In contemporary interior design, the boundary between indoors and outdoors is becoming increasingly blurred. This trend is particularly relevant to the nautical world, where materials and textiles must combine aesthetics, comfort, and high performance in challenging environmental conditions. This is the context for Rubelli’s journey, which since 2007 has extended its research to the outdoor world, developing collections capable of bringing the refinement and quality typical of home furnishings to the outdoors.
The latest development is Outdoor Mediterraneo, the 2026 collection that deepens and brings to fruition the work conducted on technical textiles for outdoor use. Launched last January in Paris, it is part of the new Luce collection and represents a significant evolution in terms of both performance and aesthetics. The items retain the durability and strength typical of previous collections but introduce a further advancement through the use of 100% solution-dyed Tempotest® acrylic yarn, which guarantees superior performance: high lightfastness—no fading even with prolonged sun exposure—greater washfastness, with colors that do not “run” even at high temperatures, and perfect color uniformity across different production batches.
Added to this is a sensory aspect that is anything but secondary: the absence of the mechanical and thermal stress typical of traditional dyeing processes allows for the preservation of a particularly soft hand and a visual appeal that brings these fabrics closer to the indoor world, making them suitable for residential use as well. The collection, entirely made in Italy, also introduces a significant element in terms of sustainability: the treatments are fluorine-free, and therefore PFAS-free. Outdoor Mediterraneo includes eight upholstery fabrics and three lightweight width-height curtains. The textures, while technical, evoke the appearance of natural weaves and artisanal craftsmanship; the color palette draws inspiration from Mediterranean landscapes. It is no coincidence that the names—from Elba to Filicudi, from Paros to Malta—weave a cohesive narrative of sea, sand and volcanic earth.
This evolution is part of a research journey that began in previous years. With Outdoor Cocktails (2022), Rubelli introduced polypropylene, a synthetic fiber characterized by high resistance to tensile stress, bending, and abrasion, as well as being inert to chemical agents and resistant to attack by mold and microorganisms. The collection included 14 items designed to be combined with one another, featuring solid fabrics, patterns, and printed surfaces, with a color palette inspired by cocktail hues.
With Outdoor Walk (2024), however, the focus shifted to a solution-dyed flame-retardant polyester, capable of ensuring high lightfastness and fire-retardant properties, making the fabrics suitable for the indoor contract sector as well. Certified to Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and Greenguard Gold, the collection explored six technical textures capable of reproducing the look and softness of natural fibers thanks to the development of custom-made yarns.
With Outdoor Mediterraneo, Rubelli thus consistently continues along this path, further refining the dialogue between technological innovation and textile culture. The result is a collection capable of meeting the demands of an increasingly sophisticated outdoor sector, where high performance, durability, and aesthetic quality coexist without compromise.
Gaia Grassi
