Suppliers and Quality

[lc]

Is anyone having issues with materials from suppliers ?

I have been receiving horrible quality  as far as felt and  terylene / fortell

The felt is thin and very grainy and the terylene is so thin and wrinkled I have to wrap cushions several times for fullness and I have to steam it to get to rid the wrinkles.

Peppy who do you use for suppliers ?

[gene]

I almost put a similar post on the other day. I got poly batting from Sunshine Foam that has a bunch of hard, solid fragments in it. I need to go over it and pick them out or they will be felt through the fabric. AND, there was cotton imbedded in some of it. How does that happen???

I got a roll of silk film that was wound with a major bump in the middle. I hope the bump isn't a mouse or someones' finger that got cut off and fell into the film while it was being wound. I'll post pictures if that's the case.

How about that gray decking with the Mfg.s name printed in red ink that showed through so it didn't matter what side you used, you had that showing. UGH!!!

I think everyone is struggling to keep profit margins. One way to do that is to lower the quality.

So, how's that 'change' working out for you?

gene

[sofadoc]

I got poly batting from Sunshine Foam that has a bunch of hard, solid fragments in it. I need to go over it and pick them out or they will be felt through the fabric. AND, there was cotton imbedded in some of it. How does that happen???

Gene: I get my batting off a local supply truck, but that US Foam place in Cincy sent me some nice samples of theirs. It's real soft, not like that "Brillo pad" stuff that some places sell. And a lot of places will stick you with the re-processed stuff that has the clumps in it.

[lc]

We could get on a roll with this one ..not only are the fabrics getting crappy the other supplies with  poor quality has us needing to use more in certain cases
..the felt padding is so gritty it shows through whites and it feels lumpy if your using thin fabrics and that grey whats worse as soon as you pick up a sizable piece to staple on it rips apart !
I agree on the decking .,that's a joke in itself ..can it get any thinner ?

Hey if there's a finger or a mouse in it maybe after you take the picture you can sue the company ...you'll be good for life ..hee hee

[kodydog]

Hey if there's a finger or a mouse in it maybe after you take the picture you can sue the company ...you'll be good for life ..hee hee

I think that only works with food. Of course with Gene you never know. Silk film stew anyone. yum  :D

[kodydog]

Sorry lc I wasn't familiar with the term terylen so I looked it up,

(Clothing, Personal Arts & Crafts / Textiles)™ a synthetic polyester fibre or fabric based on terephthalic acid, characterized by lightness and crease resistance and used for clothing, sheets, ropes, sails, etc. US name (trademark) Dacron

I'm guessing its the same as Dacron here in the south. And yes over the years my suppliers have sent me many different kinds. Recently had an issue with shrink wrapped. I would stuff the cushion and rub my hand across it and feel the "wrinkles" you talk about. Steam wouldn't help. I complained (and apparently others did to). They said their supplier shrunk it to fit more on the truck. They said they could get un-shrunk Dacron but the rolls would be smaller. For me quality is all important so I order the un-shrunk Dacron.

[Peppy]

Lc we get most of our stuff from J Ennis. Trident for some things. Yes almost everything across the board is getting shoddier IMO. Certainly foam has gone for a s*it the last few years. I heard the government got involved after it was found foam companies were price fixing. So they lowered the price and lowered the quality. How true that is I can't say. All I know is the foam is much worse now than a few years ago. I was squeezing seats at the boat show and it seems it's industry wide.

I guess terylene is a Canadian thing? Thats what we call it too. I thought it was a brand name, like kleenex, till I found an old tie labeled 100% terylene.

[lc]

Yes that's the stuff !!!  Dacron -some of my suppliers call it that and others Terylene or fortell..

I get a kick out of us on here having to learn each others terminology., sometimes it's like learning another language...
For instance those of you that do furniture I was taught the front of the sofas edge is called a'' front edge'' but when I worked in Windsor the place I had worked at called it the nosing '' I had a heck of a time getting my head around that one ..let alone my nose ...yeah you can all groan at that pun .
...I don't know if your getting what I mean in case you call it something different ( The front board that's covered under the cushion area

Peppy Triden has been falling behind on the good stuff .,we dealt with them since the early eighty's . The foam is so unpredictable every load that comes in is different ..and that's with ordering the same such as c 35 all the time.
I had just put an order through J Ennis today to give them a try to see if they're any better ..I was only ordering fabric before . I hope its a bit better

[sofadoc]

Recently had an issue with shrink wrapped. I would stuff the cushion and rub my hand across it and feel the "wrinkles" you talk about. Steam wouldn't help. I complained (and apparently others did to). They said their supplier shrunk it to fit more on the truck. They said they could get un-shrunk Dacron but the rolls would be smaller. For me quality is all important so I order the un-shrunk Dacron.

I've had suppliers tell me that if I cut it open as soon as it comes in, the wrinkles will come right out..........That's total BS!!
I only buy Dacron from a delivery truck that brings it in un-shrunk rolls.

For instance those of you that do furniture I was taught the front of the sofas edge is called a'' front edge'' but when I worked in Windsor the place I had worked at called it the nosing ''

...I don't know if your getting what I mean in case you call it something different ( The front board that's covered under the cushion area

I call it the front deck. I have a decorator that calls it the "riser".

[lc]

If you call it the front deck then what do you call the area directly under the cushions ?...I call that the deck area

[Mojo]

Elsie:

I was sourcing materials and fabric through three different companies and started getting into quality issues. I finally ended up going to sole sourcing everything through Miami Mike. At least now if I get something bad they will take care of it right away. Mike has been awesome looking after me. Most of the stuff they carry is high quality goods.

I may be able to get something cheaper elsewhere but I could never get the service like I do from Mike and Miami Corp. I sleep better at night knowing if I run into a problem they will step up and take care of it. I have screwed up a few times and they helped me right my ship for me.

I wanted the personal service and I have got it.

Chris

[lc]

Chris would they serve Ontario

[Mojo]

not sure.

Chris

[ahkahn]

We have been told that we have awesome dacron, it took us 4 years to custom develop it - and we have a very loyal following on it.  Give it a shot, you won't be disappointed. 

As for the cheapening of materials, many times the issue isn't with the distributor, but with the manufacturer.   The upholstery trade is often the "step-child" of the manufacturing world.  A great example of this is cotton.  Cotton many years ago was very high quality.  Today, the high quality cotton is used in the apparel world, and the upholstery world gets the leftovers.

-Andrew