ATLANTA—Decca Hospitality Furnishings announced that it will convert its entire product line of high-end and custom furnishings to new, environmentally conscious green standards by the end of this year. This action reflects a corporate culture at Decca that is mindful of the environment across its business practices, while underscoring the need for all companies to be good stewards of our environment. Decca’s manufacturing operation will be the first in Asia to meet these rigorous environmental standards. The company’s initiative will also ensure that its products contribute points toward the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating systems and the Green Building...

NATIONAL REPORT—If the growth of the Sustainable Furniture Council (SFC) is any indication of the current level of interest in sustainable furniture manufacturing, you can expect to read a lot more about this trend in the coming months. The Council, which was incorporated in March, already has 100 members. While the majority of all furniture purchased for lodging in the United States is not sustainable, that appears to be changing—albeit slowly. What exactly is sustainable furniture? It most certainly is not furniture that is made with illegally sourced wood, petroleum-based foams, fabrics and other materials, and finishes and glues that...

MUSCATINE, IOWA—The HON Company has improved upon its popular F3 chair, which represents three elements of comfort—fit, form and function. It is now available in a new material called ilira-stretch. This innovative material features a three-dimensional knit with an open-weave pattern, which allows for enhanced airflow, resulting in a more comfortable sitting experience. The HON Company is the exclusive U.S. furniture manufacturer to offer the unique ilira-stretch fabric in its product line. “The F3 is one of our most popular seating lines, thanks to its inherent comfort, versatility and function,” says Brian Miller, vice president of seating for The HON...

SEATTLE—Callison announced the hiring of Teresa Burrelsman as its new Sustainability Program Leader. She brings expertise as a former green building consultant to the firm’s Sustainable Strategies Team, whose goal is to meet growing client demand for sustainable design expertise and provide clients with buildings and communities that are environmentally resourceful, sustainably developed and enhance quality of life. Leadership for Callison’s Sustainable Strategies Team includes the following individuals: Teresa Burrelsman, LEED AP, Sustainability Program leader—As Program Leader, Teresa is responsible for developing sustainable design programs, strategies and business models throughout each of Callison’s markets. Formerly a senior Green Building...

NEWARK, DELA.—W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., the inventor of GORE-TEX fabric, has developed a premium mattress cover to meet the demanding needs of the hospitality industry. Using its patented barrier technology, Gore has developed a mattress cover that provides “invisible” protection for hotel mattresses. Because of its soft, quiet performance and moisture vapor breathability, the GORE Mattress Cover delivers absolute protection against liquids and environmental contaminants, while keeping guests from feeling too hot or cold. “Only Gore can produce a mattress cover that embodies 25 years of research in barrier technologies that provides comfort, durability and liquid protection,” says...

ROCHESTER HILLS, MICH.—C.F. Stinson introduces a breakthrough surface material, the AgION Upholstery Collection; the first, PVC-free upholstery with AgION, a patented, safe, antimicrobial technology that actively targets bacteria on the protected surface of the upholstery for the life of the furniture. Recently recognized with a Best of NeoCon Gold Award, this new collection is durable and environmentally friendly with a “built-in” ability to naturally and continuously resist bacteria and other microorganisms. In addition, it is impervious to fluids and easy to clean. The PVC-free AgION Collection from C.F. Stinson is an innovative surface material, representing an entirely new...

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH—Silver State Inc. has released Torino Polyurethane, a new offering by SilverState fabrics. According to the company, Torino represents a new evolution in polyurethane faux leather, one that brings a high-sheened antique flavor to this category. Until now, the antique look was accessible only in the most exclusive of homes, the top national boardrooms and the finest luxury suites, says Manoli Sargetakis, a principal of Silver State Inc. “We have combined this rich and elegant look with extremely high performance specifications (will meet 800,000 double rubs Wyzenbeek for abrasion) while still maintaining Torino’s unbelievably soft, creamy hand,”...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Valley Forge Fabrics, Inc. as a Founding Sponsor. Valley Forge Fabrics is a 30-year-old American fabric house specializing in quality hospitality and contract upholstery and drapery. Valley Forge is a family owned and operated business with fully staffed offices in the United States, Australia, Dubai, Italy, Hong Kong and Shanghai. Valley Forge introduces FRESH—Fabrics Redefining Environmental Standards (for) Hospitality. FRESH fabrics are made with post-industrial and post-consumer recycled synthetic yarns. FRESH fabrics are recyclable—and meet all the stringent ACT guidelines and hospitality industry expectations for durability, strength, colorfastness...

BRATTLEBORO, VT.—The fully revised seventh edition of the GreenSpec Directory of environmentally preferable building products is now available. More than 2,100 listings from more than 1,500 companies are included—232 are new in this edition. This 392-page edition is organized by the expanded CSI MasterFormat 2004 structure and contains new Division 1 specifications. Go to BuildingGreen.

DUBAI, U.A.E.—Shaza Hotels, the regional lifestyle hotel brand, has announced that all of its upcoming hotel developments will be certified to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards—the internationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of eco-friendly buildings. The certification—the first of its kind across an entire hotel brand in the Dubai region—demonstrates the hotelier’s commitment to environmentally sustainable projects that embody a green lifestyle and embrace the values and traditions of its discerning clientele. The progressive move will ensure that Shaza’s first seven properties—Dubai, Doha, Muscat, Cairo, Bahrain, Jeddah and Marrakech—are designed to follow the internationally-recognized...