Home Textiles Today - January 26, 2009

Exhibitors at the New York International Gift Fair/Home Textiles Market Week here are putting significant emphasis on product enhancements as a key inducement for retailers to buy. With a track record of lower attendance at the Atlanta and Dallas regional markets, most exhibitors do not expect that pattern to change for the market here.

• Business Today
• Retail Execs Debate Price, Positioning
• Another Springs Global Plant Heads South
• Comps Fall as Commodities Rule
• Frugality Drives Family Dollar
• Sleep Innovations Combines Plants

• News
• Art Van Adds to Rug Business
• Iconix Forms Latin America Unit, Lauds Home Brands
• Japan Brand Highlights Lifestyle Design
• Texprocil Demands More Support
• Retail Briefs
• Rug Institute Drops Green Seal
• Bold Introductions at Area Rug Market
• HGTV to Launch Licensed Products in 2010
• Schumacher Debuts Terra
• American Textile Company Aids Susan G. Komen Cancer Fund
• Multi-Glory Adds Tri-Max
• For the Record
• London Luxury to Produce Sharper Image Line
• Unifi Adds Repreve Product, Launches Online Certification
• Kay Dee Presses New Designs
• Veteran Merchant Mettler Retiring
• BB&B Confident in Spite of Profit Fall
• China Furniture Show Adds Soft Home
• Ellen Tracy in First Non-Apparel License
• Heimtextil 'Productive' for Vendors
• Williams-Sonoma Slashes Costs
• Colonial Mills Produces 'going green' Catalog
• Vermont Organic Recruits Kiniry
• Trident Debuts U-func Towels
• Textrade to Debut Swarovski Crystal Line
• Hilco, Gordon Bros. to Buy LNT Name, Trademarks

• Opinion Today
• Re-Invent to Survive
• It's an Off-Price World

• People Today
• Gilmartin Retires from Covington
• McMillon to Head Wal-Mart International
• Steinhafel Named Chairman at Target
• Art Van Hires Dilliplane as Accessories Buyer
• Belk Promotes Orvos, Samples
• O'Connell Joining Soft-Tex
• Graham Smith Joins Shalom Bros.