Properties Look to License for Longer Shelf Life

By Cecile B. Corral -- Home Textiles Today, 6/19/2006 12:00:00 AM

New York —

New York – The annual Licensing International show hits New York this week, and home textiles suppliers looking for potential partnerships will find opportunities abounding.

Not just cutesy brands like Care Bears, with an obvious inclination toward juvenile bedding, bath and room décor products, are calling out to home textiles companies. It is also the likes of icons such as baked goods heritage brands Entenmann's, baseball card company Topps and even biker bastion Harley-Davidson that have come to realize the importance of extending their names into the hearth and home.

“We think the whole home category has become huge, and home textiles are often the foundation of building the home,” explained Debra Joester, president and ceo of licensing representation firm Joester Loria Group in New York. “Home textiles now have more impact than ever because they lay the foundation for a broader home line, plus these are the fastest-growing categories for adult and juvenile products. The amount consumers are spending on home and décor is way up, and the range of merchandise the stores are offering is incredible.”

Here is a snapshot of properties in search of prospective home textiles supplier partners to create a broad range of soft good categories:

American Greetings for Care Bears:

This vintage children's property, which turns 25 years old this year, is looking at adding bath coordinates such as towels, rugs, shower curtains and accessories, to the brand's existing spectrum of home textiles offerings. It is represented by the Joester Loria Group.

Andy Warhol

Property representative The Beanstalk Group is looking for partners to create bedding, bath, window treatments and beach towels featuring this pop artist's imagery.

Bad Alice

Targeting 7- to 14-year-old girls, this new property from British firm HIP Designs hopes to create a collection of bedding, bath, rugs and beach towels.

Little Robots

As seen on Cartoon Network, this preschooler property by BBC and Create is hoping to expand into juvenile bedding collections, bed-in-a-bag sets and beach towels.

Beacon Street Girls

This B*tween Productions book series for middle-school students — based on the friendship between five seventh-grade girls — is looking to expand into bedding, rugs, window treatments and throws. Bath coordinates may be sought in the future.

Bernard

As seen on Cartoon Network, this animated shorts program based on a loveable yet unlucky — and hairless — polar bear is exploring opportunities in bedding, bath, room décor, rugs and other home textiles products. Bernard is represented by Al Ovadia & Associates.

Contender Entertainment's Peppa Pig

This preschooler series on Cartoon Network, based on the comical Peppa character and her pig family, is looking for bath coordinate partners. It is represented by the Joester Loria Group.

Crazy Frog

Based on the wireless and recorded music character whose videos air exclusively on Cartoon Network in the United States and on multiple broadcast networks in Canada, this property is looking to get into the bedding, bath, room décor, rugs and other home textiles categories. It is represented by Al Ovadia & Associates.

DaimlerChrysler Corp.'s Jeep and Chrysler

The automobile company wants to add throws and beach towels to both its Jeep and Chrysler branded programs. The Joester Loria Group is the licensing representative.

Entenmann's

Now that it has perfected its cookies, doughnuts, cakes and pies, this bakery goods brand is looking for partners to create a collection of kitchen textiles. It is represented by the Joester Loria Group.

Mary-Kate and Ashley

Represented by the Beanstalk Group, this tweener and young girls' lifestyle brand seeks partners to develop room décor pieces. It is represented by The Beanstalk Group.

Mountain Dew

This PepsiCo. brand, represented by the Joester Loria Group, has plans for a complete Dew Dorm room ensemble targeting late teens and young adults. Categories include bedding, bath, window treatments, rugs, throws and beach towels.

New York Botanical Garden

For its new Home in the Garden program, this historic organization has an archive of more than one million botanical prints, original artwork and other pieces from which it hopes its prospective home textiles partners will draw inspiration for a line of bedding, bath, wall coverings, upholstery fabrics, rugs and window treatments. Ripe Ideas is the licensing representative.

Susie Coelho

Represented by The Beanstalk Group, Susie Coelho – HGTV program host and best-selling author — is looking for partners to create a collection of rugs.

Topps Genuine Article

Over the past five decades, baseball card company Topps has amassed authentic sports cards packaging artwork from all four major U.S. sports. It is now looking to expand its brand into bedding, bath, window treatments and beach towels. It's represented by The Beanstalk Group.

U.S. Army

Product categories being explored include bedding, beach towels and window treatments. The Beanstalk Group is the licensing representative.