Joe Ruggiero designs weaves for Viro fibers with focus on green
Weather-resistant woven patterns complement Sunbrella outdoor fabrics
-- Casual Living, 4/21/2008 12:23:00 AM
Inspired by thoughts of his granddaughter’s future, designer Joe Ruggiero joined with Viro, maker of all weather wicker, to develop a premier line of eco-friendly woven patterns that will debut at the Hospitality Design Expo in May.
“Becoming a grandfather for the first time has made me more conscious than ever about the future and the world I will leave to my grandchild,” Ruggiero said. “My work with Viro is inspirational because of the product’s unique capabilities and the benefits of being non-toxic and recyclable. Who knows, my designs for Viro could be around for my granddaughter to enjoy.”
Ruggiero designed the weather-resistant woven patterns to complement Sunbrella outdoor fabrics, for which he has designed more than 1,000 patterns.
A collection of three weaves - Antique, Leather Like and Natural - will launch at the HD Expo in Las Vegas, May 15-17. Ruggiero had a different inspiration for each. Antique was inspired by a woven antique child’s chair from the 1800s. Leather Like evokes the woven leather of equestrian harnessing and tack. Natural refers to the woven art of basketry from Tuscany, Provence and England. Each of these designs comes in 11 colors.
Viro fibers are highly customizable and specifically designed and engineered for outdoor use. Designers can choose from a wide range of profiles, colors, textures and surface effects. Viro is UV stabilized, high-density polyethylene, a non-toxic, recyclable material that out-performs natural wicker in many ways.
Ruggiero, who found the combination of Viro’s unique capabilities and green qualities to be a perfect fit, has influenced millions of consumers who look to him for fresh design ideas and trend direction. His entry into green design will no doubt lead consumers toward more sustainable choices.
Mr. Goyer,
Thank you for taking the time to comment on our product. I would like to clarify a couple points about our green statement. In general, within the marketplace of all weather wicker, there are two types of material used.
1. PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)
2. HDPE (High Density Polyethylene)
We made HDPE based all weather wicker. We consider HDPE as the greener of these two type of material due to the following reasons:
1. If HDPE is burned at the end of its product life cycle, it will break down into CO2 and Water. PVC on the other hand will break down into among other things Dioxin, a chemical linked with a variety of cancers
2. HDPE (recycling code no 2) is the most commonly recycled plastic in the world. It is commonly downcycled into product such as plastic lumber, etc. HDPE is the same material that you will commonly find in milk jugs and plastic bag.
3. Our HDPE material is UV stabilized, and is formulated to last for at least 3 years (We perform our weathering test in Arizona, an environment known for its high UV exposure. We test our product for 1 year there. Under accelerated weathering test, it is about equivalent to 5 years in common outdoor exposure) It is also tested against household chemicals such as bleach solutions, saltwater, soap, tanning lotion among others. Our goal is to create a durable outdoor material that can be made into furniture that will last for many years. In actual application, we have seen product lasted 7-8 years in the field. In contrast, the normal standard of testing for the durability for outdoor paint is 1 year.
4. In addition to the choice of material itself, we are currently in the process of upgrading our ISO standard. At the moment, we hold an ISO 9001 certification, however we are going to upgrade our ISO standard to ISO 14000 within the near future. ISO 14000 is an international environmental management standard that assist an organization to minimize their negative environmental impact.
In a perfect world, we would like to see a material that can be used in the outdoor environment for many years, and then will dissolve into the soil, similar to a cradle to cradle concept. However such material does not currently exist yet. We are doing our small part in helping the industry go toward a "greener" direction
Should you have any more questions, I will welcome an opportunity to discuss it with you further.
Johan Yang - 2008-04-22 15:01:00 EDT
Thank you for taking the time to comment on our product. I would like to clarify a couple points about our green statement. In general, within the marketplace of all weather wicker, there are two types of material used.
1. PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)
2. HDPE (High Density Polyethylene)
We made HDPE based all weather wicker. We consider HDPE as the greener of these two type of material due to the following reasons:
1. If HDPE is burned at the end of its product life cycle, it will break down into CO2 and Water. PVC on the other hand will break down into among other things Dioxin, a chemical linked with a variety of cancers
2. HDPE (recycling code no 2) is the most commonly recycled plastic in the world. It is commonly downcycled into product such as plastic lumber, etc. HDPE is the same material that you will commonly find in milk jugs and plastic bag.
3. Our HDPE material is UV stabilized, and is formulated to last for at least 3 years (We perform our weathering test in Arizona, an environment known for its high UV exposure. We test our product for 1 year there. Under accelerated weathering test, it is about equivalent to 5 years in common outdoor exposure) It is also tested against household chemicals such as bleach solutions, saltwater, soap, tanning lotion among others. Our goal is to create a durable outdoor material that can be made into furniture that will last for many years. In actual application, we have seen product lasted 7-8 years in the field. In contrast, the normal standard of testing for the durability for outdoor paint is 1 year.
4. In addition to the choice of material itself, we are currently in the process of upgrading our ISO standard. At the moment, we hold an ISO 9001 certification, however we are going to upgrade our ISO standard to ISO 14000 within the near future. ISO 14000 is an international environmental management standard that assist an organization to minimize their negative environmental impact.
In a perfect world, we would like to see a material that can be used in the outdoor environment for many years, and then will dissolve into the soil, similar to a cradle to cradle concept. However such material does not currently exist yet. We are doing our small part in helping the industry go toward a "greener" direction
Should you have any more questions, I will welcome an opportunity to discuss it with you further.
OH !!! PLEASE !!!! There is nothing eco-friendly or green about the production of polyethylene !!! This is totally false marketing !!! I hope the designer does well with the line, but to market it with the trendy buzz words of today is just a flat out LIE !!! Shame on you Casual Living !!!
lloyd goyer - 2008-04-22 08:03:00 EDT
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