Conrad Shades: The Green Exemplar

There are products I come back to time after time as setting the bar for what a green material should be. Conrad Shades is right up there among the best.

Two-and-a-half years ago I wrote:

"I've lived with Conrad shades in my various homes for decades so I'm obviously a fan, and I'm not alone. For more than 50 years, designers have embraced Conrad's window coverings because we love the way they filter light, add texture to rooms, offer multiple design solutions and, well, we love the way they look."

But they are also green, and have been since the beginning, before green was green. In their own words: 'Though the art of what we create at Conrad is intricate, our materials are simple. We handweave from plants and grasses that are sustainably grown and harvested. The utilization of traditional hand-looms for weaving our natural fiber products means there is very little energy consumption or waste in our production process. And we support a cottage industry of farmers and local artisans in several countries as part of what we do.'

The natural fibers--flax, hemp, vetiver, arrowroot and bamboo, among others--used to manufacture Conrad shades are rapidly renewable materials with a 10-year or shorter harvest rotation. They are mold and bacteria resistant, VOC-free, durable, contain no harmful toxins, withstand light and heat exposure, and require little maintenance. It's all good."

It's all still as true now as it was in 2008 and more. Conrad is GreenSpec listed, a reliable verification of its sustainability. Seven gorgeous new weaves join the product line, adding to the very green richness designers have come to depend on.