Global textile manufacturer Milliken & Company will launch Milliken Outdoor Fabrics, the organization’s entrance into the outdoor performance fabrics category, at Casual Market Chicago in July. This marks the first time the 155-year-old manufacturer has supplied the outdoor furniture fabric market.
“Milliken has been successfully developing indoor residential and contract fabrics and partnering with large furniture OEMs in the contract and residential markets for more than 50 years. Our arrival to the outdoor fabric market is a natural extension to the innovation in performance fabrics our global team has been providing for decades,” says Benji Bagwell, vice president of Decor in the Textile Business of Milliken & Company.
The first collection from the outdoor line that will be on display in Chicago, is New Vistas, a line of performance fabrics designed to move effortlessly from indoors to outdoors. Including 10 patterns across 72 skus, New Vistas is a collection of 100 percent solution-dyed acrylic fabrics that feature a non-PFAS finish to make it stain and water-resistant. These fabrics are in-stock and ready to ship from South Carolina. The new line includes a five-year limited warranty. A follow-up collection, Outer Realm, is anticipated to launch in late 2022.
According to a survey from the International Casual Furnishings Association, 90 percent of Americans say their outdoor living space is more valuable than ever before; however, 88 percent of Americans with outdoors spaces are dissatisfied with them. Developed specifically to safely withstand every element of weather, Milliken Outdoor Fabrics are designed to address the performance and aesthetic necessary to create a space people don’t just want, but love.
“The options for stylish and durable performance fabrics simply don’t match the demand we’re seeing from consumers, which is how we knew it was time to bring our expertise and industry knowledge to the market,” adds Bagwell. “We’re excited to bring Milliken’s long history of quality and innovation to a market that is overdue for a fresh perspective and innovative development.”
The Textile Business at Milliken & Company will exhibit the new Milliken Outdoor Fabrics at the Casual Market Chicago in showroom space 7-8053. Visit outdoor.milliken.com for more information.
