Two made-in-Minnesota brands are getting cozy for the holiday season.
Target and Faribault Woolen Mill are cobranding an exclusive line of limited edition bags, scarves, throws and smartphone sleeves available starting Sunday at Target.com.
The 100 percent wool collection in muted colors ranges from $13 to $80. Bruce Bildsten, chief marketing officer at Faribault, said the classic modern designs are timeless.
"We trusted Target because they prove again and again that they can collaborate with brands and bring out the best in them," Bildsten said.
Target tested a throw of FariÂbault's in two Twin Cities stores in 2011 before committing to the fuller line. "People have reacted very positively to the quality and style of Faribault's products," Kate Lohmuller Decker, a Target spokeswoman, said.
The collection of 10 items in 30 variations is woven in the Faribault mill, with some additional sewing done in Minneapolis.
"It was very important to us that everything be made in Minnesota, and Target respected that," Bildsten said. Faribault's own designer collaborated with a Target designer to create the collection.
Lohmuller Decker didn't comment on how well the line will sell nationwide, since Faribault's products don't have wide big-box distribution.
Several other retailers, including Nordstrom, J. Crew, Rag & Bone, Club Monaco and Garnet Hill, have successfully collaborated with Faribault using products made specifically for them. The woolen mill prefers exclusives when partnering to honor the longtime relationships with smaller retailers selling their standard line.
Bildsten expects the Target exclusive to sell well outside of Minnesota, especially in New York, California and Oregon.
Faribault's throws, which normally top $200 in high-end stores, are made differently for the discounter. Target's weave may be simpler than the dense, complex weaves on higher-priced throws, but the Target items still feel great even without merino wool, Bildsten said.
Nearly all of the designs chosen by Target are exclusive. One exception is the Cannon Stripe, a design Faribault had retired and that was named after the Cannon River. That design will be on an oblong scarf and weekend bag.
The collection is being sold online only as Target tries to distinguish its website, and drive traffic to it, with exclusive and innovative offerings. It is expected to be available until the end of the year or until supplies are depleted.
John Ewoldt • 612-673-7633
