Vera taps Bardwil, Zrike as bath licensees

-- Home Textiles Today, 2/22/2010 11:13:00 AM

Atlanta – The Vera Company has expanded its partnership with both Bardwil Industries and the Zrike Company to together create the brand’s new bath coordinate collections.

The new bath program is set to debut in March during the New York Home Fashions Market, with shipping ready for this fall. 

For the new program, Bardwil Industries supplies all of the Vera-branded coordinated bath linens, including shower curtains, bath towels, bath rugs and shower curtain rings. The Zrike Company provides all coordinated bath accessories, including tumblers, soap dishes, lotion pumps, boutique tissue paper holders, wastebaskets and toothbrush holders.

The Vera Co., which was established in 2005 to license the 7,000 copyrighted vintage designs created by the late designer Vera Neumann, was already working with Bardwil, which has been the brand’s table linens and kitchen textiles licensee since last year, and similarly with Zrkie for Vera tableware.

There is “a historical connection” between these two companies and The Vera Co., the latter said. Nancy Kristoff, president of sales for Bardwil, started her career with Linens by Vera; and Raymond Zrike, the founder of The Zrike Company, worked with Vera in the 1960’s to launch a dinnerware line for Royal Worcester. In addition, Zrike president David Zrike said he remembers being introduced to Vera’s designs as a young man and continues to “be a fan.”