J.R. United to Reign on market

By Cecile B. Corral -- Home Textiles Today, 3/17/2003 12:00:00 AM

MIAMI —

At the New York Home Textiles Market later this month, bath, beach and kitchen towel supplier J.R. United Industries Inc. will launch a line of high-end embellished towels, which the company dubbed Reign.

"We wanted a name that made you think castles, palaces, estates, royalty, that kind of thing," said Salo Grosfeld, president.

In addition to its Reign line, J.R. United will introduce embellished styles for its licensed Umbra and Izod collections.

For the launch of Reign, J.R. United will offer four collections, each comprising five colorways and five designs. Included in these are Abouchar brand looks, which the company acquired when International Terry Products, an affiliate and sister company, took ownership last winter of defunct Davidson Cotton's embroidery and embellishment factory in Mexico. Coordinating bath accessories and bath rugs are also in the line.

Grosfeld said New York-based Umbra will produce the accessories, but the supplier is still looking for a bath rugs partner.

Reign will be positioned as the company's upstairs house brand, with bath towels at $14.99 to $24.99. The company hopes to court department and specialty stores.

Constructions include solid terry, yarn-dyed jacquard and solid-color velour.

In other news, J.R. United will open a showroom for the New York market. It will be located at 200 Madison Avenue in suite 2108. For past market events, the company rented hotel rooms.

Grosfeld said the space is not permanent. "We are going to test it out," he said.