MIAMI BEACH, FL –The Cruise Industry is cruising along with the hospitality trade, both and is a bright spot in the global fabrics industry according to exhibitors at Cruise Ship Interiors Exhibition here.
“Public areas of even one ship account for 2-3,000 yards while cabins might require another 20,000 yards of fabric,” says one fabric wholesaler at the two day event.”
“Holland America & Seabourn is refurbishing over six ships currently; The first one to be refurbished is the Oosterdam in October, 2027,” according to Cassidy Butler, Interior Sustainability Specialist for that Line.
Andriali, a Turkish mill, had the largest exhibit space of all of the fabric suppliers. “Business is very good for us,” says Gokben Cakar, CEO of the 20 year old company she runs with her sister, Esra Iglesias.
“We keep growing no matter what. Our 120 person mill is dedicated to contract for sales to the cruise and hotel market as well as other editeurs,” says Cacar. Andriali has an office and showroom in Miami and the mill is in Bursa, Turkiye.
Sunbury, a wholesaler based in Harlow, Essex, UK is focused on recycled products. “About 90 percent of what we import from Italy, Belgium, Spain and Turkiye is recycled. We back coat the polyester fabric and finish it with pfc-free stain and soil resistant finishes,” says Jonathan Lewis, Sales Director and co-owner with his cousin. Sunbury is in its fourth generation of family ownership and will be 80 years old in 2027.
P/Kaufmann Contract, the major American converter based in New York City, was represented by Meghan Wright Hazelwood. She presented PFK’s fifth IMO collection.
Agua Fabrics Ltd.,, another UK converter which “still produces woven goods on two looms in Bolton, is finishing all of its goods woven in Turkiye,” says Josh Ralton, fourth generation Commercial Director of this converter. “We started to focus on cruise when we saw the healthcare market, our principal business, race to the bottom. Cruise is a high margin fabric market,” he adds.
A1-Integra Fabrics, a jobber based in Myrtle Beach, SC was another group shopping the Andriali line.
