Challenging industry norms with an unprecedented 96-color palette and their first wool collection in nearly two decades, Anderson Tuftex redefines what luxury flooring means for design-conscious consumers. The Shaw Industries brand has reimagined its product lineup and retail experience to capture the high-end market.

"These collections embody the core of Anderson Tuftex: thoughtful design, sustainable innovation, and a commitment to creating products that are as inspiring as the spaces they inhabit," said John Stephens, vice president of Anderson Tuftex.

According to their research, the brand is focusing on "eco-conscious and luxury consumer" profiles because of their overlap. "They are both, of course, the ones who would spend more money on average per room when doing renovations; they are also more likely to use a residential interior designer,” said Dakota Aft, product director, Anderson Tuftex. 

 At the heart of Anderson Tuftex's new direction is a commitment to color diversity that stands in stark contrast to industry trends of reducing SKU counts. Their flagship product, Finery, features 96 colorways.

"People have gone absolutely bonkers, all in love with the colors," Aft said. The expansive palette is complemented by Crochet and Loom styles, which offer 50 colorways with sophisticated two-tone visuals.

Perhaps most notable is the brands re-entry into the wool carpet market with its new Heirloom Collection—the company's first venture into wool carpeting since 2007. This collection features 10 curated styles in desirable wool constructions, from flat weaves to tip-sheared loops and intricate patterns.

"It's not every day that the world's biggest carpet manufacturer gets into a new type of carpet," Aft said. "The wool was a big gap we didn't fulfill yet."

The wool used in the Heirloom Collection comes from New Zealand and Europe. It is manufactured in India under carefully monitored ethical sourcing practices. Each style showcases handcrafted techniques and is backed with cotton canvas for natural elegance and enduring quality.

Complementing the wool offerings is the Departures Collection, which features carpets made with the company's fellowship eco yarn innovation. These products contain 100% post-consumer recycled content and showcase gradients handmade in the company's Barnkley facility.

"No two installations are going to be exactly the same," Aft said. "It's almost like hardwood in that way where you're getting that irregularity, but still keeping the essence of what's on the sample."

All synthetic carpets in Anderson Tuftex's new collections feature Shaw's LifeGuard spill-proof backing technology and are cradle-to-cradle certified, emphasizing the brand's commitment to sustainability.

Anderson Tuftex is also reimagining how consumers shop for carpet with innovative merchandising systems inspired by fashion retail. Customers can choose between wall units or island modules that display products on hangers, creating a familiar shopping experience that feels less overwhelming than traditional carpet showrooms.

The concept of a "garden and gallery" inspired the design of their showroom spaces, with installations like cascading flower arrangements highlighting the carpet colors in a way that resonates with design professionals.

Anderson Tuftex Zion is inspired by Zion National Park. Photo: Anderson Tuftex

The Dixie Group Bets on Custom Color

As the flooring industry anticipates a rebound in 2025, The Dixie Group is making a bold strategic bet on color customization by positioning its unique dyeing capabilities as a key market differentiator across all price points. This move comes as industry leaders express optimism about market recovery after several challenging years.

"I think there's a lot of optimism and expectation that '25 is going to be a rebound year, a better year. We're going to see the turnaround finally come," said TM Nuckols, president of residential business at The Dixie Group.

While the broader market focuses on potential recovery, The Dixie Group is seizing the moment to highlight a unique capability to boost sales for flooring retailers and satisfy consumers' demand for customization. At the core of its "Step Into Color" campaign is an often-overlooked technical advantage: Dixie's piece-dyed nylon expertise.

"We're trying to differentiate ourselves with style, design, color. We're trying to do things that others either can't do or don't want to do," Nuckols explained. This differentiation is particularly striking in what he describes as "a sea of sameness" in solution-dyed polyester products, where color options typically remain limited to "beige, gray, or something in between."

Perhaps most significantly, The Dixie Group is expanding its custom color capability—traditionally reserved for its high-end Masland and Fabrica brands—to include its DH Floors line. This move effectively democratizes custom color across price points. "Color's a big deal for the consumer who's redecorating and renovating the home," Nuckols said. 

For retailers, this capability offers a powerful differentiation tool, and the process is remarkably straightforward, as Nuckols detailed: "If they want a particular red or a particular blue or green... they would send in a color swatch. It could be a piece of fabric from one of their pieces of furniture, for example, or window treatment." The company maintains inventory of white carpet that can be custom-dyed to match customer specifications. This consultative approach transforms the standard carpet selection process into a premium, personalized experience.

Perhaps most significantly, this isn't restricted to the ultra-luxury market. Breaking down the economics for a typical 50-yard order, Nuckols demonstrates the accessibility: "If we want a custom color, we're going to charge a $400 set fee... across 50 yards is another $8 a yard. So instead of $60, they're paying $68. That's not crazy—it's the color you want."

The Dixie Group is taking an innovative approach to embedding its color story within its sales culture. Nuckols said that at the company's national sales meeting, each region has a color that the team wears on awards night. At The International Sales Event in Las Vegas, the Dixie team wore a unified color theme for each day of the event.  This creative internal engagement strategy extends beyond mere dress code—it's part of a larger initiative to get the sales team thinking and talking about color opportunities.

"If we can get them talking about it more and taking that to the market, that's going to help," Nuckols said. 

Jared Coffin, SVP of product and marketing, noted that color plays a significant role in the luxury market, and that the market is changing: "The high end used to be about wool; it's more about being decorative now. So it can be a woven polyester, it can be wool, it can be handtufted, it can be machine made. It's just about having a really beautiful high-end aesthetic."

This philosophy is evident in the company's brand architecture. Décor by Fabrica emphasizes West Coast, elegant aesthetic with high-end Wiltons and some nylon and wool blend handloom products. Masland focuses on fashion with a handmade aesthetic. The brand has successfully launched products like Habitat, which offers an expansive color palette in animal prints—unusual in a market. DH Floors offers custom options at value price points.

The combination of technical capability, market accessibility, and comprehensive support creates a compelling opportunity for retailers to transform their carpet business from a commodity sale into a premium design service—all while maintaining competitive price points and healthy margins.

Watch the Video: Step into Color with The Dixie Group

The Dixie Group is making a bold strategic bet on color customization— positioning its unique dyeing capabilities as a key market differentiator across all price points. Photo: The Dixie Group

Karastan Reimagines Luxury for a New Generation

In an era where luxury is being redefined by sustainability, authenticity, and personalization, Karastan is transforming independent flooring showrooms with its Black Label collection.

The brand's most expansive launch in its 96-year history includes 43 introductions across 15 styles. The collection showcases premium wool constructions, including flat-wovens and hand-knotted designs, alongside innovative Kashmere and SmartStrand fibers.

"Our Karastan retail partners are deeply passionate about the brand and expect products with enduring designs and exceptional performance to help their customers create opulent destinations at home," said Jamie Welborn, senior vice president of product management, soft surface.

The new merchandising system, inspired by luxury retail brands like Louis Vuitton, elevates product presentation through dramatic lighting and thoughtful display. Available in full-wall and compact formats, it helps retailers create an immersive shopping experience regardless of showroom size.

Recognizing the importance of customization in today's market, Karastan has introduced a new digital portal that streamlines the custom rug design and ordering process for retailers. The system allows visualization of different sizes, shapes, and edge treatments, with options for attached pad or cut-to-size specifications.

The merchandising strategy includes cross-merchandising opportunities, with six new styles designed to pair with Karastan's BelleLuxe and LuxeCraft hard surface collections. This whole-home approach helps retailers maximize sales while meeting consumer demands for coordinated flooring solutions.

"A new generation of luxury consumers are attaching more status to quiet and considered interiors," explains Denise Silbert, vice president of marketing, soft surface and Builder + Multifamily. "Karastan Black Label broadens Karastan's appeal to this consumer segment and will allow our retail partners and designers to cater to those looking to buy less but better and investing in fewer yet higher-quality pieces."

The launch is supported by Karastan's seventh edition lookbook and national promotional events, including National Karastan Month. For independent flooring retailers, Black Label represents an opportunity to capture a growing market of luxury consumers who are bringing designer sensibilities to their homes while seeking products that reflect their values.

Through this strategic repositioning, Karastan isn't just updating its product line – it's helping specialty retailers adapt to evolving definitions of luxury, where craftsmanship, sustainability, and authenticity matter as much as style and status.

Watch the Video: TISE 2025 Karastan Black Label

The new Karastan display is modeled after high-end luxury fashion boutiques. Photo: Karastan