Every spring and fall The International Textile Alliance (ITA) presents their Interwoven Textile Fair bringing together hundreds of textile mills and fabric distributors, from more than twelve countries. The May spring event converged on location throughout the downtown High Point market district.

The Interwoven Textile Fair displayed a wash of bright colors, textures and patterns to the casual industry with more exhibitors showcasing new innovative outdoor textiles, at the spring show, than ever before. Recognized as the go-to resource for textile professionals, textile manufacturers, leather wholesalers, trim, drapery and drapery hardware, Interwoven exhibitors presented a host of new indoor and outdoor textiles, for residential, contract and hospitality use.

Whether the fabric came from a mill or via a distributor, exhibitors and their sales teams came equipped with exciting 2026/27 premiers, showcasing the next avant garde collection, leveraging the latest woven technologies, styles and trends.

Marketing & PR Professional Serena Martin, 24/7 Creative Agency shared, “The show’s pulse seemed to be filled with optimism and positivity for the world of textiles, from both exhibitors and attendees. This year’s presentation and display by Creative Agency Future Snoops was very inspiring. Their team of trend forecasters, and economists, presented four new fabric trends: I was impressed by brands that showcased new innovations in designs which leveraged the latest woven technologies, emerging style trends, alongside collaborations that weave textile + fashion worlds together.”

The show’s overall pulse showcased a feeling of renewed optimism for the future of the outdoor world, led by exponential growth in the outdoor casual category, increased advances in woven technologies and a not-so-subtle shift in how the outdoor fabric industry looks and feels.

Shining brightly, the collective power of new introductions from more than twenty outdoor textile companies showed overwhelming strength in their new introductions and the growing demand for the category. “We learned that only adds extra fuel to the fire, creativity wise as outdoor textiles designers who work at least 24 months out, have a much shorter window to entice furniture manufacturers, designers, and retailers with their newest creations,” said Martin.

The outdoor textile world and furniture world work on an even longer cycle. The additional challenge for this industry is that the purchasing cycle from the consumers is shorter as the seasons are shorter. When asked where the inspiration comes from, answers were from various avenues. Whether it be from social media, Heimtextil, Proposte or even from fashion shows, all creativity is then translated into an easy application for indoor or outdoor furniture. Patterns must be scaled correctly, colored correctly and sellable to the various markets.

Textile Sales & Marketing Professional Tarah Jakubiak shares, “I have been in the textile industry for many years. There was a time when I would flinch every time I had to touch a piece of outdoor fabric. This is no longer the case. It is so refreshing to see soft and luxurious fabrics from the outdoor world. Add to this, that the colors have become way more sophisticated than the traditional outdoor colors of the past. These were all showcased with dominance at Interwoven. The future of outdoor fabrics looks fresh and warm!”

In terms of style, tradition still seems to be a strong influence with new interpretations through a modern lens. Color and pattern wise, no longer is the outdoor industry limited to solids in only greens, blues and yellows. Nor are they limited to stiff fabrics. In terms of hand, bouclé, chenille, and endless texture, showcased the softer the better, with lighter and finer weights gaining in popularity.  Redefining what today’s outdoor fabric looks and feels like.

Leaning into color the spring show dominated in an array of blues, greens, warm neutrals, and darker earth tones from clay to terracotta’s were almost seen universally as brands seemed to embrace earth tones in their solids, patterns and textures, as well as the background for more dynamic patterns, plaids, and florals.

Classic patterns, which set the stage for many outdoor fabrics over the last four years continued to dominate with herringbone, checks and stripes seen prominently on display from many of the outdoor textile brands.  With more contemporary patterns with a special focus on block design, bright summer plaids and woven floral designs as new influences in textiles. Many indoor - outdoor collections displayed with the larger textile brands brought sophisticated dimensional patterns surrounded with the coziness and warmth brought about softer textured fabrics created to invoke luxury.

The International Textiles Alliance’s Interwoven Textile Fair will hold its fall show November 17 -19, 2026 in High Point.

https://internationaltextilealliance.org.