Kasmir Serves Up Fabrics Family Style
December 8, 2008
DALLAS, Texas – Kasmir Fabrics expects to boost 2009 sales via indoor/outdoor fabrics sourced from five suppliers, new wood and metal hardware lines and an ever-expanding trim assortment, according to COO Dale Jones.
Everything is stocked for national distribution in the 200,000-square-foot Dallas warehouse which has contributed greatly to making Kasmir a major national American fabric wholesaler with sales in excess of $50 million. The company has expanded sales on a steady basis year after year according to Jones, who said that 2009 will represent a challenging environment in which to achieve those goals.
About half of all Kasmir lines sold are purchased offshore, including higher-end Chinese goods from soup to nuts including wonton and lichee (said Linda Kasmir); better quality Indian silks and embroideries; and still higher level Turkish goods. Kasmir makes its purchases through 100 importers, converters and mills. Prices of $15 to $45 cover the bulk of products sold by Kasmir. Many of these lines are produced from copyrighted artwork purchased by the company and designed in-house in collaboration with the suppliers. In fact, Kasmir prefers to work with third parties like mills and converters as often as possible so as not to blur the lines between wholesaler and supplier in the purchasing process.
Kasmir maintains long-term relationships with its many vendors and continues to thrive under the leadership of a management team headed by Linda Kasmir just one year after the untimely passing of the former president, her husband Sam.
Nothing is farmed out to outside vendors so that Kasmir can control the quality, service and delivery 100 percent, turning out better end fabrications including custom bedding, draperies, headboards and other finished products. The workroom has state of the art equipment including a German-made table for drapery production. While most of the fabrication is residentially oriented, Kasmir does a small portion of its business in contract for better hotels where price sensitivity is second to quality, Linda said. Linda also said she had textiles in her blood even before teaming up with her late husband 30 plus years ago. "My grandparents were tailors when they immigrated to America and later founded an apparel firm in the States," she said.
As a result, Linda has a tremendous passion for the fabric industry and this drives her in her role as company cheerleader and president. Her two sons (23 and 21 years old and now in college), are both earmarked for further education and work experience outside of the family company. "They will join us after working for someone else first," Linda said.
"We're extremely picky about which suppliers we work with," she further explained. "Once chosen, they are not quick to be changed." Some of Kasmir's suppliers have worked with Kasmir for 30 years and 20 percent of the suppliers do 80 percent of their business at Kasmir, Linda pointed out.
While Kasmir still remains in family hands after 46 years in business including Celia Kasmir, the wife of the founder, Frank Kasmir, a strong management backs every move the company makes. The team includes Jones and Stacy Coulter, vice president of sales. Mark Knight recently joined Kasmir as a director of design from another Texas-based wholesaler where he held a similar position.
Like so many employees at Kasmir, some with 30 or more years experience at Kasmir, Jones and Coulter have logged 21 years and 17 years respectively with the company. The company operates more like a traditional family than a strict corporation. Management makes moves only after consulting many corporate members including 30 full-time sales representatives in the company payroll as well as various well-defined departments like the in-house workroom, purchasing (under Donna Flowers) and credit departments. Recently the company supplied new fuel efficient automobiles to the sales force in order to reduce Kasmir's carbon footprint while cutting expenses.
All 'family' members are ensconced in the office warehouse in Dallas with satellite offices in Miami and 7,000 square feet in St. Louis. Another family member runs the St. Louis office which offers 60 percent of the Kasmir collection the Dallas facility offers.
Kasmir lines cover broad price points where its competitors might have up to three price lines. While some wholesalers have opted for expensive showrooms, Kasmir chooses to rely on a traveling sales force and extensive inventory in Dallas to service the national market from California to New York. Unlike some other firms, Kasmir has only one brand with no designer branded lines chosen by other competitors to differentiate products and brands.
The Dallas-based workroom which accounts for 20 percent of sales is also key to Kasmir's success. "While for many the workroom represents a dying art, the workroom has worked well for Kasmir in addressing our customers' needs," said Jones. "It makes it easier for our customers to do business with us." Kasmir can deliver fabricated products in two to four weeks, and cut-order fabrics are delivered in one to two days coast to coast, the company said.
Everything is stocked for national distribution in the 200,000-square-foot Dallas warehouse which has contributed greatly to making Kasmir a major national American fabric wholesaler with sales in excess of $50 million. The company has expanded sales on a steady basis year after year according to Jones, who said that 2009 will represent a challenging environment in which to achieve those goals.
About half of all Kasmir lines sold are purchased offshore, including higher-end Chinese goods from soup to nuts including wonton and lichee (said Linda Kasmir); better quality Indian silks and embroideries; and still higher level Turkish goods. Kasmir makes its purchases through 100 importers, converters and mills. Prices of $15 to $45 cover the bulk of products sold by Kasmir. Many of these lines are produced from copyrighted artwork purchased by the company and designed in-house in collaboration with the suppliers. In fact, Kasmir prefers to work with third parties like mills and converters as often as possible so as not to blur the lines between wholesaler and supplier in the purchasing process.
Kasmir maintains long-term relationships with its many vendors and continues to thrive under the leadership of a management team headed by Linda Kasmir just one year after the untimely passing of the former president, her husband Sam.
Nothing is farmed out to outside vendors so that Kasmir can control the quality, service and delivery 100 percent, turning out better end fabrications including custom bedding, draperies, headboards and other finished products. The workroom has state of the art equipment including a German-made table for drapery production. While most of the fabrication is residentially oriented, Kasmir does a small portion of its business in contract for better hotels where price sensitivity is second to quality, Linda said. Linda also said she had textiles in her blood even before teaming up with her late husband 30 plus years ago. "My grandparents were tailors when they immigrated to America and later founded an apparel firm in the States," she said.
As a result, Linda has a tremendous passion for the fabric industry and this drives her in her role as company cheerleader and president. Her two sons (23 and 21 years old and now in college), are both earmarked for further education and work experience outside of the family company. "They will join us after working for someone else first," Linda said.
"We're extremely picky about which suppliers we work with," she further explained. "Once chosen, they are not quick to be changed." Some of Kasmir's suppliers have worked with Kasmir for 30 years and 20 percent of the suppliers do 80 percent of their business at Kasmir, Linda pointed out.
While Kasmir still remains in family hands after 46 years in business including Celia Kasmir, the wife of the founder, Frank Kasmir, a strong management backs every move the company makes. The team includes Jones and Stacy Coulter, vice president of sales. Mark Knight recently joined Kasmir as a director of design from another Texas-based wholesaler where he held a similar position.
Like so many employees at Kasmir, some with 30 or more years experience at Kasmir, Jones and Coulter have logged 21 years and 17 years respectively with the company. The company operates more like a traditional family than a strict corporation. Management makes moves only after consulting many corporate members including 30 full-time sales representatives in the company payroll as well as various well-defined departments like the in-house workroom, purchasing (under Donna Flowers) and credit departments. Recently the company supplied new fuel efficient automobiles to the sales force in order to reduce Kasmir's carbon footprint while cutting expenses.
All 'family' members are ensconced in the office warehouse in Dallas with satellite offices in Miami and 7,000 square feet in St. Louis. Another family member runs the St. Louis office which offers 60 percent of the Kasmir collection the Dallas facility offers.
Kasmir lines cover broad price points where its competitors might have up to three price lines. While some wholesalers have opted for expensive showrooms, Kasmir chooses to rely on a traveling sales force and extensive inventory in Dallas to service the national market from California to New York. Unlike some other firms, Kasmir has only one brand with no designer branded lines chosen by other competitors to differentiate products and brands.
The Dallas-based workroom which accounts for 20 percent of sales is also key to Kasmir's success. "While for many the workroom represents a dying art, the workroom has worked well for Kasmir in addressing our customers' needs," said Jones. "It makes it easier for our customers to do business with us." Kasmir can deliver fabricated products in two to four weeks, and cut-order fabrics are delivered in one to two days coast to coast, the company said.
