Canadian brand EQ3 launches a collection of eco-friendly fabrics

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Winnipeg, MB, mark EQ3 has been designing and manufacturing furniture and homeware since 2001 that appeals to lovers of clean, modern design, but has just launched its first line of durable, high-performance fabrics.

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This line includes three collections made up of 26 fabrics, such as wool, twill, chenille and bouclé, sourced from Italy, China and the United States and made in Canada. These fabrics are durable, stain resistant and stand up to daily wear and tear, but the chemicals used to achieve this protection are gentle on the environment, says Enri Tielmann, EQ3’s design director.

When EQ3 began researching high performance fabrics, they discovered that the upholstery options available for products like sofas contained harsh chemicals known to pollute the environment and can sometimes pose a health risk to people over time. time, like the dreaded VOCs.

Rather than accept that, EQ3 looked for an alternative, says Tielmann.

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“A product is only as good as the quality of the materials it is made of,” he says.

Many high performance fabrics on the market contain PFAs (Polyfluoroalkylated Substances) or PFCs (Perfluorinated Products), which contain toxins known to be disruptive to our health and environment; Tiemann says: “These chemicals are bioaccumulative, which means that they build up over time, amplifying their harmful effects by polluting waterways, damaging plant life and contributing to a decrease in nutrient density in soils. areas near manufacturing facilities.

EQ3 offered a stain-resistant finish for its fabrics without harsh chemicals, says Tielmann. And he also saw the opportunity to extend the life of the furniture he produces by using hard-wearing fabrics.

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Fabric collections include Onno (nearly 50% natural wool), Maria (a chenille fabric with a thick multi-ply construction), Bouclé (a blend of wool, linen, cotton, viscose and acrylic), Arctic (a twill recognized for its diagonal structure) and Cedar (a caterpillar).

Bouclé is a fabric that EQ3 particularly likes because it offers a natural look and feel, says Tielmann. “We’ve seen it grow in popularity over the past few years.”

Each of the fabrics is available in a range of colors and tones.

“The act of decorating a home is an act of self-expression at its core. The more options people have available to them, the more authentic that expression will be,” adds Tielmann.

When it comes to sustainability, EQ3 is constantly looking for ways to be more environmentally conscious.

In recent years, it has introduced a packaging engineer to learn how to reduce waste, expanded its product offerings that feature an environmentally friendly water-based finish, and continued to invest in local manufacturing to minimize its carbon footprint, he says:

“It’s a journey, and while we’re proud of what we’ve achieved so far, we’re even more excited about what’s yet to come.”