Springtime is supposed to represent a period of renewal. For carpet mills it’s a time to sweep away the old while churning out new pat- terns and collections designed to catch the eye of retailers and consumers. The following are some of the products now avail- able from several of the industry’s major players.
Beaulieu of America
According to Patricia Flavin, senior vice president of marketing, when developing its most recent introductions, Beaulieu focused on the soft desires of both retailers and consumers. “The trend has been toward soft, and our new products—made with new extrusion equipment— are the softest carpets the industry has to offer.”
One of those products, SoftSense, is constructed in either filament nylon or solution-dyed polyester. SoftSense has eight nylon styles that come in textures, friezes and level cut loops from 35 to 50 ounces. The two polyester styles are friezes and range in weight from 45 to 70 ounces.
For the first time in Beaulieu’s history, the mill is offering a lifetime stain—no exclusions warranty. Also, 3M Scotchgard Protector is standard on every SoftSense carpet, as well as the company’s own Magic Fresh odor-reducing treatment.
Recently, Beaulieu and Invista launched an industry- first. Through an exclusive arrangement between the two companies (FCNews, Jan. 25/Feb. 1), Beaulieu has rolled out its new Bliss by Beaulieu Stainmaster with Magic Fresh collection. Bliss by Beaulieu Stainmaster carpets with Magic Fresh are constructed from Stainmaster Tactesse BCF (five styles) and Stainmaster Luxerell BCF (five styles). Styles include friezes, textures and level cut loops.
Burtco
For more than 30 years, Burtco has produced custom-crafted carpet for the hospitality industry. Now, a major change is underfoot.
To leverage Burtco’s reputation for quality and ultimately elevate its image in the market- place, Elizabeth Moore, co- owner and vice president, said a new brand identity under the name B Carpet has been created. “This name was chosen as an evolution from Burtco to something fresh and updated without completely forgoing the original company name.”
The company’s latest product collection is designed to be the ideal choice for the hospitality segment. Inspired by men’s suit and tie styles, the Why Knot line features contemporary, large geometric patterns. It’s designed to evoke the look of woven fabric, similar to madras, she said.
Available in seven colors, the Why Knot line was created with input from hospitality designers, who make up B Carpet’s primary market. However, the colors and pat- terns also lend themselves well to the high-end residential market, Moore said.
Dixie Home
Fonseca and Élan are among the mill’s latest broadloom products. Both cut loop pat- terns are constructed of BCF Stainmaster ExtraBody II and are available in 20 colors.
The Masland Carpet & Rugs brand has unveiled a comprehensive collection of broadloom styles, ranging from contemporary to traditional patterns and new textures offered in extensive color palettes. Among them, Regent Street, a cut loop Stainmaster Tactesse, is available in 37 colors. Meanwhile, Llanfair “is as soft as it is stylish,” noted Paul Comiskey, president of Dixie Home. The collection is constructed of BCF DuraSilk PET polyester and comes in 31 colors.
Gulistan
The Stainmaster Lifestyles Collection under the mill’s American Lifestyles brand is new for spring.
“Consumers are looking for true lasting value in today’s economy,” said Phillip Essig, president. “We believe this collection of 14 Stainmaster styles developed and priced to provide value under the banner of the most recognized and trusted brand in the market perfectly meets consumer desires for beauty, performance and peace of mind.”
Tony Prestipino, Gulistan’s executive vice president sales and marketing, added, “Consumer research shows more than four out of 10 consumers plan to buy Stainmaster carpet when they enter a retail store so this gives our retail partners a comprehensive collection [geared to meet different] budgets and traffic considerations.”
J. Mish
Winner of a recent Fashion Dynamic award from Wools of New Zealand, Matrix is the mill’s latest introduction. Featuring a traditional woven look, Matrix is “the hottest product we’ve introduced in three years,” said Jack Mishkin, president. “We tufted it but invented an attachment on our tufting machine that is exceedingly refined so it really looks like a very low-level round wire woven piece.”
Another design heating up the spring season is Natural Weave, an all-natural heather product. “It has no dyes and no chemicals. It’s a very environmentally friendly product.”
Mohawk
One year after purchasing the Wear-Dated brand, Mohawk is taking full advantage of its investment by introducing a spectrum of products under the moniker, including two new soft yarn technologies.
While all Wear-Dated products are inherently soft, noted Tom Lape, president of Mo- hawk Residential, Wear-Dated DuraSoft offers extra softness and even more durability “without sacrificing any performance attributes.”
In addition, Wear-Dated’s new SoftTouch with SoftFusion technology combines twist, heat and a proprietary process that delivers a supremely soft, plush fiber, he added. “We believe the process makes Wear-Dated SoftTouch the softest soft nylon fiber in carpet.”
Wear-Dated SoftTouch has a non pro-rated warranty, which means consumers are protected with full replacement value through the entire warranty period. All Wear-Dated carpets feature Scotchgard Advanced Repel technology for increased stain and soil protection, and come with enhanced warranties; including a lifetime antistatic, abrasive wear and texture retention, stain resistance, soiling and manufacturing defects.
Shaw
Among the mill’s new products are additions to its Couture, Visions and EverTouch Every- day Elegance lines.
Couture products are distinctly appealing, high-end car- pets that deliver the best Shaw has to offer in color, style, design and fiber, and tufting innovation, noted Reggie Newton, vice president of residential marketing. For 2010, the mill introduced three Anso Caress updates to the collection. He added all Couture styles now carry the new Anso transferable, non-prorated and labor- inclusive lifetime stain and soil and pet stain warranty.
New styles include Exquisite Taste, which features a twist construction and tonal texture in 24 colors; Ultimate Expression, a textured construction designed to be “luxuriously soft” available in 40 colors in 12- and 15-foot rolls, and Art Reflects You, a twist construction de- scribed as a “relaxed frieze” in nine colors.
Shaw’s Visions collection welcomes 16 introductions including textures, twists, LCL patterns and stylish woven looks. Styles range from organic tree bark patterns to contemporary geometric blocks to natural striated woven visuals. Among the new styles are Laurel Hill I, a textured construction described as a tailored tweed.
Billed by the mill as the “softest, cleanest, longest-lasting, greenest” collection of recyclable type 6 nylon products on the market, the Evertouch Everyday Elegance collection has added Elegant Atmosphere, a casual texture in 24 colors; Everyday Flair, a soft texture available in 12- and 15-foot rolls, and Everyday Life, a classic tailored construction that is available in 12 colors.
Newton said all products in the Evertouch Everyday Elegance line feature an innovative fiber technology.