A quiet spring market - textile fabrics - Special Supplement: Home Market Trends

Discount Store News, April 6, 1992

Business Is Solid, But Retailers Will Have Less to See as Private Labels Eat Into Open Line Home Textile Introductions

Buyers invading New York for the spring market might be less interested in what's on display than in what isn't, at least as far as the major mills are concerned. As the power in the retail textiles business shifts inexorably toward the national mass merchandiser, mills are turning to intensive major customer service. Since major customers tend to visit New York regularly, the importance of market week is considerably diluted.

Additionally, major retailers like Kmart, Target, Mervyn's and JCPenny are increasing their private label offerings, and are therefore buying far less at market week. Target, in particular, has differentiated itself from its competitors by concentrating its effort on its Country Estates coordinate program; it will introduce a full line of Merona captive label textiles, produced by WestPoint Pepperell, later this year.

These two trends may eventually spell the end of the two market week system. To make any money at all in this business, major vendors have to keep their looms running around the clock throughout the year; it is inefficient to limit order-taking and scheduling to two weeks out of the year. Working on huge ongoing programs with the major players allows mills to avoid the peaks and valleys that are common to the industry under this system, one major mill representative said.

Cannon Mills and J.P. Stevens are each showing only five new mass market bedding ensembles, far below each company's historical level, while WestPoint Pepperell's Lady Pepperell division will show only six. By contrast, each normally shows some 12 to 14 new patterns during the fall market. While the slim offerings are partly due to a heavy market last fall, resulting in less openings in the companies' lines, private labels for Kmart and Target, among others, are the primary cause.

|We have to service all of our customers better, noted J.P. Stevens vice president, sales, Bob Gehm. "It's not enough to talk to our major clients twice a year."

Added Lady Pepperell marketing manager Suzanne Wolf, "We just find ourselves becoming more customer-specific."

Overall, business seems to be good, leading up to market week. While discounters are quick to point out that their record-breaking numbers in January and February were influenced by the dire sales of comparison months in 1991, when most of the world was home watching a war on TV they also said that real progress was made. "I think that March will tell the real story," said Dave Blalock of Dundee Mills.

Trendwise, it's difficult to pinpoint any one emerging direction. Bright colors remain strong, and ethnic patterns seem to be picking up steam. American folk art (see story, page 11), under names like contemporary country, American trading post and prairie, is perhaps the most dominant new look, but the mass market seems to be fragmenting into niche markets, judging from the breadth of color, style and design introductions.

Cannon Mills, for instance sees a great future in often despised green (as does CHF bath subsidiary Jackson). The mill's lead pattern for this market, Madera, is a large abstract floral of hunter green contrasted with a speckled textured background. While the trend overall may be toward lighter and simpler, Cannon designer Ruth Fox noted that the market for more formal, sophisticated looks is also on the rise.

Lady Pepperell, which is showing six new ensembles, is also approaching the upscale market, particularly in the case of Go for Baroque, an opulant floral stripe with architectural elements and a teal/blue/burnished gold color scheme highlighted by metallic piping. The ensembles also features a large medallion motif on the comforter.

Harmony by Hand is a new designer look (featuring Chris O'Connell, who is not credited on the packaging) with an updated Southwestern color palette emphasizing a handwoven appearance, while Razzle is a bright, contemporary brushstroke look featuring a freshened pastel color palette.

Kashmira takes a cue from the re-emergence of peach, with a diagonal paisley in soft muted earthtones contrasted with tone-on-tone peach roses. Two traditional florals, Victoria's Garden (available in sheets only) and Crystal Flowers, complete Lady Pep's spring offering.

Thomaston Mills, which has beefed up its presence in the market with a full percale line, will show five new percales as well as several muslin patterns this market, although the final edit has not been completed, according to director of design Barbara Batra. In muslin, the key may be a followup to last market's Rio (pictured), a bright geometric aimed at the ethnic consumer. According to the company, Rio has been a major hit in urban areas, as well as Puerto Rico and South America. Three patterns, including an African look, Jazz, will vie to join Rio in Thomaston's line.

In percale, Arabesque, a free-drawn abstract floral in shades of purple, pink and green, is one of the highlights.