Consumers care about fabrics on their outdoor furniture

In Casual Living's exclusive survey conducted in conjunction with HGTV, consumers made it clear they want information on fabrics used on their outdoor furniture.

I want more information on fabric durability, longevity, weather-proofness, types/quality of materials and ease and ability to clean and maintain. — 28-YEAR-OLD FROM CALIFORNIA

We live in the Atlanta area with very little shade. I will only buy chairs that have sun-protection fabric. — 62-year-old from Georgia

Durability is key for me. The product needs to have info on its durability, resistance to fading in the sun. Can the cushions be washed? — 30-YEAR-OLD FROM SOUTH CAROLINA

I have heard there are some great new fabrics for outdoor furniture. I'd like a good summary of what they are and what specific purposes they are designed for. A comparison chart of some sort would be great. — 54-YEAR-OLD FROM CALIFORNIA

I need to know more about fabrics and materials used on the outdoor furniture, like how long it lasts and if rust or mold would become an issue. And, if so, which materials to look out for that will last and not break down or get moldy. — 30-year-old from California

I need more fabric knowledge. Which fabrics resist mildew and for how long? Which resist sun and water? — 55-YEAR-OLD FROM WASHINGTON

Consumers' cushion use

Best sellers — Cushion & Slings

Fabric designs

Fabric color group

Neutrals/earth tones, long king of the color hill, are holding their dominant position in 2009. But retailers think brights will pick up some steam in the coming season.

Single color expected to perform best in 2009

Attention-getters on the sales floor

Best sellers — Cushions

Fabric construction types

Plain weaves were once again retailers' best seller in 2008, topping all other fabric construction types. Retailers predict the same for '09, with prints, jacquards and dobbies inching up in popularity.

Fiber types

Acrylics dominate fiber types for outdoor cushion fabrics.

About the survey

Casual Living's exclusive annual fabric survey, fielded in October and November 2008, represents the experience and projections of more than 200 casual furniture retail storefronts carrying either dining groups or separate seating pieces.

Casual furniture specialists made up about one-half of the retailers who answered the survey; another one-fifth were either hearth-and-patio or pool-and-patio stores. The remaining one-third of the retailers were garden centers, full-line furniture stores, hardware/home improvement centers, direct-to-consumer retailers and discount department stores and department stores carrying outdoor furniture.

The majority of the responding retailers, nearly three-fourths, operate only one store. Slightly less than half have annual sales between $1 million and $5 million, while one-fourth have annual sales of less than $1 million. The remaining one-fourth have annual sales of $5 million or more.

The survey was conducted by Casual Living's research team led by Judi Fulbright, research specialist, with assistance from Cynthia Myers, database coordinator and Patrice Rahming, research assistant.

The consumer data comes from Casual Living's exclusive consumer survey conducted in April 2008 in partnership with HGTV. Data is based on the responses of 13,878 U.S. consumers collected via an online survey. Because of the large sample size, the survey data can be projected with a margin of error of plus or minus less than 1%.

Nearly one-half of the consumers responding to the survey had an annual income of $50,000 to $99,999. One-fifth were 35 to 44 years old, more than one-third were 45 to 54 years old and about one-fourth were between the ages of 55 and 64.

Best Sellers — Accent Pillows

Fabric designs

Color groups

While Neutrals/earth tones are popular for pillows as well as the body of seating, here pops of color, especially brights, are selling well.

Single color expected to perform best in 2009

Attention-getters on the sales floor