Weslpun takes Christy back to its roots

-- Home Textiles Today, 3/11/2010 8:14:00 AM

New York – Welspun has re-energized Christy, the luxury UK bath brand it acquired in 2006, after determining it had become too “Americanized” over the past few seasons.

“We’re basically going back to grass roots,” said Oliver Newman, who oversees the brand. “Our towel program has been built around only using long staple cotton. We’ve really focused on premier fibers.”

The new Supreme towel uses Supima cotton and features mercerized borders to minimize shrink. It just launched in the UK in 22 colors and will initially be available in the US in 14. Coordinating bath rugs are also available.

The Renaissance towel harkens to the original Christy towel that debuted in America at Bloomingdale’s in 1988, employing extra long staple Egyptian cotton.

Elegence is constructed of a blend of Welspun’s Hygo fiber and eucalyptus.

Suvine is made of the cotton of the same name, an extra, extra long-staple variety that grows only in small area of India.

Bath towel prices range from $15 for Supreme to $30 for Suvine.

In bedding, Christy is showing two floral beds whose designs are drawn from original, hand-painted documents.

“For us, it’s an identity,” said Newman.