East India showing organic fabrics
Susan M. Andrews -- Furniture Today, December 11, 2005
High Point — The East India Company USA, a new member of the International Textile Market Assn. and first-time Showtime exhibitor, is showcasing upscale, hand-embroidered fabrics in Space 1-816 in the Suites at Market Square.
The company is highlighting embroidered patterns rendered on organic linen, cotton and silk. Design themes range from traditional and folk to contemporary and children.
Rafiq Kathwari, president, says he is passionate about "creating original patterns and using organic fabrics to bring to America the best of India's craftsmanship in superior home textiles at fair prices that represent good values, consistently — and the key word is consistently."
Kathwari — the brother of Ethan Allen Interiors CEO Farooq Kathwari — was associated with Ethan Allen in the 1980s as a vice president of KEA International, a subsidiary involved in product development.
Rafiq has been selling crewels for the past several years in Manhattan, and said he became dedicated to reversing a downward trend he noticed in quality.
"For a long time, I'd known the weaving could be enriched by introducing new techniques. The potential for improvement is always there," he said.
East India's Showtime intros include the Family Crewels and the RAJ collections, which are hand-embroidered in India's Kashmir and Mumbai regions, respectively.
Kathwari, who was born in Kashmir, speaks glowingly of the quality and tradition inherent in goods woven in the regions.
"I love handmade textiles," he said. "My grandfather was an obsessive art collector, and I cultivated respect for hand craftsmanship early in life."
He added, "We're excited about exhibiting at Showtime as it seems to be the right venue for small companies like us, importing and distributing upscale, hand-embroidered home furnishings decorative fabric."
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