NEW YORK—Six patterns of Carnegie’s proprietary high performance Xorel have earned the USDA Certified Biobased Product Label which verifies that the product’s amount of renewable biobased ingredients meets or exceeds levels set by USDA. Biobased products are finished or intermediate materials composed in whole or in significant part of agricultural, forestry or marine ingredients.
The following biobased Xorel patterns qualify as USDA Certified Biobased Products with between 68 to 89 percent of the polyethylene content being derived from rapidly renewable sugarcane: Dash, 68 percent biobased content; Nexus: 89 percent biobased content; Strie, 89 percent biobased content; Abacus Embroider, 85 percent biobased content; Topiary Embroider, 85 percent biobased content; and Veneer Embroider, 85 percent biobased content. All biobased claims are verified by independent labs and monitored by the USDA.
“We are proud that Carnegie has earned the USDA Certified Biobased Product Label,” said Ron Buckhalt, USDA BioPreferred Program Manager. “Biobased products add value to renewable agriculture commodities, create jobs in rural communities and help our nation decrease its reliance on foreign-sourced and non-renewable petroleum.”
Five Environmental Certifications
The USDA biopreferred label is the fifth third-party environmental certification for Xorel. Xorel was the first textile to earn Cradle to Cradle Certification at the Silver level in 2007. It garnered the highest indoor air quality rating possible in 2008, achieving SCS Indoor Advantage Gold. Six biobased Xorel patterns have advanced to Cradle to Cradle Gold and are Vincotte OK biobased level 3 or 4 depending on the pattern. In 2014 Xorel secured FACTS certification at the Silver level for standard patterns and Gold for biobased Xorel. The FACTS certification was developed by the Association of Contract Textiles, Inc. to recognize textiles that conform to the rigors of the multiattribute standard NSF/ANSI 336 and are third-party certified.
“While the U.S. government requires products to possess 25 percent biobased content to be labeled as biobased, the Xorel products boast an unprecedented 68 to 89 percent bio content,” said Cliff Goldman, President of Carnegie. “We knew there was a bright future for biobased polymers, so seven years ago we embarked on an exploration to create a biobased Xorel product. Our goal was a polyethylene yarn from plant-based resources instead of fossil fuels, to ensure a significantly reduced carbon footprint.”
The biobased version of Xorel has no visual or performance difference from any of the standard Xorel products: It offers the same durability, cleanability, and longevity that the Xorel brand has been delivering for more than 30 years. This multi-certified sustainable product positions architects, designers, and building owners to earn points toward LEED certification for projects in which the textile is specified.
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