Named after Lopez Island, one of the largest of the San Juan Islands in Puget Sound, known for its pastoral beauty and shimmering vistas of water and mountains.
In Seattle we often talk about living the “island life”, referring to the simple life in the San Juans that we urbanites aspire to. Lopez reflects that desire to simplify: it has a glowing linen weft that catches the light, and the weave makes a different pattern from front to back – so the fabric can be used to feature either side. A supple, lightweight fabric, it’s perfect for myriad uses such as window treatments and bedding.
ECOFACTS
Green Farmers. The organic linen is grown in China and certified organic by Control Union. The yarns are woven into fabric at a mill in China where the principals are dedicated to green technology. Consequently, not only are the air and water quality standards very high, but the mill has a renewable energy plan that they have made application to the Chinese government to help to fund.
In addition, the mill treats the wastewater, so you won’t be contributing to any other family’s health concerns. The mill has on-site water treatment. Its water effluent is rated class 1A, the highest drinking water standard. The mill monitors sediment quantities, waste water temperature and water pH.
Test Results. Lopez is predicted to meet GreenGuard standards. It was tested by an ISO 9001:2000 registered IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) testing lab, which measured the out-gassing of chemicals. Our results were very impressive, well below limits set by the USGBC to allow fabrics to accrue LEED points for low emitting materials.
This test, a combination of gas chromatograph/mass spectrometry and high performance liquid chromatography, lasts for 24 hours. A small piece of fabric is placed in a closed chamber. The chemicals out-gassed for the first 24 hours at a given temperature and pressure are extrapolated to predict the results for the equivalent of a room volume. Based on decay rates for various chemicals, the test predicts the results after 168 hours (the GreenGuard requirement). So based on those parameters, and the results you see below, our fabrics passed with flying colors.
