The Designers Collaborative Opens Registration for “Made in America Furniture Tour”

February 19, 2026  by Karen Parrish in Business Strategy, Industry   

The Made In America Furniture Tour is an 3-day educational event, hosted by Heather McManus, CEO and Founder of The Designers Collaborative, and will take place in Lancaster County, PA, running March 10–12. “I am thrilled to be opening up our Made In America Furniture Tour, as an opportunity for fellow interior designers, and design professionals to join us for a one-of-a-kind design trip that is educational and fun!” Heather McManus shared.

Designed to be an all-inclusive trip for interior designers and other design and trade professionals, to fully immerse oneself in the beauty and legacy of quality craftsmanship, Made in America. The trip will feature tours of Amish/Mennonite furniture factories, trade shows, and aims to deepen the attendees' knowledge of domestic manufacturing. 

The key elements of the Factory tours will dive into how quality furniture is designed and constructed and highlight the handcrafted furniture from this region through visits to Amish and Mennonite furniture manufacturers, as well as attending a local trade show. Heather McManus commented, “I designed this tour to help design professionals learn how to spot high-quality, American-made furniture. Our tour will also offer insights into furniture sourcing and negotiation, as well as how to care for quality furniture, with tips for better communication on the value of high-end furnishings and affluent homeowners for B2C sales strategies.”

Heather details the 3-day tour will begin with a fun location, as the trip will include staying at a renovated chocolate factory in the most picturesque town of Lititz, PA, plus enjoy delicious meals at fine dining establishments, and plenty of laughs with a small group of like-minded industry peers. During the 3-day tour, guests will also enjoy peer-to-peer networking, with daily activities, and curated design-focused stops, as well as time for exclusive antiquing and vintage shopping.

“This tour is for interior designers, and other design professionals who are interested in learning about furniture design and manufacturing and the history of the Amish and Mennonite furniture factories. The 3-day event includes attending trade shows, while deepening knowledge of domestic quality and production, what are the advantages of custom furniture, and knowledge of the process for ordering bench-made furniture that can last a lifetime.”

Heather explains that the first edition of this trip was held in 2025 and had designers from as far as Texas, Chicago, as well as a few more locals, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania coming together for the 3-day immersive experience. 

Anna Foulon from Embark Planning & Design said, "Thank you for putting together a fabulous trip, it was so fun!"  Joy Williams from Joyful Designs LLC, attended in 2025 and shared she was "so glad she attended and opened accounts with so many new vendors she would have never known of." 

Registration is still available with less than 10-remaining stops. To learn more, visit The Designers Collaborative events page to register to attend. 

Heather shared, “Stay tuned for more events and brand collaborations planned throughout 2026, and a series of celebrations to honor our 10-year anniversary in business at Fall High Point Market.”