Ultrasuede boosts profile
By Susan M. Andrews -- Furniture Today, October 14, 2001
NEW YORK — Ultrasuede, a longtime favorite of high-end upholstery producers, is ramping up its profile among furniture makers, retailers and consumers with a new range of prints designed to enhance versatility and help counter the influx of less-expensive faux suedes.
"It was time to move beyond solids," said Richard Tobin, director of sales and marketing, furniture division, for Toray Ultrasuede America. "The market has never seen prints of this quality or range on a luxury performance fabric such as Ultrasuede, and we are excited to be pioneering this.
"Consumers need to see and touch Ultrasuede to truly experience its high-performance luxury," he said. "No other fabric, especially with the proliferation of inferior microwoven suedes at the bottom of the market, compares to Ultrasuede for durability and cleanability."
The company is launching a kiosk program for furniture retailers, and kiosks are in the showrooms of several manufacturers at the October High Point market.
The kiosk displays 96 colors of Ultrasuede's Ambiance in a cascading swatch arrangement and features a paneled door that gives consumers detailed information about the product, its warranty and care. The kiosk also contains 3-inch-square swatches of each color that consumers can take home.
Ultrasuede's 10-year limited warranty against material defects is another element of its marketing plan.
"Because of Ultrasuede's resilience, returns are almost non-existent," Tobin said. "We want retailers and consumers to understand the distinct advantages of using genuine Ultrasuede."
A special hangtag with warranty and care information has been developed for use on furniture.
Ultrasuede is a trademarked name for microfiber fabric from Toray Inds., a Japanese company that created the product in 1970. Ultrasuede is touted for its resistance to stains, abrasion and fading. It is machine washable and dry cleanable, and most stains can be removed with soap and water.
| Above and right, new prints from Ultrasuede include serene botanicals and retro geometrics, as well as stripes, florals and plaids. The line's soft, earthy palette features colors like chamois, ginger, toffee, truffle, fawn and peat. |
| Left, a number of upholstery manufacturers are displaying Toray Ultrasuede's new informational kiosks in their showrooms at the October market. Kiosks include take-away swatches in 96 colors. |
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