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Curtains have been drawing attention for some time, but COVID-19’s silver lining is that they’re now more popular than ever before, with housebound consumers forced to re-evaluate their soft furnishings. Belinda Smart outlines some of the latest releases in drapery fabrics.
BASFORD BRANDS
“When COVID-19 reached our shores and infection rates started climbing in March we were very uncertain of how the lockdowns would affect the industry,” says Michelle West, General Manager of Maurice Kain (Basford Brands). “With the majority of the workforce setting up offices at home it is fair to say we were initially unprepared for what has transpired. Sales from April through to today has been nothing short of what we usually see during the ‘Christmas rush’. Some sectors of the market have really benefited from the situation, and soft furnishings is one of them.”
MAURICE KAIN
Maurice Kain has several new releases across prints, sheers, plains and jacquards. “Our in-house print designer has been working with botanical themes recently and our two new prints capture this trend. ‘Utopia’ has the backdrop of hand painted tropical leaves with the Bird of Paradise flower head to bring the design to life; printed in four colourways – two with dark grounds to create a very luxe mood. ‘Fleur’ is a softer floral. The design uses hand sketched elements in on-trend background colours such as duck-egg and soft pistachio as well as two neutral shades.”
“Sheers continue to dominate and grow across the market. We are seeing more consumers embrace a more decorative sheer. Linen looks and linen blends are sought after. With the huge success of our ‘Pilbara’ sheer we have increased the colour line with eight new colours. Pilbara is a blended polyester / linen yarn, giving consumers the stability of polyester with enough linen content for a fantastic drape and aesthetic. ‘Leilani’ incorporates two current trends – the tropical design on a linen look base cloth. It has been constructed using burnout technology, so that after finishing the open space dissolves and the design is what is left.”
“In the Jacquard space we have a new co-ordinated floral and unstructured stripe, the Darwin Collection, with designs ‘Santa Cruz’ and ‘Evolution’. Eight colours make up this collection, ranging from deep charcoals through to soft neutrals with a hint of colour in the duckegg, turmeric and amber tones. ‘Latitude’ continues to be one of our top selling designs. The ombre stripe effect which is woven as a continuous fabric is easy to use and adds a great decorative element. Ten new colours have extended the full palette to 18 colours. Latitude works perfectly on any Wave or S fold track, either with attached or detached lining – our Simplicity Silicone lining works perfectly for this application.”
SEKERS
“100% Linen is strong in the market, so we are very excited this month to release our new linens, both of which are 300cm continuous. Using Italian yarn sourced from sustainable and responsible growers, these two ranges are the best priced 100% linen curtain fabrics on the market. ‘Kingslea’ is the solid and is available in 20 colours across a broad spectrum – terracotta hues, deep mustard, soft pinks, neturals, greys are all covered. ‘Dunraven’ is a coordinating sheer, also available in a large selection of colours. Both designs come with an Airo finish to achieve stability, volume and a relaxed drape.”
“Meanwhile, Sekers is excited to exclusively distribute the Cath Kidston interior furnishing collection. This is the first time her designs have been offered as furnishing fabrics. Her much-loved quintessentially British style is a celebration of whimsy, pattern, colour and dreamlike nostalgia, reminiscent of the 1940s and 50s. Gorgeous florals combine with stripes, polka dots and cute novelty prints to create a full collection that can be used across all areas of the home, including children’s rooms. The range includes 23 designs, coordinating as a mix and match offering, all printed on a 100% cotton base cloth.”
CHARLES PARSONS INTERIORS
Xenia is Charles Parsons’ first wide width Jacquard quality manufactured on a Polyester Cotton and Linen base cloth to provide a soft and supple finish. Xenia is offered in six fashion colours and is very well priced for such a high quality drapery product.
“Beverly Hills is being released in line with the move towards wide width continuous fabrics, adding to our existing range of coloured Voile Sheers. Beverly Hills comes in a very usable 326cm width and also has a weighted hem to offer the extra fine finish. It comes in nine fashion colours and has a FR rating to both 1530 Part 2 and 3.
Meanwhile, due for release in early September, “Santana is an extension to Charles Parsons’ wide range of decorative sheers and offers a contemporary leaf design that is subtle yet provides a fresh feel to any window or open space. Santana is also extra wide width at 320 cm and also has a weighted hem and meets the 1530 Part 2 and 3 FR standard.”
The company has also just released the superb wide width Vida which has a Polyester and Linen mix with a soft natural linen handle but also the stability and durability of a Polyester yarn. “Vida is available in six soft earth colours and can be used as a solid or a sheer in a range of different applications. It is also 317 cm and can be used as a continuous or wide with format and the price for this outstanding product will not disappoint.”
“Our decorative and plain sheers are a very strong part of the market at the moment and the use of different coloured linings behind the sheers can dramatically change the look of the fabric and the room setting . Having a sheer and a separate lining provides both privacy and light reduction in the room during the day and at night and provides a far softer look than hard blinds.”
“The market is currently very strong due to the Covid situation and our customers appear to be spending their money on home improvements rather than overseas holidays .The challenge at the moment is managing the supply chain as our key suppliers are also experiencing the same Covid challenges as we are , however with no end in sight to the Covid issues we believe the market will remain strong for the foreseeable future.”
“Blinds have been a very strong part of the market for many years as they provide a cheap and effective solution for privacy and light control. However with many of our clients spending more time at home in the past few months, the need to upgrade or refurbish their homes has become more evident and the investment in their home soft furnishing offers a fresh new look to their home and in many cases adds value to the property. This also ties back strongly with the rise of the home improvement programs on the television that inspire people to take a few chances and improve their lifestyle.
WARWICK FABRICS
Rathbone, the new range from Warwick Fabrics, is characterised by “quirky design and eclectic colour.”.
“Drawing its names from bold, influential and eccentric women of their times, this range of textures, plains and prints come together to create the ultimate selection when applied individually or as a harmonious statement. From drapery to smaller accessories and large scale upholstery, Rathbone inspires an array of interior applications and styles, and can blend together to create its own bold and bespoke aesthetic.”
