Originally printed in the October 2017 issue of Home Textiles Today

Market research by PBM Strategic Insights showed that the bath rugs and bath accessories industry maintained its usual lowpulse growth in 2016. U.S. retail sales in rugs and accessories reached $2.345 billion last year, up 0.6% from 2015. Bath/scatter rugs accounted for 54% of the sales in this product grouping, followed by shower curtains at 28% and bath accessories/ tank sets at 18%. These shares of the business were unchanged from 2015. The research also found that discount department stores/supercenters remained far and away the dominant retail channel for these products, with $1.225 billion in sales. Second with $705 million in sales was specialty stores. 

The largest growth by any channel came from direct-to-consumer at 3.3%, but with just $72 million in sales, this channel still has a way to go before exerting any impact on the category. When manufacturers of bath rugs, shower curtains and bath accessories assess their business in 2016, the results are a mixed bag. For vendors like Avanti, the picture from last year glowed brightly. “Our total bath business was up 10%, driven largely by shower curtains, rugs and coordinate towels,” said Jeff Kaufman, the company’s president and coo. “The hard accessories were up 3% and the soft categories were up 15%.”

About the data

Home Textile Today’s Bath Accessories/Rugs Database report reveals 2015 and 2016 market share product data through key distribution channels. All retail sales figures are estimates and are for the U.S. only. All figures are rounded.

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