Naturals, neutrals and plenty of textures proved top looks at the spring 2023 New York Home Fashions Market.
NEW YORK -- Area rug importers say that big box and mass merchant rug buyers were active snapping up the latest fashion-driven area rugs at the spring New York Home Fashions Market despite the uncertainty surrounding the current economic environment.
According to several surveyed area rug executives at the show, appointments were strong and buying is similar to pre-pandemic levels with many saying they remain cautiously optimistic for the remainder of 2023.
Among the top trending looks are natural seagrass-inspired designs in easy-care finishes, performance and washable area rugs in a range of lifestyle choices, and still popular plush designs with a textural twist. Buyers were also responding well to Art Deco and mid-century inspired geometric motifs, textural looks in a range of styles from geometric to abstracts. But in addition to wanting fashion driven rugs, buyers were seeking pieces that upped the price-value proposition.
In the industry's only area rug tour of New York Home Fashions Market, RugNews.com stops by top showrooms presenting their latest rugs designed for mass merchant buyers.
DYNAMIC RUGS
Dynamic Rugs' all wool Trono collection is trending with buyers seeking black and white rugs.
Dynamic Rugs reports that appointments were good, and that buyers shopping the bi-annual New York Home Fashions market "want the look but at the right price." The company showcased several new collections, including top performers at the January Las Vegas Market, that continued to gain ground in New York. Among the most popular collections are the textural all-wool Trono, which includes an abstracted motif with an exposed ground of either black, gray, or silver paired with ivory or white. In addition, the Octo collection, which offers textural traditional looks in neutral colorations and shiny patterns, is expected to be among the top performers for the rug maker.
Also, striking a right balance between price and value are Dynamic Rugs' Score, which is handmade of PET yarn; the hand-tufted Symphony, which pairs polyester and wool with a tufted overloop; and Downy, a brand-new line of ultra plush styles. Finally, the Monroe collection design 9801-890, machine-made of polypropylene and polyester, was a top-choice for buyers seeking Art Deco-inspired geometric motifs.
The new Octo collection is on its way to be a top selling line with its updated traditional palettes and textural motifs.
Shag rugs continue to be sought-after by mass merchants and Dynamic Rugs introduces Downy in response.
HAROUNIAN RUGS INTERNATIONAL (HRI)
HRI showcased its first 3 million point collection called Qum at the New York Home Fashions Market.
HRI showcased goods geared toward its department store clients at the spring market. Among the exclusive debuts were new production in the company's popular Sunbrella collaboration, which offers performance rugs crafted from Sunbrella yarns. HRI also added to its 2 million point selection with new options, and grew its textural lineup with the new Antique, a collection of vintage inspired motifs crafted of shrink poly and polyester. Finally, the creme de la creme of the NY debuts was Qum, an intricate 3 million point lineup crafted of polyester for sheen.
The New York-based rug purveyor also offered a sneak peek of its new sample program, which includes all of HRI's handmade collections. Buyers who place an order of between $5,000-$10,000 dollars will receive free samples with free shipping included.
HRI grows its successful Sunbrella collaboration adding fresh performance designs to its 700 series.
For New York market-goers, HRI introduces Antique, a line up of subtle patterns and textural motifs.
LOLOI
Loloi's Bella lineup of tufted loop rugs features the casual looks New York attendees are looking for.
"NY is getting better and better; we are expecting a really good show," Austin Craley, VP sales, said. "The country is in a healthy place as far as the supply chain, equilibrium is back, and we are in a good place. Turkish production is up and running--there were some small delays and retailers were all understanding."
Among the popular collections at the Loloi showroom was the new Bella line, which offers trending casual looks. Bella offers a tufted loop weave and the entire range, which includes a mix of styles, highlights how various designs work together.
Another collection that fared well is the power-loomed indoor-outdoor Max collection, offered in two color palettes: natural tones and blue and gray. The Harris collection adds to Loloi's printed assortment and showcases a patchwork one-of-a-kind style for an "affordable upscale look."
In shags, which remain a steady seller at Loloi, the debut of Dorian marked its newest shag construction.
Loloi's indoor-outdoor Max range offers neutral grass-like looks and blue and gray styles.
Plush rugs remain steady sellers for Loloi which rolled out the new Dorian collection for New York shoppers.
MOMENI
Momeni grows its Momeni Basics with the new textured, solid Bebe collection.
Momeni meets clients' requests for natural styles, plenty of texture and high-low effects -- and also for more tufted options -- with its latest introductions at New York Home Fashions Market. To that end the company adds a neutral colorway to the Novogratz collection's best-selling Delmar design, which is tufted with a carved mid-century modern geometric motif. The company also continues to expand its Momeni Basics lineup presenting new designs crafted of pure wool with understated, textural designs.
The Novogratz collection sees a fresh neutral color addition to its top-selling Delmar design (DEL-08) and adds the new tufted Tallulah collection of solid rugs, with contrast simple border and rounded corners.. Delmar and Tallulah rugs are tufted of pure wool. Another hand-tufted rollout is Bebe, part of the Momeni Basics series of foundational rugs, crafted of all wool. Bebe is offered in solid earthy brown tones and charcoal option with ribbed-like look. Also added to Momeni Basics is Neo, a shaggy hand-knotted wool rug in solid earth-toned hues with a baby fringe.
Wren, crafted of 50 percent polypropylene and 50 percent polyester, also made its market debut. This textural collection offers a handmade effect, with no serge on the edges, and Moroccan-inspired and geometric motifs in neutral tones. Momeni's Vine collection of indoor-outdoor high-low geometric patterns
The Vine collection of indoor-outdoor rugs offers a range of high-low patterns sought after by buyers in New York.
Momeni debuts Wren collection, crafted of polyester and polypropylene, which offers understated designs in ivory.
NATCO
Natco's Landscape collection gets tweaked and produced on a new loom added at the company's Maine facility.
"The big boys are buying," said Mark Ferullo, EVP, Natco Home. "Business is good and our customers are very motivated."
He noted that a popular choice was the company's successful Santorini high performance indoor-outdoor rug collection, which debuted several new designs for easy living. Also new for spring shoppers is Natco's indoor-outdoor Melbourne collection, which includes novelty coastal motifs, tribal looks, floral patterns and geometric styles.
The company tweaked its textured ultra-soft Landscape collection increasing the amount of shrink poly used in the lineup’s designs. The range, crafted in the company's Maine facility, is made of an ultra-soft polyester pile that is a blend of heat-set yarns and shrink yarn. In fact, Landscape, a collection of modern designs, is produced on a new loom that Natco recently acquired, allowing the company to produce rugs at a higher speed with more flexibility in what can be done with various qualities.
Natco introduces the indoor-outdoor Melbourne collection, which includes geometric, floral and novelty motifs for easy living.
Natco's RugEase label of washable area rugs continues to be a top hit with New York buyers.
NOURISON
Nourison introduces Serenity Home, a collection of gray and ivory color combinations in a broad range of patterns.
"We remain cautiously optimistic -- we are getting orders and we expect it to be a good year," said Giovanni Marra, director of marketing and digital strategy. Among the top hits for New York marketgoers were the company's recently introduced Elegant Heirlooms and Abstract Hues, both machine-made of 80 percent space-dyed polyester and 20 percent shrink polyester with ribbed texture. Elegant Heirlooms features updated traditional motifs, while Abstract Hues offers contemporary looks. Serenity Home, a brand-new lineup machine-made of polypropylene, was a hit for its attractive price point and range of patterns in shades of gray and ivory.
"Both Abstract Hues and Elegant Heirlooms are more value driven -- you get a lot of rug for the price point," Marra added, noting that the high value of these rugs made them a market standout.
Nourison Washables, already a blockbuster program, will be adding new collections and is expected it to be a strong category for Nourison for 2023 as well.
Nourison's Elegant Heirlooms and Abstract Hues collections, in coordinated colorations, are off to a fast start.
Nourison Washables are a block-buster and will continue to see line extensions in 2023.
ORIENTAL WEAVERS
Offering multi-level motifs in sought after ivory and brown color combinations, the latest addition to OW's Ultimate
Performance easy-care series, Amari, was a top choice at spring Market.
On the first floor of its duplex penthouse suite, Oriental Weavers featured the latest additions and top-sellers from its Aberdeen and Maharaja collections -- two of OW's most popular collections. In addition, Francesca, also a top seller, was showcased in its best-selling designs.
The upper showroom level features about 30 brand-new collections rolling out for spring buyers, including new collections added to the company's recently introduced easy-care Ultimate Performance series. The easy-care Amari, made of polypropylene, offers a loop, cut loop and flatweave construction giving the simple global and modern designs a lot of texture but featuring neutral and tonal colorations.
The new Hamilton collection includes 10-12 designs in a range of styles made of polypropylene and offered in a palette of grays, ivory and browns in a soft inviting hand. In addition, OW introduces Miller, featuring a new-four color shrink twisted yarn used in the collection’s high pile for nice effect. Miller includes a range of motifs from updated traditional to abstract, rendered in earthy neutrals.
Oriental Weavers rolls out Miller, a collection featuring a new four color twisted yarn in the high pile for added textural effect.
OW debuts Mateo, a lineup up of raised designs rendered in deep brown and ivory for plenty of wow-factor.
SURYA
Surya continues to add natural looks to its machine-program introducing the easy-care Mystery collection of jute-
inspired designs.
Surya, which continues to push further into the big box channel, focused its New York introductions on value price points in trending categories, including easy-care grass-like styles, foldable rugs and machine-washable options.
"In machine-made we are bringing a lot of fashion, and following market trends," Satya Tiwari, president, told RugNews.com. "Consumers want jute looks but without the effort. Our washables are more focused on lifestyles and bringing everything to the category from jute-like designs to plush vintage, foldable rugs inspired by our handmade product."
The company debuted Mystery, an easy-care, washable, foldable jute-styled collection. Another foldable lineup, Downtown, offers sought-after vintage, hand-knotted-styling at an affordable price point. Tiwari noted that the main reason Surya continues to expand its foldable rugs options is to offer retailers a simpler cash-and-carry option for consumers.
Other debuting highlights include Birmingham, which brings handmade looks to the machine-made category with a special machine-woven polyester technique.
Surya introduces Downtown collection, which offers a hand-knot vintage styling and can be folded for easy cash and carry.
Surya continues to add fresh looks to its shag assortment rolling out Birmingham, which includes checker-board design.
TAYSE
Dazzle is machine-woven in a Wilton loop to offer a ribbed-like effect in a range of motifs from contemporary floral to abstract.
Tayse returns to New York Home Fashions Market for the first-time since the pandemic struck. The machine-made rug importer showcased more than 80 new collections across categories at its first in-person event in three years.
Among the top area rug introductions at its 230 Fifth Ave. showroom in suite 905 was Percy, a reversible indoor-outdoor lineup that offers a different pattern on each side. These rugs are machine-woven flatweaves made of polypropylene in Turkey. Another popular choice was the new Dazzle collection of vibrantly colored motifs with a rib-like effect. Dazzle rugs feature a machine-woven Wilton loop with a non-skid backing.
The company also expanded its washable lineup, adding its first printed designs that offer a non-skid backing. New collections in that construction include Jordon, which features traditional motifs in contemporary colorations, and Elis, which includes blue and gray toned rugs in modern designs. Another introduction in the washable category is Konya, offering machine-woven prints crafted of cotton for a chenille styling.
For New York market-goers the company added fresh designs to its popular Imperial shag collection, another category that continues to resonate with mass merchants and e-commerce buyers.
Tayse debuts the performance-driven Percy, a collection of machine-woven flatweave rugs that are reversible.
Offering a hooked construction made of polypropylene, Tayse's Elisa combines durability and style.