The story of Moss begins with a 20th century visionary: Bill Moss, an artist and industrial design wizard who invented the technology of "tensioned fabric". Bill designed and patented the first "pop-up" tent in 1955. He and his wife Marilyn founded Moss Tent Works in 1975 in Camden, Maine, and subsequently developed a line of elegant, innovative, and world-renowned tents, loved by Jacques Cousteau, Himalayan explorers, Saudi Arabian royalty, and outdoor enthusiasts.
In 1983, Moss brought its expertise in curvilinear designs in lightweight fabric and frame to the Outdoor Retailer Show as a backdrop for their display tents. The display caused a stir in the industry, as exhibitors recognized the advantages of a lightweight, easily assembled and disassembled solution that could be stored and shipped in just a few cases, compared with traditional hard material displays. This breakthrough solution, combined with the immense design flexibility of tensioned fabric technology, set the stage for Moss to become the world's premier provider of fabric and frame environments. Moss sold its interest in the recreational tent business in the mid 1990s and has never looked back.
Bill and Marilyn Moss built a company culture based on respect, integrity, and social responsibility. A passion for innovation has led to many new developments, which continue to move Moss ahead. New technology, including state-of-the-art in-house digital printing capabilities, and CAD-driven fabric cutting machinery enable us to work with greater precision, higher quality, lower costs, and faster turnarounds than ever before. Moss increased its manufacturing capability by acquiring Exhibit Architecture, in 2002, located outside Chicago, and most recently opened a rental depot in Las Vegas, allowing Moss to provide immediate, more personal service for western US tradeshows and events.
Moss continues to expand its horizons by offering tensioned fabric solutions to the retail design and event industries. Visual merchandising solutions from Moss now grace the halls of well-known department stores and brand-name retailers. Moss stage sets and environments have been created for huge corporate events and entertainment events such as the Grammys. Whether at a tradeshow, a corporate event, a museum, store, or mall, Moss continues to set the standard for dazzling environments. The spirit of innovation is alive and growing at Moss as we look forward to the next decade.