Congress Approves Textile Buy America LegislationCongress has approved a national defense
authorization bill that continues and expands the requirement for defense agencies to buy
American-made textiles and apparel. The action still has to go through the appropriation process,
but the authorization is an important first step that preserves the textile industrys coveted
Berry-Hefner amendment. It mandates the defense department to buy textiles and apparel of
100-percent domestic content wherever possible. There are loopholes that permit some foreign
sourcing, but the act tends to strengthen domestic companies that do business with the military.In
addition to the Berry-Hefner purchasing requirements, this years version of the legislation creates
a Defense Industrial Base Capabilities fund to help develop capabilities for the production of
components that are critical to the operation of military systems. It establishes an incentive
program for US defense contractors to buy US machine tools, and it directs the secretary of defense
to identify all critical components and the capability of manufacturers to produce them. It also
provides for use of a defense department data base to report levels of foreign procurement and
market sectors that are impacted, and it calls for elimination of purchases in foreign countries
that refuse to deliver military products because of US counter intelligence or military
operations..Auggie Tantillo, Washington Coordinator for the American Manufacturing Trade Action
Coalition (AMTAC) said the congressional action is a good first step in ensuring military
preparedness as it helps support a reliable domestic source for essential military goods. He said,
however, that AMTAC will continue to work with Congress on further expansion of the Buy America
act. The industry has been pressing to have those provisions added to Department of Home Security
purchases, but that has not happened.By James A. Morrissey, Washington Correspondent
November 2003

Fleissner DevelopsCarpet Backing Bonding ProcessGermany-based Fleissner GmbHandCo. has engineered
and patented a bonding process for carpets and other tufted materials based on its AquaJet
technology. The company reports the process produces a quality carpet and also aids recycling
efforts because no latex or chemicals are used.Fleissners process avoids the use of latex by using
spunlacing techniques to apply a nonwoven web to the tufted primary backing. A needling step then
is used to attach the secondary backing to the web. According to Fleissner, the process creates a
carpet with the desired bulk and dimensional stability.Depending on the weight of the secondary
backing, an alternative application method can be employed. For maximum bonding, Fleissner
recommends using a mixture of thermoplastic and non-thermoplastic fibers.
November 2003

Millikens Simply Collection Wins IIDEX®/NeoCon® GoldLaGrange, Ga.-based Milliken Carpets Simply
modular carpet collection, which comprises 18 designs, won one of nine gold Product Awards given
out at the recent IIDEX®/NeoCon® Canada design exposition. The awards are sponsored by the Interior
Designers of Canada and Merchandise Mart Properties Inc.For designers seeking purity and
understatement in their interiors, the collection delivers clean, minimal and straightforward
definition that has elusive timelessness, said Richard Stoyles, design director, Milliken.
November 2003

Home Furnishings TrendsBy Alfred DockeryHigh Point Rebounds
Home furnishings manufacturers use brands to tell consumers their story.

The October 2003 edition of the International Home Furnishings Market saw a significant
increase in attendance compared with previous markets held over the past two years.At the time of
this writing, the International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, N.C., is just winding down.
Many industry insiders describe it as the best market since 9/11. While hard numbers are not yet
available, phrases such as huge uptick were used, and quick eyeball estimates put attendance at the
market up about 20 percent.Jerry Epperson, managing partner of financial services firm Mann,
Armistead and Epperson, Richmond, Va., predicts total US furniture sales will rise 3 percent in
2003, to $69 billion, and increase 5.5 percent in 2004, to $72.5 billion.Hopefully the [furniture]
business is at an inflection point and poised for real growth, said John Gorcyca, global furniture
business director for INVISTA Inc. (formerly DuPont TextilesandInteriors). Retailers with the right
range of products are doing well.The streets of High Point once more morphed to bear a resemblance
to New York City, as they filled with furniture buyers from throughout the United States and around
the world. International visitors were back, although not at the same levels as five or six years
ago.The pre-market Mood to Market survey conducted by certified public accountant firm Dixon Odom
PLLC and the Office of Business and Economic Research at the University of North Carolina at
Greensboro, found furniture retailers significantly more optimistic about current and future
business than they were six months ago.The Mood to Market Index for this Octobers market rose 0.9
points to 7.4 on a 10-point scale, compared with 6.5 in April 2003, and 6.6 a year ago.The findings
are quite encouraging, said Randy Brodd, a partner at Dixon Odom. The positive mood is a strong
indication that the furniture industry could be slowly moving toward a much-needed
recovery.Licensed Brands Are BigBrands were the big story at this Falls High Point market. From the
National Geographic Society to NASCAR, from hip designer Todd Oldham to homemaking maven Martha
Stewart, licensed brands were dominant.Licensed brands give the furniture manufacturer a story to
tell and the furniture store something to promote, said Richard Bennington, director of the home
furnishings program at High Point University. Its a way to romance the product.Brands are the
emotional tie that binds for American consumers, according to Bob Stec, chairman and CEO of
Lexington Home Brands, a company that pioneered lifestyle furniture brands with the introduction of
Bob Timberlake® in 1990. This Fall, the company adds Woolrich to its stable of brands with a
3,000-square-foot display of case goods and upholstery inspired by the outdoors.La-Z-Boy made a big
splash at the High Point market with its collaboration with fashion designer Todd Oldham. The Todd
Oldham by La-Z-Boy collection includes 26 furniture frames and more than 150 textile fabrics.Todd
Oldham well known for hosting such MTV programs as House of Style and Crib Crashers, as well as for
his chic dorm room collections for Target introduced retro contemporary recliners, sofas and
chairs, as well as occasional pieces, for La-Z-Boy. The company is seeking to reach younger
consumers with this collection.Our focus on style over the past few years, embodied by our New Look
of Comfort campaign, has been transformational for us, said Doug Collier, vice president of
marketing, La-Z-Boy. And this collection is really going to take that effort into overdrive.The
inspiration behind this collection is to give people the tools and confidence to cultivate their
own individual style, Oldham said.When asked why he designed the Snap convertible sofa with an
easily removable back and arms that allow it to transform into a bench, armless sofa, fainting sofa
or chaise, Oldham replied, because Ive always wanted to be MacGyver.

The Snap sofa, part of the Todd Oldham by La-Z-Boy collection, transforms into a bench,
armless sofa, fainting sofa or chaise.Thomasville Introduces Extreme FabricsNew entertainment,
occasional and home office pieces expand the Bogart Collection at Thomasville Furniture
Industries.Since it first appeared at retail in early 2003, the Bogart Collection has quickly
become one of Thomasville Furnitures best-selling collections, said Tom Tilley, company president
and CEO. This market, we are continuing to build on the success of the collection, while providing
consumers with product choices that meet the needs of their lifestyles.Thomasville is meeting
consumers needs with its new Extreme Fabrics program. These new fabrics offer durability, stain
resistance, lightfastness, colorfastness and easy-care cleaning. In addition, they are
child-friendly, pet-friendly and suitable for one of consumers newest favorite spaces, the home
theater.Consumers are kind of backing into the need for performance fabrics. You cant just put a
bubbly jacquard on a recliner and expect it to last through the popcorn and beverages, said Sharon
Bosworth, vice president of upholstery design, Thomasville. This is why we brought out Extreme
Fabrics.Extreme Fabrics comprises four categories of gold standard products Crypton®, Sunbrella®,
Microban® antimicrobial product protection and High-Performance Suede. The program includes 240
fabrics in styles and colors designed to fit a variety of dr styles ranging from traditional to
urban contemporary.

Thomasville Furniture Industries Extreme Fabrics program offers 240 fabrics in a variety of
styles and colors designed to fit numerous dr styles.Henredon Furniture Industries collaborated
with New York designer David Easton for its At Home Collection by David Easton. The collection has
52 new frames and 173 new fabrics, and is intended to put a fresh spin on traditional styling by
blending classicism and modernity.Easton specifically created the fabrics for the At Home
Collection, and they are Henredon exclusives. Easton relied on traditional elements, colored in a
fresh transitional palette of reds, creams, yellows, pear and aqua. The constructions consist of
linens, cut and printed velvets, jacquards and washed chenilles.Brands Come HomeVaughan Furniture
Co. presented its new NASCAR House and Home collection of master bedroom and youth
furnishings.Branding has exploded in home furnishings, said Jackie Hirschhaut, vice president of
the American Furniture Manufacturers Association (AFMA). From couture designers and film legends to
media mavens and models, manufacturers are banking on name brands like never before.Additions to
already successful licensed lines this Fall include a contemporary addition to the Oscar de la
Renta line at Century, and Turkey Hill, the third Martha Stewart Signature collection at Bernhardt
an 115-piece collection of case goods and upholstery inspired by Stewart’s 1805 farmhouse and
surrounding countryside in Westport, Conn.Impact Of ImportsFurniture and upholstery fabric imports
are the major challenge facing the US furniture industry today. For the first half of 2003,
furniture imports were up 13 percent. Shipments from China were up 28 percent, to $3.6 billion.
Three other countries managed double-digit increases: Brazil 16 percent; Malaysia 12 percent; and
Mexico 11 percent.Furniture makers, upholstery mills and furniture retailers are all adapting in
various ways to the rising tide of imports. The two most common strategies are cutting costs and
using imports for the bottom portion of their lines. Many firms are reaching for higher-value
products and reducing their participation in commodities.The only way that we can combat imports is
[ to offer] quality, service, style and color, said M. Edward Auten, director of merchandising and
design, Dicey Fabrics, at Julys Showtime fabric market. Because they are going to deal in commodity
items, at least initially, we have to style around them.Intellectual property issues remain a
particularly nettlesome problem related to imports. The day before the Fall market opened,
Bennington already had received a call from someone who wanted the name of a good lawyer because
one of the companys designs had been knocked off.Ironically, imports and the pressure they have
brought to pricing also may be one of the big factors in bringing the consumer back to the
furniture store. Its just a question of where the furniture will be made and who will benefit in
the long run.Furniture is the best value that it has been in years, Bennington said. Imports have
driven prices down, and many [newly built] houses are under-furnished.Projected Changes In Consumer
Color PreferencesLeatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, kicked off
the Fall market with Pantone’s 2004 Color Forecast at a press breakfast sponsored by AFMA.Humans
are intrigued by newness and novelty, Eiseman said. You need to show a new color, something that
draws the eye and makes them pay attention. As color remains one of the most important persuaders
in the marketplace, it behooves all segments of the home furnishings industry to know about the
latest trends in color, and, most importantly, to understand what drives consumers tastes and
needs.She noted several big departures from past color trends. Orange, for example, used to be
considered a cheapening color associated with fast food, but it is becoming more popular as a
result of multicultural influences. Deep greens such as avocado also are coming into fashion
because of greater interest in environmental matters.People look to colors that give them a link to
the past, Eiseman said. They want organic colors in an increasingly synthetic world.Pantones 2004
Color Forecast identifies eight distinct palettes: Natural Instincts: This is the quiet environment
that is closest to the simplicity found in nature, reflecting a love of weathered wood, natural
fibers, and all things organic and real. Beach Retreat: This palette offers a relaxed retreat, an
escape from the invasive and hectic surrounding world. The colors are a medley of deep marine,
lavender blues and sky blues, oyster gray, and cloud white. Global Warming: A vital, bold and
sensual palette, this warming trend is a strong color story made up primarily of color wheel
neighbors in and around the red family such as molten lava, spicy orange, dancing pink, magenta
purple and vivid yellow, with an unexpected jolt of electric blue. Enhancing Hues: Taking its cue
from the world of cosmetics, this pleasing palette celebrates a myriad of skin tones. These
flattering hues are gentle, soft and mellow, yet more complex and sophisticated than simple
pastels. Sweet Stuff: Sweet but never cloying, these confection shades entice the eye by adding a
new level of tantalizing tastes with combinations such as mimosa, smoky grape and pink mist; or
brandied melon, taffy and banana crepe. Creature Comforts: This is an engaging presentation of warm
cozy quilts and comfort food colors such as soft creamy whites, rustic reds and golden yellows.
This palette has a very casual or country look to it. Streamlined: It is sleek, stylish and
gracefully configured minimal and modern meets design statements of the past. Inspired by the
curvaceous, compact and gleaming Airstream trailers that captured everyone’s attention in the 50s,
it is still seen both as motor home and as dressing room for the stars. The aerodynamic styling
inspires metallic finishes such as chrome or silver, while other design icons inspire the glamour
of polished black or the stark simplicity of pristine white, used singly or in classic
combinations. Finishing Touches: These are the styles and colors that traditions are built upon a
tasteful blending of time-honored antiques with nouveau style, understated rather than overstuffed,
with a hint of opulence. The colors are lush, classic and rich, reflecting the possibility of
intricate combinations. Colors include wine reds, purples and yellow greens. Avocado is making a
comeback.
Editors Note: Alfred Dockery is editor of The HunTex Report, a newsletter for industrial
textiles. A graduate of North Carolina State Universitys College of Textiles, he has been writing
about the textile industry for 15 years. Dockery is based in Clemmons, N.C.

November 2003

Cone Mills Files Chapter 11,Approves Purchase Offer From WL RossCone Mills Corp., Greensboro, N.C.,
has filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code. The filing
was made as a condition of a $90 million purchase offer tendered by Wilbur L. Ross Jr., chairman
and CEO of New York City-based WL RossandCo. LLC, and approved by Cone Mills Board of Directors.
Subject to Bankruptcy Court approval and higher and better offers, the transaction is expected to
close before the end of this year.The offer comes on the heels of Bankruptcy Court approval of WL
Rosss bid to acquire Burlington Industries Inc., also based in Greensboro
(See Textile World News, TW, September 2003).This transaction is the best available option
for the companys customers, employees and communities, said John L. Bakane, CEO, Cone Mills. WL
Ross is a well-financed strategic buyer with the means and incentive to strengthen our business. By
joining forces with WL RossandCo., we will be much better positioned to meet the enormous challenge
of low-cost imports while remaining an important employer in the textile industry.Cone Mills has
been buffeted by the recent surge of Asian imports, price deflation and the sluggish US economy.
The company expects the deal to allow it to improve its global competitive position, as well as to
continue US manufacturing operations.To this end, the company also will reconfigure its denim
operations, downsizing denim manufacturing at the Cliffside Weave plant and closing the Cliffside
Finishing and Haynes plants, all located in Rutherford County, N.C. The action affects
approximately 625 employees. The steps are necessary in order for the company to remain competitive
in an environment where unfair trade policies are decimating the US textile industry, said Bakane.
Our current operating strategy of consolidation and rationalization will help us meet the challenge
posed by this unprecedented onslaught of cheap imports. These employees have worked very hard to
adapt to changing and competitive conditions. We regret the personal impact this will have on our
employees and their families as well as the economic effect it will have on the Rutherford County
community.Despite the reconfiguration, Cone expects to maintain a substantial number of
manufacturing jobs in the United States. In addition to its US operations, the company operates
Parras Cone, a profitable Mexican denim-manufacturing facility, jointly with CompaIndustrial de
Parras
(See Parras Turns 10, TW, this issue).
November 2003

Making A Difference
C and A Floorcoverings is a company known for performance, service and environmental
commitment.CollinsandAikman Floorcoverings Inc. (C and A), a Tandus company, Dalton, Ga., is a
leading manufacturer of vinyl-backed commercial floor coverings. The firm originally was a part of
CollinsandAikman Corp., a major automotive textile producer founded in 1843. C and A Floorcoverings
became independent in February 1997, quickly becoming a leader in creating unique, versatile and
innovative floor covering solutions.Future plans include a manufacturing facility in China in 2004.
In fact, it is past the planning stages, and equipment has been ordered. In this new facility,
carpet tile will be produced for the Asian market. GrowthThe year 1999 brought some broad changes
to C and A Floorcoverings. In June, C and A acquired Santa Ana, Calif.-based Monterey Carpets an
award-winning designer and manufacturer of high-end broadloom carpets focusing on professional
architects and designers.August of that year saw the acquisition of Canada-based Crossley Carpet
Mills Ltd., which continued C and As international growth strategy and enabled it to better serve
the Canadian market.The combined companies have annual revenues of approximately $350 million,
employ some 1,600 people, operate almost 2 million square feet of plant space, and have more than
260 sales people worldwide.The year 2000 brought with it the creation of C and As parent company,
Tandus. Tandus was established to serve as an umbrella brand unifying the three brands under one
company identity, offering cost-effective floor covering solutions to customers from a single
source, said Mac Bridger, president and CEO, Tandus. Company capabilities are centered around four
key strategic areas product design and technology, comprehensive services, environmental leadership
and global reach.Product categories include carpet tile, six-foot roll goods, broadloom carpeting,
woven carpets and specialty flooring and accessories. This full range of products is sold both
domestically and internationally.C and A is driven by the desire to create and understand how and
why products work better. This desire has put them on a different path from that taken by other
floor covering manufacturers.Environmental AchievementsEnvironmentally responsible initiatives
began with the invention of its Powerbond® RS process, which eliminated the use of wet glues in the
installation process. C and A uses the term link engineering to describe the Powerbond
construction. It breaks down each component used in the construction including fiber, face density,
backing and installation method. Each category plays a vital role in overall performance. The whole
is greater than the sum of the parts. Powerbond products feature a dense nylon face, a nonwoven
fabric stabilizer, an encapsulating vinyl sealant pre-coat, a vinyl backing, a micro-encapsulated
tackifier and a protective plastic membrane. The tackifier provides the tile or carpet with a
sticky back that aids in installation. The adhesive is designed to hold the product in place while
in use, but it is also easy to remove should a tile or piece of carpet need replacing.Powerbond had
a dramatic effect on indoor air quality. It solved issues associated with sick building syndrome
(SBS) and other building-related illnesses (brI) because it does not incorporate wet glues. All C
and A products meet and exceed industry indoor air quality standards, such as the Carpet and Rug
Institutes Green Label Program and the State of Washington Protocol for Indoor Air Quality.Bridger
noted that C and As focus on recycling started in the early 1990s and was customer-driven. A
recurring theme kept popping up in our hosted mill tours and educational events for end-users and
design professionals: What is C and A going to do with the product after its useful life Resource
utilization questions led C and A to think about a solution to waste, he said. We believed if we
could solve this problem, wed have something our customers would want to buy and specify, and that
would give us a competitive advantage.By developing ecologically responsible recycling initiatives,
C and A discovered solutions to preserve the environment, becoming the first manufacturer to
recycle carpet. Most notably, C and A produces floor covering that lasts up to three times longer
than conventional carpeting and remains the first and only manufacturer to make a 100-percent
recycled-content vinyl backing, ER3®, Bridger said. ER3 backing is made from 100-percent recycled
material and contains a minimum of 74-percent recycled carpet, in which a minimum of 22 percent is
post-consumer carpet. This revolutionary product was awarded the first US patent for a product and
process of its kind.Lee Schilling, senior vice president, said ER3 vinyl backing consistently
outperformed its virgin counterpart in the Powerbond system. In 1998, ER3 became the standard
backing for the companys modular carpet. Carpet tile products featuring ER3 carry a 15-year,
non-prorated warranty.By using waste material as the raw material for the commercial carpets it
makes, C and A has proved that whats good for the environment also makes good business sense.C and
A has turned used carpet into valuable feedstock for the manufacture of new carpet, specifically,
carpet tiles used in commercial buildings. The company literally is mining buildings for resources,
rather than mining the earth.ER3 backing is produced through its Infinity Initiative, a closed-loop
process that reclaims and converts used carpet. The recycled content of the finished Powerbond RS
ER3 modular carpet tile is between 31 and 50 percent, depending on the face fiber used, with a
minimum post-consumer content of 7 percent.After any vinyl-backed floor covering product has passed
its useful life, the product can be returned and will be recycled into ER3 backing used in C and As
carpet tile products. C and A warrants that no portion of the used floor covering that has been
approved for use in its recycling program will be introduced into a landfill, incinerated or
otherwise subjected to any other form of disposal.

Dan Mayfield (left), C and A Floorcoverings director of manufacturing, and Wally Hammel, vice
president of manufacturingManufacturing ProcessWally Hammel, vice president of manufacturing,
discussed the Infinity Initiative recycling process. First of all, we take the whole carpet as it
comes in there is no separation of the carpet and feed it into a granulating machine. This process
shreds the carpet into fine material. To be able to extrude this material, we have to get it into a
pellet form. So, the shredded carpet is fed through another machine that turns it into pellet form.
Later, the pellets are taken to our finishing plant, where they are fed into an extruder and made
into backing material. From here, the material goes through a heated calender and then between two
rolls and comes out in a single sheet. The final step is the bonding process, where the backing is
applied to the carpet, Hammel said.Sounds quite simple, but its actually quite involved. It takes
sophisticated computer systems plus massive amounts of machinery to get the job done. Dan Mayfield,
director of manufacturing, said: Our equipment was either custom-built or modified. Weve also used
machinery not particularly used for this industry. The whole system was developed by dedicated
employees working for a common goal to develop and modify cost-effective equipment that will keep
carpet from the landfill. He added that as ideas were developed, management provided the resources
that allowed these ideas to be implemented. The end result is that we recycle about 1 million
pounds of reclaimed carpet each month, Mayfield said.According to Hammel, C and As approach to
recycling has been different from that of other manufacturers developing green products. Ours was
to mine buildings instead of natural resources. We have a massive extrusion process that consumes a
lot of carpet, and the machinery has been scaled up with the need.Circle Of ResponsibilitySchilling
feels it is important to bring accountability to the table in order to minimize any noise and
confusion about claims of environmental commitment. We actively promote the use of Federal Trade
Commission (FTC) guidelines as a standard and a baseline for accountability. We also use a
third-party firm to certify our claims. Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) came in and did a
complete audit of our entire process to verify and certify that what we claim about recycled
content and recyclability is indeed true, Schilling said.According to the FTC, a recycled-content
claim can be made only for materials that have been recovered or otherwise diverted from the solid
waste stream either during the manufacturing process or after consumer use. Additionally, normal
by-products in the manufacturing operation that routinely have been introduced back into the
process do constitute post-industrial recycled content. In ER3 products, both post-consumer and
post-industrial content meet FTC guides for recycled content and are certified by SCS.Sustainable
initiatives go well beyond recycling to environmental considerations that affect all areas at C and
A. The company is constantly evaluating all aspects of manufacturing operations and making
continuous improvements in its processes. Over the past nine years, C and A has doubled production
while reducing energy usage by 33 percent, water usage by 55 percent and the amount of waste
generated by 95 percent. C and A also has reduced air and greenhouse gas emissions significantly.We
have minimized yarn usage without sacrificing quality by manufacturing products with densely
constructed, low-pile face weights, Schilling said. Our average product face weight is 20 percent
below the industry average.

C and As Haiku carpet tiles are available in an 18-inch or 36-inch square. Designed by Jhane
Barnes for corporate and public space applications, the tiles feature ER3® backing and are
certified by Scientific Certification Systems as fully recyclable.Successful Installations And
Company RecognitionThe Omaha, Neb.-based insurance firm Mutual of Omaha also known for its Wild
Kingdom television show and Wildlife Heritage Center has invested a considerable amount of time and
money into promoting environmental causes. So, when it came time to replace its carpet, it was only
natural that the company wanted an environmentally friendly floor covering. C and As Powerbond RS
tile with ER3 backing product was selected to re-carpet the approximately 1.2 million square feet
of space.C and A has received many awards including the Corporate Conscience Award for
Environmental Stewardship, presented by the Council on Economic Priorities; and The Best of the
Best, awarded by the National Recycling Coalition/Buy Recycled Business Alliance. In an extensive
study of private-sector companies, the Environmental Protection Agency recognized C and A as a
Private Sector Pioneer in environmentally preferable practices. And the company also has received
the US General Services Administrations Evergreen Award, the agencys most prestigious award for
sustainability.Most recently, C and A, in conjunction with Jeffco Public Schools for Prospect
Valley Elementary School, Wheat Ridge, Colo., was honored with the inaugural DuPont Antron®
Sustainable Flooring Performance Award. Open to projects featuring floor covering made using Antron
nylon prior to Sept. 1, 1992, and still in service, the award recognizes sustainable interior
design practices through the use of performance-driven flooring in commercial carpet applications.
Successful ApproachC and As approach to manufacturing extends beyond mechanics and economy to
embrace humanity and the environment, maintaining high, consistent standards. The company is taking
the industry to new heights in innovation, and so everybody benefits. By choosing a different path
to make more than carpet and backing the firm has chosen to make a difference. We have a strong
commitment to improving the quality of life for our customers, associates and community, Schilling
said.

November 2003