NEWH - September 2009 - (Page 26)

product know-how fabrics Above, from left: The new Campion Platt Collection for HBF Textiles is ecofriendly; the American Specifier Collection from Valley Forge Fabrics features multiple patterns, from top: Galaxy Cube, Daisy Pinwheels, Mosaico, Surf Waves, and Striped Path 2. With so many choices ... the end result can be very pleasing to the eye and the hand. Fabricating Beauty Fabric can be just the thing to create a memorable tactile and visual experience By Jana Schiowitz FABRIC WEARS MANY HATS. It could be bed linen, drapery on a window, or upholstery for a headboard. And there are so many types—sustainable, sheers, and textured to name a few. Fabric testing and color selection are a big part of the specification process as is deciding on which colors work and which do not. With so many choices including customization, the end result can be very pleasing to the eye and the hand. What to Choose Looking for the right fabric to use in a room can be a bit overwhelming. The process is a lot like finding the right outfit for a party, deciding on the right color and material. For fabric it may be a question of yellow or brown or damask or solid. But before these types of questions need to be answered, everything depends on the type of application the designer is working on. Hotels, poolside cabanas, and spa relaxation rooms all use different fabrics that must satisfy certain requirements. “End-use will determine 26 september 2009 www.newh.org tel 800.593.NEWH the testing and performance characteristics needed for specific fabric application,” says Stacy Garcia founder of Stacy Garcia Inc. For example, if the fabric is being used for the outdoors, it requires a different finish, something making it all-weather resistant and durable. For fabrics in a hotel, they need to go through flame testing to meet building codes. “Some of the biggest challenges include encouraging the designers to write care instructions into their specifications,” explains Darci Sassen, vice president, director of contract sales for Fabricut Contract, S. Harris, and Vervain. “Even when fabrics have special protection such as Crypton or Nanotex, they still need to be cleaned!” Also important is the design intent and room concept. “Some designers are very specific and have an exact idea in mind; while others have abstract ideas and we send samples from our library until there is a design focus and selections are made,” explains Diana Dobin, senior vice president of Valley Forge Fabrics. > http://www.newh.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NEWH - September 2009

NEWH - September 2009
Contents
News
Sustainability: POV
Design 101
Case Study: Project
Case Study: Product
Have you Seen?
Product Know-How: Fabrics
On the Scene
Cover Story: NLP
Project: Langham Shanghai
Project: Founding Farmers
New Members
Save the Date
Partner Profiles

NEWH - September 2009