OEcotextiles

Indulgent yet responsible fabrics

  One thing that most people care about is how the cushions feel to them – do you like to sink down into the cushions or you like a denser, more supportive cushion? Either way, the cushions are important. Before plastics, our grandparents filled cushions with feathers, horsehair, wool or cotton batting – even straw …

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What’s pleather?

O Ecotextiles (and Two Sisters Ecotextiles)

Leather has become the sign of a luxurious – and durable – choice for practically any product you can think of.  As the ads say, “the rich scent, luxurious texture and easygoing attitude” makes it a popular choice. Leather has been around as long as  people  –  ancient peoples used materials that were available, like …

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So we have produced the frame and put in the suspension system.  Next in line are the cushions – something soft to sit on. In an upholstered piece of furniture, the cushions need a filler of some kind.  Before plastics, our grandparents used feathers, horsehair or wool or cotton batting.  But with the advent of …

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In an upholstered piece of furniture, the cushions need a filler of some kind.  Before plastics, our grandparents used feathers, horsehair or wool or cotton batting.  But with the advent of plastics, our lives changed.  You will now commonly see polyurethane foam, synthetic or natural latex rubber and the new, highly touted soy based foam. …

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I just tried to find out more about Project UDesign,   a competition sponsored by the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Cargill, Toray Industries and Century Furniture.  The goal is to produce a chair that is both “sustainable and sellable.”  It is targeted to be the next “ eco friendly wing chair” on the …

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In 1970, Toray Industries colleagues Dr. Toyohiko Hikota and Dr. Miyoshi Okamoto created the world’s first micro fiber as well as the process to combine those fibers with a polyurethane foam into a non-woven structure – which the company trademarked as Ultrasuede®. In April 2009,  Toray announced “a new  environmentally responsible line of products which …

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In last week’s post I explained that polyurethane foam (polyfoam) has a plethora of problems associated with it: The chemicals used to manufacture the foam have been formally identified as carcinogens; and the flame retardant chemicals added to almost all foams increase the chemical toxicity.  These chemicals evaporate (VOCs)  and pollute our indoor air and …

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Foam for upholstery cushions

O Ecotextiles (and Two Sisters Ecotextiles)

To donate $10 (or more) to the Red Cross for Haitian relief efforts, text “Haiti” to 90999 OR Donate online at http://www.clintonfoundation.org/haitirelief to help provide immediate relief and long-term support to earthquake survivors. Text “HAITI” to 20222 and $10 will be donated to relief efforts, charged to your cell phone bill. Two weeks ago I …

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