HRI debuts the new hand-knotted Serenity collection at Las Vegas Market, Shown, SE-04
LAS VEGAS — Harounian Rugs International (HRI), following a banner first six months in 2021, expects its debuting 10 collections to drive order-writing at the upcoming Las Vegas Market, scheduled for Aug. 22-26.
Powering its record sales to date are the company’s performance collections and handmade designs.
“Our business for the first half of 2021 has continued on the growth trajectory that we experienced in 2020, which was one of our best years ever,” Greg Jordt, executive vice president, sales and marketing, HRI, told RugNews.com.
“HRI’s continued expansion of collections in various constructions for the performance category has really driven our business growth and our primary channels of distribution have remained constant: rug/flooring specialty retailers, designers, furniture stores and to-the-trade showrooms..... with very little sold to internet accounts.”
New handcrafted collections to be showcased at HRI’s World Market Showroom, B443, include: Madison, a range of Oushak-inspired hand-knotted in India of wool; Serenity, also hand-knotted of wool in India, featuring abstract designs with raised geometric striations; and Kilim, geometric designs hand-loomed in a flat weave crafted of wool and viscose in India. These rugs feature the transitional and contemporary styles that HRI buyers are seeking.
HRI’s new hand-woven Kilim collection is crafted of wool and viscose.
“Based on the very surprising amount of traffic and market orders written at the last April Market, we are very optimistic going into this August Vegas Market,” Jordt said. “We did not expect to have the attendance, or the very high ratio of orders written in April, but as the pandemic continues to morph, the expectations for all future markets is very guarded.”
Still, HRI expects to close the year stong. “We have no doubt that the second half of 2021 will see a continued increase in demand for not only our performance collections and introductions but also our new on-trend hand-knotted and hand-loomed rugs — all colored in fresh colorations that our customers have indicated they want. The continued challenge for the remainder of this year, will be for working to provide a consistent flow of inventory from our overseas suppliers in India, Pakistan, Nepal and Turkey.”