Truck tarp covers make a splash in High Point
Fabric recycled in South America is high end, stylish and green
Susan M. Andrews -- Furniture Today, December 11, 2007
HIGH POINT — The world of upscale upholstery fabric is often about precious materials or labor-intensive embellishments, and the world of “green” upholstery fabrics is often about high-tech processes.
 Designer Mike Farrell sits in a swivel chair he designed using an embroidered fabric made of recycled truck tarps he sources from South America. The chair, made in Brazil, is being distributed by Covet. |
| Designer Mike Farrell sits in a swivel chair he designed using an embroidered fabric made of recycled truck tarps he sources from South America. The chair, made in Brazil, is being distributed by Covet. |
There was a fabric in the spotlight at the October High Point Market that’s both high end and green, but that fits none of those categories.
Would you believe fabrics made from recycled truck tarps, sourced from South America?
Just such a cover, from designer Mike Farrell of Imagine Adventures, was showcased by a number of upholstery manufacturers at the fall market, including Covet, Vanguard, Verellen and Paul Robert. Some of the applications were embroidered, and others were printed in the classic Fortuny style.
 The Mead sofa at Paul Robert features a natural-colored truck tarp fabric on the seat cushions and back pillows, as well as a custom jacquard from Craftex, an exclusive leather from England and a 100% jute fabric on the outside. As shown, retail is about $2,999. |
| The Mead sofa at Paul Robert features a natural-colored truck tarp fabric on the seat cushions and back pillows, as well as a custom jacquard from Craftex, an exclusive leather from England and a 100% jute fabric on the outside. As shown, retail is about $2,999. |
Farrell, whose creative personality is often described as a force of nature, says the point of the recycled materials is “to love your mother, treasure trash, recycle and reuse.”
The tarps originally covered produce as it was hauled by truck from farms to markets throughout Brazil. As the tarps wear out, they are patched and repaired with bits and pieces of other worn-out tarps.
The tarps are genuine canvas, so it occurred to Farrell and Imagine’s designers that they should take an artistic approach.
"We used a Fortuny-style process,” Farrell said. “We make screens as if we
 A recycled truck-tarp fabric was bleached, then given a gold metallic finish before becoming the cover of an ottoman debuting at Vanguard Furniture. As shown, with eco-friendly cushioning and natural antique brass nailheads, retail is about $1,834. |
| A recycled truck-tarp fabric was bleached, then given a gold metallic finish before becoming the cover of an ottoman debuting at Vanguard Furniture. As shown, with eco-friendly cushioning and natural antique brass nailheads, retail is about $1,834. |
are going to do a standard silk-screen damask on top, but instead of spreading a color over the entire screen, we use brushes and oil paints in different colors, including metallics, to apply the color in the screen, then layering it and allowing the colors to bleed into each other.
“The result is a very sophisticated, classic motif with beautiful nuanced color changes and areas of gold metallic,” he said.
Farrell also partners with Brazilian mills like Adesal and linen specialist Leslie to design and import upscale fabrics used by a number of high-end upholstery makers, including Baker, Hickory Chair and Old Hickory Tannery.
 Dyed a deep chocolate brown, this truck tarp fabric covers an over-scaled ottoman seating piece at Verellen, as part of a major eco-friendly presentation. |
| Dyed a deep chocolate brown, this truck tarp fabric covers an over-scaled ottoman seating piece at Verellen, as part of a major eco-friendly presentation. |
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