PORT CHESTER, N.Y. — December 17, 2018 — The Shade Store, a resource for custom window treatments, announces the launch of AERIN for The Shade Store, a collection of materials for drapery, Roman shades and roller shades. The collection, which reflects the lifestyle of AERIN founder Aerin Lauder and her family home in the Hamptons, includes both light filtering roller shade designs and soft cotton fabrics in traditional prints and florals for Roman shades and drapery.

“With each designer collaboration we look to bring a fresh design perspective to our collection,” said Ian Gibbs, co-founder and creative director of The Shade Store. “This new collaboration with AERIN brings a modern, feminine style to our collection and, with both light filtering styles and fabrics, it allows for a unique layering of patterns that our customers will love.”

The collection will feature a soft and painterly color palette including neutrals in warm and cool tones as well as chocolate brown, pink and blue. With small-scale patterns for light filtering shades that add texture and visual interest, and drapery that features a luxurious and artisanal look and feel, the AERIN collection is designed to have a modern aesthetic that feels timeless. AERIN for The Shade Store features nine unique and exclusive patterns in a range of versatile colors that will mix beautifully in any room.

“The collection was inspired by my home in the Hamptons, which previously belonged to my grandmother,” said Aerin Lauder. “Several rooms in the house have richly patterned wallpaper and drapery, and through the years I’ve made changes while honoring her existing vision for the space. This collection is inspired by that mix, which makes a room feel more personal and curated to your individual style.”

AERIN for The Shade Store will be offered at all 65+ of The Shade Store showrooms nationwide and online where consumers and designers can choose free swatches to plan for their custom window treatments, with rendering services and design experts available to help. Every order from The Shade Store is handcrafted in the USA and ships free in 10 days or less. The Shade Store also offers professional measurement and installation around the country to help make the custom window treatment process truly simple.

ROLLER SHADES

Woodblock Floral features a small-scale floral motif, rendered in an irregular, block-printed style that creates movement for the eye and lends a visual softness to the design. Available in four versatile colors, this pattern works beautifully with a range of decorating styles.

Vintage Paisley Block Print features a small-scale repeating paisley design, offered in three versatile colors. Rendered in an irregular, block-printed style, this pattern is striking in its simplicity and softness.

Woodblock Geo is a hybrid of floral and geometric shapes with a handmade feel and a tonaluse of color. The look, offered in three hues, creates movement and visual interest to any window treatment.

DRAPERY & ROMAN SHADES

Wainscott Paisley is a delicate, small-scale repeating paisley print featuring elements of vines and flowers. Inspired by the charming Hamptons town, this design is a simplified rendering of a classic motif, offered in five colors.

Palm Leaf Diamond is a non-traditional lattice design incorporating elements of nature in a stylized geometric pattern. Five available colors range from warm to cool, ideal for any design scheme.

Exotic Floral features elements of abstract florals and vines, printed in tonal colors which softens the design and creates a handmade feel. Rendered in five monocromatic hues, this traditional print appears modern and fresh.

Hampton Floral uses layered tones of color in a painterly manner to create depth. The floral design, inspired by the lush flora and fauna of the Hamptons, has a bold scale and dense layout. Five muted hues offer an option for every color scheme.

Arbor Leaves features dense, sweeping branches highlighted by a shadow effect to create movement and visual interest. Five colors inspired by nature provide a range of options for this classic design.

Posted December 17, 2018

Source: The Shade Store

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — December 17, 2018 — Nearly 200 linen, uniform and facility services executives recently gathered outside Charlotte, N.C., for TRSA’s 7th Annual Healthcare Conference. The two-day event featured a wealth of education, networking and plant tours specifically designed for healthcare operators and associates.

The November 28 opening keynote address titled “The Future of Healthcare is Now” was presented by Ceci Connolly, president and CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans, an advocacy group based in Washington. Connolly discussed trends driving the healthcare marketplace, such as total cost of care, affordability and quality. Connolly also detailed trends shifting healthcare from hospitals to home and looked at how gridlock in Washington affects the U.S. healthcare industry.

These presentations followed the keynote:

• Expansion into the Long-Term Care Market with Mike Lang, process analyst, Unitex; and Liz Remillong, vice president, strategic alliances, Crothall Healthcare;
• Creative Staffing Strategies that Work, presented by Nancy Roberts, a hiring and staff-development consultant; and
• Recruiting Military Veterans with Lisa Rosser, the owner/founder of The Value of a Veteran.

The lunch break included an update on TRSA’s government relations and certification programs by the association’s Vice President of Government Relations Kevin Schwalb.

The afternoon featured a look at smart textile innovations for use by hospitals and other healthcare providers, before the group split up for several breakout sessions, including:

• Preparing for a Tour with Hospital Infection Staff;
• Securing Capital to Grow and Innovate;
• Ambulatory Services/Retail Medical; and
• Managing Changing Customer Relationships and Expectations.

Randy Bartsch, CEO, Ecotex Healthcare Linen Service was the moderator for “Reusables vs. Disposables: A Healthy Debate” featuring Melanie Miller, Healthcare Value Analysis Management Experts Inc.; and Mary Potter, independent value analysis consultant.

On November 29, TRSA CEO & President Joseph Ricci moderated the panel: “Disaster Preparedness – Lessons Learned” with Mark Carter, president, Up To Date Laundry Inc.; Mike Lang, process analyst, Unitex; Michael Shulevitz, president, Cadillac Uniform and Linen Supply; and Tim Topornicki, Topper Linen Supply. Each panelist discussed the challenges and successes of keeping plants operational/customers serviced after experiencing disasters such as a crippling blizzard, hurricanes and a devastating fire.

The conference closed with a tour and debrief of Alsco Inc.’s Hygienically Clean certified Charlotte location.

The day before the conference kickoff, a group of nearly 30 CEOs and senior executives from TRSA member companies serving the healthcare sector gathered for roundtable discussion. They included:

• American Textile Maintenance;
• Florida Linen Services LLC;
• Bates Troy Healthcare Linen;
• HandCraft Services Inc.;
• Cadillac Uniform & Linen Supply Inc.;
• ImageFirst;
• Century Linen & Uniform;
• K-Bro Linen Systems Inc.;
• CleanCare;
• Linen King;
• Crothall Healthcare;
• MediCleanse Linen Service;
• EcoBrite Linen;
• Novo Health Services LLC;
• Economy Linen & Towel Services Inc.; and
• Paris Cos.

Key issues, trends and opportunities discussed included:

• Increased scrutiny of the cleanliness of healthcare linens and uniforms that may result in further regulation;
• Labor shortages, rising wages and an aging population will create opportunities to expand the market including long-term care (LTC) and cubicle curtains;
• Disconnect of customers from purchasing resulting in varying expectations and objectives, as well as targeted messaging and multiple customer contacts;
• Influx of new products and processes to improve linen infection control and minimize the risk of hospital-based infections (HAIs) through the use of silver and cooper, chemicals, ozone injection and other initiatives; and
• Appropriate applications and value of reusable vs. single-use products, especially with healthcare community focus on reducing costs and waste.

TRSA president and CEO Joseph Ricci noted that TRSA and its members have been helping educate healthcare officials through research and white papers, as well as creating training materials, such as the Six C’s for Handling Soiled Linen in a Healthcare Environment that the association has distributed to thousands of healthcare providers. Visit www.trsa.org/soiledlinendrive to download.

For more information on the roundtable and the November 28-29 7th Annual Healthcare Conference, contact Joseph Ricci, jricci@trsa.org. TRSA’s events calendar is available at www.trsa.org/events

Posted December 17, 2018

Source: TRSA

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — December 17, 2018 — Crown Uniform & Linen Service of Brockton, Mass., a fourth-generation family-owned textile service company serving customers throughout New England, has been re-certified Clean Green, reflecting the company’s continued dedication to operational efficiency and sustainability. Linen, uniform and facility services companies who renew this certification do so by adhering to TRSA-designated water and energy use thresholds and deploying best management practices (BMPs) consistent with the ASTM International environmental laundering standard.

Crown’s customers can be assured their reusable healthcare textiles are washed, dried and finished with processes that maximize sustainability and reduce greenhouse emissions. Clean Green certified operations demonstrate significant commitment to conservation and green operations through these BMPs:

• Recovering heat from drained hot water and heat dispersed from the process of warming water;
• Recapturing drained water from rinses for reuse;
• Using environmentally friendly detergents;
• Removing solids and liquids from wastewater;
• Solar energy and energy-efficient lighting;
• Recycling programs;
• Re-routing trucks to save vehicle fuel; and
• Spill prevention plans.

The Clean Green certification is valid for three years at a time. TRSA inspects laundry facilities seeking certification and approves documentation of their water and energy use and BMP deployment through production reports they submit to auditors during the inspections. TRSA’s certification management protocol includes auditor training by the association’s inspection program administrator.

Clean Green aligns with the ASTM International standard, Guide for Sustainable Laundry Practices, which recognizes key criteria for the certification as universal indicators of maximum sustainability in commercial laundry work. ASTM’s review of TRSA BMPs verified these as the most effective and practical techniques for a laundry to achieve green objectives.

TRSA members prompted development of the standard, which was vetted in the sustainability subcommittee of the ASTM Committee on Textiles. Top technical experts, scientists and environmental professionals from outside the linen, uniform and facility services industry reviewed the BMPs. ASTM is the global leader in developing and delivering voluntary consensus standards unparalleled in building consumer confidence in product and service quality.

“I applaud Crown Uniform & Linen Service for their sustainability efforts and maintaining the highest standards in their production and delivery operations,” said Joseph Ricci, TRSA president and CEO. “Meeting all the criteria for certification is not easy, but this company is committed to industry-leading processes and technologies.”

Posted December 17, 2018

Source: TRSA