SHOWTIME® FEATURE
PANDEMIC PERFORMANCE HOW COVID HAS DRIVEN DEMAND FOR FAUX LEATHER By Jennifer Bringle When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it inspired many to begin looking at their homes differently. Stuck inside during lockdowns and quarantine, people felt compelled to make changes and upgrades, feathering their nests for months spent indoors. But the home’s look and feel wasn’t the only thing that suddenly became more important. With a viral illness sickening millions around the globe, the ability to clean and disinfect spaces has become critical not only in homes, but in public spaces like hotels, restaurants and airplanes, as well. And while some upholstery will stand up to the rigors of disinfecting, many home textiles simply aren’t designed for that level of cleaning. That’s doubly true for most leathers, which would be destroyed by the cleaning agents necessary to kill the coronavirus. Because of that, the demand for faux or performance leathers has increased significantly since the onset of the pandemic. Producers of these products are seeing an uptick in business not only from residential customers, but in hospitality and contract applications, as well. “Many markets that we sell into are seeing growing demand for a product like ours,” says A.R. Swan, director of marketing, Ultrafabrics. “Cleanability is a huge driver of that need, as well as consumers looking for leather alternatives. Not only do people want to be safe, they are looking more than ever to materials that are also safe for the world we live in.” Valdese Weavers’ Endurance product comes in more than 20 durable colors.
18
www.InternationalTextileAlliance.org/Showtime
Ultrasuede has seen increased demand for both residential and contract applications.
Valdese Weavers, which launched its Endurance performance leather product a couple of years ago as part of its InsideOut line, has also seen an increase in interest since the onset of the pandemic. “We’ve seen that in our fabrics overall—the attraction to InsideOut because you can clean them with bleach and disinfectant without it spotting or fading,” says Christy Almond, vice president of product development and marketing, Valdese Weavers. “Both residential and contract clients are interested in that attribute now.” Another market driving this demand? Transportation.
