Issue link: https://robertkaufmanfabrics.uberflip.com/i/401296
THE HISTORY OF KONA Kona ® Cotton Solids were rst introduced in 1984, as a solid version adjunct to an existing collection of Hawaiian print fabrics called Kona ® Prints, produced on the same quality basecloth. The original dozen colors included a primary palette, geared towards the sportswear customer of the mid-'80s, the target market for the fabric at the time. Robert Kaufman's foresight into the need for solid quilting cottons came at the urging of the New England sales representative, who insisted that quilters were enjoying Kona's signature weight in patchwork projects. The range then grew through several expansions over the years and was marketed speci cally for quilters. Harvey Kaufman, Robert Kaufman's youngest son, was in charge of sales at the time and remembers this development of targeting quilters with the Kona ® Cotton Solids range as marking a distinct shift in Robert Kaufman's history." It provided an entrée into the quilting world for us, when we were previously wholly focused on a customer base of apparel and accessory manufacturers." Today, Kona is not only the longest standing quilter's cotton solid, but also highly regarded as the preferred brand of quilters everywhere and asked for by name in quilt shops. Used and loved by quilters of all skill levels, from beginner to advanced, including quilting celebrities such as Gwen Marston, Jacqui Gering, Elizabeth Hartman, and Alissa Haight-Carlton, Kona ® Cotton Solids have served as the foundation for thousands of quilts over the years and have become a staple in the modern quilter's fabric stash. ABOUT THE FABRIC Kona Cotton is based on a standard cotton sheeting construction of 20 × 20 (20 singles) yarns and 60 × 60 thread count. However, this standard construction doesn't provide the weight or bulk that Kona ® is known for. To achieve this, extra yarn was added for a custom construction, which creates a higher thread count and adds to the overall bulk of the nished product. Kona ® Cotton will therefore weigh more than standard cotton sheeting. Renowned for its "beefy" hand, it adds desired structure to patchwork projects while still being a delight to sew through. Piece-dyed in lots using reactive dyes, Kona is processed and tested according to Oeko-Tex ® Standard 100, satisfying the requirements of its product class to be free and clear of harmful substances — the only solid in the market with such certi cation. For more info about this testing, visit WWW.OEKO-TEX.COM. Kona is also already the largest range of cotton solids at 271 SKUs, but with the introduction of 32 brand new colors this summer, the total soars to an unprecedented 303 colors — 66 more than its closest competitor. The 32 new colors being added to the already heavy Kona roster include: Astral, Ballerina, Bordeaux, Cabbage, Cobblestone, Corsage, Creamsicle, Dahlia, Geranium, Gold sh, Grasshopper, Grellow, Gumdrop, Heliotrope, Honeysuckle, Jamaica, Latte, Limelight, Limestone, Malibu, Mediterranean, Morning Glory, Nectarine, Niagara, Pickle, Parrot, Sangria, Scone, Terra Cotta, Titanium, Ultra Marine and Watermelon. These new colors will be available as precuts, including a 32-piece fat quarter bundle, 42-piece charm pack, 42-piece ten-square, 40-piece roll-up, and a 40-piece skinny strip roll. All precuts, excluding the fat quarter bundle, will include some duplicate colors.