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SFC to Host "Sustainability Essentials" Webinar

By Home Furnishings Business in Green on January 7, 2011

The Sustainable Furnishings Council will host a free "Sustainability Essentials" webinar, Monday, Jan. 17 at 1 p.m.(EST).

This one-hour webinar provides a grounding in the environmental issues related to home furnishings, including the factual basis for climate change, problems with indoor air quality, toxic waste, and water conservation. Source documents are public records such as the U.N. IPCC 4th Assessment Report and the U.S. EPA, translated from technical jargon into easily understood concepts with common references all explicitly linked to the home furnishings industry.

Content also includes a synopsis of GREENleaders, the furniture industry's first certified sustainability training course. This webinar is intended to give participants useful information they can begin using in their business immediately as well as answer any questions about getting the most out of SFC membership and participating in the full exam program to receive your credentials as a local expert in green furnishings.

Click here to reserve a seat at the webinar.

Natura World to Launch Sharper Image Merchandising Program in Vegas

By Home Furnishings Business in licensing on January 7, 2011

Bedding vendor Natura World will launch its newly designed Sharper Image mattress collection and merchandising program at Las Vegas Furniture Market, Jan. 24-28.

Natura World and Sharper Image signed a licensing agreement in June 2009. Natura World's Las Vegas showroom is in space A950 of World Market Center.

"We worked diligently to design a collection that would embody the same quality, innovation and uniqueness that consumers have come to associate with The Sharper Image brand," said Natura World President Ralph Rossdeutscher. "Consumers are clamoring for technology-driven brands as a means to enhance their lifestyle while making their homes more comfortable. The bedroom is a natural extension of that, and this collection caters to consumers who want a premium product because they understand the importance of quality rest for their overall health and well-being."

The five-model lineup has been enhanced with rich, dramatic black-and-white styling, luxurious suede fabrics and waterfall edges ranging from two to over four inches. All models feature The Sharper Image logo on the ticking as well as seven-inch Novalay cores that actually calibrates the mattress to a consumer€™s body every time they lie down.
 
Each model's topper features a different comfort feel derived from layers of BioFoam, Visco, Talalay Latex, Single OrthoGel and Double OrthoGel. The line carries a suggested retail price range from $2,499 to $4,999 in queen.
 
Salt Lake City-based furniture retailer R.C. Willey and C.S. Wo & Sons Furniture in Honolulu are two  retailers currently flooring the new offering.

Furniture Brands Works on Cut-and-Sew Factory in Mexico

By Home Furnishings Business in Business Strategy on January 7, 2011 Furniture Brands International (NYSE: FBN) is developing a factory in Merida on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula to provide cut-and-sew kits for its U.S. upholstery operations.

The company expects the facility will begin production by the middle of this year with an initial work force of 150 to 200 people.

"Developing our own production assets in best-cost locations is a key to improving Furniture Brands' profitability and manufacturing flexibility," said Ralph Scozzafava, chairman and CEO. "The Merida facility allows us to capture the value of efficient manufacturing while improving our quality and delivery metrics. Our long-term supply chain strategy calls for increased use of facilities and suppliers that are dedicated to our business and our success."

Ray Johnson, Furniture Brands' senior vice president of global supply chain, said the move will provide the company with "good skilled labor, a proven track record in cut-and-sew operations, and a flexible logistics network. As a result, I am very excited about our opportunity in Merida."

Capel Giving Away Kindles in Atlanta

By Home Furnishings Business in Rugs on January 7, 2011

Capel Rugs will give away Amazon Kindle e-readers during the Atlanta International Area Rug Market, Jan. 13-16.

One winner will be drawn daily at 4 p.m. during the first three days of market.

Amazon's bestselling Kindle e-reader is Wi-Fi accessible and has a 6-inch screen featuring easy-to-read E Ink technology. It allows users to instantly purchase, download and store thousands of books.

Troy, N.C.-based Capel's Atlanta showroom is located in Merchandise Mart, 6 Floor, Space F2. Market visitors can submit contest entry forms at the showroom from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Jan. 13 through 15.

Oeko-Tex Announces Updates to 2011 Global RSL

By Home Furnishings Business in Green on January 7, 2011

Textile certifier Oeko-Tex has updated its Restricted Substances List and limit values, and its testing criteria for certifying textiles for harmful substances.

The new regulations reflect the state-of-the-art in global textile processing chemistry and production methods, the most up to date knowledge of human health and ecology, and the latest standards in governmental regulations. 
 
"The global textile market is dynamic and complex," said Sam Moore, who represents Oeko-Tex in the United States. "With our worldwide network of textile research and testing institutes, our scientists have a comprehensive view of current and emerging trends in textile production. They can evaluate the potential impact on humans and ensure that the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 continues to protect consumers against potentially harmful substances."
 
Oeko-Tex Standard 100 updates for 2011 include:
* Total Lead Content at 90 ppm: The 90 ppm standard limit value applies to all four Oeko-Tex textile product categories, from Class I babywear to Class IV decorative textiles that have limited human contact. The 90 ppm is ahead of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) 2011 schedule to reduce lead content to 100 ppm for children's items and 300 ppm for other items. In addition to tighter lead content limits, the Oeko-Tex testing methodology will continue to use a controlled sweat solution test which simulates the actual textile use conditions and determines extractable heavy metal content, a more meaningful indicator of possible health risks than just total heavy metal content.
* Short chain (C10 to C13) chlorinated paraffins and tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphates banned: While virtually banned by extremely low limit values in the 2010 Oeko-Tex RSL, these substances will now be explicitly cited in the list of banned flame retardant substances and in the list of banned residual chemicals. The new limit values are 0.1 percent by weight.
 
In addition, Oeko-Tex will continue to visit certificate holders to facilitate their certification process, to provide assistance with optimizing quality control procedures, and to help leverage their Oeko-Tex certification throughout their supply chain to produce safer and more sustainable textile products.

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