Year-round Textile Sample Sale Room opens in High Point

-- Home Textiles Today, 3/27/2009 12:13:00 PM

High Point, N.C. – The International Textile Market Association,  which produces the Showtime fabric show here in June and December, has joined the High Point Design Center to open the Market Square Textile Sample Sale Room.

The space will allow year-round sales of ITMA members' products to the design trade, including fabric, leather and trimming.

"This is a great new sales opportunity for our members," said Catherine Morsell, director of ITMA. "Thanks to marketing support from Merchandise Mart Properties, ITMA members can make their products available to the many designers who visit High Point throughout the year - with cash in hand."

The Sale Room, on the first floor of Market Square, will be marketed by the High Design Center, a coalition of High Point showrooms that are open year-round. It will initially be staffed by MMPI.

Fabric, leather and trim vendors can provide excess inventory, close-out goods or first-quality stock for the Sale Room. Goods will be sold as whole pieces, bolts or hide. For now, no cut yardage will be available.

"If the arrangement proves popular, it will be expanded to support greater volume, as well as a location that will allow for a cutting table so that cut yardage can be sold," Morsell said.

Jeanne Glenn, executive director of the Design Center, said her group has set a goal for this year to increase the fabric offerings to designers through its member showrooms.

"The design community will be thrilled to hear that this partnership has begun, as are our current members," said Glenn. "Our desire is to offer the best and broadest collection of resources to designers, and fabrics are an integral part of that offering.”

(Reported by HTT sister publication Furniture Today.)