Clean Impact Textiles. © Duvaltex

Duvaltex, a leader for contract textiles in North America, will introduce its new Clean Impact Textiles at Neocon, which takes place in Chicago, IL, from 10-12 June. “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,” the company says.

This innovative technology allows Duvaltex to create high-performance fabrics that are designed to be 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). This is achieved through the addition of a biocatalyst that enables anaerobic digestion in landfill and wastewater treatment conditions, the manufacturer explains.

In addition, since these polyester fabrics were designed and manufactured for recyclability, 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 is designed to address the 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,” said Alain Duval, CEO of Duvaltex.

Clean Impact Textiles. © Duvaltex

Duvaltex has been one of the leading manufacturers of sustainable textiles for over 20 years, having made significant advances in their manufacturing practices and processes, as well as its product development with respect to sustainability. 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,” said Mr Duval.

Design without compromise

Designed and manufactured to conform to the strict performance requirements of the contract textiles market, Duvaltex's 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.

Clean Impact Textiles. © Duvaltex

This 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 creates a warm, welcoming, and rich environment that helps to engage and relax the end user.

www.duvaltex.com