With the popularity of polyurethane (PU) growing in the upholstery marketplace, end users are discovering that not all PUs are created equal. In high traffic seating areas, and under hot and humid weather conditions, PUs that are formulated with inexpensive resin systems will prematurely break down. The breakdown is a delaminating of the PU film layer from the backing substrate in the form of cracking and peeling.

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Window treatments are an aspect of the interior space that every designer must address when developing their concept. Whether the window is the focal point of a room or an element that adds to the overall aesthetic, windows are an important part of the design that sometimes gets overshadowed by other elements.

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Advancing technology has already changed the textile industry. Design trends are now adopting the latest innovations.

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As consumers and designers are becoming more aware of the materials used in their products, new innovations are being developed to meet the need for sustainable textiles. From organic materials to less chemicals used in the production process, manufacturers are testing the limits on what can function and succeed in the consumer and commercial textile markets.

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When it comes to commercial textiles, it helps to know the fabrics you specify are proven reliable goods that will meet all of the necessary standards and look attractive. Bella-Dura® fabrics fit that bill.

LebaTex has offered a select collection of Bella-Dura® indoor/outdoor upholstery fabric for a few years, but has recently entered and exciting, strategic partnership with Wearbest Sil-Tex Mills to be the only distributor to offer the full line of Bella-Dura® indoor/outdoor upholstery fabric available by the yard.

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With the wide range of fabrics, vinyl and other coated materials in the market today, as well as an ever-increasing number of finishes, cleaning of contract textiles is a complex subject. Concerns such as sustainability and healthcare cleaning requirements add additional layers of complexity. This document has been developed as a resource for information about cleaning contract textiles.

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Fabric technology has developed so that many quality commercial fabrics inherently meet standards for commercial use in flame retardancy, abrasion, antimicrobials, lightfastness, etc. But it is common for many designers to request an additional finish to address the needs of a project, for example a final product that will be exposed to harsh natural elements or used in a healthcare setting.

There are a number of finish options, some of them more proven than others, that can address stains, odors, germs, water, cleaning, and more.

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Architects and designers tell us that in their contract projects, one of the most frequent questions from the client side involves not aesthetics, not even facility planning or engineering, but rather maintenance schedules. Specifiers who want to generate repeat business make it their job to build in as many high-performing, low-maintenance design choices as possible. And from high-tech tile to washable paint and stain-resistant fabrics, they are getting better, more beautiful and even greener all the time.

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VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has developed a fabric using a method that involves dissolving worn and discarded cotton, and using it as a raw material for new fiber. The first product models demonstrate that recycled fiber can be transformed into a yarn and pleasant fabric. Based on a carbamate dissolution process, the technology has been used to produce the first batch of recycled fiber in a pilot facility.

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For some time the contract textile industry has been disconcerted by the variability of Wyzenbeek Performance test results. Results can and do vary significantly even when the same fabric is tested at different labs or on different machines.

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The contract textile industry has struggled for years with the negative impact of ever-increasing abrasion resistance numbers. Recognizing that these numbers are believed to represent lifespan and durability for contract upholstery, the ACT Technical Committee surveyed members in October 2009 regarding actual end-use failures. The goal of the survey was to reach a better understanding of real-world upholstery performance.

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