The North American film industry is, in a word, massive. With about 5,317 different indoor theaters, about 62% of American adults report going to the movies at least once each year. Catching a flick is so popular, in fact, that adults over the age of 21 are actually nearly three times as likely to go to the movies than to a bar or nightclub once a month or more.

That being said, times are still fairly tough for the film industry. Between the rising cost of tickets and the availability of pirated movies online, box offices are taking hits. The 2014 U.S./Canada box office hit $10.4 billion — a 5% decrease from 2013. Both tickets sold (1.27 billion), and the tickets sold per person (3.7) declined by 6% in 2014.

Last year may have been rough, but there is hope, according to a new survey. Here’s what it found.

Textile Solutions Are Bringing People Back
Industrial textile solutions may not seem like an answer to the problem, but many movie theaters have been working with commercial fabric manufacturers to provide a better customer experience, which is having a positive effect. About 24% of an RBC survey’s participants said that they prefer AMC theaters, because of the company’s focus on improving the customer experience. Nearly half (44%) of the participants said that they’d been to a theater with cushy recliner seats, and more than half of them said that the upgraded seats made them want to go back there. In other words, working with industrial textile manufacturers is paying off.

Alternative Content Can Help Slow Nights
The survey also found that theaters can boost attendance on slow nights by featuring alternative content to Hollywood films. Live events, classic films, foreign features, and TV shows on the big screen can all bring in more audiences.

By focusing on the customer experience, it’s possible for theaters to overcome the current challenges plaguing the industry. If you’d like to know more about how textile solutions can prove to be an adequate answer, feel free to share in the comments.