A Greener Shade

Designtex—in collaboration with Ludvig Svensson, a Swedish greenhouse shade manufacturer—recently developed an environmentally conscious solar shade for the residential and contract market. The company studied the need for a new generation of shade cloth that was different from the PVC-clad plain, basket, and twill weaves that currently dominate the marketplace. “From a materials standpoint, the textile industry has caught up to the increasing demand for environmentally friendly products—with the exception of the solar shade, that is—until this point,” says Karen Kops, manager of product development at Designtex.

The resulting collection addresses the needs of the contract market regarding light fastness, flame retardancy, and shading, in six patterns and a wide variety of color options. Unlike most shade/screen products, Shades and Screens is available in 78-, 106-, or 118-inch widths, allowing for greater design flexibility.

For increased stability he textiles are knitted, not woven; three patterns have a non-glare aluminum backing for further energy savings.

Architects and designers measure approximate energy use with these shades by plugging their specifications into a downloadable software program (www.parasol.se) created at Lund University. “Formerly there were specs on the back of a textile card that would give information about things like solar transmission and reflection,” Kops explains. “Now architects and designers have a tool that further diagnoses an actual energy-savings cost approximation using our product.”

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Shades and Screens

Composition:
PVC-free decorative textile made of 100 percent Trevira or a Trevira-Polyester blend; PVC-free blackout cloth also available.

Applications:
Interior window shades, privacy screens for
work spaces.

Properties:
PVC-free, flame-retardant, dimensionally stable. The patterns can be hung vertically or horizontally. Used on windows, the shades cut solar heat and light; reduce glare and energy consumption costs; and provide a degree of thermal insulation. Installed in interiors, the screens divide space and create a sense of privacy.

Manufacturer:
Designtex
200 Varick St.
New York, NY 10014

Tel: (800) 221-1540
www.dtex.com