building United’s brand, interfacing with our sales force and customers, and making our line among the best in the business.”

Posted: February 11, 2024

Source: United Fabrics

CULP’s mattress fabric manufacturing facility in Stokesdale, North Carolina, donated blankets to the High Point-based charity, Cover the City. This facility also shipped blankets to CULP’s window treatment production facility in Knoxville, Tennessee, which were then donated to the Tennessee Valley Coalition for the Homeless.

“All of our U.S. mattress fabrics facilities are certified as ‘Zero Waste to Landfill’ facilities,” explained Iv Culp, president and chief executive officer of Culp, Inc. “Ninety-five percent or more of the waste materials created in the manufacturing process are recycled, including remnant fabric. But with this Spread the Warmth initiative, we are able to use the remnant material to make blankets that provide warmth to people in need in our local communities, serving a higher purpose than simply recycling it.”

Commenting on the program, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, Teresa Huffman, stated, “As a company, we always strive to support the communities in which we operate. We’re excited to have found a new way to do so. It’s an honor to work with the caring people at Cover the City and the Tennessee Valley Coalition for the Homeless who devote their time and energy to charitable initiatives. They make the world a bit brighter, and in this case, a bit warmer.”

Cover the City started in the winter of 2013 when founder and Executive Director, Amanda Anderson, noticed a homeless man sleeping on a bench behind a local business in High Point, North Carolina. So moved by the man’s plight, Anderson spoke with a friend at Open Door Ministries and asked how she could help those in need. Blankets were an immediate need at the time and continue to be a necessity during the winter months. Thus Cover the City was formed to help support the homeless population in shelters and those who do not utilize the shelters during the coldest times of the year. Since then, Cover the City has expanded to include six chapters in North Carolina, one in Ohio, and another in New York.

“We have quite a few companies who partner with us by collecting donations of blankets, and I had always wanted to ask CULP to be a partner, but I never thought about them actually making blankets for us,” commented Anderson. “Working with CULP has been amazing. When a member of their HR team contacted me, explaining that they had made hundreds of blankets to donate, I was so surprised and excited. We are very grateful to CULP for sharing their resources with people in need, and we’re thankful for their talented employees who sew and create these blankets.”

In January, CULP donated over 250 blankets to both charities. The company hopes to donate more later this year as they plan on participating in Cover the City’s November blanket drive. For more information on either charity, visit: www.coverthecityproject.org or www.tvchomeless.org.

Posted: February 8, 2024

Source: Culp, Inc.

NEW YORK CITY/BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — February 6, 2024 — Southern Living announces today that its 2024 Idea House is located in the Kiawah River community, about 20 miles from Charleston, S.C. This year’s home will be open for public tours from August to December 2024. The home will be featured on SouthernLiving.com and in the September 2024 issue of Southern Living, available on newsstands August 23.

Situated in the newly established Kiawah River community, the 2024 Idea House is a 4,400 square-foot historic farmhouse that embodies the landscape of the Lowcountry, featuring outdoor living spaces with picturesque water views serving as the backdrop. The home will incorporate the work of many local creatives, like Charleston-based Andrea Cayetano-Jefferson of Gullah Sweetgrass Baskets and home textile designer Rebecca Atwood. Kiawah River is a lush riverfront community that boasts more than 2000-acres of homes and buildable lots, hiking trails, and Palmetto-lined greenspaces to accompany its river views.

The Idea House program has long served as a source of inspiration, from decor and design ideas to product recommendations, and this year’s home will feature new shoppable experiences to allow visitors and readers to seamlessly incorporate a piece of the Lowcountry charm into their own homes.

Sid Evans, editor in chief of Southern Living said, “This year’s home is all about embracing the natural beauty and laid-back lifestyle of Kiawah River, with nods to the art and culinary scenes of nearby Charleston — a place near and dear to our readers’ hearts. The home’s waterfront views, locally-sourced art and textiles, and outdoor living spaces will embody the spirit of Lowcountry living.”

The talented team of Charleston locals that will bring the Idea House to life includes builder Dillard-Jones, architect MHK Architecture, interior designer Allison Elebash Interiors, and landscape architect DesignWorks.

“Over the past 36 years, our Idea House Program has continued to inspire our readers and celebrate the Southern lifestyle,” said Deirdre Finnegan, vice president, publisher of Southern Living, “The home’s design draws inspiration from its charming natural surroundings, and the Kiawah River community has so much to offer, making it the ideal setting for the 2024 Idea House. We’re excited to bring our new and returning sponsors to South Carolina and to share the creative ways in which their innovative products are highlighted in this year’s home.”

There are currently 14 sponsors of the 2024 Idea House whose products will be included in the home: Alabama Stone Co. (A Division of Vetter Stone), Clopay®, Command Brand, 3M CLAW Heavyweight Hanging Solution, James Hardie, Marvin®, Monogram Luxury Appliances, PEDIGREE® Brand, Propane Education & Resource Council, Regina Andrew®, Sherwin-Williams®, Southern Living® Home Collection Exclusively at Dillard’s, Southern Living® Plant Collection, and Zuri® Premium Decking.

Tickets for in-person tours of the home will go on sale in June.  A portion of the ticket sales will benefit local charities. Beginning in November, the Idea House will be decorated for the holidays, with scheduled seasonal activations that will take place at the home.

Following the completion of the house, a Southern Living House Plan for the 2024 Idea House will be available for purchase at SouthernLivingHousePlans.com.

For a first look at the 2024 Idea House, check out SouthernLiving.com.

Posted: February 6, 2024

Source: Dotdash Meredith

The shop will be located at 301 East Blvd. in Charlotte’s South End. Schumacher tapped Charlotte’s own Barrie Benson to design the interior. The 3,500-square-foot loft-like space will channel Benson’s signature style with compelling juxtapositions of old and new and a tantalizing color palette. It will feature a luxurious terrazzo floor, custom oak cabinetry, antique mirrored walls, and Schumacher’s fabrics and wallpapers throughout.

The boutique will sell antiques, unique home accessories, and gifts including pillows, throws, rugs, baskets, coffee table books, photography, art, tabletop items, and handmade ceramics. Monthly educational and inspirational events will be held to bring together Charlotte-area design lovers along with fun activities including flower-arranging classes, trunk shows, book signings, and workshops for interior designers.

The to-the-trade side will be set up as a design lab with two big open tables, offering designers plenty of space to scheme and shop the 7,000+ fabrics, wallpapers, trims, and rugs.

Schumacher chose Charlotte for its rapidly growing art and design community, recognizing it as an important new hub for interior designers and like-minded individuals with an interest in entertaining, living in beautiful spaces, and self-expression.

“It was a natural choice to have Barrie Benson design our new space in Charlotte, a city I have come to know and love,” said Dara Caponigro, Schumacher’s creative director. “I have known Barrie for more than 20 years, meeting her when I was an editor at domino (she was one of our cover girls!). Barrie’s sensibility, with its sophisticated twist on tradition, has always spoken to me. Plus, she is one of our collaborators at Schumacher: She and Chandra Johnson of SOCO Gallery have brought so many interesting artist collaborations to Schumacher under their Peg Norriss brand, all of which have been successes. I look forward to unveiling our new space and welcoming Charlotte’s cultivated community into our new home.”

Timur Yumusaklar, CEO of Schumacher’s parent company, F. Schumacher & Co., said: “Charlotte is filled with such incredible design talent. We feel it’s our job to bring those talents closer to the growing audience of design lovers and to educate people on just how much interior designers can improve their lives. At Schumacher, we believe that good design can have an immensely positive impact on our emotional well-being and that it can allow us to be better selves — calmer, more centered, happier, more energized.”

Posted: February 5, 2024

Source: Schumacher

Bailey Kelly, senior director of Operations & Supply Chain, spearheaded the selection process on behalf of COOP. “We felt like Barrett had everything COOP needed in a level-up 3PL partner: extensive B2B/Retail Compliance experience, NetSuite & retail trading partner integrations along with a very competitive Managed Transportation product,” Bailey said. “We had a very successful holiday peak season with Barrett in 2023 and have been very pleased with our decision.”

COOP Sleep Goods launched out of the Memphis region this past October, where Barrett maintains a strong campus of premium eCommerce fulfillment centers powered by automated, robotics-driven pick solutions.

Mark Healy, vice president of Customer Solutions, shared his perspective: “We are thrilled to be the chosen partner of COOP Sleep Goods. The COOP brand is growing rapidly across multiple channels, which was a perfect fit for Barrett’s omnichannel fulfillment expertise. Very proud to be supporting their dynamic growth and brand awareness as the #1 rated pillow by Consumer Reports.”

COOP Sleep Goods, renowned for their innovative approach to sleep comfort, offers a range of adjustable, quality sleep products. Its flagship product, “The Original” pillow, along with others like “The Eden” and “The Original Body Pillow,” highlight COOP’s commitment to versatile, comfortable sleep solutions that cater to various sleeping styles. Emphasizing individual comfort, COOP designs products like the “Original Maternity Pillow” and the “Eden Cool+” collection, which provide targeted support and cooling features. This focus on adaptability and customer satisfaction, evident in their 100-day return policy, cements COOP’s position as a leader in enhancing sleep experiences.

Barrett’s partnership with COOP Sleep Goods highlights the logistics company’s industry reputation. With its extensive North American network, Barrett excels in blending large-scale capabilities with a personalized approach to service. This unique combination enables them to efficiently handle major demands while maintaining a deep commitment to their partners’ success, a balance that’s crucial for COOP Sleep Goods and other growing brands.

Posted: January 25, 2024

Source: Barrett Distribution Centers

The furniture industry is characterized by rare expertise and complex processes. For several years, the sector has faced growing demand for customization, involving various choices of shapes, colors and fabrics. To meet this challenge, furniture manufacturers need to be able to produce on demand, quickly, cost-effectively and sustainably.

Since 2018 and the launch of its Furniture On Demand by Lectra offer, Lectra has played a pioneering role in enabling the automation of on-demand production, facilitating the production of small runs at the same rate as mass production and promoting material savings.

“Today, we are continuing to innovate by enhancing this solution with Valia, our digital production preparation and planning platform for upholstered furniture,” explained Maximilien Abadie, chief strategy officer and chief product officer at Lectra. “Furniture On Demand by Lectra connects all the components in the cutting room and facilitates order and production data processing. Our customers gain additional advantages for optimizing automated manufacturing workflows and material consumption on their production lines. With this new offer, they are fully committed to Industry 4.0 and benefit from a significant competitive advantage, offering new growth drivers for more sustainable production.”

Greater interoperability and reduced environmental impact thanks to data intelligence

Hosted in the cloud, the Valia digital platform connects to Lectra’s equipment in the cutting room, as well as upstream to the customer’s ERP¹ system, enabling them to receive orders, process them automatically and send them to the cutting room, without human intervention. This digitization, using real-time data, automates and simplifies every stage of the fabric cutting process, from preparation to planning and execution.

The Valia platform is capable of integrating the production rules known by only a handful of experts in the cutting room, making it possible to secure operations, standardize practices and automatically mix and allocate cutting orders to the right cutting equipment, optimizing material savings.

Valia Furniture’s automated management provides upholstered furniture manufacturers with the ability to visualize cutting room processes in order to identify necessary adjustments, escalate alerts and make instant decisions to improve cutting room performance and optimize their on-demand production.

A new generation of connected and eco-responsible cutting equipment

Together with its new Furniture On Demand by Lectra offer, the Group is launching the new generation of VectorFurniture Q2 and VectorFurniture iX2 fabric cutters. This new equipment is specifically adapted to ensure a quick and easy transition from low-volume production to higher-volume orders, while improving cutting quality.

VectorFurniture Q2 and VectorFurniture iX2 offer a high level of connectivity thanks to numerous built-in sensors, which makes them fully compatible with Industry 4.0. Thanks to data intelligence and improved connectivity, manufacturers have all the data they need to increase the efficiency of their processes, boost productivity, improve product quality and better meet the challenges of tomorrow.

This eco-designed equipment consumes 30 to 40 percent less energy than the previous generation, already renowned for its energy performance, maximizing efficiency. It is more compact and 200 kilograms lighter, significantly reducing environmental impacts during production, transport and use.

Ergonomics and operator protection, Lectra’s key concerns, have been completely redesigned with the integration of motion detection sensors, the reduction of equipment noise levels and the introduction of new standards for circuit boards.

¹ ERP system: Enterprise Resource Planning, an integrated management system that brings together several applications to manage a company’s operational and administrative activities.

Posted: January 23, 2024

Source: Lectra

TW Special Report

Continuous investment in the latest automation technologies — involving a long-standing and close cooperation with TMAS member ACG Kinna — has ensured family-owned Värnamo Sängkläder AB has retained its leading position in the production of high-quality bedding against heavy odds.

At the recent Heimtextil exhibition held in Frankfurt, Germany, from January 9-12, Martin Åhlander — the third generation CEO of Värnamo, which has specialized in high quality Nordic bedding since its foundation in 1951 — explained that his company is now the only producer of pillows, mattress protectors and quilts with manufacturing remaining in Sweden.

Investment

“Around 15 years ago, our competition from Asia got very intense, as companies over there started exporting bedding products of very high quality at much lower prices than we could possibly produce conventionally in such a high-cost country as Sweden,” he said. “Our solution was investment in the latest automated technologies, enabling us to be both flexible and to respond very quickly to the needs of our customers while cutting costs. This has proved to be a winning approach.”

Värnamo first started collaborating with ACG Kinna in the 1980s, initially with the installation of automated overlock stitching units for quilt production, followed by further moves such as bringing in-house polyester ball fiber filling technology into its plant with Nowo filling machines.

High Volumes

In a more recent development, Värnamo became one of the very first companies to install an ACG Kinna robotic pillow line.

With the ability to fill and finish some 3,840 pillows in an eight-hour shift, this line configuration enables the completely seamless fiber handling, filling, sewing and packing of pillows.

“We needed big volumes to enable such an installation, and they were forthcoming,” Åhlander said. “We are now producing and supplying eight times more pillows than we did before the installation, so we’re pretty happy about this decision.”

“Since the Covid-19 pandemic there have also been increasing problems with the logistics and cost of international shipping, leading to very long lead times for products from Asia on occasions, which has worked in our favor too,” added Martin’s mother and Värnamo’s sales manager Berit Åhlander Nilsson.

Complete Process

Nowo — a long-established name in fiber filling technologies — became part of ACG Kinna at the end of 2021 and most recently, EyeTech, a young, Swedish developer of machine vision solutions for manufacturing, warehouse and factory automation has also joined the company.

“EyeTech exploits 2D, 3D and deep learning techniques for inspection, measuring, and robot guidance and is further enabling us to fulfil our promise of ‘complete process — one supplier,” explained ACG Kinna marketing and sales manager Tomas Aspenskog. “We now provide complete customised automation for the entire production chain — from the opening and weighing of the fiber to the packaging of the final products.

“With one partner, one installation and one freight delivery, each customer’s needs are individually covered, eliminating the headaches that arise from trying to coordinate multiple suppliers during a new installation. Värnamo is the flagship showroom for our automation capabilities and because they are so close to us, we often take other potential customers on visits to them, in order to fully demonstrate what is possible.”

“Our relationship with ACG Kinna is beneficial to both companies and we’re constantly exchanging ideas on both new process and technology improvements,” concluded Martin Åhlander.

Heimtextil 2024

“ACG Kinna had a very successful Heimtextil 2024, along with another TMAS member, Automatex, which is developing further technologies for home textiles with the emphasis on fully automated and highly integrated production lines,” said TMAS Secretary General Therese Premler-Andersson. “These technologies enable significant resource savings to be achieved, while making production in high-cost countries once more profitable. Cost effective manufacturing closer to the customer is also more sustainable, while enabling companies like Värnamo to change their cost structures but also increase their capacities and flexibility.”

January 23, 2024

REPREVE is a recycled polyester fiber brand that was developed to address the growing concern related to plastic waste in the environment. Its yarns are spun from recycled plastic bottles that would otherwise end up in landfills and our oceans. The yarns provide an alternative to virgin fibers and have been proven to reduce climate change potential by repurposing discarded plastic, thereby mitigating the carbon emissions associated with producing new materials. The new partnership offers an immediate positive impact on Precision Textiles sustainability initiatives and assures that the company and its customers are part of meaningful change that will contribute to improving the world.

“We are extremely proud to be the first and only FR nonwoven component supplier to use REPREVE recycled performance fiber in our products,” said Gerry Welkley, national sales manager at Precision Textiles. “This technology is being used in many other industries by some of the world’s most recognized brands, so we are very excited to bring it to the mattress industry. Today’s consumers are increasingly conscious of their environmental impact with their product purchases. Because we consume millions of pounds of yarn during the manufacturing of our filler cloth products, our collaboration with Unifi showcases our dedication to meeting these consumer expectations for our customers and reaffirms our commitment to a more sustainable future.”

Every 100-yard roll of the company’s ENDURE IFR and ADVANTAGE SB non-woven products will include REPREVE recycled performance fiber that is made from 228 recycled water bottles. As a result, Precision Textiles will eliminate more than 20 million plastic water bottles from waste streams on an annual basis.

Bob O’Connell, executive vice president marketing and merchandising at Precision Textiles said, “Our customers consistently ask how we are handling sustainability and what we can do to help them improve their efforts to manufacture eco-friendly products. Our partnership with REPREVE answers the call and allows our customers to be part of this initiative.”

Precision Textiles has long supported environmental stewardship managing resources in a way that assures sustainability and benefits both present and future generations. The company produces and supplies one of the most comprehensive assortments of USDA Bio-Preferred and UL Greenguard GOLD certified FR solution product lines throughout the entire mattress industry.

As a leading supplier to mattress manufacturers, the collaboration not only illustrates Precision Textile’s fervent commitment to environmentally conscious initiatives, but it also resonates with the values of conscientious consumers who expect brands to make products responsibly.

Posted: January 18, 2024

Source: Precision Textiles

The collection comprises four patterns — Adore, Aspire, Cherish, and Delight. Each pattern has its own distinct features, including performance, sustainability, comfort, and affordability. Coveted exhibits colors from cinnamon reds and marmalade orange to cream soda and poolside blue, as well as a mix of earth greens and warm peach. The fabrics are stunning on their own or can be combined to create a mix of textures and colors, resulting in a modern, luxurious aesthetic.

Aspire is the most textural of the four fabrics, with textured yarns in the warp and weft, and looks like a handwoven cloth.

Adore is a two-tone texture. Its thick wool bouclé yarn on the surface has an organic rhythm. The nine colorways are tonal in a soft palette.

Cherish has a small two-color bouclé. The fabric looks tailored when applied on furniture yet has an organic feel like sand. This sturdy fabric is well-constructed and very durable. It comes in neutral, weathered wood, oxidized metal colors, and a vibrant blue.

Delight is a heathered chenille fabric with a small grid texture. It has an extended color line of 15 colorways. The colors are soft and nature-inspired. They are designed to pair up well with the three other fabrics of this collection and broaden the color schemes.

Posted: January 18, 2024

Source: Bernhardt Design

Nicole Meier, director of Branding at Ultrafabrics, says of the partnership: “This is a perfect brand partnership to lead into our 25th anniversary in 2024. The theme for the year is ‘Imagine Anything’, and our work with Allgood is yet another way to see our product in unexpected places. Between going to space in the new Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo and having our product tailored around these beautiful Allgood handles, we continue to work with partners who imagine Ultrafabrics in amazing places.”

The customizable and modern Sembla collection of drawer pulls and door handles sees Ultrafabrics products stitched beautifully around sophisticated grips, allowing end users the softness that the brand is known for, combined with longevity and cleanability. Offered in a wide selection of Ultrafabrics best-in-class colors and notable textures, including the leather-like Brisa distressed finish, pebbled eco-tech, modern cross-hatched wired, and pearlized leather-like metallic finish. Fine details are obvious in the craftsmanship, with the product stitching delicately embedded in a channel etched in the handle, to provide an uninterrupted grip.

Sembla by Allgood: A customizable range available around the world

Sembla is a coordinated range of architectural ironmongery made in the UK by Allgood and is configurable by designers and specifiers. Its modular design, comprising a standard shaft or “node”, with the tip and the grip, allows for an extensive selection of beautiful colors, materials, textures and finishes to be applied to all elements. Ultrafabrics is the only textile option available because it meets the highest expectations for haptics, color and performance, and joins a palette including sleek carbon fibre, wood and a selection of metallic finishes to round out the selection of endless options.

“The ability to configure Sembla is not just a playful and flexible exercise, but it also responds to the need of today’s expanded interior design palette that is both bespoke and contextual, creatively responding to client and project needs,” says Stewart Lauder, Commercial International Sales Director for Allgood.

By combining different materials and finishes, Sembla complements any interior design with subtle variations or striking contrasts. The range of Ultrafabrics textiles and applied Spectra finishes offer a wonderful selection of colors and materials, helping to create unique pieces of hardware tailored to a designer’s vision.

Ultrafabrics and Allgood: A sustainable approach to business

In 2023, Ultrafabrics released its third annual sustainability report which shows the company is five years ahead of its already bold sustainability and ESG targets set in 2020.
Allgood’s Sembla line is manufactured in its Birmingham factory in the UK on the same site as its sales and technical teams which optimises logistics and minimizes waste. 75% of its suppliers are within 20 miles of the Birmingham operation, and 85% of its principle structural material – stainless steel – is from recycled sources.

Nicole Meier of Ultrafabrics goes on to say, “Innovation is all about redefining expectations. In a world where design is constantly evolving, the possibilities are endless when it comes to reimagining commercial spaces. From door handles and lounge seating to outdoor spaces, restaurant banquettes, and headboards, unexpected Ultrafabrics applications know no bounds.”

Where to find it

Sembla by Allgood featuring a custom selection of Ultrafabrics is available with 4-8 week delivery times.
Worldwide sales partners including US, UK and Europe can be found here.
Prices start at £90 for door handles and £80 for drawer pulls.

Technical Specs

Sembla by Allgood products are independently tested to BS EN 1906, both levers and pull handles have been incorporated in successful fire tests and assessed to BS EN 1634-1 and BS 476 Pt. All are backed by a 25-year warranty.

Posted: January 18, 2024

Source: Ultrafabrics