Richloom expands into top of bed

By Marvin Lazaro -- Home Textiles Today, 12/2/2002 12:00:00 AM

NEW YORK —

Known for years as a fabric house and supplier of soft window coverings, Richloom Home Fashions is slowly branching into top-of-bed looks for both adults and juveniles. The company is also extending into the bathroom with a new shower curtain line.

At the New York Home Textiles Market in October, Richloom added layers onto its traditional English Garden Boutique bedding line, which had been initially introduced during the April market. In addition to the fully coordinated sheets, comforters, bedskirts, soft window coverings and decorative pillows, a fully coordinated quilt has been layered on.

Featuring a 100 percent cotton construction and cotton fill, the handmade quilts are offered in twin to king sizes and with a retail price point starting at $199 for a queen. Each of English Garden Boutique's seven ensembles has a quilt layered onto it.

The Richloom open line, consisting of five beds, features a wide range of looks, from traditional to ethnic to contemporary. Blankets and throws, constructed from 100 percent cotton and offered as open stock, have also been layered into some of the open line.

"We have a little bit of everything," said Todd Cella, director of sales and merchandising for Richloom's Global Sourcing division. "We touched on various pattern and color trends from bed to bed, so each bed is its own item." Like the English Garden line, the open line is aimed at specialty stores. "Our presence at the retail level is increasing by a lot," Cella said.

Rounding out the bedding line is a new juvenile line, with two beds for boys and three for girls. Merchandised as comforter sets with coordinating quilts and sheet sets, two of the beds, Polyanna and Christopher, are toile looks, while the other three, Zoom, Ballerina and Diana, are prints. Each ensemble also offers a full range of decorative pillows and coordinating soft window coverings. Each comforter is sized at 78" x 44", has 6 ounces of fill and is hand-pieced. The entire ensemble features a 180-count percale construction. All of the beds are sourced from China, India or Pakistan.

A twin/full comforter set is retail priced at $89.99 to $99.99, while the coordinating sheet set is offered from $29.99 to $34.99. A quilt carries a price point of $49.99.

"Hopefully, this line will expand as time passes," Cella said, adding that the line is aimed at the specialty and department store channels and that Richloom is open to developing a private label program.

Rounding out Richloom's expansion is a new line of shower curtains. Numbering at least 25 patterns, some of which are available in different colors, the line is priced in the $19.99 to $29.99 range. The line exploits Richloom's fabric library with a full presentation of solids, embroideries, prints and sheers, with all available as a free-standing program. Made mainly in Taiwan, Cella said this line is also available either branded or as a private label.