Sunbrella furniture fabrics have been certified as a low-emitting product by the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI). The GREENGUARD Certification assures architects, specifiers, building owners and homeowners that they can use Sunbrella furniture fabrics indoors with the confidence that these fabrics will contribute to healthy indoor air.
Sunbrella furniture fabrics have also received the GREENGUARD Children & SchoolsSM Certification, which requires that products meet even more stringent standards to help limit pollutant exposure in schools and other settings that serve children and other sensitive individuals.
The GREENGUARD Certification Program, an industry independent, third-party testing program for low-emitting products and materials, subjected Sunbrella fabrics to extensive testing to determine whether these fabrics emit harmful air pollutants. The fabrics met the established criteria for low chemical emissions and have been added to the GREENGUARD Online Product Guide (www.greenguard.org). This Guide is easily accessible at no charge to anyone seeking products that will help protect indoor air quality.
"The level of interest in environmentally responsible products has never been greater than it is today," said Carl E. Smith, CEO of GEI, the Atlanta-based non-profit organization. "With so many products claiming to be ‘green,’ the GREENGUARD Certification Program represents an objective evaluation of one aspect of being an increasingly sustainable product."
Sunbrella has been a leading outdoor performance fabric for more than 40 years for awnings, boat covers and casual furniture. During more recent years, through jacquard weaving, advanced fabric finishes and unique yarns, Sunbrella has become a leading choice for use inside homes and businesses.
"The Sunbrella brand has always been a product based on trust and integrity," said Vince Hankins, new business development manager for Glen Raven Custom Fabrics, the makers of Sunbrella fabrics. "With our growth as an interior fabric, we believe it is important to continue to promote trust in our brand with the type of independent testing and certification provided by GREENGUARD."
GEI was founded in June 2001 to establish a true, third-party product certification program based on proven emissions standards, and to provide specifying and procurement professionals with a resource for low-emitting products. More than 150,000 products have earned the GREENGUARD Certification.
GREENGUARD Certification and tahe GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certification are valuable tools for architects, designers, product specifiers, and purchasing organizations who want to locate, specify, and purchase off-the-shelf, low-emitting products for indoor environments. GREENGUARD Certification is a voluntary program available to all manufacturers and their suppliers.
According to Hankins, GREENGUARD Certification is part of a three-pronged strategy to increase the sustainability of Glen Raven’s products. Glen Raven’s environmental program balances environmental stewardship with its mission of creating reliable and long-lasting performance products.
"This program takes our long-standing commitment to environmental protection to a higher level," Hankins said. "We have committed ourselves to the delivery of industry-leading performance fabrics that have minimal impact on the environment."
Glen Raven’s environmental sustainability program includes the elimination of waste throughout manufacturing processes and in its supply chain; commitment to relevant metrics to measure company performance through third-party verification; and the use of more environmentally friendly processes and components through product lifecycle analysis.
"Glen Raven’s commitment to sustainability in the 21st Century is a commitment to redefining and broadening performance measurements," Hankins said. "Financially, we will be more efficient in how we use resources. Environmentally, we will minimize the impact of our products and processes, and socially, we will adhere to safety standards that go well beyond basic compliance. This approach will elevate our presence in today’s environmentally sensitive global community and enhance the value of our brands."
