Until recently, only flame retardant polyester fabrics have been fully suitable for contract furnishings in hotels, cruise ships and public buildings, with Trevira CS being the leader in this field since the flame retardancy of these yarns is firmly anchored into the fibres and remains permanent even after repeated washing.

Now, however, Delius, based in Bielefeld, Germany, is manufacturing the EcoSafe full range of flame-retardant contract fabrics based on OceanSafe’s naNea yarns, setting new standards in sustainability.

NaNea is a new co-polyester that is both biodegradable and recyclable and its polymer structure enables rapid biodegradability in the natural environment without the use of chemical additives. The yarns degrade by more than 93% in sea-water within 99 days, tested according to ASTM D6691.

NaNea yarns are the first and so far only synthetic materials to have achieved the Cradle to Crade Gold Standard for the biological and technical cycles of their production and use. They are proven to be non-persistent and manufactured without the use of harmful substances. They also contain no toxins such as heavy metals, antimony, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), endocrine disruptors or phosphorus-based flame retardants.

At the end of the product life of these textiles, they are collected via a take-back system developed by Delius and OceanSafe to be converted back into source materials for the production of new fibres and yarns.

Delius contract fabrics are characterised by their high functionality and quality. They can darken, improve room acoustics, reduce bacteria, save energy or serve as glare protection. The company’s upholstery fabrics are easy to clean, antibacterial and impermeable to moisture.

Delius has been based in Bielefeld since 1722 and can now look back on over 300 years of constant textile development for the contract furnishings market.

www.delius.de