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SHAW LIVING SETS THE STAGE FOR WOOL

Shaw Living offers a runner blanket sample for each of the five designs in its Structures Collection.

MARIETTA, GA, April 27, 2009—Shaw Living makes it easy for retailers to sell its high-end Wools of New Zealand Brand rugs with runner blankets and point-of-sale items that are effective, informative and visually appealing. These value-add selling tools support Shaw Living’s return to wool and set the stage for future expansion.

For several years, Shaw Living’s only wool line was its Nexus Collection. Though the line includes a beautiful selection of machine tufted, hand finished rugs; it has long left retailers clamoring for more. In January 2009, Shaw Living answered retailers’ pleas with news that it was getting back into wool. Two Wools of New Zealand Brand Collections were introduced—Arabesque and Structure—bringing Shaw Living’s total wool offering to 69 rugs in a full selection of shapes, sizes and textures.

Arabesque is a machine woven collection that is fashioned in today’s most popular colors. The rugs meld traditional and modern styling in captivating ways. Structure, a stunning collection of made-to-order rugs, incorporates variable pile heights of shags, cuts and loops together in one design. Within Structure are 5 contemporary styles in a total of 15 skus that Shaw Living is sampling in 12" x 8' runner blankets. The blankets beautifully showcase the range of colors available for only $100 each. Also new are laminated hang tags, which feature room scene photos, straight-on color shots and dry-erase pricing. These valuable sales tools are teamed with an exquisite new Structure brochure with extended feature of the top 20 Nexus styles. To top it off, the entire line of Wools of New Zealand Brand rugs have been added to Shaw Living’s “Big Book” catalogue, which are being delivered to retailers now.

“Our return to wool has been extremely well received,” says Kim Barta, brand manager for Shaw Living. “Within a short amount of time, we’ve impacted the market with high style, high quality products that quickly caught consumers’ attention. One of the keys to our success has been our partnership with Wools of New Zealand. We want our products to carry the Wools of New Zealand Brand because we know consumers recognize it as a symbol of excellence and sustainability. The added support of the Wools of New Zealand team continues to enhance our environmental efforts and strengthens our presence at retail.”

Shaw Living is a Brand and Technology partner of Wools of New Zealand. All products within its Nexus, Arabesque and Structures Collections have been tested and approved to carry the Wools of New Zealand Brand.

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About Shaw
Shaw Industries, Inc., a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., is the world’s largest carpet manufacturer and a leading floor covering provider with more than $5 billion in annual sales and approximately 29,000 associates. Headquartered in Dalton, Ga., the company manufactures and distributes carpeting, rugs, hardwood, laminate and ceramic tile for residential and commercial applications worldwide. A recognized leader in environmental stewardship, Shaw has implemented hundreds of sustainability initiatives and cradle to cradle design solutions, collectively termed the Shaw Green Edge. For more information, visit www.shawfloors.com

Wools of New Zealand
PO Box 172
Marble Hill, GA 30148
1-800-367-0462 / www.woolcarpet.com