WONZ Rug Partners Build the Brand

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 1/8/2007 12:00:00 AM

Atlanta —

Wools of New Zealand brand partners — including Capel, Karastan, Momeni, and Nourison — have each developed new rug programs under the WONZ label for debut in January at the Atlanta and Las Vegas markets.

Troy, N.C.-based Capel is adding eight WONZ branded rugs to its extensive offerings. Looks range from classic elegance to casual chic. New collections include: Tibetan Treasures, made of hand-spun wool yarns colored with vegetable dyes and patterned in oversized, hand-knotted motifs; Vente, comprised of hand-spun, hand-tufted and triple luster-washed rugs; Babylon, which are hand-knotted and come in two Persian designs; and Stoneridge, which are Tibetan-style ribbed rugs.

The highlight of Sugar Valley, Ga.-based Karastan's new WONZ offerings is Shapura, a collection of Axminster rugs that replicate hand-knotted weaves. Three other WONZ collections debuting are Athena, Tiana and Tiana Ivory.

New York-based Momeni employs large motifs and new palettes in its recent WONZ rug collections – Nouveau and Capri. For its power-loomed Nouveau collection the company marries William Morris styling with elements from the Arts and Crafts movement. The Capri collection centers on botanical themes.

Nourison, based in Saddle Brook, N.J., is showing two new Persian-inspired collections for its WONZ line. They are: Nourison 3000, a densely woven New Zealand wool accented with silk; Living Treasures, a group of classic Persian patterns; and Vallencierre, which employs 30-color transitional interpretations that are hand-washed and hand-finished.