Shaw Rugs, Trade Am partner for rug lines

By Cecile B. Corral -- Home Textiles Today, 4/14/2003 12:00:00 AM

DALTON, GA —

Area rug manufacturer and importer Shaw Rugs and importer Trade Am have partnered to create several coordinated programs of area rugs by Shaw and matching scatter rugs, throws and decorative pillows from India, by Trade Am.

"We want to show not just a single rug but a whole program," said Jim Thompson, director of national accounts for Shaw Rugs, based here.

Added Louis Raji, senior vp, marketing and sales for Norcross, GA-based Trade Am: "We have formed a wonderful relationship with Shaw to create several coordinate programs that offer that total solution and a coordinate choice for the consumer."

During previews prior to the official launch of the lines during spring market, the companies said they placed their new program with a major mass retailer's international division for Mexico and parts of Europe.

"It targets more of a mass audience, but in this case it just happened to be an international program," Thompson said.

At Shaw's New York showroom, the company prominently displayed vignettes of the new program — a natural tone collection for the British and German markets and another one in a combination of rust and mustard hues for the Mexican market.

"Rather than one size fits all, we'd like to make customer-specific programs," Thompson said.

The program includes synthetic area rugs manufactured by Shaw at its headquarters here as well as woven and chenille throws, decorative pillows and scatter rugs imported from India by Trade Am.

Suggested retail price points are $79 for a 5' x 8' area rugs, $3.99 to $9.99 for scatter rugs, $7.99 to $8.99 for decorative pillows and $12.99 for throws.