In November 2022, we held our second annual Pricing Survey, where we asked respondents how much they charge for various upholstery services. Our questions were weighted toward residential upholstery services, though several questions applied to commercial, marine, and other specialties.
Our next Community Meeting is on Wednesday, January 25th at 7pm (Eastern Time). In that meeting, we'll go over the high-level results of the survey and general use of the dashboard. We'll also have a Q&A — so bring your burning questions!
Join us in welcoming your 2023 & 2024 Board of Directors!
Board members freely give their time to collaborate with each other Executive Officers and keep NUA running strong. The NUA is lucky to have a dedicated group to address the needs of the organization and its members. Please join us in welcoming our new and returning members!
The NUA holds webinars on the second Tuesday of every month at 1:00pm ET. Registration information for the webinars is emailed to members two weeks prior to the event. Here's what we have planned next:
Natural Upholstery for Healthy Furniture with Carla Pyle
Tuesday, February 14th, 1:00PM EST
Clients requesting chemical-free fabrics and fillings for their upholstery? Carla Pyle joins us to discuss how these products will affect established workflows and bottom line. She will offer a “Good-Better-Best” approach to fit client budgets, and handouts will include vendor lists, calculation worksheets, a glossary of terms, a certifications cheat sheet, and more!
Back Cushion Cores—Beyond the Basic Poly-fiber Insert with Justin Dazey
Tuesday, March 14th, 1:00PM EST
Have you ever wondered how to convert a poly-fill back to foam without losing the overall shape and appearance of the original cushion? Justin Dazey joins us to discuss the pros and cons of several different approaches for replacement cores, repair and re-fill options, down and feather envelopes, mixed fill cores, basic methods for adding a little bulk to existing cores to give them a longer life and much more!
What's good in your upholstery world? Let us celebrate with you!
Our 2023 theme is COMMUNITY so we want to help spread the word! Did you move into a new shop? Are you entering retirement? Did you get highlighted in local news or publication? We want to know! Members, share your news and we'll include it in our next quarterly newsletter. Just send us an email (with photos if you have them!) to:
Laura Archer—Ladysmith Furniture
Volunteer of the Quarter, Q1 2023
Serendipity is the best word to describe the partnership between Laura and the NUA. Her background in Marketing and PR, combined with her passion for upholstery, makes her uniquely qualified to tackle the enormous task of coordinating the NUA's public relations efforts.
Laura has volunteered countless hours toward the betterment of the NUA's public outreach. If you've been on social media lately and noticed more activity on our pages, that's Laura's doing! She was also responsible for coordinating and distributing our very first press release, which was picked up by Furniture Today.
In addition to managing the public face of the NUA, Laura's been working hard behind the scenes to organize and standardize our email communications, create more consistent branding, and broaden the NUA's overall reach. All that work is showing positive momentum, as we've already seen huge increases in in engagement across our social media networks and an uptick in the rate of new memberships.
Please help us congratulate Laura as NUA's Volunteer of the Quarter! You can find Laura's business, Ladysmith Furniture, on her website here.
Get Involved and Help Lead the Way!
Volunteer with the National Upholstery Association!
Volunteers are the heart of our organization. Our board and committees are composed of unpaid volunteers - 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.
Industry News & Upcoming Events!
The 2023 ISFD Innovation + Design Competition and Exhibition
April 5th - 26th, 2023
The Art Galleries on the Congdon Yards Campus, 401 W. English Rd. High Point, NC 27262
Since 1923, Miami Corporation has been and continues to be a leading distributor in the automotive, marine, awning, and upholstery markets. In 2015, The Miami Corporation became an Employee Owned Company (ESOP) to help better the future of their employees. Happy Birthday, Miami Corporation!
Workroom Tech (Tyron, NC) is a trade school for sewing and upholstery professionals with in-person and online classes for all levels. In July, Workroom Tech will be hosting the All About Leather Workshop with Rhonda Shanahan. Registration for this special event is through The Whimsical Chair.
Actor Rajiv Surendra visits his favorite upholsterer, Albert Vitiello Decorators, for a very special commission; creating a harp stool from a garbage find! Every piece of upholstered furniture in Rajiv's living room has been taken to Albert at some point; this meticulous shop takes time and care to ensure that their work is of the highest standard.
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.
