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WATERBORN NEW ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY UPHOLSTERY
WATERBORN is a completely new type of fabric for upholstery that has been developed in close co-operation between Kvadrat and one of the worlds leading fiber producers situated in Japan. The aim was to develop a new material made of synthetic fibers that addresses the environmental concerns of Kvadrat. It was a challenge to find a manufacturing process that nearly does not involve the use of organic solvents which is common for other composite materials. This has been achieved by using a unique polyurethane dispersed in only water to impregnate a fine-structured and very dense, non-woven fabric made of polyester and Nylon. By heating the fabric, the polyurethane is coagulated between the fibers, and the new composite fabric is born — Waterborn.
The result is a product that is as clean and gentle on the environment as possible due to the limited emission of organic solvents, reduced to app. 8 % of conventional production. Furthermore the content of organic solvents in the final product is almost equal to zero and consequently there are No harmful and No unpleasant odours experienced when using WATERBORN. During the development of WATERBORN, Kvadrat was in an intense dialogue with French architect Jean Nouvel and his studio. Due to their search for new upholstery "Architectures Jean Nouvel" became very enthusiastic about the WATERBORN technology. Thereafter Jean Nouvel took on the task creating the structure, surface and colour palette of WATERBORN. The result is a very specific and surprising colour range that supports the technical expression of the new material. French architect Jean Nouvel is an internationally renowned representative of modern architecture awarded a number of prestigious prizes. The architectural expression of Jean Nouvel is very poetic and often takes advantage of untraditional materials and technical solutions. WATERBORN is created for the supermodern private or public
interior and especially addresses the issue to find a better solution
to high trafficed areas like airports, hotels, cafes and other public
areas. WATERBORN is easy to maintain as you can clean it by using just
a dry or moist cloth. Furthermore WATERBORN possesses outstanding wearability,
and upholstering ability. |
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A COLOURFUL ARRAY IN MICROFIBRE
Microfibre has gradually come into its own as a category of upholstery fabric, after textiles and leather. From being an imitation suede fabric, microfibre has matured into a fabric with unique properties of its own. With LOOP, Kvadrat wanted to present its version of a modern, designed colour palette to complement the properties and different gauges of microfibre. Accordingly, the textile designer duo Mathilde Aggebo and Julie Henriksen took this fabric as their starting point and consciously endeavoured to add a new, uncomplicated style to microfibre by their choice of colourways. Aggebo & Henriksen have developed a refreshing, non-classic, sporty colour palette in clear, pure and subtle colours — reflecting Kvadrat’s flair for colour and lending renewed strength to the microfibre material by virtue of their unique colours. Aggebo & Henriksen prepared the colours based on watercolours on hand-made paper, the texture of which matches the surface of microfibre. In so doing, they have created a unique colour palette of 35 colours that are at the same time contemporary, modern and uncomplicated. LOOP has a clean-cut, precise, pure, uniform surface and is particularly suitable for use in domestic settings as well as in the contract market. The fabric has substance, at 500 g per rolling metre in a truly superb microfibre, in the sense that the fabric consists of microfibre through and through. Aggebo & Henriksen began collaborating more than ten years ago at the Danish Design School, where they both trained. Since then, many exciting projects and assignments have passed through their hands, for industry, exhibitions and decor. In addition, they have undertaken numerous design commissions for Kvadrat. |
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STEELCUT COLLABORATION BETWEEN DESIGNER AND COLOUR MASTER
STEELCUT is Kvadrat’s world premiere of collaboration between the Dutch designer Frans Dijkmeijer and the Italian colour master and textile advisor Giulio Ridolfo. STEELCUT is the result of the synergy created by combining the forces of Frans Dijkmeijer’s scientific constructions within weaving technique with Giulio Ridolfo’s intuitive sense of colour. Dutch designer Frans Dijkmeijer is considered one of Europe’s foremost designers of woven textiles. His expertise lies in creating innovative variations and textures in the surface of the upholstery fabric. Dijkmeijer’s textiles characteristically radiate a logical simplicity despite their high degree of technical complexity. This is also evident in STEELCUT, which is designed using a new weave that produces a three-dimensional surface reminiscent of tiny pyramids or steel pinpoints. Despite the tremendous complexity of the weaving technique, the fabric has an air of precision and simplicity. Dijkmeijer now lives in the South of France, where he works as a freelance designer associated with Kvadrat. Giulio Ridolfo is the first Italian to join Kvadrat’s design team. He has many years’ experience as a textile advisor to the clothing, footwear and interiors industries - and his work on STEELCUT has brought Kvadrat a whole new perspective with regard to colour composition. Giulio Ridolfo’s working method could be compared to a kind of patchwork, where he gathers and juxtaposes small fragments of reality in the form of images, colours, patterns and textures. In so doing, he attempts to remain true to the "colour vibes", to convert them into a usable colour palette without losing the vibrant aspect of the colours. Ridolfo’s contribution is not a traditional colour palette representing the full circle of colours. His colour composition has more to do with expressing an attitude or a choice and this has resulted in a highly personal colour palette consisting of harmonious non-colours so light and so dark in shade that the colour is only hinted at instead of having any real colouring. Supplemented by a few accent colours in the form of colour spots, this produces a sophisticated palette that can be applied either discreetly or more directly. |
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JEEVES QUALITY, COLOURS AND CLASSIC DESIGN
JEEVES and WOOSTER are two brand-new designs by British textile designer Georgina Wright. The names derive from the English author Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse’s humorous books about the slightly inept young gentleman, Bertie Wooster, and his butler, Jeeves, who is more experienced in the ways of the world. Georgina Wright has found a timeless, tasteful elegance in these two popular characters and the classic, gentlemanly style, and this was her inspiration for the new upholstery. JEEVES is a "hairline" weave and WOOSTER is a "Bird’s Eye" weave; both are classic designs used in menswear fabrics. Georgina Wright has created a slightly exclusive palette of attractive, subdued shades to suit the fabrics. The inspiration for the colour scheme also came from men’s fashions. The yarns used in BASS are the starting point for JEEVES and WOOSTER. Accordingly, Kvadrat took the opportunity that naturally arose to adjust the colour scheme of BASS, a familiar Georgina Wright design in Kvadrat’s upholstery collection. With BASS, most colourways have one colour for the weft and another for the warp, producing further subtleties in the colour range. JEEVES, WOOSTER and BASS are woven in wool, so they exhibit many of the qualitative characteristics of this natural fibre, such as: comfort, durability, the ability to repel dirt, to retain its shape and to adjust to changing temperatures. However, wool should be chosen primarily for its attractive appearance throughout the lifetime of the fabric. |
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