By Matthew Spieler
Volume 26/Number 17;Â January 7/14, 2013
In the ever-popular world of soft fibers, the battle so far has been between products made from nylon and those made with triexta. But now, with the Surfaces introduction of PureSoft Cashmere by Engineered Floors’ Dream Weaver Carpet division, you can add solution-dyed polyester to the fray.
Melvin Silvers, president of Dream Weaver, told FCNews during an exclusive interview there are a number of things that make PureSoft different than anything else on the market today. The first and possibly most important reason is it is solution dyed. “This allows us to create unique colorations—combinations that cannot be achieved by piece dying as we’re barber poling it. This carpet has the appearance of a solid but it really isn’t.”
What this does, he explained, is allow for a more natural look. “When you think of nature, there is not one set color in things. For instance, there is not just one shade of green for grass or trees. There are variations of the color. We can achieve that visual now, so this brings the outdoors in even more.”
Silvers said another key differentiator with PureSoft 
Cashmere is it has a
better finish because
it is solution dyed.
“We’re bypassing the mechanical step of
the piece-dying process. This gives the
product better tip definition, meaning
it’s cleaner com
pared to other types of dyed polyesters, which we liken to prewashed jeans. Ours doesn’t have that worn look; it maintains its quality.”
This dyeing aspect is even more critical when it comes to soft fibers, he added. “That is why PureSoft Cashmere has a premium yarn system. Soft is a much more involved production process, plus the construction and weights we put into this collection are all in the better category. This is certainly not a commodity product.”
Being solution-dyed also means the product is totally fade resistant, “so that problem is avoided. Plus, there are no side-match issues, and the dye lot variation is two times as good as anything else out there.”
Then there is the soft component. As Silvers noted, there are two types of soft when it comes to carpet. “Ours is pillowy soft; it’s very fluffy. We were able to keep a lot of bulk and still maintain its softness. Other soft products don’t have the bulk; they just have a soft hand.”
To the consumer, he said the visual alone “creates more apparent value compared to other products. They can see it is soft before touching it. Then when they touch it, they’ll understand why cashmere is in the name.”
Gary Hollowell, vice president of sales and marketing for Dream Weaver, said the cashmere description is something the consumer will immediately recognize. “The carpet industry has never seen carpet this soft while still maintaining a smooth, clean finish; its quality is unmatched.”
Silvers said the last major differentiator of PureSoft Cashmere is its quality. “That’s why it took us a number of years before introducing it. It’s been thoroughly tested to ensure it gives superior performance.” PureSoft is produced with Engineered Floors’ own SoilShield treatment.
The company is able to achieve all this, he said, because Engineered Floors’ whole model is built around solution-dyed polyester and creating a product that delivers superior performance and value to its customers.
Seven products representing 81 SKUs in a variety of constructions will make up the initial PureSoft Cashmere offering. The line will be merchandised in its own unit, which will also be on display at Surfaces.
This is a natural progression for Engineered Floors, Silvers noted. “The first two years were dealt with exploiting the advantages of solution dyed polyester. Now we’re entering the second phase as we use solution-dyed as a styling tool—something that has never been done before.”