Maples Rugs Embraces PET Fiber

By Cecile B. Corral -- Home Textiles Today, 10/5/2009 12:00:00 AM

New York —

Continuing on its path to become a greener company, Maples Rugs added its first recycled fiber product to its assortment.

Maples is employing Beaulieu of America's "Soft Green Smart" rug fiber, made of post-consumer recycled beverage bottles, to create two new solid-colored rug collections — one in an accent shag construction and the other in textured kitchen styles.

Wade Maples, co-owner, told HTT that his company is able to offer these new eco-friendly styles because they can retail similarly in price to the company's own nylon shag varieties.

"The use of the polyester made from bottles is now feasible because it does not result in a high retail price," he explained. Specifically, the suggested retail for a 3-by-5 recycled fiber shag by Maples is set at approximately $39.99, which he said is "competitive in price" with Maples Rugs' own domestically made shag accent rugs made of olefin yarns.

The recycled fiber kitchen styles are set to retail for $9.99 for an 18-inch-by-30-inch.

All of Maples' new "Soft Green Smart" rug fiber rugs are available initially in eight solid colors.

For last month's market, the company also introduced a broadened offering — 12 new retro-like designs — of kitchen rugs it calls its "Kitschen" collection that comprises printed nylon styles in colorful vintage-inspired patterns.

And to the company's bath rug line, Maples added a collection made with Invista's new 780 Comforel-branded fiber, which claims to be the softest in the industry at 2.5 DPF (denier per filament). There are 40 available colors, and a 21-by-34 is set to retail for $24.99.