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Advancements in Sustainable Textiles
By Marty Gurian and Kelly Thomas

High-performance upholsteries that demonstrate a high level of durability, stain resistance and easy cleanability comprise an active specialized market segment of contract textiles that has steadily expanded in the last 14 years. This continued growth has been driven by the desire for upholstery with a high level of performance in demanding applications, as well as the preferred aesthetics, comfort and design of fabrics over traditional hard surfaces. This has been made possible by the continual introduction of new technology and higher-performing products and enhancements for challenging applications, such as healthcare.

Ideal textiles for demanding applications are created when textile providers demonstrate a balance between technical expertise and sustainable research and development. On the technical end, there is a benefit to rigorous laboratory evaluations and the testing of materials over time in long-term, large-scale installations in severe environments. On the sustainable end, reputable textile providers can offer a vast selection of materials that take into consideration the growing concern over environmental responsibility.

Great strides have been made in the area of high-performing, environmentally responsible textiles for demanding applications. One notable development in this arena is the introduction of nanotechnology to upholstery. This technology uses nanowhiskers that impart a high level of stain resistance and easy cleanability to a range of fabric types. Because nanotechnology can be applied to fibers without affecting the recyclability of the material, recent developments have included revolutionary high-performance sustainable textiles.

This article provides a glimpse at how properly designed environmentally responsible materials with nanotechnology can provide successful stain resistance and easy cleanability while meeting stringent air quality and seating flammability standards. It also provides insight as to how professional consultation can lead to the specification of the ideal product solution.

ÒWe are continuously seeing the need to be a consultant to our clients, understand their cleaning protocol and environmental issues, and partner with them to resolve those issues,Ó says Anne Miller, director of business development and healthcare for Bank and Office Interiors in Seattle. ÒItÕs extremely important to be able to offer textiles with both excellent performance and sustainable attributes.Ó
This is the marketplace feedback that has been a driving force in the quest for innovations in sustainable performance. In 2001, the industry saw nanotechnology introduced to contract materials for interiors. At that time, the focus was on the development of commercial upholstery and panel fabrics with nanotechnology.

Test Results
As products were being developed and introduced to the marketplace, one textile provider tested nanotechnology on a variety of materials. Test results showed that nanotechnology gave nearly all the selected textiles high durability, stain resistance to a wide range of stains and easy cleanability. Treated materials began achieving a WS cleaning code. Tests demonstrated that many popular water-based and solvent-based cleaning agents could be used successfully. After stain evaluation baseline tests, materials displayed an excellent level of stain resistance and easy cleanability.

Testing also showed that, because nanotechnology exists at a molecular level, the treatment formed a permanent molecular bond, allowing materials to retain their properties when subjected to harsh cleaning agents used in many of todayÕs healthcare environments. Popular phenol and quaternary germicides, as well as a 4:1 diluted bleach solution, could be used on most materials with no loss of effectiveness of the nanotechnology. In addition, upholsteries with nanotechnology were found to be satisfactorily laminated with good bond strength to 2 mil polyurethane fluid barrier (S-1.5) Ñ especially important for certain healthcare applications.

In another important evaluation of upholstery with nanotechnology, a major healthcare specifier was interested in determining if nanotechnology applied to solution-dyed nylon materials would meet the low-emitting materials criteria for air quality, known as California Section 01350, or CHPS Ñ Collaborative for High Performance Schools Criteria Ñ test standards. This specifier was environmentally sensitive and wanted to use only CHPS-approved upholstery solution-dyed nylon upholstery with nanotechnology. The solution was evaluated and met California Section 01350 criteria. In addition, the material specified was designed to be recyclable. The application of nanotechnology did not affect the recyclability of the material.

Extreme Conditions
To ensure the success of arena installations, one leading textile provider tested partially recycled polyester woven upholstery treated with nanotechnology in a Houston stadium. The specifier indicated that there were 30 stains being encountered in the application, ranging from beer to ketchup to salsa. Careful evaluations in a cleaning workroom as well as at the laboratory of the Association of Specialists in Cleaning and Restoration (ASCR) established that water-based cleaning methods, such as water and detergent, could easily remove most of the stains, while solvents could effectively be used on oil-based stains.

In this project, the specifiers asked the textile provider to outline recommendations on specific solvents that would be most effective. Thirteen popular solvents were evaluated for their effectiveness in removing stains. The textile manufacturer responded with specific cleaning solvents that met their criteria. In the summer of 2003, 18,000 seats were upholstered with the partially recycled polyester upholstery with nanotechnology. This installation is now in its third successful season. Subsequently, similar upholstery with nanotechnology from the same textile provider was installed at another professional sports arena. This project was unique, given the need to overcome an additional challenge Ñ the seating specified was required to meet stringent California Technical Bulletin 133 flammability requirements. It was found that certain plastic parts would melt during the test, possibly igniting the upholstery and causing the test to fail. The technical team within the textile company provided a flame-retardant back-coated nanotechnology-treated 100 percent polyester upholstery, which was then laminated to a fire barrier. The addition of a flame-retardant backing and laminated fire barrier resulted in a passing test.

Textile Maintenance
Along with the advancements in sustainable and performance textiles comes the need to fully understand the maintenance and cleaning of such materials. It is advised that facility managers work with textile providers to understand the materials and determine a maintenance program that best suits those materials. Some leading textile providers also offer technical and sustainable courses for CEU credit. F

Marty Gurian is director of engineering resources and technical education and Kelly Thomas is marketing manager at Designtex; 200 Varick St., New York, NY 10014; (212) 886-8185; E-mail: kthomas@designtex.com; Internet: designtex.com.