Fake flowers evolve further - Home Products

Discount Store News, Nov 4, 1991 by Mary Ellen Kelly

Fake Flowers Evolve Further

Technological breakthroughs in the manufacture of artificial flowers and trees will enable retailers to offer more life-like and durable merchandise in 1992. The improvements come at a time when home decor and fabric specialty chains have begun to make a major statement in the category. Discounters, however, continue to dominate in terms of sales volume.

Jewel-colored and natural blossoms are expected to be in vogue next year, along with tropical, rainforest-type foliage.

"Dried-look" blossoms and "soft-touch" foliage, available last year in select sizes and colors from some suppliers, are being expanded into comprehensive programs for spring and fall 1992.

A test of consumer willingness to pay somewhat higher prices for plants and stems that more tightly hold their leaves and blossoms is also in store for next year.

Reliance Trading, Teters Floral Products, Cord Craft, American Floral Imports, Floral Designs and other suppliers are expanding assortments using the new technologies.

Jim Kropp, director of marketing at Teters, Bolivar, Mo., said, "Permastem fuses blossoms and leaves," to the stem, has already gotten a good retailer response, and will hit stores in 1992.

The company is working on product tagging to let consumers know the item is more durable than other artificial flowers and merits a higher price. Dried-look Permastems will debut in eight colors, priced to sell at $1.99. Non-Permastem dried-look will retail between 99 cents and $1.59.

While Teters calls its new bonding process Permastem, New York-based Reliance Trading had developed a patented "Permasilk" process about seven months ago, according to Ira Kleinberg, president, who said his enhanced durability products are also gaining acceptance among retailers. Prices on Reliance artificial plants and flowers that make use of this process are slightly higher.

Permasilk and dried-look flowers are expected to be top sellers because both offer a more durable product that will not leave either the retailer or the consumer with a handful of stems. "Real dried flowers will fall apart on the counter without your even touching them," Kleinberg noted.

The new durable bushes and stems will have to pass two tests in '92. The consumer must be willing to pay a higher price, and retailers must notice less damaged inventory, the suppliers concur.

Foliage products - already more popular due to greater awareness of rainforest and jungle habitats among consumers - is expected to be an explosive category next year with increased availability of soft-touch foliage.

Thomas Cheng, general manager of American Floral Imports, Ontario, Calif., said that, while soft-touch is not new, it is improved. "This year several factories in the Far East were able to create this velvet finish. It has been tried before, but now it is of much better quality with more sophisticated technology." Cheng said he will incorporate soft-touch and dried-look technology into his 1992 offerings.

"Foliage continues to get stronger, keeping pace with the popular design and color trends such as jungle and environmental looks," said Randy Linn, president of Floral Designs, Arab, Ala., said.

Interest in foliage is also influencing product introductions from Cord Crafts, Dover, N.J., agreed Peter Poz, vice president sales and marketing. "It's back to basics - begonias, geraniums - the emphasis is on foliage, not just blossoms," especially with the advent of soft-touch technology.

Kropp at Teters said his company will introduce soft-touch foliage in 1992, and enhance its offerings by combining four different leaf sizes - each individually silk screened - on a single bush.

Birch, beech and other new tree varieties - at fica prices - are going to be available for the first time, according to Stewart Aaron, president of Silk-Like, Norcross, Ga. "Everyone and his brother has done fica trees. Until now, nobody has been willing to make them at the price of a fica. By spring we will be offering ten new trees that can retail at $39.99 or $49.99." The new trees are all 6 feet tall.

The artificial flower and plant category has been given more room to take root and grow within the past year.

At the new Waccamaw prototype store in Homewood, Ala., outside of Birmingham, 5,000 square feet have been devoted to the category. As Marilyn Gill, senior vice president, merchandising, said, "If you're going to do a category of goods, do it right. If you're not, get out of the category."

Waccamaw is willing to do the artifical flower and plant category. New fixturing lets the merchandise shine, including a gazebo for hanging baskets, a pebbled cove for artificial cactus and a thick fica tree "forest." Brass, glass and ceramic with floral applications are now positioned near the floral department. Customized floral arrangements are available to Waccamaw shoppers.

Even start-up home decor stores are experimenting with artificial flowers. Literie Etc., a bed and bath specialty store opened by Montreal-based Zellers discount stores, positions the category at the store's front, near greeting cards.