Casual Living's Fabric Survey for 2013

Stephanie Nickell -- Casual Living, 1/1/2013 2:00:00 AM

If there is one thing retailers and designers agree on, it's that durability is very important when talking with customers about outdoor fabrics.

One hundred percent of both retailers and designers surveyed in Casual Living's exclusive 2013 Fabric Survey, reported durability as important or very important when discussing outdoor fabrics with customers. The report focuses on forecasts from retailers and designers about what's new in fabric for 2013, as well as what consumers think about fabrics for outdoor furniture.

Fielded in October and November, Casual Living's annual fabric survey presents 2013 fabric color and pattern projections for more than 100 outdoor furniture retail stores and designers. Fifty-six percent of the respondents are outdoor specialty retailers, 35% are designers and the remaining 9% are full-line furniture stores. Responding retailers operate an average of two stores. Thirty-five percent of respondents have locations in the South, 33% percent in the West, 26% in the Midwest and 25% in the Northeast. The survey was conducted by Casual Living's research team, led by Research Analyst, Stephanie Nickell.

For the complete report, see the January 2013 print edition of Casual Living, or click here for the exclusive online edition.