This blog will be about the "institute" of Market,  more the business side of the fabric world. After a 3 year gap, Quilt Market 2022 was held in Houston again this last weekend of October. In future blogs I will share more thoughts about certain fabrics and designers. I have seen enough material to write blogs until next Market. But I can't pretend writing about the world of color, fabric and design without also writing about Market. This is how we get fabrics, how we see fabrics in shops, how all these great cottons come to all of us.

This year there was a clear joy of being all together again. Many people hadn't seen their colleagues, friends, designers for 3 years in person. "How is the family?", "You made it" and more remarks like that. Hugs, hand shakes, smiles.... That by itself made this Market a success. This is an amazing industry with many different talented people, who share a passion of creating, but like every other industry it had to deal with the pandemic. We lost some businesses and some beloved people. We can move forward again!

Market was back but we have to be realistic and admit we are a far cry away from where we were in 2019. I have seen Market the last 19 years and that perspective colors me. I believe many experienced shop owners and designers do have a reason to go to Market, but their reason is not the same one as newer shops have. In - the quite low - attendance were a lot of people who came to Market for the first time.  In 3 years many shops closed, but new ones also opened! Thank goodness! For all those "new" people, Market was for sure great. They are seeing a lot of new to them things and they have nothing to compare it with.  They are in the process of getting to know the fabric business and might have felt less overwhelmed this year.  It's nice to see their excitement, but I hope they realize that this market is no longer a representation of the entire industry. It's now so much harder for them to get their knowledge..

What are some of the differences? The main challenge is that Market has become so much smaller. It is 40%, maybe even a little bit more down in size. This year there were 14 isles (100 to 1400), but in 2019 and before isles went up to 2200-2600.
Many fabric companies were absent and I think their common reason is "money can get spent only once and we believe we can spend it elsewhere better". Elsewhere is not an in person place. Houston still is the biggest in person gathering of the quilting world. Elsewhere is communcating with shops through websites, social media, sales reps, fancy and colorful booklets that consume a lot of the marketing budget.

Many shops stayed away as well. They didn't find enough reason to attend and this is kind of a chicken/egg problem. Shops don't attend in the same numbers because they know many companies are staying away and they think they can get the info otherwise, at least for a much lower price. Many companies are staying away because they don't think attendance justifies the cost. Market is indeed expensive for everyone and this money has to come from  somewhere.

Shops and manufacturers have found these alternatives to communicate. That may work well for companies, shops are missing one very important point that way: The Bigger Picture. Nothing beats being able to wander at Market and look at everything. A visual, touch and see. Trends, big lines, use of certain colors is really hard to see when you get an email from company A on Monday, a booklet from B on Wednesday and an instagram post from company C the next morning.  All this information comes to shop owners when they are in their daily environment, busy doing their things. It's hard to make time for that new piece of information. Viewing everything together in one place away from the daily environment helps determining much better what a shop could use, especially for newer shops. In the short run, a fabric company may feel good about a sales rep who was able to push some orders. In the long run that may not be the best strategy.. At Market, the level of information is much higher than anywhere  else.  The presence of higher management in companies, in person talks with designers, encounters with other shop owners, samples of all collections.... all this makes the fabric business alive like nothing else can do. It easily beats all the other resources that came to our toolbox during Covid.  Attending Market makes much better informed decisions and that is crucial for the success of any business. This is also the case for most more experienced shops as they too have to find the best of the best each and every time again. No, they don't need to learn at the same level as new shops, but there is always more to learn. A little unknown vendor can become the biggest star in a few years.... Birgitte Heitland was once one of them, Edyta Sitar was unknown at her first market, Carolyn Friedlander was doing modern patterns before modern knew anything about "slow sewing"... and many more. I have seen these giants of the industry as little kids, taking their first steps. This market too had truly new vendors who came for the first time. They keep the industry fresh and they have limited sources to reach a new audience! I've always considered  it my job to especially look for these...the unknown...critical of what is the best and not just following automatic patterns. My customers, my business,  expected me to find the best and I know that changes all the times. This challenge is actually one of the things I loved most!

Fabric companies also need to learn continuously. They learn from each other, they learn from every interaction with shops. They should! What can we do better? What is working for your shop? Any ideas? What would you like to see? I thought we could have seen much more of that by many. Not all! Manufacturers and shops not attending Market or attending Market with a passive mindset are locking themselves up in a bubble.... and we know what happens to bubbles...  one of these years they burst and then you wonder what happened. I don't mean to say that businesses need to attend Market all the time to be successful. A fabric company can stay away for very good reasons and, as said, I know Market is expensive. I know other things happen in life during Market days that are more important that year. But there should be a way where you can look and be looked at by people who are in the same industry, just to make you stronger. Market gives everyone a pause to look at what they are doing or not doing. It's self reflective and oh my that check-up is so healthy from time to time!

Many fabric companies stayed away and were missed, but even more evident is the very low presence of pattern companies. It has become unaffordable for most pattern designers to have a booth, spending nights in a hotel, consuming expensive food and still make a living. That has always been hard, but that has become nearly impossible. Patterns are still being created but the sales are going less and less through quilt shops. Instead of being printed,  more and more patterns reach consumers in pdf form directly from the designer. 

Another reason why Market was so much smaller is because the companies are using much less space. Almost all companies have shrunk their presence to a bare minimum. To save costs. Booths are packed with flyers, booklets, catalogs and people, but there is less and less space to see something pretty.  Again, some companies did a fantastic job, but too many have decreased their booth size to a size that is no longer doing them any justice.

What was the reason for many shops to come to Market? To see things. To get inspired, motivated. It has become much less of a "show". If the booths are so small that there is no room to SHOW fabrics and quilts, if manufacturers refer their shops to their websites, instagram and salesreps.... yes then there is indeed no reason to come to Market. This kind of presence doesn't add very much to Market, which was always the place to tickle shop owners, show them your bestest best. Many companies failed here.  Many companies didn't look inviting at all... and gave those who passed very little reason to stop and start a discussion. Again, not all: some companies were just excellent in their presentation and made great use of their space. I'm sure they all had a good or even better than good show.
If brick and mortar shops would do such a minimal presentation and refer their customers to websites, they would not be in existence for long. They need to make attractive displays and are also very often dealing with limited space. Samples sell! Why would this be different for manufacturers?

Market used to have a a little contest about the best booth. Some companies won so often and built great reputations with their fabulous displays.  Booths, fully decorated, were fun places, brought smiles to your face.  Who wouldn't want to bring that joy to their shop? The contest doesn't even exist any longer. Why is the industry letting things become so sloppy? Aren't we creative people?

On a side note: I think that at this market Tilda's new collection Bloomsville was one of the best. They had a lovely presentation with multiple strong quilts. Super group! However I can't share pictures as it was forbidden to take photographs before the official release date. That was a first time. This company feels a need to protect its fabric. Interesting....many other companies and shops are dealing with the problems of pre-selling collections long before they come out!

This market was great because it was held. A personal meeting point with "some" beautiful finds. Some really strong collections were not in Houston and I doubt they get the exposure they deserve. So much work in creating something great...it's almost a pity how it is being treated. I talked to a very famous designer who is linked to a company that wasn't there. She always had her own booth close to the main booth of her company.. Now she was almost like a lost soul because her company wasn't there.  Her work wasn't there either....
Long before Covid there was already a discussion about the goal of Market, its effectiveness as it is so expensive to attend for everyone. Do we really need 2 Markets each year? A Spring (anywhere) and Fall (Houston)? This Market gave that answer: no we don't and if we can't agree on a goal for Fall Market, maybe we should meet in a pub or go to a restaurant together to see each other in person. This Market is acceptable because it was the first after the pandemic. Next year, it won't be a first and the bar must be higher again. I hope.

The last words are not spoken about Market. It will remain a hot topic of the collective industry and individual businesses  I heard the word "collaboration" many times. Nobody can do it all alone. No business is a silo. Engagement with the customer, is the goal of every business and every business has so many tools in its toolbox, they can't do it alone. Support is available and I am thrilled where I can help and give back in my little way to this industry that has been so good to me.... I brainstormed with so many old friends, got introduced to some super professionals I had never even heard of, chatted with brand-new business owners about things to consider.  I also sat at a table for lunch with a delightful couple thinking about starting a business. With them I had a discussion about the difference between Texas, Las Vegas and Los Angeles "bling". Now this encounter was so much fun: only at Market!