08282015 Expectations Soar as Top-End Rug Makers Gear Up for Bustling Rug Show at Javits

NEW YORK - The fourth edition of the Rug Show at Javits, with nearly triple the number of exhibitors from its debut in 2012, has expectations soaring among top-tier rug suppliers, who are showcasing the best of the best heading into the major fall buying season.

Not only are vendors anticipating meeting high-end dealers, they are counting on this to be the most productive Rug Show to date, with 58 rug makers signed up and the largest number of buyers slated to walk the aisles of this blockbuster fair running from August 30 to September 2, 2015 at New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

Anadol

"We are expecting this to be the best show yet," says Andres Emre Serezli, with the Atlanta-based Anadol Rug Co., which has exhibited at every Rug Show at Javits. Anadol is showcasing its prized Angora Ushaks, all hand-crafted at its factories in Turkey.  "The show is bigger in volume this year with many more exhibitors so I am expecting lots of big players to be there. And, every one of the buyers at this show is serious. This is one of our biggest wholesale shows."

Art Resources

Adeel Ahmad with Art Resources, which has showrooms on both coasts, also is bullish and plans to debut its South West collection crafted in Afghanistan of hand-knotted wool and inspired by traditional Navajo textile designs. "Since the participants at this show are some of the best in the industry, we expect the customers will follow and that we will have an excellent year," says Adeel Ahmad. "We are expecting to reach customers from high-end specialty stores."

Samad

New Jersey-based Samad, which will present a range of its distinctive designs from transitional to traditional at the Rug Show at Javits, anticipates a diverse, but consistently high-end audience. "We are expecting to see many of our stocking dealers who view this as the premier market for hand knotted products as well as some specialty overseas buyers," says company co-founder David Samad, a Javits show veteran.

Amer Rugs

Likewise Amer Rugs is presenting its hand knots at the show, including its new Indo-Tibetan Mount Route collection crafted from New Zealand wool with raised art silk. "We are only showing our hand knots at the Rug Show at Javits because of the high-end buyers who will be attending," says vice president Joe Barkley.

Banu Home

Adds Banu Home's Alex Kimia, "Since this is my very first show in New York, I am hoping to build strong relationship with the dealers." Kimia, who left ABC Carpet & Home to found his boutique rug company two years ago, will be showing off a range of new collections including Tibetan sheepskin, Australian lamb, and short and long hair Mongolian goatskins in vibrant colors.

HRI

Greg Jordt says Harounian Rugs International is cherry-picking its assortment for high end dealers, design studios and designers. "There is not a ton of room at Javits, so we highlight the really strong trends such as washed faded looks, and we will bring a lot of blues and greys from our hand knotted collections," he explains.

The company is expecting a strong response to its contemporary Sensation collection rugs, which are very densely knotted in finely spun New Zealand wool and premium silk. This is a limited production line, so it is not a programmed with a lot of sizes. There are five designs and each one is a statement piece. HRI will also its hot selling Elegance collection, which is hand knotted in 100% New Zealand wool and luster washed. 

Jaipur Rugs

First-time exhibitor Jaipur will showcase "a carefully edited selection of our best hand knotted rugs," says Glen Giordano, director of national accounts. "At Jaipur, we make sure that everything we do is as meaningful as it is beautiful, and these rugs best capture these values." 

Among the rug collections at the Rug Show at Javits will be Chaos Theory and Project Error by Kavi, in which pattern and color variations are intentionally random to mimic nature. Also featured will be rugs from the Jenny Jones Collection in traditional patterns deconstructed for modern appeal, with sophisticated colors and tone on tone patterns. "We are excited about the opportunity to participate in this show and look forward to presenting our products," Giordano says.

Momeni

"We are taking only hand-knotted rugs to the show, and each piece is going to be unique," says Reza Momeni, a company principal, who says the company expects to do well with its low-sheared overdyed rugs and popular one of a kinds. "We expect good activity on bulk stock buying as opposed to programs for most rug stores, but key retailers attending the show will want programs too." 

"Timing is good because the show is right before the main buying season for the consumer. Retailers can come to the show, select what they want and it will ship for immediate delivery," says Momeni. 

New Moon

Also a first time Rug Show exhibitor, New Moon hopes to make new connections at the show. "We are expecting it to be more of a dealer driven show and hope to open some new accounts in markets where we do not have current representation." says Josephine Kurtz, of the Delaware-based company. New Moon will be featuring its all-natural rugs at the Rug Show. "This is something newer we have introduced, mostly by adding to our Lodge collection - all un-dyed natural vegetal dye blends."

Tamarian

"We are expecting a great turnout by the majority of our brick and mortar rug stores, who will be happily taking advantage of the Rug Show at Javits and the discounted hotel rate to be in New York in the fall," says Geoffrey Duckworth, custom rug department/graphics manager with Tamarian, headquartered in Baltimore. "This is the perfect time of year to be working on your new selections for the upcoming selling season and this boutique show just seems to be getting better," Duckworth explains.

Tamarian plans to highlight three fresh designs, all made in Nepal: the transitional 70-knot Junova in spruce, made of all wool; the painterly Tahiti Sativa In 100% Tibetan wool; and the wool Greige in a Tamarian patented weave, gets added to the Dwarika range. 

INCLUSIVENESS IS A PLUS 

Because it is a not-for-profit show, many of the rug makers exhibiting aren't sitting idly by hoping the fair will be a success. They have been busy calling and inviting other rug suppliers as well as their clients to experience the camaraderie and inclusiveness of Rug Show at Javits.
 

Caravan

"Caravan Rug, along with all exhibitor participants, has been working hard to gather all the best wholesalers in the country under one roof for the Rug Show at Javits and to attract retailers and trade from all over the world," says Jay Nehouray of the Beverly Hills, CA, Caravan Rug Co.

Caravan is presenting its newest collections: Caravan Modern's shimmering abstract floral Cloud Bamboo, made of hand-knotted from fine bamboo silk, and Caravan Rug’s Reveal, a range of hand-spun wool rugs featuring traditional motifs.

Shalom Brothers

"We have called many of our buyers and we are anticipating a strong turnout of buyers who might have not come to this past Atlanta show and instead chose NYC," says NY-based Shalom Brothers' Rafi Amirian. Shalom Brothers will bring transitional designs in the medium to higher end of the market to Javits and Metro Market Week 2015. It's Chambord collection's BK-1, which layers two all over patterns on top of one another and is hand-knotted in India from fine New Zealand worsted wool, will be on display.

08.28.15