Crypton performance fabric

Discover Safari and Karma Fabrics by Douglass

August 2, 2018

Leading contract fabric company Douglass Industries has introduced two imaginative and versatile lines with INCASE Crypton Technology. The Karma and Safari Collections each offer spirited patterns, lush colors and soulful inspiration.

Good Karma Only

For designers looking to add good vibes to any project, the Karma Collection may be just the thing to add lively or calm energy to a space, depending on the design vision. Karma’s whimsical colorations work in perfect harmony with one another, with warm complementing cool. Patterns with thematic names such as Chance, Serendipity and Destiny range from smart geometrics and comforting organics to multi-color textures.

The Douglass Karma Collection with INCASE Crypton Technology. Clockwise from top left, five of the patterns shown in harmonious color ways: Serendipity in Nut Brown, Kismet in Turquoise, Fortune in Green/Blue, Destiny in Aquamarine and Witty in Everglade.

Standout patterns include the subtle kaleidoscope look of Kismet, the abstract leaf and berry pattern Serendipity, and Triumph, where crisp stripes underlay an interlocked geometric design which is soft and welcoming.

The intricate Fortune pattern looks as if it may have been inspired by ancient woven textiles, with tiny diamond and pyramid shapes in neat rows creating a stripe effect. The patterned “stripes” align in both sophisticated combinations such as Gilded, a mix of gold, ivory, taupe and toast hues, and radiant bursts of color such as those in Flamingo with its warm pinks and deep corals mixing with nut brown tones. The range also includes calming combinations from nature like the sea and sand palette of the Caribbean colorway, and versatile palettes such as the turquoise, copper and aquamarine tone of Green/Blue.

The designers say the Karma Collection all happened for a reason. “Call it fate, destiny or happenstance; these patterns were meant to be together,” says the Douglass team. Each fabric meets or exceeds 50,000 double rubs, 50 lbs. seam slippage and is finished with INCASE Crypton Technology for applications needing a permanent stain repellent.

Go on Safari

Sometimes a design calls for textiles that can, simultaneously, soothe and mesmerize, while appearing hand-wrought and sophisticated. Douglass has created a group of distinctive, hand-crafted selections that accomplish all of that. Perfect for the hospitality market, the Safari Collection is inspired by the lush textures of African scenery. The patterns incorporate the beautiful contrasts of this vast and fascinating continent, with textiles drawn from the vibrant whir of cosmopolitan cities like Nairobi, to the warm and spiritual art and culture found in remote villages and the wild, natural expanses of Africa from bush to veld to savanna.

Pattern inspirations come from things such as thatched roofs made of river reeds, dried clay, seashell-embellished tribal garments and hand-woven baskets. The wonderful African handmade textiles are also at play here, with patterns drawn from batik and Kuba cloths.

The Safari Collection with INCASE Crypton Technology shown in tones of gold and copper. From top: Nuru, Tadala and Dayo.

The Safari Collection with INCASE Crypton Technology shown in tones of black, gray and copper. Top-to-bottom: Nuru in Stoneware, Swahili in Bark Cloth, Tadala in Elephant and Dayo in Onyx.

These richly woven, textural fabrics embody the rich and varied colors of the continent that inspired them. Some are reflective of the region’s countryside with its rich earth tones influenced by natural dyes from roots, berries, bark, leaves, and wood. Others come from the landscape’s warm desert to cool ocean tones. Some are drawn from the exotic and diverse animals themselves that, if you are lucky, you might see on safari, such as the pale grey of the Rhino, charcoal grey of the Hippo, the warm caramel of the Giraffe and deep dark chocolate in Buffalo.

Some of the most dramatic hues in the line are clearly taken from the distinctly moving and memorable African skies, which change color with so much drama it is nearly impossible not to be mesmerized. Clearly these designers were stirred by the intense reds and oranges of Daybreak and Sunset and drawn to the mysterious and haunting sky blues in Twilight, Dusk and Nightfall. Anyone who has been fortunate enough to gaze up at the night sky in remote bushland seeking a glimpse at the Southern Cross would recognize these colors, deftly taken from nature and interpreted here.

A leader in contract textiles, Douglass Industries provides seating and panel fabrics to a broad spectrum of design markets including hospitality, office, senior living, acute care, education and government. Crypton proudly partners with Douglass to create contract textiles with the highest level of aesthetic integrity along with enduring properties of spill, stain and odor-resistance suitable for high-traffic contract applications. All of the Douglass Crypton textiles are woven in the United States.

Crypton Collection Review: Brentano Crushes the Cityscape

November 1, 2017

One of the most exciting trends in contract fabric is a move toward intense, distinctive colors and exciting patterns. This new trend breaks through all of the myths about design limitations with contract performance fabrics. These looks could fall into the realm of any luxury interior textile, yet they offer the extraordinary performance required for more demanding spaces.

Brentano’s Cityscape Collection is one example of this design revolution. It captures the urban landscape in textile form. Design Director, Iris Wang, and the Brentano design studio were inspired by all senses stimulated within the metropolitan environment. They cite among their references towering skyscrapers, perpetual movement and the energetic sounds that pulse through any city.

The new collection includes vivid colors and graphic, large-scale patterns such as Boulevard. This bold stripe is an interpretation of the grandest type of urban street. It celebrates a tradition of generously scaled avenues, the type that have become destinations in and of themselves. The color and life of the Champs-Élysées, Park Avenue, Wilshire Boulevard and so many more are set down with style on a focal-point-ready textile.

Boulevard pattern from the Cityscape Collection by Brentano

INCASE Crypton Technology protects seven of the collection’s patterns and is suitable for hospitality, retail, office, education, healthcare and residential interiors. It works for all applications where performance is a must but a moisture barrier is not required.

If The New Yorker was a contract fabric, it would be Cityscape (see featured image at top of this post). The collection’s namesake pattern is a madcap mashup of hand-illustrated skyscrapers. Cityscape (somehow) creates the overall impression of a loose geometric crossed with an animal print. It offers the intellectual energy of the urban jungle juxtaposed with just enough whimsy.

Even the small-scale coordinates such as Metropolis and Boomtown and an uber-textural, micro-chevron pattern called Disco push the limits of expected design. Built for high-performance applications, all of the Cityscape patterns offer outstanding wearability, exceeding over 75,000 double rubs (Wyzenbeek).

Boomtown (left) and Metropolis (right) patterns from the Cityscape Collection by Brentano.

Perhaps you’ve already specified some bold beauty from the Cityscape Collection and want to share it with us? Please do! You may see your work in an upcoming post in this space.

How to Clean Crypton Fabric: Extraction Cleaning

August 24, 2017

As resilient as they are stain-resistant, Crypton fabrics are made to hold up to frequent cleaning. There’s a reason that over 1.5 million yards of Crypton fabrics have been installed in major hotel and restaurant installations as well as healthcare environments, offices and other public places. These high-traffic areas require regular cleanings of both their hard and soft surfaces. Even Crypton Home fabrics, specially designed for residential use, can be cleaned as often as desired and never lose their ability to resist stains, spills and odors. That’s because the performance technology in Crypton fabrics occurs at a molecular level. The performance properties become a part of the character of the fibers themselves, so their protective nature is inherent and can never wash or wear away.

The following extraction cleaning method for stain removal can be used for most medium or ground-in stains and for overall maintenance:

Prepare the upholstery using the spot-cleaning method to pre-treat any spots. Vacuum the upholstery to remove any loose debris.
Prepare a cleaning solution by reading the instructions on the chosen extraction concentrate bottle to include the proper dilution ratio.
Pour the solution into the tank.
Apply solution to fabric by spraying with the upholstery wand sprayer.
Vacuum up the solution with the upholstery wand vacuum nozzle.
Allow fabric to air-dry.
If any stains remain, repeat the process (some stains are more difficult to remove than others).

Did you know?

Crypton offers an extraction cleaning service under the Crypton Care Cleaning Program (pdf). Our client and national restaurant chain, P.F. Chang’s, tell us this really helps them stay on top of a semi-annual maintenance schedule to keep their upholstery fresh and new looking. We also offer a variety of cleaning products, including an extraction machine, for sale in the Crypton Store. Lastly, the Crypton Outreach Team is standing by to support you or your clients on any questions, cleaning, specification or otherwise, regarding Crypton fabrics, starting pre-spec and for the life of your installation. In short, we’re here to help!

For more information, contact the Crypton Care Department at care@crypton.com or 1.800.CRYPTON.

Stacy Garcia: A Design Star Composes a Collection

June 6, 2017

The arena of product design is both fiercely competitive and highly demanding, requiring tremendous focus, creativity, and an innate talent for forecasting. Like the designers their products serve, these creatives need to have both a strong right and left brain to achieve success. A deep technical knowledge and expertise in contract specification is critical. Stellar product design pro, Stacy Garcia, is at the top of this game, creating an array of brilliant products that are being widely specified in every sector of contract design. She’s also one of the kindest and most fun people we know, and that good karma seems to emanate from her designs, imbuing interiors with a distinctive, lively spirit.

Stacy Garcia

Her line of Crypton-powered textiles called Composition is just such a collection. It bears her hallmark of combining a global perspective with a sophisticated, fashion-centric edge. Super-fierce geometrics recall classic themes such as argyle in a modern way. These dovetail with patterns that have a timeless look that could as easily have been inspired by natural phenomena such as honeycomb or flame as by technology (binary code) or handcraft (brush strokes). We’re guessing her influences include all of these touch points. Her fresh twist on the familiar is what makes these designs resonate.

Ms. Garcia is a successful creative entrepreneur and founder of multiple business enterprises: LebaTex, Inc., a distinctive textile supplier and Stacy Garcia, Inc., a licensing firm and design house. With brands like Stacy Garcia Commercial, Stacy Garcia | New York, and Stay by Stacy Garcia, she has partnered with some of the world’s leading manufacturers to create products that span from floor-to-ceiling in resorts and homes all over the world. Stacy says, “LebaTex is bringing to the commercial market a unique mix of style and performance with its collection of drapery and upholstery fabrics. They produce a well-rounded offering of Stacy Garcia Textiles with high-quality performance finishes like INCASE fabric protection by Crypton.” The fabrics are offered exclusively to the trade through D.L. Couch, Eykon Design Resources and TRI-KES.

Left: Geometry, Contour, Woodcut and Airbrush patterns in the blue green family. Right: Fresco is offered in jewel tones, hot brights and cool neutrals.

Looking at her work, it isn’t hard to see why Stacy was voted one of the 10 leading voices in the hospitality industry and was honored by ASID for Design Excellence. Her work has been featured in many publications designers turn to for product recommendations, including Interior Design, Boutique Design, New York Spaces, LUXE, Rue Daily and Architectural Digest. If you haven’t already, you’ll probably get an opportunity to see Stacy on a design panel one of these days soon. Internationally renowned, she is highly sought out for her forecasting expertise and is an industry tastemaker. She’s also a sometime-journalist, spreading her infectious enthusiasm for design via her blog, videos and online magazine: Life-Styled. We at Crypton are big fans, and look forward to many future collaborations.

Five patterns from the Stacy Garcia Composition Collection in one of contract design’s most in-demand colors: grey.

Designers, if you’ve specified the Composition Collection or any Stacy Garcia textiles with INCASE fabric protection, we’d love to see a photo of your work! We might even ask if we can feature it in our blog.

Product photos in this post courtesy Stacy Garcia Textiles. Stacy Garcia portrait as seen in Life-Styled magazine, spring 2017.

Easy Guide to Spot Cleaning Crypton Contract Fabrics

April 5, 2017

Architects and designers tell us that in their contract projects, one of the most frequent questions from the client side involves not aesthetics, not even facility planning or engineering, but rather maintenance schedules. Specifiers who want to generate repeat business make it their job to build in as many high-performing, low-maintenance design choices as possible. And from high-tech tile to washable paint and stain-resistant fabrics, they are getting better, more beautiful and even greener all the time.

Some people think that of all the finishes in a commercial project, fabrics are the most perishable. This is far from true. In fact, we’ve seen many cases where our fabric has outlasted the furniture itself. The first thing we recommend you tell your clients about Crypton for their peace of mind is to remember the performance attributes of Crypton stay in place for the life of the fabric. They can’t wear off, wash off or rub off, so Crypton never stops performing.

Giving your clients the scoop on keeping their Crypton fabrics performing spotlessly is simple. Most liquids will simply roll off and can easily be blotted with a clean cloth. For spots and stains that linger longer than a second or two, your clients just need to know the simple steps for spot cleaning.

SPOT CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS

The spot cleaning method of stain removal can be used for most light to medium stains:

Before spot-cleaning, blot up liquids on the surface with a clean, soft towel and brush off any loose dirt.
Prepare a cleaning solution of 1/4 tsp mild enzyme detergent, such as Tide®, Woolite® or Dawn® dishwashing liquid, per 1 cup of lukewarm water.
Apply the cleaning solution to the affected area using a spray bottle.
Work the solution into the affected area by lightly scrubbing the area with a sponge or soft-bristle brush. Make sure to work from the outside of the stain inward so as not to spread the stain, and rinse your sponge or brush frequently.
Allow cleaning solution to soak into the fabric.
Rinse thoroughly to remove all soap residue, as residue will attract dirt. Blot excess moisture with a clean, soft towel or sponge.
Repeat steps 3-6 if needed.
Allow fabric to air-dry.

If you still have questions, or should your clients come to you with a really tough cleaning question, we’re always at the ready. The Crypton Care department is available to provide advice, tips, Crypton cleaning products and complete contract specification support services. Call 800.CRYPTON (2797866) or email care@crypton.com for help between 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET. Chances are we can solve your tough cleaning problem on the spot, as it were.

Fabrics Inspired by Community: New from Architex

February 16, 2017

Designers looking for some instant karma of the good variety for their next project will discover it offered up imaginatively in the latest collection of Crypton contract fabrics by renowned maker Architex. The 69-item BELIEVING collection tells a series of design stories inspired by the concept of global unity. According to Architex Marketing and Product Director Lauren Williams, “With the constant reminders of that which divides us all in the world, this collection aims to remind us to take a pause to remember at our core we are all the same. We are all humans who have hopes and dreams of love and laughter – but more importantly of freedom, of equality, of peace, of tolerance and of understanding.”

Among the things that can unite humans are architecture and design. The Architex design team took photos of key places: communities, architectural marvels and memorials with symbolic significance. From the edited photos came sketches, which were then translated into nine patterns, each in multiple color palettes. Says Ms. Williams, “Every motif represents a place where humans come together and connect face to face–creating instances where the beliefs in our similarities outshine our differences.”

L-R: Coexist, Kindred, Community and Lennon patterns from the Architex Believing Collection.

The creative stimuli range from ancient to modern. A few highlights: The moving and poetic structure of a Santiago Calatrava bridge was the source of INSPIRE, a pattern of interconnecting arcs soaring into elongated diamonds.

Inspire pattern variations and concept art from the Architex Believing Collection

Inspired by the recently unearthed mosaic floor of a Byzantine Monastery, CHRONICLE features a pattern of intricately intertwined concentric circles that dates back to antiquity, when stone mosaics were often employed to tell stories without using language.

Chronicle pattern variations and concept art from the Architex Believing Collection

Design elements from a contemporary public light rail train system create the COALESCE pattern. It eloquently represents the connection and unification of people and countries. In another pattern, PRESENCE, a collection of antique watches found at the Museum for Islamic Art loosely informs a series of small, open circles. Each tiny circle indicates a precious moment of time.

Presence pattern variations and concept art from the Architex Believing Collection

The imaginative beehive structure of a Zvi Hecker apartment complex in KINDRED makes use of 720 different non-rectangular components to form a pattern that evokes stained glass windows or puzzle parts. It also speaks of neighbors and nature and how the human community is formed.

Kindred pattern variations and concept art from the Architex Believing Collection

LENNON is a reminder of the late musician’s devotion to political activism and his dream of a world filled with love and peace. The design is a takeoff from the famous “imagine” circle at the Strawberry Fields Memorial in New York’s Central Park.

Lennon pattern variations and concept art from the Architex Believing Collection

Another thing humans have in common is a need for interiors that work under the particular pressures and conditions of everyday life. This is especially true in the worldwide contract applications such as hospitality, office and healthcare where designers are specifying this collection. Woven in a polyester-acrylic blend and powered by Crypton performance, Believing fabrics are durable, cleanable and beautiful for all.

Although Architex conceived it some time ago, world events since have continued to put a finer point on the meaning of the Believing fabrics line. Turns out it is even more timely now than in its nascence. Notes Ms. Williams, “Meaningful and uplifting design is important. If we can put out any good and hopeful vibes, even in our business, if we’re able, that’s the goal.” We agree. One tribe y’all.

Are you a specifier and are planning to use any of the Architex BELIEVING fabrics in an upcoming installation? We’d love to hear about it and see a photo. Perhaps we can share your instant karma right here in this space!

All images in this post courtesy of Architex.