GTA's Chinese partners receive fabric patent
By Susan M. Andrews -- Furniture Today, August 29, 2005
Colfax, N.C. — Upholstery and ticking fabric supplier Global Textile Alliance says its Chinese partners have received a patent from the Chinese government for GTA's Easy Rider padded suede upholstery fabric.
The patent may be the first issued for an upholstery fabric in China. Steve Graven, executive vice president and chief operating officer, said any other Chinese manufacturer of padded suede made in the same way is at risk of infringing on the patent.
Padded suede, a popular cover at the past several furniture markets for such manufacturers as Ashley, La-Z-Boy, Berkline/BenchCraft and Palliser, also is distributed by such vendors as Culp, Morgan Fabrics, SRA Fabrics, AAdvantage International and Daewoo.
Typically, U.S. companies file for a U.S. patent on their design, so that if the design is copied they can prevent its entry into the United States. But Graven enforcing such patents is "extremely problematic.
"It's almost too late once they arrive in the U.S. because it's very difficult to get the goods returned through the supply chain. Usually it just falls into never-never land," he said. "The point of control should be in the country issuing the patent."
Tim Dolan, president and CEO, said the patent was issued June 15 after a year of "significant effort." He called it "a significant first step for GTA and all U.S. mills to protect our product innovations developed in China or brought to China."
Having the patent will help GTA work with authorities to seize counterfeit or infringing products before the goods are exported from China, he said.
According to Dolan, the patent was issued by the Peoples Republic of China State Intellectual Property Bureau in Beijing and is good for 10 years.
Dolan said GTA introduced Easy Rider about a year-and-a-half ago and that the product is a top seller. The construction features a suede fabric face over foam with a knit backing.
Graven said that the patent means that any infringing product purchased by American or other fabric vendors is at risk of being stopped before it is shipped from China.
