SUNBRELLA ® INTERIORS
Debuts at High Point Market
Anderson Rolls Out New Options
Trivantage ® & Sunbrella Exhibit
"When we take care of ourselves and our families, we show up stronger for each other and for our customers."
With the end of the year just weeks away, I find myself reviewing our 2025 milestones—and preparing for the new year. At our October Coffee Talk, we shared our growth initiatives for the year and took a critical step forward with the launch of the Sunbrella Interiors subbrand later that month at High Point Market.
In this issue of Connections, you'll read more about that launch and the tremendous effort behind it. It was a great success, and I want to celebrate the hard work of every team member who got us to that launch—and to all team members who invest their time and energy every day to make Glen Raven successful.
At Glen Raven ®, we have always believed in celebrating milestones, both personal and professional. The way we balance our work with our personal lives is critical to our success. When we take care of ourselves and our families, we show up stronger for each other and for our customers.
I encourage you to use this holiday season as a time to reflect on the successes we have had and the opportunities that lie ahead, while also enjoying time with your loved ones. You've earned it.
Thank you for everything you have contributed this year.
Leib Oehmig, CEO
Glen Raven associates around the world are entering a season of celebration. Over the next two months, members of our team will celebrate more than ten holidays, including Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year’s Day, and the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration.
While we may all celebrate a little differently, all of these holidays mark an opportunity to slow down, observe traditions, and spend time with the people we love most. We wish you a season full of joy, reflection, and connection.
Earlier this year, the Anderson Yarn Plant and Norlina Plant introduced hybrid scheduling —a move designed to optimize talent and increase operational excellence.
Under the new structure, full-time manufacturing associates work one of two schedules. Options include 12-hour shifts working three to four days per week, or the traditional eight-hour schedule on first, second, or third shift, five days per week.
Dennis Jackson DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES
“We made this change because it improves both the lives of associates and helps Glen Raven operate more effectively,” explained Dennis Jackson, Director of Human Resources. “Worklife balance is important to all of us, and this enables associates with family commitments, educational pursuits or different preferences to work a schedule more aligned with their personal circumstances.”
The initiative also comes with benefits for Glen Raven. Scheduling choice is a powerful recruit -
ment tool, helping to attract qualified candidates. Operationally, the varied shift structure enables the team to maintain seven-day-a-week operations and ensures robust weekend manufacturing coverage without gaps.
“The hybrid schedule provides flexibility for each facility. Using the better fit between the two schedules allows managers to focus on priority production and flexibility. It’s the proverbial win-
win situation for both employees and Glen Raven,” said Todd Wemyss, Plant Manager at Norlina.
“Since we’ve implemented this change, we’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback, and productivity has increased,” said Dennis. “We’re taking these learnings and exploring ways to implement this in other areas to help us continue to adapt and support capacity needs across the business.”
At Coffee Talk in October, Material Solutions Group—Furnishings rolled out a top growth initiative for the year—the launch of Sunbrella Interiors. It is a strategic move the team has been planning for a long time, and the sub-brand officially rolled out with an immersive experience at High Point Market in late October. Representatives of this initiative, Suzie Roberts, Catherine Cheely, and Esther Chang took some time to answer questions about the launch and what the future looks like for Sunbrella Interiors.
Tell us more about what drove this strategic initiative. How did Sunbrella Interiors come to be?
Suzie Roberts, VP, Global Sunbrella Business: Interiors is such a huge opportunity for Glen Raven. Consumers and the trade have always trusted Sunbrella for its durability and cleanability. Our brand is recognized as the leader in performance, particularly in the outdoor space, but research showed consumers and designers are pleasantly surprised to discover Sunbrella can make soft fabrics that are great for indoors. It really reinforced that opportunity in the market and our ability to meet that demand.
Our recent investments in our novelty yarn plant helped us focus on the softness and comfort that we want for indoor products and we’re so proud of what we’re producing.
What was it like to launch the brand at High Point Market?
Esther Chang, Creative Director: Our goal for this phase of the launch was to create buzz and awareness through an experience that felt elevated, tactile, and memorable. The team built an installation along Showplace Walkway, designed to invite people to touch and feel the products. We showcased a thoughtfully curated assortment—from upholstery fabrics to throws and window treatments—highlighting a diverse breadth of patterns, textures, and colors that reflect our capabilities. Ultimately, we wanted to shift the perception that we are only an outdoor brand, and we did that through a beautiful, immersive experience.
What was the response?
Catherine Cheely, VP, Sunbrella Brand Management: It was an incredibly successful activation, with our strongest High Point Market performance on social media to date. We had more than 35,000 organic impressions, with multiple designers posting about the experience. We hosted eleven different editors and publications, including shelter magazines and trade media. Ultimately, we landed 37 media placements, including strong coverage in High Point market roundups from Business of Home, House Beautiful, and Luxe. Internally, we’re celebrating the group effort it took to get here. Every functional team had a hand in making this happen.
For those who don’t work with the Sunbrella Interiors sub-brand on a daily basis—what does this mean for us?
Suzie Roberts:
We can’t understate how big of a growth opportunity the interiors market represents for Glen Raven. This initiative is going to push us to build new capabilities and grow our skills internally. It’s going to build on the strong operational abilities we already have, and it’s going to leverage our existing leadership in the textiles space.
For many people at Glen Raven, you’re influencing and supporting this initiative, even if you don’t realize it! This work starts at the plant level and requires support from nearly every business unit
to get these products to the consumer. Ultimately, more demand requires greater capacity—and this growth is going to benefit all of us.
What’s next for Sunbrella Interiors?
Catherine Cheely:
The High Point Market launch was a huge first step. From here, we’re testing retail at a couple of locations in North Carolina and in south Florida. In the spring, we’ll be focused on rolling out an immersive web experience so people can really explore the sub-brand, while simultaneously growing our retail presence. Then, in fall 2026, we plan to launch to the consumers with a national marketing campaign.
The Sunbrella, Trivantage, and GRL teams turned heads at the Advanced Textiles Expo in Indianapolis last month. Advanced Textiles Expo (ATE) is the leading trade show for the industrial fabrics industry, primarily focusing on the shade market. For the past few years, ATE has been co-locating with Messe Stuttgart’s Sun Shading Expo, attracting additional show attendees and building diversity on the show floor.
Sunbrella featured a new display highlighting the newly launched Exceed FR collection, bringing the line to 8 colorways. “It has generated a lot of excitement since it launched in January 2025,” said Charlie Withers, General Manager, Shade and Marine Business Unit. Exceed FR is inherently flame-resistant and offers maximum water repellency, which makes it perfect for a variety of commercial shading projects that need to meet specific FR codes.
For the Trivantage team, engagement was a priority. They hosted a live sewing demonstration that encouraged attendees to try a new version of GORE ® TENARA® sewing thread for marine applications. “Our sewing demo generated a lot of buzz on the show floor,” said Keith Purves, Business Development and Product Manager. “We wanted to showcase the updated thread and let people experience the improvements firsthand.”
GRL was well positioned in the center of the Advanced Textiles Hub, an exclusive space on the show floor reserved for preferred partners of the organization. Members of the Advanced Textiles Association (ATA) receive exclusive access and discounts on valuable business services, curated by the ATA team. GRL is the preferred shipping partner of the organization.
The week was a huge success for the two teams, who captured a total of 319 leads as they shared new product releases. “Trade show attendees are always looking for the latest and greatest products,” said Jordan Mahaffey, Brand Activation Manager. “It’s important for our teams to show up as leaders in the industry with our newest innovations and offerings.”
Worldwide trade shows and exhibitions give us opportunities to showcase Sunbrella ®, GlenGuard ®, Trivantage ®, and other Glen Raven ® brands to the trade. Here are a few of the places we’ve been and where we’re going:
• iP Utility Safety Phoenix, AZ GlenGuard
• Interihotel Barcelona, Spain Dickson Flooring + Sunbrella EU Upholstery
• Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show Ft. Lauderdale, FL Sunbrella Marine
• Advanced Textile Expo Indianapolis, IN Sunbrella Shade & Trivantage
• Seattle Marine Seminar Seattle, WA Trivantage
• Interwoven High Point, NC Sunbrella Furnishings
• METS Amsterdam, Netherlands Sunbrella EU Marine
Congratulations to the entire team that worked tirelessly to support trade shows across the world this fall!
January 8-10, 2026
MFA Savannah, GA Sunbrella Marine
January 13-14, 2026
Nautipro Bordeaux, France Sunbrella EU Marine
January 20-22, 202
NECPA Mystic, CT Sunbrella Shade & Marine
February 4-5, 2026
MFPA Rosemont, IL Sunbrella Marine
February 9-11, 2026
ICFA Elevate Conference New Orleans, LA Sunbrella Furnishings
February 11-15, 2026
Miami Boat Show Miami, FL Sunbrella Marine
The Glen Raven Asia office completed an upgrade they call the Corporate Culture Wall in their main access point within the plant. Highly visible to both associates and customers, the wall offers a strong first impression and introduction to Glen Raven culture and values. “We want employees and visitors to better understand the company’s values, achievements, history, and mission,” said Li Hua (Wally), General Manager of GRA.
Features include the company’s Guiding Principles, a 20-year history of Glen Raven Asia that showcases major milestones and celebrates associates, and a corporate culture wall that describes the team’s safety, sustainability, and charitable efforts.
“While the wall is very new, our associates are very fond of it and we look forward to sharing it with visitors,” said Wally. “We see it as a platform for promoting cultural communication and strengthening employee cohesion.”
In late September, GRL celebrated Driver Appreciation Week, spotlighting the contributions of the truck drivers that keep GRL moving. “These dedicated members of our fleet are the lifeblood of our operations. They spend long hours on the road, often away from their families, to ensure that our supply chain remains strong and our customers are supported,” said Jonathan Waddell, Operations Manager at GRL. “Whether it's a critical shipment or a routine delivery, our drivers consistently go above and beyond.”
During their Driver Safety Meeting, the GRL team honored seven drivers with Driver of the Year awards in these categories
“Drivers keep our business moving forward. They literally drive us to excellence every time they make a connection at a customer facility or deliver a critical shipment on time. They work tirelessly to help ensure the prosperity of our organization, and we could not be prouder of each one of them and the amazing job they do. Our service is what sets us apart, and those drivers are a large part of our success.”
When Glen Raven Material Solutions Group considered destinations for their FY26 Sales Kickoff, they chose a location that would make an impact. Hosting the event in Asheville, NC, meant the team could invest back into the western North Carolina area—still rebuilding after Hurricane Helene— while also creating volunteerism opportunities that would support the area.
Working closely with Burnsville plant leadership and local nonprofit Mountain Strong , the team identified two needs in the region and mobilized around those key initiatives. The first was a food drive to restock the Burnsville Plant Food Pantry. The second was support for a Halloween celebration for local children, packing treat bags and collecting costumes for the community’s Trunk or Treat event.
The response was overwhelming—so much so that GRL stepped in to help transport the large crates of donations. In total, the effort yielded two full crates of food, Halloween treats bags, and costumes for the Burnsville community.
In addition to donations, attendees completed more than 408 hours of vol -
unteer service during an afternoon dedicated to local impact in Asheville. These activities included:
• Supporting Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry by painting rooms, mulching, and staining and sealing an outdoor mural at several of their recovery and crisis ministry facilities.
• Picking up litter throughout the community to support Asheville Greenworks.
• Working with RiverLink Project to plant native species to protect the riverbank, while weeding and clearing brush.
Each of these projects supported ongoing recovery needs in the region, restoring both indoor and outdoor spaces that were impacted by the storm.
Emotional resilience is the ability to adapt, recover, and stay steady during life’s ups and downs, often something we experience during the holiday season. Here are three ways to consider strengthening your emotional resilience as you head into the new year:
1 2
Shift your perspective.
It’s inevitable that things don’t always go as planned. Sometimes those challenges are simple, like the car getting a flat tire. Others are more disruptive, like navigating a health crisis. And while a shift in perspective can’t always fix the problem, changing your approach helps you stay flexible, even when things feel tough. Consider asking yourself:
• What’s one positive takeaway here?
• Where’s the opportunity to learn?
Find moments to recharge. When life feels tough, taking a break can feel out of reach. But sometimes taking a step back can soften those feelings of overwhelm and help reset your brain so you return with a clearer head.
• Do two minutes of simple breathing exercises between big tasks
• Take a five-minute walk to get away from your screen
3
Be kind to yourself.
A little self-compassion goes a long way, especially when you’re stressed or frustrated. It’s important to remember that everyone has hard days and that most of us are doing the best we can. Here’s hoping your new year is smooth, but when those challenges hit, just remember—building your emotional resilience helps you meet those challenges with confidence.
In times when you need extra support, Glen Raven offers an Employee Assistance Counseling Program (EACP) that provides confidential, professional counseling by licensed therapists for personal and work-related issues. The therapists have extensive training and experience and hold either a master’s or doctorate level degree. The program is offered at no cost to you.
Phone numbers to schedule appointments can be found below, or on page 35 of your 2026 Glen Raven Employee Benefits book.
Alamance County: 336-538-7481
Anderson: 855-775-4357
Burnsville: 828-284-0190
Norlina: 1-800-252-4555 or 1-800-225-2527
All States Except NC & SC: 1-800-252-4555 or 1-800-225-2527
