Eco-friendly Phifertex ready for market
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, July 28, 2008
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Outdoor product specialist Phifer has partnered with American Fibers & Yarns to develop Phifertex, an eco-friendly outdoor fabric collection for deep seating.
Available in 12 patterns for immediate shipment, Phifertex is made of 100% Marquesa yarn from AF&Y. The fabric combines a soft texture with performance characteristics that exceed the casual furniture industry's cushion standards for strength, durability and colorfastness, AF&Y said.
Hugo Benitez, AF&Y national sales manager, said the Marquesa recycling story made the new outdoor line a timely step.
“Designing and creating fabrics for today's leisure lifestyle also means taking into account the impact they have on the environment,” he said. “With great success in our Marquesa Blends collection, introducing a 100% Marquesa fabric was the next logical step for us.”
Marquesa yarns begin as a by-product of post-industrial waste. AF&Y said they require less energy to produce than other synthetics, and produce less waste, none of it harmful industrial waste. The yarns also do not require potentially harmful topical treatments for performance, and are recyclable, with an existing recycling stream.
“Partnering with companies who are interested in designing products that make environmental improvements is part of our earth-friendly business strategy,” said Jim Morelli, AF&Y's executive vice president of sales and marketing. “Combining our fiber technology with Phifer's innovative fabric designs delivers a fresh, environmentally friendly, recyclable fabric to the casual furniture industry.”
Phifertex Marquesa fabrics also have the following properties engineered into the yarn so they will last for the life of the fabric:
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Bacteria, mold and mildew resistance
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Stain resistance and bleach cleanability
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Colorfastness
The fabrics can be sent back to American Fibers & Yarns to be recycled into a variety of durable goods.
