NeoCon Noteworthy

My travels around The Mart this year took me to some old favorites, companies that are among the most sustainable in our industry. It's no surprise that their new product introductions move the bar to deeper shades of green; what's delightful are the stunning aesthetics each brings to the market.

Interface
David Oakey has done it again--working within InterfaceFLOR's Convert design platform that features products made with total recycled content ranging from 64 to 75 percent, including up to 35 percent post-consumer content in a selection of vibrant colors never before seen in recycled product, he developed a collection inspired by the Memphis Design Movement begun in the early 1980s. It was then and it is now new, loud, and joyful. As Oakey says, "As the world transforms and evolves and the economy slowly makes a comeback, people are demanding sustainable products made by responsible companies that are both beautiful and joyful. Enough with all this gloom and doom. Let's talk about color and happiness!"

Carnegie
Heather Bush has created new designs for Carnegie that are simply gorgeous--and incredibly green as are all of Carnegie's products.

The Urban Metallic collection is the latest addition to the Surface IQ line of wallcoverings. The five sophisticated patterns utilize metallic inks, which suggest a shimmer of light on the wall surface. Surface IQ, of course, offers an affordable alternative to vinyl wallcoverings and is one of only two wallcovering products on the market to receive both MBDC Cradle to Cradle Silver and SCS Indoor Advantage Gold third party certifications.

Artisan and Hoop are two new additions to Carnegie's Xorel Embroider line, adding yet another level of complexity and an unusual aesthetic to this amazing fabric. Xorel, of course, is the technologically advanced and environmentally sound textile widely trusted and used by designers for wallcovering, panel, and upholstery solutions. Its beauty, durability and cleanability make it a clear green favorite.

3form
A gecko, that little green retile from an insurance company, sticks to anything. Gecko, an adhesive polyester textile introduced by 3form at NeoCon, doesn't quite go that far but it will adhere to any glass surface without using glue or any liquid bonding agent. Applied with water and easily moveable, Gecko offers a level of design flexibility important to green projects. It's easy to install, customize, re-position and clean and emits no VOCs. The green guy would be proud.

Again zeroing in on flexibility, 3form also introduced Ditto, a modular product that uses cross-shaped pieces designed to work together to create a partition or wall feature. Made from 40-percent pre-consumer recycled content, highly customizable, durable and lightweight, Ditto offers the designers all the necessary parts to introduce structure, shape and light and playfulness into their projects.