When a brand like Sunbrella sees continued strength in the outdoor category, that’s usually a good sign.
Suzie Roberts, vice president and general manager of furnishings, says that while so much of the world is changing, the desire to create distinctive and inviting outdoor living spaces remains strong among both consumers and designers.
“We are excited by the continued momentum of innovation to outdoor products in recent years and that our customers and consumers continue to look to Sunbrella to update their outdoor sets because our products and fabrics are a trusted choice due to both the lasting performance and the breadth of our designs,” she said.
As consumers invest in outdoor rooms as extensions of their homes, Sunbrella is meeting the needs of consumers, retailers and manufacturers across the board. The company continues to expand its partnerships and fabric offerings and improve how it supports its customers.
“We will soon release new resources to showcase the breadth of our existing stock offering, from classic plains to timeless stripes and detailed jacquards, through a newly designed sample tool suite,” she explained. “We know customers are seeing the value of the tools we provide as evidenced by an increase in usage of our B2B portal, which we piloted a couple of years ago to offer real-time data of orders and products. The B2B portal has been successful, and we are improving and strengthening it to help our partners more easily conduct business with Sunbrella and receive important information about our offerings and services.”
She also says Sunbrella has exciting announcements on the horizon about several new collaborations that pair designer aesthetics with the trusted performance of Sunbrella. This summer, new updates to its stock upholstery collection will include 25 new SKUs.
Additionally, the company recently added new Sunbrella cleaning solutions to offer customers go-to solutions for cleaning and removing stains from all Sunbrella fabrics, including cushions and umbrellas.
But what makes Sunbrella unique goes beyond the products and services it provides. In September 2024, Hurricane Helene hit the company’s Burnsville facility when the storm devastated much of Western North Carolina. The surrounding community of Burnsville was not spared, and Roberts says large parts of the plant were submerged in up to 30 inches of water.
“After the hurricane hit, our first priority was ensuring each of our Burnsville associates was safe and had access to critical supplies,” she explained. “Many folks in the area didn’t have essentials, and the Burnsville plant became a community resource hub to which we trucked in pallets of food, water, medical supplies and cleaning products. We then turned our attention to the facility.”
Through day-by-day improvement that included pumping out 3 million gallons of water, removing drywall, restoring power and getting water flowing, the plant was back up and running in a limited capacity in just 33 days. “Today, we continue to improve lead times for the fabrics produced in this facility and are well-positioned to continue serving our customers,” she added.
At the upcoming High Point Market, the company is partnering with several other home furnishings brands on educational events and entertainment that put design at the forefront.
“From a design perspective, we’re continuing to see interest in textural outdoor fabrics and novelty yarns,” Roberts said. “This suggests a consumer need to create a soft, tactical experience that brings the style and sophistication of indoor living to outdoor spaces. We also know that consumers want more color and have shifted to fabrics with colors and patterns that bring them joy and make them feel good.”
Through the upcoming introductions in its stock collection, Sunbrella will be launching new colors in textural fabrics, including warm neutrals blended with earthy reds, such as terracotta and clay, that can be layered and balanced with hushed brights, such as blush, saffron and sage fabrics.
“We will work closely with our partners to grow in the coming year,” Roberts added.
High Point Market happenings
Sunbrella will kick off High Point Market by sponsoring two events in partnership with Universal Furniture.
Activities on Saturday, April 26, 1:30-4 p.m. will include a presentation by Coastal Living and a pop-up bar featuring the Sunbrella Sunrise cocktail. The afternoon moves into the evening with the Sunbrella x Universal Furniture Happy Hour, 4-6:30 p.m., featuring live music, custom cocktails, food and a stain bar for guests to experience the cleanability of Sunbrella performance fabrics.
On Monday, April 28, from 2 to 5 p.m., Rowe and Sunbrella will host a “Design Dialogue With Block Shop,” an inspiring afternoon of cocktails, light bites and textiles with a special presentation moderated by Kristin Alber, founder and creative director of REstyleSource, and featuring speakers from Block Shop, Rowe and Sunbrella.
Finally, the company will collaborate with other partners throughout market for educational presentations for designers, including in the M|T Company space on April 23 from 9 a.m. to noon and at Century Furniture on Sunday, April 27, at 4 p.m.
