DALLAS—Thompson Mahogany Co., a fine hardwoods importer based in Philadelphia, has merged with East Teak Fine Hardwoods, Inc., an importer of First European Quality Teak and other fine hardwood products. Thompson Mahogany Company will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of East Teak, yet will maintain full operational autonomy from its headquarters location. The combined entities will leverage the strength of both companies to better serve customers in the residential, commercial, hospitality and marine industries. Founded in 1843, Thompson Mahogany Co. is a supplier of quality tropical hardwoods from Central America, South America and Africa. Thompson directly imports more than...

NEW YORK—Perkins+Will, a global integrated design firm, announced the creation of its Perkins+Will Precautionary List. It was unveiled at GreenBuild 2009. The goal of the list is to highlight chemicals, which are listed by government agencies as having negative health issues and the classes of building materials where they might be commonly found, while offering available alternatives in an effort to push the building industry to embrace healthier buildings. “There is an ever increasing focus in the green building movement on the relationship between humans and the built environment,” said Peter Syrett, AIA, LEED AP and associate principal at Perkins+Will...

LOS ANGELES—Bentley Prince Street has just moved a few steps closer to “closing the loop” entirely on its products through the introduction of new backing technologies for both its broadloom and carpet tile products. Both High PerformancePC, the company’s new standard broadloom backing, and SelectRC, its new standard hard-back carpet tile backing, incorporate recycled and reprocessed carpet backing into new carpet backing. All manufacturing processes for both backings are performed in the company’s California headquarters, eliminating the need for, and associated environmental impacts of, additional transportation. “Through these new backings, as well as the introduction of our first product using...

BETHESDA, MD.—Marriott International, Inc. announced that it will expand its green hotel portfolio ten-fold over the next five years by introducing a green hotel prototype that will be pre-certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), an internationally recognized green building certification system designed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The green hotel prototype, which will be available in April 2010, will save owners approximately $100,000 and six months in design time, and reduce a hotel’s energy and water consumption by up to 25 percent, based on national averages. These savings, combined with incentives offered in many jurisdictions,...

LORIS, S.C.—Integra Fabrics, a leading supplier in the hospitality, GSA and healthcare markets, has committed to donating proceeds from the sale of fabric from the Integra Environment Collection to The Arbor Day Foundation. The Integra Environments Collection is an assortment of fabrics that are produced using only recycled materials. In this case the goods are made from 100 percent recycled polyester yarns that consist of recycled sustainable content; the yarns are created from consumer products such as water bottles. By taking a percentage of sales from the Integra Environment Collection and contributing to The Arbor Day Foundation, Integra Fabrics hopes...

FORT LAUDERDALE—Valley Forge Fabrics, a leader in sustainable textiles, was honored as a finalist by the Natural Resources Committee of Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce as it hosted its first annual Sustainable South Florida Awards. The Green Business Award honors a South Florida business that provides a superior product, service, or innovation that enables others to practice sustainable and green efforts. The award also recognizes new processes or ways of doing business with a significant environmental benefit. There were over 100 nominees in the first annual Sustainable South Florida Awards and 31 in the Green Business category including giants...

ALPHARETTA, GA.—The Refinishing Touch, a specialist in environmentally safe and sustainable on-site furniture refinishing, upholstery and armoire modifications, has added new environmentally-friendly materials to its Touch Textiles fabrics brand. The new line includes a range of 100 percent recycled fabrics finished with GreenShield, a Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) recognized, low fluorocarbon treatment that uses two-thirds less chemicals without compromising the durability, moisture resistance, stain resistance or nonflammable qualities of the fabric. In recent years, the industry has seen a massive increase in the use and demand for eco-friendly textiles. Close to 12 billion pounds of post-consumer textile waste ends...

ATLANTA—Hotel Indigo recently announced the opening of its newest hotel, Hotel Indigo Athens University Area. Slated to achieve LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) later this year, the hotel will be the first private development in Athens to achieve LEED certification and one of only five hotels in the nation to achieve Gold status. The LEED green building certification system is the nationally recognized standard for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and...

DES PLAINES, ILL.—United Feather & Down will introduce its new branded Borghese bedding, gifts and accessories during the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show, November 8 to 10, in their private New York showroom located just across from Bryant Park. “Our showroom appeared as the best venue for an intimate, personal display of this unique opportunity to create a lifestyle impression within the hospitality industry,” says Stephen Palmer, co-president of United Feather & Down. “In addition, this is a first within the hospitality industry—a product line that truly marries the concept of beauty with sleep, to offer your customers an...

MOUNT VERNON, N.Y.—Andrew Morgan Collection introduced an aromatherapy-infused, eco-friendly textile collection at the 2009 ISPA Conference & Expo. Andrew Morgan Collection is the first and only textile company in the United States to feature this advanced technological breakthrough where tiny polymeric microcapsule shells containing unique fragrances are infused into the textile manufacturer’s throws, scarves, robes, wraps and towels. Only through movement or touch do the capsules break and release the fragrance over a period of time. The aromatherapy collection features three fragrances to choose from including: Euphoria, a warm, herbal, Mediterranean bouquet designed to invigorate and refresh; Paradis, an aroma...