Safavieh launches Wilton collection
By Lissa Wyman -- Furniture Today, September 15, 2008
PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. — Historically, power-loomed rugs have sought to emulate the look of hand-made rugs. But Safavieh is taking the opposite approach in its new Wilton collection, a line of coordinated rugs and broadloom that re-creates classic Wilton patterns in a proprietary hand-hooked construction.
The Wilton collection will be introduced during the Metro Market Week and Home Textiles Market, Sept. 15 to 19, in the Safavieh showroom at 153 Madison Ave. in New York, according to Cyrus Yaraghi, a company principal. It also will be featured at the High Point Market in Safavieh's Market Square showroom, MS 120.
The tightly hooked wool construction is made in China. The process provides a durable surface, Yaraghi said.
“The dense micro-hook used for the collection has been especially developed by Safavieh to replicate the woven Wiltons imported from Europe by to-the-trade designer showrooms,” he said.
The Wilton collection also marks Safavieh's entry into the broadloom business, according to Yaraghi.
Rugs will retail for approximately $575 in 5-foot-6 by 6-foot-6 size. The broadloom will be available in 14-foot width in 40-foot rolls, at a suggested retail price of $12 per square foot.
Patterns include trellis motifs and multi-color florals in standard rug sizes, roll runners, rounds and a corner rug. Standard colors are black/green, teal/olive, red and black. Custom colors also are available.
“This collection provides retailers with the opportunity to offer every option in this popular look for upscale traditional homes,” Yaraghi said. “The difference is that it offers the designer look of to-the-trade-showrooms at affordable prices.”
He added that an important advantage of the program is that designs and colors can easily be customized without large minimum yardage requirement.
“Originally, we created this product for our interior design customers who wanted custom colors and patterns which showrooms offering standard Wilton programs could not provide,” Yaraghi said. “Retailers were so excited about custom opportunities, and the ability to sell this look at value price points, that they also requested the product extensions and in-stock patterns.”
Roll runners are an important part of the program, he said. “One of the most consistent requests was for roll runners because buyers are impressed that we are able to serge the edges so that all rugs lay completely flat,” he said.
