Linens liven up events

With unlimited event imagery available at their fingertips, tented event planners and their clients have more decor possibilities to consider than ever before. The challenge, for those pursuing a one-of-a-kind design, is selecting fabrics and accessories unique enough to toe the line between inspiration and replication. And for many, the solution lies in linens—layers of linens. 

“Linen changes the atmosphere more than any other decor,” says JP Fritz, owner and president of Lasting Impressions Event Rental, with locations in Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati, Ohio. “In the Midwest, we’ve typically seen trends slower than the coasts. But with so many clients on Pinterest and other types of social media, we’re not far behind. Everybody has instant access to everything that’s happening, and they’re using multiple linen colors, textures and fabrics to achieve the look they’re after.”

Increased access to tabletop trends, in particular, is a key factor cited in a recent study that caught the eye of Kelly Higgins, a Chicago-area account executive for Well Dressed Tables by Arena Americas. The study, produced by Transparency Market Research, Albany, N.Y., anticipates growth of more than $18.2 billion within the table linen market by 2031.

“Everyone’s excited about linens and tables,” says Higgins, who has received more requests for smaller themed dinner parties and brides wanting to upscale their backyard weddings with extravagant table decor. “In our galas and large corporate functions, too, people are clearly craving fun and excitement in their events. They are not afraid to mix and match bright colors and bold patterns—anything to produce that ‘wow’ factor.”  

What’s heating up

Top styles trending across varying locations include:

Prints. From florals to geometric motifs, patterned linens are being used to embellish or completely replace solids. “Events following the pandemic often just used all white, whether they were aiming for a ‘clean’ look or trying to keep costs down,” recalls Maureen Kelk, vice president of marketing for Choice Party Linens Inc., in Prospect Park, Pa. “But then we started getting more colorful accent requests for head, gift or cake tables. And now bigger prints are making a comeback. We offer them in everything from runners and tablecloths to overlays in complementary colors so clients have a lot of mix-and-match options.”

Nearby in New York, wholesale fabric supplier Liba Fabrics is reaping the benefits of the print division the company took a risk on opening early in the pandemic. “We’ve seen so much demand for printed fabrics this year,” says Jacob Visoky, vice president of business development. “All we need is a design from the client, and we can print on any of our base cloths. Printed napkins are requested the most, especially for clients on a budget, but we’re seeing more demand for fully printed tablecloths as well. It’s an easy way for clients to make their event more unique.”

Pricilla Soto, Higgins’ counterpart at Well Dressed Tables by Arena Americas in Milwaukee, Wis., works with several clients on a budget as well and recommends patterned napkins as the number one way to make a statement. “I tell all my brides I’m cheaper than their florist. Adding floral napkins, tablecloths or even runners and cocktail linens can make a bigger visual impact than flowers, while also saving them money.”

In South West England, clients with deeper pockets are gravitating toward a relatively new offering from DP Marquees Ltd.: hand-block-printed tent linings. “We started with a green fern print in 2017, and it’s been hard to keep up with demand ever since—even as I book events for 2025,” says Claire Segrave, events manager. The company launched a gold star pattern in 2019, followed by a blue floral pattern in 2023. “They’re expensive to make, so certainly not for everyone, but they help keep client costs down by reducing the need for fresh flowers. And they add an artistic aesthetic you just can’t get any other way.”

The rustic farmhouse look. “It still isn’t going anywhere,” Soto says. She sees a lot of faux burlap and cheesecloth centered on farm tables, in addition to denim—which she can’t rent fast enough. “It feels and looks exactly like blue jeans and is perfect for outdoor events because it’s heavy while still looking cute. Clients love using it to create a casual environment with bandanna napkins, as well as dressing it up with satin napkins.”

Fritz also continues to experience demand for rustic linens—with a twist of glitz. “I’m seeing a lot of people use more sophisticated runners and napkins to glam up farm tables. The contrasting accent really takes the farmhouse theme to the next level,” he says. 

Luxury. Not all clients hosting their event in a tent necessarily want it to look like a tent. Linens are often being used to cover poles or act as sidewalls. 

Economy Tent International, an Anchor Company based in Miami, Fla., receives several requests for liners, curtains and leg drapes to add an additional touch of sophistication to outdoor events. 

“We only carry white gathered tent liners because they eliminate the inconvenience of wrinkles, which you can almost never avoid with smooth liners—and white is universal,” says Shelly Lapping, operations manager. “Customers who want to provide a higher-end experience for their guests are also getting more creative with dressing up the liners with lighting. I’m always amazed by the elegance people can achieve by simply hiding the metal structure and adding a chandelier.”

Shanna Manning, client services manager for Choice Party Linens, says more customers are using ceiling drapes to make the atmosphere feel more dramatic and luxurious. “We’re seeing a lot of linen backdrops as well, especially for photo booths. We have a sequin fabric that’s incredibly popular.”

Vibrant formals, such as velvet and matte satin, are increasingly sought after at Lasting Impressions. “I’m surprised by how much matte satin we’ve been renting,” Fritz admits. “It’s been picking up for about a year and a half now, and manufacturers are coming out with bolder colors that clients love.” 

Liba Fabrics is experiencing more demand for velvet as well and recently released “fire velvet,” made with flame-retardant yarn to satisfy customer requests for fire-retardant drapes.

Sustainability. Customers are increasingly asking for eco-friendly fabrics, something Liba Fabrics is excited to offer more of in 2024.

With limited eco-friendly fabric options currently available, companies are getting more creative with recycling worn linens. “We try to repurpose everything we have in-house, whether that’s adding them to sample books, selling them at a discounted rate or donating them to nonprofits, schools and anyone else in need,” Higgins says. 

“There are so many ways to ensure linens are getting second or third lives,” Kelk adds. “We’ve donated several worn or discontinued linens to animal shelters and school theater programs. We also have our damaged tablecloths cut down to be used as napkins or runners.”

Stocking the right balance

Sources of design inspiration might be limitless, but storage for inventory is not. While trends grow and change more quickly, deciding when to add or remove a fabric becomes more complicated. 

Several of Well Dressed Tables’ clients are sports teams, corporations and academic institutions with branded colors that Higgins and Soto will always need in stock. But for others, they collaborate closely with colleagues across the country to track shifts in customer requests and worldwide trends, paying close attention to what’s popular in Europe.

“For each line we consider adding, we have to make sure it’s a product that appeals to a large market but stands out individually—but can also work well when combined with all of our other products. It’s quite the undertaking,” Soto says. 

“When it comes to retiring a line, we do it for a couple of obvious reasons,” Fritz says. “It’s either a discontinued fabric or we have too little or too much of something. But so many trends come back around that it’s hard to let go of some lines. We own a lot of crinkled linen because it was really hot at one time, but I haven’t gotten rid of it because it’ll probably become popular again—maybe not for 10 years, but at least I have the room to store it for now.”

Liba Fabrics generally turns its inventory—about 2 million yards of fabric—over three to four times a year. “We’re generally thinking three to four months ahead of time when it comes to ordering, and we use a software system to meticulously track orders so we can stay on top of demand,” says Jessica Visoky, vice president of operations. “But we don’t try to predict trends. Generally, our customers will tell us what they want. If the demand is big enough from our customer base, we’ll invest in it—and we go very deep to make sure we have the inventory levels our customers need.”

What’s on its way out? One fabric Fritz will never again add to his inventory is tissue lamé fabric. “You just can’t keep it looking nice; it’s a disposable product in my mind, but it’s not supposed to be.” 

For the Visokys, it’s pintuck. “It’s just not popular anymore—we’ve seen that die out over the past few years and discontinued it last year.”

As trends come and go, Higgins says one observation over the last few years remains the same: “People want to be together again.” And linens endure as an easy and affordable decorative element that infuses individuality into celebrations of all sizes.  

Holly Eamon is a business writer and editor based in Minneapolis, Minn.

Whether linens are folded or hung, these simple but crucial cleaning and storage tips can help extend their life. “Keep linens out of direct sunlight and stay away from harsh chemicals and high heat. Those will eat away at the fabric each time you launder them,” says Shanna Manning, client services manager for Choice Party Linens in Prospect Park, Pa. “Air-drying is the preferred method to keep your fabric from breaking down and misshaping.” 

Additionally, Manning recommends storing linens in a porous substance. “All of ours are shrink-wrapped, but if you look closely, you’ll see perforation holes everywhere to prevent the possibility of moisture being trapped in the fabric.”

For folded linens, Pricilla Soto, account executive for Well Dressed Tables by Arena Americas in Milwaukee, Wis., says the key is investing in high-quality and durable shelving. “It’s easy to forget how heavy linens can be when they’re all stacked up. Fold and store them inside out, and make sure you cover the linens on the top shelf so nothing from the ceiling falls onto them.”

When it comes to ironing, Soto adds, always iron the reverse side. “And never iron fully dry linens; they should be damp before ironing to preserve the color—and then fully dry before they’re stored to prevent mold.”