Arlee business direction expands

Home Textiles Today Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 3/21/2013 12:24:16 PM

At the New York Market -Arlee Home Fashions is showing a wider range of styles, designs, and constructions to address the evolving distribution in its business.

"What has dramatically changed for us is that we are serving a broader mix of customers than ever before, so we need to offer a broader mix of products than we maybe had in the past," explained David Frankel, president.

The new effort got started during the September 2012 New York Home Fashions Market, but was ramped this week for the spring edition.

"We have a lot more offerings here, maybe 25% this market," he continued. "But it's because we want to speak to a lot more types of looks to meet the needs of various types of retailers."

Printed and embroidered looks ring throughout, particularly in dec pillows and soft window, as well as large-scale patterns, noted Marsha Caparelli, svp of design.

New sub categories are also targeted as opportunities for growth. These include poufs and decorative body pillows - both for everyday use and back-to-school/college, and tier curtains and tie-up shades in the curtain line.

A new direction in soft window is the introduction of the company's patented "Windows Your Way" program. Packaged to include two decorative and lined panels, two rosettes, two tassels, and several hooks, the treatments can be configured into dozens of styles to allow consumers to decorative in multiple ways. Arlee is showing eight options on a wall in its showroom, but Frankel said the company can produce the panels in any fabric within its library.