June 2009
Monthly Archive
11 Eco Upholstery Textiles Revolutionizing the Global Market : TreeHugger
Margaret 10 Jun 2009 | : Uncategorized
Write up on Tree Hugger about fabulous fabrics
Margaret 10 Jun 2009 | : Fabrics
Here is an post that appeared on Tree Hugger 06/10/09 and features our fabrics.
“High-tech” isn’t what you’d normally think of when it comes to fabric, but in recent years, that’s exactly what it has become. Innovation has brought about revolutionary new materials and processes, and one rapidly changing industry. The 11 textiles below are some of the greenest and smartest now available to the residential and contract furnishings market.
Several different criteria go into making what can be called an eco textile, but seven basic questions you should ask are:
1. Is it recyclable?
2. Is it made of recyclable materials?
3. Is it easily biodegradable?
4. Is it produced using green manufacturing processes without harmful chemical byproducts?
5. Does it follow McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC)’s Cradle to Cradle principals?
6. Does the finished product off-gas harmful chemicals having a negative effect on indoor air quality?
7. Does the manufacturer have a company-wide sustainability policy?
1. Hardy Organic Hemp From O Ecotextiles
Seattle-based O Ecotextiles, which was named one of BuildingGreen’s 2008 Top-10 Green Building Products, is one of a select few companies out there completely dedicated to green fabric. Their mission statement sounds like a good plan to us: “O Ecotextiles wants to change the way textiles are made by proving that it’s possible to produce luxurious, sensuous fabrics in ways that are non-toxic, ethical and sustainable.”
Designed by Emily Todhunter, Hardy Organic Hemp is made of 100 percent long fiber hemp, sustainably harvested by independent farmers in Romania–a country that has farmed hemp for generations. Although hemp must be imported (and therefore has a bigger transport carbon footprint), it is particularly easy to grow in most climates and resistant to bugs. No pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, or synthetic fertilizers are used during farming, and the fabric is spun at a local facility without water or “chemicals inputs of any kind.”
The fabric is then moved to an Italian dye house–one of only a few in the world qualified to produce a certified-organic dyed or finished fabric. Hardy Organic Hemp meets three different LEED criteria from the U.S. Green Building Council: indoor air quality, use of rapidly renewable resources, and innovation.
http://tinyurl.com/lvqqbf
