Haywin boosts sales staff, adds bath, bedding lines

NEW YORK Continuing in its effort to become more well-known as a company that is able to service and support the demands of virtually any brand, Haywin Textile Products announced the addition of five new people and the promotion of two others.

Haywin is also expanding the range of products for the Jessica McClintock Home and Simmons BeautyRest licenses to include bath accessories/shower curtain and solid-color sheet sets, respectively. Throws and decorative pillows, are also being offered by Haywin for the first time.

Said Gregg Haft, president and ceo, about the new personnel additions and promotions, "These moves reinforce all of the branding and global sourcing initiatives that we've put in place over the last year."

Haywin already has a well-established reputation as a supplier of discount department stores but has, over the last year, been slowly establishing itself as a source for higher tiers of distribution. The acquisition of the FUBU Home and Jessica McClintock Home licenses and certain aspects of the Nautica Home line have helped Haywin work toward that goal.

On the sales side and leading off the list of new hires is Shana Strong who assumes the newly created title of vp of sales. Reporting directly to Haft, Strong is focusing on certain national account businesses. She was a former employee of Think Design Group.

Formerly of Hollander Home Fashions, Wright Varn is now the regional sales manager for department stores and specialty chains, another new position. He reports directly to Charlie Schlang, director of business development.

Wrapping up the new additions to sales is Joshua Haft, who formerly ran Haywin's wholesale division. He takes on the role of sales account executive for department stores and specialty chains and also reports to Schlang.

Augmenting Haywin's merchandise and product development team are three new hires and another promotion. Barbara Menendez, formerly of Elrene, is now the brand manager for the McClintock Home line, a newly created position, and reports to Maureen Granger, vp of merchandising. Menendez is also responsible for the design direction of Haywin's private label business.

Michael Lohan, formerly of the Federated Merchandising Group, joins Haywin as its vp of global sourcing. Reporting to Lohan is new hire Rabin Sharma, who was named import buyer. Lohan reports to Gregg Haft.

Nancy Cartisano has been promoted to executive business manager. Formerly the import manager, Cartisano is responsible for Haywin's dollar store and discount store retail base.

"We're preparing for 2005 and the end of quotas in general," Haft said. "Our main moves supporting that are these personnel additions and promotions."

Haywin is unveiling a freestanding solid sheet set line for the Simmons BeautyRest license. Both woven and flannel sets are available with price points ranging from $29.99 to $99.99 for a queen. Thread counts for the all-cotton woven offerings range from 230 to 600 sateen. Depending on the thread count, as many as eight colors are offered. Six colors are offered for the flannel sets, which range in weight from 135 to 200 grams.

Also new from Haywin are throws, in a variety of constructions, and decorative pillows. The throws are being introduced as part of Haywin's current brand structure but are available as a private label offering. The pillows, however, are mainly branded.

"We're growing from a product mix and a brand mix standpoint to address different levels of retail," Granger said. "We're now able to service all levels."

Wool, cotton, chenille, chenille blends, space-dyed chenille, cotton boucle and cotton waffleweave constructions are all included for the throws, which are sized at 50" x 60" and priced from $19.99 to $49.99. Both novelty-driven and solid colors are offered.

The decorative pillows are priced from $19.99 to $59.99 and are geared toward the McClintock and FUBU lines. "They enable retailers to get the flavor of the brands, especially FUBU, without stepping into a large commitment," said Schlang.