Features

Summer is the season for external blinds, and the category boasts an array of innovations, from visual design upgrades to climate appropriate features and more. Belinda Smart reports.

WFA investigates how companies are dealing with the pandemic-led rise of single use plastic, along with an update on individual companies' green products and processes.

Melbourne’s protracted lockdown has only just come to an end, with stores in the Victorian capital reporting mixed results. However retailers across much of Australia who took part in WFA’s regular sales survey have reconfirmed the theory mooted earlier in the year; that the restrictions imposed by Coronavirus have been good, and occasionally stellar, for business. Belinda Smart reports.

With homebound consumers focused on renos, the Coronavirus pandemic is generally understood to have been good for business in the window furnishings space. However, ensuring a smooth operation mid-crisis is not without its challenges.

From wholesale to retail, the new COVIS-19 era has forced window furnishings businesses to change their approach to engaging and advising their clientele, using video to bring ‘old school’ face to face consultations into the digital space. Belinda Smart reports.

In the realms of motorisation automation and connectivity, it seems the future has arrived, with leading edge suppliers continuing to innovate their motorisation offerings, while the idea of the connected ‘smart home’ is increasingly accepted as a given. Belinda Smart reports.

Boasting European standards in terms of design but designed for the needs of the Australian market, awning systems look set for continued growth as consumers turn their attention to investing on the domestic front. WFA reports on the latest innovations.

As the summer months approach, wider widths, visibility versus privacy and sustainability gains continue to underpin the awning screen fabrics market. WFA reports.

Curtains have been drawing attention for some time, but COVID-19’s silver lining is that they’re now more popular than ever before, with housebound consumers forced to re-evaluate their soft furnishings. Belinda Smart outlines some of the latest releases in drapery fabrics.

The Covid 19 crisis has reinforced the importance of Australian Made, with suppliers keen to gain security of supply and reliable product, and renovation-focused consumers committed to supporting local jobs and investing in quality manufactured goods. As the focus on local expertise mounts, pressure is growing for better frameworks to ensure the authenticity of “Australian made” items. WFA reports.