Biggest student group ever takes ITMA tour
By Susan M. Andrews -- Furniture Today, February 12, 2006
High Point — For three days last month, a packed tour bus shuttled among fabric mills, furniture plants and showrooms in North Carolina on an educational tour that brought eager design students face-to-face with companies interested in meeting the next generation of talent.
The largest-ever group of more than 40 students, from schools across the United States, was taking part in the seventh annual "Fabric: From Concept to Consumer" educational tour sponsored by the International Textile Market Assn.
Participating companies included Century Furniture, Microfibres, Tietex Interiors, Valdese Weavers, Wesley Mancini Ltd., Pearson Co. and Costa Blanca Textiles.
Designers, plant managers, executives and production workers at these companies gave presentations to the students on designing, weaving, printing and dyeing fabrics, as well as on the manufacturing and marketing of fabrics and furniture.
The students were from Philadelphia University, Syracuse University, University of Nebraska, University of Kansas, Savannah College of Art and Design, East Carolina University, North Carolina State University and the Kansas City Art Institute.
They had a chance to show their personal design portfolios to members of the industry at a social mixer and dinner held at the String & Splinter Club at Market Square here.
ITMA Executive Director Catherine Morsell said the trade group hopes to attract more fabric and furniture designers and executives to the annual event, which is a major part of ITMA's mission.
"After six years, there are still people who don't know about this educational tour, and we'd like to encourage everyone to participate," she said. "All these students are eligible for internships in the industry, and the tour is a great chance for companies to meet them."
Founded in 1990, ITMA is a non-profit trade association consisting of mills, converters, tanneries and trimming manufacturers that supply decorative coverings for the home furnishings industry. It produces Showtime, the largest textile market in the United States, in June and December of each year. For more information, call (336) 885-6842.
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