High Point becomes preview venue for rugs
By Lissa Wyman -- Furniture Today, April 28, 2002
HIGH POINT — Judging from buyer reaction last week in High Point, the Atlanta market in July will be filled with value-oriented handmade rugs.
Paradoxically, new machine-made rugs are duplicating the tightly knotted formal looks of the extreme high end of the market.
High Point has become a preview for the rug business, with April's shoppers functioning as beta testers for the July show. Red remained the color of the moment here, with beige and sand tones not far behind. Greys and blacks will be coming on strong later in the year, vendors predict.
On the handmade side, inexpensive hand-tufted and Tibetan-weave hand-knotted rugs are pouring on the market at price points from $300 to $700 in 6 by 9.
"There have been great strides made in boosting production capabilities and quality in the rug making countries of India and China. As a result, costs have come down. The bottom line is that the consumer gets outstanding value," said Alex Peykar, a principal of Nourison.
"Consumers recognize the great values offered by hand-tufted and Tibetan knot constructions. But that certainly doesn't mean that high-end rugs are dead," said Amir Loloi, president of Feizy. "Once you see and feel a truly fine hand-knotted rug, you immediately understand the difference. A few years ago, our choices were limited to either high-end handmade goods or inexpensive machine-made products. Today, there is a much broader range of products and price points."
828 International was giving buyers a sneak preview of some furry hand-loomed rugs made of acrylic-modacrylic. "It's the kind of rug that makes you want to kick off your shoes and go barefoot," said President Jim Clardy.
Handmade importer Harounian Rugs International will be introducing its first machine-made rugs in July. High Point shoppers were getting a first look at the new 1.5 million-point rugs, which will duplicate the look of high-end priced wool and silk Chinese hand knots. They will retail at the $399 price point for 6 by 9.
High Point is not strictly a testing site, of course.
"The rugs on our racks in High Point are ready to go to the stores," said Paul D'huyvetter, senior vice president of Oriental Weavers USA. "Competition is tougher than ever, and we've got to keep up with the trends and get the new stuff into the stores. We've already completely recolored a line we introduced in January because retailers want beige. "
The young adult market is a growing target audience for major machine-made producers such as Shaw Rugs. "We're making a big push in the opening price point of $149 in both woven and printed products. The looks are bold and colorful, but they are not children's products," said Jeff Meadows, vice president of the Shaw Rugs division. "The nylon yarns are soft underfoot, and the rugs have a lot of style for the price."
The recent economic downturn taught retailers a quick lesson in inventory management, said Charlie Peck, president of Trans Ocean Imports.
"Although business is holding up well for the spring selling season, buyers want to stay fluid, so they are counting on suppliers to drop-ship," said Peck. "Because retailers aren't making large commitments to inventory, it's making the fashion turnaround time faster than ever."
As furniture prices drift downward, the pressure is on to produce good looking rugs that are price-congruent with upholstered furniture.
"It's ridiculous to expect a consumer to buy a $4,000 rug to go with a $2,000 sofa," noted Rachel Magee, a principal of Darchang Imports, which has imported high-end Tibetan rugs for the past several years. "Our retailers have asked us to get into the midpriced merchandise, so now we are bringing in hand-tufted rugs retailing in the $800 range."
| LEFT: The Khyber Pass collection from Sphinx by Oriental Weavers is based on traditional Peshawar designs from eastern Pakistan. Proprietary technology reproduces the surface texture and flexibility of high-end hand-knotted rugs. Machine made of New Zealand wool, $499 in a 5' by 7'. |
| RIGHT: Harounian Rugs International moves aggressively into the medium price range with the Crystal collection. The hand-tufted rugs recreate the look of Chinese wool and silk hand-knotted rugs. Retail is about $400 in a 6' by 9'. |
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