A point of difference

Louvolite shares the highlights from its new fabric collection.

Being different: good or bad? It’s an interesting question…

There is a phrase – “People buy the point of difference,” which we sometimes use in our business when considering concepts or products.  

That said, people don’t buy for point of difference in itself. That difference has to be meaningful and one that has a positive impact on desired outcomes.

In our industry in Australasia there are certain “must have” considerations when it comes to fabrics, particularly roller blind fabrics. 

In many ways, for a number of years performance has been the primary factor when it comes to selecting roller blind fabrics, blockout fabrics have been of particular importance in reducing heat and glare and protecting internal furnishings. 

In addition, due perhaps to the fact that someone once decided that glass was cheaper than bricks, it was also decided that the ideal width for roller fabrics would be around three metres. 

Roller blinds can and should be so much more than just a functional item. After all they are a window furnishing product and in many homes the windows are now the most prominent feature in a room. They play a critical part in how natural light can impact on our lives. Surely there is a way to balance the need for performance with the desire for decoration?

In Louvolite’s 2022-2025 roller shade fabric programme, we believe we have achieved as near to that balance as one company possibly can. The Louvolite collection meets all the criteria required to satisfy performance requirements, whilst also incorporating style, sophistication and decoration.

In the new collection, the vast majority of fabrics are what would be classed as “wide width” or three metres wide. To cater for those areas of the home/office where there is a need to block out the sun, 65% of Louvolite’s new programme are blockout fabrics. 

However, we don’t want to live in darkness, otherwise caves would never have gone out of fashion, so the importance of light filtering fabrics and the positive wellbeing effect of natural light has not been forgotten.

As for the personal and emotional side of window furnishings, the Louvolite collection brings a plethora of plain colourways with both smooth weaves and contrasting lustrous textured weaves in designs and colours that will satisfy the most challenging needs.  

In tandem with this and for the first time, Louvolite prints are now featured on wide width fabrics, allowing statement products to be not just functional but a real focal point in the home. 

Our design team has taken great care to ensure the selection of prints housed within the collection covers as wide a spectrum as possible with colours and trends carefully selected to provide years of fulfilment in whichever environment they are used.

The overall collection is significant in number with 194 SKU’s. Louvolite has also created a method to allow much easier navigation through the collection by either the consumer or the shading professional talking to the consumer.

First of all, there is one single thing that the vast majority of consumers will know when they are considering a blind purchase, the colour.  They will also likely know if they want to block out the sun or filter the natural light into the room 

So Louvolite has created a style of presentation that allows ease of selection to both of these important buying criteria.  First, the fabrics are presented by colour groups, allowing the consumer to view all fabrics together in the colour of their choice.  In addition, the fabrics are shown with both light filtering and block out colour groups in consecutive sections. 

For a consumer to be presented with the options within their selected criteria two simple questions need to be answered: What colour? Light filtering or blockout?

Immediately these two questions are answered, the consumer can view the extensive range of options that meet their defined needs.  

So now not only has Louvolite produced its most inclusive and diverse range of fabrics in Australia, it has also created a presentation method that allows the trade to hone in on the ideal fabric to meet the consumer’s needs. 

We believe the Louvolite roller shade programme is the best collection Louvolite has produced to date, but it doesn’t stop there. 

Louvolite recognises that interest in cellular fabrics has increased significantly in recent times and the new Louvolite cellular programme reflects this with a massive increase in options, all at three metres wide and all with both light filtering and blockout options.

Louvolite has created a cellular programme that not only increases the number and selection of plain fabrics, but also introduces various appropriate print effects to provide the consumer with an array of choice and value not often seen in this area.

The cellular fabrics are offered in a stylish foldout presentation system that fits perfectly into the Louvolite roller blind book to maximise the consumer offering whilst minimising the effort to bring it to the consumer.

The humble vertical blind was the very first programme that Louvolite brought to Australia as far back as the 1970s. This versatile shading system still ranks highly with consumers due to its ability to rotate and follow the sun whilst still retaining a degree of privacy and functionality that is difficult to match.

The latest vertical fabric collection from Louvolite provides all the options a consumer could wish for in this regard. Once again Louvolite has identified a navigation system that allows the consumer or tradesperson to immediately focus their attention on any specific area should they wish to do so.

As with previous verticals books, the fabrics are segregated by colour spectrum.  There are three banks of fabric in each section.  If a consumer states that they are looking for an opaque fabric to help block out the light when required, these can all be found in the colour bank on the right-hand side of the trio.

If a consumer states they are looking for a budget fabric these can be found in the colour bank on the left-hand side.

Fabrics that don’t fall in either category are to be found in the central colour bank.

Of course, the consumer may not have defined the criteria to meet with regard to vertical blind fabric and in such cases, they can view all the fabrics within the colour section they select and choose any one of the fabrics that best meets their furnishing needs.  What Louvolite has done is to add yet another way of assisting both the trade and consumer to select a shading fabric that best meets their individual needs.

So, if we refer back to the original question ….

Louvolite feels sure that the differences it has brought to the shading industry with its latest fabric creations will be deemed as GOOD!