Whitemeadow are delighted to announce that they have been awarded membership of the 'FIRA Compliance Scheme'. The Furniture Industry Research Association's 'Compliance Scheme for the Fire Performance of Upholstered Furniture' aims to offer reassurance that a manufacturer, retailer, upholster or supplier of upholstered furniture has suitable processes and procedures in place to demonstrate due diligence compliance with the UK's Furniture & Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations (FFFSR).

Commercial Director Andy Kitchen said "The scheme has been awarded ‘Assured Advice’ status by Hertfordshire Trading Standards and any ‘Assured Advice’ given as part of the scheme may be relied upon in the event of a difference in interpretation of the FFFSR by any UK enforcement bodies. Certified companies will, on satisfactory completion of the Scheme audit, become part of a ‘regulated group’ of businesses who will benefit from the provision of tailored advice in relation to the UK FFFSR’s for upholstered furniture which are enforced by Trading Standards.

On 30^th January this year, we undertook the audit. The audit covered process management, control of materials, traceability, compliance testing, labelling and crisis management. I am very pleased to say that we met the criteria in all areas, and were duly awarded our certificate of membership, as a ‘Certified Company’ on 22^nd February.

I am sure that this accreditation will be warmly received by our current, and any potential new customers, giving us the credibility that comes from being certified under an Industry and Trading Standards recognised scheme. The certificate was presented to us (received by Quality Manager Andy Pinder) by Phil Reynolds, General Manager at FIRA.

January got off to a big and busy start for all at Whitemeadow with the January Furniture Show 2019. With visitor registration up 50% on last year, we made sure we had the products, fabrics and people out on the stands to impress. And we didn’t disappoint!

We took several new ranges to the show- all received with interest and enthusiasm from customers old and new. And our new fabric stories were greeted with delight as many customers chose to mix up their in-store offering by ordering models in new fabrics and colourways.

Whilst there, we took the opportunity to browse all five halls to see if we could spot any clear interior trends for the next twelve months. We were pleased to note that most of these were present on both the Whitemeadow Upholstery and Bed stands.

Monochrome

Monochrome is set to make a come back in 2019 as we noted a slight move-away from the greys that have dominated the last few years. But if being bold is not your thing, you can still use the palette on scatter cushions and stools. We have now launched a brand-new hanger, aptly called Black and White, that can be used on both scatters and accent pieces. The new Luca model, below, is presented in new Flair Charcoal with a number of scatters and George footstools in fabrics from  the new Black and White hanger.

Texture

Soft furnishings in a selection of textures can make a big impact when displayed together. We noticed lots of velvets, wools and textiles with movement across the show, indicating this will be a big trend in interiors for this year. On our own stand, we have introduced a number of new boucle co-ordinating and body fabrics. The Como model, below, is presented in brand new fabrics Gio Cream with Herdwick Taupe and Latte scatters.

Feminine Tones

Florals and feminine tones were another trend that we noticed at this year’s show. Although pastels have been popular in recent years, 2019 looks set to be the year that greys and neutrals are broken up with blush, dusty pink tones and delicate floral prints across the home. We interpreted this on the Whitemeadow upholstery stand using our brand-new Tivoli model (below). Presented in new fabric, Ashcroft, Blush and new scatter fabrics from our new Topanga hanger.

Rust and Bronze

Edgier than the feminine tones mentioned above, we predict rust and bronze tones will be more noticeable in homes this year. Perhaps influenced by Pantone’s Colour of the Year for 2019, Living Coral, these earth-tones evoke vitality and buoyancy. Again, this palette can be introduced in subtle ways such as scatters and accent pieces. Launched at the show, our new co-ordinate range, Spectrum, was featured on the scatters on the Capri in Prisma Spice. Hints of burnt orange also come through on the body fabric, Piero, Hedgerow.

To watch highlights from the show, please click here, or for more information on any of the above ranges or fabrics, please contact your Sales Manager or email Enquiries@whitemeadow.com

Whitemeadow are delighted to announce that it has been awarded the ‘Excellence in Manufacturing’ award at the 10^th annual Chad Business Awards.

The award recognises Whitemeadow’s modern, efficient and innovative approach to manufacturing. In order to win the award, Whitemeadow had to demonstrate its commitment to the excellence and development of its products, provide evidence of its training and passing on skills to future generations in the industry and how they promote the region as a centre for manufacturing excellence.

Chad group editor Phil Bramley said: “It was a brilliant night, with some very deserving winners. It was inspiring to see the support which exists within our business community. The Chad’s business awards are one of Mansfield’s highest profile awards, winning one of the awards says a lot about the quality of your organisation and the strength of your team. Our awards attract a wide range of entries from across all sectors from both small and larger organisations. But the winners all have one thing in common – they are truly excellent at what they do and have proved this by winning a Chad Award. We want to help you raise the profile of your organisation and enhance its reputation by promoting the great work you are doing while at the same time providing you with a platform to celebrate your success”.

Ian Oscroft, Managing Director at Whitemeadow commented, “It was great for Whitemeadow to enter the Chad Business Awards and to participate in promoting the Ashfield and Mansfield Business Sector, given that we are now such a large employer within the area. The evening was most enjoyable, and it was good to see so many promising businesses are located around the community. It was a sweet moment therefore, when Whitemeadow were named winner of the “Excellence in Manufacturing” award which gives further recognition to both the business and those that work within it. Many thanks to all of our employees for their contribution to the business, it is their efforts that have won this award”.