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Night and Day Furniture debuts
new line at SFM
Night and Day Furniture, based in Vancouver
WA, will be introducing their new lines of futon frames and
products at January’s San Francisco Market.
Mike Gallawa, owner and president of Night and
Day, has taken a novel approach in entering the futon market;
he is offering something really new.
What’s new? New designs, inventive new
futon operating systems, and multiple inventories including
inventories at the source in Malaysia.
Although Night and Day is the new company on
the block, Mike is taking his years of experience in the futon
industry to establish Night and Day as a significant player
right out of the gate.
“We will have inventories in Portland,
Los Angeles and Malaysia right from the start. I plan to establish
Night and Day as a quick-ship company,” says Mike.
“The great thing about our Malaysia inventory
is that it will allow our customers to bring in fully mixed
container loads (arms, bodies and tables) direct from the
source. Our U.S. inventories are there to fill the balance
by providing quick and convenient service centers for our
customers”.
Additionally, Night and Day will have two separate
lines of futon products. A Standard Line of frames of well
known models, that every retailer needs, and a Premium Line
of frames that should knock some socks off.
Mike knows his customers will need high quality,
conventional futon models at great prices, and he has got
that. He also knows that to keep his customers coming back
he needs products that others don’t have.
“We’ll be introducing some nifty new
features at market with Front Loading and Quick Assembly that
should create a bit of buzz around the show”.
Some unique and original arm designs will be
featured in the Premium Line with names appropriate to the
Night and Day theme such as Morning Glory, Twilight and Sunrise.
Finishes in the Premium Line will include Natural, and two
hand rubbed finishes, Medium Oak and Cherry.
“Night and Day is a small company with
big plans,” says Gallawa. “After 11 years in the
futon business working with a major futon retail chain I have
learned a lot about what the futon retailer wants, and what
the futon consumer expects.”
Come see the Night and Day Furniture’s
showroom at the San Francisco Market in Mart 1, space #606.
Don’t miss it. Mike Gallawa can be reached at: 360-606-8650,
or via e-mail: nightanddayfurniture@hei.net
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Zad Designs Shows Trendy Urban Cottage Look
Zad Designs & Mfg., Inc, has released a
new cottage style frame in a distressed antique white finish
with an embossed metal insert. This frame will be a new addition
to our rustic pine collection of frames,” said Akim Azad,
company President and CEO. Mr. Azad, believes this frame will
be quite different from other futon products available in
the market. It can be offered with Shabby Chic style covers
available from Zad Home Collection swatches as part of the
trendy Urban Cottage style look.
This frame, along with several other new products,
will be shown at the San Francisco Design and Furnishing Show
in January 2001. Anyone interested in the product can call
Zad Designs at (805) 486-8393 for more information.
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CPSC Moves Towards National Standard
for Open Flame Testing of Mattresses and Futons
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is moving
toward a new national open-flame standard for mattresses and
futons and some futons could also be affected by potential
new CPSC standards for upholstered furniture. These products
are already subject to a national smolder ignition standard
(CPSC mattress standard) and a number of state-level regulations.
Requirements will become more rigorous.
This increases the pressure on manufacturers
to stay up to date and keep their test records in good order,
and ups the ante for retailers to ensure that their inventory
is compliant, lest they lose their stock to a “withhold
from sale.”
This situation has also prompted Futon Association
International (FAI) to join with the National Cotton Batting
Institute (NCBI) and the International Sleep Products Association
to provide FAI members with stronger advocacy in the compliance
arena.
In light of this, the FAI has posed a series
of questions that are of interest to the futon industry. This
column addresses the first of these questions. Others will
be addressed in future issues of Futon Life. FAI members who
have questions on the subject may direct them to NCBI, P.O.
Box 820287, Memphis, TN, 38182, or at info@natbat.com
What sort of research does NCBI undertake to determine fire
resistant characteristics?
NCBI per se does not do research. In the 1970s and 1980s,
however, NCBI worked cooperatively with the U.S. Department
of Agriculture to develop cotton batting products with the
ability to resist combustion. This work covered a 14-year
period and resulted in a fire retardant treatment using boric
acid that is now the standard for cotton batting. The resulting
product exhibits excellent flame resistant properties for
both open flame and cigarette ignition resistance. The percentage
of boric acid add-on determined by USDA was confirmed in actual
practice in California. In “A Technical Bulletin 106
Flammability Survey of the California Futon Market-1998,”
it was reported that cotton batting, with a boric acid add-on
of 10 percent, passed the mandated flammability tests.
Other research efforts by individual cotton batting manufacturers
led to establishment of ASTM D 5238-92, the cigarette sandwich
batt test. This test is used as a daily production quality
control test in the present third party Underwriters Laboratories
Certification Program and must be conducted by certified cotton
batting manufacturers no less than every two hours during
production.
One vital component in producing flame-resistant futons is
knowledge of materials. Beyond the application of borates,
including boric acid, and reduction of trash content, what
characteristics of cotton also affect its flame resistance?
Properly treated cotton is self-extinguishing. Use of treated
cotton batting in mattresses, futons and upholstered furniture
significantly reduces the risk of injury because of its negligible
burn factor and reduced emission of toxic fumes.
Even untreated cotton batting, a natural cellulose product,
tends to burn slow. It does not melt, become molten or drip
like man-made materials and is more likely to smolder rather
than flame after the initial source of flame is removed.
For more information about cotton batting, visit NCBI’s
web site, www.natbat.com.
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Fire Marshals’ Petition CPSC to Set Flammability
Standard for Bedding
The National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM) petitioned
the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to establish
an open-flame and cigarette ignition flammability standard
for bedding. CPSC said the request did not meet the Commission’s
requirements for petitions. NASFM is expected to resubmit
the request with additional information.
The NASFM said tests indicate that the most hazardous items
of bedding are products that contain filling materials for
comfort or thermal purposes, such as pillows, comforters and
mattress pads. Sheets and blankets raise less of a flammability
hazard.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
recently conducted research on mattresses and bedding sponsored
by the mattress industry and will conduct research on bedding
products containing flame-resistant fillings and interliner
barrier fabrics as part of further industry sponsored research
on mattresses. NASFM wants CPSC to consider this research
when it responds to its petition. CPSC is preparing a briefing
package and an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking for
an open-flame standard for mattresses due in early 2001.
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Gold Bond Posts Record Sales Driven By Super
Premium Futons
HARTFORD (CT) – Domestic, international and new accounts
deepened Gold Bond’s market penetration while its line
of super premium futon mattresses achieved record sales in
2000, the company announced.
Two new premium mattresses—the futon industry’s
first pure natural latex futon mattress, (the “Latex
Plus”) and the new encased spring futon mattress (“Coil
Wrap”)—achieved virtually “instant” success.
Sales and shipments for the two units doubled the company’s
projections. Existing and new Gold Bond retailers continue
to place them on their floors, fueling what will be a strong
first quarter.
Gold Bond is one of the oldest and largest independent bedding
manufacturers and cotton garnetters in the country. It supplies
leading retailers and hotels with a complete line of handmade
innerspring mattresses and futon products.
“Texas Futon’s (Austin, TX) experience with the
Coil Wrap, and America the Beautiful’s (Washington, OR)
placement of the Latex Plus, show just how the great futon
retailers successfully offer premium mattresses to the consumer,”
Gold Bond President Bob Naboicheck said.
The latex futon is the industry’s first pure natural
latex foam futon mattress. Gold Bond’s Latex Plus includes
two 2-inch pieces of fully molded latex foam, one 2-inch piece
of 1.8 density high resiliency foam, four 7/8” pieces
of super soft 1.5 density foam, two heavy batts of world class
Gold Bond cotton batting and two layers of pure New Zealand
virgin wool. The mattress carries a 15-year non-prorated warranty.
“Progressive retailers—in either the futon or innerspring
categories—know that latex conforms naturally to the
body, is anti-microbial and is nature’s most durable
and resilient cushioning. Consumers seek our latex for precisely
these benefits, and they like the fact that it ‘breathes’
and provides the support of a three thousand-dollar sofa for
a fraction of the cost. Therefore, it is an essential unit
for retailers’ floor plans,” Mr. Naboicheck said.
The new Coil Wrap was added to the company’s super premium
line up last year. The Coil Wrap retails for about $299, carries
a 10-year non-prorated warranty, and employs heat tempered
individually encased coils that eliminate body impressions,
“coil sag” and fatigue that may occur in generic
encased coil innerspring units.
The company provides retailers with extensive dealer training
and award winning point of sale materials. “We know the
consumer loves the ‘feel’ of the Gold Bond super
premium line up. Couple that with knowledgeable retail sales
people…you have a powerful combination,” Mr. Naboicheck
said. “Last year, we and our retailers really performed
well together. It was a spectacular success.”
For information, please contact Bob Naboicheck, telephone
800-873-8498.
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BBI Enterprises Focuses On Upsable Product
BBI Enterprises, Inc. is proud to announce e-Frame 2000,
a new line of fully UPSable futon and platform bed frames.
“As an answer to many requests from our clients, we have
developed a fully collapsible frame from unfinished pine and
spruce. These versatile models are not only lightweight, which
allows them to be shipped via UPS Ground service, they are
sturdy and as easy to assemble as frames in our regular line,”
said Boris Abdurachmanov, company President.
“This is the perfect general frame for students and
people with limited budgets,” he said. BBI carries combos,
L-frames, studio sleepers, newport sliders and platform beds
in many styles from Cot to King size. The company brings to
market many promotional items at very competitive pricing.
For more information call BBI at 718-349-6037. Let’s
do it together better!
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Burlington Futon Company Celebrates 16 Years
Of Success
Burlington Futon Company is celebrating its 16th anniversary.
Since its start, the company has seen many strategic developments
and business improvements, and recent months have been no
different. Long known for its progressive and socially responsible
business principles, Burlington Futon Company considers its
staff its most valuable asset.
Such thinking explains the company’s priority of investing
in its employees as well as in its customers. “We are
committed to creating the best possible work environment,”
says Mark Binkhorst, President of Burlington Futon Company.
“We are continuously looking for new ways to demonstrate
our commitment and appreciation to our employees.”
Such investments include launching a wellness program, involving
daily exercise, a smoking cessation program, and attention
paid to safety and workplace ergonomics. A flexible approach
to scheduling encourages employees in their efforts to adopt
or continue a healthy lifestyle.
Employee benefits include health insurance and were recently
upgraded to provide a retirement fund with the company making
matching contributions. In the production department, Burlington
Futon Company continues to focus its resources and energy
to continuously improve in order fulfillment.
“We faced challenges with our lead-time in the past
and we made the commitment to significant and long lasting
improvements in this area,” explains Chris Van Genechten,
the wholesale coordinator. Technological improvements aside,
“it has been the teamwork and synergy between our cutting,
sewing, and shipping departments that have made this growth
possible. As a result, our customers are confident in ordering
and often surprised by our quick delivery.”
For more information please call: 1-800-862-5986.
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Marquis Furnishings Celebrates Successful
First Year
Marquis Furnishings, the national brand of Crispen Holdings,
a Florida based manufacturer of futon frames, bedroom and
living room furniture, is celebrating its first year on the
national scene. “I can’t believe we have our first
year under our belts,” said company President Mark Crispen.
“One year ago, all we had was a business plan to take
our beautiful products national, now we have a foothold in
some of the better retailers in the country.”
Crispen purchased the eight store New Dawn Futon and Furniture
chain and manufacturing facility with the intention of selling
its high end futon products nationally.“We believe that
the real growth in futon frames will be in the high end,”
said Crispen.
Marquis will be offering a derivation of its popular Level
2000 frame line that it introduced in Orlando last March.
“Our patented “Interlock” mechanism, a front
operating, zero tolerance wall hugger has been a hit with
customers, but it does add significantly to the cost,”
he said.
To approach a more moderate price point Marquis will now offer
the Duke, Duchess, Panel and Pyrenees with a traditional slot
and roller mechanism. “There is a significant segment
of the market that applies little or no value to wall hugging
mechanisms,” Crispen stated. “For those customers
we now offer our hottest styles without the “Interlock”
at a sharper price.”
The company also announced that is had upgraded its Level
1000 frames line to utilize the same seat and back that is
used in its Level 2000 line. The seat and back are connected
with a continuous hinge with 72 screws as opposed to the standard
pin connection which dominates the frame market. “Spreading
out the stress on the frame conversion over the entire length
of the frame greatly reduces the risk of breakage. This will
be our standard seat back connection company wide.”
For more information about Marquis, please call company president
Mark Crispen at 1-877-537-8834.
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August Lotz Announces Exciting New Headboard
Line!
Boyd,WI - August Lotz Company, Inc., the premier manufacturer
of quality American made solid wood futon frames, occasional
tables and futon mattresses announced today that they will
be unveiling an exciting new line of solid wood headboards.
The president of August Lotz, Mark Schlichter said, “Many
of our sleep shop dealers have asked us to address this product...
there is a void for stylish, solid wood headboards.”
He also stated, “On their floors now are a lot of metal
beds in various price points... finding a nice solid wood
headboard is rare.” The new line up will consist of four
designs: Mission, Shaker, Contemporary, and Transitional.
Three of the styles will be fashioned of richly grained Northern
White Ash, available in natural finish or in a medium walnut
stain. One new style will be crafted from Hard Rock Maple
in a natural finish with cherry accent pieces.
Schlichter firmly believes the new line has the ability to
fill a niche that is lacking in dealer showrooms. Responding
to the price of the new line, he replied: “With retail
prices ranging between $249 and $349, most customers walking
into the showroom should find them easily affordable.”
When asked how the new line would accommodate the decor of
end users, Schlichter asserted, “We feel our initial
offering will blend with at least eighty percent of the bedroom
case goods that are on the market or in homes today.”
According to Schlichter, the headboards will be available
in several sizes and will be available for shipment in early
spring. If you would like more information, call August Lotz
at 1-800-826-7326.
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Bob glade Leaves Big Tree
After a successful nine-year association with Big Tree, Bob
Glade is moving in a new direction.
“In those nine years, Big Tree had some significant
growth and became one of the major players in the futon industry,”
said Glade.
Glade and his associates are putting together an extensive
line of solid oak accessories and furniture with the popular
mission styling.
“Our “Craftsman Collection” line up is being
manufactured at our factories in Mexico, and is being shipped
out of our Los Angeles distribution center,” he said.
The line will make its debut at the upcoming San Francisco
Show in Space #108, at the
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium.
For more information call Bob Glade at 619-892-5899.
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