Elrene moves to the outdoors

-- Home Textiles Today, 9/19/2008 11:49:00 AM

New York -- Elrene Home Fashions is walking out into the sun with a full al fresco collection of outdoor table linens and accessories.

Using cotton fabric that has a water- and weather-resistant treatment, the collection includes tablecloths and placemats that come in four printed patterns -- mostly tropical looks -- and four matching solids, some incorporating mixed media like fabric with straw accents.

Bryan Siegel, chairman and ceo, said Elrene tested a small outdoor collection for market last year, “and it worked, so we went back into in a strong way.”

Outdoor table linens styles create new retail opportunities for Elrene, he continued. “The industry has finally found a way to sell table linens in the second quarter,” he said. “And these products are a long way from the typical Indian cotton tablecloth we've had for years [for summer].”