Duvaltex, a provider of Contract Textiles, and Steelcase, a provider of office furniture, are introducing Intersection, an exclusive Steelcase screen and panel fabric. Co-created by Duvaltex and Steelcase, in partnership with SEAQUAL® initiative, which turns marine plastic waste into recycled products with full traceability, Intersection is the first Ocean Waste CLEAN IMPACT TEXTILES™. It is available throughout the Steelcase surface materials distribution network and applicable on over 50 Steelcase screen and panel product lines.
Every year, several million metric tons of plastics enter our oceans. By partnering with SEAQUAL® initiative, Ocean Waste CLEAN IMPACT TEXTILES transform ocean waste into textiles, contributing to the collective effort to clean our oceans and reduce plastic pollution worldwide.
All Ocean Waste CLEAN IMPACT TEXTILES are made with post-consumer recycled polyester that include SEAQUAL® YARN made from plastic ocean waste. SEAQUAL® initiative collaborates with fishermen, NGO’s, and several other stakeholders to collect waste and clean our oceans. The waste collected is subsequently categorized, separated, and cleaned. Plastics are processed and upcycled into polymer to be used as yarn, which is then transformed to create the sustainable Ocean Waste CLEAN IMPACT TEXTILES. For every pound of textile produced, up to half a pound of waste is removed from our oceans.
Ocean Waste CLEAN IMPACT TEXTILES is the second advanced technology released under Duvaltex’s CLEAN IMPACT TEXTILES sustainability brand umbrella, following the NeoCon Award-winning 100% fully biodegradable textile in 2019.
“Our aim with CLEAN IMPACT TEXTILES is to reduce the environmental impact of textile manufacturing as much as possible by innovating the way products are sourced, manufactured, and disposed of at the end of their useful life. Every action with CLEAN IMPACT TEXTILES is designed with sustainability in mind.” says Mr. Duval.
Intersection is the first Ocean Waste CLEAN IMPACT TEXTILES product to be launched and is the result of a collaboration between Duvaltex and Steelcase. Partnering with SEAQUAL initiative, Duvaltex and Steelcase worked together to transform ocean waste plastics into textiles.
“When Duvaltex came to us, they had this incredibly beautiful fabric that not only met all of our technical needs as it relates to application and screen design, but also had this incredibly important environmental story,” says Kari Miller, Product Manager for Global Surface Materials at Steelcase.
Like every Ocean Waste CLEAN IMPACT TEXTILES developed, Intersection is designed and manufactured for recyclability, allowing designers to design without compromise.
Beyond its positive environmental impact, Intersection features a small crisscross pattern woven alongside a subtle pucker, providing a unique three dimensional visual. Boasting a contemporary color palette, Intersection comes in 17 colors, including Mulberry, Electric Indigo, and Scarlet. Now available in North America, it can be applied to a wide range of screens and panels, including VIA, Mackinac, and Steelcase Flex.
Duvaltex and Steelcase share a strong commitment to sustainability and environmental consciousness. This has led the companies to forge a rich history of collaboration over a span of 25 years. This includes a Cradle to Cradle™ product in 2005 and a Closed Loop program in 2011, as well as the more recent New Black textile collection, created entirely from Steelcase scrap fabric.
