Jan. 6/13, 2020: Volume 35, Issue 14
By Ken Ryan
In its first 10 years Engineered Floors achieved great success in the commodity and middle end of the market. As it enters its second decade, the Dalton-based mill is targeting a higher-end segment under its Dream Weaver residential brand.
“We wanted to play in the upper end of the market, and this gave us a chance to do that,” said Joe Young, vice president of operations.
“This” refers to DW Select by Dream Weaver—a soft surface product notable for its twist multiplier (twistX) technology that uses a 3-ply yarn as opposed to the more traditional 2-ply. The third ply secures the twist and adds to the bundle density size of the yarn, thus providing enhanced performance along with enriched style and design. DW Select will launch with 13 products and can grow to 20. The products are 45-ounce LCL or 50-ounce cut pile and loops. DW Select will be introduced at the Dallas market and at Surfaces later this month.
“We are taking the best polyester fiber in the market- place and are able to build on those advantages to make it a true premium product that can stand with the other higher-end brands,” Young explained.
The key feature is the twistX technology. As Young explained, “Think of that third ply as you would a rope or cable to secure the other two [plies]. It gives you a performance story that we haven’t been able to tell before. And when you combine the twist multiplier along with the density levels, we are able to make polyester SD Pure Color perform like what you’d get in a branded nylon.”
Why polyester? The answer is simple, Young said. “It is the only growing part of the industry. You take the great stains, soil and fading properties that solution dyed has always had and combine that with this technology. This technology not only gives us performance but creates natural looking multicolor visuals—striations in carpet to neat tethered looks.”
The company’s market strategy will be more selective than typical Dream Weaver introductions as it targets higher-end flooring dealers. The retail price point will be in the mid-teens, which is less than a branded nylon, yet offering the performance characteristics of a nylon. To simplify things for the RSA, there will be one price for each product in the display. All consumers will need to do is choose a style and a color. DW Select features 3M Scotchgard stain and soil release and includes enhanced warranties.
Dave Meister, owner of The Floor Meister in Naples, Fla., is among the first flooring dealers to carry DW Select. He bought six rolls to begin with and sold three the first week. “This is the most innovative carpet in years—this is different,” he told FCNews. “The bells and whistles on this are out of this world. It’s what I call ‘a carpet man’s carpet.’ There is no doubt we will sell a lot of this stuff.”
