Upholstery Journal, August/September 2007, Digital … · 2 Upholstery Journal August•September 2007 Contents Volume 15, Number 4 At least one segment of the upholstery industry

August•

Septem

ber 2007

S u b s c r i b e a t w w w . u p h o l s t e r y j o u r n a l . i n f oS u b s c r i b e a t w w w . u p h o l s t e r y j o u r n a l . i n f o

AUTOINSIDER

The inside information on the growing custom interior market

Satisfy demand Environmentally friendly fabrics

Reap what you sewon a new machine

Ward’s Interior Awards

Rev up your bottom line with classic auto upholstery

0807UJ_Cv1.indd 10807UJ_Cv1.indd 1 8/13/07 4:31:48 PM8/13/07 4:31:48 PM

http://www.ifai.com/Upholstery/Magazines.cfm

http://www.ifai.com/Home/magazinesplash.cfm

The Upholstery Workshop is sponsored by Upholstery Journal magazine and held in cooperation with the Marine Fabricators Association and the Professional Upholstery & Soft Furnishings Group.

Professional Upholstery& Soft Furnishings Group

www.carrscorner.com

Don’t miss this exciting hands-on workshop held during IFAI Expo 2007, October 3–5, 2007, Las Vegas

Upholstery Done Right! WorkshopFriday, Oct. 5, 20078:30 am – 12:30 pmLas Vegas Convention Center

Learn about working with airbags and seat electronics See cutting-edge strategies for custom foam shapingExplore contract upholstery in the hospitality capital of the worldGain market and new business development strategiesBreakout into market specifi c interest groups for more in-depth discussions:

– Automotive Upholstery – Upholstery – Marine Upholstery

IFAI Expo 2007 is the largest specialty fabrics trade show in the Americas. Attendees will have buying opportunities with more than 450 companies showcasing the latest upholstery business products, breakthrough materials and new sources of supplies and equipment.

Register Today!Register by Sept. 4, 2007 at www.ifaiexpo.com for this symposium for only $79 US (IFAI members); or as part of a Full Expo or Full Education package. Please use Promo Code SEM when you register. For questions, visit www.ifaiexpo.com or contact our show management at +1 651 222 2508 or e-mail [email protected].

•••••

Event Announcement

Essential New Strategies to build your upholstery businessOctober 3–5, 2007 | Las Vegas, USA

0807UJ_cv1-p11.indd Sec1:cv20807UJ_cv1-p11.indd Sec1:cv2 8/13/07 4:03:44 PM8/13/07 4:03:44 PM

http://www.carrscorner.com

http://www.ifaiexpo.com

www.JohnBoyle.com

Where can you order everything you need for industrial, awning,

printable fabric media and marine fabrication – anytime, anywhere?

At

orders.JohnBoyle.com

Online ordering from John Boyle & Company, Inc. is “open”

24 hours a day, every day of the year, so finding the most extensive

line of fabrics, hardware and accessories is quick, simple and convenient.

Contact any John Boyle & Company location for your password.

Note: Special offers available to all John Boyle customers, regardless of how you place your order.

Statesville, NC 704-872-8151 or 800-438-1061 FAX 888-867-1337St. Louis, MO 314-664-6776 or 800-325-7092 FAX 888-231-8365West Mifflin, PA 412-464-9762 or 800-245-4840 FAX 888-477-0643Cherry Hill, NJ 856-489-8588 or 800-544-3675 FAX 800-300-0718Lake Park, FL 561-848-1461 or 800-432-5321 FAX 888-371-8110

Atlanta, GA 404-699-2444 or 800-699-9336 FAX 888-546-7005Grand Prairie, TX 972-988-9117 or 800-221-1038 FAX 888-472-8737City of Industry, CA 626-965-5312 or 800-841-0555 FAX 888-804-9751Indianapolis, IN 317-876-7017 or 800-843-6236 FAX 800-424-0382Cranston, RI 401-946-6300 or 800-556-7254 FAX 800-344-0470

DISTRIBUTORSVaughan Brothers, Inc., Portland, Oregon 503-233-1771 FAX 503-233-1557George N. Jackson, Ltd., Winnipeg, MB, Canada 204-786-3821 FAX 204-788-2457Orli, Guadalajara, México 33-3268-0400 FAX 33-3268-0404

0807UJ_cv1-p11.indd Sec1:10807UJ_cv1-p11.indd Sec1:1 8/13/07 4:03:45 PM8/13/07 4:03:45 PM

http://www.JohnBoyle.com

2

Up

ho

lste

ry J

ourn

al

Aug

ust•

Se

pte

mb

er

20

07

www.upholsteryjournal.info

ContentsVolume 15, Number 4

At least one segment of the upholstery industry is booming thanks to automakers who use the interiors of vehicles to differentiate their brands and win over customers, and to baby boomers who are reliving their youth by restoring classic cars. Inside this auto-focused issue, you’ll find evidence of the increased emphasis being put on auto interiors, insights into aftermarket trends and information to help you break into the growing custom interior market. Photo of a Cadillac Escalade interior, courtesy of the manufacturer via Wieck. Cover Design: Cathleen Rose

On the coverDepartments20

28

24

Columns

FeaturesGoing retro 12The “boom” in custom automotive upholstery can mean a boom to your bottom line.

SEMA preview 16Planning your time at the show can lead to timely profits.

Interior motivation 20Ward’s Interior of the Year Awards highlightthe importance of interiors and provide insights into aftermarket trends.

A convenient truth 24Demand sprouts growth in the pursuit and availability of Earth-friendly fabrics.

Sew it goes 28The lowdown on new models, maintenance and purchasing for the most essential upholstery tool: the sewing machine.

Auto corner 32Replacing a multi-fixture minivan headliner

Mind your business 36Minimize the cost of employee turnover

Editor’s desk 4The frog was wrong

Update 6U.S. Department of Commerce to promote IFAI Expo 2008

New products 10

Save my seat 40Learning curves

Calendar 38

Ad index 39


http://www.upholsteryjournal.info

3

Up

ho

lste

ry Journ

al A

ug

ust•S

ep

tem

be

r 20

07


The patterns reallycome off well.

And so do mustard stains.

High Point Collection™The high fashion, high performance fabrics

a s t r u p

Corporate: 2937 West 25th Street • Cleveland, OH 44113 • 216-696-2820 • www.astrup.com • Distribution Centers: California, North 1-800-786-7607 • California, South 1-800-786-7604Colorado 1-800-786-7609 • Florida 1-800-786-7605 • Georgia 1-800-786-7606 • Illinois 1-800-786-7608 • Missouri 1-800-786-7603 • New Jersey 1-800-786-7602 • Ohio 1-800-786-7601Texas 1-800-786-7610 • Washington 1-800-786-7612 • Canada: Trican Corp. 1-800-387-2851 • Mexico: Tunali Tec, Morelos (777) 312-2644 /-2696, Nuevo León (818) 370-9273

Sun, rain, ice cream, mustard...these durable Sunbrella® decorative casual furniture and marine furnishings fabrics resist them all. View all of the patterns and order complimentary swatches,

on our online showroom at www.astrup.com.

Sunbrella® is a registered trademark of Glen Raven Inc.


http://www.astrup.com

4

Up

ho

lste

ry J

ourn

al

Aug

ust•

Se

pte

mb

er

20

07


E d i t o r ’ s d e s k

Chris [email protected]

The frog was wrongK

ermit the Frog croaked, “It’s not easy being green.” He may change his tune

after learning about the eco-friendly processes being used and products

being produced in industries around the world.

Call it a simple concept of supply and demand. Consumers, who want to make

responsible choices toward a better future, are demanding products that are sus-

tainable and friendly to the environment. Manufacturers are supplying them.

There is a push in our industry to develop materials, including plastics and

fabrics, made from plants. These plant-based materials are getting attention for a

number of reasons:

• The reduction of carbon dioxide emissions compared

to petroleum-based products

• The costs to produce plant-based raw materials are more stable and more

predictable than producing oil-based products

• Plant-based materials can improve end-products when combined with oil-

based materials

Automakers are using kenaf fiber to develop parts. Kenaf is a member of the

hibiscus family. Its main uses have been the manufacture of rope and coarse

cloth, but emerging uses include engineered wood, insulation, and filler for injec-

tion molding. The body of Toyota’s I-Unit concept car is made from kenaf fiber.

The company is adapting the technology to make interior parts, with the goal to

replace every plastic component with a plant-based material.

Textile provider Valdese Weavers requires a minimum of 45-percent recycled

content across its entire Contract product line. And all fabrics sent to American

Fibers and Yarns go through a recycle stream that will produce a variety of durable

and disposable goods, including parts for auto interiors and geotextiles.

Credit recent information on global warming for scaring consumers to look for

“green” alternatives. On a more corporate—and rational—level, government agen-

cies are offering incentives to companies with environmentally sensitive products

and practices. Companies that meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental

Design (LEED) standards get credits for tax breaks. Greenguard Environmental

Institute certifies products that emit no volatile organic compounds. This certifica-

tion aids in obtaining LEED credits.

Maybe it is easy being green. But will it create issues with a different kind of

green—money? I read that production costs for plant-based materials can be 30

percent higher than for conventional materials. And these costs could rise because

of the ethanol boom.

With two young kids at home, I tend to think about the future now more than

ever. If this green trend is going to make the world better for them and for their

kids, then we better keep it going, and at any cost.



mailto:[email protected]

5

Up

ho

lste

ry Journ

al A

ug

ust•S

ep

tem

be

r 20

07


Publisher

Mary Hennessye-mail [email protected]

Editorial Director

Susan R. Niemie-mail [email protected]

Editor

Chris Tschidae-mail [email protected]

Associate Editor

Kelly Frushe-mail [email protected]

Contributing Writers (this issue)

Richard Ensman, Janice Kleinschmidt, Jake Kulju, Bill Moore, Marshall Spiegel, Sigrid Tornquist

Production Manager

Russell Grimese-mail [email protected]

Art Director

Marti Naughton

Graphic Designer

Cathleen Rose

Production Coordinator/Graphic Designer

Kristen Evanson

Advertising Director

Sarah Hylande-mail [email protected]

Advertising Sales

Jane Anthone, Terry Brodsky, Vivian CowanSuzanne L’Herault, Karen Lien, Mary Mullowney,

Susan Parnell, Elizabeth Welsh 800 225 4324

Advertising Account Coordinator

Shelly Armane-mail [email protected]

Circulation Manager

Mary Mooree-mail [email protected]

Circulation Assistant Manager

Susan Smeede-mail [email protected]

Published by the Industrial FabricsAssociation International

IFAI President

Stephen M. Warnere-mail [email protected]

MFA Managing Director

Beth Hungivillee-mail [email protected]

Upholstery Journal educates readers in

the art and craftsmanship of after-market furniture,

marine and auto reupholstery.

Upholstery Journal® ISSN 1072 5628, Volume 15, Issue 4 is published bi-monthly by the Industrial Fabrics Association International, 1801 County Road B W, Roseville, MN 55113-4061. Periodicals Postage Paid at St. Paul, MN and at additional mailing offi ces. Post master send address changes to Upholstery Journal, County Road B W, Roseville, MN 55113-4061. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 6J5. Subscription inquiries, orders and changes contact: Sue Smeed, Assistant Circula-tion Manager, Upholstery Journal, 1801 County Road B W, Roseville, MN 55113-4061 Phone 800 225 4324 or +1 651 222 2508, fax +1 651 631 9334 e-mail: [email protected]. 1-year USA $39, Canada and Mexico $49, all other countries $69, payable in U.S. funds (includes air mail postage). Reprints: call 800 385 9402, [email protected]. Back Issues: call 800 2070729, [email protected], http//bookstore.ifai.com.
















www.fasnap.com

www.camie.com

6

Up

ho

lste

ry J

ourn

al

Aug

ust•

Se

pte

mb

er

20

07


UpdateU.S. Department of Commerce to promote IFAI Expo 2008 internationally

IFAI Expo 2008, Charlotte, N.C., has received the prestigious International Buyer’s Program (IBP) designation from the U.S.

Department of Commerce. This marks the second time IFAI Expo has received the desig-nation. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, only 28 tradeshows are selected out of the hundreds that apply each year.

The IBP was created to bring international delegations to U.S. tradeshows. The program promotes U.S. exports and encourages inter-national trade and business partnerships by increasing the attendance of buyers with high export potential.

The U.S. Department of Commerce begins worldwide promotion of IFAI Expo 2008 through its Commercial Service offices, U.S. embassies and consulates. Industry experts will provide networking and matchmaking between prospective buyers, distributors and U.S. exhibitors at IFAI Expo 2008.

“We are very honored that IFAI Expo has received the IBP designation for a second time,” says Stephen Warner, IFAI president. “This recognizes the excellent opportuni-ties available through IFAI Expo 2008 to the world specialty fabric community. The IBP designation is a proven value in bringing international buyers to our show.”

For more information on the IBP program and offices, visit www.buyusa.gov/home/export.html. For information on IFAI Expo 2007 in Las Vegas and IFAI Expo 2008 in Charlotte, visit www.ifaiexpo.com.

The Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) proactively represents and promotes the products and innovations of the specialty fabrics industry world-wide. For more information, visit www.ifai.com.

Valor by Valdese Weavers tells eco-friendly fabric storyValdese Weavers’ Valor brand was designed to package its green and sustain-able story for residential furniture manufacturer customers. According to Valdese president Mike Shelton, Valor is more a philosophy than a product, which allows the customer to decide what’s important for their story, instead of just having a line of “green” fabrics available.

Valdese, which has been implementing environmentally responsible pro-cesses and products for several years, has developed a number of “tools” to support the initiative, including more than 500 organic, recycled and renew-able components. Every product that contains organic, recycled or rapidly renewable material will be tagged with the Valor brand.

“We will work backward with the customer to find both the economy and the green story they want to tell, and then we’ll fit the product to that need—whether they want organic, recycled or some combination,” said Zack Taylor, vice president of sales and marketing.

Products shown under the Valor banner at Showtime ranged from $6.95 to $13.95 per yard for furniture manufacturers.

The Commercial Service logo is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Commerce, used with permission.

Toray Ultrasuede branding initiativeToray Ultrasuede (America) Inc. (TUA) announced a branding ini-tiative designed to raise the profile of Ultrasuede and differentiate the brand from other faux-suede fab-rics currently on the market. The cornerstone of this initiative is the introduction of an Ultrasuede cer-tification mark—a graphically bold “U” that the company’s customers will be required to include on all finished goods. In addition, a qua-druplicate execution of the certifica-tion mark will accompany the classic Ultrasuede logo in all communica-tions from the company. This “Quad U” will also be used by fabric whole-salers and retailers.

According to TUA executive director Des McLaughlin, “When Ultrasuede launched in America, it was the first and only microfiber fab-ric with the look and feel of suede, but offering all of the advantages of modern technology. Many people think of Ultrasuede as the generic name for a category rather than the category-leading brand it actually is.”

TUA is a subsidiary of Toray Industries, a $13 billion multinational company that is the worldwide leader in advanced ultra-microfiber tech-nology, and the inventor of the first ultra-microfiber. Ultrasuede is a regis-tered trademark of Toray Ultrasuede (America) Inc. Additional informa-tion about Toray Ultrasuede is avail-able at www.ultrasuede.com.


http://www.buyusa.gov


http://www.ifai.com


http://www.ultrasuede.com

Fabrics hit prime time TVFirst2Print, a large-format digital fabric printing service company, collabo-rated with ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” to digitally print sev-eral custom textile patterns on fabrics used in the custom-designed projects featured on the show.

The designers were inspired by a member of a showcase family who, as a young adult and cancer survivor, has been nationally recognized for collect-ing pop tabs to raise money for juvenile cancer patients. The pop-tab theme was the design foundation for creating a bedroom ensemble of pillow shams, curtains and bed coverings (above photo).

First2Print digitally printed pre-treated fabrics from DigiFab Systems for several projects. For the pop-tab-theme room, a Dupont Artistri printer with pigment inks created the designs on cotton sheeting.

Firesist HUV, Glen Raven’s fire retardant awning fabric, also made a prime time TV appearance on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”

The producers of the show selected the home of Linda Riggins of Raleigh, N.C., and then decided to expand their reach across the street to complete a renovation of the community center where Riggins works.

In addition to a new roof, exterior paint, landscaping and renovation of the kitchen, cafeteria and auditorium, the community center received a new awning, crafted by Awesome Awnings of Cary, N.C., using Glen Raven’s Firesist® HUV.

Firesist® HUV is woven using fibers that are inherently fire retardant and texturized for a low luster, natural canvas look. The fabric is ideal for larger awnings, such as the one installed at the community center, which is eight feet wide with a 16-foot projection.

7

Up

ho

lste

ry Journ

al A

ug

ust•S

ep

tem

be

r 20

07


Duracote new technical services managerDuracote Corporation, Ravenna, Ohio, named Richard Olechnowicz as technical services manager. With more than two decades of managing testing laboratories and developing and implementing quality systems, as well as being a senior member of the American Society for Quality, Olechnowicz brings Duracote a wealth of quality management experience.

He will be responsible for product certification and testing, managing claims, improving and implement-ing key processes, and maintain-ing Duracote’s ISO 9001:2000 with Design Certification.

Since 1947, Duracote Corporation has been a world leader in the man-ufacturing, laminating and coating of industrial and technical textiles. Duracote products offer several uses and applications to various indus-tries, including aircraft, automotive, marine, medical and transportation.



8

Up

ho

lste

ry J

ourn

al

Aug

ust•

Se

pte

mb

er

20

07


Bella-Dura fiber is a byproduct of post-industrial wasteWearbest Sil-Tex Mills, the maker of Bella-Dura performance fabrics, is launching a fabric recycling program with its fiber sup-plier, American Fibers & Yarns (AF&Y).

Bella-Dura fabrics sent to the AF&Y facility in Bainbridge, Ga., will be imple-mented into a recycle stream that will produce a variety of durable and dispos-able goods. Each yard of Bella-Dura fab-ric brought in for recycling is converted into inert black plastic pellets that are converted to end products, including

automotive parts, geotextiles and water filtration fabrics.

The fabrics can be recycled, and the fiber can be extruded up to 10 times, which lessens the environmental impact of fiber, yarn and fabric production. Harmful coatings and stain-resistant finishes are not necessary in the fabric pro-cessing, since the inert fiber has inherent stain resistant and antimicrobial properties. The performance characteristics of Bella-Dura exceed all contract industry standards as defined by the Association for Contract Textiles.

San Fran Mart green trade showIn response to a growing demand for eco-friendly goods, The San Francisco Mart is launching Live Green, Live Well, a sustainable design and home furnishings show to be held Sept. 19–20.

This trade and home show will be the first dedicated completely to green furnishings and design. The show will offer a full range of home furnishing products and price points from established and emerging manufactur-ers that are using greener raw materials and manufactur-ing methods.

Exhibitors will be accepted based on an application pro-cess that requires them to state their environmental position, as well as to list environmental certificates, affiliations and memberships.

For more information, call +1 415 437 7131.

United Yarn acquires SANS Colorcord and Fiberbrite ProductsSANS Fibers, a manufacturer of specialty polyester and nylon yarns, located in North Carolina and Capetown, South Africa, sold its Colorcord and Fiberbrite business to United Yarn Products Co. of Wayne, N.J. The price of the transac-tion was not disclosed.




9

Up

ho

lste

ry Journ

al A

ug

ust•S

ep

tem

be

r 20

07


Update

230 Meek Road, Gastonia, NC 28056

Zippers, Slides &

Stops

Jute Stretcher & Jute Webbing

Air Staplers & NailersStaples, Staple Removers

& Electric Stapler

Gimp Trims

Battings Welt Cord

Other Products Include: Upholstery Hand Tools & Hammers • Glue Gun • Buttons, Snaps & Snap Tape • Pillows Inserts & Pillow Stuffing • Regulators •

Fabric Tucking Tool • Nail Extracting Pliers • Staple & Nail Removers • Custom Printed Fabric Labels & Sticky Back Labels • Measuring Devices • Cornice Items • Buckram • Sprays & Adhesives • Scissors • Chalk Markers •

Erasable Fabric Marking Pens • Many More Upholstery Supplies

Steri-Fab®Sanitizes & DeodorizesFoam Saw

Metal Tack StripFlexible & Straight

Also: Cardboard Tack Strip

Dead Blow Hammer

Over 1,800 Items

Call 1-800-343-4542For A Free 236 Page Catalog

Twist Pins

Upholstery Nails & Buttons Also: Nail Template

Colorcord and Fiberbrite are solution-dyed, high-tenacity polyes-ter products. According to SANS Fibers, the move will enable the company to supply more adhesive-activated, specialized-automotive and low-shrink yarns.

United Yarn Products Co. Inc. has been in the nylon and polyes-ter yarn business for more than 77 years. In 2001, United Yarn formed the Industrial Filament Group, focusing on high tenacity polyester and nylon.

Milliken named to “World’s Most Ethical Companies” listMilliken & Company was named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Magazine, a national pub-lication dedicated to illuminating the important correlation between eth-ics and profit. The editors analyzed several thousand organizations over a six-month period.

Milliken was among only 92 compa-nies, such as American Express, Toyota, Nike and Patagonia, who were recog-nized for their strong leadership in eth-ics and compliance, advancement of industry discourse on social and ethical issues, and positive engagement in the communities in which they operate.

The selection process included reviewing companies’ codes of ethics, litigation and regulatory infraction his-tories; evaluating investment in inno-vation and sustainable business prac-tices; looking at companies’ activities to improve corporate citizenship; studying nominations from senior executives, industry peers, suppliers and custom-ers; and working with consumer action groups for feedback and rating.

“These organizations go beyond making statements about doing busi-ness ethically; they translate those words into action,” said executive edi-tor Alex Brigham.

John Boylemarine catalogJohn Boyle & Co. Inc. offers the marine industry a new catalog that features a complete line of fabrics, accesso-ries and hard-ware. Unique to the industry, John Boyle’s state-of-the art facilities in Statesville, N.C., are equipped for a variety of manufacturing, custom fabric finish-ing and testing procedures.

The new marine catalog offers solu-tions to meet design, fabrication and budget requirements, and the tools needed to get the job done.

Customers can also order online at www.orders.johnboyle.com.

For more information, visit www.johnboyle.com.



http://www.orders.johnboyle.com

www.rowleyco.com

10

Up

ho

lste

ry J

ourn

al

Aug

ust•

Se

pte

mb

er

20

07


New Products

Hospitality fabricsLuna Textiles and Victor Innovatex co-designed two multi-surface patterns, Mezzanine and Plaza, using 100-percent Eco Intelligent® Polyester. The fabrics are safely and perpetually recyclable, and are produced with 100-percent renew-able energy.

Mezzanine and Plaza are part of a new collection, Suite 280, for use in hospital-ity interiors and beyond.

For more information, contact Victor Innovatex Inc., Saint-George, Quebec, +1 418 227 3722.

Ergonomic shearsThe Astrup Co. now offers ergo-nomic shears that give fabricators greater leverage in cutting and help prevent wrist strain. New Blue Ergonomic Shears can be used to cut abrasive materials, carpet, cloth, cord, fabrics, felt lining, mus-lin and rubber.

Manufactured by Heritage Cutlery, Blue Ergonomic Shears have been engineered with an extended bottom ring to allow the operator to use all four fingers when cutting. The wider space pro-vides greater handling and allows room for gloves to be worn.

The shears are manufactured for continuous use. For rust pro-tection, they have an industrial fin-ish with chrome-over-nickel plating inside and out.

New Blue Ergonomic Shears are available from Astrup in 10- and 12-inch right-hand styles and a 10-inch left-hand style.

For more information, contact The Astrup Co., Cleveland, Ohio, +1 216 696 2820, www.astrup.com.

Performance fabrics from Silver StateThe Clean Living collection of per-formance fabrics features built-in antimicrobial and antibacterial prop-erties in vinyl and suede for the residential, hospitality, healthcare and fitness industries, in a wide vari-ety of colors and styles. “Invincible” high-performance suede includes stain-release technology and mois-ture-barrier protection. Four new embossed vinyl offerings include “Modular,” “Etching,” “Impression” and “Crackle,” in pleasing natural patterns and soothing color palettes.

The Hyde Me vinyl collection offers a “real leather” hand and appearance, with fashion-forward colors and high performance stan-dards that include stain protection and antibacterial/antimicrobial resistance. Designs were inspired by exotic animals, such as crocodiles, ostrich, lizards and rhinos, as well as natural woven textures like basket weaves and woven braids.

For information, contact Silver State Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah, +1 801 972 6770, 800 453 5777, www.silverstatefabrics.com.

Inkjet plotterThe Infinity series of wide-format, high-performance inkjet plotters provides reliability, versatility and ease of operation. Gerber’s Infinity 85, for continuous plot throughput in an ultra-wide format, offers faster plotting than the previous models and provides the ability to remotely monitor ink and paper levels.

The Infinity 85 features a 350-milliliter bulk ink supply, which will save an estimated 15 percent on ink costs, and decrease down time due to ink out.

For more information, con-tact Gerber Technology, Tolland, Conn., +1 860 871 3748, www.gerbertechnology.com.

0807UJ_cv1-p11.indd Sec1:100807UJ_cv1-p11.indd Sec1:10 8/14/07 10:47:49 AM8/14/07 10:47:49 AM



http://www.silverstatefabrics.com

http://www.silverstatefabrics.com

http://www.gerbertechnology.com

http://www.gerbertechnology.com

11

Up

ho

lste

ry Journ

al A

ug

ust•S

ep

tem

be

r 20

07


Cover by Clearwater Canvas

NAUtex Premium • 100% Solution Dyed AcrylicBreathes from the inside, yet remains waterproof from the outside. The

permanent ventilation protects the enclosed area from moisture and the damage it

causes such as mold, mildew, and corrosion. NAUtex Premium is UV-resistant as

well as oil, dirt and waterproof. A NAUtex Premium boat cover reduces maintentance

costs, assures a longer and more useful life and preserves the value of your boat.

Heavy duty seating fabricIntegra, a material specifically designed for the commercial, hos-pitality, institutional and transportation industries, is 100-percent solution-dyed polyolefin with an acrylic backing and 1,500 hours of UVI. Integra is available in eight colors, and comes on 50-yd. rolls. It is resistant to tearing and abrasion, and is appropriate for most seating applications. Integra fights off most spills and stains, and has exceptional mildew resistance. Sample cards are available upon request.

For more information, contact Vicar International, Union, N.J., +1 908 964 1200, www.vicarinternational.com.

Eco-friendly wallcovering platform ECORE Advanced Wall Technology by OMNOVA Solutions is a revolution-ary wallcovering platform based on nanotechnology, delivering the perfor-mance characteristics of Type II wall-coverings in a non-PVC platform. It is “The Alternative to Compromise” for designers looking for a wall surfacing product with great design and color, solid performance, a competitive price and a strong environmental profile.

ECORE is a worry-free, low-main-tenance solution for interior envi-ronments. ECORE Advanced Wall Technology is based on EVOLON Technology from Freudenberg, which has won awards for its low-energy manufacturing process. Large and small scale designs can be printed and embossed with the same clarity and precision as conventional wallcover-ings. Wallcoverings featuring ECORE technology have low VOC emissions, are made from a 100-percent non-PVC formulation and are 100-percent recy-clable. Also included will be a post-use reclamation program.

Concurrently, with this introduc-tion, two new wallcovering brands that feature this new technology are being launched: Scion and Avant. Scion wallcoverings offer classic prints and textures, while Avant wallcoverings feature contemporary and tradition-al patterns with an organic, Asian-inspired twist. Scion and Avant wall-coverings each include initial offer-ings of five distinct patterns in 12 to 18 fashion-forward colors, with addi-tional design introductions planned for each quarter.

For more information, contact OMNOVA Solutions, Mobile, Ala., +1 330 869 4460, www.omnova.com.



http://www.vicarinternational.com

http://www.omnova.com

www.sattler-corp.com

At least one segment of the upholstery business is booming thanks to a bunch of Boomers who are now reliving their teen years by restoring the

cars they drove in the 1960s and ‘70s. And while a lot of them can handle the engine work, and maybe even the task of repainting those old Camaros, Chargers, Mustangs and GTOs, many need help when it comes to the upholstery.

Just ask Wally Nicholson, who has been in the upholstery business for 26 years, working out of a fancy, four-car garage in Vadnais Heights, Minn. That workspace has turned out to be the ideal location, because in the past six years his business has grown enormously thanks to the custom and restoration automobile market.

A couple of years ago someone popped up at his doorstep wanting him to reupholster their car. “I just took it in,” Nicholson says. “Now, half my business is on the automotive side.”

Furniture reupholstery has taken a hit of late thanks to the influx of less-expen-sive—and, dare we say, lesser quality—furniture. It’s cheaper for those who either don’t know any better or just don’t care about quality issues to buy a new sofa rather than have an old one reupholstered. Al Berndt of Rapids Upholstery in

Make money in the “booming”

custom automotive upholstery market

BY BILL MOORE

12

Up

ho

lste

ry J

ourn

al

Aug

ust•

Se

pte

mb

er

20

07


0807UJ_p12-p19.indd 120807UJ_p12-p19.indd 12 8/13/07 1:16:28 PM8/13/07 1:16:28 PM


Sauk Rapids, Minn., calls it “a throw-away world.” Fortunately, that’s not the case with automobiles, especially with those old cars and trucks that recap-ture the essence of youth—even for some senior citizens.

For many, the real money is in cus-tom upholstery work. And much of that work is done in leather. If you’re considering working with leather, there are a number of companies that supply it directly to trimmers and upholster-ers. One in particular is DCT Leathers, in Toronto, owned by Dave Turner. Turner is the CEO and founder, work-ing as an agent for the Scottish com-pany Andrew Muirhead & Son Ltd., whose history can be traced back to 1758. In case you are wondering, 15

percent of the world’s leather goes into upholstery, and this company is the world’s largest tannery, doing 3,000 to 3,500 hides a week.

Turner focuses on small upholstery shops and addresses the problems of running out and failing to get the same characteristics in each hide. DCT, whose catalog has 150 colors, puts bar codes on all its leather. “We can check back and know the day or week it was manufactured, and we can match it up to the tannery,” Turner says.

“The main thing is that you don’t want to run short,” Nicholson explains. “You have to buy enough to cover the whole car. If you buy seven hides, you want all seven dyed at the same time. And if you must get more leather to finish a car, you want to get it from the same lot.”

Both Nicholson and Berndt deal directly with customers who want to make their customized automobiles

special. Nicholson was trained to upholster furniture, so when hot rod-ders came knocking, he knew he had to increase his skills with the skins of animals, a material that provides long-lasting beauty. According to Nicholson, getting into leather is a bit daunting, but he insists there’s a way to get right into the business.

Nicholson attended an advanced leather course at Coachtrim (www.coachtrim.net) in Danbury, Conn., where he sharpened his self-taught skills. When he took the course, it was a week long with hands-on learn-ing opportunities. It is now offered in three days. Coachtrim’s description of the course states: “This is not a basic upholstery course. This seminar

is for the trimmer or upholsterer that is already working in the automotive, marine or aviation field.”

The course—which costs $750—has paid dividends for Nicholson. “That course really boosted my confidence,” he says. “It included everything from pattern development to using exotic skins. Some of the work they do is just phenomenal, and you develop a rap-port with them. And when you have a question pop up at your business, they’re willing to help out.”

There are two types of car crazy cus-tomers: those who want to duplicate the original interior, and those who want a custom interior for their street rod.

For the customer looking for origi-nal material, in fabric and vinyl, there are two major places to look. The first is Original Auto Upholstery, located just outside Detroit, in Columbus, Mich.

Tom Ames runs Original Auto Upholstery. “We have a million yards

of original material,” says Ames, whose shop has about 6,000 square feet of space filled to the ceiling with fabric and vinyl. This inventory is original seating and other interior items (like carpeting) that go into a range of auto-mobiles and trucks from years 1950 to 2000. Sixty percent of Ames’ business is with trimmers and upholstery shops, the rest goes to individual car owners who are restoring or “renewing” a car, inside and out.

“We have items no one else in the world has,” says Ames, who started the company in 1979. Like a lot of guys who have something to do with classic cars and upholstery, he drives an old car—a ‘63 Chevy Impala convertible, which he’s owned for 30 years.

Ames has an international business, because all those cars built in Detroit didn’t stay at home. He points out that he has a lot of business from Canada, as well as the Scandinavian countries (local tax breaks on old muscle cars meant that many folks in those coun-tries bought the cars), Australia and New Zealand.

Another stop for original-style inte-riors is LeBaron Bonney, in Amesbury, Mass., inside a 50,000-square-foot facil-ity. LeBaron Bonney and subsidiary, Hampton Coach (based in nearby Hampton, N.H.), have 800 interiors to choose from. Almost all of these inte-riors are made from fabric, unless the vehicles were originally high-end and came standard with leather interiors.

LeBaron Bonney was started by Brothers Lee (LeBaron) and Jack (Bonney) Atherton by renting bicycles on Cape Cod in 1938. When LeBaron bought a 1930 Ford Model A Deluxe

RETRO

13

Up

ho

lste

ry Journ

al A

ug

ust•S

ep

tem

be

r 20

07



http://www.coachtrim.net

http://www.coachtrim.net


14

Up

ho

lste

ry J

ourn

al

Aug

ust•

Se

pte

mb

er

20

07


Roadster in 1959, he discovered that it was easy to find people to restore the exterior, but he couldn’t find anyone to do the upholstery work. At that point, LeBaron Bonney was in the fur-niture business, and several old-time employees said they could upholster it. When Lee started showing off the finished car, other Model A owners wanted custom upholstery in their cars. One thing led to another and the direction of LeBaron Bonney changed. Now, the company sells its products, which include fabric, carpet and trim items, along with tops and assemblies, and interior upholstery kits, around the world through its web site www.lebaronbonney.com.

“We try to prefabricate the kits as much as possible,” says Steve Atherton, Lebaron’s newphew. “They’re built so a customer can finish the job. Everything is stitched and sewn, but has to be installed on new springs. A lot of peo-ple want to try it, but, if they want an expert job, they usually hire an uphol-sterer to do the work.”

Critically important to customers and to upholsterers is that LeBaron Bonney has deals with several major mills to create the old-style fabrics. The company also has arrangements to get the leather goods it needs. “Say for a Model A Deluxe Roadster, we try to duplicate the original embossing and patterns of the leather, and we end up paying extra for it,” Atherton says.

As part of its focus, LeBaron Bonney attends several local car shows in the Northeast, along with two big shows in

Pennsylvania, the fall Hershey Show and the Spring Carlisle Show. When they attend, they bring literature and fabric, leather and vinyl samples with them.

LeBaron Bonney concentrates on Ford products manufactured from 1928-1954, and Mercurys from 1939-1951; while Hampton Coach concen-trates on General Motors products, Chevrolet 1916-1954, Buick from 1927-1955, and various models of Cadillac,

Pontiac, Plymouth and LaSalle vehi-cles. Atherton explains that the com-pany has interiors for 800 different models, so the focus is on restoration work rather than custom.

Running a thriving business takes more than merely having upholstery skills—you need to sell yourself to poten-tial customers. Berndt puts that into perspective when he says, “People aren’t going to hand over a $40,000 car unless they think you know what you’re doing.”

It’s important to market yourself and your work. Nicholson always keeps one of two display cars at the shop to

Top: No, this isn’t a typical hot rod, but it gives you an idea of how luscious a leather interior can be. Center:

This 1953 Buick was completed using a kit from LeBaron Bonney. Many customers can do the work themselves, but professional upholsterers are called if a top-notch job is required. Bottom: Because 2007 is the 75th anniversary of the Deuce—Ford’s first V8-powered automobile—it’s a popular model for refurbishing. More important than old steel, there are companies out there right now building new Deuces in either real steel or fiberglass . . . and every one of them will need an interior. Right: This is a typical scene from a Goodguys Rod & Custom Association car show, which draws upwards of 100,000 people over three days.

Courtesy D

LT LeathersLeB

aron Bonney

LeBaron B

onney

Good

guys Rod &

Custom

Association

Running a thriving business takes more than merely having upholstery skills. You need to sell yourself to potential customers.



http://www.lebaronbonney.com


15

Up

ho

lste

ry Journ

al A

ug

ust•S

ep

tem

be

r 20

07


CALL TOLL FREE:1-800-521-4833 WEBSITE: www.rodenleather.com

•TOP QUALITY•OFFERING A WIDE VARIETY OF COLORS AND FINISHES•CUSTOM MATCHING SERVICE IN ANY COLOR YOU MAY NEED •CONTACT US TODAY FOR FREE SAMPLES

show off to potential customers. One is a ‘56 Chevy with black on black fabric. The other is a ‘91 Camaro with red on black leather. Berndt has a 1980 full custom GMC lowrider pickup with full tan leather interior, and a ‘57 Chevy Bel Air with white leather interior.

An upholsterer looking to break into the custom car market should find out where potential customers are and then go there. Virtually every town in America has a cruise night or a car show. But it’s the big shows that draw the big crowds. For example, a three-day National Street Rod Association or Goodguys Rod & Custom Association show can draw up to 100,000 hot rod-ders at a time.

Willie Sutton, a bank robber in the 1930s, when asked why he robbed banks, said: “Because that’s where the money is.” Trust us, if Willie Sutton was an upholsterer today, he’d be attending car shows, gaining new ideas and drawing in a wealth of new customers for restora-tion and custom interior work.

Wally Nicholson built this ‘91 Camaro for his daughter, April. He did all of the leather interior work.

Wally’s U

pholstery



http://www.rodenleather.com

www.lebaronbonney.com

SEMASEMAPP

16

Up

ho

lste

ry J

ourn

al

Aug

ust•

Se

pte

mb

er

20

07


2007

2007



MAAPlanning your time at the show can lead to timely profi ts

PreviewPreview

BY KELLY FRUSH

There’s more to the SEMA show than just hot rods and hot mod-els—a great business opportuni-

ty is available, as well. More than 2,000 specialty-equipment manufacturers are expected to set up exhibition booths at the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association’s annual show in Las Vegas, Oct. 30–Nov. 2.

Founded in 1963, SEMA represents the after-mar-ket specialty automotive industry. After-market sales have increased by seven percent since 2005, from $34 billion to an industry making over $36 billion annu-ally. American drivers are increasingly interested in customizing and personalizing their rides.

To take advantage of this trend, it’s important to know exactly what is available to offer your customers in terms of unique personalization options. Al Berndt of Rapids Upholstery in Sauk Rapids, Minn., says that the SEMA show revved up ideas for his business when he attended in 2005.

17

Up

ho

lste

ry Journ

al A

ug

ust•S

ep

tem

be

r 20

07


0807UJ_p12-p19.indd 170807UJ_p12-p19.indd 17 8/14/07 10:49:48 AM8/14/07 10:49:48 AM


18

Up

ho

lste

ry J

ourn

al

Aug

ust•

Se

pte

mb

er

20

07


“The Mid-Atlantic’s Largest Distributor of Upholstery Supplies”

TEDCO INDUSTRIES INC.3901 Washington Blvd. Baltimore, MD 21227

tel: 410 247 0399 � fax: 410 247 0561e-mail: [email protected]

800-638-3814

Supplying ALL of Your Upholstery Needs

From Adhesives to Zippers!

We Stock Over 17 Grades ofFoam from Soft to Extra Firm!

Contact us Today and Request our Product Catalog!ALL Major Credit Cards Accepted

We Ship Worldwide � Fast Friendly Service

TEDCOINDUSTRIES INC.

� HOME

� MARINE

� AUTO

� FOAM

� POLYESTER FIBER

� COTTON

� FABRIC

� VINYL

� LEATHER

� THREAD

� DOWN & FEATHERS

� PILLOWS

� TOOLS

� STAPLES & GUNS

� WELT CORD

� WORKROOM SUPPLIES

� NEW & USED SEWING MACHINES & PARTS

“There might be something that’s off the wall that you would have never thought of putting in an interior,” Berndt says. “Keep an open mind.” With all the new products and technol-ogy being showcased, new ideas are sure to turn over.

Remaining open to new ideas is one way of approaching the SEMA show, but that can quickly become overwhelming when there are so many exhibitors to see and speak with. A total of 1,835 companies grabbed front-and-center spots in this year’s priority spaces selec-tion, up about 100 over previous years.

The enormous show space, which covers two million square feet of the Las Vegas Convention Center, is more eas-ily navigated with a plan. Berndt advises writing down key exhibitors to talk to, focusing on them and then moving on to other booths you may have bypassed.

“We got to the points we wanted to get to and talked to the people we wanted to talk to,” Berndt says. “The rest of the time we just kept looking at different things.”

New and different things are defi-nitely not in short supply at the SEMA show. More than 2,000 new parts, tools and components are highlighted in the New Products Showcase.

The displays at SEMA are separated into 11 sections. Focusing on new spe-cialty items to trim interiors is one way to stay on top of the game.

A 2007 survey found that 25 percent of American drivers plan to purchase automotive specialty-equipment indus-try products in the next 90 days. Berndt looks for different types of handles, latches—anything that will add that extra kick to an auto’s interior.

“You might find a new, different type of leather or another type of

More than 2,000 specialty-equipment manufacturers are expected to exhibit at this year’s SEMA show, Oct. 30–Nov. 2, which covers two million square feet of the Las Vegas Convention Center. After-market automotive sales topped $36 billion last year, up seven percent from 2005.




19

Up

ho

lste

ry Journ

al A

ug

ust•S

ep

tem

be

r 20

07


Visit our website at www.pyramidtrim.comwww.pyramidtrim.com

PremAir’s quality line of aircraft products are specially fl ame retardent and tested to meet or exceed FAA regulations. These quality PremAir products are delivered with FAA Certifi cation:

• Wool Tweeds• Honeycomb Cockpit Cloths

• Pegasus Carpets• Foam• Leathers• Vinyls

For PremAir samples, prices or informationon our other products, call toll free:

1(800) 333-TRIM(651) 645-8126 Fax (651) 645-3645

576 North Prior Avenue • St. Paul, MN 55104

Quality automobile, marine and aviation trim products and service for over 30 years.

Trevira® or FR is a trademark of the Hoechst Celanese Corporation for polyester.

Tips and tricks• Lay out an itinerary

when you register

• See exhibitors of interest

• Speak with industry leaders

• Make good use of your time

• Carry bags at the show for swag

• Bring an extra suitcase for catalogs, information and literature

• Keep your mind open to new ideas

• Visit www.SEMAshow.com for a complete list of exhibitors and a floor plan

synthetic, like vinyl, that is going to be on the market next year,” Berndt says. “We’re always looking for new products or something to set us apart from the next shop.”

New information also sets your busi-ness apart from others. In addition to gears and gizmos, the SEMA show pro-vides educational seminars and prod-uct demonstrations to expand your knowledge of the auto industry. The industry’s biggest thinkers are in atten-dance, with more than 100,000 auto industry leaders from 100 different countries each year.

Berndt says that even though SEMA’s registration fee can be consid-ered a pretty chunk of change, it is well worth the dough.

“Any time you’re gaining knowl-edge, it’s going to cost you,” he says. “You’re going to put your money into it, go there to get your money out.”

Even though the show is exciting and exhilarating, expect to work at SEMA. Berndt says he and his team were tired after walking the 11 miles of aisles at the show. There’s plenty of time to rest and rejuvenate yourself when the show is over. But don’t expect to snooze for too long.

“You really get energized,” Berndt says. “On the flight back home, your head is just reeling with ideas and things you want to do and go after.”

Berndt definitely recommends the show for someone who’s been in an upholstery rut, or who is bored with what they’re doing.

“I’ll guarantee it’ll definitely ener-gize you to look outside the box and start going after some other stuff,” Berndt says.

Plus, there’s always the models to look at.


http://www.pyramidtrim.com


http://www.SEMAshow.com


Ward’s Interior of the Year Awards

highlight importance of interiors

to vehicle sales and provide insights

into aftermarket trends

Interiormotivation

20

Up

ho

lste

ry J

ourn

al

Aug

ust•

Se

pte

mb

er

20

07


From Ward’s Automotive Group

Cad

illac

Esc

alad

e



With automotive interiors taking a leading role in brand differentiation and in winning over consumers, automakers are placing an

increased emphasis on the inside of their vehicles. OEM spending on interior materials alone is pro-jected to reach $10 billion by 2009, according to CSM Worldwide, a global provider of market fore-casting services and strategic advisory solutions to the world’s top automotive manufacturers, suppliers and financial organizations.

Further, a J.D. Power study showed that interior comfort is the second most important factor in choosing a vehicle, ranking ahead of exterior

styling and just behind reliability and durability. It should come as no surprise that automakers were eager to participate in Ward’s Interior of the Year competition, sponsored by Ward’s AutoWorld magazine and held as part of The Auto Interiors Show.

The Auto Interiors Show, held during the week of June 4 at Detroit’s Cobo Center, is presented by Ward’s Automotive Group and is the industry’s leading trade show and conference for vehi-cle interiors. The show spotlights the latest innovations in vehicle technology and design to help suppliers respond to increasing OEM demands and changing consumer preferences. It features exhibits of leading suppliers who showcase trendsetting products and materials with a view to the future of vehicle interiors. Last year, many of the winning manufacturers showcased their awards in new vehicle brochures and in national advertising to help attract consumers to their dealer showrooms.

As a result of the growing spotlight on the Interior of the Year Awards, Ward’s instituted three fundamental changes this year. First, Ward’s editors developed a quantitative selection process that evaluated vehicle interiors based on eight criteria to ensure the integrity, transparency and objectivity of

orAward category Ward’s editorial staff Industry at-large vote

CarEconomy-Priced Honda Fit Dodge Caliber

Popular-Priced Saturn Aura Saturn Aura

Premium-Priced Volvo S80 Lincoln MKZ

CUVPopular-Priced Honda CRV Saturn Outlook

Premium-Priced Cadillac SRX Cadillac SRX

TruckPopular-Priced Chevy Silverado Chevy Silverado

Premium-Priced Lincoln Navigator Cadillac Escalade

Honda Fit

21

Up

ho

lste

ry Journ

al A

ug

ust•S

ep

tem

be

r 20

07


Saturn Aura

Volvo S80

Dodge Caliber

Lincoln MKZ

Cad

illac

Esc

alad

e



the competition. Vehicle interiors were scored on material selection, ergonom-ics, driver information, safety, overall value, comfort, fit and finish, and aes-thetics and design harmony.

Second, a new category—Economy-Priced Cars under $17,000—was added. With rising fuel prices shifting consumers to more economical vehi-cles, Ward’s editors felt it important to include the interiors of cars from this price range.

Third, Ward’s instituted a process for recognizing outstanding features and design choices instituted in new vehicles and vehicle interiors. These awards were designated “Special Achievements” and focus on areas deemed worthy of honor by a consen-sus of the judges.

The big winners at this year’s awards are models from General Motors, Ford, DaimlerChrysler and Honda.

In all, 34 vehicles from 11 manu-facturers were in contention to win

an award in the annual competition. Ward’s editorial staff conducted a two-month review and analysis of the nominated vehicles and selected the winners based on the eight evalua-tion categories. In addition, members of the auto industry participated in a popular vote, conducted online at Ward’s web site. More than 1,400 popular votes were cast.

In the cars categories, Ward’s edi-tors voted the Honda Fit the best inte-rior in Economy-Priced Cars. They chose the Saturn Aura as best in Popular-Priced Cars; and the Volvo S80 as having the best interior in the Premium-Priced Car category.

In light trucks, the Ward’s judges selected the Honda CR-V as the winner in the Popular-Priced CUV category. They agreed that the Cadillac SRX had the best interior in the Premium-Priced CUV category. The judges chose the Chevy Silverado as tops in Popular-Priced Trucks; and selected the Lincoln

Honda CRV

Saturn Outlook

Cadillac Escalade

Lincoln Navigator

Cadillac SRX

Chevy Silverado

22

Up

ho

lste

ry J

ourn

al

Aug

ust•

Se

pte

mb

er

20

07


All

inte

rior

phot

os, e

xcep

t In

finiti

G35

, Dod

ge C

alib

er a

nd C

hrys

ler

Seb

ring,

cou

rtes

y of

the

man

ufac

ture

r vi

a W

ieck

; In

finiti

G35

, Dod

ge C

alib

er a

nd C

hrys

ler

Seb

ring

cour

tesy

of W

ard’

s A

utoW

orld

/Add

ie J

anhe

vich

.



23

Up

ho

lste

ry Journ

al A

ug

ust•S

ep

tem

be

r 20

07


Keeton Supply Co.Keeton Supply Co.

Everything you need for Upholstering Furniture!• Dacron • Adhesive • Kapok • Thread • Weltcord • Webbing •

Foam • Zippers • Cane • Fasco Staple Guns • Decorative Nails •Down & Feathers • New & Used Sewing Equipment

Ft. Worth, Texas

Softside Automotive & Marine VinylCatalog Available

Fax 817-268-2931Texas 1-800-792-8777 • National 1-800-433-1710

www.keetonsupply.com

Upholstery SuppliesSince 1898

Navigator as having the best interior in Premium-Priced Trucks.

Voters in the industry at-large bal-loting agreed with Ward’s editors in three categories: the Saturn Aura won in the Popular-Priced Car category; the Cadillac SRX took the Premium-Priced CUV category; and they voted the Chevy Silverado as best in the Popular-Priced Trucks category.

However, at-large voters went a sepa-rate way for the other vehicle categories. The people voted the Dodge Caliber the winner in the Economy-Priced Car category; the Saturn Outlook won in Popular-Priced CUV; and in Premium-Priced Trucks, the Cadillac Escalade took the honors.

In addition to the vehicle awards recognizing overall interiors, Ward’s editors also singled out four categories for special achievement awards, which included Best Brand Expression, Best Interior Trim, Best Overall Comfort and, yes, Best Cup Holder.

Winner of the Best Brand Expression award is the Jeep Wrangler. Best Interior Trim went to the Infiniti G35. Best Cup Holder went to the Chrysler Sebring. Best Overall Comfort was awarded to the Lexus LS 460L.

For more information on the Ward’s Auto Interiors Show, check out www.autointeriors.com.

Chrysler Sebring

Lexus LS 460L

Jeep Wrangler Infiniti G35



http://www.keetonsupply.com

http://www.autointeriors.com

www.larrydennis.com

As Al Gore’s message about the dangers of global warming sweeps the nation, consumers more and more look for ways to “go green.”

Governmental agencies at all levels offer incentives to forward-looking companies with environmentally sustainable products and practices. Fortunately, for upholsterers, textile manufacturers are clearing the path to green living.

“We’ve been doing a lot of environmental things for over a decade,” says Roger Berrier, vice president of operations for Unifi Inc., a North Carolina-based company whose corporate culture embraces the “sustainability and preservation of our planet.”

The company’s Repreve 100-percent recycled polyester yarn and Satura solu-tion-dyed yarns that save several gallons of water per pound of yarn represent just the tip of the iceberg. With an environmental team of 12 to 18 members, recycling of its fleet’s motor oil to heat its maintenance facility, the donation of byproduct biosolids to area farmers, and repair/reuse of pallets that come to it, Unifi not only talks the talk, but also walks the walk.

Demand sprouts growth in the pursuit and availability of Earth-friendly fabricsBY JANICE KLEINSCHMIDT

A Convenient

Truth

24

Up

ho

lste

ry J

ourn

al

Aug

ust•

Se

pte

mb

er

20

07




h

25

Up

ho

lste

ry Journ

al A

ug

ust•S

ep

tem

be

r 20

07


“What we talk about typically when we talk to our customers is what Unifi is doing as a company,” Berrier says. “As a subset, the product that we can offer shows we are a good company to do business with.”

Success, of course, means environ-mentally friendly companies must offer more than a good feeling. Unifi spent two years developing Repreve.

“It had to be a product that would offer our customers, without a lot of difficulty, the guiding principle that you can substitute the recycled polyes-ter directly for a virgin product without any sacrifices in feel and dyability,” Berrier says. “The consumer can’t tell the difference.”

Unifi is but one company in a grow-ing list of fabric providers to offer envi-ronmentally sound textiles in addition to natural materials used in upholstery,

such as cork and hemp. In April, Valley Forge Fabrics of Florida introduced a 200-design collection of FRESH: Fabrics Redefining Environmental Standards for Hospitality.

“It takes about one-third of the energy to make a 100-percent recycled fabric than to make 100-percent vir-gin fabric,” says Ken Koneck, project coordinator for Valley Forge. “I think certainly our world is moving in this direction [of eco-friendly products]. And while the FRESH collection makes green sense, it also makes economic sense. It is also the right thing to do for the planet.”

Not only is FRESH made from recy-cled post-industrial and post-consumer materials, but also is recycled itself at the end of its life. Valley Forge will pick up the fabric at its expense and deliver it to a recycling facility. Designers have

already begun specifying FRESH fab-rics in hotel settings.

“A lot of our customers are look-ing for LEED certification,” Koneck says, referring to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards that offer credits for tax breaks and, in some cases, lower insurance premiums.

“We’re now seeing specifica-tions that require certification from Greenguard by architects and interior designers,” reports Roger Wall, pres-ident of Spinneybeck Leathers. The New York company’s entire collection is certified by the nonprofit Greenguard Environmental Institute as emitting no volatile organic compounds, which have been shown to permanently damage lungs and interfere with the immune system. Greenguard certification also aids in obtaining LEED credits.

Companies who use fabrics that have been certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards are eligible for tax breaks and, in some cases, lower insurance premiums.



26

Up

ho

lste

ry J

ourn

al

Aug

ust•

Se

pte

mb

er

20

07


“Providing an eco-friendly prod-uct was something that we were always concerned about,” Wall says. “Where it became important to work with an outside lab was that it was important for our customers to know what they get.”

Wall notes that his company sources its leather from a country with the highest standards. “In Italy, they have very, very strict environmental require-ments for how tanneries process water,

and they control the amount of water used.” Using proper tanning agents and water-based finishes helps them achieve zero VOCs.

“Low-emitting furniture is probably specified in more LEED programs than anything else,” says Laura Springs, com-munications manager for Greenguard, which has 91 companies in its certifica-tion program, including four leather manufacturers with 93 products among them. But there’s more to the green movement than tax credits.

“Consumer demand is what’s mak-ing it so popular now,” Springs says. And while anyone can claim they’re environmentally friendly, substantia-tion from independent testers instills consumer confidence.

Wearbest Sil-Tex Mills is seeking certification from MBDC, a design firm founded to promote Cradle to Cradle Design, in which product materials circulate in a closed system. The New Jersey company’s Bella-Dura fabric—a chemically enhanced olefin—begins with the reclamation of material that would otherwise be incinerated.

“It’s a byproduct of the petroleum refining process,” explains president and CEO Irwin Gasner. “It took three years to give birth to this prod-uct. We have an environmentally friendly product that is the Rolls-Royce in aesthetics, handling, and

performance, which crosses over many, many markets.”

Engineers built into the yarn UV, stain, and abrasion resistance; bleach cleanability; and antimicrobial prop-erties. Best of all, at the end of Bella-Dura’s life cycle, the fabric can be stripped off a furniture frame and sent back to its birthplace, American Fibers and Yarns in Georgia, where it is con-verted into cost-effective black plastic resin pellets that are primarily used for

the hard plastic parts of automobile interiors. Meanwhile, the low-tempera-ture process Wearbest uses to turn the yarn into fabric requires less energy to produce than traditional methods.

“We have literally had internation-al acceptance [of Bella-Dura]. It can be purchased in the United States, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and China,” Gasner says. “We have had calls from hotels, major retail establishments, distributors, and fur-niture manufacturers all looking for environmentally friendly fabrics.” A third-generation textile businessman,

Gasner says, “Bella-Dura, in my career, is one of the most rewarding things I have done.”

Rowena Finegan, owner of the Montana-based Ecco-terric design firm with two locations in San Francisco, Calif., finds organic fabrics less readily available. “When you are a designer, you take a client to a vast number of showrooms where there’s a huge array. I want to be able to offer them the same opportunities with organic fab-rics,” says Finegan, who became inter-ested in eco-friendly textiles after tak-ing a course in Bau-biologie (the study of how the built environment affects health) and realizing that chemical emissions in her office and new home were making her ill.

“In terms of upholstery, you can get many linens and heavy hemps—not in many colors yet, but it’s getting better. There’s definitely a movement toward it,” Finegan says, adding that young families with babies are concerned about creating healthy environments. “I am very concerned about social responsibility, the health of the planet,” she says. To that end, she is developing a line of fabrics made in India that is hand-woven and hand-dyed using all organic yarns and natural dyes.

DesignTex, a textile distribu-tor headquartered in New York, has

Ecco-terric, which has developed its own line of Kalamkari organic cotton, works with Cisco Brothers, a California furniture company whose Basal Living sustainable collection features “Inside Green” construction. The nontoxic interiors use materials such as water-based glues, natural latex foam, hemp, and organic wool; a variety of organic fabrics are available for upholstering. Additionally, Cisco uses sustainably harvested wood, natural beeswax, and organic oils.

Ecco-terric

“It takes about one-third of the energy to make a 100-percent recycled fabric than to make 100-percent virgin fabric,” says Ken Koneck of Valley Forge Fabrics. “I think certainly our world is moving in this direction [of eco-friendly products].”



27

Up

ho

lste

ry Journ

al A

ug

ust•S

ep

tem

be

r 20

07


partnered with several mills to cre-ate sustainable fabrics. In conjunction with MBDC and Victor Innovatex of Quebec, Canada, it introduced Eco Intelligent Polyester. Victor (which has been recycling wool since 1958) and MBDC worked on the chemical side of the equation, replacing heavy metal antimonies in polyester with titanium. Additionally, the dyes and auxiliary chemicals used to manufacture polyes-ter were whittled down from 57 to 15, and those were replaced with more eco-friendly chemicals. DesignTex then determined ways to get the fab-ric onto furniture without additional chemistry, such as non-environmen-tally friendly backings and glues.

According to Carol Derby, direc-tor of environmental strategy for DesignTex, her company is working closely with furniture manufacturers, the Business and Industrial Furniture Manufacturer’s Association, and the Association of Contract Textiles on building the eco-fabric market with underlying sustainability standards. DesignTex offers several synthetic and natural fibers that fall within the realm of green fabrics, including organically grown, compostable fibers.

“It takes time to change manufac-turing processes, but I think it’s a mat-ter of awareness,” Derby says. “I think it’s really important to our customers. They are the motivating factor. They really are requesting this of us.”

In a similar partnership, the Association for Contract Textiles, the nonprofit GreenBlue, and NSF International (a Michigan-based non-profit that develops public health and safety standards) are developing ANSI-certified standards for sustainable tex-tiles. In May, a committee compris-ing representatives from the textile industry, end-users, the Environmental Protection Agency, state government agencies, and environmental interest groups completed a draft now being tested by a half-dozen or so points in the supply chain.

“We have companies that vol-unteered to pick one of their own products and work through the stan-dard to see what criteria work, what don’t, and what needs to be tweaked to put it into a real-world applica-

tion,” reports Jane Wilson, director of standards for NSF. She adds that upholsterers would probably want to ensure the adhesives or finishes they use also have been recognized as environmentally friendly.

Internationally, the Global Ecolabelling Network promotes the use of labels “to encourage the demand for and supply of those products and services that cause less stress on the environment, thereby stimulating the potential for market-driven, continu-ous environmental improvement.”

NSF and its partners hope to have formalized standards in place by early 2008, after a public comment period. (E-mail [email protected] to receive a copy of the proposed standards.)

“I think a lot of the driving force [for eco-fabrics] is from LEED,” Wilson says. “Organizations that are seeking accreditation for green proj-ects are also seeking it for the furnish-ings that go into the building. If the increased interest in organic products is any indication, the eco-fabric mar-ket will grow.”

At the moment, green fabrics tend to cost slightly more than traditional ones. Wilson says the trend toward organic food is a good model for the textile industry.

“All the signs point to people being willing to pay a little more for what they feel will be healthier for themselves or healthier for the Earth and environ-ment in general.”

Wearbest S

il-Tex Mills

Durable Bella-Dura fabrics exceed industry standards for durability and lightfastness and have a recycling and reclamation program in place. Eco-friendly Bella-Dura can be used indoors and outdoors.

Resourceswww.ciscobrothers.comwww.designtex.com www.eco-terric.comwww.envirotextile.comwww.gen.gr.jpwww.greenblue.orgwww.greenguard.orgwww.hempweave.comwww.habitusnyc.comwww.hempweave.comwww.jennisfabrics.comwww.laine.com.auwww.mbdc.comwww.spinneybeck.com www.terratex.com www.unifi.comwww.valdeseweavers.comwww.valleyforgefabrics.comwww.victor-innovatex.comwww.wearbest.com




http://www.ciscobrothers.com

http://www.designtex.com

http://www.eco-terric.com

http://www.envirotextile.com

http://www.gen.gr.jp

http://www.greenblue.org

http://www.greenguard.org

http://www.hempweave.com

http://www.habitusnyc.com

http://www.hempweave.com

http://www.jennisfabrics.com

http://www.laine.com.au

http://www.mbdc.com

http://www.spinneybeck.com

http://www.terratex.com

http://www.unifi.com

http://www.valdeseweavers.com

http://www.valleyforgefabrics.com

http://www.victor-innovatex.com

http://www.wearbest.com

The sewing machine has come a long way since its introduction in the 1800s. At the time, the idea of mechanized sewing was rather radical, and had little support. In fact, the first functional sewing machine caused a violent riot in

France by tailors who sensed the threat it posed to their craft. It is hard to imagine riots over sewing machines today, though the current modern models would have boggled the minds of 19th century Parisians much more than the wooden clunkery that passed for a sewing machine back then.

To the modern-day upholsterer, the sewing machine is invaluable. Although much work is still done by hand, having the tools for industrial strength stitching has broadened the type of materials upholsterers can efficiently work with, has increased their output and has added consistency and precision to stitching. It is hard to imagine how today’s upholstering tasks would be undertaken without the use of such an essential tool.

Sewing machines are

essential tools for

today’s upholsterers.

Here is the lowdown on

new models, maintenance

and purchasing.

BY JAKE KULJU

it goesit goes

28

Up

ho

lste

ry J

ourn

al

Aug

ust•

Se

pte

mb

er

20

07




What’s new?As far as it has come, sewing machine technology continues to advance. Manufacturers are constantly doing research and responding to feedback, creating more useful and efficient products for their distributors and customers. For the specialty needs of the upholstering industry, this means more than simply faster, more powerful machines. As Gerd Lessmeister of Pfaff, West Lake, Ohio, points out, upholster-ers can rarely operate sewing machines above 4,000 stitches per minute due to application, as well as material and thread restrictions. “Sewing machine manufacturers have to look for other means to improve machine output,” Lessmeister says. Instead, manufactur-ers are focusing on improved handling and labor saving techniques.

“The newest models have increased space under the arm to make it easier to sew voluminous material,” Lessmeister explains. “In addition, operating ele-ments are integrated in the arm and in easy reach of the operator.” It is this type of practical innovation that ben-efits upholsterers the most.

Wally Nicholson of Wally’s Upholstery, Vadnais Heights, Minn., points out that features like single stitching and lon-ger control arms are also helpful new advancements that sewing machine manufacturers have made.

“[The new Consew® 206RB] motor allows you to slow the speed down to a crawl or to stitch one stitch at a time when pushing the pedal down once,” Nicholson says. “You can also set it up so the needle will stop in the down position or in the up position. Where as the old clutch style has none of these features.”

Other new additions include LED lights and smaller “mini motors” with direct drive systems that save energy and decrease vibration. Pfaff offers a skip-stitch detector that, while not elim-inating skip stitches, alerts the operator of a missed stitch, which “reduces fol-low-up repairs and waste of expensive materials, especially leather which can not be re-sewn,” says Lessmeister.

Distributor Steve Kaplan, S. Kaplan Sewing Machine Co. Inc., Newark, N.J., has seen specialty machine applica-tions like automatic pressure foot lift,

needle positioning and thread cutting machines become more economical in the last five years. “There are now a number of good machines from China and Taiwan that have driven the cost down,” Kaplan says. “Some of the work- saving features are now within the reach of small shops, dollarwise.”

For upholstery shops with large pro-duction, features such as thread trim-mers, automatic foot lifts, automatic back-tack and quick adjustments for two pre-selected stitch lengths and foot lift strokes are considerations. Smaller

shops that don’t rely as heavily on high output can often choose machines that don’t have these features or that only have some of them.

Sew cleanJust like any other machinery, preven-tive maintenance is the best way to give your sewing machine a long life and to keep it running smoothly. Lessmeister

instructs upholsterers to frequently check the oil and lubrication levels of their machines, and to lubricate accord-ing to manufacturer recommended intervals. “Depending on use, this may include oiling the hook numerous times a day and other marked lubricating points once or twice a week,” he says. “To keep a machine clean and elimi-nate lint build up is a must to eliminate lubrication problems.”

Nicholson agrees. “The biggest issue is not cleaning and oiling the sewing machine,” he says. “For small shops like

mine, once every other day is sufficient for major oiling, and daily oiling for the bobbin case and area.”

Kaplan, who services all of the machines he sells, identifies neglect-ful cleaning as one of the main prob-lems he sees in the machines he repairs. “If people would clean their machines on a weekly basis and create a monthly cleaning schedule, most

29

Up

ho

lste

ry Journ

al A

ug

ust•S

ep

tem

be

r 20

07


“Upholstery machines are normally used much heavier than machines in the apparel industry, and a used machine in good shape is often hard to find. Check it out very carefully before you buy.”

—Gerd Lessmeister

This Consew 206RB allows users to slow the speed down to a crawl or to stitch one stitch at a time by pushing the pedal down once. It can also be set up so the needle will stop in the down or up position.



30

Up

ho

lste

ry J

ourn

al

Aug

ust•

Se

pte

mb

er

20

07


repair problems could be eliminated on my end,” he says. He points out that mortality parts like the needle plate and pressure feet should be replaced throughout a machine’s life to keep it running smoothly.

Remembering to use the proper nee-dles for different applications is another important way to keep your machine running. “[Using the correct needle] reduces needle breakage and conse-quently damage to the feeding parts and the sewing hook,” says Lessmeister.

Nicholson has been fortunate enough to have his main sewing machine, a Consew 206RB, for more than 20 years. “I’ve only had it in once for repair,” he says. “If you take care of it, it will take care of you.”

Even the most diligent maintenance cannot prevent every machine from needing repairs from time to time. Lessmeister notes that the decision to repair or replace is not only a matter of finances, but one of shop operation, as well. “If a key machine in the produc-tion process [needs repair] and the shop depends on it, a dated machine may need to be replaced sooner than if it was a spare machine,” he says.

Kaplan notes that most upholsterers use single needle walking foot sewing machines that have a safety clutch. The clutch is designed to disengage the sewing parts of the machine to prevent damage when a jam occurs. “What peo-ple tend to do,” he says, “is to not look for the source of the problem [when the clutch disengages]. If you can reset and find the problem, there’s no need for repair, but if it keeps recurring, you should bring it in.”

Purchasing powerWhether an old or broken machine needs replacing, or your shop needs to increase its output, there are many things to take into consideration when purchasing a new sewing machine. Lessmeister notes that a purchase deci-sion should be based on a combination of several particulars. A potential buyer should consider the daily usage of the machine they are considering, how important machine-related productiv-ity is to their shop, and whether or not thread trimmers and other labor saving devices are necessary. Options

like automatic foot lift and back-tack require compressed air, which may be an added cost. Lessmeister includes questions about the variety of materials and thread a shop uses, whether or not leather is used and the variety of thick-ness in materials the buyer works with. “Before you buy a particular brand, check out the availability of parts and service. Don’t look at price alone,” he says. “Consider the overall value. Well known brands have a proven record and some carry their own spare parts and can supply tech service.”

Nicholson offers that asking other upholsterers for their advice and expe-rience with particular machines is a good idea before making a purchase. Nicholson also encourages local pur-chasing. “If you have a problem, [local businesses] will be more helpful to you if you need help,” he says. “It also helps your local economy, which helps your-self in the end.”

As a larger distributor, Kaplan believes that what you buy is more important than who you buy it from. “If you buy from someone who is repu-table, I don’t think that locality comes into the equation,” he says. “By and large, I need to be in a position to compensate for the fact that I may be far away from my customers. I’m the third generation of this business, and there is a reason we have lasted so long.” The truth of this philosophy lies

in the options that a larger distributor can offer its buyers. “A smaller dealer may not have as many options for you,” Kaplan says.

Quality can cost more, but having the reliability and support of a good brand can be well worth the extra price. Small shop owners who rely on one or two machines are especially vulnerable to faulty or low quality products. “Most small shops do not have the luxury of having multiple machines,” Nicholson says. “Each machine is an expense and one really needs to be able to make a profit off that machine.”

Lessmeister also advises buyers to ask their distributor if they offer in-house service, rather than having to rely on the manufacturer for repair issues.

Above: When purchasing a new machine, Gerd Less-meister of Pfaff advises checking the availability of parts and service rather than the price alone. Right: Keeping your machine clean and well-oiled is a good preventative measure to take, Steve Kaplan of S. Kaplan Sewing Machine Co. Inc. advises. A monthly cleaning schedule prolongs a machine’s life and keeps your business running smoothly.



31

Up

ho

lste

ry Journ

al A

ug

ust•S

ep

tem

be

r 20

07


PERFORMANCE HIGH-TEMPTRIM ADHESIVE

• Superior Bond Strength• Heat & Water Resistance• Excellent for Automotive,

Marine & Industrial Materials, Including Headliner, Carpet & Foam.

ES 2000 FOAM & FABRIC SPRAY ADHESIVE

• Quick-Setting Flexible Bond• Low Soak in, Waterproof• Long Lasting Foam Bonds

with Soft Glue Lines

Consistent Quality Proven forall your Upholstery Needs.

For Furniture, Automotive and MarineUpholstery Applications

Most manufacturers offer a war-ranty on their products, which can range from three months to three years. Some manufacturers do not have offices in all of the countries they sell to, so buyers should be aware of the parts availability and service that may be compromised.

When buying a used sewing machine there is a different set of questions and concerns. “Used machines, similar to used cars, always come with a risk,” Lessmeister says. “Upholstery machines are normally used much heavier than machines in the apparel industry, and a used machine in good shape is often hard to find. Check it out very carefully before you buy.”

Kaplan agrees, suggesting that buy-ers should opt for rebuilt or recon-ditioned sewing machines. “People tend to get into trouble if they buy a machine as is,” he says. “If parts for a particular machine are available in case of repair, it can pay to pursue a used machine. But if they aren’t it can be a real show stopper.”

Nicholson suggests getting a used machine for new venture work before taking the plunge and buying some-thing new. “If you know you are going to be using the machine for some time, then by all means I would look at a new one, [but] if you are doing something as a new venture and you are looking at a specialty machine for this type of work, then used may be a good way to go,” he says. “This way you can try the market and make sure you will be able to sus-tain the work to justify a new machine.”

All stitched upNew or used, buying a sewing machine is a significant investment. As with any significant purchase, shop around, look for deals, ask people you know and trust about products they have, and don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Most impor-tantly, make sure you find a machine

that you are comfortable with and that does the kind of work you need it to. If it is a machine you have to work with every day, it is essential that you are comfort-able with its operation.

Jake Kulju is a freelance writer and frequent con-tributor to Upholstery Journal.

Left: This older Consew 206RB has been in Wally Nicholson’s service at Wally’s Upholstery, Vadnais Heights, Minn., for more than 20 years. He attributes its longevity to regular maintenance and oiling. “If you take care of it, it will take care of you,” Nicholson says. Above: Making sure you are comfortable with the machine you work with everyday is an essential part of your business.



32

Up

ho

lste

ry J

ourn

al

Aug

ust•

Se

pte

mb

er

20

07


AUTOMOTIVE CORNER

When a vehicle’s headliner sags, it’s time to replace it. Here’s how.

Heads upSTORY & PHOTOS BY MARSHALL SPIEGEL

This is the second of two stories about automotive headliners. Last issue, we showed basic tech-niques for re-covering a molded headliner. Here, Aaron Aguirre of Bud’s Upholstery, Long Beach, Calif., takes you through a more complex headliner project, from removal to installation, in a minivan with an abundance of ceiling fixtures.

If the headliner in your customer’s vehicle rests on his head and obstructs his vision, it’s a hint that it’s time for a new headliner. The adhesive that used to hold the headliner taut and in place has dried and no longer bonds the fabric

to the fiberglass headliner board. In a feeble attempt to save some bucks, do-it-yourself-minded vehicle owners will

try a variety of ineffective methods to keep the fabric from drooping and messing up their hair, including using duct tape and injecting adhesive with a hypodermic needle through the hanging fabric. The only viable choice is to drive directly to a professional upholstery shop.

The time-honored technique for installing a new headliner into a traditional vehicle with a fiberglass headliner board is relatively simple. First, remove all of the stock fixtures that are installed through the headliner fabric and headliner board into the ceiling—dome light, clothes hangers, air vents and pillar covers—so the headliner board can be dropped from the ceiling. Then the tired headliner fabric is peeled off the board. The board is scraped clean of the old, dried adhesive. Fresh spray adhesive is applied generously to the headliner board, and new headliner fabric is bonded to the board. The ceiling fixtures are re-installed and the new headliner board is secured. Sounds easy when you say it fast, huh? Well, upholstery shop owners know it isn’t that easy. The more fixtures through the headliner into the ceiling, the more difficult the installation becomes.

To prove the point, Aaron Aguirre of Bud’s Upholstery in Long Beach, Calif., takes us through a headliner replacement in a 1996 Chrysler Town & Country minivan, a vehicle blessed or cursed —depending on your point of view—with numerous ceiling fixtures.

The headliner began to fall just to the left of the driver’s head position. The owner brought it in for replacement immediately, before it got worse. Inset: At 11 years old, the 1996 Chrysler Town & Country was still in good shape when it arrived at Bud’s Upholstery for a new headliner.

Trimmer Aaron Aguirre begins the job by removing the passenger side sun visor, a deluxe fixture fitted with a light that also required disconnecting the electrical wiring. Aguirre then removes the stock overhead

console, which is also fitted with lights to further complicate the job by requiring that the wiring be disconnected. He then removes the stock plastic covers on the front columns.

11

0807UJ_p32-cv4.indd 320807UJ_p32-cv4.indd 32 8/14/07 11:17:03 AM8/14/07 11:17:03 AM


33

Up

ho

lste

ry Journ

al A

ug

ust•S

ep

tem

be

r 20

07


He then begins scraping the dried old glue off the board. He vacuums the dried adhesive off the board and blows off the residue with a power air hose.3 After removing the fixtures

on both sides of the ceiling, Aguirre has the fiberglass headliner board free and ready to remove through the rear hatch of the vehicle.

The headliner board is placed on a work table, fabric side up, so that the fabric can be peeled off and the old glue scraped away from the board.Before stripping off the fabric, Aguirre must remove the air vents that are fitted into the headliner board.

He then begins peeling off the old headliner fabric. Aguirre’s technique for removing the fabric from the headliner board is to first carefully peel the fabric away from the edges of the board. He manages to peel the old fabric off the board in one piece, leaving no slivers to worry about.



34

Up

ho

lste

ry J

ourn

al

Aug

ust•

Se

pte

mb

er

20

07


7 The next step is to unroll enough foam-back fabric to cover the headboard, and then carefully trim the fabric to cover the headliner board.

To bond the fabric to the board, Aguirre first sprays adhesive on half of the board and the corresponding half of the fabric. Then he applies adhesive to the other half.

After gluing both sides, Aguirre carefully smooths the fabric to the board until it is permanently bonded.

He then trims the fabric to cover the board exactly at the edges and to match the openings in the board for the fixtures installed through the board into the ceiling.

When he is satisfied that the board is properly covered with the headliner fabric, Aguirre puts the board back into the interior of the vehicle to install it. Beginning with the dome light, Aguirre reinstalls all of the ceiling fixtures and reconnects the electrical wiring. He then gets the headliner board in permanent position flush to the ceiling, and reinstalls the stock plastic pillar covers, the visors, the overhead console and all electrical wiring. Then the lighted air-vent fixtures with grab handles are reinstalled.

11

As Aaron completes the finishing touches of the installation, here’s a good look at the Town & Country’s flawless new headliner.



35

Up

ho

lste

ry Journ

al A

ug

ust•S

ep

tem

be

r 20

07


Name _______________________________________________________________

Company _____________________________________________________________

Address ______________________________________________________________

City ________________________ State ___________________ Zip _____________

Phone ________________________ Fax ___________________________________

Bill me

Check Enclosed $_______________

Credit Card Payment Visa Master Card Amex Discover

Card Number: ___________________________________

Expire Date: ____________________________________

Card Holder Name: _______________________________

Signature: _____________________ Date: ___________

Fax: +1 651-631-9334

Mail: IFAI, SDS-12-2108, PO Box 86, Minneapolis, MN 55486-2108

Offer ends December 30, 2007. Please allow 4-6 weeks for shipment of fi rst issue. Offer valid for new subscribers only.

$59 $39 / 2 Years U.S.A.

$79 $49 / 2Years Canada/Mexico (U.S. funds)

$129 $69 / 2 Years Other Int’l (U.S. funds)

59$79$129

Introductory offer–Subscribe today

and Save!

FUTURE TOPICS INCLUDE:

2 years for the price of 1

Time-honored upholstery techniques

Making patterns

Interior design trends

•

•

•

Upholstery for aviation, restaurants, casinos & more

New product information

Estimating and pricing

•

•

•

Your upholstery information expert.

TITLE (check one):

❑ Owner

❑ Upholsterer

❑ Teacher/Administrator

❑ Fabricator

❑ Other (please specify) _____________

PRIMARY BUSINESS (check one):

❑ Upholstery Shop

❑ Marine Fabricator

❑ School/College/Government Facility

❑ Supplier of (please specify) ___________

❑ Other (please specify) _______________

0807UJ_p32-cv4.indd 350807UJ_p32-cv4.indd 35 8/13/07 12:44:49 PM8/13/07 12:44:49 PM


36

Up

ho

lste

ry J

ourn

al

Aug

ust•

Se

pte

mb

er

20

07


IM SMIM DM N B II

Employees come...and go

In organizations of every type and size, employees come and employees go. But when they go, valuable resources, knowledge and insights go, as well.

Employee turnover represents a huge potential loss in productivity and con-tinuity, and an increase in cost. But these problems can be averted with advance planning and keen management. How can you minimize the disruption caused by people departing your shop? For starters, you can utilize these powerful, but simple tools:

Applicant pools. Maintain an active file of individuals who might be candidates for positions in the organization. Encourage your best people to suggest candidates.

Celebration. Mark comings and goings with a simple party, a lunch, a coffee hour or some other occasion. Celebrate the arrival of employees and you’ll help them quickly become part of the team. Celebrate their departure, and your employees may leave with good feelings, ready to recommend your place of busi-ness to others.

Contacts list. This list should contain information crucial to each employee’s job: names, addresses, and URLs of customers and vendors; call reports for sales-people; product preferences; important customer correspondence. In addition, create a how-to-do-it reference guide to the employee’s job. It contains informa-tion about how to retrieve information from the computer, team calendars, techni-cal data and any key information the employee uses to perform the job. Keep each list accessible and safe.

Minimize the cost of employee turnover with advance planning and keen management



37

Up

ho

lste

ry Journ

al A

ug

ust•S

ep

tem

be

r 20

07


Cross training. The more critical the skill or function, the better off you’ll be if more than one person under-stands it. Cross train your employees in a variety of skills and they’ll function more effectively as a team—and they’ll be better prepared for the day when someone leaves.

Curricula. Have formal curricula for orienting new people that package information and ideas for new employ-ees, and acquaints them with the his-tory and culture of the organization. A combination of “live” training and self-paced study can bring new people up to speed and save thousands of dollars in lost time and productivity.

Essentials file. A file, maintained for each critical employee, should contain a job description, reports completed by the employee, job tips, descriptions of resources the employ-ee uses, and summaries of problems the employee encounters. Also, main-tain critical information about the organization: financial performance, sales histories, customer data, work processes, products and services under development. These files will become powerful continuity resources when-ever an employee leaves.

Exit interviews. They’re great for identifying problems employees had while on the job, and for gaining insight into the way things can be done better in the future.

FAQs. Maintain a file of frequently asked questions on your intranet or in your public e-mail folders. Jot a ques-tion and answer down whenever you encounter an important issue. One day, you’ll be amazed at the size and depth of the file, and grateful that you have it.

Interviews. When new people start, let them interview their predeces-sors. When people reach milestones in the organization, such as annual anniversaries, let them share their knowledge in interviews with their peers. When people reach new pin-nacles of achievement, let them share the background on their accomplish-ments with others.

Participatory hiring. Allow your employees to interview prospec-tive candidates for the job. In addi-tion to pointing out the candidate’s

strengths and weaknesses, they will feel more committed to working with the new employee once he or she is on board.

Reverse training. Encourage your supervisors to obtain informal training from their employees. It builds their own skills, and helps them prepare to train others.

Staff and team meetings. Routine meetings help maintain continuity, and provide an opportunity for you and your team to learn about each other’s duties. Written minutes of these meetings can become important refer-ence tools.

Transition budget. Occasionally, employers will set aside funds to cover the cost of employee transitions—so many dollars per employee, for instance. These funds help cover the cost of tem-

porary employees, recruitment, train-ing and other transition costs.

Weekly appraisals. Informal “apprais-als” give managers the opportunity to get to know their new employees, and give them quick feedback on how they’re doing.

Pick a few of these simple tools and try them. You may find that they make a difference in your ability to retain valu-able employees—and ultimately help you maintain stability and strength in your upholstery shop.

Of course, there’s always a chance that the new employee will be able to bring more to the organization than his or her predecessor. So turnover is not always a bad thing. But given a choice, you’re bet-ter off taking steps to control turnover, keeping your good people, and retaining the business stability they represent.

What does turnover really cost?Consider the case of Joe Upholsterer, who earns

$35,000 a year. He is a skilled craftsman and provides customer support and other customer-related services. Joe decides to leave his position with 30 days notice. He may sock his employer with these costs:• Separation costs, including exit interviews, benefit

paperwork and payroll processing ($500-$1,000).• A temporary worker for an additional 30 days

while the search for a replacement goes on ($3,000-$4,000).

• Strained relations with several key customers, who choose to hold their orders when they dis-cover Joe is gone ($1,000-$10,000).

• Travel and moving expenses ($1,000-$5,000).• The cost of running advertisements for new positions ($2,000-$3,000).• Other recruitment costs, such as screening, reference checks, resume

processing ($1,000-$1,500).• New employee costs, such as business cards, telephone hookups, and

payroll processing ($500-$1,000).

Additionally, the employer loses:• The benefit of a training program it provided to

Joe just several months before.• Valuable knowledge the employee has picked up over the years.

The longer the employee’s service, the more the employer loses.• The stress other employees feel when they attempt to pick up the

departing employee’s workload.• The loss of team camaraderie, common whenever an employee leaves.• Staff time involved in providing basic organizational

orientation and training.• Valuable supervisory time in interviewing prospective new employees,

and orienting the individual hired.• Lower levels of productivity of new employees.



Calendar

38

Up

ho

lste

ry J

ourn

al

Aug

ust•

Se

pte

mb

er

20

07


For more information on classified advertising in IFAI’s Upholstery Journal, contact Shelly Arman at IFAI, 1801 County Rd. B W., Roseville, MN 55113-4061 USA.

Phone: 800 225 4324, fax: +1 651 225 6966 , e-mail: [email protected].

MARKETPLACE

Help Wanted

Look for classifieds on our website www.ifai.com

American subsidiary of Sattler AG, a world renown producer of high quality, solution dyed acrylic fabrics for awning and marine applications, seeks several sales reps. for expansion into new territories.

Please fax resume to:

(631) 393-5141

or email to:

[email protected]

SALES HELP WANTED

August 22–23NeoCon Xpress

At the Los Angeles Convention Center. NeoCon Xpress gives the design community the opportunity to see hundreds of new products from a variety of markets, including hospitality, health care, technology solutions and eco-friendly/sustainable design.Call Merchandise Properties Inc., 800 677 6278, or visit www.merchandisemart.com.

August 25Marine Fabricators Association

Pacific Workshop

At Custom Covers in Salt Lake City.Contact Beth Hungiville, MFA managing director, +1 651 225 6952, 800 209 1810, [email protected], or visit www.marinecanvas.com.

September 12–15Virginia-Carolinas Canvas

Products Association Annual

Convention

At the Hospitality House Hotel in Williamsburg, Va. Contact Jeri Perrilo, secretary, at [email protected].

October 1–7High Point Market

In High Point, N.C. The High Point Market is the largest furnishings industry trade show in the world, bringing more than 70,000 people to High Point every six months.Visit www.highpointmarket.org.

October 3–5IFAI Expo 2007

At the Las Vegas Convention Center. The specialty fabrics industry’s annual convention in North America.Call IFAI Conference Management, 800 225 4324, or visit www.ifaiexpo.com.

October 20MFA Canadian Workshop

At DRH Canvas & Marine Ltd. in Halifax, Nova Scotia.Contact Beth Hungiville, +1 651 225 6952, 800 209 1810, [email protected], or visit www.marinecanvas.com.

November 9–10MFA Great Lakes Workshop

At Sawmill Creek Resort in Huron, Ohio.Contact Beth Hungiville, +1 651 225 6952, 800 209 1810, [email protected], or visit www.marinecanvas.com.

www.i fa i .com

IntroducingIFAI ONLINE…Your fastest access to IFAI magazines and IFAI Expo information.

READ daily industry news updates

SEARCH magazines by topic or keyword.

ACCESS IFAI tradeshows, seminars and more.

CONNECT through to advertiser Web sites


http://www.merchandisemart.com

http://www.merchandisemart.com


http://www.marinecanvas.com


http://www.highpointmarket.org




http://www.ifai.com/Upholstery/classifieds.cfm




http://www.ifai.com

A D V E R T I S E R I N D E XTo Advertise:

Contact: Sarah Hyland, Advertising Director+1 651 225 6950, 800 319 3349, [email protected]

The Astrup Co.

+1 216 696 2820www.astrup.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

John Boyle & Co. Inc

800 438 1061www.johnboyle.com . . . . . . . . . . 1

C.S. Osborne & Co.

+1 973 483 [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . 8

Camie-Campbell Inc.

800 325 9572www.camie.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Fasnap Corp.

800 624 2058www.fasnap.com . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Keeton Supply Co.

800 792 8777www.keetonsupply.com . . . . . . . 23

Larry Dennis Co.

800 772 7542www.larrydennis.com . . . . . . . . 23

LeBaron Bonney

800 221 5408www.lebaronbonney.com . . . . . . 15

Pyramid Trim Products

800 333 TRIMwww.pyramidtrim.com . . . . . . . . 19

R.J. Ackaway &

Associates Inc.

800 828 2670 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Roden Leather Co.

800 521 4833www.rodenleather.com . . . . . . . 15

Rowley Co.

800 343 4542www.rowleyco.com . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Sattler North America

866 992 9646www.sattler-corp.com . . . . . . . . . 11 SEMA Show

702 450 7662, ext. 118www.SEMAshow.com . . . . . . . . CV3

Tedco Industries Inc.

800 638 [email protected] . . . . . . . . 18

To learn about innovative upholstery technologies and new sources of supplies and materials, attend IFAI Expo 2007 at the

Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV on October 3–5. www.ifaiexpo.com

The advertisers highlighted in red are exhibitors at EXPO 2007. Be sure to visit their booths at the show.

Upholstery Journal is a bi-monthly magazine that educates readers in the art and craftsmanship of after-market furniture, marine and auto reupholstery.

What’s coming up in

Upholstery Journal

October•November 2007

Technical fabrics

Rolling into RV upholstery

Get a leg up on the ottoman

New products

Business tips

Production of the 2008 Upholstery Journal Buyer’s Guide is underway. Watch for your Buyer’s Guide forms. When you get them, fill them out and return them to Upholstery Journal headquarters as soon as possible to be included in the guide.

If you have comments or story ideas, please contact Upholstery Journal editor, Chris Tschida: +1 651 225 6970, fax +1 651 225 6966,e-mail [email protected]

2007 Upholstery Workshop

39

Up

ho

lste

ry Journ

al A

ug

ust•S

ep

tem

be

r 20

07





http://www.johnboyle.com


http://www.camie.com

http://www.fasnap.com

http://www.keetonsupply.com

http://www.larrydennis.com


http://www.pyramidtrim.com

http://www.rodenleather.com

http://www.rowleyco.com

http://www.sattler-corp.com






40

Up

ho

lste

ry J

ourn

al

Aug

ust•

Se

pte

mb

er

20

07


Do you have a project you’d like us to feature in Save My Seat? Send details of your project, along with before–and–after pictures in the form of print photos or electronic images (tif, eps, or jpeg of 300 dpi or greater) to Chris Tschida, Editor, Upholstery Journal, 1801 County Road B West, Roseville, MN 55113, or e-mail them to [email protected]. All images become the property of Upholstery Journal and cannot be returned.

SAVE MY SEAT

Project: Seven-foot Queen Anne Sofa

Upholsterer: Gerald L. Hooper Jr.,Airway Heights Vocational Program, Airway Heights, Wash.

BY SIGRID TORNQUIST

If the word “unsightly” had a picture next to it in the dictionary, the image could quite possibly be the “before” photo of this couch. Before refurbishing the piece, Gerald Lee Hooper Jr., project designer and upholsterer, observed

that the sofa was a mess. The wood was coming unglued, the cushions were falling apart, and the arms and legs looked as if they had served as canine chew toys.

Still, Hooper, a student in the vocational upholstery program in Airway Heights, Wash., felt up to the challenge.

“The couch was in sad shape,” Hooper said. “But I still thought I could save it with a little repair ... and a little wood glue.”

And, one might add, skill and attention to detail. The fabric chosen for the project was forest green with diamond and clover inlay, resulting in a difficult pat-tern to match, especially for a student working on his second project ever.

Hooper took special care in re-stuffing the couch, using horse hair, cotton, and Dacron, overstuffing the lower back of the piece, for comfort. The piece also called for several feet of double welt cord, which Hooper sewed by hand.

“This whole project was quite a learning experience for me,” said Hooper, who expressed enthusiasm for his newfound skills.

Learning curves

Before (above): Refurbishing the piece, Gerald Lee Hooper Jr., project designer and upholsterer, observed that the sofa was a mess. After (below): The fabric chosen for the project was forest green with diamond and clover inlay, resulting in a difficult pattern match, especially for a student working on his second project ever.




Exhibit Days: Tuesday, October 30 – Friday, November 2Education Week: Monday, October 29 – Friday, November 2Save $35 Register now at www.SEMAshow.com/register

Open doors for your business at the 2007 SEMA Show

Las Vegas Convention CenterLas Vegas, Nevada, USA

For additional information, contact ConvExx Show Management at 702.450.7662, ext. 118.

0807UJ_p32-cv4.indd CV30807UJ_p32-cv4.indd CV3 8/13/07 12:45:32 PM8/13/07 12:45:32 PM

http://www.SEMAshow.com/register

For more information contact Beth L. HungivilleManaging Director +1 651 225 6952 or 800 209 1810

E-mail: [email protected] or Visit: www.marinecanvas.com

LEARN

TOUR

MEET

NETWORK

➢ Learn marine fabrication techniques and business strategies during hands-on demonstrations and seminars

➢ Tour local canvas shops to see how others in the industry run their businesses

➢ Meet with over 30 exhibitors showcasing their products and services

➢ Networking opportunities that connect you with others in your industry

0807UJ_p32-cv4.indd CV40807UJ_p32-cv4.indd CV4 8/13/07 12:45:32 PM8/13/07 12:45:32 PM


Documents

Upholstery Journal, August/September 2007, Digital … · 2 Upholstery Journal August•September 2007 Contents Volume 15, Number 4 At least one segment of the upholstery industry