Fab Floorcloths offers printed floorcloths
at an affordable price.
CINCINNATI -- Janet L. Koszycki has taken the art of floor cloths beyond the craft of hand painted designs on canvas through the use of modern printing technology.
The company is Fab Floorcloths, which currently consists of a line of 30 canvas floorcloths in six collections and 112 custom colors.
"I started hand painting custom one-of-a-kind floorcloths on a commission basis in 2003 and found that there was a need for a less expensive version of my product," she explained. "In 2006 after conducting research, product development and testing, we began selling the printed product in the Hilton Head area."
Some of the stores that currently carry Fab Floorcloths are Fine Rugs of Charleston in Charleson SC as well as several other stores in the resort communities of Hilton Head, Savannah, Beaufort, St Simons Island.
"I print my floorcloths on the same heavy weight canvas that I use for hand painted floorcloths," she explained. "We print on the natural side of the cotton canvas using pigment inks. The back side is gessoed and we finish with a water based coating made especially for Fab Floorcloths. The finish allows the surface to wipe clean with a soft cloth or sponge and mild soap and water. "
The floorcloths are digitally printed using pigment inks or UV inks for the handpainted reproductions. They are printed in Philadelphia and Cincinnati and finished and shipped out of Cincinnati.
Although Koszycki imports canvas from India, the rest of the manufacturing is done in the US. " My product scored a 3.5 in the Hexapod Walker test and 8 on the pill test, so they are perfect for high traffic areas such as kitchens, everyday dining, laundry, halls, mudrooms and covered verandas, " she said.
The wholesale price to retailers is $300 for a 5'4" x 8' floorcloth. " I don't have a suggested retail price and let my stores sell them for what their market permits," said Koszycki.
"Customers can also custom color the designs at the interactive www.fabfloorcloths.com website," said Koszycki.
ED NOTE: Floorcloths date back to the 18th Century and, like scrimshaw, were reportedly one of the seamen's arts during the era of sailing ships. Sailors painted colorful designs on scraps of canvas sail material, then coated them with multiple layers of turpentine and linseed oil to create a rugged, washable surface. They brought their crafts home as gifts to wives and sweethearts on shore. The art of floorcloth making was later refined during the Industrial Revolution and became linoleum.
Pineapple Blue design from Fab Floorcloths
Sea Island Stripes design from Fab Floorcloths
Homestead/Yorktown pattern from Fab Floorcloths