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.

“Satisfying our growing desire to rejuvenate and revitalize, Greenery symbolizes the reconnection we seek with nature, one another and a larger purpose.” -Leatrice Eisman, Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute

Reconnecting with Nature

What better place is there to reconnect with the natural world than an actual outdoor space? Greenery is a perfect choice for outdoor furniture and design because, as noted by the Pantone Color Institute, it is “nature’s neutral.”

The vibrant hue is fairly design agnostic—it meshes well with outdoor furniture of nearly every style and material. Wood finishes and all-weather wicker are no-brainers to pair with it, but metals can’t be overlooked either. Use Greenery as your base with solid-color cushions, or as an accent in throw pillows and bolsters. Get more non-traditional with a Greenery-upholstered pouf. It lends itself to a variety of color palettes, livening up pastels and other neutrals while toning down many brighter and even metallic shades.

Green in Color Theory

The color green in general symbolizes growth and prosperity, freshness and healing. It’s upbeat and positive, conveying a sense of wellbeing. It’s a harmonious color, as evidenced by the many different palettes it fits into. It’s also hopeful—and we hope to see a lot of Greenery in your lines this year!

The move offers a number of benefits for the company, our associates and the customers we serve, and is the exciting culmination of an investment that began in early April.

An Investment in Operations

The new facility has 20,000 more square feet than our previous manufacturing facility, giving us the space required to vertically integrate key parts of our supply chain. Additionally, the flow of parts and materials has been designed to eliminate or reduce waste.

An Investment in Corporate Culture

The move helped us to secure major medium- and long-term benefits for our associates. The facility features a dedicated training room that can be used for new employee orientation and a variety of ongoing employee education, health and safety programs.

An Investment in Customer Service

The larger space and upgraded equipment provide value-added elements for our customers, such as reduced lead times and greater responsiveness, and more flexibility to meet your needs.

Easy Way is committed to being the premier provider of high-performance lifestyle furnishings by anticipating and exceeding our customers’ expectations. This new building affords us even more opportunities to do that.

Available in various sizes and constructions, Easy Way’s Eddie Bauer assortment features high-performance Sunbrella® fabrics that were specially selected to complement the iconic outdoor brand. Additionally, Easy Way manufactures each piece using high-quality, weather-resistant fill materials and superior construction methods to ensure comfort, support and durability.

“Eddie Bauer has a long history of quality and innovative design for the outdoor lifestyle,” stated Lisa C. Pruett, EVP Sales for Easy Way Products. “We’re proud to carry on that tradition with each of these pieces.” The two companies share a value of providing customer satisfaction with its superior quality,  value and service. “Easy Way’s commitment to crafting distinctive products and their reputation among outdoor furniture retailers appealed to us,” explained Christina Malone, Senior Product & Account Manager, Licensing for Eddie Bauer.

For More Information

For more information about the Eddie Bauer outdoor assortment, including construction and fabric options, please download our complimentary fact sheet. If you have additional questions about this exclusive line or any of Easy Way’s products, feel free to contact Lisa Pruett at lpruett@easywayproducts.com or (513) 731-5640.

• Comprising 31% of the adult population in America and packing $2.45 trillion in purchasing power, millennials are a buying force to be reckoned with.
• In the past two years, millennials have accounted for 34% of home purchases, and an additional two-thirds of millennials expect to purchase a home within the next two years.
• According to a recent Furniture/Today survey, millennials see outdoor spaces as one of the top five most important features of a home.

So when it comes time to furnish their outdoor spaces, what can you do to make millennials more likely to buy from you?

WHAT MILLENNIALS LOOK FOR IN OUTDOOR RETAILERS

Millennials look for many of the same things in outdoor living retailers (and the products they ultimately buy) that they seek in other aspects of their lives:

• Authenticity—Millennials do not trust unsolicited, outbound forms of marketing. Instead, they want to feel a connection to your brand that goes beyond you trying to sell them a product.
• Simplicity—Make it easy for millennials to do business with you. In store, consider what appeals to the millennial design esthetic (e.g., natural light and a seamless feeling between indoor and outdoor spaces). Digitally, keep interfaces simple and efficient, like the technology they’ve grown up with.
• Environmental responsibility—Millennials are more cause-based in the products they seek to purchase than their older peers.

HOW MILLENNIALS BUY OUTDOOR LIVING PRODUCTS

Millennials are a generation raised on technology. It’s no surprise, then, that technology is a big factor in their buying habits. Take a look at this chart from Marketing Sherpa, which details millennials’ online buying behaviors.

CAPTURING THE MILLENNIAL BUYER

• Among the 50% who research products online before purchasing, chances are good that research is being done on a smartphone—so be sure your website is optimized for mobile (this goes back to the issue of simplicity discussed earlier). Don’t overlook the function of your ecommerce pages, in case they decide to make the leap from research to purchase.
• The social aspect of millennials’ shopping behavior is very important—they are not shy about sharing their opinions and preferences. Additionally, they look to their peers (online and in real life) for opinions, and often shop in groups. Building a presence and interacting with millennials on the social channels they use will help create the sense of authenticity they seek.
• The percentage of millennials shopping online for furniture (including outdoor décor) is higher than the overall figures cited in this chart—closer to 80%, as noted in our e-commerce post from June 2015. Making it easy to buy from you extends beyond your website to the social media channels you use. For example, Pinterest has introduced a “Buy it” button that allows for instant purchase of certain products. Instagram has developed similar buttons to facilitate shopping and other instant actions.

“With a technical community that continues to innovate, it is sometimes difficult to differentiate which innovations create real value in terms of performance and customer experience and which are just enhanced marketing.”

FOAM VS. FIBER

“When finally comparing polyurethane foam versus polyester fiber applications, particularly for outdoor use, note that it is possible to create a high-performing and durable product using either.”

Both fill materials have their pros and cons when it comes to outdoor use. Our white paper gives each its figurative day in the sun—we discuss:

• Key parameters in choosing polyurethane foam
• Common foam types, including standard, high resiliency, reticulated and viscoelastic memory
• New foam trends, such as cool touch and eco foams
• Key parameters in choosing polyester fiber
• Common fiber finishes, including blown polyester and thermal bonded batted polyester

DECIDING BETWEEN FOAM AND FIBER

“Understanding the market, environment and customer expectations is critical to wading through the plethora of options available.”

Even seasoned outdoor furniture manufacturers can find it difficult to choose between foam and fiber for their furniture lines. Our white paper includes a fill material decision matrix to help our customers weigh factors such as moisture and microbial resistance, durability and cost. And of course, we’re always available to work with you to select the ideal fill material for a given application. Don’t hesitate to contact us with your questions!

GET THE WHITE PAPER

Click here or on the image to download your complimentary “Foam or Fill” white paper today!

USING THE COLORS OF THE YEAR IN YOUR OUTDOOR FURNITURE LINES

Pantone’s color mavens suggest several color pairings to increase this sense of balance, all of which work well as cushions, pillows and accessories with today’s outdoor living trends.

This palette’s natural hues are the perfect complements to the two sky-inspired colors of the year:

The earthy colors in this palette serve as a foundation for the more ethereal Rose Quartz and Serenity:

The consistent value and muted tones of this palette makes it a versatile and utilitarian choice for outdoor decorating:

The purple, gray and other blue tones of this palette further emphasize the warm and cool duality of this year’s colors:

This neutral-heavy palette makes the pink and blue combo pop:

The warmer tones of this palette mix with Serenity and Rose Quartz to create a rich, on-trend color scheme (note the cameo appearance of Marsala, the 2015 color of the year!):

This soft palette is simple and clean, showing how this year’s colors can play a role in today’s modern furniture trend:

This rainbow of a palette creates a pleasing harmony that offers a little something for everyone:

Incorporating any of these palettes into pillows, cushions and other items to accompany your outdoor furniture collections will allow buyers to continue enjoying their outdoor living spaces from sunup until well past sunset.

Photo by Bill Abbott [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons