Home Textiles Today - July 29, 2002

It is not uncommon for retailers to start selling beach towels as early as February, in some cases as early as January, only to begin slashing price points just two to three months later when the sun has barely had a chance to toast the sand and surf. But beach towels suppliers are hopeful that a shift in this sometimes costly pattern may be soon altering — even if slight...

• Business Today
• Home leads retail sales rebound
• Existing home sales plummet in June
• Kmart struggles continue in June with $137M loss
• More smaller firms may look to go private

• Fabrics Today
• Shows conform to holy day needs
• Swatches
• Quaker chief sees global opportunity

• News
• Joe Boxer drives home BTS sales
• Hayes: a powerful legacy
• Beach towel makers seek shift in season
• Retailers study hot fashions with Back-to-School programs
• Stewart deflects focus to product
• Joe Boxer drives home back-to-school sales
• WPS sees shares drop despite strong 2Q
• Springmaid promotion moves on
• Teka USA gets Kellogg started in home textiles
• For the record
• Retail briefs
• Ritzenthaler dives into terry bath products

• Opinion Today
• License to dream
• Rocket science

• Quarterly Results
• featured
• WPS sees shares drop despite strong 2Q
• Cone posts $2M profit in 2Q

• Special Report
• Retailing Giants
• Specialty retailers, Kohl's stay on growth charts
• Update 02: Beach Towels
• Vibrant colors 'brighten' outlook of towel sales