The Casual Furniture Retailers and the Summer and Casual Furniture Manufacturers Association have announced that Allen Swers, who was instrumental in the creation of Sunbrella casual furniture fabrics, will receive a 2006 Lifetime Achievement Award.
CFR and SCFMA developed the Lifetime Achievement Award to recognize individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the casual furniture industry and to their communities. Swers, along with W.C. Vice, founder of Casual Living and Patio Center, will be honored at the 47th Annual Apollo Awards Banquet on Sept. 15 during the International Casual Furniture and Accessories Market in Chicago.
Allen Swers helped launch the Sunbrella line of casual fabrics in 1982 when he approached Glen Raven concerning the creation of a casual furniture fabrics line to complement the company's successful awning and marine fabrics.
"I was amazed to learn that solution-dyed acrylic fabrics carried a five-year warranty against fading in the sun," he recalls. "At that time only vinyl straps and woven PVC were used on outdoor furniture. I believed that a better designed fabric with a soft hand that did not fade in the sun and was easily cleaned would be ideal for the casual industry," Swers said.
Swers retired from Glen Raven in May 2003 at the age of 82, after more than two decades of outdoor fabric innovation. His son, Dave, currently serves as manager of furniture fabrics for Glen Raven.
The Summer & Casual Furniture Manufacturers Association is headquartered in High Point, N.C. and represents more than 80 leading U.S. manufacturers of summer and casual products. It is a division of the American Home Furnishings Alliance.
