Surya Unveils New House Brand - Artistic Weavers

Home Textiles Today Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 10/3/2011 2:00:00 AM

NEW YORK - Looking to better court mass market merchants with specific product designs, Surya launched its newly developed in-house brand, Artistic Weavers at market last month.
     "This is our new brand that we will develop and sell to our mass market customers," said Paul Sullivan, svp. "It's about the value equation. It's about product that is innovative and fashionable at competitive prices. We're taking some design feelings and colors that are popular at the higher end of the marketplace and then reinterpreting them for Artistic Weavers."
     The mass market channels Surya is targeting includes home centers, warehouse clubs and discount chains, he said.
     One of the new rug constructions under the Artistic Weavers brand is an over-tufted rug grouping of contemporary and transitional patterns. Made in China of 100% polyester, these rugs are first machine tufted and then are hand-tufted for a raised effect and added texture. A 5-by-8 is priced at $179.
     Hitting the same price mark is a rug collection made of 85% wool, 15% nylon. "The palette here is made to work with all furniture styles - leather, suede, fabric. It's an important part of the total strategy," Sullivan said.
     Hitting a slightly higher retail bracket - $199 - The third rug construction is a hand-tufted looped 100% wool grouping. "The cool thing about this collection is that we've washed it three times to reduce the shedding," he said.
     Some new novelty looks also fall under the Artistic Weavers brand, and at a more aggressive ticket -- $129. Made of pieces of worn jeans, the Denim collection comes in a variety of patchwork styles.