Porter Designs’ Good Earth upholstery collection is sustainable inside and out
Porter Designs featured for our Good Earth sustainable upholstery collection in Furniture Today:
PORTLAND – Porter Designs, maker of the Good Earth “Furniture with a Conscience” collection, is bringing sustainability to every possible component for its High Point Market offerings.
The collection includes 16 fashion-forward groups consisting of sectionals, sofas, loveseats, queen sleepers and chairs. Styles range from transitional to contemporary with coordinating throw pillows. For Porter Designs, style and price matter as much as sustainability.
“The Good Earth Collection’s powerful sustainable message really struck a chord with retailers at the last market who are interested in giving their customers what they are looking for. We are ardent about sustainability, creating a smart, profitable business model that saves the planet so future generations have something to inherit. It’s not just a catchphrase for us,” said David Weiss, president and co-owner of Porter Designs. “The reality is that the next generation is demanding a change.”
Feet for the seats are made with recycled plastic, frames are made with repurposed oriented strand board, an environmentally friendly alternative to plywood, and the springs and cushion coils are made from recycled steel.
The upholstery uses recycled Dacron/Dacron fiber wrap made from recycled PET (polyester) bottle flakes that are melted down and respun into fiber strands for the seat backs and cushions. Culp performance covers are woven with Repreve yarns made from plastic bottles recovered from landfills and oceans.
“One yard of fabric contains up to nine plastic bottles, and it takes about 90 recycled plastic bottles to cover a sofa,” said Julie Grant, creative director, and co-owner at Porter Designs.
The company uses leathers that are sustainably produced to the highest European standards in Italy. The tannery has a Gold Star rating from the Leather Working Group which ensures no hazardous tanning agents are used and all the finishes are water based. The water used in the tanning process is monitored, treated and, where possible, reused throughout the tannery. The tanning drums are optimized to reduce water and create energy efficiency, according to the company.
Even the collection’s packaging is sustainable. The plastic wrap is made from recycled plastic and the cardboard is recycled and recyclable.
“We are proud to say that our Good Earth Collection is the most sustainable upholstery collection available,” Grant said. “Many companies offer sustainable fabrics on their upholstery, but our Good Earth collection takes sustainability further by offering recycled elements to our upholstery construction making it more ecofriendly. This helps us to achieve our goal to create fashion-forward, comfortable, durable and affordably priced upholstery while minimizing waste which ultimately leads to a healthier environment. It also gives retailers a compelling story to share with their customers.”
Porter Designs is a member of the Sustainable Furnishings Council and supports the SFC’s core focus of “People-Planet-Profits” as well as its mission to achieve a healthy balance between social equity, environmental concerns, and local economies, all of which are part of Porter Designs’ corporate values.
Porter Designs’ showroom is located at Centers of High Point|Hamilton, space 230.
The original article can be found on Furniture Today here.
