To be called the International Casual Furnishings Association (ICFA), the new organization’s mission is to “create the demand for and promote the awareness of high quality casual furnishings worldwide.” Membership will be open to all key partners within the casual furnishings industry.

“The new association will allow for a more unified voice and provide an open forum for industry communication,” said Rory Rehmert in making the announcement last night during the annual Apollo Awards Dinner, the pinnacle event of the International Casual Furniture and Accessories Market.

“Our industry is at a crossroads, and it is imperative that we ask ourselves, ‘What makes specialty casual furniture retail special?’ We have to ask ourselves this question so we can better prepare our businesses for the future,” Rehmert told industry executives. The new ICFA will become the official sponsor of the International Casual Furniture and Accessories Market. ICFA also will sponsor the prestigious Design Excellence Awards, which recognize innovation and creative design in casual furniture products and accessories, as well as sponsor the Apollo Awards, which recognize retailing excellence. Additional information on the new association, its organizational structure and its leadership will be announced in the coming weeks.