Interface Fabrics Group (IFG), an Atlanta-based Interface Inc. company, recently introduced its Infinity® brand 100-percent solution-dyed, high-performance contract seating fabric collection for use in such heavy-traffic arenas as stadiums; places of worship; theaters; and educational, healthcare and hospitality facilities. Initial fabrics are made from nylon or olefin, and by year’s end, Infinity will also include fabrics made from recycled polyester. IFG backs the performance of the fabrics with a 10-year warranty against wear-through and fading from light
exposure.
The excellent colorfastness of solution-dyed fibers has been proven in laboratory tests, but according to John J. Rowan Jr., vice president, sales and marketing, Performance Textiles, test results are not as relevant to consumers as real-life performance. “It shouldn’t fall on the
end-user to analyze these test data, but everybody understands a warranty. We should take responsibility for the testing data and provide assurance to the consumer of the product’s performance,” Rowan said.
Infinity® fabrics are available in nylon or olefin.
Fabrics made from recylced polyester will be
added to the line by year’s end.
The scope of IFG’s warranty, which includes material and labor replacement costs, is the strongest in the industry, he added. “The idea of having a fabric guarantee is relatively new, and we were the first to provide one. No one else offers a 10-year warranty that is as comprehensive as ours,” Rowan said. The warranty also enables seating manufacturers using Infinity fabrics to provide a complete warranty for their end-products.
As with all Interface products, Infinity fabrics are manufactured using environmentally sustainable and efficient manufacturing processes. The polyester fabrics due out later this year will be completely recyclable, and IFG is working to develop a new backing for use with the nylon
and olefin fabrics that will allow those fabrics to be recycled as well. In addition, the fabrics’ durability means replacement cycles are longer, which in turn reduces the use of raw materials, according to IFG.
The Infinity brand comprises fabrics in a range of price points and designs. Distribution channels include jobbers, furniture manufacturers and refurbishers in the contract market. The line is focused on open-line fabric designs, but Rowan said IFG is open to producing proprietary fabrics for specific customers. The fabrics are marketed through IFG’s new Performance Textiles unit, which derives its offerings from IFG’s various fabric divisions. “Once the full range of our new Infinity
products is launched later in the year, IFG will have the broadest family of performance textiles in the marketplace,” Rowan said.
June 2003
