Sunham flexes fashion in quilts    

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 9/14/2008 4:26:00 PM

At the New York Market – Diversified home textiles producer Sunham Home Fashions believes the time has come for quilts again, and it’s giving the category a nudge with a new collections focused on fashion and flexible product constructions that allow consumers to change the look of a quilt.

In the showroom, dressmaker dummies are decked in outfits made from Sunham’s new quilt designs, which are shown alongside coordinating comforters. 

“We’re seeing signs that people have been asking for more quilts with quality,” said ceo Howard Yung, observing that the category “has been down for a while and it’s time to come back. We want to be more innovative.”

To that end, Sunham is introducing two new quilt constructions this market.

Trio features a quilted center panel surrounded by a solid. The center panel has hidden zippers accommodating two additional center panels, so consumers can get creative.

Another unnamed item is constructed like a duvet cover with a hidden zipper on one side so that it can be turned inside out to create a new look. Each of the four sides features a different coordinating pattern.

Sunham this market is also introducing a line of Eco Chic quilts. The face cloth is made from 100% organic cotton and the fill is constructed of 100% recycled material.

Designs across the quilt and comforter collection include looks that reinforce Sunham’s Guess.TheTrend.com website and marketing campaign: a French damask, stripes, embroidered scroll work, oversized document prints, graphic chrysanthemum prints, and Egyptian-influenced jacquard wovens, animal prints in neutral tones, and a botanical silhouette print. Many of the comforters and quilts can be used as coordinates.

“The market tells consumers to use either a comforter or a quilt, but when you ask consumers they’re using both,” said Ellen McNulty, partner in Corra Consulting, which has been working with Sunham. “So Sunham is designing quilts and comforters as coordinates.”