Daily News Archive
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July 22,
2010 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Bedding on July 23, 2010
Eco-friendly bedding manufacturer Natura World has opened a 478,000-square-foot plant in Wichita Falls, Texas; and a new showroom in World Market Center Las Vegas.
To celebrate, Natura World, Cambridge, Ontario, will host a house warming party in its new A-946 WMC showroom featuring New Zealand wines during Las Vegas Market on Tuesday, August 3, where it will launch the "Sleep Envelope Contest."
Natura's Sleep Envelope Contest, will see two lucky people winging their way to New Zealand in 2011 on Natura's dime. The contest will be open to retail sales associates as well as end consumers and be held throughout North America. The contest will promote Natura's trademarked Sleep Envelope.
"We're very thankful for all the loyal customers who've believed in us and supported us over the years," said Ralph Rossdeutscher, CEO and founder of Natura. "Our grand opening party and launch of our Sleep Envelope Contest is our way of saying thanks."
Natura will show two new lines of mattresses at Las Vegas Market, NaturaLatex and NaturaPedic, along with its NaturaOrganic, NexGel and Baby & Kidz lines, and its top-of-bed program.
July 22,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in on July 23, 2010
Cargill's BiOH polyols business has launched Project UDesign, a furniture design competition to design a sustainable and sellable upholstered wing chair.
The competition is open to students majoring in furniture design at Savannah College of Art and Design. The contest will engage the entire furniture industry and consumers to select the winning chair design at October High Point Market. Project UDesign will culminate in an award presentation at High Point Market during the WithIt Student Mentoring Luncheon on Oct. 20.
North Carolina-based Century Furniture, a 2009 AHFA SAGE award finalist and Sustainable Furnishings Council member, has pledged to put the new wing chair into production after the winner is named this fall. The winner of Project UDesign will receive a $1,000 award from Cargill's BiOH poyols business; and Century will pay a royalty for each unit of the winning chair design it sells.
Project UDesign also is sponsored by Toray International's brand of Ultrasuede upholstery covers, which are made using the company's EcoDesign manufacturing process.
Six semifinalists will be named in early September after students have completed the SCAD course, based on evaluations by a panel of industry experts. On Sept. 7, this group of designs will be displayed on BiOH polyols various social media channels, including the ExperienceBiOH.com blog and You Tube, where consumers can vote for their favorite, with the three finalists announced on Monday, Oct. 4, and voting continuing online through Tuesday, Oct.19.
During October Market, designs from the three student finalists will also be displayed in Century's High Point showroom in Market Square, where market attendees will also be invited to vote. On Wednesday, Oct. 20, all votes--online and in Century's showroom--will be tallied and the winner announced at WithIt's student mentoring luncheon that day.
"The goal of Project UDesign is to educate the industry and consumers on the topic of sustainable furniture design, said Yusuf Wazirzada, general manager of Cargills polyols business. "Research shows a significant percentage of consumers are seeking information about eco-friendly furnishings options and also that the furniture manufacturers and retailers who communicate their environmentally focused initiatives can win favor with these shoppers."
Criteria for the chair design includes the specification of BiOH polyols based foam in upholstery cushions and the application of Ultrasuede EcoDesign upholstery covers, which are manufactured with recycled materials in a process that both reduces energy consumption and CO2 emissions substantially.
July 22,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Green on July 23, 2010
Cargill's BiOH polyols business has launched Project UDesign, a furniture design competition to design a sustainable and sellable upholstered wing chair.
The competition is open to students majoring in furniture design at Savannah College of Art and Design. The contest will engage the entire furniture industry and consumers to select the winning chair design at October High Point Market. Project UDesign will culminate in an award presentation at High Point Market during the WithIt Student Mentoring Luncheon on Oct. 20.
North Carolina-based Century Furniture, a 2009 AHFA SAGE award finalist and Sustainable Furnishings Council member, has pledged to put the new wing chair into production after the winner is named this fall. The winner of Project UDesign will receive a $1,000 award from Cargill's BiOH poyols business; and Century will pay a royalty for each unit of the winning chair design it sells.
Project UDesign also is sponsored by Toray International's brand of Ultrasuede upholstery covers, which are made using the company's EcoDesign manufacturing process.
Six semifinalists will be named in early September after students have completed the SCAD course, based on evaluations by a panel of industry experts. On Sept. 7, this group of designs will be displayed on BiOH polyols various social media channels, including the ExperienceBiOH.com blog and You Tube, where consumers can vote for their favorite, with the three finalists announced on Monday, Oct. 4, and voting continuing online through Tuesday, Oct.19.
During October Market, designs from the three student finalists will also be displayed in Century's High Point showroom in Market Square, where market attendees will also be invited to vote. On Wednesday, Oct. 20, all votes--online and in Century's showroom--will be tallied and the winner announced at WithIt's student mentoring luncheon that day.
"The goal of Project UDesign is to educate the industry and consumers on the topic of sustainable furniture design, said Yusuf Wazirzada, general manager of Cargills polyols business. "Research shows a significant percentage of consumers are seeking information about eco-friendly furnishings options and also that the furniture manufacturers and retailers who communicate their environmentally focused initiatives can win favor with these shoppers."
Criteria for the chair design includes the specification of BiOH polyols based foam in upholstery cushions and the application of Ultrasuede EcoDesign upholstery covers, which are manufactured with recycled materials in a process that both reduces energy consumption and CO2 emissions substantially.
July 22,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Bedding on July 23, 2010
Mattress and bedding manufacturer Spirit Sleep announced it will move its High Point showroom from the Plaza Suites to the International Home Furnishings Center.
Spirit Sleep's new showroom, space 514 in the IHFC's Main Wing on the 5th floor, will open for October Market, when it will introduce of six new memory foam mattresses, including product geared for the youth market.
"We see it as critical to our short-term and long-term strategies," President and CEO Michael Cianciarulo said of the move. "Short-term, of course, we expect the increased traffic that the IHFC provides will produce sales. Long-term, our brand awareness among buyers in the bedding category is greatly enhanced by being in the company of so many other great brands in the category. The IHFC is very strong in that regard."
July 21,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Bedding on July 22, 2010
Specialty bedding retailer Select Comfort Corp. (NASDAQ: SCSS) reported net income of $6.2 million for the second quarter ended July 3, compared to a loss of $4 million in the same quarter last year.
Sales for the quarter were $139 million, a 15 percent increase compared to sales of $121 million during the second quarter of 2009.
"During the second quarter, our focus on key priorities delivered double-digit growth in same-store and total sales as well as improved profitability," said Bill McLaughlin, president and CEO of Select Comfort Corporation. "The progress we made during the past 18 months in our cost structure and operational execution is generating sustained profitability. In addition, these enhancements are proving particularly valuable as we lap stronger comparisons to a year ago and the macro-economic environment remains uncertain."
McLaughlin said the company plans to invest in "evolving our media messages, our digital and Web presence, and store locations, as well as further enhancing our customer experience."
The company's sales growth was driven by a 28 percent increase in same-store sales. Same-store growth was offset by the impact of the closure of 46 stores since the beginning of second quarter of 2009 and the termination of retail partner relationships in 2009. Sales-per-store increased to $1.2 million, approximately 25 percent higher than the prior-year period.
The company operates 395 stores and expects to end its fiscal year with between 380 and 390 stores. In addition to its stores, the company sells its
Sleep Number beds online, through select bedding retailers and direct marketing.