Jay Franco recruits G.I. Joe for bath line

By Cecile B. Corral -- Home Textiles Today, 3/10/2003 12:00:00 AM

NEW YORK —

Hasbro Inc.'s consumer products division signed up with juvenile bedding and bath supplier Jay Franco & Sons to develop a line of beach towels, bath towels, shower curtains, bath rugs and bathroom accessories for the toy company's G.I. Joe juvenile property. The line will hit store shelves of mass and specialty retailers this fall.

Two designs will be used for the lines — G.I. Joe vs. Cobra and Classic G.I. Joe.

The 30" x 60" beach towels will come in two constructions — fiber reactive printed and sculpted jacquard. Bath towels will include fiber reactive printed, embroidered and screen printed constructions; the shower curtains will be vinyl; the bath rugs will be nylon; and the accessories will be constructed from rotational molded vinyl to make them shatter-proof.

Price points include $14.99 for the fiber reactive bath and wash towel sets and $10.99 for the screen printed sets; $14.99 for the shower curtains; $7.99 for the embellished bath, $5.99 for the hand and $3.99 for the washed towels; $14.99 for the bath rugs; $14.99 for the fiber reactive beach towels; and 19.99 for the jacquard beach towels.

The partnership is one of two new pending deals for licensing ventures for Hasbro for products based on the G.I. Joe vs. Cobra theme. The Betesh Group is creating a collection of G.I. Joe bags, backpacks, slumber bags and pillowcases set to retail this holiday.

Hasbro Consumer Products plans to continue to expand on the brand by actively seeking new licensees for G.I. Joe, in categories such as food and HBA.