HIGH POINT, N.C. — September 14, 2021 — Among the silver linings to 2020 was consumers increased interest in being outdoors. Since last spring, fresh air pursuits have become the respite of choice for city dwellers and rural folks alike.
As a result, U.S. boat sales skyrocketed in 2020. When plane travel halted and vacations were cancelled, a lot of the money earmarked for travel was redirected to boats and other fun, and safely distanced pastimes.
To cater to the demand in boat manufacturing, Morbern introduces Voyager and Sandpiper, vinyls for upholstery in the marine, marine aftermarket and contract markets. Both vinyls deliver high performance at a value price point, less than $10 a yard.
“It’s fascinating to witness how consumer behavior shapes the marketplace,” said Morbern Executive Vice President of Sales John Weaver. “It’s a constant driver of new product development at Morbern.”
Like Morbern’s existing marine staples Bayside and Surf, both Voyager and Sandpiper employ Morbern’s Splash construction, a pink-stain resistant vinyl formulation, the gold standard in the marine industry. With UV protection, cold crack resistance and 4-way stretch, they are ideal materials for boat interiors and exteriors. While originally designed for the marine market, the range of neutral colors, excellent tailorability and significant wear resistance make them a great choice for contract interiors as well.
Sandpiper has a fine leather grain while Voyager features a delicate pebble grain. Both are mildew resistant fabrics are backed with 100 percent polyester and they pass the following flame resistance tests: CA TB 117-2013, UFAC Class I and IM0 MSC 88/26/ADD. 2 PART 8 (3.1 and 3.2).
By the numbers:
- 12 colors each;
- 54-inch width;
- 40-yard rolls;
- 100,000 double rubs, Wyzenbeek method;
- -25° F Cold Crack rating; and
- 1,000 Hours on the WeatherOmeter test.
Posted September 14, 2021
Source: Morbern
