Duvaltex Clean Impact Textiles. © Duvaltex.

Duvaltex, a market leader in North America for contract textiles, will introduce its new Clean Impact Textiles at the Neocon show in Chicago, which runs from 10-12 June 2019. The company says that this not only represents the first recycled biodegradable polyester textile for commercial interiors, but also a major step forward in establishing an advanced bi-circular economy model for textiles whereby polyester fabric, at the end of its useful life, can flow through either a biological or technical cycle.

“This innovative technology allows Duvaltex to create high performance fabrics that are long-wearing in commercial interiors, but that can biodegrade in landfills and wastewater conditions at a rate similar to that of natural fibres (tested under ASTM D5511),” the company said in a press release.  “This is achieved through the addition of a bio-catalyst in the yarn extrusion process that enables anaerobic digestion in landfill and wastewater treatment conditions.”

“In addition, since these polyester fabrics were designed and manufactured for recyclability, as are many of the Duvaltex products, these fabrics can also flow through a technical cycle, to be recycled and used as raw materials for future generations of polyester fabrics.”

Eco-efficiency

This innovation for commercial fabrics addresses the daunting problem of how to deal with polyester fabric waste at the end of its useful life, offering both a biological and technical solution.  "Based on the alarming statistics regarding the amount of textile waste that ends up in landfills, these innovative fabrics represent eco-efficiency by design at its best, and a crucial step forward in reducing the negative impact of a linear economy," says Alain Duval, CEO of Duvaltex

According to Duvaltex, it has been one of the leading manufacturers of sustainable textiles for over 20 years, having made significant advances in its manufacturing practices and processes, as well as its product development with respect to sustainability. It says that one of its ongoing sustainable initiatives over the years was how to implement viable solutions for managing textile waste.  "As new technologies and systems are being developed, there are now multiple options for dealing with polyester textile waste, with these innovative fabrics establishing a new model, capable of either a biological or technical cycle at the end of their useful life," says Mr. Duval.

Design without compromise

Designed and manufactured to conform to the strict performance requirements of the contract textiles market, Duvaltex says its Clean Impact Textiles meet or exceed the ACT performance guidelines for heavy duty upholstery.  These patterns were designed for specification across a wide range of seating applications, with one pattern developed for multipurpose use for seating, panels, free-standing screens, and acoustic panels.

The new development includes five coordinating upholstery patterns, each showcasing a different perspective on the play of horizontal and vertical lines, from a classic grid to overlapping lines to a subtle in-and-out criss-cross effect.

“These 'softened' geometrics range in scale from high impact oversized to midscale multicolour to small overall texture.  The fabrics are presented in a range of colours from deep saturated blues to forest greens, desert mesa reds, and comforting corals along with coordinating neutrals from light to dark. The interaction of the different scales and textures in these soothing yet vivid colours create a warm, welcoming, and rich environment that helps to engage and relax the end user,” the company concludes.

Clean Impact Textiles will be commercially available through office furniture OEM's and Textile Marketers in the fall of 2019.  A technical white paper addressing this new technology will be available, as well as E-Books on Duvaltex's history of leadership in sustainability, and Clean Impact Textiles.

Clean Impact Textiles is launching at NeoCon 2019 (June 10-12), booth 9041, 7th floor.

https://duvaltex.com/cleanimpact/