Dec 05 2012

Softness, Texture at Forefront for New Sunbrella® Fabrics for Showtime

Innovative Yarns, Advanced Weaving Techniques Enhance Upholstery Comfort for Every Room

Known the world over for performance fabrics that are durable and beautiful, Glen Raven Custom Fabrics will focus on soft comfort and rich texture with an extensive new line of December Showtime introductions. From matelassé to quilted textures, the variety of new Sunbrella® upholstery fabrics emphasizes the brand’s growing use for home décor inside and out.

“Our customers have always relied on us for fabrics that are as beautiful as they are durable and easy care, which is a testament to innovations in fabric design and manufacturing,” said Gina Wicker, design and creative director for Sunbrella fabrics. “Our new collections demonstrate how we are bringing greater comfort and textural appeal to upholstery without any compromises on performance.”

Five new collections of Sunbrella upholstery fabrics will be introduced during Showtime on Dec. 2-5 – Retreat, Vitality, Aurora, Daybreak and Bellamy. The groups are diverse in color offerings, including rich denim hues, intense earthy tones and subtle neutrals, with textural interest and softness serving as unifying themes.

With an eclectic mix of pattern, textures and stripes, the Retreat collection features a modern take on traditional patterning. The casual luxury of denim hues dominates the group, which includes Versa Indigo, a subtle rib texture in a tone-on-tone coloration. A traditional stripe, Worth Denim, takes on the relaxed appearance of a favorite pair of jeans in varying shades of blue.

Pinnacle Denim dominates the group with its zigzag, quilted appearance in blocks of blue and white. Textural patterns Topstitch Denim and Bellamy Brick feature hand-stitched, embroidered appearances with pops of orange and rust, bringing a warm quality to this overall blue grouping.

Offering a bold contrast to Retreat is Vitality, a collection of subtle neutrals with bright shots of impactful color. Medley Parchment leads the collection with a patchwork-inspired, triangular pattern. Surface interest takes center stage in the soothing neutrals Envision Eggshell and Tucker Papyrus. Playful Bellamy Citrus adds excitement with a new matelassé construction that introduces subtle color. The bright stripe of Sorrento Limelite enlivens the groups, as does the solid rib texture of Versa Limelite. Both fabrics coordinate and complement the solid grouping with their yellow-green influence.

Taking fabric design innovation in yet another color direction is Aurora, which highlights the red/orange color family. Fabrics in this collection are full of ethnic twists on traditional motifs. Mercato Fiesta and Marisol Fiesta lead the group with distressed ikat effects in bold brick and orange hues with white accents. The rib texture of Versa Mesa and Versa Rose provide solid grounding in varying shades of red. Cheerful stripe Sorrento Fiesta brings a celebratory feeling to the collection with pops of orange, pink and green. The matelassé texture of Bellamy Tangelo is accented with orange, picking up the fabric’s softness and whimsical appeal.

“Customers continue to respond to color in a positive way, showing us that people are ready to have fun with decorating again,” Wicker said. “These new fabrics play up that trend, but with plenty of neutral options to offer contrast as needed.”

Dialing back the intensity is the neutrally elegant Daybreak collection. This entire fabric group is based on an ideal mixture of pattern and texture, creating fabrics that call out to be touched. The modern geometric pattern of Navigator Whisper finds an appealing color palette of soft gray, purple, orange and gold on a white ground. The alternating stripes in Inspire Dawn play on those same colors, but in varying degrees of intensity. Envision Wisteria and Bellamy Oat provide neutral, solid grounds with soft surface textures ideal for large-scale upholstery. The pattern Centricity Dune centers the collection with a hand-stitched look with larger yarns that create a raised pattern.

Interspersed throughout the other collections, but also comprising its own collection is Bellamy, an exciting new matelassé construction with the look and feel of a vintage quilt. The hand-stitched appearance allows for pops of color across the fabric’s surface. Colors in the collection range from soft, tonal neutrals to infused earth tones and include Dove, Muslin, Citrus, Tangelo, Oat, Cherry, Brick, Indigo, Pecan, Chocolate and Barley. The soft texture of the fabric and its broad array of colors make it ideal for a variety of upholstery applications.

“The new Sunbrella fabric collections for Showtime offer a sensory experience, from the unparalleled color and innovative designs to the soft hand that each fabric offers. We look forward to bringing these collections to the industry and exploring their potential with a variety of furniture partners.”

Also new from Sunbrella for Showtime is the offering of its Fusion Collection as a cut yardage option for customers. Comprised of six fabric groupings, Fusion includes more than 175 solids, textures, stripes and patterns emphasizing high design details for various upholstery options. The Fusion collection is available as a cut yardage program through Trivantage.