News & event - Satin Textiles raise the Thai Flag at Brussel Fair

The Thai flag flew high and proudly over the spectacular Exhibition complex (former site of the world's first international expo held in 1958) at the recently-held 25th Global Decosit Fabric Trade Fair, held at Brussels earlier this month. Khun Schle Wood-Thanan, Managing Director of >Thailand's Satin Textiles Company, had very good cause to celebrate. As in previous years of the ongoing trade fair, Schle's company, the ONLY Thai representation among 370 exhibitors from 20 countries which participated this year, won the first nomination in the "Decosit Fabrics Award".

It was hardly by chance. Satin Textiles' success in 2003, marks the third successive occasion to take the honours in one or another of the categories in this highly-competitive and prestigous event, which brings together the leaders of the world's furnishing and fabrics manufacturers. Satin Textiles won the "Decosit Trends Award" in 2001 and again in 2002.

No wonder that the very attractive Thai stand at Decosit was totally packed with clients,

visitors and the just-plain "curious". Even as the huge consignment of some two tonnes of fabrics , furnishings and eqipment was being opened and assembled, the Thai booth was over-flowing with people. Situated on a corner of the expansive Hall Seven of the Fair, Satin Textiles became, literally, "check-point Charlie" (for those who can remember the hyper-busy entrance-exit to Eastern Germany in the Cold War days), as crowds surged in one entrance and out the other, many clutching order sheets.

The winning nomination, according to the team of judges, was "Awarded for a fur-like, silver lurex shiny fabric, with lustre and matte finish interwoven." The judges panel was most impressed that the irridescent sections of the fabric were supple and not rigid, as would be expected in such a textile.

The break-down of the exhibits at the fair, which was attended by some 14,000 visitors from 100 countries around the world, showed again a varied and large range of upholstery fabrics: 4% Terry, 15 % pile, 27 % flat woven fabrics plain, 30 % Jacquard, 18 % printed fabrics and 6% leather and simulated products.

Decosit focuses on both the residential and contract business, with three quarters of the exhibitors aiming at both sectors, a quarter solely on the residential market and the rest specifically on contract business.

The Satin Textiles Company has specialized in the production and export of home furnishings since 1986, when the operation was a small weaving mill in the Pra-Padaeng District of Samutprakarn, on the outskirts of Bangkok.

When Khun Schle took the helm (he is an accomplished sailing helmsman as well), as a first priority, the Company aimed at Research and Development to improve its design and production technology, and invested in its principal resource - people.

Now, almost two decades later. Satin Textiles operates an ultra-modern facility near Ratchaburi, utilizing state-of-the-art technology, to produce textiles from special yarn preparations to Jacquard weaving, with unique dyeing and finishing processes, as well as sewing units for home production.

The Company exemplifies quality and service, concentrating also on environmentally-friendly manufacturing, aiming at the principal markets in Europe, USA, Australia and Asian countries which comprise some 80% of exports. Thailand is also a consumer market for Satin Textiles.

In keeping with the Company's innovative philosophies, emphasizing Thai Arts and Crafts, a "Hand-spun yarn" project was started in the remote villages in the north-east of Thailand in April, 2001.

After a series of machine modifications and improvements, Satin Textiles has successfully developed a small practical hand-spun machine for the villagers to process a most "cost effective" hand-spun yarn for industrial use. New fabrics from this project were very well accepted at the "International Home Textiles Fair", in Switzerland in May, this year.

Satin Textiles has now entered the retail market, through the medium of its unique products under the brand "Pasaya" , prominently displayed at the Pasaya Textile Gallery recently opened on the top floor of Gaysorn Plaza. This is the new trade-mark for both fashion fabrics and home textile items.

Thus, the Satin Textiles Company, as evidenced by the ongoing award-winning performances at Brussels, is now well-established as a leader in home fashions, competing on the world stage with the established industry "giants", Austria, France, Spain, Turkey and the USA, to mention some of the top 'players'.