Flax and hemp innovators awarded

5 January 2010, Strasbourg - One of the high points of the recent European Confederation of Flax & Hemp (CELC) 60th Congress in Strasbourg, was an awards presentation made by Georges Beylerian, President of Material ConneXion, to members of CELC who have been recognised for their creative and innovative use of flax and hemp.

Material ConneXion founded in 1997 by Georges Beylerian claims to be the world’s first library resource of advanced and innovative materials and processes for the built environment.  The organisation acts as a catalyst for new materials and product ideas from many industries; creating opportunities for product development and providing a comprehensive overview of today’s material solutions. In 2009 CELC became a ‘partner’ with Material ConneXion, the first such link between Material ConneXion and a natural fibre organisation.

The award winners announced at the Congress were:

Libeco

Textiles - Belgium

Linea Tessile Italiana

 Textiles - Italy

Solstiss

 Textiles - France

Jos Vanneste

Textiles (4 fabrics) - Belgium

Dehondt

Floor covering materials - France

De Sutter

Construction materials - France

CRST SA

Materials for composite applications - France

Soprema

Construction materials - France

Natur’lin

Insulation materials - France

Eco Technilin

Materials for horticulture and the automotive industry - France

CELC is an organisation which represents all stages of flax and hemp production and processing within Europe and whose producers are major players in sustainable developments. CELC says that flax and hemp cultivation requires no artificial irrigation, no herbicide and the minimal us of chemicals. There is no waste as all parts of the plant are used and products made out of flax, linen and hemp are entirely recyclable, says CELC.

Material ConneXion with offices in New York, Bangkok, Cologne, Daegu and Milan, is a network of materials specialists providing a global, cross-industry perspective on materials, sustainable alternatives, and their potential uses for designers, architects and R&D experts across the industrial spectrum. BMW, Calvin Klein, Ecco Design, Fischer Price, Giorgio Armani, Ikea, Nestle, Nike, Proctor & Gamble, Samsonite, Samsung, Toyota, Wal-Mart, Volkswagen, Zaha Hadid are just a few of the clients of Material ConneXion.