NEW YORK—Designtex, a leading designer and manufacturer of applied materials for the built environment, further evolves their biobased offerings with the debut of the brand’s first coated textile with biobased polyurethane, Ethos. A biobased material is partially or entirely made from renewable biological resources such as plants, animal fibers, algae, fungi, or agricultural and forestry byproducts. For Ethos, third-party ASTM D6866 testing verifies its 12 percent biobased content, with Designtex providing documentation for reporting to any sustainability program.
When it comes to material health, Ethos is free of VOCs, antimicrobials, flame retardants, PFAS, and PVCs. In addition, Ethos is rewarded in the following industry programs: USGBC’s LEED rating system, WELL Building Standard, and Living Building Challenge. It’s also CFFA-Healthcare-201 certified.
“Getting these bio-fabricated materials to be formed and perform like a standard product can be a long road, but it’s one Designtex travels with optimism.” explains Carol Derby, VP of Research & Development at Designtex. “While the market’s embrace of biobased materials is encouraging, there’s work to be done to make content claims consistent and clear, and third-party verified claims are especially helpful here.”
With a surface reminiscent of pebbled leather, a soft, pliable hand, and an expansive palette of 32 colors, Ethos delivers all the high-performance attributes of coated upholstery while taking the next step in sustainability. Ethos features a recycled post-consumer woven polyester backing and a separate silicone topcoat on a face layer.
Designtex has long looked to biobased materials for opportunities to make better textiles, starting with Mohair Plus, a luxury performance upholstery launched in the 1960s that lives on in the company’s offering today. Since then, the brand’s family of biobased products has grown to include upholsteries composed of linen and recycled wool and wallcoverings composed of cellulose from sustainably forested wood.
The R&D team will continue to research, develop, and improve on Ethos as new advancements become available. Learn more about Biobased Materials, Ethos, and Designtex’s Sustainability Mission.
