Valdese Weavers is the largest textile company you may have never heard of. Founded in 1915, the company produces fabric for retailers ranging from Arhaus and RH to trade brands like Kravet and Thibaut. “We knew our place,” Valdese Weavers president and CEO Blake Millinor tells host Dennis Scully on the latest episode of The Business of Home Podcast. “There really wasn’t a place for a manufacturer like us to do anything other than develop and foster that relationship with the furniture manufacturers and the distributors, and that is still the backbone of our company today. That’s where our roots are. That’s where our success has been.” The company has outlasted big manufacturers like Mastercraft and Quaker—which Millinor attributes to its globalization, smaller size and beneficial timing.
Over the course of his nearly 23 years at the company, Millinor has noticed significant changes in the way the industry functions, namely the increased presence of interior designers. “Designers bring a creative element that I see as good,” he says. “For us, anytime there’s a discussion or collaboration on a project where we can pick up design input or market input that aids the design process and the creative process, I think you get much better information about what the market’s looking for, as opposed to only hearing from a retailer.”
Elsewhere in the episode, Millinor discusses how beige and gray took over the market, finding a balance between performance and sustainability, and how Valdese Weavers has survived and thrived without rigid five-year plans.
Crucial insight: Fifteen or 20 years ago, Valdese Weavers worked strictly as a B2B, but Millinor discovered that the model was not feasible with more designers in the mix and the changing distribution models of furniture manufacturers. To adapt, the brand had to refine its product storytelling skills. “Whether it’s a furniture manufacturer, distributor, whoever it is, you’ve got to have that ability to help tell a story, whether it’s about sustainability or performance or some element of service,” he says. “We’ve found ourselves in that role now where we’ve got pretty good at it, and we’ll help them tell the story, all with the goal of making that retailer’s job easier, to sell more fabric. … No one’s going to tell your story as well as you are.”
Key quote: “We’re not looking to be a disruptor; we want to be complementary. Job one is to support furniture manufacturers and distributors. Job two is to make sure that we tell the story. … You’ve got to be so disciplined in those areas.”
This episode is sponsored by Loloi, Crypton and Rowe. Listen to the show below. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
The Thursday Show
BOH executive editor Fred Nicolaus and host Dennis Scully discuss the biggest news in the industry, including Asad Syrkett’s upcoming departure from Elle Decor, RH’s latest earnings call, and why millionaire renters are on the rise. Later, designer Leanne Ford joins the show to talk about her new book, The Slow Down: For the Love of Home.
This episode is sponsored by Hartmann&Forbes and Chelsea House. Listen to the show below. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
