Partner Profile:
Doug Salway, Sage Automotive Interiors
February 23, 2026
Partner Profile:
Doug Salway,
Sage Automotive Interiors
February 23, 2026
You might not guess it from his unassuming demeanor, but Doug Salway has built a career that has left a lasting mark on the automotive industry, the CU-ICAR campus and his own family.
After graduating from North Carolina State University with a degree in textile design, Doug began his career designing fabrics for men’s and women’s apparel. Eight years later, in 1996, he relocated to South Carolina to join the automotive division of Milliken & Company, now Sage Automotive Interiors.
As a fabric designer, Doug takes immense pride in the intricate details of his craft. Developing materials for automotive interiors is often a three-year process — one that can easily go unnoticed by the average driver. Yet a few minutes in Doug’s office reveals the artistry and precision woven into every pattern. His meticulous approach has led to collaborations with global automakers, three technological patents and even the opportunity to purchase a vehicle featuring fabric of his own design.
In 2011, Sage Automotive Interiors moved its corporate headquarters to the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) in Greenville, South Carolina. Fifteen years later, Doug still appreciates the campus’s Class A office space, amenities and community atmosphere. He also enjoys welcoming the company’s global design teams to Greenville for their biennial meetings.
Perhaps the most unexpected benefit of working on the CU-ICAR campus has been his involvement with students in Clemson’s Deep Orange program.
Deep Orange is a framework within the Clemson University Department of Automotive Engineering that immerses graduate students in the role of an OEM or supplier, challenging them to design and build a fully functional prototype vehicle in just 18 months. Along the way, students conduct research, develop customer personas and gain hands-on experience in every facet of vehicle development — including interior design and fabrication. That’s where Doug steps in.
“The students are incredibly strong on the mechanical side,” Doug said, “but they’re often less experienced with the aesthetic elements. We help guide them through colors, fabrics, trims and those types of decisions.”
Doug has contributed to multiple Deep Orange projects, including Deep Orange 10, an autonomous ride-share vehicle developed in partnership with Ford. He worked with students to create a custom seat pattern — one he notes is now being echoed across the industry — and helped develop a specialized flooring material designed to withstand heavy use while providing traction for wheelchair accessibility.
The collaboration is far from one-sided.
“I’m always inspired by how forward-thinking the students are, especially at such a young age,” Doug said. “They move from ideas to cardboard models to fully functioning autonomous vehicles in a short amount of time. It’s amazing to watch.”
Doug examining the interior of Deep Orange 10 at the official unveiling in 2020.
Doug’s curiosity and appreciation for detail extend well beyond the workplace. At home, he enjoys spending time with his family and has recently taken up bowling, discovering that beneath its simple exterior lies a game of precision and nuance — much like the intricate work that has shaped his career. Doug welcomes the opportunity to travel, which he does at least biennially when gathering with design colleagues from across the globe. When possible, he also continues to enjoy riding motorcycles, a longtime hobby that has taken him through Maui, Death Valley, the Mojave Desert and along California’s iconic Pacific Coast Highway.
This year marks 30 years with Sage Automotive Interiors and 35 years of marriage to his wife, Ann. But among his proudest milestones is one that began nearly four decades ago. When Doug graduated in 1988, he became the first person in his family to earn a college degree. Today, he and Ann are the proud parents of two college graduates: one who followed her mother’s career path as a teacher, and another who plans to return to school to pursue a career as a dietitian, furthering the family’s shared commitment to education and lifelong learning.
Whether he’s shaping trends within the automotive industry, mentoring the next generation of engineers or encouraging education within his own family, Doug continues to weave together a legacy defined by craftsmanship, curiosity and a commitment to the next generation.
You might not guess it from his unassuming demeanor, but Doug Salway has built a career that has left a lasting mark on the automotive industry, the CU-ICAR campus and his own family.
After graduating from North Carolina State University with a degree in textile design, Doug began his career designing fabrics for men’s and women’s apparel. Eight years later, in 1996, he relocated to South Carolina to join the automotive division of Milliken & Company, now Sage Automotive Interiors.
As a fabric designer, Doug takes immense pride in the intricate details of his craft. Developing materials for automotive interiors is often a three-year process — one that can easily go unnoticed by the average driver. Yet a few minutes in Doug’s office reveals the artistry and precision woven into every pattern. His meticulous approach has led to collaborations with global automakers, three technological patents and even the opportunity to purchase a vehicle featuring fabric of his own design.
In 2011, Sage Automotive Interiors moved its corporate headquarters to the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) in Greenville, South Carolina. Fifteen years later, Doug still appreciates the campus’s Class A office space, amenities and community atmosphere. He also enjoys welcoming the company’s global design teams to Greenville for their biennial meetings.
Perhaps the most unexpected benefit of working on the CU-ICAR campus has been his involvement with students in Clemson’s Deep Orange program.
Deep Orange is a framework within the Clemson University Department of Automotive Engineering that immerses graduate students in the role of an OEM or supplier, challenging them to design and build a fully functional prototype vehicle in just 18 months. Along the way, students conduct research, develop customer personas and gain hands-on experience in every facet of vehicle development — including interior design and fabrication. That’s where Doug steps in.
“The students are incredibly strong on the mechanical side,” Doug said, “but they’re often less experienced with the aesthetic elements. We help guide them through colors, fabrics, trims and those types of decisions.”
Doug has contributed to multiple Deep Orange projects, including Deep Orange 10, an autonomous ride-share vehicle developed in partnership with Ford. He worked with students to create a custom seat pattern — one he notes is now being echoed across the industry — and helped develop a specialized flooring material designed to withstand heavy use while providing traction for wheelchair accessibility.
The collaboration is far from one-sided.
“I’m always inspired by how forward-thinking the students are, especially at such a young age,” Doug said. “They move from ideas to cardboard models to fully functioning autonomous vehicles in a short amount of time. It’s amazing to watch.”
Doug examining the interior of Deep Orange 10 at the official unveiling in 2020.
Doug’s curiosity and appreciation for detail extend well beyond the workplace. At home, he enjoys spending time with his family and has recently taken up bowling, discovering that beneath its simple exterior lies a game of precision and nuance — much like the intricate work that has shaped his career. Doug welcomes the opportunity to travel, which he does at least biennially when gathering with design colleagues from across the globe. When possible, he also continues to enjoy riding motorcycles, a longtime hobby that has taken him through Maui, Death Valley, the Mojave Desert and along California’s iconic Pacific Coast Highway.
This year marks 30 years with Sage Automotive Interiors and 35 years of marriage to his wife, Ann. But among his proudest milestones is one that began nearly four decades ago. When Doug graduated in 1988, he became the first person in his family to earn a college degree. Today, he and Ann are the proud parents of two college graduates: one who followed her mother’s career path as a teacher, and another who plans to return to school to pursue a career as a dietitian, furthering the family’s shared commitment to education and lifelong learning.
Whether he’s shaping trends within the automotive industry, mentoring the next generation of engineers or encouraging education within his own family, Doug continues to weave together a legacy defined by craftsmanship, curiosity and a commitment to the next generation.
You might not guess it from his unassuming demeanor, but Doug Salway has built a career that has left a lasting mark on the automotive industry, the CU-ICAR campus and his own family.
After graduating from North Carolina State University with a degree in textile design, Doug began his career designing fabrics for men’s and women’s apparel. Eight years later, in 1996, he relocated to South Carolina to join the automotive division of Milliken & Company, now Sage Automotive Interiors.
As a fabric designer, Doug takes immense pride in the intricate details of his craft. Developing materials for automotive interiors is often a three-year process — one that can easily go unnoticed by the average driver. Yet a few minutes in Doug’s office reveals the artistry and precision woven into every pattern. His meticulous approach has led to collaborations with global automakers, three technological patents and even the opportunity to purchase a vehicle featuring fabric of his own design.
In 2011, Sage Automotive Interiors moved its corporate headquarters to the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) in Greenville, South Carolina. Fifteen years later, Doug still appreciates the campus’s Class A office space, amenities and community atmosphere. He also enjoys welcoming the company’s global design teams to Greenville for their biennial meetings.
Perhaps the most unexpected benefit of working on the CU-ICAR campus has been his involvement with students in Clemson’s Deep Orange program.
Deep Orange is a framework within the Clemson University Department of Automotive Engineering that immerses graduate students in the role of an OEM or supplier, challenging them to design and build a fully functional prototype vehicle in just 18 months. Along the way, students conduct research, develop customer personas and gain hands-on experience in every facet of vehicle development — including interior design and fabrication. That’s where Doug steps in.
“The students are incredibly strong on the mechanical side,” Doug said, “but they’re often less experienced with the aesthetic elements. We help guide them through colors, fabrics, trims and those types of decisions.”
Doug has contributed to multiple Deep Orange projects, including Deep Orange 10, an autonomous ride-share vehicle developed in partnership with Ford. He worked with students to create a custom seat pattern — one he notes is now being echoed across the industry — and helped develop a specialized flooring material designed to withstand heavy use while providing traction for wheelchair accessibility.
The collaboration is far from one-sided.
“I’m always inspired by how forward-thinking the students are, especially at such a young age,” Doug said. “They move from ideas to cardboard models to fully functioning autonomous vehicles in a short amount of time. It’s amazing to watch.”
Doug examining the interior of Deep Orange 10 at the official unveiling in 2020.
Doug’s curiosity and appreciation for detail extend well beyond the workplace. At home, he enjoys spending time with his family and has recently taken up bowling, discovering that beneath its simple exterior lies a game of precision and nuance — much like the intricate work that has shaped his career. Doug welcomes the opportunity to travel, which he does at least biennially when gathering with design colleagues from across the globe. When possible, he also continues to enjoy riding motorcycles, a longtime hobby that has taken him through Maui, Death Valley, the Mojave Desert and along California’s iconic Pacific Coast Highway.
This year marks 30 years with Sage Automotive Interiors and 35 years of marriage to his wife, Ann. But among his proudest milestones is one that began nearly four decades ago. When Doug graduated in 1988, he became the first person in his family to earn a college degree. Today, he and Ann are the proud parents of two college graduates: one who followed her mother’s career path as a teacher, and another who plans to return to school to pursue a career as a dietitian, furthering the family’s shared commitment to education and lifelong learning.
Whether he’s shaping trends within the automotive industry, mentoring the next generation of engineers or encouraging education within his own family, Doug continues to weave together a legacy defined by craftsmanship, curiosity and a commitment to the next generation.
