Home Textiles Today - January 4, 2010

Eager to escape the abysmal year 2009 proved to be for most if not all home textiles suppliers, area rug companies are avidly looking forward to Atlanta International Area Rug Market this week. Over the course of last year, shoppers limited their spending on discretionary purchases, like rugs, giving retailers cause to shy away from building their assortments with new products.

• Business Today
• ForecastIQ: High-end, Specialty Retailers Can Expect Soft Same-Store Sales in 2010
• First Holiday Sales Report a Mixed Bag
• Christmas Week Sales on Target
• Pier 1 Profitable in Third Quarter, Optimistic About Fourth Quarter

• News
• Green Seminars Planned for NRF conference
• Valley Forge Fabrics a Finalist in Interior Design Awards
• Las Vegas Market, Surfaces Align for Joint Event
• Surtex Rebrands, Launches Website
• Online Shoppers Jazzed About Holiday Experience
• Retail Brief
• Chris Stone Future Up in The Air
• NY Mayor Bloomberg declares Home Textiles Week
• Retail Container Volume Expected to End Two Years of Declines
• PrimaLoft, Downlite Raised Donations for Domestic Violence Awareness
• International Exhibitors Set for 2010 NYIGF
• Suppliers Launch Pangea Home
• Polymer Group to Serve Hygiene, Healthcare Industries in U.S. and Asia
• Consumers Optimistic About the Future
• Design Weave USA Partners with Greenfirst for Anti-Bed Bug Formula
• HFPA Board Members Elected
• Iconix Brand Group, The Licensing Com. Partner to Expand in Europe
• Williamsburg to Launch "Story & Style" Collection in the New Year

• Opinion Today
• A Decade of Change
• Off and Running in 2010

• People Today
• Forwood to Handle Mid-Atlantic for Nourison
• Hollander Home Fashions Bestows Third Leo Award
• Richloom Shanghai Adds Two
• Walmart de Mexico President Named Chief for Latin America
• 828 Promotes Shuler

• The Facts
• Rug Report
• Rug Industry Takes a Double-Digit Sales Hit in 2009
• Rugs
• Atlanta Rug Introductions