Higher Standards

Our growing desire for tactile experiences means that textiles still play an important role in our lives. Companies focusing on the contract market are especially engaged in creating more innovative and sustainable options—whether it’s a woolen fabric from HBF Textiles that uses nontoxic dyes, or a high-performance textile from Momentum that passes the 500,000 double-rub test.

The Association of Contract Textiles (ACT), a professional trade group made up of more than 100 companies, establishes voluntary performance and environmental guidelines. “We strive to be the definitive resource for contract textile information and education,” explains Janan Rabiah, the executive director of the organization. “In the early 1990s, we developed voluntary performance guidelines for woven textiles, which we continue to promote. In May 2011, ACT membership adopted NSF/ANSI 336 as its guideline for sustainability. And the organization is currently developing [one] for coated fabrics.” Here are some of our favorite new contract fabrics that are pushing the boundaries of textile-making.