Indoor Goes Outdoor: Color and Design Make a Splash on the Deck of Outdoor Fabrics
December 12, 2005
BRIARCLIFF MANOR, New York — "Indoor is going outdoors," said Tom Siblo, head of outdoor fabric for P/Kaufmann. "I think the statement is 'outdoors is moving indoors,'" said Allen Barwick, president of Shuford Mills, LLC, creators of Outdura™.
Now boys, please don't argue, because guess what? You're both right.
Both buyers and sellers of outdoor fabrics are seeing a huge surge in color, feel and style – elements that were previously non-existent in a world where durability, utility and function reigned supreme.
Whichever way you put it, the statement is clear – that fabric design previously found at a dining room table can now be found out on the pool deck or in a sun room, only adding to the durability that outdoor fabrics are known for.
And since outdoor fabrics are now displaying a style that would also work well inside the home, many people are moving them into their high traffic rooms that can only benefit from the durability of an outdoor fabric.
"It's design that sells, not the durability," Siblo said. He said the "time-lap" between indoor and outdoor trends has shortened from one to two years, down to six months.
Siblo said the outdoor market was a natural fit for P/Kaufmann -- who entered the arena in 2001 -- because the company has its own print mill, located in Bennettsville, North Carolina.
"Most definitely the coloration and styling effort has resulted in much livelier designs as evidenced at the Casual Furniture Show last month (September, 2005) in Chicago. These same designs are well received by our residential accounts and I am really looking forward to positive reviews we anticipate will come from the introduction of our 2007 line," Barwick said of Outdura™.
So what defines an outdoor fabric? "The only constant is resistance to fading," said Roger Berkley, president of Weave Corporation, creators of Weatherwize®.
"Fabrics sold for use outdoors must be able to withstand sunlight. Weatherwize and some of the acrylics offer three year limited warranties against fading. Additionally, these fabrics must be easy to clean. Weatherwize and some of the acrylics can be cleaned with warm water and detergent."
According to Berkley, he sees the market divided into two subsets:
"There are those fabrics that are basic and utilitarian, meant to be used as boat covers, canopies and down market outdoor furniture. The second subset, which includes Weatherwize, are those fabrics with the design and color sophistication to be used indoors and the performance characteristics to be used outdoors too. This subset finds its way into the collections of editors in the form of custom designed and color patterns, the offerings of patio and deck furniture makers, up market fabric retail stores. These customers cater to those who believe that fine design doesn't stop at the walls of their homes."
"I think that people are learning more and more about interior design and they are more and more interested in decorating all of their space, not just the inside," he said.
"Because their outside space -- their decks, their patios, sunrooms -- are all spaces they want to carry through with their concept of design. The increasing interest in this category of product is a result of that desire," he said. "People want fabrics that perform but fabrics that reflect their own design sensibilities. They don't want a sophisticated, elegant look in their homes to be combined with a cheap, low-end, sloppy look in their outdoor living spaces."
"Weatherwize competes with the sophisticated fashion forward product that is being offered in the sample books of the top editeurs. Everybody's doing them. Kravet has a collection, Duralee has a collection."
"It appeals to people who want that more sophisticated design possibility," according to Berkley. "One of the most important attributes of a fabric with outdoor performance features is that it should look and feel like an indoor fabric," said Irwin Gasner, Wearbest CEO. Wearbest Sil-Tex Mills is the creator of Bella-Dura™ performance fabric.
"With Bella-Dura we have achieved a fantastic hand that makes it feel like a cotton. So one wouldn't even know that it's quote, 'an outdoor fabric.' When you see it you want it in your living room," Gasner said.
Robert Allen, Wearbest's lead customer of Bella-Dura™, is introducing the line.
"It's amazing how many competitors have entered the outdoor business," said Arthur Friedman, vice president of commercial accounts for Robert Allen The mounting competition demands innovation in this category, he said.
As a woven jacquard, Bella-Dura™ meets or exceeds 1,500 hours of light fastness and can withstand a minimum of 50,000+ double rubs.
It was previewed at HD Boutique in Miami in September with quite a favorable reaction, Friedman said.
Geared for contract/hospitality applications, it is antimicrobial and bleach cleanable. "And since we're in the fashion industry, it has a color palette that has been heralded by all that have seen it as the freshest, most exciting color palette of any of the fabrics in the market place," Gasner said.
Another major player is Shuford Mills' Outdura™ line, sold directly to the casual furniture trade. "Our 2007 line is ready for October introduction to our accounts. This is the most extensive introduction of new colors and styles since we entered the furniture fabric market several years ago," Barwick said.
According to Barwick, another emerging trend is a demand for weaves over acrylics, due to their light fastness abilities.
"Resistance to fade in sunlight has been an important ingredient to the success of Outdura™ as styling has moved from the patio and poolside locations to the sunroom and now on into the family room. Resistance to stains and ease of cleaning is equally important for the residential application. That's why we have continued to invest in new fresh dobby and jacquard weaves for 2006 and 2007."
Weave will move deeper into customization with Weatherwize in the future, offering special patterns on special fabrics with low minimums that will allow editeurs to pull together collections that are unique to them, Berkley said.
"And retailers and manufacturers will have the ability to make available sophisticated design in a performance fabric that works both indoors and outdoors, that is really not available to them because this level of product has only been available through editeurs," he said.
Weatherwize is also offered to furniture manufacturers and better retailers with a "fabric by the yard" system.
"Unlike any of the acrylics, Weatherwize can be made flame retardant. Additionally, we can do intricate pattern work because we aren't limited as to the sizes of the yarns that we can use – which is one of the limitations on the acrylics. So there are more design possibilities."
Weatherwize is also more resistant to pilling than acrylics. Large runs of individual colors are also not necessary as they are with solution dyed acrylic, so more color versatility is available.
Now boys, please don't argue, because guess what? You're both right.
Both buyers and sellers of outdoor fabrics are seeing a huge surge in color, feel and style – elements that were previously non-existent in a world where durability, utility and function reigned supreme.
Whichever way you put it, the statement is clear – that fabric design previously found at a dining room table can now be found out on the pool deck or in a sun room, only adding to the durability that outdoor fabrics are known for.
And since outdoor fabrics are now displaying a style that would also work well inside the home, many people are moving them into their high traffic rooms that can only benefit from the durability of an outdoor fabric.
"It's design that sells, not the durability," Siblo said. He said the "time-lap" between indoor and outdoor trends has shortened from one to two years, down to six months.
Siblo said the outdoor market was a natural fit for P/Kaufmann -- who entered the arena in 2001 -- because the company has its own print mill, located in Bennettsville, North Carolina.
"Most definitely the coloration and styling effort has resulted in much livelier designs as evidenced at the Casual Furniture Show last month (September, 2005) in Chicago. These same designs are well received by our residential accounts and I am really looking forward to positive reviews we anticipate will come from the introduction of our 2007 line," Barwick said of Outdura™.
So what defines an outdoor fabric? "The only constant is resistance to fading," said Roger Berkley, president of Weave Corporation, creators of Weatherwize®.
"Fabrics sold for use outdoors must be able to withstand sunlight. Weatherwize and some of the acrylics offer three year limited warranties against fading. Additionally, these fabrics must be easy to clean. Weatherwize and some of the acrylics can be cleaned with warm water and detergent."
According to Berkley, he sees the market divided into two subsets:
"There are those fabrics that are basic and utilitarian, meant to be used as boat covers, canopies and down market outdoor furniture. The second subset, which includes Weatherwize, are those fabrics with the design and color sophistication to be used indoors and the performance characteristics to be used outdoors too. This subset finds its way into the collections of editors in the form of custom designed and color patterns, the offerings of patio and deck furniture makers, up market fabric retail stores. These customers cater to those who believe that fine design doesn't stop at the walls of their homes."
"I think that people are learning more and more about interior design and they are more and more interested in decorating all of their space, not just the inside," he said.
"Because their outside space -- their decks, their patios, sunrooms -- are all spaces they want to carry through with their concept of design. The increasing interest in this category of product is a result of that desire," he said. "People want fabrics that perform but fabrics that reflect their own design sensibilities. They don't want a sophisticated, elegant look in their homes to be combined with a cheap, low-end, sloppy look in their outdoor living spaces."
"Weatherwize competes with the sophisticated fashion forward product that is being offered in the sample books of the top editeurs. Everybody's doing them. Kravet has a collection, Duralee has a collection."
"It appeals to people who want that more sophisticated design possibility," according to Berkley. "One of the most important attributes of a fabric with outdoor performance features is that it should look and feel like an indoor fabric," said Irwin Gasner, Wearbest CEO. Wearbest Sil-Tex Mills is the creator of Bella-Dura™ performance fabric.
"With Bella-Dura we have achieved a fantastic hand that makes it feel like a cotton. So one wouldn't even know that it's quote, 'an outdoor fabric.' When you see it you want it in your living room," Gasner said.
Robert Allen, Wearbest's lead customer of Bella-Dura™, is introducing the line.
"It's amazing how many competitors have entered the outdoor business," said Arthur Friedman, vice president of commercial accounts for Robert Allen The mounting competition demands innovation in this category, he said.
As a woven jacquard, Bella-Dura™ meets or exceeds 1,500 hours of light fastness and can withstand a minimum of 50,000+ double rubs.
It was previewed at HD Boutique in Miami in September with quite a favorable reaction, Friedman said.
Geared for contract/hospitality applications, it is antimicrobial and bleach cleanable. "And since we're in the fashion industry, it has a color palette that has been heralded by all that have seen it as the freshest, most exciting color palette of any of the fabrics in the market place," Gasner said.
Another major player is Shuford Mills' Outdura™ line, sold directly to the casual furniture trade. "Our 2007 line is ready for October introduction to our accounts. This is the most extensive introduction of new colors and styles since we entered the furniture fabric market several years ago," Barwick said.
According to Barwick, another emerging trend is a demand for weaves over acrylics, due to their light fastness abilities.
"Resistance to fade in sunlight has been an important ingredient to the success of Outdura™ as styling has moved from the patio and poolside locations to the sunroom and now on into the family room. Resistance to stains and ease of cleaning is equally important for the residential application. That's why we have continued to invest in new fresh dobby and jacquard weaves for 2006 and 2007."
Weave will move deeper into customization with Weatherwize in the future, offering special patterns on special fabrics with low minimums that will allow editeurs to pull together collections that are unique to them, Berkley said.
"And retailers and manufacturers will have the ability to make available sophisticated design in a performance fabric that works both indoors and outdoors, that is really not available to them because this level of product has only been available through editeurs," he said.
Weatherwize is also offered to furniture manufacturers and better retailers with a "fabric by the yard" system.
"Unlike any of the acrylics, Weatherwize can be made flame retardant. Additionally, we can do intricate pattern work because we aren't limited as to the sizes of the yarns that we can use – which is one of the limitations on the acrylics. So there are more design possibilities."
Weatherwize is also more resistant to pilling than acrylics. Large runs of individual colors are also not necessary as they are with solution dyed acrylic, so more color versatility is available.
