Schumacher: Tried, True and Green

The very first fabric supplier I discovered as a design student a gazillion years ago was Schumacher. One reason may be that under the inspired leadership of men like Robert Herring, the textile company has long been a true friend of the schools. I’ve been an admirer for a long time.

Imagine my delight when I found that BuildingGreen has added Schumacher to its GreenSpec listings, which are compiled according to strict guidelines independent of financial influence. You can read about what the criteria are in the Environmental Building News article Building Materials: What Makes a Product Green.

So what’s made Schumacher GreenSpec worthy? GreenSpec specifically calls out Schumacher’s use of safe alternatives to hazardous practices (bleaching is done with hydrogen peroxide instead of chlorine) and substances (dyestuffs are free of known allergens, carcinogens, toxic compounds, low or no heavy metals, no TCP, PCP, PCB’s).

Adherence to these and other well-defined sustainability standards has guided the launch of the Schumacher Terra brand of eco-friendly fabrics and wallcoverings, which will be identified by a new green leaf logo.
This includes the By Nature Collection of luxurious organic cotton fabrics. Perceivably softer than standard cotton, these chemical-free fabrics come by their rich, sumptuous hand naturally; the fibers have not been broken down by chemical washes and finishes and the water discharged at the completion of the process contains no pollutants.

As part of its environmental initiative, Schumacher has aligned with WaterAid America, the world’s leading non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to working with people in many of the world’s poorest countries to improve access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education. Schumacher will contribute 2% of the proceeds from the sale of its By Nature collection to the organization.

“The decision to team up with WaterAid America was a natural one,” said Corinne Kevorkian, President and General Manager of Schumacher. “The textile manufacturing process involves heavy consumption of water. At the same time, preserving the quality and availability of safe drinking water concerns all of us, including Schumacher.”

GreenSpec strives to and is respected for including only the “best of the best.”  Way to go Schumacher!