Hybrid Textiles Offer Performance and Comfort

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For more than 100 years, Mayer Fabrics has pushed the boundaries of textile innovation, bringing decades of experience in the hospitality and healthcare sectors. The brand’s woven textiles became GREENGUARD certified—and the company itself a UPS Carbon Neutral Shipper and CarbonNeutral company—ten years ago, establishing Mayer as ecological and technological innovator. Mayer’s new Quantum collection of Tekloom fabrics proves they’re still transforming the market.

Tekloom is a “hybrid textile,” in which Thermo Plastic Elastomer (TPE) is fused to the face of a woven fabric, creating an almost indestructible product which retains the hand-feel and texture of a traditional weave. Tekloom chemically bonds the woven textile to its protector, while avoiding DMF, Phthalates, or FR/antimicrobial additives.

Ideal for high-traffic applications, Tekloom resists both ink and stains and is impermeable to liquid. It passes a wear test of over one-million double rubs and—crucially in today’s environment—is cleanable with bleach. Interior designer Sarah Kowalske of Áegis Living in Belleville, Washington, understands the contemporary importance of durable and sanitary fabrics for her senior living projects, which blend residential and commercial requirements. “This collection gives us the ability to design beautiful, functional upholstery pieces that can withstand just about anything, including increased disinfecting protocols,” she says.

How a fabric looks, of course, is just as important as how it performs. To that end, designer and color consultant Kimberle Frost looked to nature to inspire the six patterns for the Quantum collection. “The collection is about bringing science and technology together with nature,” Frost says. “This connection is so important, especially today, when we are looking to enhance our workspaces with biophilic inspired materials.”

The collection incorporates classic polyurethane barrier fabrics as well as Tekloom options for an array to suit almost any need.  An ultrasonic embossed technique creates Molecule’s quilted surface, which calls to mind hexagonal beehives. Vector, meanwhile, pays tribute to the detailed elegance of a spiderweb. Matter is a subtle compliment to its more dimensional cohorts, and like them comprises a polycarbonate base with a polyurethane coat that will stand up to extensive use.

The Tekloom options are equally durable, if more delicate in design: piece-dyed Gravity offers the look of linen, while Relativity shines in a multi-colored striation. Boldest is Static, which balances a reflective yarn with a deflective weave for a futuristic appeal.

Colorways, explains Frost, include “a beautiful range of organic and reflective colors; complex combinations with hints of metal, rich saturated hues associated with deep indigo and dark raisin, and warm neutrals that calm and complement.” The tonal flexibility allows the collection to work in busy environments which need to foster calm and contemplation, such as universities. “Their neutral palette with pops of deep gem hues leave you with a mystery of inspiration,” says project manager-interior design of Washington State University Roxanne R. Holden, AUID, APAC. “I’m so excited to specify this line and feel confident that I’m bringing nature inspired beauty to my buildings while providing the performance. I can’t say enough how the energy of Quantum has piqued my creative senses!”