Glen Raven shifts focus to high-performance fabrics

By Carole Sloan -- Home Textiles Today, 5/21/2001 12:00:00 AM

GLEN RAVEN, NC — Glen Raven Decorative Fabrics has changed its product and marketing direction, now focusing on fabrics made of high-performance solution-dyed acrylic fibers.

Glen Raven is the parent company and producer of Sunbrella acrylic fabrics for outdoor use.

The new thrust, said Dave Swers, business manager for furnishings fabrics, will emphasize the cleanability and lightfastness of the fabrics for residential and hospital/contract uses. "We are designers for the residential market with hands, looks and finishes for their specific needs," Swers said.

Furniture, pillows and cushions will be the major product end uses to start. "We will have our own team of designers for this business and will use the talents of Randy Trull as a consultant," Swers added. Trull is a consultant to the outdoor division.

Sunbury Textile Mills, which has been producing a high-end line of Sunbrella decorative fabrics for a number of years, will continue in this role, Swers emphasized. "We will be more performance-oriented, and offer more body cloths for furniture. The hands will be different. Sunbury will offer more exclusives, and small runs."

For Showtime in July, the new program will offer some 120 skus for both stock and special-order needs, Swers said. Price points in the new program will be lower than the Sunbury fabrics.

In addition, Ralph Allen, product manager, residential and contract, has left the firm.