Sensuede is, according to its website, an elegant, supple, high performance textile made with recycled fibers. But Sensuede is not a fabric we’d be excited about selling, and let us tell you why: Sensuade is just a brand name for a polyester microfiber. Ultrasuede was the first of its type. But all microfibers are made in …
Why do we say we want to change the textile industry? Why do we say we want to produce fabrics in ways that are non-toxic, ethical and sustainable? What could be so bad about the fabrics we live with? The textile industry is enormous, and because of its size its impacts are profound. It uses …
Our previous blog post we talked about fabric – how to determine the quality of the fabric you’re considering for your new sofa. But the most important consideration merits a blog all its own, and that is the safety of the fabrics you’ve chosen. We define “safe” as a fabric that has been processed with …
We’ve looked at the frame, suspension system and cushioning on a sofa; next up: fabric. We consider fabric to be a very important, yet certainly misunderstood, component of furniture. It can make up 40 – 45% of the price of a sofa. So we’ll be breaking this topic up into several smaller bite size …
From Alaska to Southern California, sea stars (or as I call them, starfish. But scientists like to point out they’re not fish, ergo: “sea stars”) are dying by the millions. Drew Harvell, a marine epidemiologist at Cornell University, calls it the largest documented marine epidemic in human history. The disease deflates …
I found a series on the colorful rivers in our world – but not the kind you’d want to raft or kayak on, because the colors are produced by toxins. The fish are dead. These ravaged rivers stand as red flags to the monumental mismanagement of our precious water resources. And though most people think …
The most recent issue of Ecotextile News had an article about “sustainable luxury”[1] and it got me thinking. The article asked the question whether “luxury” and “sustainability” were opposing concepts. One would think so. Although luxury and sustainability both focus on rarity and beauty, both have durability at the heart of the concept. Just look …
Buying a sofa is a big committment: it dominates the room, costs a lot, and should be presentable for at least 10 years. So let’s say that you’ve cruised the stores, sat in the sofas, lifted them, pushed and probed – and decided on a version that looks and feels right. And you’ve made sure that …
We’ve looked at the frame, suspension system and cushioning on a sofa; next up: fabric. We consider fabric to be a very important, yet certainly misunderstood, component of furniture. It can make up 40 – 45% of the price of a sofa. So we’ll be breaking this topic up into several smaller bite size portions: …
Mercerization is a process applied to cellulosic fibers – typically cotton (or cotton-covered thread with a polyester core) but hemp and linen can be mercerized also – to increase luster. It is done after weaving (in the case of fabrics) or spinning (for yarns or threads). But early on it was found that the process …
OEcotextiles 