Poole dives into home with two new licensees

DALTON, GA— Home designer William Poole is branching out into home textiles for the first time through two recent licensing partnerships.

Dalton, GA-based Shaw Rugs will product area rugs, and Sunbrella, a division of Glen Raven Custom Fabrics LLC, will manufacture fabrics.

This new business strategy is part of Poole's plan to pursue more alliances with other home textiles category players to expand his brand for home goods.

"I am looking for full coordination within the home, starting with the rugs and working on up," said Poole, who is based in Wilmington, NC.

With Poole, Shaw Rugs has added another prominent name to its roster of licensed programs that includes the likes of Martha Stewart, Kathy Ireland and Tommy Bahama. Shaw will unveil the new collection at the High Point market in April. It comprises an estimated 20 rugs, both nylon and machine-woven wool.

The Sunbrella fabrics for Poole's line will be incorporated into his furniture line with licensee Hickory Chair and his outdoor furniture line with licensee Laneventure. The designer's other home furnishings licensees include Hickory Chair for furniture, Willwood for lamps and accents and many others for windows, doors, shutters, columns, shingles, lumber, siding and exterior lighting, among others.

Poole said he is actively looking for partners to produce bedding, window coverings, bath products, decorative pillows and other home textiles.

"It is important for me [to include home textiles in my collection] because there are almost one million people living in our homes and they look to me for exactly the product that works well in their homes," Poole said. "I want to be associated with home and hearth, like what we experienced in the '50s."