Mohawk joins ‘Decorate For the Cure’

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 2/14/2007 1:08:00 PM

At the New York Market – Mohawk Home is actively becoming part of the war against breast cancer through its recent collaboration with the Susan G. Komen For the Cure movement. And it isn’t through a large cash donation.

Elizabeth Miller, senior vp, design, Karastan, and “a breast cancer survivor, myself,” she added, is the vehicle by which Mohawk is taking its participation a step further. The company, which is a member of the million-dollar council of For the Cure, is creating home textiles products for retail, from which proceeds will be donated toward cancer research.

Under the “Decorate For the Cure” umbrella Miller created, Mohawk is creating product in saleable pink tones emblematic of the pink ribbons used in this movement.

“We didn’t just want to write a check,” said Miller, who is in remission. “We wanted to show our consumer that we care about them with our product.”

The first product line under this program is blush-colored, 50-by-60 acrylic rayon chenille tasseled throws. “We’re not just going to plunk these into the stores,” Miller added. “We’ll include presentations and special labels to explain the program to the consumer.” Her hope is to add a how-to diagram of a breast self-exam, which would be featured on the back of the product label.

More products – and possibly new colors – will be added as Mohawk Home expands its program. On a larger scale, Miller is looking to partner with other home textiles suppliers and manufacturer who do not compete with Mohawk to create another program she calls Home For the Cure. Mohawk Industries already participates with a special carpet program on its commercial business side.