Our Public and Our Press:

March 1, 1988

Dear Acorn Homeowner:

We are enclosing information on an attractive movable window covering called "Sailshade," which we have found useful for making spaces near glazing snug on winter nights. We have included Sailshades in our model homes for a number of reasons, some of which may also interest you:

• The insulation value effectively reduces night–time heat loss and makes spaces with large glass areas feel more comfortable.
  
• The wide choice of decorator fabrics^*and neat appearance in both open and closed positions is consistant with the aesthetics of our homes.

Although many dealers and interior decorators include Sailshade in their product line, Acorn homeowners have the opportunity to order direct from manufacturer and therefore have personalized design service and a decorator–quality product....

Westport—Susan Mohl Powers, a 23 year resident of Westport, announced the recent filing of a patent application that cuts the manufacturing costs of her invention in half.

Invented and developed in Westport, Sailshades have had quite a journey. Ms. Powers credits Westport architect William J. Underwood with being the catalyst.

She said, "He came to me with a project 18 years ago, and I ran with it. Or maybe I should say walked with it. My husband might say crawled, since most Sailshades have been made on the floor."

A 1966 graduate of Mount Holyoke College, with a lot of coursework in astronomy and physics, and an M.F.A. graduate of U.Mass–Dartmouth in Visual Design, Ms. Powers came tothe project as an artist, not as someone who knew what a conventional shade was supposed to be.

Within a year, the trademark name Sailshade was adopted, now a registered trademark.

In the early years it may have seemed at times like reinventing the wheel, using pins, when sailmakers in later collaborations solved the problem using long–armed staplers.

In fact, sailmaking technology came to be a bigger and bigger part of the manufacturing process with lift–the–dot snaps, sail quality pulleys and heavy–weight dacron thread and fabrics becoming part of the product.

This sailmaking connection combined with the hoisting of them—very much like sails—Sailshade became the perfect name.

"For three years, Sailshade had its home in the long–ago hardware store and now private residence across from the Santos farm on Main Rd. At the time, there was no water there and I carried at least 40 cranberry juice gallons of water over and lifted up the oil off the floor with Spic 'n Span, squeezing a rag with my hands.

That week someone in Boston wanted an entire house full of white canvas Sailshades. I remember thinking it best to sit on my hands during the interview."

Sailshades have been available through the architect network on a limited scale and are usually made by Powers personally, "like a moving sculpture, " she said.

Endorsed by Acorn Structures for 14 years, Sailshades have been on display in their model homes.

Ms. Powers' patent pending idea cuts labor costs without sacrificing the quality of the product. The idea was developed for mass prodution by Joseph Gaspar, V.P. of Operations at Tradewinds Home Concepts.

A much broader base is now possible.

Susan is very positive. She said, "It is a wonderful thing that Tradewinds is able to maintain the integrity of my design while achieving volume capacity.

Joe was able to do what Taiwan manufacturers I consulted couldn't do." She added with a smile, "And he's in the next building."

Sailshades are unique. Ms. Powers notes, "Home decorating and architect magazines rarely show a Roman shade in the "up" position. They are not attractive." Sailshade's nesting position is beautiful. It forms a "self–creating" valance."

The bundling design also protects the face fabric from sunlight exposure and therefore fading. There is a simple but effective operating system and the shade is easily removed for cleaning.

Sailshade's unique design makes it an extremely attractive and cost–effective alternative that maximizes solar gain. A 92–inch high sliding glass door shade is so compact that when raised it is completely off the glass.

There is immediate comfort as well. State–of–the–art Low-e insulation is built into the shade. "When lowered at night, on a cold winter evening, it is almost as good as having a wall where the window used to be," Ms. Powers believes. "Then pulling up the shade when the sun comes out, none of the glass is covered."

Inside mount Sailshades cover some of the glass, but are very tight and cozy. They can be snapped off in the summer.

Verticles Etc. at 2176 Acushnet Ave. announces as of this week that the roman shade Sailshade has become part of a wide selection of window treatments already being offered.