Kinder for Contract
Fabrics and wallcoverings designed for contract environments are subject to a raft of regulations and standards to ensure they are safe and suitable for public use – but the very toughness and durability required of them can sometimes mean a trade-off when it comes to other desirable qualities, such as sustainability.
Belgian brand Omexco (available via the Lelièvre Paris showroom) saw how the use of PVC and other virgin plastics was compromising the sustainability of vinyl-based contract wallcoverings, and has worked to develop a new collection that is kinder to the environment. Its new High Performance collection is printed on a specially developed non-woven backing made from recycled polyester fibres, while the printing dyes used contain no heavy metals or solvents. The wider production process has also been taken into consideration, with Omexco’s factory being run on renewable electricity; finally, the wallcoverings are available by the metre rather than by the roll, reducing waste if designers only order what they need.
The collection is divided into two sets of designs, both of which have a subtle approach to pattern. High Performance Textures features finishes inspired by woven textiles, such as ‘Denim’ and ‘Abaca’, while High Performance Patina is based on natural materials including ‘Chalk’, ‘Clay’ (above left) and ‘Timber’ (above right).
