FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.—Valley Forge Fabrics has introduced its newest FRESH innovation, LIVING FRESH with Tencel+Plus. Tencel+Plus is the only Eucalyptus fiber engineered for hospitality. LIVING FRESH with Tencel+Plus includes a Eucalyptus fiber and cotton blend. Valley Forge quietly introduced LIVING FRESH to the largest hotel brands earlier this year. There are currently five major hotel companies with LIVING FRESH in their product testing phase and each company is rushing to be the first to market with the new product.
“Another phenomenal aspect of LIVING FRESH with Tencel+Plus is the incredibly soft hand and the fact that no fabric softener is required to maintain that soft hand,” says Michael Dobin, senior vice president of Valley Forge. “We showed customers LIVING FRESH with Tencel+Plus and Egyptian cotton without tags and in each and every case our customers selected LIVING FRESH as having the best hand.”
The unique combination of Tencel+Plus Eucalyptus and cotton requires less pressing during maintenance than the more traditional natural fibers such as 100 percent cotton or any combinations of hemp and bamboo. Also, Eucalyptus trees are rapidly renewable resources known for their quick growth; properly trained foresters cut Eucalyptus trees above the root bulb and see their trees grow back to size within just five to eight years. More importantly, once a tree has been initially harvested, new trees regenerate and up to 15 generations of new growth can be cultivated.
All Eucalyptus fiber for LIVING FRESH with Tencel+Plus products is harvested from Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) and/or Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC) managed forests. The ability to produce Eucalyptus fiber while having almost complete recovery of the solvent is a giant step forward in the sustainability arena. Another important environmental aspect is the use of water when comparing Tencel+Plus Eucalyptus to other natural fibers. Tencel+Plus Eucalyptus fiber requires 100 times less water than traditional cotton manufacturing.
The Eucalyptus fiber in Tencel+Plus is the first hospitality bedding material created to promote relaxation and well-being during sleep. Tencel+Plus actually absorbs moisture and releases it away from the body, creating a dry and cool sleeping atmosphere. This moisture reduction depletes bacteria without any additional chemicals or additives as bacteria is normally created by moisture trapped in polyester or cotton fabric during sleep. All of these qualities combine to provide not just steps towards true sustainability for the environment, but sustainability to human health and well-being.
Go to Valley Forge or contact Ken Koneck at kkoneck@valleyforge.com.
