by Resources also focus on performance fabrics offering stain resistance and bleach cleanability
HIGH POINT — Fabric and leather resources were here this week with an aggressive mix of new product that aims to offer a style statement for retail floors later this year and beyond.
And despite ongoing turmoil in the Middle East that is resulting in higher prices for petroleum-based fibers as well as logistics, they also offered compelling values for manufacturers and retailers seeking competitively priced product for consumers.
Indeed, some resources said they have raised the price of fabrics based on higher fuel prices that impacted the cost of synthetic fibers made from petrochemicals such as polyester, nylon and polyurethane. Coming in the form of either a surcharge or price increase, this undoubtedly will increase the cost of some upholstery moving forward.
Yet there also was a high-value story for buyers seen in styles that ranged from updated traditional looks and small print geometric patterns to florals and biophilic patterns that aim to convey a sense of the natural environment.
Nice Link, for example, showcased seven new collections ranging from the sage and gray green and dusty blue tones offered in Mist Canopy to burgundy, cognac amber and spiced wine tones seen in Baked Earth. Others included Golden Field, Blue Ridge, Grain & Stone, Quiet Light and Soft Spectrum, each bearing patterns and tones that tied into the overall theme of each collection.
Culp showcased six new collections, each shown draped across display racks focusing on each theme. These included Verdris, which combines patina greens, muted teals, tobacco and clay tones, along with Ocean Veil, which combines soft green tones, grays, taupe and blues, and Enchanted Forest, which offers a mix of olive, deep greens, warm brown and terra-cotta tones.
At Brentwood, the mix included a wide array of florals, Jacobean, striped and small print patterns along with darker blues, browns and forest green tones sprinkled throughout. Likewise, Bella Home’s introductions included a mix of neutrals, russet, green, gray and earthen tones that also populated the mix of new body cloths.
Pops of color thus were prominent at these and other resources showing at the spring edition, which ran through Thursday. Even leather resources offered shades of mossy green, blue/gray and russet, along with lighter hues such as taupe and cream tones, showcasing a colorful, fashion-forward approach to a mix that often leans more heavily on medium to darker browns.
In addition to new patterns and color schemes, resources continued to tout performance fabrics including stain resistance, bleach cleanability and PFAS-free features and benefits. Among others, these included Culp’s easy care and pet friendly solutions available in its LiveSmart program and performance fabrics available in Nice Link’s Nice & Clean program.
“The performance story is still an important part of fabrics,” noted Doug Henderson, vice president of residential upholstery fabrics at Nice Link.
Pricing also was part of the conversations, although some said it took a back seat overall compared with new product. As tariffs have been long baked into the cost structure of yardage for fabrics and square feet for leathers, the focus shifted to how the conflict in the Middle East is increasing oil prices that impact the price of fabrics and leathers.
“You can’t make polyester without petroleum,” Henderson, of Nice Link, added.
Nolan Mitchell, vice president of Richloom, said that buyers here at Interwoven this week were primarily focused on looking at product, particularly as pricing issues ranging from tariffs to petroleum-related increases have impacted the entire industry and not just one or two companies.
“The price is the price,” he said, noting that value remains a key factor in buying decisions. “It takes someone looking at the product and studying it to know if this is a value and this is not.”
In addition to style, color, quality and livability, speed to market was another part of the value story emphasized by both fabric importers and manufacturers.
For example, Bella Home touted a new program that sharpens lead times on some of its most popular fabrics. These fabrics, stocked at its mill in China, ship every other week, allowing them to be available within eight-to-10-week lead times compared with the normal 12 weeks.
The company also simplified its mix, offering 30-40 new patterns this market, having offered as many as 80 in the past.
The goal is to broaden the customer base by “simplifying the line itself and simplifying the buying process for customers,” North Carolina sales exec Ed Jacobs told Home News Now.
Revolution Performance Fabrics, a division of Kings Mountain, North Carolina-based STI Fabrics, touted its quick-ship capabilities which offer lead times of four weeks or less on 263 of its in-stock performance fabrics. This ties in with the company’s long-time goal of being a reliable source for its customers, even in times of global upheaval.
“Transportation and the supply chain around the world are not reliable,” company Chief Revenue Officer Anderson Gibbons told Home News Now, adding that the company’s timeless textures story combined with its performance story also is resonating in the marketplace. “The fabric vendor who is most reliable is going to win. These macro events have opened up the opportunity for us to become more reliable.”
Sister company Brentwood Textiles also is benefiting from the quick-ship capabilities out of Kings Mountain, offering 60 patterns that can ship in four weeks or less.
Despite concerns about retail conditions, most companies said they were pleased overall with attendance at the show.
While preregistrations were said to be down heading into the May 19-21 event, they rebounded by Monday and Tuesday, tracking about 3% up from last May, according to event organizer International Textile Alliance. Most exhibitors said they started seeing buyers Monday and even over the weekend, with heavier traffic Tuesday and Wednesday.
“We have had a good amount of customers and have had good reaction to our product, which is the most important,” said Dominick Anile, vice president of sales and merchandising at PMT Fabrics, adding that most buyers were in positive moods and seemed cautiously optimistic.
Others also seemed pleased with traffic and overall responses to their product during the course of the event. How this shapes up into orders will be determined in the weeks ahead. But the good news is that manufacturers and retailers were here, eager to freshen up their upholstery mix with the latest colors and patterns that will hit floors later this year and into early 2027.
