POMPANO BEACH, FL—Valley Forge Fabrics, Inc. has launched WeaveUp, a technology solution that hosts artists worldwide and connects them directly to hospitality designers.
“Twenty years ago, branded hotels had major consistency. The guests really wanted that back then,” said Mikey Dobin, president of Valley Forge. “But, today, everybody wants a unique experience.” He noted that designers have adapted to this change, but the tools they use haven’t changed in 30 years.
Larry Traxler, SVP of global design for Hilton Worldwide, said that, with WeaveUp, “the global design community becomes the creative engine that drives a massive foundation of new fabric pattern choices. But, the best part is that WeaveUp allows anyone to easily change scale, color and pattern orientation in ways that create entirely new customized options limited only by the creativity of the user.”
Artists can upload patterns to the online platform (available on web and iOS devices), which can instantly be seen by interior designers. Designers can customize each pattern, altering the color, repeat, scale or cloth, and can choose to publish it publicly or pin it to a private board that only they —and those they invite—can see. “We’ve compressed the search and customization time for textiles from months to less than a minute,” said Dobin.
The online library defaults to an algorithm Valley Forge created that pushes relevant designs to the top. “We don’t choose what’s relevant,” said Dobin, noting that the online community, made up of artists and designers, does. Artists are paid a commission when products using their patterns are ordered. Dobin noted this is true even if the pattern has been altered so much that it isn’t easily recognizable to the original.
“I am very excited about the huge potential for Valley Forge’s WeaveUp platform, not only for what it can do to revolutionize the way that we select fabric, but also in how it can positively impact adjacent hospitality-based industries such as wallcovering and carpet design,” said Traxler. HB