THE INDUSTRY S BUSINESS NEWS & INFORMATION RESOURCE VOL. 67 NO. 11 MAY 2018 UNDERSTANDING the Complex World of CARPET MODERNIZING SOFT SURFACE STYLE & DESIGN TERMS TO KNOW ADDING TO THE SALE FROM UNDERNEATH
FCW Presents HARDWOOD FLOORING GUIDE 101 T TO: The June 2018 Flooring 101 Guide will be devoted to helping the RSA understand and ultimately sell hardwood flooring. In fact, the Hardwood Flooring 101 Guide will help RSAs work with the customer so that they can better meet their needs. The Hardwood Flooring 101 Guide is an exceptional opportunity to showcase your products through custom content and traditional advertising. It will be available in print and digital this June. H A RDWOO DU ST TH E IN eered D Upcoming Flooring 101 Guides SUPPLEMENT TO: NO. 6 NO. 6 VOL. 67 THE INDUSTRY S BUSINESS NEWS & INFORMATION RESOURCE LAMINATE/TILE & STONE VOL. 67 RESILIENT THE INDUSTRY S BUSINESS NEWS & INFORMATION RESOURCE VOL. 67 The Whole Story About THE INDUSTRY S BUSINESS NEWS & INFORMATION RESOURCE HARDWOOD THE INDUSTRY S BUSINESS NEWS & INFORMATION RESOURCE VOL. 67 NO. 6 VOL. 67 THE INDUSTRY S BUSINESS NEWS & INFORMATION RESOURCE Solid & Engineered MAY 2018 MARCH 2018 SUPPLEMENT TO: NO. 6 SUPPLEMENT TO: Check out FCW s Guides to Multilayer Flooring & Carpet NO. 11 Eng in Soli d & RY S BU RM & IN FO NE WS SIN ES S AT IO N RE SO UR CE VO L. 67 NO. 6 SUPPLEMEN UNDERSTANDING the Complex World of CARPET UNDERSTANDING A MODERNIZING CATEGORY SOFT SURFACE STYLE & DESIGN STYLE & DESIGN TIPS FOR SELLING MLF TERMS TO KNOW CONNECTING WITH THE CONSUMER ADDING TO THE SALE FROM UNDERNEATH Hardwood (solid+engineered) Resilient (including LVT) Laminate/Tile & Stone Multilayer Flooring Carpet June 2018 September 2018 November 2018 March 2018 May 2018 Advertising opportunities include traditional advertising and advertorials + full-page display ads. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT CHARLTON CALHOUN (770) 919-7747 FAX (770) 919-1348 CCALHOUN4@AOL.COM
THE REAL STORY ABOUT CARPET Carpet is carpet. Or is it? Today s carpet offers features and benefits unheard of even a decade ago. If carpet is being sold in the same way it always has been, it s being undersold. This is the second in a series of five Flooring 101 Guides that FCW will be producing this year each meant to help the retail sales associate sell the category with great success. And while some products are still in their infancy WPC and SPC come to mind others have a longer history, making it even more important to keep up to date with the latest innovations and changes. As our resident carpet expert, Janet Herlihy takes us back to the beginning of carpet, charting the road to moderniza- tion and all that that means to the consumer. It s clearly not your grandmother s carpet anymore. Make sure to pay attention to the lingo the terms to know give you all the basics you need to fully understand a product s make-up. But also take note of all the things that really drive the sale at retail how it looks, feels and will perform in a consumer s home. Take softness one thing for sure is that makers have put a lot of effort into making carpet as soft as possible. It s hard not to caress a sample when it s passed around. But softness is not at the sacrifice of durability. The consumer is demanding that their floors last longer and carpet is no exception. Today s carpet can stand up to active families and their favorite pets all day, every day. And when a spill is made? Well, today s carpet is engineered for easy cleaning as well. For years and years what seems like forever the question was what shade of beige does the consumer want. That s not the case anymore. Maybe post-great Recession consumers are ready to show their style. Whatever the reason, today there are luxurious and beautiful carpets on the market patterns like the popular herringbone design and, believe it or not, color Millennial pink is catching everyone s eye. Carpet doesn t have to simply be a backdrop; it can set the foundation for the customer s home. You ll notice we don t talk about price here maybe about value but not dollars and cents. A consumer s budget is for sure important. But here we arm you with the better part of the conversation what is their inspiration, what is their lifestyle. Once you know that, you ll understand what construction will meet their need. Every step of the way, count on FCW to help you win the sale! - Amy Rush-Imber THE INDUSTRY S BUSINESS NEWS & INFORMATION RESOURCE FCW FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY FCW Editorial and Sales Headquarters 300 W 57th St, 33 rd floor, New York, NY 10019 (212) 649-7981 FAX (646) 280-1990 Editorial (212) 649-7981 Fax (646) 280-1990 Advertising (770) 919-7747 Fax (770) 919-1348 Classified Advertising (212) 649-7981 Fax (646) 280-1990 Mark Flinn General Manager (212) 649-2336 mflinn@hearst.com Editorial Amy Rush-Imber Editor in Chief (212) 649-7983 arush@hearst.com Mallory Cruise-McGrath Managing Editor (212) 649-7985 mcruise@hearst.com Lauren Moore Senior Editor (212) 649-7984 lmoore@hearst.com Caroline Alkire Web Editor (212) 629-7987 calkire@hearst.com Morgan Bulman Assistant Editor (212) 649-7995 morgan.bulman@hearst.com Ryane DeFalco Editorial Intern (212) 649-2488 rdefalco@hearst.com Janet Herlihy (361) 443-3752 herlihyjanet@gmail.com Elise Linscott (413) 387-9383 elise.linscott@gmail.com Sharyn Bernard skbernard@bellsouth.net Advertising U.S. & Canada Charlton Calhoun 24 Sloan Street, Suite A Roswell GA 30075 (770) 919-7747 Fax (770) 919-1348 ccalhoun4@aol.com Classified Ad Sales Sherridan Basdeo Advertising Administrator (212) 649-7981 sbasdeo@hearst.com Production Vinny Forgione Operations Manager (212) 649-7988 Vinny.Forgione@hearst.com Emily Berger Production Artist (212) 649-7989 emily.berger@hearst.com Stefanie Candelario Production Intern (212) 649-7986 SCalendario@hearst.com Administration Sherridan Basdeo Advertising Administrator (212) 649-7981 sbasdeo@hearst.com Steven R. Swartz President & Chief Executive Officer William R. Hearst III Chairman Frank A. Bennack Jr. Executive Vice Chairman Richard P. Malloch Group Head & President Floor Covering Weekly (ISSN-0015-3761) is published bi-monthly by Hearst Business Communications, Inc./FCW Division, 300 W 57th St, 37th floor, New York, NY 10019. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and additional mailing offices. Subscription rates: Domestic: $25 per year, $48 two years; Canada: $60 per year, $110 two years. Sales Agreement No. 4001287. Foreign: $174 airmail. Single copy Domestic: $4.00, Canada: $6.00. Printed in the U.S.A. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY, PO Box 3012, Northbrook, IL 60065. To subscribe: call (866) 813-3752 or go to fcw1.com/subscribe For reprints of articles: Wright s Media (877) 652-5295 FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY May 2018 3
Understanding a category The modernizing of soft surface By Janet Herlihy Soft materials have been around for a long time helping make floors more comfortable underfoot. And while carpet, rugs and carpet tile continue to offer a multitude of traditional benefits, this mature category is thoroughly modern as well. Here is a look at the transformation of the category from construction to fiber and how to speak the carpet language. Carpet ConstruCtion Tufting adds patterning & speed Carpet tufting evolved from a cottage industry in and around Dalton that began in the early 1900s, according to the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI). Catherine Evans Whitener of Dalton recreated a handcrafted bed spread pattern by sewing thick cotton yarns with a running stitch into unbleached muslin. She then clipped the ends of the yarn, so they would fluff out, and washed the spread in hot water to hold the yarns in by shrinking the fabric. By the 1930s, local women, and sometimes entire families, worked to hand tuft the spreads for 10 to 25 cents per spread. The local term for the sewing process was turfin for the nearly 10,000 area cottage tufters men, women and children. Bedspread income helped many area families survive the depression. In the 1930s, the first mechanized tufting machine was developed to make popular bedspreads faster, and related industries yarn, sheeting, duck mills and agents, as well as machine shops were established to manufacture thousands of single and multi-needle machines. Machinery was developed for making chenille rugs and creating larger rugs and In 2017, Engineered Floors was processing bulked continuous filament into carpet yarn on state-of-the-art equipment at its SAM plant. broadloom carpet. Fast-forward to the present, and tufting machines now routinely produce as much as 15,000 square yards of builder grade residential carpet per day, according to The Ultimate Carpet Manufacturing, Inspection & Claims Manual by Carey Mitchell and David Zach. A modern day finishing line can back, shear, inspect and wrap carpet up to 150 feet per minute. These efficiencies reduced cost to consumers so dramatically that by the mid-70s, carpet had become a commodity Carpet fiber score Card Each face fiber brings unique benefits Any fiber can be tufted in a good, durable manner or not, therefore construction is still the largest determining factor on how well any carpet performs. Nylon, polyester (abbreviated as PET), triexta and polypropylene (aka olefin) are all synthetic polymers derived from petroleum that are processed to be carpet yarns. They can all be used in virtually any type of tufted construction and style. All can be either piece dyed, except olefin, after tufting or solution dyed during the extrusion process and then tufted. Generally speaking, nylon is used mostly in mid-to-high priced products, while PET dominates the entry-to-mid price points. Mohawk s SmartStrand (triexta) carpet styles generally compete with nylon. While PET first grew as a low-cost alternative, there are presently many overlaps between nylon and PET price points in the middle market. In 2010, PET (including triexta) was estimated to account for 25 percent of residential carpet and by 2015, it was thought to be 50 percent, while nylon made up about 45 percent with polypropylene and wool making up the remainder. Today, on a pounds of fiber basis used in carpet in the U.S., PET accounts for 53 percent, nylon 40 percent and polypropylene and wool split the remaining 7 percent, according to an industry expert. While a good construction can be made of any of the face fibers, there are some individual characteristics, as follows: Nylon Primary benefits: Better resiliency/ durability; good dyeability. Weaknesses: Inherently prone to staining, corrected with stain-resist treatments or other fiber technologies. Major nylon brands Stainmaster, introduced in 1986, has been the most consumer-recognized brand in residential carpet ever since. By the 1990s, many carpet manufacturers became backward integrated to fiber and yarn processing. That is, they extruded their own fiber from chip and then did their own processing. Today, major manufacturers have their own proprietary fiber brands. Invista Stainmaster is the last of the major branded fiber suppliers. Stainmaster currently includes brand extensions: TruSoft, Tactesse, Luxerell, PetProtect and its latest, LiveWell. Anso CrushResister nylon is Shaw s nylon brand. Caress nylon, also made of Anso, is Shaw s softest nylon. Mohawk manufacturers Wear-Dated Nylon and its division Karastan offers the Kashmere nylon brand. Engineered Floors (EF), added nylon carpet production with PureColor SD Nylon and introduced it at Surfaces 2015. PureColor Nylon is solution dyed and the polymer has been modified to eliminate the dye sites so it is virtually stain resistant, according to EF. Polyester/PET Primary benefits: Naturally stain and fade resistant. Weaknesses: Less resilient than nylon; prone to soiling. Disadvantages have been alleviated with fiber and tufting advances, and soiling treatments. Major PET brands Mohawk s EverStrand polyester carpets are made using recycled PET bottles, giving these carpets a sustainability story, with a tagline of It s easy on the pocket book, easy to clean and easy on the planet. Shaw s ClearTouch carpets are certified to contain an average of 25 percent postconsumer recy- 4 May 2018 FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY
Point can create patterns with as many as eight colors and has become popular for manufacturers seeking to differentiate through high-fashion styling. With the ColorPoint, we are closer than we ve ever been to what a loom can do, said Charles Monroe, president of CMC. The machine can place as many as eight colors, but it is most practical to run it with one to six different colors. It is designed to handle any yarn system, including all synthetics and wool. It creates a loop pile in multiple pile heights that can then be tip sheared for many different looks, Monroe noted. Mohawk s Air.o Unified Soft Flooring is all polyester. Woven carpets and rugs While the U.S. carpet industry began in 1791 with the first woven carpet mill in Philadelphia, power looms are very slow and complicated, Mitchell and Zach report, with an Axminster loom producing a couple hundred square yards of carpet per day. Once tufting developed, it quickly pushed weaving out as a cost-effective way to produce soft flooring. Today, woven broadloom is a high-end specialty for a few manufacturers such as Bloomsburg Carpet in Pennsylvania and Mohawk s Karastan in Eden, S.C. Weaving is still used for area rugs, both in the U.S and overseas. PREMIUM PERFORMANCE YARN ADVANCED THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITE BACKING LUXURY SYNTHETIC CUSHION Single Unified Recyclable Polymer rather than a luxury, Mitchell and Zach explained. Depending on what type of material is being made, tufting machines can have as many as 1,800 needles across a 12-foot (for commercial carpet tiles) width or as few as 65 (for synthetic turf). Tufted soft flooring offers finished products that are all cut pile, all loop pile or various combinations of cut and loop pile, as well as multi-level cut, loop or cut and loop pile. Generally, cut pile surfaces offer the softest feel, while loop pile products, especially dense constructions, are more durable. Combining cut and loop can open styling possibilities as the different tufts can be used to create patterns. Cut areas will have a softer luster, while the loop pile usually is brighter. Such toneon-tone patterns are leading the way in consumers acceptance of products that offer more than solid color cut pile. Cut and loop pile constructions also offer more softness than all loop but more durability than all cut pile. The creation of patterns using multiple colors has been limited but in the last decade, tufting technology has advanced greatly with machines like the ColorPoint, which was introduced by Card-Monroe Corp. in 2009. The Colorcled content from plastic bottles. ClearTouch Platinum PET is certified to contain an average of 50 percent postconsumer recycled content. Engineered Floors launched its operations in Dalton in 2009, manufacturing tufted carpet made of its proprietary PureColor SD (solution dyed) Polyester. Triexta Primary benefits: Good resiliency and excellent inherent stain resistance. Weaknesses: Some issues with removing oil-based stains but SmartStrand Forever Clean addresses that issue. Major Triexta brands Mohawk is the only U.S. company making carpet out of Triexta. Branded SmartStrand with DuPont Sorona, the line has evolved over the last decade through constant enhancements. The latest iteration is SmartStrand Silk Reserve. Made in part with annually renewable plant-based materials, SmartStrand Forever Clean also has a sustainability story. Wool Primary benefits: Good resiliency, naturally fire retardant and self-extinguishing. Soil and stain resistant. Weaknesses: Wool is much more expensive than synthetic fibers. Major wool brands: Wools of New Zealand identifies products that are rich in wool from farms that are part of the the brands growers based in New Zealand. Laneve is a brand that traces wool through supply chains back to the farmers who grow it, ensuring products are made from natural fibers. Polypropylene/Olefin Primary benefits: Olefin is the lowest cost, petroleum-based synthetic fiber and has excellent waterborne stain resistance. In carpets and rugs, it is usually solution dyed, making it fade resistant. It performs best when used in dense, short loop pile constructions and is used in many machine-made rugs. Weaknesses: Olefin is the least resilient of synthetic fibers and has a low melt point. Oily soils are difficult to remove. BACKING SYSTEMS MAKE A DIFFERENCE Traditional carpet backing serves to secure and hold the face fiber yarn in place. Backings may also feature protective treatments including antimicrobial, anti-stain or anti-static. But lately, carpet manufacturers have developed advanced backings that do a lot more than just hold carpet yarns in place. Mohawk s Air.o Unified Soft Flooring carpet is made of PET from top to bottom. Polyester yarns are tufted into a thermoplastic composite primary backing. Then rather than a traditional secondary backing, a nonwovens cushion, also made of PET fibers, is attached with an advanced engineered PET adhesive. Shaw introduced moisture proof Life- Guard backing in 2015. By keeping spills, including pet accidents, above the cushion, it allows for more thorough cleaning. Engineered Floors and its Dream Weaver residential carpet division recently introduced PureBac, A Better Backing System, said to provide unprecedented flexibility and dimensional stability, as it also includes an anti-delamination warranty (ten years). FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY May 2018 5
ADVERTORIAL Have It All Mohawk s SmartStrand: Soft & easy to maintain By Lauren Moore [Calhoun, Ga.] Mohawk s Smart- Strand collection is proof that the carpet customer really can have it all. With its inherent stain- and soil-resistant fiber, exceptional durability and unmatched softness, SmartStrand combines all the best things about carpet in one package. We want to relay to consumers that they don t have to sacrifice any benefits with SmartStrand, said Jason Randolph, senior product director, Mohawk. What makes the product unique is it doesn t have dye sites, so stain and soil protection will not wear or wash off it s part of the fiber, Randolph explained. That unique quality gives the product its long-lasting resilience and great performance, making it the easiest carpet to clean and giving it lifetime stain protection. Therefore, consumers can truly live worryfree on this floor, remarked Randolph. And customers won t have to sacrifice comfort for durability. Last year, Mohawk introduced SmartStrand Silk Reserve, representing the ultimate in softness. It s the softest carpet in the market today, proving Mohawk s commitment to leadership and innovation in soft flooring, Randolph said. And in addition to SmartStrand s unparalleled softness and durability, it offers a wide assortment of products well over 200 different styles, Randolph shared. Pet Perfect SmartStrand collections now feature Mohawk s All Pet Protection and Warranty, covering all pets, all accidents, all the time. With nearly 70 percent of the U.S. population owning pets, Mohawk recognized this large segment of the population had to factor in their furry friends when making flooring decisions. Pet owners number one concern is pet stains, Randolph said. But for those who choose a SmartStrand carpet, pet stains won t be an issue. Its unique fiber rejects liquids rather than absorbing them and the advanced Nanoloc Spill and Soil Shield makes the carpet up to three times easier to clean. Through the years, SmartStrand has proven its high performance, withstanding the messiest of tests from Tough Mudders, Puppy Bowl athletes and the inhabitants of the Dallas and Birmingham Zoos. If our carpet can withstand these extraordinary situations, it can handle the current zoo in your own home, Randolph laughed. That s why we do these things. THE MESSAGE WE TRY TO RELAY WITH SMARTSTRAND IS THAT THE CONSUMER REALLY CAN HAVE IT ALL. YOU CAN HAVE EXCEPTIONAL DURABILITY AND STAIN RESISTANCE WITH UNMATCHED STYLE AND SOFTNESS. - JASON RANDOLPH Mohawk s All Pet Protection and Warranty makes SmartStrand the ideal carpet for pet owners. A HISTORY OF SMARTSTRAND From the collection s launch in 2005, Mohawk s SmartStrand family has evolved over the years, introducing new and innovative offerings to meet consumer needs. Here is a look at some pivotal SmartStrand moments: 2005: SmartStrand 2009: SmartStrand Sorona 2012: SmartStrand Silk 2015: SmartStrand Forever Clean 2016: All Pet Protection 2017: SmartStrand Silk Reserve Sharing the SmartStrand Story Mohawk makes communicating what sets SmartStrand apart from other soft surface offerings easy. We have a myriad of digital content available for the RSA, explained Jason Randolph, senior product director, Mohawk. In addition to that, we have extensive POP on all our displays where we clearly tell SmartStrand s story on every merchandising vehicle. We also offer trifolds and storyboards for the show floor as well, to demonstrate the attributes of SmartStrand and the characteristics it exhibits. SmartStrand Silk Reserve is the softest carpet on the market today. 6 May 2018 FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY
FOREVER STAIN-FREE FOREVER PURE FOREVER CLEAN Mohawkflooring.com/SmartStrand
CARPET S PAST SET STAGE FOR TODAY Starting from the beginning, it is likely that animal hides and furs were used first, but there is evidence of soft flooring being made by knotting sheared wool that dates back to about 6000 B.C. According to HeritageMuseum.org, the world s most ancient pile carpet ever found came from one of the Pazyryk burial mounds in Russia. The Pazyryk carpet was woven in the technique of the symmetrical double knot called the Turkish knot resulting in more than 1,250,000 knots in the whole carpet, the Museum explained. As trade developed between Europe and the East, the importation of hand knotted carpets began in the 1500s and by the 1600s, Savonneries, or French Orientals, were being made in France and the first carpet factory was built in Wilton, England in 1655. The Pazyryk carpet found in a burial mound in Russia was hand knotted in about 6000 B.C. While weaving machines evolved to augment handmade carpets, and the power loom with Jacquard mechanism was developed in 1849, carpets were luxury goods for hundreds of years. It wasn t until the tufted carpet industry emerged in the 1960s that soft flooring became an affordable option for the masses. TufTing moves The needle Tufted carpet grew out of the tufted bedspread industry in and around Dalton, Ga., emerging as a $1 billion industry in 1963, according to the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI). The development of man-made fibers nylon in 1947, olefin in 1960 and polyester in 1965 along with new spinning techniques, dye equipment, printing processes, tufting equipment and backing for different end uses, combined to create a new industry that grew quickly to become the leading category of U.S. flooring sales (shipments, minus exports plus imports). By 1987, soft flooring accounted for 71.9 percent of sales and 71.2 percent of square feet sold, according to Stuart Hirschhorn, In 1920, when an early carpet company merged with McCleary, Wallin and Crouse, the company adopted the name Mohawk Carpet Mills (or Mohawk Mills). It became the country s sole weaver to offer an entire line of domestic carpets. 8 May 2018 FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY The tufted carpet industry evolved in and around Dalton, emerging as a $1 billion industry in 1963. director of research at Catalina Research. That dominant position has eroded over the last 20 years. By 1992, carpet and rugs began to lose some market share, and the slide became steeper in the 2000 s. While still the largest single category of flooring, by the end of the first quarter of 2018, carpet and rug s share of total dollar floor coverings sales had dropped to an estimated 44.9 percent in sales and a 50 percent share in square feet, Catalina recently reported. This is down from 46.6 percent and 52 percent, respectively, in the first quarter of 2017. Machine woven carpet and rugs, often in wool or wool blends, continue as a highend niche across residential, commercial and transportation (mostly aviation) markets, but tufted products are dominant. Tufted goods account for more than 90 percent of all soft flooring made in the U.S., followed by less than 2 percent that is woven and 6.7 percent for all other methods, such as knitted, braided, hooked or needle punched, CRI reported. Northwest Georgia continues to be the center of the tufted carpet industry, producing more than 70 percent of the total output of the world-wide industry of more than $9 billion. Dalton is now known as the Carpet Capital of the World. The decline of soft flooring market share has been primarily in wall-to-wall carpet, while area rug sales have held up in residential markets and carpet tile is now estimated to be more than 60 percent of the commercial market.
Terms to Know BERBER CARPET Berber carpet was named after the Berber tribe in northwestern Africa, who made a knotted carpet in natural, undyed wool. It became popular for all loop constructions in which the loop looked like the original Berber knot and the colorations were heathered combinations of white, and shades of brown. Today, Berber carpets use flecked yarns most often in loop, multi-level loop or cut and loop styles. And, Berbers are now available in pastels and dark tones as well as naturals. CARPET PILE Fibers that form the face or upper surface of carpet. Cut pile is where the surface is composed of cut ends of yarn. Loop pile carpet has a surface made up of uncut loops. Clean finish or tailored finish A carpet with a smooth surface CUT-AND-LOOP CARPET A multi-level loop carpet, where the taller loops are sheared. The resulting uncut loops and sheared top loops create a sculptured pattern. The texture and often subtle, variegated colorings help hide soil and traffic wear. FRIEZE (Pronounced free-zay ) A tightly twisted yarn is used to give a rough, nubby appearance to carpet pile. Frieze carpets may be loop or cut styles. FLAT WEAVE Flat Weave rugs and carpets are flat woven/without a pile, products that were originally made in India. Today there are many machine-made, flat woven constructions that can be made of synthetic fibers or wool or cotton. MULTICOLORS The next generation of tonals feature more distinctly different color combinations, still in an evenly placed overall effect not a pattern. OUTDOOR CARPET Carpet designed to be used outdoors on patios, walks and decks. Usually made of polypropylene to withstand the weather and ultra-violet rays, most outdoor carpet is designed for glue-down installation. STRETCH A carpet installation term for the give in carpet when it is pulled over the pad onto tackless strips. PLUSH CARPET A smooth, dense, cut pile carpet in which individual tufts are only minimally visible, and the overall visual effect is a single level of fiber ends. PRINTED CARPET Carpet having patterns applied by methods similar to printing paper, including flatbed screen printing, rotary screen printing and computer programmed jet printing. RANDOM- SHEARED CARPET Textured pattern created by shearing some of the top or higher loops and leaving others looped. REMNANT A short piece of carpet from a roll of carpet that usually measures less than nine feet long. SAXONY CARPET Cut-pile carpet in a relatively dense construction, with well-defined individual tuft tips. Smoother finished saxonies are called plushes. SISAL FLOORING Rugs, mats, and broadloom made from sisal, a natural plant material. Available woven and dyed in various colors, as well as machine- and hand-painted, similar flooring is made of jute, coconut and sea grass. Sisal-look carpets and rugs are available in synthetic and wool constructions. Shaw, Bellera Dixie Home, Willow Lake Mohawk, SmartStrand Silk Reserve STAIN AND/OR SOIL RESISTANT A chemical finish applied to or inherent in carpet fibers which inhibits specific stains and soil from adhering to or dyeing (staining) carpet fibers. TACKLESS INSTALLATION Where carpet is laid over pad and stretched to fit over tack strips of wood with implanted tacks to hold the carpet snugly to the wall. Also called wall-towall installation. TEXTURE FINISH A cut pile carpet style that has natural surface with a slightly pebbled look. TONALS Thought to be related to the popularity of granite counters, tonal carpets feature three or more related colors in an even combination that creates a subtle, natural look similar to grains of sand. WOVEN CARPET Looms interlace warp (lengthwise) and filling (widthwise) yarns to create a sturdy textile for the floor. Axminster Carpet: A machine-woven carpet that can use as many as 12 colors to create patterns. Wilton Carpet: A woven carpet in which the pile threads run continuously into the carpet and are raised above the surface of the backing by wires or hooks. Foss, Dura Knit Engineered Floors, PureColor FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY May 2018 9
ADVERTORIAL PureColor Carpet Dream Weaver s unique fiber system is built to last By Elise Linscott [Dalton] PureColor is a premium and unique fiber system from Engineered Floors Dream Weaver brand which allows the carpet to be installed in any room in the home, even offering it the ability to withstand bleach without fading. It s offered in a gamut of styling options including new colors such as grays, neutrals and earth tones, while still being affordable thanks to the company s manufacturing process. One of PureColor s standout features is its soil and stain resistance characteristics versus traditional piece-dyed products; PureColor is solution-dyed fiber that has consistency and color throughout the entire fiber system, according to Mike Sanderson, vice president of marketing at Engineered Floors. But what really draws consumers to the product are its palette and visuals, including its flip card merchandising display system showing the newly expanded line of colors, as well as verbage demonstrating its features like durability, warranty and stain resistance. We ve also gotten testimonials from retailers, they ve sent us tests they ve conducted themselves staining and using various types of household items on the carpet and were able to clean it up effectively, Sanderson said. Pets, that s obviously a very popular subject and an attribute for carpet, and even a concern for families after all, a pet is part of a family. We have a lifetime pet warranty for pet stains on carpet, and we want the consumer to be confident and comfortable making their purchase. While consumers are often first drawn to the product at retail for its styling and design options, another selling point is that it looks and performs like a premium product while remaining affordable as the company is able to oversee the entire manufacturing process in one building, Sanderson explained. We have built one of the largest if not the largest carpet manufacturing facilities in Northwest Georgia, where we have extrusion on one end, and we also tuft and coat the product before it goes to distribution, all within our building, he said. Because we re able to offer a premium product while manufacturing it the way we do, that makes it much more affordable and less cost associated with the product compared with our competition. Style without compromise Homeowners today live busy lives. Taking kids to practice, making sure the dog gets to the groomer and completing those honey do projects are just a few of the things that the average homeowner tackles in their day to day life. Worrying about stains on their carpet should not be one of them. Dream Weaver doesn t believe it s acceptable to have to move the couch over a few feet to cover up grape juice stains which is why it created its proprietary fiber, PureColor. PureColor is solution-dyed, meaning that the color of the carpet fiber goes all the way through, much like the orange of a carrot, as opposed to traditional piecedyed fibers where the color only sits on top of the fiber, like the red skin of a radish. Newly-added color offerings include trendy grays, neutrals and earth tones. This creates a more balanced look in the color of the carpet. It also means that PureColor will not bleach from spot cleaning, doesn t fade from prolonged sunlight exposure, won t wear in high traffic areas, and best of all, can resist some of life s harshest stains. Wine, pet stains and mud are not an issue with PureColor. Historically, solution-dyed carpet was a premium, only something a consumer could have if they were willing to pay for it. Modern manufacturing technology and logistics keep PureColor affordable for any homeowner. The product stays within the four walls of its state of the art manufacturing facility from the extrusion process until it ships out to retail customers. PureColor is an asset to any room in the home. Whether installed in the living room, a play room or sunroom, it will perform. According to Dream Weaver, it isn t a niche product or something that will fade away with passing trends but something that every homeowner can live their life on; something that doesn t cause stress or more work. After she simply takes a rag and any common household carpet cleaner to get out that grape juice stain, she ll say, That s why I bought this carpet! Dream Weaver carpet also comes with a lifetime pet warranty and is suitable for installation in any room in the house. Dream Weaver s PureColor fiber is a proprietary solution-dyed fiber system engineered for ultimate longevity. 10 May 2018 FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY
Crafted for comfort. Built for life. Easy to clean Doesn t fade Resists stains Won t wear Dream Weaver carpets are engineered to withstand all that life can throw at them. Made with PureColor technology, they are infused with color, instead of dyed in it. The color on traditional carpet fibers sits on top like the red skin of a radish With PureColor, the color penetrates the fiber like the orange of a carrot dwcarpet.com engineeredfloors.com
ADVERTORIAL Soft takes shape Size & format matter By Janet Herlihy The term broadloom was first used to refer to carpet woven on a wide loom. Today, it usually refers to carpet, tufted or woven, that will be installed wall-to-wall. Most tufted broadloom carpet today is sold in rolls that are 12-foot wide but can also be 15- or 13-foot, 6-inches wide. Some carpet is also available in narrow, 6-foot widths, primarily an advantage in moving replacement rolls up elevators or stairs in high-rise buildings. A lot of carpet is sold by the order or cut order in which case, the manufacturer simply cuts off the amount needed, wraps it and ships it to the dealer. Rolls that will be stocked at the dealer s warehouse usually hold from 100 feet to 150 feet. Woven broadlooms can vary width- wise. Some Axminster products are 13-foot, 2-inches wide (4 meters), while a Woven Wilton product is 12 foot, 11 inches. Couristan introduced the Envisions collection under its Creations brand at The International Surface Event and is stocking the products in 16-foot, 4-inch widths because that will enable the product to be installed wall-to-wall in most residential rooms. Some of Karastan s woven styles made on its Vintage Weave looms are 13 inches wide, while some woven on Kara-Loc proprietary looms are 12 feet wide. Handmade soft flooring can also vary in size. For example, a hand-loomed flat weave from Couristan is 16 feet and 4 inches or 5 meters. CARPET TILE Carpet tile (modular carpet) has become very popular in the specified commercial market in the last decade or so, where the easy to handle and install category makes up about 60 percent of all soft flooring. Also known as the contract market, projects in this market are specified by architects, designers and building managers, and are formalized with a contract. Carpet tile developed for the contract market has trended to larger squares and planks (rectangles) which can be installed in a variety of combinations for custom looks on the floor. Commercial carpet tile squares are typically 36 inches and 24 inches while plank sizes include 18" x 36", 9" x 36", 12" x 48" and 24" x 48". Carpet tile developed for the residential market is available in squares including 12 inches, 18 inches, 20 inches and 24 inches. FLOR, an Interface division, offers high fashion carpet tiles in 19.7 inches square (50 cm square). Couristan offers a wide variety of roll runners including Cape Town Cheetah from the Cape Town Collection tufted in nylon. Foss Floors manufactures carpet tile for residential and Main Street applications in 24 x 24 squares. AREA RUGS SIZES & SHAPES GO WIDE & DEEP Machine-made area rugs, whether tufted or woven are usually offered in an assortment of standard sizes, in increments from 2' x 3', to 9' x 12', and extra-large 10' x 14' and 12' x 15' as well as various ovals and rounds. Handmade rugs are also usually sold in approximate standard sizes. Many manufacturers and dealers are now offering custom-made rugs from broadloom in which the consumer chooses size, shape, binding and backing, although size is usually limited to the width of the broadloom product. Fabricated rugs that are pieced together can be made in almost limitless shapes and sizes. Designed to work on stairs, in hallways or in front of counters, runners are available in widths from about 2 feet to 3 feet wide and lengths from 6 feet to 14 feet. Couristan, which specializes in runners available in 26- and 31-inch widths made of wool, polypropylene or nylon, offers a large in stock assortment of styles available that are sold off a roll to whatever length the consumer needs. Custom runners made from broadloom styles are also popular. 12 May 2018 FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY
Made to be lived on Selling carpet s features & benefits By Janet Herlihy Today s carpets are engineered to meet the demands of today s consumer lifestyle. Whether a customer wants the ultimate softness underfoot or a product that will hold up to active kids and pets, carpet makers offer a variety of products to fill whatever need they may have. Soft(er) Still SellS Carpet has been getting progressively softer and softer for almost two decades beginning with Tactesse s Stainmaster brand in 2000. In 2005, Mohawk s SmartStrand with DuPont Sorona and then SmartStrand Silk with DuPont Sorona in 2012 captured the consumer. Other carpet brands, such as Stainmaster Luxerell in 2008, Stainmaster TruSoft in 2011 and Shaw s Anso Caress in 2013, also came to market. Softer carpet was developed when manufacturers found that when the finer individual filaments were at extrusion, the softer the finished carpet would be. The filaments are bundled together to form yarn ends, twisted, heat set and tufted into carpet. Concerns regarding the performance of soft carpet were answered by giving the yarn extra twist and heat setting and tufting dense constructions. SmartStrand Silk Reserve, the latest generation of SmartStrand products, is Mohawk s softest yet. Carpet made from SmartStrand fiber is the most durable, easiest to clean carpet on the planet, stated Richard Owen, senior director of market development at Mohawk. Today at retail, 90 percent of what we sell is a trade up to premium soft carpet, added Owen. In addition to its Anso Caress brand of soft nylon, Shaw continues to develop soft carpet with Bellera High Performance Carpet. Teresa Tran, Shaw s director of MORE THAN A PRETTY FACE Soft flooring offers other benefits because carpet is flexible and does not require a perfectly smooth surface under it, it can be installed over less-than perfect subflooring or even hard surface flooring. Larry Mahurter, vice president of marketing and advertising at Couristan, pointed out, Area rugs and carpeting can be used to cover the stains and imperfections that may have already been established. Noise reduction is another often overlooked benefit of soft flooring. Area rugs and carpeting absorb sounds. Adding a cushion beneath either will reduce noise even further, Mahurter reported. Both also work as sound barriers between floors, blocking sound transmission to spaces below. Soft flooring also provides insulation, keeping rooms warmer. It even increases safety by reducing slips and falls and minimizing injuries when falls do occur. soft surface portfolio management, said, In creating Bellera, we have re-engineered our high-performance fiber to ensure that softness goes with performance. Engineered Floors Dream Weaver division offers its PureColor SD nylon and Pure- Color SD polyester in special soft brands. But, Softness is only one attribute that we consider when developing our products, stressed Mike Sanderson, vice president of product marketing at Engineered Floors. While we know that varying degrees of softness are synonymous with luxury, we want to strike a balance between style, design and softness while still providing exceptional durability. Pet-friendly ProductS Sell Sixty-eight percent of U.S. households, or about 85 million families, own a pet, according to the 2017-2018 National Pet Owners Survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association (APPA). Invista Stainmaster was courting all those families when it introduced its Stainmaster PetProtect Carpet and Cushion system in 2013. Made with SuperiaSD fiber, PetProtect is a solution dyed nylon 6,6 carpet that is fade resistant and can be cleaned with hydrogen peroxide-based cleaners. Although buying Stainmaster PetProtect Cushion is not required when purchasing PetProtect, it does provide even more protection. The cushion features a moisture barrier to keep spills From Couristan s Creations brand, Heavenly is a soft, 100 percent tufted nylon that, like all carpet, can be installed almost anywhere. from soaking into the cushion and possibly into the subfloor. Shaw has a total solution for families with kids, pets and busy lifestyles too. Shaw s Tran explained, Our R2X Soil and Stain Resistance and LifeGuard Spill-Proof backing ensure pet messes are contained and don t ruin your carpet or subfloor. Shaw Floors products are not only pet friendly but fit the performance needs of an active family. Mohawk is proud to offer a collection of products under our All Pet Protection & Warranty that covers all pets, all accidents, all the time, in both hard and soft surface product offerings so consumers are able to get the floor they want, explained Angela Duke, Mohawk s director of residential brand marketing, hard and soft surfaces. Pet-friendly carpet products are now essential in every showroom. RSAs should sell the fact that Engineered Floors offers a lifetime pet warranty on pet stains, said Sanderson. This gives them extra protection on their PureColor carpet, and if it does happen to stain, we ll replace it, simple as that. Shaw s Diamonds Forever, from its new Bellera High Performance Carpet offering, features a high-fashion pattern. FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY May 2018 13
ADVERTORIAL Selling carpet with confidence Shaw Floors Bellera delivers beauty & durability By Amy Rush-Imber [Dalton] The days of consumers having to choose between the style and design they want and the durability they need when it comes to buying carpet are over. A high-performance introduction from Shaw Floors, Bellera High Performance Carpet promises and delivers on both. The exciting thing about Bellera is that the consumer really doesn t have to make a choice between performance, design, color or softness; they get all of these benefits in one carpet: Bellera High Performance Carpet, explained Teresa Tran, director of soft surface portfolio management. Bellera Built to last Bellera comes to market with two existing performance-driven and proven technologies by Shaw Floors R2X Soil and Stain Resistance System and LifeGuard Spill-proof Backing. Bellera High Performance Carpet gives consumers ultimate confidence. It is beautiful flooring matched with exceptional durability exactly what the consumer is asking for. Bellera combines the newest innovation with Endurance high-performance fiber, R2X stain and soil technology and the ultimate assurance of LifeGuard Spill-proof Backing, explained Heather Yamada, director of marketing-retail for Shaw Floors. R2X stain and soil technology offers promised protection against staining and soiling so that spills stay at the surface longer, for quick and easy cleanup. Add LifeGuard Spill-proof Backing, which keeps spills and odor-causing pet accidents conveniently contained from soaking through the pad to the subfloor, and Bellera provides complete clean-up protection. To make sure consumers know their carpet is protected by LifeGuard, Shaw Floors changed the color of this backing from gray to blue the same great performance with a more distinctive color. Together, these technologies make Bellera perfect for active households requiring the cleanest carpet for healthy living and offer the ultimate protection Shaw Floors No Surprises, Worry-Free Warranty. WE START WITH STYLE, DESIGN AND INSPIRATION. WE BUILD UPON THAT, LAYERING IN TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE THE CARPET AS DURABLE AS IT IS SOFT AND BEAUTIFUL. CONSUMERS WILL STILL MAKE A PURCHASING DECISION BASED ON STYLE BUT THEN THEY RUN THE LIST OF DEMANDS TO MAKE SURE IT'S A LIFESTYLE FIT. TERESA TRAN CONNECTING WITH CONSUMERS The story for RSAs is simple Bellera delivers beauty and performance and Shaw offers retailers the tools to help tell it. It s not about one product attribute like Endurance high performance fiber, R2X or LifeGuard. Combined, these attributes are what make Bellera High Performance Carpet a stand-out product, explained Heather Yamada, director of marketing, retail for Shaw Floors. Yamada said that Shaw Floors sales team will train RSAs in-store on Bellera, in conjunction with a selling guide for reference. Key selling points are also included on the Bellera display, which features comparison carpet swatches one of new carpet and one with five-years worth of wear and showcases the message: Keep that beautiful, new carpet look for years to come. Here s proof that Bellera will look as good five years from now as it did on day one. An in-store POP kit will be in stores this month and provides additional materials including consumer and warranty brochures, free-standing signage, window clings and more. Other support for the brand includes pre-designed traditional and digital ads and, for social media, Promoboxx provides beautiful and professional posts that are fully customizable with multiple messaging options. As well, dealers can post Bellera content to their sites through Shaw Web Studio. "BELLERA'S DURABILITY IS EVIDENT ON THE PRODUCT DISPLAY, WHICH REINFORCES CONSUMER CONFIDENCE AND COMMUNICATES THAT THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL CARPET THAT WILL LOOK GOOD OVER TIME, ESPECIALLY FOR ACTIVE, BUSY HOUSEHOLDS." HEATHER YAMADA The Beauty of Bellera Bellera isn t just about function; it provides all the fashion to inspire today s consumers. We can tell the consumer about Endurance high performance fiber, R2X soil and stain resistance, our LifeGuard Spill-proof Backing and as an added benefit, our No Surprises, Worry-Free Warranty. But, ultimately, we want customers to find their ideal visual, whatever that may be: cut pile or bold looped herringbone pattern. No matter the style, we provide peace of mind for consumers with Bellera that they are choosing the best carpet for their lifestyle, said Teresa Tran, director of soft surface portfolio management. Shown above, Lead The Way, a classic style that is soft and visually balanced. 14 May 2018 FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY
WHY IS BELLERA THE BEST INNOVATION IN CARPET? Simple. We ve combined Endurance high-performance fiber with R2X Soil and Stain Resistance and LifeGuard Spill-proof Backing to create exceptionally beautiful and durable carpet. Add in our No Surprises, Worry-free Warranty, and you have carpet that is built to last. shawfloors.com
Tips for selling soft surface By Janet Herlihy While it is true that overall carpet and rug sales in the U.S. have been declining, remember that it is still the single largest category of floor covering. These tips are designed to help you sell carpet with confidence. Today s flooring consumer has done her research online but can have some old ideas about soft surface flooring, including issues with staining and durability. It s essential to address her concerns, according to Richard Owen, senior director of market development at Mohawk. In today s crowded space of hard surfaces, it s important to build value in the benefits soft surface provides, all the while addressing the historical reservations typically surrounding carpet, Owen said. Today s carpet dispels the preconceived notion of issues from yesteryear. Fibers utilized today in manufacturing are easier to maintain, stain resistant, more durable and even softer than ever before. That said, color and fashion still drive consumer decisions while carpet offers a tactile experience that resonates comfort and warmth. Carpet also provides the homeowner with the widest array of color and design options to maximize their decorating styles and tastes. Shaw s Bellera display includes a side-by-side swatch comparison to underscore the line s durability. Consumers like ChoiCes Imagine going to a car dealership that only had three models on the showroom floor? Even if most of the sales were of those three cars, shoppers would probably think there was something missing and move onto another showroom. Carpet shoppers are attracted to color and pattern first. Even though most carpet sales today will be of solid neutral color styles or tonals, an array of shades and fabulous patterns attract the eye and provide inspiration. We know neutrals will always sell, said Teresa Tran, director of soft surface portfolio management at Shaw. But having (lots of) color in a display engages the consumer and brings them in to explore their options. Mohawk s SmartStrand Silk Reserve Exquisite Beauty, above, is all about cozy comfort. 16 May 2018 FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY
SUPPLIERS SPILL THEIR SECRETS FOR THE SALE Consumers buy from salespeople they trust. So, an RSA should communicate to the consumer product knowledge, integrity and confidence. - Chris Petrie, Lexmark Carpet Shaw encourages its retail partners to focus less on specific, overly technical fiber and backing details and spend more time discussing how the carpet as a whole will benefit the consumer and their lifestyle. - Heather Yamada, Shaw Floors It is important to understand the consumer needs before you show them product. Ask Do you have children? Any special needs (wheelchair, walker, etc.)? Do you entertain?. - Brian Warren, Foss Floors RSAs should craft a story that moves a consumer s mind to a soft carpet lifestyle. Ask, How great would it be to play with the kids and roll around again on the floor, or cuddle up and watch a movie together? The carpet can be the softest spot in the room! Rich Owens, Mohawk We ve found that color gives the consumer confidence to select a neutral. Once the consumer is in your showroom and looking at carpet, the next step is getting to know them. It s all about starting a conversation and finding out what they need. Ask the consumer to recall the worst thing that has ever stained their carpet. Ask them what could come in contact with their carpet on a daily basis mud from cleats, spilled juices or pet stains? suggested Mike Sanderson, vice president of marketing at Engineered Floors. Once you know what they have experienced, you can offer the consumer the best choices. EngagE consumers with stories & demos Shaw encourages its retail partners to focus less on specific, overly technical fiber and backing details and spend more time discussing how the carpet as a whole will benefit the consumer and their lifestyle, explained Heather Yamada, Shaw Floors marketing director, retail. Bellera s retail display includes a side-by-side swatch comparison that tells a compelling wear story. We are confident that neither consumers nor industry experts can tell the difference, Yamada said. SmartStrand Silk Reserve has a story with numerous chapters. SmartStrand with DuPont Sorona is partially made with a bio-based polymer, it is the softest carpet on the market and it has proven its cleanability with rhinos and muddy runners as demonstrated in various campaigns, the company noted. A silent salesman can also be effective. Foss Floors provides retailers all-inone displays that feature storyboards to explain the unique attributes of the products to the consumer. We also encourage the dealer to keep a tile or two handy to show the consumer how you can cut a Foss carpet tile without it fraying or unraveling, said Brian Warren, senior vice president at Foss Floors. And, we suggest that the retail sales associate (RSA) demonstrate how Foss products can be put down over any surface, he said. rsas hold the power Consumers buy from salespeople they trust, said Chris Petrie, vice president of residential sales at Lexmark Carpet. So, an RSA should communicate to the consumer product knowledge, integrity and confidence. Shoppers want to feel their sales person in an expert. An RSA must know their carpet products fiber, construction, stain protection, style, color, price range, Petrie explained. This knowledge allows them to qualify their customer, really know what their needs are and gear them towards the carpet that is going to work for them. If the RSA knows the benefits of carpet from the cost savings and ease of maintenance to the safety, acoustics, appearance, style and feel, that allows the consumer to feel comfortable with them and know that they can be trusted to sell them something new and exciting for their home. FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY May 2018 17
The Carpet Conversation [Manchester, N.H.] Keith Spano, president of Flooring America/Flooring Canada, shared with FCW his insight on making the carpet sale at retail in 2018. The first thing we all need to get our heads around is that home fashion starts with the floor. We build the room from the floor up and flooring is not the commodity it s portrayed to be by the big box stores, Spano stated. Flooring is fashion and although hard surface has taken share from soft surface recently, carpet has the ability to transform a room like no other flooring product. Today s customer doesn t know what she doesn t know and unfortunately, after watching four minutes of any HGTV show, the first thing she learns is to tear out all carpet WRONG. FCW: How should a retail sales associate start the conversation? Spano: When working with a customer in the market for soft flooring, the first goals are to find out where the product will be used, the usage expected and what is the look they re trying to achieve. Is it a bedroom, a place of serenity and relaxation where softness and comfort underfoot are the ultimate desire? Is it the family room where the entire family (two-legged and four-legged) gather to cheer on their favorite teams with food, beverages and lots of foot traffic. Whatever the application, there is a soft surface flooring that can meet the challenges of the environment. Don t forget custom rugs made from broadloom is always a perfect solution and a way to bring true personalization into the sales process and give her a finished product she can t get anywhere else. PERFECT POP For effective POP, Frank Chiera, senior vice president marketing & advertising for Flooring America, advises: Keep it fresh Put POP kits up the night before FCW: What are carpet s positives? Spano: Carpet today is leaps and bounds beyond anything we ve previously been exposed to. Consumer demand for daring patterns and unique color ways have brought new life to the broadloom category. Better yet, the combination of inspiring patterns with new advances in nylon, polyester and solution dyed fibers have made today s broadloom carpet choices not only beautiful but more durable and stain resistant than ever before. Let s not forget about wool, nature s original fiber with inherent stain resistance and durability and natural beauty. FCW: How can specialty retailers beat the big boxes? Spano: Commoditization is the ruin of our industry. We have got to speak to the consumer about fashion. We have the sale (never let customers see you hanging signs) Be sure POP kits are placed in strategic lines of sight throughout store Have a good mix of promotional and lifestyle graphics got to educate her on the benefits of carpet. She came to her local flooring retailer for design expertise, for expert installation, for unrivaled service and an overall fantastic experience she cannot get at a big box store. We have got to provide her the vision she may not have to make her project come alive and create that wow she ll want to tell her friends about. Be sure to have a diversity of pieces (for example window posters, hanging signs, product danglers, etc.) Strong call to action less is more. Treat POP as a billboard in your store. If the customer can t read it in less than two seconds there are too many words. Flooring America/Flooring Canada s POP for a summer sale is attention grabbing and easy to read. The Tuff Stuff Flooring sale signage is a strong call to action. 18 May 2018 FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY
Showroom Success [Manchester, N.H.] What makes a showroom a success with today s shoppers? We ve all been in specialty flooring stores that didn t work and others that invite the consumer in and make the shopping experience easy and satisfying. Here Cathey Gundlach Links, vice president merchandising at Flooring America/ Flooring Canada s, explains what goes into making effective merchandising and display systems. Flooring America/Flooring Canada Vision 20/20 merchandising and display systems are the foundation for success for our brands and showrooms. All the elements of the showroom work together to create an exciting and engaging shopping experience from our inviting areas for conversation to the comfortable work spaces for creation and design of the customers dream space, Gundlach said. FCW: What factors go into making an appealing display? Gundlach: With all the choices available for today s savvy consumer, it s important to stand out in a sea of sameness. Our Flooring America/Flooring Canada proprietary Evolutions Display system allows us to maximize the selling power for our brands in a dedicated footprint while also simplifying the shopping experience. It s key to offer an exciting collection that represents a variety of textures, patterns, newness and price points without becoming overwhelming and confusing. Variety should lead to excitement to the possibilities of their dream project not detract from the experience. THINGS TO REMEMBER AT RETAIL Retail leaders CAP Carpet of Wichita, Kan. and Messner Flooring of Pittsford, N.Y. share some of their tricks of the trade for selling carpet. Installing 6 x 6 areas of product on the floor has been very successful. Whenever you are ready, you can install a new batch of products. - Karen Farmer, Messner Flooring Each department should be clean, well-lit and priced properly, so it is easy to shop. There must be a plan to sell behind each department that is thought out carefully. - Aaron Pirner, CAP Carpet FCW: How does today s consumer shop for carpet? Gundlach: Today s savvy consumer wants simplification of the shopping experience that s why our exclusive 5 Star Selection System completes the overall satisfaction of the complete process from the design of carpet to the final installation. Our soft surface branding is mapped out with several key factors consumers desire for today s flooring: performance, style and warranty. Consumers spend energy and time to understand the features and benefits of the product the simplicity of our branding and display systems ensure a clear understanding and message to the right product for their home. Selling is an art form. Greeting a guest to the business must be practiced to be natural in sales. Opening the sale in a proper way gives the salesperson permission to do consultative solution-based selling. - Aaron Pirner, CAP Carpet Assortment matters in each department. There should be a reason for each item beyond every manufacturer display. Display floors and larger panels and samples always are helpful for a customer to visualize the products. - Aaron Pirner, CAP Carpet IN THE KNOW Have a ready answer to the following FAQs for every carpet style in the showroom: How long will the carpet last? How easy is it to clean? What is it made of? Is it safe for my kids? We have paint fan decks Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams that we refer to when a customer mentions what color they have on their walls. This helps in choosing the color of the carpet. - Karen Farmer, Messner Flooring We present the product by showing it in both large samples and cards, and always lay the samples on the floor. We allow the samples to leave the store and if the color(s) they are interested in are on cards and they want to see a larger sample, we order them and send them to the customer. - Jessica Salada, Messner Flooring FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY May 2018 19
FASHION first By Janet Herlihy While advanced performance features often tip a sale to one carpet style or another, fashion including color and design is still the major determining factor in which types of broadloom products a shopper is drawn to. Here, FCW has outlined major soft surface trends consumers love in 2018. Color me quiet The lion s share of carpet sold is solid color or tonal. Solid color may offer textural appeal while tonal carpets feature three or more related colors in an even combination that creates a subtle, natural look similar to grains of sand. Harmony by Phenix Flooring is a solid color with a suede-like surface, tufted in 100 percent Opulence HD solution dyed PET. Dawn s Delight from Dixie Home is a tonal style tufted in Stainmaster Luxerell. Engineered Floors Dream Weaver division offers Showstopper in a cool gray tonal crafted in PureColor Soft Polyester. 20 May 2018 FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY
Premium Products Premium brands appeal to the high-end consumer because of the bold looks they offer. Couristan offers Oceania from Envisions which is woven in a 50/50 construction of Heat Set Courtron Polypropylene and polyester. Karastan s Berkeley offers an abstract, organic stone visual, woven on its Vintage Weave looms in SmartStrand Silk. Anderson Tuftex tufts Taza II in Stainmaster Luxerell nylon using natural color variations of striated yarns to create the beauty of a Moroccan quatrefoil design. FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY May 2018 21
Perfectly Patterned Subtle patterns that create natural textures or small-to-mid designs give consumers a chance to make a more fashionforward choice. Karastan s Delicate Path offers a simple linen pattern created in cut and loop SmartStrand Silk Reserve. Fantasia from Dixie Home is a loop pile with linear striations and made from Stainmaster PetProtect solution dyed BCF nylon 6,6. Crafted in Mohawk s SmartStrand Silk Reserve, Exquisite Charm is a solid color, delicate floral pattern that provides consumers with both softness and performance. Lexmark s Pacific Heights style delivers a classic geometric pattern created in a cut and loop construction of Solution Dyed Primus PET LexSoft Fiber. 22 May 2018 FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY
From Shaw s Bellera Collection of High Performance Carpet, Outside the Lines is a multi-color, linear strié pattern tufted in cut and loop Endurance High Performance PET. Manhattan, from the DuraKnit collection by Foss Floors, offers high performance in a pattern of small-scale circles. FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY May 2018 23
Good Karma Karma shown in Divine Will Elevate the spirit of your home. Create a calming escape for your home with Karma by Phenix Flooring. Featuring a delicate, repetitive pattern of complementary neutral colors that harmonize to create one spectacular floor. To learn more, contact your Phenix Flooring representative or visit phenixflooring.com. www.phenixflooring.com