Designer Q & A: Materials
Discussing exciting and interesting new materials with one of our product developers
There are so many materials out there, do you see any up and coming fabrics that you think clients really should know about?
“Oh definitely, there are an almost infinite amount of materials out there. One of the ones that I’ve been looking at a lot lately is Recycled Woven Polypropylene. Polypropylene is used in so many applications, from those promotional bags that you get at conferences to bulk bags for shipping commodities. Using Recycled Woven Polypropylene in place of standard Polypropylene is such an easy way to make a difference.”
Why should clients be looking at recycled materials?
“Corporate social responsibility is sort of a buzz phrase right now, but the actions behind it are something that lasts. Companies can make serious impacts by phasing out polypropylene and phasing in recycled options. You’re getting the same functionality, but all of the sudden you’re making an impact.
It goes beyond that as well. In addition to that impact you’re also getting a marketing tool. Now you can have products that say how many water bottles were saved from a landfill by this bag. Using a recycled material like this provides a way to backup your earth friendly messaging.”
What applications do you see that would be a good fit for this product?
“One of the really basic ones is the promotional totes that get given out at every conference and event. That’s a product design that is such a quick swap to recyclables, and the quantity that they are produced in makes it have a huge impact. Another factor with the totes, if you’re like me you probably have a stack of them in the back of your car. I always use mine for grocery shopping. You’re not only physically saving plastics from a landfill; you’re cutting down on the prevalence of one of the most destructive single use plastics in the modern world.
Another one is for heavy luggage products, as that allows you to make a longer-term impact. Those heavy-duty suitcases are products that are those once every few years (or longer) purchases. When you use a recycled material for those you’re pulling microplastics out of the cycle for years and years.”