Stanley revamps Young America program

Has product at Kids Expo, High Point premarket

Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, September 14, 2009

This room setting from Young America by Stanley Furniture shows two of the 60 finish options now available in the line.

STANLEYTOWN, Va. — Stanley Furniture is revamping its Young America youth furniture program as part of a push to improve product safety and expand consumer options available through the manufacturer's domestic factories.

The YA 2.0 initiative is debuting at the Sept. 13-16 ABC Kids Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center and at the Sept. 14-15 premarket in High Point.

Dealers will see an array of 60 finish options, including 20 now in the myHaven collection. This fall, the 60 finishes will be available in 10 youth collections, offering the dealer the ability to mix and match colors on select pieces.

Except for myHaven, youth collections are now pattern- or color-specific. The additional finish options expand the choices available to the consumer by 70%, the company said.

"The finishes will not just be specific to one pattern, but for the entire Young America brand," said Stanley President Glenn Prillaman. "The multiplicity of finishes across all patterns in the line creates an option story that is completely unmatched in the marketplace."

"So much of the mix-and-match product will be available in a number of different finishes," added Kevin Walker, vice president of product and sales management for Young America. "They (consumers) can customize their nursery to be the way they want it to be.... When you have as extensive a distribution channel as we sell, this is really an important feature for what we offer."

In addition to the color options, consumers will be able to choose among 10 American hardwood species such as maple, cherry, oak, ash and poplar.

The company said finishes are available without premium prices or delivery delays. Certain wood options may carry a premium price.

Stanley said the announcement is part of its efforts to differentiate itself in youth furniture as a domestic manufacturer. Up to now, about 25% of its youth line was sourced in China and Vietnam and the balance was produced in its Robbinsville, N.C., plant.

Starting Nov. 16, 100% of the youth product will be made in Robbinsville. All youth products shipped from December on will be U.S. made.

By shifting to all-domestic product, the company said it can offer options and still ship in 30 days or less from the time of order. Some 85% of orders are expected to ship in half that time.

Company officials also say the quick turnaround time will lower costs for dealers by limiting the amount of goods they have to inventory.

Stanley also has announced that every crib in the Young America line is Greenguard certified, meaning that the cribs meet California's strict chemical emissions test for building products used in schools, offices and other environments where children are present.

Formed in 2001, the Greenguard Environmental Institute is an independent nonprofit organization that oversees the Greenguard Certification Program and establishes acceptable indoor air standards for indoor products, environments, and buildings.

Prillaman called Greenguard "a highly-regarded third-party certification in the infant and youth furniture industry and beyond. We are excited and proud to be part of such an elite group of products."

The certification, which Stanley will eventually extend to all its Young America products, covers emissions from pollutants such as formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as gases emitted from paints, finishes and cleaning solutions.

"Naturally, the indoor air quality of a child's room is largely attributed to the furniture within that space," said Cristina Loth, vice president of engineering for Young America. "If the furniture does not meet strict emission standards ... a developing child, unlike a fully developed adult, is much more susceptible to long-term heath risks."

Stanley also plans to publish its own branded set of youth furniture safety standards that surpass both voluntary and mandatory product safety guidelines, and plans to incorporate safety standards into its manufacturing process before the standards become law.

The company also is guaranteeing its youth products against manufacturing defects for five years.

These initiatives will be supported by a point-of-sale program unveiled at the ABC and High Point events under the banner "YA 2.0 - The Brand You Can Trust." The promotional efforts include an in-store catalog available to consumers who visit retailers where Young America is sold.

Prillaman said the initiatives are part of the company's efforts to provide the choices, quality and safety elements consumers are seeking in youth furniture.

"We have got to find a way to differentiate ourselves and it has to be through more than design," he said.