TEL AVIV, Israel — After 40 years in the fabric business, Israeli suppliers have developed a skillset to service customers domestically and globally that actually adds value to the fabric according to wholesalers and manufacturers of piece goods here. This is the finding of a recent extensive tour of Israeli suppliers by Fabrics & Furnishings International with the assistance of Zvi Lieberman, Director, Fashion & Textile Industries Association, Israel. Support from a burgeoning local sofa industry and numerous hotel projects, both new build and refurbishment, has propelled Israeli residential and contract suppliers to a new place in the world market. Manufacturers like Niso and Kastiel are growing their furniture business locally and through tourists who like and shop Israeli-style and then want to bring it to their homes in Europe and the USA, according to Joshua Kastiel and Lion Adut of Niso, the two leading furniture brands in Israel. Etun and Ramtex, the only two jacquard mills in Israel thrive on local hotel projects and then turn their quickness to export of homegrown designed exclusive collections to individual US jobbers. Offis Textiles Ltd., a major rotary screen printer driven by a large design staff, has developed an international client base of major retailers and distributors of printed bedding lines. Cut order specialists like Erotex and Armel are expanding their business to include European and Chinese distribution. Leading upmarket wholesalers, like Renby, are converting their own line of plains in Korea to better compete in the local hotel market that is thriving due to increased tourism to Israel. Nachik, a leading editeur based in Tel Aviv continues its growth curve with trendy fabrics mostly made in China and has also made a reputation for itself in the reliable delivery of other fabrics from China to customers in the USA and Europe. In this issue of Fabrics & Furnishings International, you can read about each Israeli supplier in greater detail. Shalom! ­— Eric Schneider