Eco-Friendly

Staff -- Interior Design, 5/31/2008 12:00:00 AM

Precious Pieces

The allure of the Artisan Parchment-Premium collection is based in a tradition that dates back to 610 AD. To make the parchment, known in Japanese as washi, the masters start with bark that they soak, boil, clean, and dry before fashioning the patterns. These designs, which include 27 Uzu/Bay Eddy, 28 Ana/Luna Valley, and 104 Kazari-Kinu/Decorative Artisan Silk, are created by hand with all-natural materials from trees grown with minimal chemicals. The parchment is sold on rolls available up to 30 by 100 feet. 212-682-8505; precious-piece.com. circle 605

LSI

The geometrical design and Easter egg shades of Orbit, part of the Cirqa brand, make walls come to life. The celestial series is available in 12 colors and is made with water-based inks and adhesives. Since the low-maintenance wall covering lasts about ten years, it's also friendly to the green in your wallet.

502-458-1502; cirqawallcovering.com. circle 606

DuPont

It's always sunny with the Illumination series. Luminous and perfect for countertops, vertical partitions, bar tops, and the bath, this material is offered in four delicious colors: strawberry ice, lime ice, glacier ice, and mint ice. In addition, it can help earn LEED credits and reduce a building's environmental footprint. 800-441-7515; dupont.com. circle 607

Hable Construction

When a manufacturer of the chic teams up with an eco-friendly company like Bella-Dura, Tides in Jaipur is the result. This vibrant pattern of pink stripes is fashionable enough for indoors and durable enough for outdoor and commercial use. This inert fabric is made from a byproduct of post-industrial waste. When it wears out its welcome (which might take a while, since it's stain-resistant and lightfast for 1,500 or more hours), the fabric is recyclable. 212-228-5942; hableconstruction.com. circle 608

Ekla Home

Go green—literally—with the verdant, spring green Kristina sofa. Part of the Ocean Way collection, the sofa follows Cradle to Cradle sustainable practices. It's made from FSC-certified alder, natural rubber, organically grown and milled wool, and uses an organically milled cotton barrier cloth. The outer fabric is wool, dyed with low-impact, fiber-reactive dye. 310-838-1963; eklahome.com. circle 609

Wambamboo

Kent Gration brilliantly turns to bamboo to combat the excessive use of non-sustainable materials. His Abbott lamp is both lite and light. It weighs in at only 5½ pounds and is equipped with universal electrical ballasts, and measures 69 inches high by 11 inches wide by 9½ inches deep. 61-7-3315-6605; wambamboo.com.au. circle 610

Andy Gregg

Guests will race to sit in the Tour de France lounge chair. The seat is made of a mixture of recycled and new bicycle parts. This sculpted chair features glow-in-the-dark tire armrests, available in yellow/red and blue/black. Other fun features? Bright red handle grips and a bike horn. Deeply Madly Living; 877-887-0080; deeplymadlyliving.com. circle 614

Durkan Hospitality

The Serenity collection includes one four-door rug, one 5-foot round medallion, nine broadloom patterns, four design borders, and one corridor runner. Two color palettes are also available to choose from (and customers can create their own). Serenity is CRI Green Label Plus-certified, with adhesives that meet most VOC emission rules. 800-241-4580; durkan.com. circle 611

Artecnica

The clever TransNeomatic bowl from the designers at Estudio Campana is constructed from repurposed scooter tires and natural wicker treated with an eco-friendly sealant. But it isn't just environmentally conscious, it's socially conscious, too. This manufacturer, in partnership with nonprofit Craft Link, enlists Vietnamese weavers to create the pieces. Even the reusable tote bag that the bowls are packaged in was made with the help of disadvantaged Vietnamese youths. The small bowl is 4 inches high and 16½ inches in diameter; the large one is 3 inches high and 22 inches in diameter. 323-655-6551; artecnicainc.com. circle 612

Construction Specialties

Dirt is no competition for C/S Pedisystems Crossings entrance flooring. Available with inserts of cork, recycled rubber, or FSC-certified teak, bamboo, or ipé, the Crossings line keeps entry ways clean—reducing the need for harsh cleansers and preserving interior textiles and hard surfaces. With its no-VOC powder coat and low VOC–emitting carpet, Crossings flooring contributes toward LEED credits, as well. 800-233-8493; c-sgroup.com. circle 613

Skyline Design

Microscopic and ethereal, Entangle and Crepe Lace are two of ten patterns in the Suzanne Tick Glass collection. They achieve their intricate designs without acid etching. Instead, they use eco-etch, eliminating the need for a sealer top coat and realizing a 90 percent recycling gain through a blast medium reclaim system. The glass is free of inner layers or inks, is completely recyclable, and can contribute to six LEED credits. 888-278-4660; skydesign.com. circle 615

Muléh

If designer Andreas Gomau found himself on a deserted island and in need of shelving, he might construct something similar to this Bandoo shelf. No energy was wasted during manufacturing, since no machines were used. Instead, the shelf is handmade with bamboo, that woody grass that grows up to one meter per day. "When you're done with it, you can just leave it in the garden compost," says Gomau. 202-667-3440; muleh.com. circle 618

CNI

The Vogue chair is a natural beauty. It's woven from abaca, derived from bark recycled from banana trees, or in sea grass. Though the seat stays grounded, thanks to a polished base, its wave pattern lends fluidity. 450-674-1669; furniture-cni.com. circle 616

Silk Dynasty

Take a trip to the tropics with Maganda wall covering. Because of this cotton-and-abaca textile's durability, flexibility, and resistance to water damage, it's versatile enough to be used in more than just sunny climes. The pattern is GreenSpec-certified; contributes to LEED credits for its rapidly-renewable, raw, low-emitting, regional material; and comes in six colorways. 650-903-0078; silkdynasty.com. circle 617

KnollTextiles

This debut of the manufacturer's Crypton Green fabric system, called the Crypton Green upholstery, is polyester and available in three patterns of varying scales. Legend, the largest, contains 66 percent recycled polyester, while the smaller-scale Fable and the textured Lore each contain 64 percent recycled polyester. All three have Silver Cradle to Cradle certification and SCS Gold Indoor Advantage certification, and can contribute to LEED points for commercial interiors. 212-679-7991; knoll.com. circle 622

Porcelanosa

Lino Blanco is the latest wall covering offering from this Spanish company. It might look like linen, but it's actually ceramic with a glazed finish. It comes in metal and white and is made with rectified edges to display minimum grout joints. Not inclined to waste materials, this manufacturer purifies the water used to rectify, then reuses it in the factory. 800-767-7287; porcelanosa-usa.com. circle 619

Q Collection

Stella Stackables, a whimsical storage unit, is available in Cloud, Forget Me Not, and Salamander. All are born from a children's penchant for hiding things. But, that shouldn't worry parents, since this manufacturer uses low-VOC and water-based finishes. The stackables are made from recycled, no-formaldehyde-added MDF. The solid Aspen wood is locally harvested from responsibly-managed forests, and the piece's indoor air quality and locally sourced product contribute toward LEED certification. The unit is 20 inches long by 14 inches deep by 17 inches high. 212-529-1400; qcollectionjunior.com. circle 621

DeepStream Designs

Who needs a green thumb? The Audubon 36 planter with 3Form Bear Grass Lite Panels lends a botanical look with or without actual greenery. The planter, which contributes to LEED credits, is built from ½-inch panels, proprietary marine-anodized aluminum extrusions, and pre-consumer recycled plastic lining. It's 38 inches long by 19 inches wide by 21½ inches high. 305-857-0466; deepstreamdesigns.com. circle 620

Meld USA

Inundated with leftover off-scrap material from custom boxes, the designers in this studio don't just toss the stuff in the waste basket—they made it the waste basket. The four-piece Chuck waste paper basket collection uses recycled cardboard in four different tapered shapes: square, triangle, pentagon, and hexagon. Four patterns are also available: Retro Rocket, Sway, Flower Power, and Flying Scared (Birds). Each piece is 14 inches high. 919-790-1749; meldusa.com. circle 626

Designtex

Not only is Bella-Dura yarn made from a byproduct of the petroleum-refining process, it's also the only fabric whose manufacturer can make that claim. The Raw Bella-Dura collection turns the base yarn into four bright, colorful patterns: Meridian, Moonbeam, Solstice, and Solar. As the name suggests, the collection is highly durable—it exceeds 50,000 double rubs and is lightfast up to or more than 1,500 hours. 800-221-1540; designtex.com. circle 623

Batinau Design

Martin Ballendat's Girado cantilever chair is as much personalized sculpture as it is seating. It can be customized to each user's preferences. Backrests are available in six woods, all of which are derived from sustained, managed forests and treated with natural oils and waxes. Leather-upholstered backrests are available; and the chromium-plated rectangular steel frame comes with a high-gloss or matte finish. 888-521-9663; batinau.com. circle 625

Momentum

Textus's existing Cairo pattern has been reconfigured—with ecology in mind—as Cairo II. The new pattern features 51 percent, post-industrial recycled polyester; 32 percent bamboo; and 17 percent post-consumer, recycled polyester. The finish is soil and stain resistant, with an abrasion test of 100,000 double rubs. The fabric contributes to LEED credits for recycled content and rapidly renewable materials. 800-366-6839; memosamples.com. circle 624