Think you know what’s ‘cool’ for 2023? Make sure this material is part of your product mix.

Cindy W. Hodnett// Executive Editor of Brand Development// January 9, 2023 Soft Hand Feel Fabric

HIGH POINT — What’s hot and what’s not for 2023 has been a consistent theme of many news stories over the past two weeks, along with a plethora of documented “it” factors considered must-have in the consumer marketplace.

In the home furnishings world, earthy color palettes are top of mind for upholstery, case goods and accents, and along with them, touch-friendly fabrics like velvets that impart the same sense of warmth and comfort.

“In general, we are seeing a nice upswing in the demand for tactile fabrics like velvet,” said Robert Lachow, vice president at JB Martin Co. “Velvet is a staple in well-designed homes. Today’s focus on the home as a sanctuary, a safe place where folks can relax and recharge, as well as work and entertain, has pushed velvet into the forefront of the minds of interior designers, retailers and furniture manufacturers.”

Performance velvet tops the “what’s cool in 2023” list in a recent Wall Street Journal trends forecast, while a different story in the Washington Post outlines the timelessness of velvet and its journey from the fashion world to home furnishings. Lachow noted that JB Martin Co. offers three categories of performance velvet — solution dyed acrylic, performance polyester, and mohair and wool velvets — in addition to the company’s nonperformance options.

“Corsica is our solution-dyed acrylic velvet, and it gets 2200 hours of light fastness and is bleach cleanable,” said Lachow. “The bestselling color is white, due to its cleanability. The balance of the color line is evocative of the outdoors.

“Porto is our 100% performance polyester and is made with a proprietary polyester fiber that has the look and feel of cotton with all the performance features of a durable and factory friendly polyester. Stains can be removed fairly easily, and Porto is machine washable. Like most of our velvets, Porto gets more than 100,000 double rubs and is very durable.”

Currently, the bestselling colors in Porto, as well as JB Martin Co.’s other cotton velvets, are “fall foliage and spice tones,” according to Lachow. The palette includes rusts, browns, golds and burnt oranges that complement an extensive range of greens.

Mohair and wool velvets are prized for durability and luster, said Lachow, adding that each offers unique characteristics. For JB Martin, Nevada is the best-selling mohair line.

“There is no other fiber like mohair, and of course, it is a sustainable fiber, coming from the angora goat,” he explained. “Mohair is also very durable, and because of its durability it is used for theater seating and is very important in the hospitality industry. For the home, it is the ultimate luxury fabric for taste and elegance.

“We also recently introduced a wool/viscose velvet called Andes. It is a high-pile plush velvet, and the wool gives the velvet its performance properties while the viscose gives it some softness and luster. It is very durable and like mohair is inherently flame retardant.”

The current popular hues for mohair and wool velvets for the company include Mink, a warm brown, Bay Leaf, a neutral and calming green, and Pewter and Ecru. All of the velvets are woven, dyed and finished under one roof at the JB Martin mill in South Carolina.

“Velvet is perfect for the soft edged upholstery that is trending now,” Lachow concluded. “Few fabrics can replicate the warmth and wellness features of a soft yet durable and comforting velvet.”

Purecare has partnered with one of the most widely known doc[...]

What’s hot and what’s not for 2023 has been a consistent[...]

Showing at the recent Interwoven conference, a cork-based fa[...]

The leading supplier to the home textile market and a provid[...]

The relocated Trend Hall at Heimtextil 2023 is being designe[...]

The supplier to the home textile market has hired Jyl Davis [...]

Signup for your daily digest of industry news and trends.

Furniture Today is the complete information source for the furniture industry featuring retailer and manufacturing news, plus product trends and market analysis.

Sign up to get exclusive industry information delivered to your inbox.

© 2023 BridgeTower Media. All rights reserved.

Soft Brushed Fabric Use of this website is subject to its Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell My Info/Cookie Policy