Style to weather any conditions from Extex

Durable and delightful are not mutually exclusive. Keith Rawkins, founder of Extex, tells Jodie Arzon how their luxury furnishing fabrics are expertly designed for outdoor use

The outside world can be a harsh and unforgiving environment. This means upholstering furniture for outdoors has to be engineered to weather the harshest storms. Materials need to offer exceptionally high performance without compromising on style.

This is where Extex has revolutionised the market, providing British made outdoor furnishing fabrics that blend easy-care practicality with sophisticated style and superior softness. First commissioned to design and produce fine interior fabrics for motor yachts in the 1990s, Extex was conceived by Keith Rawkins, co-founder of British print studio Marina Mill, in response to a growing relationship with the marine industry.

His work on super yacht projects revealed a lack of excitement and innovation when it came to outdoor fabrics. “The majority of the textiles available to use on outdoor deck furniture of the finest yachts were dull, drab and coarse,” he explains.

Conscious that the industry had so much more to offer, Rawkins created the Extex brand in 2002 as an exciting alternative. Over the past 15 years, Extex has become a brand renowned for its award winning, exceptional performance fabrics.

Working with yacht designers and the most discerning of clients, the company has been trusted with supplying outdoor fabrics for famed yachts and country manor houses. Considering all the demands possible on fabrics used in both boating and garden settings, each collection is created with light-fast, stain-resistant, pre-shrunk qualities, as well as being water repellent, saline and chlorine durable and even machine washable.

Form and function are equally important in the development process, with design inspiration taken from the natural world bringing together a dynamic sense of style with ultimate practicality.

“From vast open oceans to tranquil English woodlands, eastern cultures and astronomy, our influences come from many international sources to bring excitement to the outdoor fabric industry,” explains Keith.

Combining innovative design with contemporary colours and textures, Mull was the first range introduced by Extex and incorporates specially spun chenille yarns for a soft, tactile finish. Now, plain, brightly coloured chenilles and subtle stripes are featured alongside the innovative Ensö embossed range and pioneering glow-in-the-dark Solar design, for unique upholstery options that promise to transform any outdoor environment.

With a new fabric launching in 2018 and a spa collaboration on the horizon, Extex continues to push the boundaries and introduce sophisticated style to the world of outdoor furnishing fabrics.

To find out more, visit www.extex.co.uk