Chinese Wood Flooring Imports Hit With Tariffs

Buyers of engineered wood flooring that is imported from China will likely see a large price increase in the coming months.

U.S. manufacturers of wood flooring will receive some relief after the Commerce Department decided this week to impose steep countervailing duties on Chinese imports of the products.

The Department ruled that duties of up to 27 percent can be imposed on Chinese imports of the product to offset the illegal subsidies those companies receive from the government. In all, 127 companies will be affected.

The Commerce Department is also looking into illegal anti-dumping allegations against those same Chinese companies.

U.S. manufacturers Anderson Hardwood Floors, Award Hardwood Floors and Shaw Industries Group initiated the process and are asking for anti-dumping duties totaling 281 percent. The Commerce Department is expected to wrap up its review of those charges sometime later this year.

The domestic industry claims that the Chinese government has used a host of illegal tactics to boost the domestic industry. That has resulted in China gaining a larger U.S. market share, up to 47 percent last year from 43 percent the year before.

Hemphill’s Rugs & Carpets offers a variety of wood flooring options including imported engineered floors from Garrison, Provenza, Greenwood and others. In addition, the showroom offers wood floors made in the United States including Richard Marshall, Private Reserve and others.

HEMPHILL’S RUGS & CARPETS
230 EAST 17TH STREET
COSTA MESA, CA 92627
949-722-7224
www.RugsAndCarpets.com

Indoor Tailgate with Master Sommelier, Andrea Immer Robinson

Watch Master Sommelier, Andrea Immer Robinson, as she prepares the perfect food + wine combinations for entertaining any sporting event in your home!

HEMPHILL’S RUGS & CARPETS
230 EAST 17TH STREET
COSTA MESA, CA 92627
949-722-7224
www.RugsAndCarpets.com

Karastan: A Unique History & A Unique Future

Hemphill’s Rugs & Carpets is an authorized dealer of Karastan rugs and broadloom carpet. As a Premier Partner with the Wools of New Zealand, Hemphill’s offers all of the Karastan wool products at competitive prices and special promotions throughout the year that are not available to all Karastan dealers.

HEMPHILL’S RUGS & CARPETS
230 EAST 17TH STREET
COSTA MESA, CA 92627
www.RugsAndCarpets.com

HEMPHILL’S RUGS & CARPETS CELBRATES SPRING WITH “LIVE WELL WITH WOOL” PROMOTION

Costa Mesa, CA – March 16, 2011 Hemphill’s Rugs & Carpets is partnering with Wools of New Zealand in a “Live Well with Wool” promotion that awards the ultimate luxury—time for yourself.

From April 1 – May 15, customers purchasing Wools of New Zealand brand carpets or rugs from Hemphill’s Rugs & Carpets will be entered into a sweepstakes drawing to win a year’s worth of “Live Well” services. A choice of one or a combination of services is being awarded, including a Personal Chef, Massage Therapy, Spa Treatments and/or Professional Domestic Services.

Hemphill’s Rugs & Carpets and Wools of New Zealand will work with the winner to find a service provider they approve, or pay for one year of services from the winner’s existing provider.

“Our ‘Live Well with Wool’ promotion complements all the incredible features of wool, says owner Brett Hemphill. In addition to its exceptional beauty and softness, wool is a natural, non-allergenic fiber that works to improve the health and safety of a home by improving indoor air quality and preventing fires. Wool even keeps a home cooler in the summer by balancing humidity.

Hemphill’s Rugs & Carpets offers many leading lines that carry the Wools of New Zealand brand, including Karastan, Nourison, Stanton, Unique Carpets, Creative Accents, Woolshire, Godfrey Hirst, Masland, Fabrica, Radici, Hibernia, J. Mish, Robertex, Carousel, Kane, Design Materials, and others. Wool from New Zealand is the best fiber for carpets and rugs and the Wools of New Zealand brand certifies that the products have been made to the highest standards of quality and performance.”
In support of “Live Well with Wool”, a $1,000 donation will be made to “Dress for Success”, a non-profit organization that provides interview suits and career development help to low-income women in more than 75 cities worldwide.

More information on the “Live Well with Wool” promotion is available on www.LiveWellWithWool.com
Hemphill’s Rugs & Carpets is a Premier Partner that is distinguished by Wools of New Zealand as a “Showroom of Excellence.” It is one of an exclusive group of luxury showrooms in the U.S. that benefits from proprietary programs and products.

HEMPHILL’S RUGS & CARPETS
230 East 17th Street
949-722-7224
www.RugsAndCarpets.com

What The Heck Are V.O.C.’s?

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids and include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have adverse health effects. Concentrations of VOC’s are up to ten times more concentrated indoors than outdoors. They’re emitted by a wide array of products such as paints and lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials and furnishings, office equipment and adhesives. Organic chemicals are widely used in household products. Paints, varnishes and wax all contain organic solvents as do many cleaning, disinfecting, cosmetic, degreasing, and hobby products. Fuels are made up of organic chemicals and all of these products can release organic compounds when in use. Of the many products used as interior furnishings, Carpet is among the lowest emitters of Volatile Organic Compounds. And even that number dissipates as new carpet is exposed to routine maintenance and the environment.

As examples, some relative emissions are:
Paints 100.0
Adhesives 72.5
Wall Coverings 8.3
Wood 1.0
Carpet 0.5
(with paints rated 100)

So-called new carpet odor is usually caused by minute but very odorous quantities of a by-product of the latex used in the back, 4-PCH, which is not harmful and will dissipate with good ventilation within days.

Moth resist agents used on wool carpets are increasingly applied using low (or zero) effluent techniques and, once applied, are totally safe to humans and pets.

Because wool carpets soil less rapidly than man-made fibers, the reduced use of cleaning chemicals makes a positive contribution to the environment.

Sick Building Syndrome is not related to the type of pile fiber used in carpets.

Carpets are not implicated in Legionnaire’s Disease.

Did you know…Wool actually assists in stabilizing the relative humidity in buildings by absorbing or releasing moisture during periods of high or low atmospheric humidity?

There are several gases produced by the burning of fossil fuels and by emissions from certain building components that pollute the indoor air. Among these gases are nitrous oxides, sulphur dioxide and formaldehyde. Scientific studies have shown that wool fibers absorb these gases, thereby purifying the indoor air and improving the health and well-being of building occupants. Wool chemically reacts with these gases, neutralizing and binding them irreversibly in structure.

Natural fiber backings, as in those made from jute or cotton, have a similar beneficial effect.

Nylon fibers have a much more limited ability to absorb these gases, having a much slower rate of absorption and being unable to reduce the final concentrations to the very low levels achieved by wool.

Heating of wool carpets — as in by underfloor central heating — does not cause significant quantities of the gases to be reemitted into the atmosphere.

Feizy Fine Collection – Quality Beyond Compare

Hemphill’s Rugs & Carpets is proud of offer the Feizy Fine Collection of area rugs. The offerings range from Traditional to Contemporary and all are woven by master weavers in various parts of the world. The Harvard Collection is made of vegetable dyed wool. With their pale palettes and shorn antique piles, these Old World patterns have been given an updated look that coordinates effortlessly with the home furnishing trends of today.

Kooshlame is handknotted in Nepal. The luminous raised silk damask patterns sprawl against a shorter pile of Tibetan wool. These pieces work effortlessly into a variety of settings from transitional to contemporary. Custom size and colors are available through out Options program. The rich hues lend these timeless patterns a dramatic and elegant feel.

The Anchala collection is constructed of hand-spun New Zealand wool and art silk. Each piece requires fin hand knotting to mimic the intricate detailing of these traditional fabrics. Inspired by patterns found on antique saris, each design in this trend-setting collection adds elegance with exquisite palettes, a plush hand and lustrous highlights.

In all, there are 26 individual collections in the Feizy Fine Collection. We invite you to visit our showroom and see some these great examples. We have full size rugs on display along with corner samples from each collection.

HEMPHILL’S RUGS & CARPETS
230 EAST 17TH STREET
COSTA MESA, CA 92627
949-722-7224
www.RugsAndCarpets.com

Our showroom offers floor covering products from over 70 different resources. Trusted brands such as Karastan, Fabric, Safavieh, Ralph Lauren, Masland, Samad, Fabrica, Moda, Nourison, Stanton, Gangchen Carpets of Tibet, Fibreworks, Merida Meridian, Unique Carpets, Woolshire, Bellbridge, Radici, Carousel, Robertex, Kane, Godfrey Hirst, and more.

Seagrass Installed Carpet

Seagrass is one of our best selling wall to wall installed products. It is a versatile “green” fiber that is grown in salt water. Hemphill’s Rugs & Carpets has installed it in many homes plus a sorority house at the University of Southern California and several commercial projects in Orange County. Below are two photos of a beautiful home that we installed in Monterey, California. This home is spectacular with views of Monterey Bay all the way up to San Jose. For racing fans, it has a view (via telescope) of the famous Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway. The interiors are very well done and the craftsmanship is top notch.

See more photos of this beautiful home HERE. The home is currently available for sale. This home should be published in Architectural Digest or Traditional Home. It is that well done and special.