Later this week we'll launch our annual Member Survey, and we need your help.
We want to know what you're thinking. How are we doing? What do we do well? What can we do better? What do you want to see from us in the future? When you receive the survey email, please take a moment to provide your input. The survey takes only a couple minutes to complete, but your valued input is instrumental in helping us focus on the programs that are most important to you.
To sweeten the deal, we're raffling off an NUA-branded item of choice to one lucky winner who completes the survey. And if you're not a winner, you can still score some sweet merchandise (and show your support for the National Upholstery Association) by visiting our NUA Shop.
The NUA welcomes a new Vice-President
We are pleased to announce that Kim Newell of Kim's Upholstery Shop in W. Lafayette, IN is stepping into the role of NUA VP. Kim has been on the NUA Board of Directors since our inception and is now stepping into the VP role.
Restaurants, libraries, and waiting rooms - oh my! Abrasive cleaners have done a number on commercial spaces. Here comes the emails to upholstery shops. How do you bid, price, and resource materials for commercial upholstery jobs? Bring some stories of your experience and we'll learn from each other!
Community Meetings are open to the public and held as a live Zoom meeting where colleagues get a chance to discuss the monthly topic. This is not a webinar where only the presenter talks. Bring your knowledge or questions on the monthly topic, then share and learn from other shops and upholsterers!
Volunteer
Volunteers are the heart of our organization. Our board and committees are composed of unpaid volunteers - such as small business owners, manufacturing professionals, and upholstery students - who are all passionate about supporting and advancing the field of upholstery. The NUA needs more volunteers - it's as simple as that. Most volunteer positions only have a time commitment of 2-3 hours per month. Please consider becoming an NUA Volunteer - learn more here.
Thought Leadership
The NUA's Webinar Committee collates fresh content every month to highlight the expertise of our community and to enrich our members with tools, skills, and resources.
Webinars
Our next webinar is Tuesday, May 10 at 1:00pm EST: Introduction to SCORE - Resources for Small Business.
Mark Krosse joins us to share resources for small businesses. In his work with SCORE, Mark helps new entrepreneurs get started and experienced business owners solve problems to grow their cash flow.
PUN Intended: An interview with Lindsay Orwig on the Making of the Professional Upholsterers’ Network
By Monica Rhodes, NUA Volunteer and Owner of Monday Wash Furniture
On the day I had the honor of interviewing Lindsay Orwig, owner of A Chick and a Chair Upholstery, about her work and the establishment of the Professional Upholsterer’s Network on Facebook, she began by saying that she never intended it to be known as “the PUN”. She, herself, steadfastly referred to it as “the Network”, but it just didn’t stick. Lindsay believes it was Kate Malfroy (Rapt! Upholstery) who first referred to the collective community as “PUNsters” - and that was that. “You can’t control a runaway train,” says Lindsay laughing.
Earth Week 2022: Can Interior Design Become Sustainable?
The Chairish Podcast
Katie Storey, founder of the Good Future Design Alliance, designer Laurence Carr, and Susan Inglis of the Sustainable Furnishings Council—outline easy steps every designer can take, strategies on how to involve clients, organizations that can help, and how design can have a positive impact in the fight for a sustainable future. Listen Here
Industry News
Upcoming Events
Bulk, Bulges & Raw Edges: Upholstery Class at the Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass, CO, June 6-17, 2022.
The art of upholstery is visual, tactile and logistical. This workshop presents the tools, techniques and materials used to create and restore upholstered furniture.
Expanded Education Program offering three tracks: Technology, Woodworking and Upholstery. Attend all sessions in one track for two days or attend multiple sessions in different tracks. All included with your registration.
Exhibitor Demonstrations taking place on the show floor, providing a hands on look at the latest technology and techniques.
Custom Workroom Conference, held at Embassy Suites Hilton Hotel & Hampton Roads Convention Center, Hampton, VA, October 11-13, 2022. This event is open to upholsterers, drapery, and soft furnishings professionals.
The NUA was founded in 2019 to inspire a rebirth of the upholstery profession. Our mission is to work together to support and advance the field of professional upholstery. Membership benefits include Continuing Education, Networking, Member's Only Resources, and more.
