Domestic fabric supplier adds 3rd shift at NC facility as tariffs drive demand

As the latest round of tariff uncertainty causes fresh disruption for many in the furniture and textile industries, one key material supplier is says it is doubling down on its domestic advantage.

Glen Raven, the maker of Sunbrella performance fabrics, told Furniture Today that earlier this year, the company added a third shift at its specialty yarn plant in Burlington, N.C., expanding the facility to 24-hour operations five days a week and creating new jobs.

The expansion is part of Glen Raven’s ongoing $250 million, multi-year capacity initiative launched in 2020, which Joseph Davis, president of the company’s Material Solutions Group, said is more than two-thirds focused on U.S. manufacturing and workforce growth.

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“Earlier this year, we added a third shift at our specialty yarn plant in Burlington, expanding operations to 24 hours a day, five days a week, and creating new jobs,” Davis said. “That investment is part of a $250 million multi-year capacity expansion across our global facilities that began in 2020, 70% of which directly supports manufacturing growth and team expansion in the U.S. market.”

Vertical integration

With five domestic facilities and a global network that includes plants in Asia and Europe, Glen Raven has sought to insulate itself and its customers from sudden disruptions. Davis emphasized that vertical integration — owning much of the company’s yarn, weaving and finishing capabilities — is key to its ability to adjust.

“Sunbrella is fortunate to have a robust vertical supply chain, well-positioned with five domestic facilities and a global footprint that allows us to flex production in response to customer needs, both nationally and internationally,” Davis said.

The Burlington specialty yarn plant, he noted, is more than just an engine for higher output. It provides a testing ground for new ideas and faster speed-to-market.

“The specialty yarn plant provides the ability to prototype and refine new concepts with much greater speed, ultimately allowing us to react to customer needs and market shifts in real time, while also giving us the flexibility to expand and strengthen our existing yarn platforms,” Davis said.

Navigating tariff pressures

The company’s latest moves come as tariffs once again dominate business planning in the home furnishings sector. The White House recently announced new duties on furniture and lumber imports, reviving memories of past disruptions and creating new layers of uncertainty for manufacturers and retailers.

Davis said that while tariffs create challenges, Glen Raven’s domestic capacity positions the company to respond quickly to U.S. customer needs. “While tariffs create challenges, having domestic operations can allow us to respond quickly to changing customer needs and explore new opportunities for growth in the U.S. market, and our global presence offers flexibility for customers manufacturing in other countries,” he said.

He also underscored that Sunbrella sits within a “complex global supply chain,” making resilience and balance critical. “Recent tariff discussions have shown the importance of maintaining a flexible and resilient supply chain, but they haven’t fundamentally changed our approach,” Davis said.

The cost of uncertainty

For many in the industry, the hardest part of the present environment is not the tariffs themselves but the unpredictability around how they will be applied. Davis noted that this uncertainty has had a chilling effect across the supply chain.

“One of the biggest impacts of tariffs on our customers, especially manufacturers, is uncertainty,” he said. “Shifts in how tariffs play out make it difficult for companies to make short-term decisions, and that uncertainty can ‘freeze’ choices across manufacturers, retailers, and consumers, slowing investment and growth. We’ve seen this firsthand as partners seek guidance on sourcing and pricing amid ever-changing conditions.”

That unpredictability can influence buying habits, with more price-sensitive segments trading down in quality. Davis said the premium portion of the market — where Sunbrella is heavily positioned — has remained stable.

“While some price-sensitive segments may trade down in quality, the premium portion of the market has remained resilient, with consumers continuing to prioritize quality and performance,” he said. “Right now, the premium segment continues to show stability even as other areas become more price-sensitive or cautious in making larger-ticket purchases. But it remains unclear if or when that resiliency may change.”

A global view

Even as it expands at home, Glen Raven says it is playing the long game globally. Its facilities in North America, Asia and Europe give the company the ability to shift production depending on where tariffs and other policy headwinds hit hardest.

“Sunbrella has integrated facilities across North America, Asia, and Europe,” Davis said. “This global presence gives us the flexibility to supply our partners wherever they need fabric and to respond quickly to changing conditions, including tariffs. This allows us to maintain high quality and reliability while serving customers across diverse markets, even as trade policies and market conditions evolve.”

Looking ahead, Davis said tariffs could reshape sourcing in some categories, particularly those historically tied to low-cost imports. “Over time, they could also influence where and how products are made,” he said. “For example, categories that have historically depended on lower-cost imports, such as shade and marine, may begin looking more seriously at U.S.-produced textiles. It’s too soon to know how lasting those changes will be, but tariffs are one factor among many shaping how we think about the future of performance fabrics.”

Growth amid uncertainty

For Glen Raven, the third shift in Burlington is both a response to demand and a signal of confidence in the domestic market. At the same time, Davis acknowledged that tariff-driven uncertainty remains a challenge.

“Sunbrella operates across many layers of a global supply chain, supporting customers with fabric wherever they are located,” he said. “Our global presence reminds us that any decisions about sourcing or diversification must balance responsiveness, quality, and reliability for all of these partners.”

Even in an unsettled environment, Davis said, Sunbrella’s mix of domestic expansion and global flexibility gives it the ability to support customers while preparing for whatever comes next.