by Brianna Crandall — March 3, 2014—Furniture and architectural solutions manufacturer Trendway has announced what the company says is a unique water-based top coat for its Feek NA (North America) Fundamentals and Feek Custom product lines.
This innovation reportedly positions Feek as the first coated foam furniture on the market utilizing a more sustainable water-based color coat technology. Coated foam products have been manufactured in Europe for over a decade. In search of a more sustainable process, the Trendway team collaborated with a proven global coatings manufacturer to create a highly durable, comfortable, water-based topcoat that greatly reduces volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and the overall environmental footprint of the Feek NA manufacturing process.
The transition to a 100% water-based topcoat results in an approximate 60% reduction in emitted VOCs for the coating process, with an overall reduction of 30% for the entire Feek manufacturing process, says Trendway. In addition, much less VOC-containing solvent is required for the general cleanup and maintenance of the process, and less contaminated solvent is generated for disposal, reducing the product’s environmental footprint.
Netherlands-designed Feek products are “fun, friendly, and flexible” coated foam products used in a variety of places, from universities and hotels to museums and corporate offices. The products are ideal for collaborative spaces and meeting places, from creative conference environments to open social settings. Relatively light and mobile, Feek configurations are easy to move around to suit changing needs.
With soft edges and supportive foam construction, Feek is designed for great comfort. Feek is also easy to maintain in high-use public areas. Hygienic and seamless, food and liquids are unable to penetrate the coating, and spills can be quickly towel dried. Feek meets the Cal 117 fire standard and meets the industry standard for heavy-duty usage.
A Zero Waste to Landfill facility, Trendway’s ongoing commitment to sustainability is evident in numerous third-party certifications. Trendway’s BIFMA level 1 certified products now include Choices and Contrada systems, Trig desking, Intrinsic freestanding, all filing and storage products, and TrendWall movable walls. The company is also certified as a CarbonNeutral Organization by The CarbonNeutral Company.
