Westgate adds table linens, outdoor dec pillows, pet styles 

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 2/13/2008 12:49:00 PM

At the New York Market – Westgate’s decorative pillow division is traveling outdoors in style with the recent development of the company’s own al fresco fabric.

Under its own Out ’n About label, Westgate has created a line of indoor/outdoor settee cushions, chair pads and decorative pillows made of a fashionable woven jacquard that has been treated to resist mildew, stains, fading and weather damage. This fabric line was developed by Westgate’s ADF fabric branch.

There are 12 to 15 fabric styles available, and they can be embellished with trim and other details upon customer requests.

On another front in the dec pillow division, Westgate is adding the table linens category to its assortment, using fabrics to create coordinating placemats, chair pads and runners. Indoor/outdoor varieties are being included in this mix. Neil Zuber, evp, aptly described the move as Westgate’s “entrée” into the table linens category.

And in still other related news, Westgate has vastly expanded its pet bed and family pillow offerings considerably since launching the sub-category two years ago.

Pet beds and family pillows collectively now make up about one third of Wetsgate’s independent dec pillow sales, Zuber said.

Westgate is currently selling these oversized varieties (typically 27-by-36) to 15 retailer customers. “Some sell them as family pillows and others as pet beds,” explained Amy Bell, vp.

There is a difference: Family pillows generally come without a gusset, or are not box shaped. Pet beds, however, usually do come with gussets. Fabric-wise, there are further contrasts. Family pillows tend to lean toward chenille and jacquard styles; Pet beds beg more tactile fabrications, such as faux furs and plush looks.