Cotton will retain 24-27 times its own weight in water and is stronger when wet than dry. | The largest sewn cushion was 33 feet by 33 feet. | Natural fabrics are made from fibers of animal coats, silkworm cocoons, plant seeds, leaves and stems. Common are wool, cotton, silk, linen, hemp, ramie, and jute. | Kevlar, a synthetic fiber developed by DuPont in 1965, was first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires.
Guilford of Maine ® and Terratex ® Fabric Selection
Introduced in 1995, Terratex commercial fabrics are now widely recognized as the textile industry’s most innovative and important stride toward increased sustainability. Everything about Terratex – from its raw materials to what can be done with it at the end of a product’s useful life – is designed to tread lighter on the earth. Which makes it an excellent choice for everyone trying to do likewise.
What goes in it and why it matters Terratex is made from 100% recycled polyester (largely post-consumer plastic soda pop bottles) or renewable materials (such as PLA which is derived from corn). So unlike fabrics that use virgin polyester, Terratex works to conserve petroleum resources – and everyone knows that’s a good thing these days.
The skinny on leaner production The manufacturing processes we, Guilford of Maine, use to make Terratex are deliberately designed to reduce the environmental impact of our operations. Our TerraCHECK™ system scrutinizes the dyes and chemicals we use to the smallest unit and specifies that only ones meeting the highest environmental standards can go into Terratex. We’re also increasing our use of renewable energy such as wind and solar to power our production plants. Over 20 percent of the energy Guilford of Maine uses today comes from renewable sources.
No compromise on quality
We don’t expect you to go easy on Terratex just because it goes easy on the environment. In fact, we insist that every Terratex fabric performs to the same high standards as our other products, including that it meets or exceeds all ACT performance tests.
Closing the loop
Finally, all Terratex fabrics are made to be recycled or composted at the end of their service life – instead of thrown into a landfill. Guilford of Maine is going the next step, too, by developing programs such as ReSKU ® to actually reclaim our fabrics years later and return them to the supply chain as raw materials for new products.
Much more to come.
Terratex is an important and burgeoning initiative for Guilford of Maine. There’s much more to learn about it than this page can tell. Come back here in coming months and we’ll fill you in on the rest of the story.