StainMaster to Unveil New Logo at Surfaces

Atlanta, GA, January 13, 2006--The StainMaster brand, which revolutionized the industry with superior stain resistance for carpet when it was introduced in 1986, is getting a new logo that more accurately conveys its current brand image as a style and fashion leader in the marketplace. The logo will be unveiled to retailers at Surfaces 2006. “The StainMaster brand has approximately 90 percent consumer awareness and is showing more style and fashion than ever before as seen in the wide variety of styles available to retailers today,” states Alan Wolk, president, Invista Interiors. “When consumers think of our brand, they associate it first with durability and then fashion and style. Since we are the leaders in style and fashion as well as durability, we needed a logo that captured it all. Now that StainMaster products are available in other home furnishings such as area, accent, kitchen and bath rugs, resilient flooring, carpet cushion and furniture, our new logo gives an updated and sophisticated look to how the brand is represented in the marketplace.” For nearly 20 years, StainMaster carpet has provided consumers with superior stain-resistant flooring. StainMaster carpet revolutionized the industry by incorporating the technology making nylon carpeting resistant to stains. Today, the StainMaster brand continues to lead in consumer brand recognition, style and fashion, product development and innovative advertising and marketing initiatives. Invista leads the industry in fiber innovations and new carpet style introductions. The unique StainMaster carpet stain and soil protection technology keeps soil and liquids from attaching to carpet fibers and allows most food and beverage stains to be easily removed with cleaning. Additionally, StainMaster carpet ExtraBody fiber ensures luxury and thickness, and Tactesse nylon fiber makes carpets incredibly soft while maintaining durability. StainMaster resilient flooring offers the same qualities found in StainMaster carpet: durability, style and easy clean up. It is the perfect choice for kitchens, baths and laundry rooms and comes in dozens of styles and colors. Mannington began manufacturing StainMaster resilient flooring in October 2003. “More than 90 percent of our sales in upper-end goods are from consumers trading up to StainMaster brand products,” said David Sheehan, director of marketing, Mannington Resilient Products. “The StainMaster brand just means more to our consumer.” StainMaster area and bath rugs are a perfect accent for any area of the home. For the style-conscious consumer, StainMaster area rugs can be used as a focal point or accessory in any space. StainMaster bath rugs add easy care and elegance to the bathroom, featuring soft, luxurious fibers and backing that resists cracking, flaking or yellowing after repeated washings. The StainMaster brand now has been applied to a new line of furniture offered by Southern Furniture. StainMaster furniture made its debut at the International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, N.C., in October 2005. StainMaster furniture, which will be available in retail stores in spring 2006, features built-in resistance to stains, soil and abrasion and offers an advantage over after-market, topical stain-resistance treatments. " StainMaster furniture answers the consumer demand for beautiful, high-quality, easy-care products for home furnishings,” said Ana Torrence, vice president of home and hospitality for Invista. “We expect this new line of furniture to bring in an entirely new set of customers because of the strength of the StainMaster brand among consumers.” Market research conducted by Invista indicates that approximately 65 percent of consumers surveyed would consider purchasing furniture bearing the StainMaster brand if shopping today and more than 65 percent would be willing to pay a premium for StainMaster furniture.