Green Fabrics are RED HOT

Home design is warming up to the planet, so why keep the fabrics you choose out in the cold? Sustainable textiles are one of the hottest decorating trends for 2009. Eco-chic fabrics are finding their way onto windows, chairs, sofas and beds as beautiful and earth-friendly draperies, upholstery, bedding and toss pillows.

Woven from organic fibers that were grown without using pesticides, artificial herbicides or fertilizers, these materials meet all environmental standards regarding dye composition and finishing treatments, as well. Producing fabrics through this sustainable process reduces carbon outputs and has a much less damaging effect on the earth's natural resources.

Beacon Hill “Awakening” line available at The Great Cover-Up.

Fabricut “Bella-Dura™ Studio” collection. Fabricut fabrics are available at The Fabric Company & Sunshine Drapery.

Fabricut “The Green Project” line.

Organic cotton, hemp and bamboo are natural choices when choosing an eco-friendly fabric, but there are plenty of alternatives. Wool, silk, jute and recycled polyester can also be kind to the planet. Tencel® fabrics are becoming more prevalent in window treatments for their drapability and are a stunning substitute for silk. And while many of these “green” fabrics were once less than desirable with their scratchy textures and boring colors, the industry today is booming, offering soft textiles with vibrant hues and an array of unique patterns. Many designs are nature-inspired, with striking florals and leaf designs.

Kravet Fabrics is a leader in this environmentally conscious movement and is introducing materials that are as elegant as they are ecological in their Kravet Green line. The fabrics in this three-book color collection are made from recycled polyester with palettes that mimic and are named “Fire,” “Earth” and “Ocean.”

Beacon Hill, a division of  The Robert Allen Group, also offers a collection of eco-friendly fabrics. The company's “Pure Style” and “Awakening” lines feature innovative constructions, unexpected textures and vibrant colors. Teddy Karl, principal designer at The Great Cover-Up in Ladue says, “Our residential clients are just starting to have a heightened awareness of what is available to help them be more ‘green.' Many of them prefer natural fibers. Our commercial and corporate clients, on the other hand, have embraced the ecological standard. I think we will all ultimately get there as the product continues to become more desirable and widely available.”

Kravet Ocean Collection.

Kravet Ocean Collection.

Kravet Fire Collection. All Kravet Green fabrics featured are available at The Great Cover-Up and The Fabric Company.

Debra Fischer, Manager and Design Consultant at Sunshine Drapery in Sunset Hills, notices that eco-fabrics are a clear trend within the younger generation. “Many city loft-dwellers are particularly interested in using these natural materials for their window shades,” she says. “Fabricut, a large and progressive distributor of decorative fabrics, is also committed to developing textiles that are environmentally responsible.”

“Environment Plus” is Fabricut's collection of green upholstery, drapery and multipurpose fabrics. The collection includes “The Green Project,” a selection of upholstery textiles created from recycled plastic bottles, and “Crypton® – Volume IV,” which features textiles that resist stains, spills, moisture, odor and bacteria. Fabricut is also proud to introduce “Bella-Dura™ Studio,” a stylish, versatile collection of fabrics for both indoor and outdoor applications,  available in both traditional and modern patterns.

With a myriad of colors, designs and textures to choose from in the “green” fabric realm, going green means going gorgeous.