Glen Raven global textile strategy pays off

BURLINGTON, N.C. — Amid a constantly shifting marketplace dominated in recent months by economic and geopolitical disruptions, one multigenerational textile company has fueled domestic growth with international strategies.

Glen Raven, parent company of Sunbrella, has been based in North Carolina for more than 60 years, and today, the company has five manufacturing facilities throughout the U.S. However, despite the company’s legacy heritage of more than six decades in business, Glen Raven has also made it a focus to build a network of partners well beyond the Tar Heel state.

“Sunbrella has integrated facilities across North America, Asia, and Europe,” said Allen Gant III, president at Glen Raven Consumer Solutions Group. “This global presence gives us the flexibility to supply our partners wherever they need fabric and to respond quickly to changing conditions, including tariffs; it allows us to maintain high quality and reliability while serving customers across diverse markets, even as trade policies and market conditions evolve.”

Gant noted that Glen Raven “sits at the center of a complex global supply chain.”

Whether the COVID pandemic, potential rising fuel costs or current tariff disruptions, the challenges that have beleaguered the home furnishings industry in recent years have translated into the need for a flexible and resilient supply chain that can withstand fluctuation.

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Glen Raven decided to act.

Larger perspective

“Tariffs have made it clear that every participant in the supply chain must bring meaningful value, with no room for excess markups or extra handoffs if we’re truly committed to serving the market,” Gant said.

The current global strategy is multilayered, he added, noting that Glen Raven/Sunbrella’s diverse partnerships inform ongoing decisions and support internal growth while at the same time allowing the company to function as a valued information source to its own customers.

“We’ve seen firsthand how our partners seek guidance on sourcing and pricing amid ever-changing conditions,” said Gant. “Our fabrics are used in everything from upholstered furnishings to shade and marine products, and we partner across the entire supply chain with retailers like Pottery Barn, West Elm, Frontgate and Costco, as well as artisans and designers creating finished products.

“The complexity of this network reminds us that any decisions about sourcing or diversification must balance responsiveness, quality and reliability for all these partners.

“This layered perspective helps us track demand signals at multiple points in the market,” he continued. “Right now, the premium segment continues to show stability even as other areas become more price-sensitive or cautious in making larger-ticket purchases. But it remains unclear if or when that resiliency may change.”

The approach is working. Last year, Glen Raven added a third shift at the company’s specialty yarn plant in Burlington, N.C., expanding operations to 24 hours a day, five days a week and creating new jobs in the area.

The investment is part of the company’s $250 million multi-year capacity expansion across its global facilities, an initiative that began in 2020 and 70% of which directly supports manufacturing growth and team expansion in the U.S. market, according to Gant.

“Additionally, we have continued to grow our offerings with new SKUs and product launches, and with the introduction of Sunbrella Interiors, a sub-brand dedicated to elevating the design, comfort, and durability of fabrics and products for interior spaces,” he said. “Sunbrella has also launched our Designer Trade Program, offering a more direct, efficient way for designers to source from the expansive Sunbrella portfolio of fabrics and products while unlocking exclusive pricing, tailored support, and enhanced ordering capabilities.”

Continued evolution

At the spring High Point Market and Interwoven shows, Glen Raven/Sunbrella will continue to showcase the evolution of Sunbrella Interiors and the company’s “new upholstery fabrics that bring together performance, elevated texture and a more nuanced approach to color,” Gant said.

The spring High Point presentation included select styles and new releases from its collaborations with watercolor artist Kelly Ventura, textile studio Sien + Co and design studio Block Shop, along with window drapery and a new line of Signature performance throws to showcase versatile applications throughout the home.

“Our Interwoven introductions will build on a design narrative rooted in globally influenced perspectives where saturated color, dimensional texture, and thoughtful pattern interplay define the collection,” said Gant. “Driven by expanded yarn capabilities, the assortment introduces greater depth in color expression and more tactile, dimensional surfaces.”

Sunbrella’s lean into rich, saturated color and layered texture mirrors a wider movement the company is seeing toward “interiors that feel curated and individual, spaces where materials have presence, character and a sense of authenticity,” said officials, adding that it also reflects a shift toward more considered updates over constant turnover, with rooms evolving through subtle changes in hue, texture and proportion rather than full-scale transformation.

And while aesthetics are top of mind for Sunbrella, performance remains integral to product development. The company’s goals center around delivering fabrics that not only elevate a space aesthetically but also support “the way people live today, where durability, ease of care and longevity are expected,” according to Gant.
“We’re seeing consumers prioritize comfort and softness, durability and versatility more than ever, with a real focus on outdoor living, wellness and products that work just as hard indoors as they do outside,” Gant explained. “This is directly shaping how we think about performance, design and ease of use across the Sunbrella portfolio.

“We continue to develop products with softer hands and new textures to bring consumers luxurious comfort that they can trust to look like new over time.”