Portfolio poised for growth

Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 9/16/2002 12:00:00 AM

NEW YORK —

Portfolio Fabrics is on the move.

The decorative fabric converter, now at 267 Fifth Ave., is looking for significantly larger space to accommodate its growing design efforts and business.

Portfolio, the converting arm of the high-end fabric and furniture supplier, now occupies some 14,000 square feet and is looking to nearly double the space to about 25,000 square feet, said Scott Kravet, a principal in the family-owned firm.

Portfolio, he reported, has sales running more than 8 percent over 2001.

"And the Laura Ashley licensed fabric collection has gone from zero to $10 million in one year," he said.

The key to Portfolio's future, Kravet added, "is to be above the market in design looks. Portfolio's design team is creating our Echo licensed program and will be doing others — but they all will be upscale in fabric and design."

To support the increased design efforts, Portfolio is adding two more CAD systems, he said.