As interior designers continue to rigorously evaluate the health and sustainability of the products they specify, material transparency, safe chemistry and sustainability have become top priority for many firms. With that in mind, Ultrafabrics recently announced that the textile company is continuing to break ground on its sustainability journey by removing PFAS/PFOA’s from the bulk of its textile offerings. Additionally Ultrafabrics products were awarded “achiever” status from MindClick’s Sustainability Assessment Program, a groundbreaking database of environmental health performance ratings of suppliers and products in architecture and design.
Safer chemistry is vitally important to the future of the textiles industry. The use of harmful chemicals in manufacturing can cause safety and health concerns for both humans and the environment.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, better known as PFAS, are synthetic chemical compounds typically used for water and stain resistance. Studies have recently linked PFAS, which includes compounds like PFOA and PFOS, with a range of harmful effects on both human and environmental health. Many states and countries, including Japan, Ultrafabrics’ manufacturing headquarters, have adopted a ban on PFOA following the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).
Evolving with people and planet in mind, Ultrafabrics began transitioning away from PFOA over two years ago, ultimately removing it from all Breathable Technology styles, which includes Brisa, Brisa Distressed, Brisa Frontier, Brisa Forecast and Fresco. The removal of PFOA also allows for most of these styles to now comply with Health Care Without Harm’s Healthy Interiors Safer Chemical Challenge.
Majority of the Portfolio Is PFAS/PFOA-free
Most Ultrafabrics collections do not contain any type of PFAS compound, with the exceptions being Ultraleather Pro, Reef Pro and select custom collections. These ink- and stain-resistant collections contain PFAS, but Ultrafabrics is already working on next-generation innovation to deliver better materials for manufacturers and end-users alike. The brand proudly creates fabrics that are safe for all and will continue to seek out viable alternatives that maintain our high standards while minimizing the use of harmful substances, as they become available.
What is Mindclick?
Mindclick is a resource for architects, designers and specifiers to quickly assess the sustainability credentials of brands and their offering in the marketplace. It provides an Environmental Health Index that meets the demand for product transparency critical to the sustainable journey of any project.
Ultrafabrics recently announced that its complete library is included by MindClick at the Achiever Level! Design for Health. The MindClick Sustainability Assessment Program (MSAP) measures all aspects of its Environment, Social and Governance strategy from materials, chemicals, packaging, health and end-of-use to determine a brand’s ranking.
Nicole Meier, director of branding at Ultrafabrics, describes this milestone, “In the spirit of an authentic and honest sustainability journey, we are pleased to share our exciting updates about our portfolio and PFAS/PFOA, as well as recently receiving the Achiever Rating in MindClick’s Sustainability Assessment Program. We want to empower our partners with the best products and information to make their design process successful.”
