In 2015, we first shared these Guiding Principles in a blog post. Since then, we’ve grown and changed a bit—we have continued to leverage our competitive advantages through the expansion of new facilities, addition of new team members to our Easy Way Family, and our continuous efforts to increase our capacity and refine our processes.

For the most part, those original Guiding Principles still tell the Easy Way story. But the time has come to make a few changes that better reflect the path we’ve set for our future. We’re excited about where we’re headed, and equally excited to share our updated mission, vision and values with you:

Our Vision

To be the PREMIER PROVIDER of high-performance lifestyle furnishings.

Our Mission

We create value by leveraging our DISTINCT COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES, empowering our employees and our absolute commitment to quality and leadership.

Distinct Competitive Advantages

• Unique Manufacturing Model (Speed, Cost, Quality, Mass Customization, Inventory Risk Management)
• People
• Sourcing
• Customer Relationships
• Expertise

Our Values

• Integrity: We are open, honest and fair
• Teamwork: We achieve excellence together
• Passion: We do what we love and love what we do
• Creativity: We foster innovation and think outside the box
• Accountability: We train and empower employees to accept responsibility for results
• Empathy: We understand and respect the feelings of others
• Safety: We ensure a physically and emotionally safe work environment
• Social Responsibility: We contribute to the welfare of our society and environment

We believe that these updates accurately define our purpose and passion, our commitment to the success of our customers, and what makes Easy Way a unique company to work with and for.

Protect Your Investment

Outdoor spaces both large and small experience inclement weather, which is why Easy Way produces furniture covers and cushion storage bags for a huge variety of outdoor frames. Our covers are designed to keep furniture protected and dry, ensuring furniture will look like new for seasons to come. Purchase a custom daybed cover to protect it from rain and water, or zip together modular furniture covers to ensure any configuration is safe from cold temperatures.

Do Your Research Before You Buy

Choose products with fade-resistant and mildew-resistant fabrics

Many fabrics come with UV hours or warranties; consider how many hours you will get out of our cushions before they begin to fade. For sunnier climates, choose fabrics with higher UV hours or a solution-dyed acrylic fabric that resists fading. Water-resistant and mildew-resistant fabrics will ensure a quick dry time, and cushions will look and feel great even after a summer storm.

Choose water-resistant or quick-drying cushion fills

There’s nothing worse than getting ready to relax, only to have water gush out of your cushions as soon as you sit down! SMS, a special non-woven water-resistant fabric, is used by Easy Way to encase cushion fills. This creates a barrier and prevents moisture from penetrating the cushion fill. Another option is reticulated foam with mesh bottoms. Reticulated foam helps cushions dry faster and stand up to wear and tear longer than a poly fill. The foam is porous, so it will not absorb moisture. Water will flow straight through for a quicker drying time.

Easy Way uses both piece-dyed and solution-dyed polyester and acrylic fabrics. We recommend using solution-dyed fabrics for the best performance and longevity outdoors. Solution-dyed fabrics are created by adding pigment before the material is even spun into a fiber, so the color will last much longer without fading. We also recommend and use a high resiliency foam—either reticulated or standard—with an SMS wrap.

Use Furniture Covers or Cushion Storage Bags to Protect Cushions and Frames from the Elements

• Make sure cushions and frames are clean and dry before covering for the winter to avoid mildew.
• Cushions can be left on the frame when covered!
• Be sure to use included tenting devices underneath covers to prevent water from pooling on the covers’ surfaces.

Easy Way creates both custom and generic furniture covers, umbrella covers, and cushion storage bags, ensuring there’s a protective solution for any outdoor space. Our unique buckles-and-webbing closure system keeps covers secured to the frame even during windy days.

Know Your Materials

• Unprotected wood will change color. For example, teak naturally weathers over time from a golden brown to a grey patina. While this is normal, you can use a seal to keep the original honey color, or use furniture covers to prevent weathering.
• Look for furniture frames made of high-quality material that will resist rust and mold, and general wear and tear.
• Read and follow the care instructions for your outdoor fabrics. Most can be spot cleaned with mild soap and water when necessary.

STYLISH, DURABLE PRODUCTS

Easy Way’s design team works with retailers to create custom cushions, pillows, umbrellas and furniture covers that will last for many summers to come. Contact us to learn more!

But what does this mean for outdoor furnishings?

Corals, pinks, and bright colors have long been popular in the outdoor market, as they can easily pack a punch in both small and large spaces. Whether it’s used in an umbrella canopy to keep the elements at bay or on throw pillows to bring new life to some older furniture frames, this invigorating hue can do it all! It’s attention-getting, drawing the eye to whatever piece it adorns. It’s warm and tropical, evoking images of a perfect sunset on the beach. It’s joyful, making any space feel instantly more fun.

Pantone created the series of palettes below to help you create the perfect color story using Living Coral:

Focal Point

Shimmering Sunset

Sympatico

Trippy

Under the Sea

Try Living Coral with rusty browns, dark olive tones, and warm neutrals for a pop of color without being overbearing. Or, pair it with bright pinks and oranges for a truly energetic look!

Easy Way Products can work with you to design cushions, pillows, umbrellas and more in this beautifully vibrant color. Contact us today!

However you choose to use Living Coral in your outdoor collections, we’re sure it will be popular for many years to come.

Why Outdoor Drapes?

Outdoor drapes can provide privacy in open spaces like patios and gazebos, as well as offering some protection and relief from the sun and heat. Outdoor performance fabrics—including Sunbrella by Glen Raven and Inside Out by Valdese—are fade-resistant, making them perfect for either indoor or outdoor use.

Drape Embellishments/Treatments

We understand little details can make all the difference.

Drapes can be finished with a tassel or pom-pom fringe around the perimeter, or we can add a patterned fabric just on the edges to create an eye-catching trim detail.

We can also create a color block or two-tone look on a drape by sewing a different-colored fabric panel on the bottom half.

POPULAR DRAPE FABRICS

Easy Way works with countless fabrics to create looks that will complement your product lines. Here are some of our most popular patterns and colors:

Learn More

Find out more about Easy Way’s drape manufacturing options and capabilities in our drapes fact sheet.

United Way—Cincinnati, OH

The Easy Way Cincinnati office made 40 no-sew fleece blankets for Santa Maria Community Services, an Agency Partner of United Way of Greater Cincinnati. These blankets were distributed to the children in the after-school program, as well as to new mothers and their babies. Santa Maria was founded by the Sisters of Charity to help Italian immigrants in Cincinnati with housing, education and employment. Today, they continue this work with children, new mothers and families throughout the west side of Cincinnati.

Casa Hogar Del Niño—Matamoros, MX

Associates from Easy Way’s Cincinnati, Brownsville and Matamoros locations gave to Casa Hogar del Niño, the local orphanage in Matamoros, Mexico. The Cincinnati office had a 2 week “Coin War” in which the office was split into 4 teams. A portion of the funds raised went to buy Christmas gifts for the children. The Brownsville office and Matamoros locations also donated gifts, and the Matamoros team wrapped all gifts and delivered them to the children. The Matamoros team also made piñatas, candy bags and cupcakes to share with the children during their visit, and some of the team sang Christmas carols with the children. Casa Hogar del Niño houses children ranging from newborns to 18-year-olds who are either orphaned or cannot live with their families. Their goal is to provide rehabilitation, security, and the skills to live a social, productive and happy life.

Nursing Home—Matamoros, MX

The Matamoros team regularly visits their local nursing home, spending time with the residents and making donations throughout the year. The Matamoros team donated and shared a meal with the residents, while the Cincinnati team donated blankets, socks and lotion. The nursing home is run through local community donations, and provides care for those who do not have the support of their families.

Low-Income Family Holiday Party—Matamoros, MX

The Matamoros team attended a holiday party hosted by a local church to help low-income families through the holiday season. The team brought donations for the food pantry, and shared gifts for the children that were donated by the Cincinnati and Brownsville teams.

Hospital Visits—Matamoros, MX

The Matamoros team spent an afternoon with children at two different local hospitals. They spent time playing with the children who were there to receive treatment. In addition, the team delivered toys to children waiting for treatment as well as to those with family members in the hospital for treatment.

With a mix of warm and cool tones, Ultra Violet finds a home in an array of palettes. Depending on which colors it’s paired with, it can create a drastically different mood. In its tools for designers, Pantone suggests experimenting with the following color sets, each of which evokes a unique feeling:

Pillow Shapes

Making pillows available in a variety of shapes allows your customers to mix and match to create a custom look for indoor and outdoor spaces. Our most popular shapes include:

In our latest white paper, Esthetic Matters: Important Factors in Fabric Selection, we discuss three key factors that must be considered to ensure the success of your finished product:

1. The type of textile
2. The size of the finished product
3. The fabric treatment

Combined, these elements affect how the fabric panels are cut for sewing and the amount of yardage needed to create the finished product.

Textile Types

Stripes and other patterns present a variety of potential design challenges, such as whether the pattern runs the width of the roll (railroaded) or the length of it (non-railroaded). Certain solid fabrics, such as velvet, can also have textural qualities that need to be taken into consideration when cutting and sewing the fabric panels.

Product Size

The dimensions of your product should be evaluated carefully to ensure the best and most cost-effective fabric yield. Special consideration should be given to finished products that are wider or narrower than the standard fabric width.

Fabric Treatment

The construction of the finished good and the item’s specific cut patterns will depend heavily on both the fabric type and the product size. The cut direction of other details like boxing and zipper panels should also be considered for the best possible finished piece.

Learn More

To learn more about the impact these factors can have on your finished product, download our white paper. And as always, if we can assist you with your design or provide guidance on fabric choices, don’t hesitate to contact us!

Take, for example, water resistance.

A waterproof, vinyl-coated fabric may sound like the ideal choice for outdoor furniture and furniture covers. However, completely waterproof fabrics don’t breathe, which creates problems if moisture gets trapped on the inside. In cushions and pillows, mold and mildew can build up in the fill material. In covers, moisture can ruin finishes, rust metal and rot wood. The right combination of breathability and water resistance are key. Depending on the desired outcome, additional factors like water vapor permeability and wickability may play a role, too.

WATER RESISTANT VS WATERPROOF

In our latest white paper, we explore the science behind water resistant and waterproof fabrics so you can:

• Understand the terminology
• Know which factors are involved in making a fabric waterproof
  and breathable
• Evaluate the moisture resistance indicated by various waterproof ratings

PROTECTING OUTDOOR CUSHIONS FROM THE ELEMENTS

While Easy Way’s cushion manufacturing options include premium outdoor foam fill and an additional layer of water-resistant material (SMS) for extra moisture protection, we recommend that all outdoor furniture be protected with furniture covers when not in use.

Our wide variety of furniture cover styles are available in two fits:

• Universal furniture covers that will work with most furniture lines
• Custom outdoor furniture covers that are tailored to your specifications for a better fit that offers more protection from the elements

We also offer three fabric options let you choose the level of UV protection and water resistance that best meets your needs.

You can read more about water resistance and our various furniture cover options in our white paper.